The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-03-28

Mahomed stepped back, nonplussed
he hadn't expected any information
from this quarter.
i have the rug" declared Fortune
calmly, though she could scarcely
near her own voice, her heart beat
so furiously.
| You have it," Mahomed was con.
fused. Here was a turn in the road
upon which he had set no calculation.
All three of them!
Yes. And upon condition that you
liberate us all, will put it into your
hands. But it must be my writing
this :ime."
A white man would have blushed
under the reproach Of her look. Ma
homed smiled amiably, pleased over
his cleverness. Where is the kis-
weh?"
"The kisweh?"
The Holy Yhiordes. Where Is it?'
That l refuse to tell you. Your
word Of honor first, to bind the bar
gain"
Ryanne laughed. I. acted upon Ma
homed like a goad. He raised the
whip, and had Ryanne's gaze swerved
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 honorf" returned Ma
homed fiercely. He wondered why he
held his hand. 81 have matched trick
cry against trickery. My honor has
not been called / fed you, / gave
you drink; in return you lied to me,
dishonored me in the eyes of my
friends, and one Of them you killed"
1T was my life or HIS" exclaimed
Ryanne, not relishing the recital Of
this phase. at 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. Yes.
I read truth in your eyes. Bring me
the rug, and my word Of honor to you.
you shall go free"
But my friends?"
Zone Of them" Mahomed laughed
unpleasantly. 1t was an excellent idea.
zone of them shall go free with you.
It will be for you to choose which.
Now, you dog, laugh, taught" and the
tongue of the kurbash bit the dust
within an inch of Ryanne's feet.
What shall l do?" asked Fortune
miserably.
Accept" urged Ryanne. III you
are afraid to choose one or the other
Of us, Jones and will spin coin"
81 agree" said George, very unhap-
Ply.
"Have you any paper, Jones?"
George searched. He found the
dance-card to the ball at the hotel. In
another pocket he discovered the little
pencil that went with 1t.
"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
circumstances set spies upon his
track" In French she added: eve
are bound for Bagdad. In case Mo-
hamed receives the rug and we are
not liberated, wire the embassy at
Constantinople and the consulate at
Bagdad. fohloNh'
She gave it to Mahomed.
"Read it out loud" he commanded.
While he spoke English fluently, he
could neither read nor write it in any
seryiceable degree The note he had
given to Fortune had been written by
q friend of his in the bazaars who had
upon time lived in New York. For
tune read slowly, slightly flushing as
she evaded the French script.
"That will do" Mahomed agreed.
He shouted for one Of the boys,
bade him saddle the hagin or racing
camel, which Of all those twelve, alone
was his, and be off to Cairo. The boy
dipped his bowl into the kettle, ate
greedily, saddled the camel, and five
minutes later was speeding back
toward Cairo at gait that would
bring him there late that night.
| Fortune and George and Ryanne
watched him till he disappeared below
a dip and was gone from view. In
the minds Of the three watchers the
same question rose: would he be toe
late? George was cheerful enough
thereafter, but his cheerfulness was
not of the infectious kind.
At noon the caravan was once more
uuon its way. Ryanne was able to
ride. The fumes of whatever drug
| had been administered to him had
finally evaporated, and he felt only
bruised, old, disheartened. An evil
! day for him when he had set forth
for Bagdad In quest of the rug. He
was confident that there would be nc
rup awaiting the courier, and what
would be Mahomed's procedure when
the boy returned empty-handed was
NOT difficult to imagine. Mahomed
was right; so far honor had not en-
tered into the contest. According te