The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-02-08

Fortune, will you promise freedom
20 us alls''
Mahomed stepped back, nonplussed
He hadn't expected any information
from this quarter.
Il have the rug" declared Fortune
| calmly, though she could gcaroel,
hear her own voice. her heart bea
SO furiously
You have it," Mahomed was con
fused. Here was turn in the roae
upon which he had set no calculation
All three OF them!
Yes. And upon condition that got
liberate us all. viii put 1t into your
hands. But it must be my writing
this time
A white man would have blushed
under the reproach Of her look. Ma
homed smiled amiably, pleased over
his cleverness. Where is the kis.
web ?"
THE kisweh?"
"The Holy Yhiordes. Where Is sit?''
THAT l refuse to tell you. Your
word Of honor first, to bind the bar
gain"
Ryanne laughed. It acted upon Ma
homed like goad He raised the
whip and had Ryanne's gaze sweryed
the part OF an inch, the blow would
have fallen.
"You laugh?" snarled Mahomed.
"Why, yes. A bargain with your
honor makes me laugh"
And your honor?. returned Ma
homed fercely. He wondered why he
held his hand. II have matcEsd trick
cry against tricRery. MY honor has
not been called. / fed you, gave
you drink; in return you lied to me,
dishonored hs>s.n the e9srof my
friends, and one Of them you killed"
ct was my life or his" exclaimed
Ryanne, not relishing the recital OF
this phase. Tt was my life or his;
and he was upon my back.
Fortune shuddered Presently she
laid her hand upon Mahomed's arm.
Would you take my word Of honor?"
Mahomed sought her eyes. es.
! read truth in your eyes. Bring me.
the rug, and my word Of honor to YOU.
you shall go free
But my friends e
Ono OF them, Mahonlsd laughed
unp1easantly. It was an excellent idea.
"one Of them shall go free with you.
1t will be fer you to- choose which.
Now, you dog. laugh, Taught" and the
tongue of the aurbash bit the dust
within an inch OF Ryanne's feet
What shall do!s' asked Fortune
Accept" urged RyanAe. .sf you
are afraid to choose one ossthe other
Of US, Jones aua5sslwill spin go,
81 agree" said George, very unhap
py.
Have you any paper, Jonesg"
George searcR4d. He folIfs5 the
dance-card to the ball at the hotel. In
another pocket he discovered the little
pencil that went with it.
"You write said Mahomed to For
tune.
81 intend to-" Fortune took the card
and pencil and wrote as follows:
Mother: Horace, Mr.. Jones and are
prisoners of the man who owned the
rug which you will find In the large
steamer-roll. Give it to the courier
who brings this card. And under no
set spies upon his
track" In French she added: Eve
are bound for Bagdad. In case Mo-
named receives the rug and we are
not liberated, wire the embassy at
Constantinople and the consulate at |
Bagdad. FORTUNE"
She gave It to Mahomed.
Read 1t out loud" he commanded. |
While he spoke English f1uently, he |
could neither read nor write 1t in any |
degree. The note he had /
given to Fortune had been written by |
| friend of his in the bazaars who had
lpon time lived in New York. For
:une read slowly, Slightly flushing as
he evaded the French script.
"That will do" Mahomed agreed.
He shouted for one Of the boys,
Jade him saddle the hagin or racing
.amel, which Of all those twelve, alone |
vas his, and be off to Cairo. The boy
tipped mis- bowl into the kettle, ate
saddled the camel, and five
minutes later was speeding back
oward Cairo at a gait that would
ring him there late that night.
Fortune and George and Ryanne
watched him till he disappeared below
dip and was gone from view. In !,
he minds Of the three watchers the
anne question rose: would he be too
ate? George was cheerful enough
hereafter, but his cheerfulness was
ot OF the infectious kind.
At noon the caravan was once more
pon its way. Ryanne was able to
ide. The fumes OF whatever drug
ed been administered to him had
nally evaporated, and he felt only
ruised, old, disheartened. An evil
ay for him when he had set forth
,r Bagdad IN quest Of the rug. He
as confident that there would be no
lg awaiting the courier, and what
,ou1d be Mahomed's procedure when
"a boy returned empty-handed was
OF difficult to imagine, Mahomed
.as right; so far honor had not en-
AL ;,,+n +ha contest According TO