Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-30

Quickly there rose out of the horizon
saffron clouds, approaching with IN
credible swiftness. Little whirlwinds
Of sand appeared here and there, rose
and died as If for want Of air. Ma
homed veered the caravan toward q
kind of bluff composed of sand and
tprecipitous boulders. All the camels
were made to kneel. The boys muir
fed up their mouths and noses, and
Mahomed gave instructions to his cap
tives. Fortune buried her head In her
coat and nestled down beside her cam
ell, while George and Ryanne used
their handkerchiefs. George left his
camel and sought Fortunes side,
found her hand and held it tightly. He
scarcely gave thought to what he did.
He vaguely meant to encourage her.;
and possibly he did.
The storm broke. The sun became
obscured. Pebbles and splinters OF
rock sang through the pail Of whirl.
ing sand. A golden tone enveloped
the little gathering.
Had there been no natural protec-
ton, they must have ridden on, blind
ly and desperately, for to have remain
ed still in the open would have been
to await their tombs. 1t spent its fury
in half an hour; and the clearing air
became cold again. The caravan pro-
ceeded. The hair Of every one was
dimly yellow, their faces and their
garments. @
When camp was made that night 1t
found the captives untalkative The
girl and the two men sat moodily
about the fire. Fatigue had dulled
their bodies and hopelessly their
minds. The men were ragged now.
unkempt; stubble Of beard covered
their faces, gaunt yet burned, George
had lost his remaining pump, and as
his stockings We're now full of holes,
he had, in the last flicker of personal
pride wound about them some cast
off cloths he had found. There was
not enough water for additions; there
was scarcely enough to assuage thirst.
BY and by, Ryanne, without turning
his head, spoke to George You say
you questioned the cOurier?'
Eyes"
"He says he showed the note to no
one?"
Yes es E..
"And so no one will try to find us?"
mo"
Ryanne had asked these questions
dozen times and George had always
given the same answers.
Up and away at dawn, for they must
reach the we'll that night. 1t was .
terrible day for them all Even the
beasts showed signs Of distress. And
the worst of it was, Mahomed was not
quite sure of his route Fortunately,
they found the well. They drank like
mad people.
Ryanne, who had discovered pack
of cards in his pocket, played patience
upon a spot smoothed level with his
hand He became absorbed in the
game; and the boys gathered round
him curiously. Whenever he succeed.
ed in turning out the fifty-two cards,
he would smile and rub his hands to-
gether The boys at length consider
ed him unbalanced mentally and in
consequence looked upon him as q
near-holy man.
Between Fortune and George, con-
versation dwindled down to query
and an answer.
"Can | do anything for your
mo, thanks; am getting along
nicely"
Tonight she retired early and
George joined Ryanne's audience.
ut averages about nine cards to
the play" he commented.
Ryanne turned over an ace. len
or fifteen minutes went by. In the
several attempts he had failed to score
the full complement
George laughed.
Whats in your mind?" cried Ryan
ne peevishly. IF it's anything worth
telling, shoot it out shoot it Quit"
II was thinking what I'd to club
steak just about now. Grilled mush-
rooms"
Ryanne stared beyond the fire. A
club steak.
Sauce Bordelaise. Artichokes"
"No. Asparagus, vfnaigrette."
Whats the matter with endives?"
'"rhat's SO. Well, asparagus with
butter sauce
"Grilled sweets, coffee, Benedictine
and cigars"
"And a magnum of 1900 to start on
with" Ryanne, with a sudden change
of mood, scooped up the cards and
flung them at Georges head do
you want us both to become gibbering
idiots?"
George ducked. He and the boys
gathered in the fluttering pasteboards.
You're right, Percival," Ryanne adj
mitted humbly. 1T will not hurt us
to talk out loud, and we are all brood
ing too much. / am crazy for the
want of tobacco. I'd trade the best
dinner ever cooked for decent cigar,
George put a hand reluctantly into
his pocket. He brought forth, with
extreme gentleness, a cigar, the wrap
per of which was broken in many
places. i've saved this for days." he
said. With his penknife the sawed it
delicately into two equal parts, and
gave one to Ryanne.
You're good fellow Jones, and
I've turned you shabby trick
shan't forget this bit of tobacco
Its the last we've got. The boys,
you know, refuse pull at the water.
pipe; defiles EN-, they say. Funny
beggars! And if they gave us tobac-
co, we shouldn't have paper or pipes -