Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-06-11
CHAPTER xxI-continued.

1t was rare for the caravan to pass
by Benz Medinet. The old woman's
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 Benz Medinet's unusual visitors.
Peace be with you, Fatou Ami"
said the older of the Bedouins.
Are you a cousin or a brother that
you know my manner" asked the an
cient woman.
Everyone knows the name of the
oldest woman in the Sahara" said
Hammet kbou, "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 a dog?"
The mother of many sons is wise,"
said Hammet Abou p~ortentously, but
she does not know that this man car
ries the Evil Eye. His dog carries the
Evil Eye for his enemies. Your people
have gone to battle. Unless this man
Is cast out from your village. your
young men. your g%randsons and your
ons win be destroyed"
The old woman regarded him calmly.
Il do not fear it," she said tran
GULLY. I'VE have had corn and oil in
plenty. He is sacred"
For the first time she looked at his
companion, tall and slender and evil
IDENTIFY younger.
You favor the coward Franks" she
said in a high voice. you have come
to fall upon US in our d~esolation."
She was about to raise the peculiar
wall which would have summoned to
her all the women of the village. The
Cogs of the place had already begun to
show their noses. and the villagers
were drawing near the people under
the palms. Now the young man began
to speak swiftly in a language that she
did not understand, addressing his
comrade. The language was so curious
that the woman, with the cry arrested
On her lips. stared at him. Pointing to
his companion, Hammet Abou said:
"Fatou Ami, this great lord kisses
your hand. He says that he wishes
he could speak your beautiful Ian
guage. He does not come from the
enemy; he does not come from the
French. He comes from two women
of his people by whom. the captive is
beloved. He says that you are the
mother of IONS and grandsons, and
that you will deliver this man up into
bur hands in peace"
The narrow fetid streets we're be-
ginning to fill with the figures OF
women, their beautifully colored
robes ~1uttering in the light, and there
were curious eager children who came
running, naked save for the bangles
upon their arms and ankles.
Pointing to them, Hammet Abou
-aid to the old sage:
OcCs yOu are Ouiy WOln6D mere,
Fatou Ami. Your men are twenty
miles farther south. We have a cara
van of fifty men all armed, Fatou
Ami. They camp just there, at the
edge of the oasis. They are waiting.
We come in peace, old woman we
come to take away the Evil Eye from
your door; but II you anger us and
ave against US, the dogs and women
of your town viii fall upon you and
destroy every breast among you"
She began to beat her palms to-
gether, murmuring:
Allah! Allahl"
Hush" said the Bedoufn fercelv.
take us to the captive. Fatou Ami"
Fatou Ami did mo- stir. She
pulled aside the veil from her with.
cred face. so that her great ewes
looked out at the two men. She saw
her -predicament, but she was a subtle
Oriental. Victor had been in her
camp and in her village; her sons and
grandsons had never been vanquished.
Perhaps the dying man In the hut
would bring he Evil Eyel He was
dying, a~nyway-he would not live
t~wenty-four hours. She knew this,
for her ninety years of life had seer
many eyes close on the oasis under
the hard blue skies.
TIC the taller of the two Bedouins
she said in Arabic: