The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-01-16

| ull. Oue DSdCOu VI HOpo UuNhSu IN
his breast. The Pasha might be de-
posed, and in that case he could i'm
mediately dispose of his own goods
and chattels and seek new pastures.
II would come hard, doubly hard, since
he never could regain the position be
was to lose.
Nine hundred pounds English, and
comfortable fraction over; the vel
low-haired dog would have nothing
in the end for his pains. 1t would be
what the Feringhi called good joke.
A week passed. Christmas. And
not one Of them recalled the day.
Perhaps It was because years had
passed since that time when 1t meant
anything to them. The old year went
out a.lagging! neither did they take
note of this. Having left behind ciVi-
lization, customs and habits were for
gotten.
Sometimes they rode all day and AH
night, sometimes but half day, ana
again, when the water was sweet. tney
rested the day and night. Never
human being they saw, never a cara
van met or crossed them. In this
week, the secret marvels Of the desert
became theirs. They saw 1t gleam
and waver and glitter under skies OF
brass, when the north wind let down
and a breeze came over from the Per
sian Gulf. They saw 1t covered with
tho most amazing blues and greys and
greens. They saw it under the rarest
azure and a stately feet OF billowy
clouds: under the dawn, under the set
of sun, under the moon and stars;
and unfailingly the tnterminable
reaches of sand and rock and scruboy
bush, chameleon-like, readjusted its
countenance to each change in the
sky. George, who was poet without
the gift Of expression, never ceased
to find new charms; and nothing
pleased his fancy more than to see the
cloud shadows scud away across the
sands, Once, toward the latter END
of day, Fortune cried out and pointed
Far away, palely yet distinctly, they
saw an ocean liner. She stood out
against the yellowing sky as a magic
lantern picture stands out upon the
screen. and faded similarly. 1t was
the one and only mirage they saw. or
at least noticed.
Once another caravan, composed
wholly Of Arabs. passed. What hope
the prisoners had was instantly
snuffed out. Before the strangers
came within hailing, Mahomed hustled
his captives into his tent and swora
he would kill either George or Ryanne
if they spoke. He forgot Fortune.
however. As the caravan passed sbH
screamed. Instantly Mahomed clapped
his hand roughly over her mouth. TFs
sheik Of the passing caravan lookee
keenly at the tent, smiled grtmly AH0
nassed on. What was 1t to him that a
white woman lay in yonder tent? HlS
one emotion was of envy. After thIS
the prisoners became apathetic.
Upon the seventh day, they wit
messed the desert'a terrifying ange$
The air that had been cool, suddenly
grew still and hot; the blue above
began to fade, to assume dusty, cop
nerish color. The camels grew rest
less Quickly there rose out Of the
horizon saffron clouds, approaching
with incredible swiftness. Little
wbirlwinds of sand appeared here
and there, rose and died as If for
want of air. Mahomed veered the car
avan toward a kind Of bluff composed
Of sand and precipitous boulders. All
, the camels were made to kneel. The
boys muf1ed up their mouths and
noses. and Mahomed gave instruc.
tions to his captives. Fortune buried
her head in her coat and nestled down
heside her camel, while George and
Rvanne used their handkerchiefs
, Georye\le his camel and sought For
tunes side, found her hand and held
it tightly. He scarcely gave thought to
what he did. He vaguely meant ia
encourage her; and possibly he did.
The storm broke. The sun became
obscured. Pebbles and splinters oi
rock sang through the pail of whirlinG
sand, A golden tone enveloped the
, little gathering.
> Had there been no natural prOtec
3 tion, they must have ridden on, blind
| ly and desperately, for to have re
/ NAMED still in the open would have
!. been to await their tombs. It spent
s it's fury in half an hour; and thu
}. clearing air became cold again. The
caravan proceeded. The hair Of ev
D cry one was dimly yellow, their faces
. and their garments.
!. CTo BE CoNTINUEDA