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

ana disappeared within. She looked
neither at Ryanne nor at George. She
knew that George, his soul filled with
uhiucky Quixotic sense OF cnivalry
which had made him so easy a victim
10 her mother, would not accept his
liberty at the price Of Ryanne's, Ry.
anne. to whom he owed nothing, not
even mercy. And If she had had to
ask one Of the two, George would
nave been the natural selection, for
she trusted him implicitly. Perhaps
there still fingered in her mind a rec
objection Of how charmingly he had
spoken of his mother.
She could have set out for Cairo
alone: even as she could have grown
pair of wings and sailed through the
air! The fate that walked behind her
was malevolent, cruel, unjust. She
mad Wronged no one, in thought or
deed. She had put out her hand conf.
IDENTIFY to the world, to be laughed at,
dlstrusted. or ignored. Was 1t pos
sible that little more than a month
ago she wandered, if not happy, in
the sense she desired, at least in a
peaceful state of mind, among her ca.
melias and roses at Mentone? Her
world had been, in this short time,
remolded, reconstructed; where once
had bloomed garden, now yawned a
chasm: and the psychological earth
quake had left her dizzy. That Ma
homed, now wrought to a kind Of Der.
serk rage, might begin reprisals at
once, did not alarm her; indeed, her
feeling was rather of dull, aching in.
difference. Nothing mattered now.
But Ryanne and George were keenly
alive to the danger. and both agreed
that Fortune must go no farther.
Ryanne, under his bitter raillery and
seeming scorn for sacred things, pos
sessed latent magnanimity, and it
now pushed up through the false lay.
ers. Jones, it's my funeral. Go tell
her. You two can find the way back
to the canal, and once there you will
have no trouble. Don't bother your
head about me-"
But what will you do?"
Take my medicine" grimly.
"Ryanne, you are offering the COW
ardly part to me-"
"You fool, it's the girl. What dc
l care about the rest of it? You're
as brave as lion. When you put ur
your fists the other night, you solved
that puzzle for yourself. For Gods
sake, do it while l have the courage
to let you! Don't you understand? ]
love that girl better than my hearts
blood, and Mahomed can have it drop
by drop. Go and go quickly! He will
give you food and water"
you 60. She knows you better
than me"
But will she trust me as she will
you? Percival, old top Mahomed will
never let me 90 till he's taken his
pound Of flesh. Fortune!" Ryanne
called. Fortune, We want you!"
She appeared at the flap Of the tent
Jones here will go back with you.
Go, both Of you, before Mahomed
changes his mind"
Miss ChedsOye, he is wrong. He's
the one to go. He was hurt worse
than was. Pride doesn't matter at
a time like this. You two CO." des.
perately
Fortune shook her head. "All or
none of us; all or none Of U.S." she re.
peated.
And Mahomed, having witnessed
and overheard the scene, laughed, a
laughter identical to that which had
struck the barmaid's ears sinisterly
He had not studied his white man
without gathering some insight into
his character. Neither Of these men
was a poltroon. And when he had
made the offer, he knew that the con.
ditiOns would erect barrier over
which none of them would pass vol.
unfairly. So much for pride as the
Christian dogs knew it. Pride is a
fine buckler; none knew that better
than Mahomed himself; but a wise
man does not wear it at all times.
what is it to be-" he demanded
OF Fortune.
what shall l say to him."
whatever you will" Ryanne was
tired. He saw that argument would
be Of no use.
"All or none Of U.s." And Fortune
looked at Mahomed with all the pride
of her race. 1T Is not because you
wish me to be free; it Is because you
wish to see one Of my companions
made base in my eyes. will not have
it,"
1.-THE will OF Allah" He could not
repress the fire Of admiration in his
own eyes as they took in her beauty
the erect, slender figure, the scorn
upon her face, and the fearlessness in
her great, dark eyes. Such woman
might have graced the palace Of the
Great Caliph. He had had in mind
many little cruelties to practice upon
her, that he might see the men writhe
impotent and helpless to aid her. But
.,t ..,,o opd dramatic ccono a