The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1915-07-22
CHAPTER xxI-contInusd.

- vas hoio tof tue ChTAYdu 10 pass
by Benz Medinet The old woman'l
superstition foresaw danger in this
visit. Her veil before her face. her
gnarled old fingers held the fan with
which she had been tanning Sabron
She went out to the strangers. Down
by the well a group OF girls In gar
ments OF blue and yellow, with earthen
bottles on their heads, stood staring
at Beni Medinet's unusual visitors.
Peace be with you. Fatou Ami"
said the older OF the Bedouins.
Are you cousin or a brother that
you know my name?" asked the an
cient woman.
Everyone knows the name of the
oldest woman In the Sahara" said
Hammet Abou. "and the victorious are
always brothers"
What do you want with me?" she
asked. thinking OF the helplessness OF
the village.
Hammet Abou pointed to the hut.
You have a white captive in there.
Is he alive?"
What Is that to you. son OF dog?"
The mother OF many sons Is WISE"
said Hammet Abou portentously, but
she does not know that this man car
ries the EVIL Eye. His dog carries the |
Evil Eye for his enemies. Your people |
nave gone to battle. Unless this man
s cast out from your village, your
'oung men, your grandsons and your
ons will be destroyed"
The old woman regarded him calmly.
Il do not fear IT," she said tran
uilly. We have had corn and oil in
lenty. He is sacred"
For the fret time she looked at his
tall and slender and evil
emily younger.
You favor the coward Franks" she |
hid in high voice. you have come
fall upon us In our desolation."
She was about to raise the peculiar
all which would have summoned to
er all the women OF the village. The |
ogs Of the place had already begun to
how their noses, and the. villagers |
ere drawing near the people under
lie palms. Now the young man began
} speak swiftly in language that she
Id not understand. addressing his
omrade. The language was SO curious
lat the woman, with the cry arrested |
n her lips, stared at him. Pointing to
Is companion. Hammet Abou said:
"Fatou Ami. this great lord kisses
our hand. He says that he wishes
g could speak your beautiful Ian
uage. He does not come from the
nemy; he does not come from the
rench. He comes from two women
his people by whom the captive is
eloved. He says that you are the
lother of sons and grandsons, and
hat you Will deliver this man up into
UT hands In peace"
The narrow fetid streets were be-
inning to I'LL with the figures OF
Iomen, their beautifully colored
obes futtering In the light, and there
Iere curious eager children who came
unning. naked save for the bangles
pom their arms and ankles.
Pointing to them, Hammet Abou
aid to the old sage:
See, you are only women here
atou Ami. Your men are twenty
lilies farther south We have a cara
an Of fifty men all armed. Fatou
.nni. They camp just there. at the
dge OF the oasis. They are waiting.
We come In peace, old woman: we
ONE to take away the Evil Eye from
our door; but II you anger us and
Ave against us. the dogs and women
your town win fall upon you and
estroy every breast among you"
She began to beat her palms to-
ether, murmuring:
"Allahl Allah"
Hush" said the Bedouin nerce,v
take us to the captive. Fatou Ami"
Fatou Ami did not stir. sbs
ulled aside the ven from her with :
red face, so that her great ewes
'oked out at the two men. She saw {
er predicament. but she was a SUBTLE {
RENTAL. Victory had been In her 4,
amp and in her village: her sons and
ranosons had never been vanquished
erhaps the dying man in tina hut =
ould bring the Evil Eyel He was
Fing. anyway-he would not live 9
'entyfour hours. She knew this. a
II her ninety years OF life had seen h
any eyes close on the oasis under a
e hard blue skies. :
To the tallar of N. 49, DE-. 4