The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-27

one stood on guard at the entrance 10
the camp.
How can I describe him? At the
time, as he approached IN the moon
light with a shambling, stopping gait.
I felt that had never seen his like be-
fore. Now 1 know the reason Of my
wonder. and the reason OF my doubt.
1 know what it was sbout him which
inspired a kind of horror and a re-
vulsion-a dread.
Elfn locks he had, gray and matted,
falling about his angular face, shading
his strange yellow eyes. He was
dressed in rags. in tatters; he was
furtive. and he staggered as one who
is very weak, slowly approaching out
of the vastness.
Then it appeared as though every
dog in the camp krew Of his coming.
Out from the shadows of the tents they
poured those yapp;rg mongrels. Never
have seen such thing. In the midst
of the yellowish. snarling things. at the
very entrance to the camp, the
wretched old man fell, uttering low
cry. i
But now snatching up a heavy club
which lay close to my hand, rushed
out OF the tent. Others were thronging
out, too, but, first OF them all. I burst
in among the dogs, striking, kicking,
and shouting. I stopped and raised the
head of the stranger.
Mutely he thanked me, with half
| closed eyes. A choking sound issued
fHpm his throat, and he clutched with
his hands and pointed to his mouth.
| I poured some cool water between
his parched lips.
| The throng about me was strangely
silent, until, as the poor old man stag
gered again TO his feet, supported by
| my arm. a chorus arose about rne-one
long, voweled word, wholly unfamiliar,
although my Arabic was good. But
noted that all kept a respectful dis
tance from myself and the man whom
I had succored.
| throng came the Sheikh Said Moham-
med Saluting the ragged stranger
with a sort of grim respect, he asked
him if he desired entertainment for the
night.
The other shook his head mumbling,
| pointed to the water jar, and by dint
Of gnashing his yellow and pointed
teeth, intiInated that he required food
Food was brought to him hurriedly.
| He tied it up in a dirty cloth, grasped
the water jar, and, with never glance
at the Arabs, turned to me. With his
| hand he touched his brow, his lips, and
his breast in salute; then, although
! tottering with weakness, he made off
again with that queer, Looping gait
| Said Mohammed took my hand, and
| in a few direct and impressive words
thanked me for having spared him and
his tribe from a grave dishonor. Need
say I was f1attered? Had you met
him, my friends, that fine Bedouin
gentleman, polished as any noble of
| old France, fearless as lion, yet gentle
as a woman, you would know that
rejoiced in being, able to serve him
even so slightly.
Two of the dogs, unperceived by US,
| mad followed the weird old man from
the camp; for suddenly in the distance
1 heard their savage growls. Then,
these growls were drowned in such a
chorus of howling-the bowling of
| jackals-as I had never before heard
in all my desert wapderings. The
bowling suddenly subsIded but
the dogs did not return.
1 entered my tent and went to sleep.
How long I slept I cannot say but I
was awakened as the cool fingers of
dawn were touching the crests of the
sand pillows. A gray and dismal light
filed the tent, and something was
scratching at the flap.
! 1 sat up Immediately, quite wide
awake, and taking my revolver, ran to
the entrance and looked out.
! A sinking shape melted into the
shadows of the tent adjoining mine,
and I concluded that camp dog had
aroused me- Then, in the early morn
| ing silence, heard faint call, and
peering through the gloom to the east
saw, in black silhouette,f solitary fig
ure standing near the extremity Of the
camp.
Throwing a cloak over my shoulders
I strobe intrepidly toward this figure.
was within ten PAGES when a hand
was raised to beckon me.
1t was the mysterious stranger!
Again he beckoned to me. and I ap-
preached yet nearer, asking him If it
was he~1vho had aroused me.
He nodded, and by means OF a
gretesque kind of pantomime ulti-
mately made me understand that he
had caused me to be aroused in order
to communicate some ething to me. He
turned, and indicated that we were to
walk away from the camp. I accom-
panied him without hesitation.
Although the camp was never left
unguarded, no one had challenged us;
and, hundred yards beyond the outer
most tent, this strange old man stopped
and turned to me.
First, he pointed back to the camp
then to myself. then out along the
caravan road toward the Nile.
do you mean" I asked hirn-for 1
| perceived that he was dumb or vowed
to silence-"that I am to leave the
camp?" e
He nodded rapidly. his strange yell
low eyes cleaning.
! "Immediately7"S I demanded.
Again he nodded.
'fWhy?"
Pantofnimically he made me under
| stand that death threatened me IL I
remained-that 1 must leave the
| Bedeuins before sunrise.
I shook my head then. but not
unkindly; and. waving my hand, pre-
| pared to leave him. At that, with a