The Elbert County tribune., 1912-12-27

and disappeared within. She looked
neither at Ryanne nor at George. She
knew that George. his soul filled with
uniucky quixotic sense OF cnivalry
which had made him SO easy victim
to her mother. would not accept his
liberty az the price OF Ryannes. Ry-
anne. to whom he owed nothing, not
even mercy. And II she had had to
ask one OF the two, George would
have been the natural selection. for
she trusted him implicitly. Perhaps
there still fingered in her mind rec
objection Of how charmingly he had
spoken of his mother
She could have set out for Cairo
alone: even as she could have grown
a pair Of wings and sailed through the
air! The fate that walked behind her
was malcvolent. cruel. unjust. She
mad wronged no one, In thought or
deed She had put out her hand conf
IDENTIFY to the world, to be laughed at,
distrusted. or ignored Was 1t pos
sibie that little more than a month
ago she wandered. If not happy, In
the sense she desired, at least In a
peaceful state of mind. among her ca
melias and roses at Mentone? Her
world had been. in this short time.
remolded. reconstructed: where once
had bloomed a garden. now yawned
chasm: and the psychological earth
quake had left her dizzy. That Ma
homed, now wrought to kind OF Ber-
serk rage. might begin reprisals at
once. did not alarm her; indeed. her
feeling was rather OF dull aching In
difference. Nothing mattered now.
But Ryanne and George were keenly
alive to the danger. and both agreed
that Fortune must go no farther.
Ryanne. under his bitter raillery and
seeming scorn for sacred things, pos
sessed latent magnanimity, and 1t
now pushed up through the false lay
ers. Jones, it's my funeral Go tell
her. You two can find the way back
to the canal. and once there you will
have no trouble. Don't bother your
head about me-"
But what will you dor
Take my medicine" grimly.
"Ryanne, you are offering the COW.
ardly part to mel
You fool. it's the girl. What do
care about the rest OF Il? You're
as brave as a lion. When you put up
your fists the other night. you solved
that puzzle for yourself For Gods
sake. do II while have the courage
to let youl Don't you understand? /
love that girl better than my hearts
blood. and Mahomed can have 1t drop
by drop. Go and go quickly! He will
give you food and water
You go. She knows you better
than me-"
But will she trust ne as she will
you? Percival. old top, Mahomed will
never let me go till he's taken his
pound Of flesh. Fortune!" Ryanne
called. Fortune. we want you'll"
She appeared at the flap OF the tent.
Jones here will go back with you.
Go. both of you. before Mahomed
changes his mind"
Miss 'Chedsoye, he is wrong. He's
the one to go. He was hurt worse
than l was. Pride doesn't matter at
a time like this. You two CO." des-
perately.
Fortune shook her head. "All or
none of US; all or none of u.s." she re-
peated.
And Mahomed. having witnessed
and overheard the scene, laughed, a
laughter Identical to that which had
struck the barmaids ears sinisterly.
He had not studied his white man
without gathering some insight into
his character. Neither of these men
was poltroon. And when he had
made the offer. he knew that the CON
ditions would erect a barrier over
which none Of them would pass vol
unfairly. So much for pride as the
Christian dogs knew 1t. Pride il a
fine buckler; none knew that better
than Mahomed himself; but a wise
4 man does not wear 1t at all times.
What is 1t to be-" he demanded
OF Fortune.
What shall I say to him?"
Whatever you will" Ryanne was
tired He saw that argument would
be of no use.
"All or none OF u.s." And Fortune
looked at Mahomed with all the pride
OF her race. 1T Is not because you
wish me to be free; it is because you
| wish to see one of my companions
made base in my eyes. / will not have
| it,"
"The will of Allah!" He could not
repress the fire Of admiration In his
own eyes as they took in her beauty,
the erect, slender figure. the scorn
upon her face, and the fearlessness In
her great, dark eyes. Such woman
might have graced the palace Of the
Great Ca1iph. He had had In mind
many little cruslties to practice upon
her. that he might see the men writhe.
impotent and helpless to aid her. But
in this tense and dramatic scene. a
sense Of shame took possession OF
him; his pagan heart softened; not
from nifty hirf frnrr, tho rfrraof s.t .I,t.