Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-12-05

grounded. Fifty yards to the right
Of him the Arab boat had pushed into
a sandy cove, and the Italians, un-
certain which to pursue, hesitated,
and then ran forward, waist-deep
through the surges. in pursuit OF
Lane. AS he ran he heard the spit
of bullets past his head and the re-
port Of rifles. Then, just as he began
to anticipate his fate, he heard the
crackle Of musketry from along the
shore, and, turning, saw a party of
white-robed Arabs rise from the de-
preston In which they had lain con-
cealed and pour in a furious volley
upon the Italians. Three sailors fell;
after a moment of indecision the rest
turned tail and ran back into the sea,
launching their boat under a CALLING
fire and pulling away toward the bat
tleship
A moment later Paul was surround
ed by the exultant tribesmen.
Horses we're brought up, and, at
sign from the yelled woman, Paul
was placed upon the back Of scrub
pony and the troop started at a quick
pace into the interior. The low fringe
of mangrove and acacia bushes which
lined the shore quickly gave way to a
waste of sand, into which the horses
legs sank to the fetlock. They jour
neyed onward without a pause for
hours; the coast sank into the dis
lance behind the rolling dunes; soon
the wilderness of the Sahara sur
rounded them. But Paul's heart beat
high in ecstacy, for though vallain-
disappearing Arab rode on each side
of him, armed to the teeth and occa-
sionally venting his feelings in an ex-
pressive gesture with his long knife,
before him rode Mademoiselle. He
could not be mistaken. Presently he
would disclose himself. She had not
recognized him.
But at last she did. For, turning
where small cluster of dying palms
gave unfulflled promise of an oasis,
and riding back to her escort, she
paused and gazed into his face. He
saw her start, saw the quick flush Of
blood dye her cheeks and recede
again; then with an expression Of
sublime contempt, she rode past him,
issued an order to the Arabs, and
the whole party veered sharply to the
right and headed for blue ridge Of
mountains which, as they progressed,
resolved itself into an oasis Of palm
trees and ultimately disclosed the
well-ordered tents of the Turkish
army. They rode in late in the after
noon.
Paul was taken to the tent Of the
commander, Fethev Pasha. He had
expected to meet a half.savage no
mad; he encountered instead stall
wart, well-groomed Turk, in the prime
of life, seated at a small camp table,
on which were spread a number of
oflcial-looking documents. An or
Derby stood at his side and an armed
guard on either side of the captive.
Mademoiselle had disappeared.
After long, excited colloquy. in
which the bronzed boatmen figured in
the main, Fethev Pasha addressed
Paul first in Italian, then in French,
at last in English.
Your business here?" he in
quired.
81 am a traveller" answered Paul;
and the commander smiled.
THE accusation is" resumed the
Turk. that you leaped from the deck
of a passenger steamer in order to
head our boat into the path of an
italian cutter Unless you can ex-
plain your business somewhat bet
ter" He smiled expressively.
Shame kept Paul silent. The com
4. mander, looking at him, smiled more
and more blandly.
"Yau have no witnesses?" he asked
1.-THE law of Mohammed prescrtbes
that three witnesses must give evil
dence in capital cases. Only two have
testified against you-the two boat
men," He issued an order to his
servant, who went out of the tent
leaving Paul standing defiantly be
tween the two rigid soldiers. Pres
emily the tent door was brushed aside
and the girl entered with the orderly
At the sight of her Paul weakened fol
the first time. The fear of imminent
death became reality, the terror o.
that eternal silence, In which they
would be sundered forever, appalled,
him. His knees trembled aand an icy
, sweat dripped from his forehead.
The girl stood beside Fethev Pashf
imperiously; it was evident that ever
here she dominated the situation. Ant
! then began a strange argument be
, tween the pair. Though it was car
ried on in German, of which Paul un
r derstood hardly word, It's tenor wal
as clear as though English had beef
J the medium. 1t was evident that Fe
) thew had deereed Pauls death ant
t that Mademoiselle was pleading TO
/ him. Hope kindled into Joy again. AL
: was not lost. this purposeless, wilt
! adventure might yet bear fruit TO
him.
0 Presently Fethev, with shrug o
5 his shoulders, turned to Paul and ad
4 dressed him in English again.
s Our third witness refuses to ties
p tify.n he said
: But you can testify against your
+ SELF" says the Siberia. Now, sine
+ your memory is evidently poor, m
i friend, it needs to be refreshed. An
e II confess that l am curious cor
e corning the motives which induce
: you to leap into shark-infested water:
!, You win have an opportunity Of r,
Il membering."