The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-04-16

I'm great doubt but that Rokom was at
the bottom of the plot. Whether ~
was to be revenge or was In some way
connected with his mission in the Ger
nois affair he could not determine. III
the latter and 1t seemed probable
since the evidence he had bao uhat
Gernois suspected him. then ne nau
two rather powerful enemies to con-
tend with.
After camping at Djelfa for two
DAYS the column moved TO the soutn.
west. from whence word mao coln9
| that the marauders were operating
against the tribes whose douars were
situated at the foot Of the mountains.
The little band of Arabs who had
accompanied them from Bou Saaua
disappeared suddenly the very nignL
that orders had been given to prepare
for the morrow's march from DJeifa;
TarZan had seen Gernois I'm conversaf
tion with one of them some half hour
after Captain Gerard had issued MS
instructions relative to the new move
Only Gernois and Tarzan knew the OLE
rection Of the proposed march.
| Late that afternoon they went into
camp at little oasis in which was the
douar of sheik whose fiocks were be-
ing stolen and whose herdsmen were
being killed. Tarzan. who py TINS
time. with the assistance OF ABDUL nau
picked up quite a smattering OF Arabic,
questioned one of the younger Arabs.
No. he had seen no party or SIX
horsemen riding from the direction OF
Dielfa. There were other GASES SCAT
tered about. Possibly they had been
| journeying to one of these.
Early the next morning Captain
Gerard split his command i'm two, CIV
ing Lieutenant Gernois command OF
one party. while he headed the other.
They were to scour the mountains
upon opposite sides Of the plain.
"And with which detachment VIII
M. Tarzan rider asked the captain.
sOr maybe it is that monsieur does NOT
care to hunt marauders?"
"Oh, / shall be delighted to CO." Tar
IAN FASTENED to explain. He was won
dering what excuse he could make to
accompany Gernois. His embarrass-
ment was short lived and was relieved
a
was Gernois himself who spoke.
IF my captain will forego the pleas
ure of NJ Tarzan's company for this
once / shall esteem 1t an honor indeed
to have monsieur ride with me today"
he said. nor was his tone lacking I'm
cordiality-in fact, Tarzan imagined
that he had overdone it a trifie.
a. Ia+ INF
nois and Tarzan rode off side by side
at the head of the little detachment or
spahis. Gernois' cordiality was short
lived. No sooner had they ridden out
of sight Of Captain Gerard and his men
than he lapsed once more into his ac-
customed taciturnity. AS they advanc-
ed the ground became rougher. Stead
lily it assembled toward the mountains,
into which they filed through narrow
canyon close to noon. BY the side of
little rivulet Gernois called the mid
day halt Here the men prepared and
ate their frugal meal and refilled their
canteens.
After an hours rest they advanced
again along the canyon until they pres
emily came to a little valley. from
which several rocky gorges diverged.
I'VE shall separate here" Gernois
said. several riding into each Of these
gorges" And then he commenced to
| detail his various squads and issue In
structions TO the noncommissioned Of
| ficers who were to command them.
( When he had done he turned to Tar
Fan. Monsieur will be so good as to
remain here until we return"
I Tarzan demurred. but the officer cut
him short. There may be lighting for
one of these sections" he said. land
troops cannot be embarrassed by civil
ian noncombatants during action" A.
moment later Tarzan found himself
alone in the midst of desolate noun
tain fastness.
The sun was hot, so he sought the
shelter Of a nearby tree. where he
tethered his horse and sat down upon
the ground to smoke. Inwardly he
swore at Gernois for the trick he had
played upon him. A mean little re-
venge. thought Tarzan, and then sud-
denly 1t occurred to him that the man
would not be such fool as to antag-
onize him through trivial annoyance
of so petty description There must
be something deeper than this behind
it. With the thought he arose and re-
moved his rifle from its boot. He look
ed to its loads and saw that the maya
zine was full. Then he inspected his
revolver. After this preliminary pre-
caution he scanned the surrounding
heights and the mouths OF the several
gorges-he was determined that he
should not be caught mapping.
The sun sank lower and lower, yet
there was no sign of returning spahis,
At last the valley was submerged in
shadow. Tarzan was too proud to 60
back to camp until he had given the
defachment arnr,Io dina, 4<, 1890.