The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1915-07-07
CHAPTER VII.
The Lonely Man.

hos brought her head up, and there,
not ten PAGES from her, she saw a
dozen white robed Arabs and behind
them half a hundred blacks. All were
armed; evil looking fellows they were,
and one Of the Arabs had covered her
with his long gun.
Now he spoke to her, but in tongue
she did not understand, though she
knew that his message was unfriendly,
and imagined that 1t warned her not
to attempt to use her own rife which
lay beside her. Next he spoke to those
behind him, and two of them ap-
preached the girl. one from either side.
piece leveled at her.
As the two came toward her she
heard menacing growl from the wolf
hound and then saw him leap for the
nearest Arab. The fellow dubbed his
gun and swung it full upon Terkoz's
skull, so that the faithful hound COL
lapsed in a silent heap at their feet.
Then the two rushed in and seized
victoria's rifle. A moment later she
was roughly dragged toward the leader
Of the III favored gang.
Through one of the blacks. a west
coast negro who had picked up a
smattering Of pidgin English, the lead
er questioned the girl and when he
found that she was q guest of Lord
i, Greystoke an ugly grin crossed his
evil face, for the fellow recalled what
had befalen another Arab slave and
ivory caravan at the hands Of the Eng
lishman and his Waziri warriors.
Here was an opportunity for partial
revenge.
He motioned for his followers to
bring her along. There was no time
to tarry in this country of their enc
mics, into which they had accidentally
stumbled after being lost in the jungle
for the better part of Il month.
Victoria asked what their intentions
toward her were, but all that she
could learn was that they would take
her north with them. She offered to
arrange the payment of suitable ram
som if they would return her to her
friends unframed, but the Arab only
laughed at her
You will bring u good price," he
said, lat the court of the sultan of
Bulad, north of Tagwara, and for the
rest l shall have partly settled the
score which l have against the Eng
lishman."
: SO Victoria Custer disappeared from
the sight of men ut the border of the
land of the WaZiri, nor was there any
other than her captors to know the de-
vtous route that they followed to gain
the country north of Uziri.
When at last M, the son of M.
opened his eyes from the deep slumDer
that had refreshed and invigorated
him he looked up expectantly for the
face that had been lowering above
his, and as he realized that the cave
sigh that was half sob broke from
the depths of his lonely heart, for he
knew that Nat-ul had been with him
only in his dreams.
Yet it had been so real, Even now
be could feel the touch of her cool
fingers running through his hair. His
cheek glowed to her hot kisses, and in
his nostrils was the sweet aroma OF
her dear presence.
The disillusiOnment of his waking
brought with it bitter disappointment
and return of the fever Again M
lapsed into semiconsciousness and de-
lirium. so that he was not aware OF
the khaki clad white man that crept
warlly into the half darkness of his
lair shortly after noon.
Ii was Barney Custer. and behind
him came Curtiss. Butzow and half
dozen others of the searching party.
They had stumbled upon the half dead
Terkoz beside the spring. and there
also they had found Victoria Clusters
hat. and plainly in the soft earth be-
tween the powders of the hillside they
had seen the new made path 10 the
cave higher up.
When Barney saw that the PROSTATE
figure within the cavern did not stir at
his entrance u sitting fear rose IN his
throat, for he was sure that he had
found the dead body of his sister but
as his eyes became more accustomed to
the dim light of the interior he realized
his mistake-ut first with IA SENSE OF in
finite relief and later with misgiyings
that amounted almost to Il wish that it
had been Victoria. safe in death; for
among the savage men Of savage AZ
rica there are fates worse than death
for women.
The others had crowded In beside
him. and one had lighted torch of
dry twigs, which for few seconds IL
Illuminated the interior of the cave
brightly. In that time they saw that
the man was the only occupant and
that he was helpless from fever.
Beside him lay the stone spear that
had slain Old Rallies. Each Of them
recognized It How could It have been
brought TO him?