Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-01-15


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 came
down abruptly and humanity to the
prosaic question Of where would he
make his bed that night? To lie down
at the north side Of the fire meant a
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
sound anywhere, yet something had
startled him out Of his sleep. He
glanced over the camp. That bundle
was Ryanne. He waited. Not a move
ment there. No sign Of life among the
camel-boys; and the flaps of the two
&c n1n Dol
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 heap Of glowing en-
SILVER wrinkled his spine. Oh, no;
it could not be a dream; he was
awake. 1t was a living thing, that
long, bobbing camel-train, coming di-
rectly toward the oasis, no doubt at
tracted by the freight. Fascinated,
incapable Of movement, he watched
the approach. Three white dots; and
these grew and grew and at length be-
came pith-helmets! Pith-
helmets! VINO but white men wore
pith-helmets in a the desert? White
men! The temporary paralysis left
him. Crouching, he ran over to Ry
anne and shook him.
But George smothered the question
with his hand flush! For Gods
sake, make no noise! Get up and
stand guard over Fortunes tent.
There's a caravan outside, and I'm
going out to meet it. Ryanne, Ryanne,
there's white man out therei"
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 Cod" cried George, at the
verge of a breakdown.
What the devil Flanagan,
here's white man in dress-suit!
God save us!" The speaker laughed
Yes, a white man; and there's a
white woman in the camp back there,
a white woman! Great God, don't you
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.
I 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. When
he reached camp he saw Mahomed
and the three strangers, the latter
with their rifles held menacingly. For
tune stood before the flap Of her tent,
bewildered 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! 1t wouldn't come hard
to put a bullet into your ugly hide.
You can't abduct white women these
days, you beggar! Well. what have
you to say?"
Mahomed folded his arms; his ex-
preston was calm and unafraid. But
down in his heart the fires of hell
were raging. If only he had brought
his rifle from the tent; even knife;
and one mad moment if he died for it!
And he had been gentle to the girl;
he had withheld the lash from the
men; he had not put into action
single plan arranged for their misery
and humiliation! Truly his blood had
turned to water, and he was worthy
of death. The white man, always and
ever the white man won in the end.
To have come this far, and then to be
cheated out of his revenge by chance!