The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-17

7y w. G. Chapman
 For a few miles the road vas good,
 and they made rapid progress, but sud l denly it became only waste of sand, ,s l into which the horses sank fetlock 1 deep at nearly every step: In addition 1 to Tarzan, Abdul, the sheik, and his daughter were four of the wild plains
 men of the sheik's tribe who had ac- | companied him upon the trip to Sidi
 Aissa- Thuz, seven gums strong, they entertained little fear Of attack by day, j and if all went well they should reach I Bou Saada before nightfai1 But soon Abdul announced that they yverU being l followed by six horsemen.
 "At the next village I shall remain and question these gentlemen while
 you ride on,'' said Tarzan.
 l 'sn you stop we shall stop said Ka- I dour ben Saden. Until you are safe
 with your friends or the enemy has l left your trail we shall remain with you. There is nothing more to say.
 Tarzan but nodded his head. He was
 man of few words, and possibly it ] was for this reason as much as any that Kadour ben Saden had taken to
 him, for if there be one thing that an
 Arab despises 1t is a talkatfve man. l All the balance of the day Abdul
 caaght giimpses of the horsemen in I their rear. They remained always at l about the same distance. During the
 occasional haIts for rest and at the
 longer halt at noon they approached
 no closer
 1They are waiting for darkness, : said Kadour ben sSaden.
 aI And darkness, came before they
 reached Rou Saada. The pursuing
 horsemen rapidly closed up the dis
 fance that intervened between them
 and their intended quarry Abdul
 whispered this fact to Tarzan, for he
 did not wish to alarm the girl. The
 ape-man drew back beside him.
 You win ride ahead with the oth-
 CTS, Abdul, ? said TazHau. This is my
 quarrel. shall wait at the next con-
 veniez.t spot and interview these fel-
 lows.y
 sAThen Abdul shall wait at thy side,'
 replied the young Arab. nor would any
 threats or commands move him from his decision.
 } Very well, then. replied Tarzan : Here Is as good a place as we could wish. Here are rocks atsthe top of
 this hil1ock. We shall remain hidden
 hena and speak with the gentlemen . They drew in their horses and dis,
 mounted. The others riding ahead
 were already out of sight in the dark
 ness. Beyond them shone the lights of Bou Saa1a- Tarzan removed his rifle } from it's boot and loosened his revolver
 in it's holster He ordered Abdul to withdraw behind the rocks with the
 horses so that they would be shielded from the enemies bullets should they
 fire The young Arab pretended to do
 as hewas bid, but when he had fasten- ed the two animals securely to 8 low , shrub he crept back to lie on his belly } asfew paces behind Tarzan
 The ape-man stood erect in the mid de of the road, waiting Nor did he
 have long to wait. The sound of gal loping horses came suddenly out of the darkness below him. and moment !. i later he discerned the moving blotchee of lighter color against the solid back ground of the night
 Halt he cried, Cor we firer' :. The white figures came to srNsder ? 1ence- Abdul raised himself to one knee. Tarzan cooked his jungle train. cd ears, and presently there came te him the sound of horses walking quiet I ly through the sand to the east of him to the west, to the north and to the
 south They had been surrounded Then shot came from the direction ], in which he was looking. A bullet wsairred through the air above his 9 head. and he fired at the fash of the : enemy's gun.
 Instantly the soundless waste waz 3 torn with the quick staccato of guni g upon every hand. Abdul and Tarzar fred only af the nashes.s They could
 not yet see their foemen. But ons
 came too close, for Tarzan was accus 7 toned to using his eyes in the dark k ness of the jungle night. than wfaicf B side the grave, and with a cry of pair a$sadiIIe was emptied.
 .The odds are evening, Abdul" said ? Tarzan, with low laugh.
 9 But they were still far too one sided : and when the five remaining horsemer q whfrled at a signal and charged fuI : upon them it looked as if there woul6 be sudden ending of the battle. Botl Tarzan and Abdul sprang to the shel : ter of the rocks that they might keeT t the enemy in front of them. Thert
 Vas mad chatter of gazloping hoofs ! 1 a volley of shots from both sides, and l. the Arabs withdrew to repeat the ma I newer, but there were now only foul 2 against-the two.
 From one direction came the sound - of new charge. But scarcely had tht
 first gun spoken ere dozen shots r rang out behind the Arabs. There . came the wild shouts of new part5 ! to the controversy and the pounding of the feet Of 1nany horses from dow1 : the road to Bou Saada.
 The Arabs did not wait to learn ths
 identity of the oncomerss With part ing vo11ey, as they dashed by the posi-
 ton which Tarzan and Abdul were . holding, they plunged off along the road toward Sidi Aissa. A moment
 later Kadour ben Saden and his mer