The Neshoba Democrat., 1913-02-06

hismet! There was but one thing left
lor him TO do, and he did it. He spoke
hurHediy TO his head-boy. The boy
without hesitation obeyed him. He
, ran to the racing-camel. applied
KICK, hung on the saddle-bags, stuffed
Gates and dried fish and two water
bottles into them, and waited. Ma
homed walked over to the animal and
mounted.
Stop The white man leveled his
rife. Get down from there."
Mahomed, as If he had not heard,
kicked the camel with his heels. The
beast lurched to it's feet resentfully.
Mahomed picked up the guiding-rope
which served as bride, and struck
the camel across the neck.
Click. went the hammer of the rife,
and Mahomed was at that moment
very near death. He gave no heed.
NO, no." cried Fortune, pushing up
the barrel. Let him go. He was
Kind to NE, after his fashion"
Mahomed smiled. He had expected
this, and that was why he had gone
about the business unconcernedly.
What do you say?' demanded the
stranger Of Ryanne.
Ryanno, having no love whatever
for Mahomed, shrugged.
"Humph! And you?' to George
"Oh. let him CO."
"All right. Two to one. OF with
| than - IN 10 IA
What about these beggars Of yours?
What are you going to do with them 2"
They have been paid. They can
go back"
The moment the camel felt the sand
| under his pads, he struck his gait
eastward. And when the mists and
| shadows crept in behind him and his
rider, that was the last any OF them
| ever saw Of Mahomed lei Gebel, keeper
Of the Holy Yhiordes in the Pashas
palace at Bagdad.
Now, then" said the leader of the
, strange caravan, my name Is Ack-
| ermann, and mine is a carpet-caravan,
in from Khuzstan. bound for Smyrna.
How may help you?"
Take us as far as Damascus" an
swered Ryanne. I'VE can get on from
| there we'll enough"
Whats your name?" directly.
"Ryanne"
And yours"
Fortune Chedsoye"
"Next?"
Jones"
The humorous bruskness put kind
swered smilingly.
"Ryanne and Jones are familiar
enough, but Chedsoye is a new one
Here, you!' whirling suddenly upon
the boys who We're pressing about
He volleyed some Arabic at them, and
they dropped back. We'll, I've heard
some strange yarns myself in my
| time, but this one beats them ALL
Shanghaicd from Cairo! Humph II
some one had told me this, anywhere
else but here. I'd have called him a
| liar. And you, Mr.. Ryanne, went into
! Bagdad alone and got away vita that
Yhiordes 1t must have been the
utNll 8 ONH Vi JOD.
"It was" replied Ryanne laconically.
He did not know this man Acker-
mann; he had never heard of him;
| but he recognized a born leader of
men when he saw him. Gray-haired,
| lean, bearded, sharp of word, quick
| OF action, rude; he saw in this carpet
hunter the same indomitable qualities
| of the ivory-seeker. You did not
stop at Bagdad?" he asked, after the
| swift inventory.
mo. l came direct. I always do"
grimly. "Better turn in and sleep;
We'll be on the way at dawn, sharp"
sleep? Ryanne laughed.
"Sleep?" echoed George.
Fortune shook her head.
We'll, an hour to let the reaction
wear away" said Ackermann But
you've got to sleep. I'm boss now,
and you won't find me an easy one"
with humorous glance at the girl
1--WE are all very happy to be bossed
by you" she said.
Twenty days." Ackermann mused.
You're plucky young woman. No
| hysterics?"
Not even sigh Of discomfort" put
In George. IF it hadn't been for her
pluck, we'd have gone to pieces Just
from worry. Are you Henry Acker-
mann, of the Oriental Company in
| Smyrna?"
Yes; why?'
I'm George P. A. Jones, of Morti-
mer & Jones, New York. I've heard
Of you; and God bless you for this
nights work."
Mortimer G Jones? You don't say!
Well, il this doesn't beat the Dutch!
| Why, il you're Robert E. Jones' boy,
I'll sell you every carpet in the pack at
cost" He laughed; and 1t was laugh
ter good to hear, dry and harsh though
it was. your dad was fine gentle
man, and one of the best judges of
his time. You couldn't fool him a
knot. He wrote me when you came
into this world of sin and tribulation.
Didn't they call you Percival Algernon,
or something like that?"
"They did!" And George laughed,