Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-06-14


"''"' 'h'r'. No sign of life among the
amer ""ys; and the flaps of tho two
''"'S were closed Paht Nerves.
.'"oapIy. ana he would have lain
'""h again had his gaze not royed out
'""ard The desert Something moved
ou' there, upon tho misty. mooulIt
rP''o' I've shaded his cyos from the
''''' now but n heap of glowing en-
DOTS he got up. and shfvcr after
sn'Ver wrinklcd his spine. oh. no
" could not be dream: he was
""aRe II was n living thing. that
long. bobblnR camcl-train. coming d.
''c'ly toward the oasis. no doubt at
,rhc'ed by the nrolight. Fascinated.
incapable OF movement. no watched
me approach. Three white dots: and
'hese grew and grew and At length be-
came NTH .b.,ro,s, p,,h
helmets Who hut white men wore
pin helmets in the desert? White
men! The temporary paralysis left
MIN. crouching. he ran over to Ry-
anne and shook him.
hut George smothcred tho question
with his hand. flush, For Gods
sak'. make no noise, Get M and
stand guard over Fortunes tent.
there's caravan outside, and I'm
gong out TO meet II. Ryanuc. Rynnne.
thefe 8 white man out thcrci"
george ran as fast az he could
toward the incoming caravan. He met
it two or three hundred yards away
The broken line of Camels bobbed up
and down oddly.
Are you white mcn?" he called
Yes. said n deep. resonant voice
And stop where you are: there's no
hurry"
Thank Cod" cried George. at the
verge of n breakdown.
What the devil FLANAGAN.
here's white man I'm n dress suit!
God save u.s." The speaker laughed.
Yes, n white man; and there's n
white woman Tn the camp back there,
white woman! Great God. don't you
understand? A white woman" George
clutched the man by the foot desper-
ately. "A white woman!"
The man kicked Georges hand away
and sIashed ut his camel. Flanagan.
and you. Williams. get your guns I'm
shape. This doesn't look good to me.
twenty miles from the main gamelieh.
| told you It was odd. that fire. Live
ly, now!"
George ran after them. staggering.
Twice he fell headlong. But he
laughed as he got up: and II wasn't
exactly human laughter. either When
he reached camp he saw Mahomed
and the three strangers. the latter
with their rifles held menacingly. For
tune stood before the flap OF her tent,
bewildered at THEFT In their affairs.
Behind the leader of the new corners
was Ryanne. and he WAS talking rap
idly.
Well" the leader demanded Of Ma.
homed. what have you got to say
for YOURSELF"
Nothing"
Take care! II wouldn't come hard
to put a bullet into your ugly hide.
You can't abduct white women these
days, you beggar! Well. what have
you to say?'
Mahomed folded his arms: his ex-
preston WAS calm and unafraid But
down In his heart the fires OF hell
were raging. II only he had brought
his rife from the tent: even a knife;
and one mad moment II he died for It!
And he had been gentle to the girl;
he had withheld the lash from the
men: he had not put into action n
single plan arranged for their misery
and humiliation! Truly his blood had
turned to water, and he was worthy
of death. The white man. always and
ever the white man won I'm the end
To have come this far. aud then to be
cheated out OF his revenge by chance!
Kismetl There was but one thing left
hurriedly TO his head.boy. The boy
without hesitation obeyed him. He
ran to the racing-camel, applied
kick. flung on the saddle bags, stuffed
dates 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 II he had not heard.
kicked the camel with his heels. The
beast iurched to It's feet resentfuily.
Mahowed picked up the guidingrope
which served as a 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.
mo, not" cried Fortune. pushing up
the barrel. Let him go. He was
kind to me. 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.
Ryanne, having no love whatever
for Mahomed. shrugged.
"Humph! And your" to George.
"Oh. let him GO"
"All right. Two to one. on with
you. then" to Mahomed But wait!
What about these beggars OF yours d?
What are you going TO do with them7"
They have been paid. They can
go back"
=. Fxtk n