Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-02-21
CHAPTER XII.
The Caravan in the Desert.

The Caravan in the Desert.
Yes, George vanished from the
haunts of men as completely as if the
| Great Roc had dropped him into the
Valley of Diamonds and left him
there; and as nobody knows just
where the Valley of Diamonds Is,
| George was very well lost. Still, there
was, at the end Of a most unique ex-
perience, a recompense far beyond it's
value. But, Of course, George, being
without the gift of c~lairvoyance. saw
nothing save the immediate and imm1-
nent circumstances: a door that
banged behind him, portentously; a
sack, a cloak, a burnouse, or whatever
it was, flung about his head. and
smelling evilly.
George hit u valiantly, and q mer-
nv scufle ensued. The room was
small: at least, George thought it was,
for in the space Of one minute he
thumped against the four sides OF 1t.
He could see nothing and he couldn't
breathe very we'll; but in spite OF
these inconvenience he put up three
rounds that would have made some
stir among the middleweights. In the
| p~hraSGOlOSy VI lHo ANY,
good punch. All the disappointments
Of the day seemed to become so many
mounds of steam in his shoulder; and
he was aware of a kind of barbaric
ioy henever he hit some one. All
the circumspection of years, all of
tho gentle blood of his peaceful for
hears. gave way to the strain which
still turks in the blood Of civilized hui
manity. even in the veins Of poets and
parsons, He fought with all the tao
tics of a sailor in a bar-room, not over
nicely.
A table toppled over with a smash
ing noise. George and his assailants
fell in a heap beside it. Thwack!
Bang! George struggled to his feet
and tugged at the sitting envelope.
Some one jumped upon his back. Old
Man OF the Sea style. A avage elbow
jab disposed of this incubus. And
then the racket began all over again.
George neyer paused mentally to Won
der what all this rumpus was about;
time enough to make inquiries after
the scrimmage. I%ntrepidly, as Here
ward the Wake, as Busy d'Ambois,
as Porthos In the cave OF Loch-Maria,
George fought. He wasn't a trained
athlete: he hadn't any sciences; he
was simply ordinarily tough and &C
tive and clean-lived; and the injustice
Of an unprovoked assault added tc
physical prowess a full measure OF
nervous energy. 1t was Quasi-Homer
ic: a modern young gentleman in eve
ming dress holding OF for several min
utes Ave sleek. sinewy. unhampered
Arabs. But the days Of the gods were
no more; and no quick-witted goddess
cast q veil across the eyes OF the
Arabs. No; George had to shift FOL
himself. Suddenly there came q gen
eral rush from the center OF the room
into one Of the right-angular corners
The subsequent snarl Of legs ant
arms was not unlike that seen upor
the football field. George was thu
man with the ball. And then te
George. came merciful darkness. Tit
conjunction, as in astronomy. Of two
planets In the same degree of the 70
diac-meaning Georges head and the
stucco-wall-gave the Arabs complete
mastery OF the field Of battle.
From the opposite side OF the room
came the voice Of the referee
aCurses { Allah upon these white
dogs! How they fght!" And Ma
homed peered down into the corner
One by one the Arabs got up. eacl
examining his honorable wounds
George alone remained unmoved, Qufe
and di~sinterested, under the folds O
the tattered burnouse-
.Is he dead?" demanded Mahomed
mo. my father. His head hit tn,
wall"
sHasten, then. Bind his feet an:
hands and cover his eyes and mouth
We have but little time"