The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-04-16
xxxzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx1
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

Werper stepped quickly to the dead
mans side, and. kneeling, sought with
quick fingers the pouch of jewels. 70
his CONSERVATION, there was no sign
Of them in the garments of Achmet
Eek. Puzzled, disappointed and angry,
he at last returned to the girl. "The
wallet is gone" he explained, crisply,
"and / dare not delay longer in search
-of it. We must reach the camp before
the returning raiders"
Unsusplcious of the mans true char
acter, Jane Clayton saw nothing Pc
culfar in his plans. or in his specious
explanation of his former friendship
for the raider, and so she grasped with
alacrity the seeming hope for safety
which he proffered her and. turning
about, she set out with Albert Werper
toward the hostile camp in which she
so lately had been prisoner.
Calling aloud to those who tended
the gates, Werper, grasping Jane Clay
ton by the arm. walked boldly across
the clearing. Those who opened the
gates to him permitted their surprise
to show clearly in their expressions.
That the discredited and hunted lieu
tenant should be thus returning fear
lessly of his own volition seemed to
disarm them'quite as effecrually as his
manner toward Lady Greystoke had
deceived her.
Jane Clayton was again confined to
the prison hut she had formerly occu-
pied, but as she realized that this was
but a part Of the deception which she
and Frecoult were playing upon the
credulous raiders it was with differ
ent sensation that she again entered
the vile and filthy interior, from that
which she had previously experienced
when hope was so far away. a
Once more she was bound and sem
tries placed before the door of her
prison; but before Werper left her he
whispered words of cheer into her ear.
Then he left and made his way back
to the tent Of Mohammed Boyd. Ach-
NETS lieutenant. /.
Mohammed Boyd sat cross-legged
upon rug, smoking. The Arab looked
up as the European came into his pres
ence.
Greetings, o, brother!0 he said.
"Greetings!' replied Werper.
For a while neither spoke further.
The Arab was the first to break the
silence.
"And my master, Achmet Eek, was
well when last you saw himg" ne
asked.
Never was he safer. from the sins
and dangers of mortality replied the
Belgian.
SIT is WE'LL" said Mohammed Boyd,
blowing a little puff of blue smoke
straight out before him.
Again there was silence for several
minutes.
"And if he were dead?" asked the
Belgian. determined to lead up to the
truth and attempt to bride Mohammed
Boyd into his service.
The Arabs eyes narrowed and he
leaned forward, his gaze boring
straight into the eyes of the Belgian.
II have been thinking much, Werper.
since you returned so unexpectedly to
the camp of the man whom you de-
ceived and who sought you with death
in his heart. l have thought much, as
I said, and the result Of my thinking
has assured me that Achmet Eek Is
dead-for otherwise you would never
have dared return to his camp, unless
you be either Drawer man or a big
ger fool than have imagined. And,
if this evidence of my judgment is not
sufficient, have but just now received
from your own lips even dnore con-
firmatory witness-for did you not say
that Achmet Eek was never more safe
from the sins and dangers of mortal
ity? Tell me why you have come back
here. Tell me what you want and,
Werper, if you still possess the jewels
of which Achmet Eek told me. there is
no reason why you and should not
ride north together and divide the ran
som of the white woman and the con-
tents of the pouch you wear about
your person. Eh?"
Werper was both relieved and dis
turbed by the Arabs attitude. The
complacency with which he accepted
the death of his chief lifted consid-
cradle burden Of apprehension from
the shoulders of Achmet Zek's assas-
sin; but his demand for share of the
jewels BODIED II for Werper when Mo-
manned Boyd should have learned
that the precious stones were no long
! er In the Belgian's possession. j.
"Yes." he said. "Achmet Eek is dead.
He fell in battle with company of
Abyssinian cavalry that held me cap
tive. During the fighting / escaped,
but / doubt if any of Aehmet Zek's
men live. and the gold they sought is
in the possession of the Abyssinians.
Even now they are doubtless marching
on this camp, for they were sent by
Menelek to punish Achmet Eek and his
followers for raid upon the Abyssin-
ian village. There are many of them,
and If we do not make haste to escape
we shall all suffer the same fate as
Achmet Eek"
Mohammed Boyd listened in silence.