Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-11-06
THJJRMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, MDr THURSDAY, NOVEMBER

the medium. 1t was evident that Fe-
thev had decreed Pauf's death and
that Mademoiselle was pleading for
him. Hope kindled into Joy again. All
was not lost; this purposeless, wild
adventure might yet bear fruit for
him.
Presently Fethev, with shrug OF
his shoulders, turned to Paul and ad-
dressed him in English again.
Our third witness refuses to tes-
tify," he said.
But you can testify against your
SELF" says the Siberia. Now, since
your memory is evidently poor. my
friend it needs to be refreshed. And
IL confess that am curious con.
cerning the motives which induced
you to leap into shark-infested waters.
You will have an opportunity Of re.
membering."
He signed to the soldiers and spoke
a few words in the Arabic tongue.
They saluted and led Paul out of the
tent. Though it had seemed but few
reality an hour or more. The sun
was low on the horizon and, with the
swiftness universal in those low lati.
tudes, darkness was already approach
ing, spreading over the east defiant.
ly, as though mocking the inefficient
lumnary whose orb, red and enor-
nous, declined toward the sand
t.. ~ t,t, Tn cfn
Paul accompanied his captors under
great fronds of palm branches which
bent low over a ripping stream OF
purest water, and SO to the edge OF
The oasis, where the eternal sands be,
gan once more. Hating there, one OF
the men stood guard over Paul, while
the other, opening the haversack
which hung over his shoulders, drew
forth a jointed spade blade, which he
affixed to the tip of his rifle in place
of the bayonet Then he began stol-
idly digging in the sands.
Paul watched him with an accession
of horror. Was he digging his grave?
There could be no other purpose in
this manuever. He dug deep, though,
rather than wide, shoveling away the
sand until he had excavated hole
some five feet six inches in depth.
Then he stood up, stretched himself,
yawned, and signified to Paul to step
in.
Paul hesitated, and the second sol
dier prodded him in the back with his
bayonet tip. A wild thought Of resist
ance passed through Pauls mind and
disappeared There was no need to
prolong the agony. He sprang down
into the hole and stood there while
the soldier with the spade began
shoveling in the sand again, 1t rose
to Paul's knees, his waist, his arm
pits, his threat. A little mound
above the level Of the desert would
hide his face. He was helpless
against the dead weight Of sand that
held down his hands. He could not
struggle or resist Silently he await
ed what seemed to be the inevitable
end. But when the sand reached the
level of Paul's throat the soldier pat
ted it down, ceased his labors, looked
at his companion, laughed and the
pair trudged back among the palms
again.
They had buried their victim to the
throat and left him there, a head
above the desert, apparently cut off at
the throat, to suffer death from the
broiling heat Of next days sun-un-
less some prowling beast discovered
him.
The sun had long since sunk. 1t
was quite dark. save for a galaxy OF
brilliant stars that seemed to drift
through the flying cloud. A cold wind
rose. Immobile in the sand, Paul felt
all his limbs tortured with cramps OF
intense agony; after awhile these
were succeeded by merciful numb
ness which crept icily from the chilly
depths and enveloped him, blotting
out all sense and consciousness. II
reached his brain as though clammy
hand were laid on 1t, gripping 1t with
it's relentless fingers. Paul swooned
away.
He must have been unconscious all
through the night for when he opened
dawn. A crashing sound beat on his
ear-drums, thunderous and prolonged.
Paul was awake and alert now. There
was no mistaking that sound; 1t was
the noise Of artillery, and as he lis
tened it broke forth in long and con.
tinuous roar, while shells burst
among the palm trees and flung
10 o,,tI
wedge-like gaps In the sand. Then
from the rolling dunes to the right
line of little figures in yellow swept
forward--tiny figures, like toy SOL
diers, each carrying a rife as 1t raced
toward the trees. 1t halted, extended,
disappeared. rose from the sands
! again, and a roar of rifle shots crack
| led and spluttered. The Italians were
attacking the Arab-Turkish camp.
Then hoarse shouting was heard,
and figures Of men on horses broke
from among the trees, riding toward
the line Of rifemen. They drove for
ward in a compact body, in line of
columns, riding with intrepid reckless
ness against their enemies. And at
their head, not hundred yards from
where Paul watched, rode the yelled
woman of his dreams.
He stared in terror at her, saw her
lead the line forward, heard the mur-
derpus shouts of the attacking Arabs;
then the rifle fire cracked again and
of sudden horses and men went
down. White-robed bodies Uttered the
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