The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-03

tHls adventure. Smugglers, card sharps, an ancient rug, a caravan in the desert! He turned his head and looked long and earnestly at the little tent. Love, too; love that had put into his difident heart the thrill and courage of Bayard Love! He saw her again as she stepped down from the carriage; in the dining-room at his side, leaning over the parapet; inef- fably sweet, hauntingly sad. Would she accept the refuge he had offered |? He knew that old Mortimer would take her without question. WoulI she accept the shelter of that kindly roof :? She must! If she refused and went her own way into the world, he would lose her for ever. She must accept! He would plead with all the eloluence Of his soul, for his own happiness, and mayhap hers. He rose, faced the tent, and, with a gesture not unlike that of the pagan in prayer, registered VOW that never should she want for protection, never should she want for the comforts of life. How he was going to keep such VOW was a ques- ton that did not enter his head. Some how he was going to accomplish the feat.
 What mattered the ragged beard upon his face, the ragged clothes upon his body, the tattered cloths upon his feet, the grotesque attitude and en- semble? The Lord of Life saw into his heart and understood. And who might say with what joy Pandora gazed upon her work, knowing as she did what still remained within her casket?
 From these heights, good occasional. ly for any mans soul, George camA down abruptly and humanly to the prosaic question of where would he make his bed that night? To lie town at the north side of the fire meant chill in the morning; the south side, the intermittent, acrid breath of the fire itself; so he threw down his blan- ket and bags east of the fire, wrapped himself up, and sank into slumber, light but dreamless.
 What was that? He sat up, alert. straining his ears. How long had he been asleep? An hour by his watch What had awakened him? Not a sound anywhere, yet something had startled him out of his sleep. He glanced over the camp. That bundle was Ryanne. He waited. Not move ment there. No sign of life among the camelboys; and the flaps of the two tents were closed. Bah, Nerves. probably; and he would have lain down again had his gaze not roved out toward the desert. Something moved out there, upon the misty, moonlit space. He shaded his eyes from the fire, now but a heap of glowing em- bers. He got up, and shiver after ehiver wrinkled his spine. Oh, no; it could not be a dream; he was awake. It was a living thing. that long, bobbing camel-train, coming di- rectly toward the oasis, no doubt at- tracted by the firelight Fascinated, l incapable of movement, he watched the approach. Three white dots and these grew and grew and at length be- 1 came pith-helmets! Pith. helmets! Who but white men wore l men! The temporary paralysis left him. Crouching, he ran over to By anne and shook him.
 What
 But George smothered the question with his hand. Hush! For Gods sake, make no noise! Get up and stand guard over Fortunes tent. l Tn ara,c o corsVop outeido ,,d T,,, going out to meet it. Ryanne, Ryanne, there's a white man out there!"
 George ran as fast as he could | toward the incoming caravan. He met it two or three hundred yards away. | The broken line of camels bobbed up and down oddly.
 Are you white men?" he called. Yes" said a deep, resonant voice. And stop where you are; there's no hurry"
 Thank God!" cried George, at the verge of a breakdown.
 What the devil Flanagan, here's a white man in a dress-suit. God save us!" The speaker laughed
 'Yos, white man; and there's a
  a white woman Great God, don't yoe understand? A white woman!" George clutched the man by the foot desper- ately. "A white woman!"
 The man kicked Georges hand away and slashed 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 l 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. WheE he reached camp he saw ManOmed and the three strangers, the latter with their rifles held menacingly. For tune stood before the flap of her tent, bewidered 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! It wouldn't come hard to put bullet into your ugly hide. You can't abduct white women thesd days, you beggar! Well, what havd you to say?"
 Mahomed folded his arms; his eX. pression was calm and unafraid. But down in his heart the fires of hell
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