Mexico Missouri message., 1915-07-08
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 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 Abou, land the victorious are
always brothers." s....
What do you want with me?" she
asked, thinking of the belplessness 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 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.
Il do not fear it," she said tran
GULLY. owe 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 about to raise the peculiar
wall 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 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 sons and grandsons, and
that you will deliver this man up into
our hands in peace"
The narrow fetid streets were be
ginning to fill with the figures OF
women, their beautifully coloret
robes fiuttering 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
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 if you anger us anG
rave against US, the dogs and women
of your town will fall upon you anC
destroy every breast among you"
She began to beat her palms to
gether, murmuring:
"AlIahl Allah!"
Hush" said the Bedouin flercely
take US to the captive, Fatou Ami
Fatou Ami did not stir. sh,
pulled aside the veil from her with
cred face, so that her great eyei
looked out at the two men. She saw
her predicament, but she was subti,
Oriental. Victory had been In he
camp and in her village; her sons AMI
grandsons had never been vanquished
Perhaps the dying man in the hu
would bring .he Evil Eyel He wal
dying, anyway-he would not liV'
twenty-four hours. She knew this
for her ninety years of life had seeI
many eyes close on the oasis unde
the hard blue skies.
To TIE taller Of the two Bedouinl
sha said n Arabic: