The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-01-30

proDaDly; and he would have lai
down again had his gaze not roved oil
toward the desert. Something move
out there, upon the misty, moonl
space. He shaded his eyes from tn
fire, now but heap of glowing en-
bers. He got up. and shiver afte
shiver wrinkled his spine. Oh, no
1t could not be a dream; he wa
awake. 1t was a living thing, ths
long, bobbing camel-train, coming d
rectly toward the oasis, no doubt a
tracted by the freight Fascinated
incapable Of movement, he watche
the approach. Three white dots; an
these grew and grew and at length b,
came pith-helmets! Pitl
helmets! Who but white men wor
pith-helmets in the desert? Whit
men! The temporary paralysis LEI
him. Crouching. he ran over to Ry
anne and shook him.
What
But George smothered the question
with his hand. Hush! For God
sake, make no noise! Get up an,
stand guard over Fortunes tent
There's a caravan outside. and In
going out to meet it. Ryanne, Ryanne
there's a white man out there!"
George ran as fast as he coult
toward the incoming caravan. He me
1t two or three hundred yards away
The broken line of camels bobbed III
and down oddly.
Are you white men?" he called.
Yes" said deep, resonant voice
And stop where you are; there's nc
hurry"
Thank Cod" cried George, at the
verge Of a breakdown.
What the devil Flanagan
here's a white man in dress-suit! !
God save us!" The speaker laughed.
Eyes, white man; and there's a
white woman in the camp back there,
q 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 slnshed at his camel Flanagan,
and you, Williams, get your guns In
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 it 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 the turn in their affairs.
Behind the leader Of the newcomers
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! 1t wouldn't come hard
to put a bullet into your ugly hide.
You can't abduct white women these
lays, you beggar! Well, what have
you to say?"
Mahomed folded his arms: his ex-
preston was calm and unafraid. Rut
town in his heart the fires of hell
we're raging. If only he had brought
his rifle from the tent; even a knife:
md one mad moment If he died for I'll
And he had been gentle to the girl:
le had withheld the lash from the
nen; he had not put into action a
single plan arranged for their misery
md humiliation! Truly his blood had
urned to water, and he was worthy
If death. The white man, always and
sver the white man won In the end.
TO have come this far, and then to be
heated out Of his revenge by chance!
<ismet! There was but one thing left |
or him to do, and he did it. He spoke
lurriedly to his head-boy. The boy
hesitation obeyed him. He |
an to the racing.camel, applied a
lick, flung on the saddle-bags, stuffed |
lates and dried fish and two water
'ottles into them, and waited. Ma
lomed walked over to the animal and
stop" The white man leveled his !
life. Get down from there!"
Mahomed, as II he had not heard,
licked the camel with his heels. The
'east lurched to its feet resentfully.
dahomed picked up the guiding.rope |
which served as bride, and struck |
he camel across the neck.
Click! went the hammer Of the rife, /
md Mahomed was at that moment |
'ery near death. He gave no heed.
mo, mol" cried Fortune, pushing up |
he barrel. Let him go. He was
lind to me, after his fashion"
Mahomed smiled. He had expected |
his, and that was why he had gone |
bout the business unconcernedly.
What do you say?" demanded the
stranger OF Ryanne.
Ryanne, having no love whatever
or Mahomed, shrugged.
"Humph! And your" to George.
"Oh, let him co."
"All right. Two to one. on with
'ou, then" to Mahomed. "But wait!
What about these beggars Of yours? |
What are you going to do with them?"
They have been paid. They can
70 back"
The moment the camel felt the sand |
lnder his pads, he struck his gait
And when the rnists and
hadows crept in behind him and his |
ider, that was the last ary Of them
,ver saw Of Mahome ed 81 GebeL keeper
4 the Holy Yhiordes In the Pasha's
'alace at Bagdad. 4 #~
Now. then" said the leader of the
TRANCE caravan. my nameAis Ack-
rmann, and mine is a carpet-caravan.