Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-30

at one another from time to time.
Finally the lad caught a glimpse Of
a palisade hundred yards ahead and
beyond It the tops of some goat skin
tents and number Of matched huts.
His lip upcurled in a savage snarl.
Blacks! How he hated them. He
signed to Akut to remain where he
was while he advanced to reconn0iter
He heard voice beyond the pail
SADIE, and toward that he made his
way. A great tree overhung the in
closure at the very point from which
the voice came. Into this Korak crept.
His spear was ready in his hand.
His ears told him of the proximity Of
a human being. All that his eyes re-
quired was single glance to show
him his target; then, lightning-llke,
the missile would fly to its goal.
With raised spear he crept among
the branches of the tree, glaring down
ward in search of the owner Of the
voice which rose to him from below.
At last he saw human back. The
spear hand flew to the limit of the
throwing position to gather the force
that would send the iron shod missile
completely through the body of the I'M
conscious victim. And then the Killer
paused. He leaned forward little to
get better view of the target.
He lowered his spear cautiously that
it might make no noise by scraping
against foliage or branches. Quietly
! he crouched In IL comfortable position
along great limb, and there he lay
with wide eyes looking down in won
, der upon the creature he had crept
upon to kill-looiing down upon Il lit
tie girl. little mt brown maiden.
Korak wondered what the girl would
do were he TO drop suddenly from the
tree to her side. Most likely she would
scream and run away. Then would
come the men of the village with
spears and guns and set upon him.
! They would either kill him or drive
him away.
lump rose in the boys throat. He
craved the companiOnship Of his own
kind, though he hardly realized how
greatly He would have liked to slip
down beside her, though he knewefrom
, the words he had overheard that she
spoke a language with which he was
! unfamiliar.
I At last he hit upon plan. He
| would attract her attention and reas-
! sure her b! smiling greeting from a
| greater distance. Silently he wormed
! his way back into the tree. 1t was his
! intention to hail her from beyond the
! palisade. giving her the feeling of Sc
curly which ne imagined the stout
barricade would afford.
He had scarcely left his position in
| the tree when his attention was at
tracted by q considerable noise upon
| the opposite side of the village. BY
moving a little he could see the gate
at the far end Of the main street.
A number of men, women and chill
dren were running toward it. 1t swung
( open. revealing the head Of a caravan
upon the opposite side. 1t trooped "
molly orcanizatiOn--black slaves anC
dark hued Arabs Of the northern des
erts; cursing camel drivers urging or
their vicious charges; OverburdeneC
donkeys. waving sadly pendulous ears
| while they endured with stole patience
the brutalities Of their masters; goats
sheep and horses.
Into the village they all trooped be
hind n tall, sour old man, who rode
without greetings to those who shran{
from his path, directly TO large goat
skin tent in the center of the Villages
Here he spoke to wrinkled blacl
bag.
korak from his vantage point coult
see il all, He saw the old man askin.
questions of the black woman, ant
then he saw the latter point in thu
direction of the tree beneath Which
the little girl played.
A grim smile curved the thin, crue
lips of the Arab. The child essayet
to crawl away, but before she coult
get ont of reach the old man kicked
her brutally, sending her sprawlini
upon the grass Then he followed he
IN to seize and strike her as was hi
custom.
Above them In the tree a beas
crouched where moment before nat
been q boy-a beast with dilating nos
i trils and barred fangs-a beast ina
trembled with rage.
sThe sheik was STOPPING to reacl
for the girl when the Killer droppe'
10 the ground at his side. His spea
was still in his left hand, but he ha'
forgotten it. Instead his right list wa
clinched, and the sheik took back
ward step. astonished by the sudde
naturalization of this strange apparl
lion apparently out Of clear sky IN
heavy fist landed full upon his moptf
backed by the weight OF the youn
Giant and the terrific power OF III
more than human muscles.
bleeding and senseless. the shei
sank 10 earth. KOrak turned towar
/ the child. She had regalned her Zee
and stood, wide eyed and frightened
looking first up into his face and the
horror struck ut the recumbent ngur
NJ the sheik. In an involuntary gei
lure of protection the Killer threw a
arm about the girls shoulders an
stood waiting for the Arab TO reghi
consciousness. For moment they n
NAMED thus, then the girl spoke
when he regsins his senses be vi