Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-29
n the outside by his hands.


Climb out on my shoulders" he
commanded, and Arlee climbed-how
she never knew. For one instant she
had an impression OF hanging out
over an abyss with fire cracking in
her face: the next instant the soles
OF her feet were smarting and her
eyes still seemed to sec stars.
There was run, stumbling, with
BUYS hand sustaining her. and then
she was on camel, clutching the
saddle as the beast rose swiftly in
response to urgent whacks, and be-
side her Billy was on another Some
one on foot goaded the beasts into a
startling it,n. and behind them yells
and screeches were growing louder
and louder
Over her lurching shoulder she had
one last glimpse of burning build :
ing and saw flames pouring from the
roof and the room where she had
been an open furnace, and then she
turned her face toward the dark
ahead.
Hang tight" Billy was calling to
her, and she saw him lean over and
lash both camels into furious speed.
Some one is riding after" and then
he turned and shot his gun warming
ly into the air.
The yells behind them stopped. But
after some moments they heard a
camel snarl. and knew that some
one was still back there in the dark
ness. hanging on their trail. So they
rode hard ahead, into the enveloping
night. over the rolling dunes, with
the wind leaping and tearing and
hurting the sand In their faces. as II
the very elements were fighting
against them.
1t was Il strange chase and q hot
one pounding on and on, racking
with the wild. lurching flight. deeper
and deeper into the yellow gray
night. that welcomed them with more
stri,i'Ant blasts and more singing
particles of sand.
ITS a storm Billy shouted at her.
raising his voice above the wind mt,s
been blowing up this way for an
hour now--they won't follow long in
the face OF It. Can you hang 'on a
little longer?ii'
Forever" She cried buck. gripping
the pommel tight and bending hei,
heHi before the whirling particles.
There was sand In her hair. sand on
her lashes and in her eyes. sand on
her fare and down her neck. and
sani in her mouth when she wet her
lips, but she heard herself laughing
in the night.
by and by Wen get off," he called
back, and by and by when the hot,
sitting, stingins, choking, whirlinK
gale was too binding to be borne,
he checked the cameis in one of the
holl','Hs of the desert dunes from
which the wind was Swimming am
munition for its peppery assaults,
and the beasts knelt with Il haste
that spoke of gladness
IFS the backbone of 1t now: cover
your head and lie down. Billy COM
and Arlee covered IL with
what he thrust into her hands-his
oyercoat, she foimd-and tucked her
hesi,1s the camels.
II should think-it was--the back
BONE she gasped, unheard, into her
coat. For the wind howled
now like a rampaging demon; it tore
at them in hot anger; 1t dragged at
the coat about her head. and when
her clutch resisted. it flung the sand
over and over her till she lay half
buried and choking. And then, very
SLOWLY and sulkily, it retrcated,. blow
ing fainter and fainter. but slipping
hack for last spiteful gust when
eyer she thought it finally gone. but
at last her head came out from it's
burrow. and she began cautiously to
wipe the sand crust off her face and
Ia shes.
M, you eyes?" said a sympathetic
voice.
In The darkness beside her Billy
Hill was sitting up. digging at his
Not now--l'ye cried--that all
gone she painted back.
He cfnckled. I'm Try it--swear-
ng's no use"
She sat up suddenly Are they
Not hit No use. if they did.
You're safe now"
"Oll, my soul" She drewia long,
ong breath. 81 can't believe it."
Then she whirled about on him.
How hy-whys is it you?"
He looked suddenly embarra ssed,
out the darkness hid it from her. He
became oddly intent on brushing his
clothes. ooh. guessed" he said in
casual tone.
you guessed? Don't they know?
What did they think /? Oh, where did
everyone think was?''
He told her. dwelling upon the
details; the hasty mes
sage OF farewell from the station, the
directions about luggage, the money
TO pay the hotel bill. You see, his
wits and luck We're just playing to-
yeth,er." he said.
"Thcn the Evershams are up the
Nile"
"Of course. They never dreamed"
They wouldn't" Arlee was silent.
She wondered confusedly-she want
ed to ask questionable wanted to
ask two questions.
"B,r-but-no one else? 2" she
There was particularly large
Jump of sand in Billy b. Hilrs throat
Just Then: he cleared it heavily. "Oh,
yes, some one else guessed, too" he
said then. THAT English friend of
yours, Robert Falconer, he and 1 had
l regular old shooting party in the
palace last Sunday evening. If you'd
been there then he would certainly
have had you out
SD he knows" She said it
little family, Billy thought, as if she
was disappointed and troubled. She
would know, Of course, by intuition,