Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-03-27

attempt to sink his teeth in the bru
tai hand. Queer fancies fit through &
mans head in times like this; for the
Intellectually of the bite reminded
him Of Hallowe'ens and the tubs with
the bobbing apples. One thing was
certain: he would kill this pagan the
very first opportunity. Rather q
startling metamorphosis in the char
acter Of a man whose life had been
passed in the peacefulest environ,
ments. And to kill him without the
least compunction. too. To strike a
man who couldn't help himself!
'"Hey thereI" he yelled. Help for
a white mani" After such treatment
he considered IL anything but dishon,
orable to break his parole. And where
was Ryanne? "Help!"
Mahomed swung his arm round
Georges neck, and the third cry be.
gan with a gurgle and ended with a
sigh. Deity, the Arab rebandaged
the prisoners mouth. So be 1t. He
had had his chance for freedom; now
he should drink to the bottom Of the
bitter cup, along with the others. He
had no real enmity against George;
he was simply one of the pawns in
the game he was playing. But now he
saw that there was danger in liberat.
ing him. The other! Mahomed ca.
ressed his wiry beard. To subject
him to the utmost mental agony; to
break him physically, toe; to pay him
back pound for pence; to bruise, to
hurt, to rack him, that was all Ma.
homed desired.
George made no further effort to
free himself, nor apparently to bestir
himself about the future. Somewhere
in the fight, presumably as he fell
against the table, he had received
crushing blow in the small ribs; and
when Mahomed threw him back, he
tainted for the second time in his life.
He reclined Imply in the corner of
the carriage, the bosom Of his shirt
bullying open; for the thrifty Arabs
had purloined the pearl-studs, the
gold collar-buttons, and the sapphire
cuff-links. And consciousness re-
turned only when they lifted him out
and dropped him inconsiderately into
the thick dust Of the road. He stirred
again at his bonds, but presently lay
stiTl. The pain in his side hurt keen.
ly, and he wasn't sure that the rib
was whole. What time had passed
since his entrance to the English-Bar
was beyond his reckoning, but he
knew that it was yet in the dark of
night, as no light whatever penetrated
the cloth over his eyes. That he was
somewhere outside the city he was
assured by the tang of the winter |
wind. He heard low understandable; |
and while he possessed a smattering |
Of the tongue, his head ached too
sharply for him to sense a word. |
Later, camel coughed. Camels? And |
where were they taking him upon
camel? Bagdad? Impossible: there
we're too many white men following
he known camel-ways. He groaned
title, but the sound did not reach the
,ars of his captors. To ride a camel
lnder ordinary conditions was a pain
I'll affair; but to straddle the ungainly
'rute, dressed as he was, in a swal.
oW-tail and paper-thin pumps, did not
any pleasurable thoughts.
hey would in all truth kill him be-
ore they got through. Hang the rug!
md doubly hang the man who had
old it to him!
His whilom friend, conscience, came
Jack and gibbered at him. Once he
aid: Don't do it," and now she was
laying quite humanity: 81 told you
OF" Hadn't she warned him? Hadn't
he swung her red lantern under his
cry nose? Well, she hoped he was
atisfied. His reply to this brief jere-
had was that II ever he got his hands
pom the rug again, he would hang
n till the crack Of doom, and con-
cience herself could go hang. Mere
probably. And where
yas it, since he was now certain that
Iahomed had 1t not? 1t was Ry.
nne; Ryanne, smooth and plausible
tongue. Not being satisfied with a
thousand pounds, he had stolen IT
gain to mulct some other simple,
rustful person. George. usually 80
was now quite willing
D believe anything Of anybody.
He felt himself being lifted to his
Get. The rope round his ankles was
brown of. His feet stung under the
enewed flow Of blood. He waited for
hem to liberate his hands, but the
alling rope was not disturbed. 1t
Yas evident that the natives still en-
ertained some respect for his fighting
bility. Next, they boosted him, flung
leg here and a leg there; then came
lurch backward, the recurrence Of
he pain in his side. and he knew that
10 was upon the back Of camel, des-
rt-bound. There were stirrups, and
s life began to spread vigor once
more through his legs, he found the
teel. The straps we're too short, and
n time the upper turn of the steel
hated his insteps. He eased himself
~ riding sidewise, the proper way
o ride a camel, but with constant
training to keep his balance without
he use of his hands. Fortunately,
hey were not travelling very fast, 9th.