Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-11-06

liner was the ltal1an cutter. AS the
officer perceived him rise to the sur
face he issued an order to his men,
and the boat, altering its course,
pulled directly toward him.
Paul struck out for the shore
On that triangular race he ever
looked back with astonishment that
he should have won, though but
a hairs breadth separated him from
failure, and with gratitude that he
escaped the swarming sharks, whose
presence in those waters he had 50
stupidity ignored. He felt the shelving
sands beneath his feet at last. stood
erect laughed, and plunged forward
across the rank underground that
fringed the shore, just as the cutter
grounded. Fifty yards to the right
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
whte-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 moment of indccision the rest
La, tptN tn
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 were brought up, and, at
q sign from the yelled woman, Paul
was placed upon the back of scrub
pony and the troop started at quick
pace into the interior. The low fringe
of mangrove and acacia bushes which
lined the shore quickly gave way to
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
tance behind the rolling dunes; soon
the wilderness of the Sahara sur
rounded them But Pauls 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. lie
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 unfulfilled 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, ana
the whole party veered sharply to the
right and headed for a 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 half-savage no.
mad; he encountered instead stall
wart, well-groomed Turk, in the prime
of life, seated at small camp table,
-. nj m
,official-looking documents. An or
derly stood at his side and an armed
guard on either side Of the captive.
Mademoisele had disappeared.
After a long excited colloquy, in
which the bronzed boatmen figured In
the main, Fethev Pasha addressed
Paul first in Italian, then in French,
at Vast in English.
"Your business here?" he in
'quired.
"I am 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.
mander, looking at him, smiled more
and more blandly.
"Yau have no witnesses?" he asked
"The law of Mohammed prescribes
that three witnesses must give evi.
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 for
the first time. The fear Of imminent
death became reality, the terror OF
that eternal silence, in which they
would be sundered forever, appalled,
him. His knees trembled and an icy
sweat dripped from his forehead.
The girl stood beside Fethev Pasha
<imperiously; it was evident, that even
here she dominated the situation. And
then began strange argument be
tween the pair. Though 1t was car
iried on in German, of which Paul un-
,derstood hardly word, it's tenor was
,as clear as though English had been
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