The Huttig news., 1915-08-07

upright man with long, gray beard; be- hind, three Mongars, their rifles all ready to their shoulders. The chief wheeled up his horse as he came with in twenty paces of the little party.
 White, English" he shouted. 'Why do you seek death here?"
 He waited for no reply, but turned to his men. Three of them dashed for ward, their rifles, which were fitted with an odd sort of bayonet, drawn back for the lunge Suddenly Craig, who had been little in the rear, gal loped, shouting, into the line of fire.
 "Stop!" he ordered Chief, these people are my friends. Chief, the word."
 The chief raised his arm promptly. The men lowered their rifles. Craig galloped back to his hosts side. The chief listened to him and nodded gravely. Presently he rode up to the little party. He saluted the professor gravely and talked to him in his own language. The professor turned to the others.
 
 nizing me-" he announced Tt seems that Craig had told him that he had come to the desert for shelter, and he imagined at once, when he gave the order for the attack upon us. that we were his enemies. He says that we are welcome to go with him to his encampment"
 Craig turned slowly towards them. It was strange meeting.
 Tt is necessary" he told them, that you should pretend to be my friends. The chief has ordered two of his men to dismount. Their ponies are i for the young ladies. There will be horses for you among the captured ones from the caravan yonder"
 They all turned towards the chief, who remained little on the outside of the circle. The professor raised his hat and spoke few words in the Mongar language, then he turned to the others
 T have accepted the invitation of better start"
 
 This may not be Delmonieo's," Laura remarked, few hours later, with little sigh of contentment, but believe me that goat-stew and sherbet tasted better than any chicken and champagne ever tasted"
 They moved to the opening of the tent and sat looking out across the silent desert Laura took the flap of the canvas in her hand
 What do all these marks mean?" she asked
 They are cabalistic signs" the professor replied, part of the lan- guage of the tribe They indicate 5that this is the guest tent. and there are a few little maxims traced upon it. extolling the virtues of hospitality"
 Lenora leaned forward to where little group of Mongars were talking together
 "I wish that beautiful girl would come and let us see her again." she murmured.
 "She." the professor explained, Ifs the chiefs daughter, Feerda, whose life Craig saved"
 And from the way ske looks at him. Laura observed, q should say she hadn't forgotten it, either.'
 The professor held up warning finger. The girl herself had glided to their side out of the shadows. She faced the professor. The rest of the party she seemed to ignore She spoke slowly and in halting English
 My father wishes to know that you are satisfied?" she said You have no further wants?"
 None" the professor assured her We are very grateful for his hos pitality, Feerda''
 Won't you talk to us for little timer" Lenora begged, leaning for ward
 The girl turned suddenly to the professor and spoke to him in her own language. She pointed to the signs upon the tent, drew her finger along one of the sentences, flashed fierce glance at them all and disap- peared
 Seems to me that we are rot ex- actH popular with the young lady Quest remarked. What was she say ing, professor"
 s She suspects us" the professor said slowly, 'of wishing to bring evil to Craig. She pointed to a sentence upon the tent Roughly it means 'Grat- itude is the debt of hospitality I am very much afraid that the young lady must have been listening to our con- versation.'
 The professor suddenly leaned for ward. There was a queer change in his face From somewhere on the other side of that soft bank of violet darkness came what seemed to be the clear, low cry of some animal
 Tt is the Mongar cry of warning" he said hoarsely. Something is going to happen"
 The whole eneampment was sud- denly in state of activity. The Mongars ran hither and thither, get ting together their horses. The chief, with Craig by his side, was standing ho fcly yiyfc f,f ha