Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-10-06
CHAPTER xxI-continued.

CHAPTER Xxl-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 cousin or 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
have gone to battle. Unless this man
Is cast out from your village, your
young men, your grandsons and your
sons will be destroyed"
The old woman regarded him calmly.
81 do not fear it," she said tran
gully. 1--WE 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 high voice. You have come
to fall upon us in our desolation."
She was alb out to raise the peculiar
vail which would have summoned to
her all the women of the village. The
dogs 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
ne could speak your beautiful lam
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 sons and grandsons, and
that you will deliver this man up into
our hands in peace"
The narrow fetid streets we're be-
ginning to fill with the figures of
women, their beautifully colored
robes fluttering 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
said to the old sage:
See. you are only women here,
Estou Ami. Your men are twenty
miles farther south. We have cara
van of fifty men all armed. Fatou
Ann They camp just there, at the
edgeSf the oasis. They are waiting.
We cine in peace, old woman; we
come 4 take away the Evil Eye from
your dor; but If you anger US and
rave against us, the dogs and women
of your own will fall upon you and
destroy e1ery breast among you"
She begsn to beat her palms to-
gether, muAuring:
Allah! Alah!"
''Husl," sad the Bedouin fiercely,
'take u to tie captive, Fatou Ami"
Fatou Ami did not stir. She
pulled aide the, veil from her with
cred fac, so tat her great eyes
looked ou at the Two men, She saw
her prediament, bit she was subtle
Oriental Victory lad been in her
camp ard n her VILLAGE; her sons and
grandsols lad never baen vanQuished.
Perhaps tn, dying man in the hut
would btng he Evil Eye! He was
dying, aSEVay-he would not live
twenty-fot lours. She knew this,
for her niety years of life had seen
many eyd close on the oasis under
the hard le skies.
To the ller of the two Redou.ns
she saih ARABIC: