Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-06-07

early in the afternoon, they came up |
on a beautiful oasis. nesting like an |
emerald in a plaque of gold So many /
days had passed since the beloved /
green of growing things had soOtheG /
their infiamed eyes, that the sight of !
this haven cheered them all nightly !
Once under the shade Of the palms. !
the trio picked up heart. Fortune sang |
a little, G gorge told funny story, and !
Ryanne wanted to know II they
wouldn't take a hand at euChre. In
deed, that oasis was the turning-pont
OF the crisis Another week upon the
dreary. prohtless sands. and their spir
its would have gone under completely.
This oasis was close to the regular
camel-way, there being a larger oasis
some twenty-odd miles to the north.
But MahOmed felt safe at this distance.
and decided TO freshen up the caravan
by Il two-days' rest.
George Immediately began to show
Fortune little attentions. He fixed her
saddle-bags. spread out her blanket,
brought her some ripe dates of his
own picking. insisted upon going to
the well and drawing the water she
was to drink. And oh, how sweet and
cool that water was, after the gritty
fiat liquid they had been drinkingt
Just before shutdown, he and Fortune
set out upon voyage of discovery;
and Ryanne paused in his game of pa
uence TO watch them. There was
more self-abnegation than bitterness
in his eyes. Why not? If Fortune re-
turned to her mother, sooner or later
the thunderbolt would fall Far better
that she should fall in love with Jones
than to go back to the overhanging
shadow. smile lifted the corners OF
his lips. a sad smile Percival didn't
look the part of hero. His coat was
variously split under the arms and
across the shoulders: his trousers
were ragged, and he walked in his
cloth pads like a man who had govt
in both feet. A beard covered his
face. and the bare spots were blistered
and peeling. But there was youth In
Percivals eyes and youth in his heart.
and surely the youth in hers must
some day respond. She would know
this young man; she would know that
adversely could not crush him; that
the promise of safety could not make
coward of him; that he was loyal
and brave and honest She would
know in twenty days what II takes the
average woman twenty years to learn
the manner of man who professed to
love her. Ryanne left the game unfin-
ished. stretched himself upon the
ground. Oh, the bitter cup, the bitter
cup,
Round the fire that night, the camel
boys got out their tom-toms and reeds.
and the eerie music affected the white
people hauntingly and mysteriousiy.
For thousands of years, the high and
low notes of the drums (hollow earth
en-jars or large gourds covered with
goat-skin at one end and the thin. me-
tallic wall of the reeds had echoed
across the deserts, unchanged
Fortune always remembered that
night. Wrapped in her blanket, she
had lain down just outside the circle,
and had fallen into doze. When the
music stopped and the boys left the
prisoners to themselves. George and
| Ryanne talked.
Il never forget faces" began
George.
mo? That's a gift"
| And | have never forgotten yours
| was I'm doubt at first. but not now
81 never met you till that night at
the hotel"
That's true. But you are Horace
Wadsworth. all the same. the son Of
the millionaire-banker, the man l used
to admire in the field"
you still think I'm that chap"
81 am sure of It. The first morning
you gave yourself away"
What did I say?" anxiously.
You mumbled football phrases
ALI" Ryan4e was vastly relieved.
He seemed to be thinking.
DO you persist in denying it?"
II might deny it, but | shan't, I'm
Horace Wadsworth, all right. Fortune
knows something about that chapter,
but not all. Strikes you odd. eh?" con,
tinued Ryanne, iron in his voice.
Every opportunity in the world; and
yet, here | am. How much do you
know, wopder?"
You took some money from The
bank, / think they said"
"Right-O! Wine, Percival; cards
wine and other things. Advice and
warning went into one ear and out oil
the other. Always so. Ell? You have
heard of my brother, l dare say. Well
he wouldn't lend me two stamps were
: to write for the undertaken to come
and collect my remains. Beautiful his
: tory! I've been doing some tall think
, ing these lonely nights. Only thu
/ straight and narrow way pays. b.
good. even II you are lonesome. Wber
. | get back. II ever do. it's new lea
! for mine. Neither wine nor cards no.
. women"
I Silence The fire no longer biazed
] 1t glowed.
E who Is Mrs Chedsoye?" Georg
! finally began anew.
3 First. how did you chance to max
her acquaintance
4 Some years ago. at Monte Carlo"
y And she borrowed hundred an
d fifty pounds Of you"
q Who told you that?" quickly.
"She did. She paid you back"