The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-03-19
CHAPTER XVI.

The FLIGHT to the jungle.


by tent He had noted Moharnmed
Bsyd's sudden interest in the girl. and
judging the man by his own standards
had guessed at the basis of the Arabs
sudden change of attitude toward the
prisoner.
4 sudden resolution possessed him.
He threw the blankets from him and
rose to his feet. Pulling on his boots
and buckling his cartridge belt and re-
volver about his hips he stepped 10 the
flap Of his tent and looked out There
was no sentry before the entrance TO
TIE prisoners tent, What could il
mean? Fate was indeed playing into
his hands.
Stepping outside he passed to the
rear Of the girls tent. There was no
sentry there, either! And now. boldly,
he walked to the entrance and stepped
within.
Dinly the moonlight illumined the
interior. Across the tent a figure bent
above the blankets Of bed. There
was q whispered word, and another
figure rose from the blankets to a sit
ting position. Slowly Albert Werper's
eyes were becoming accustomed to the
half darkness Of the tent. He saw
that the figure leaning over the bed
was that Of a man. and he guessed al
the truth of the nocturnal visitors
identity.
a sullen, jealous rage enveloped
him. He heard frightened cry break
from the girls lips as she recognized
the features Of the man above her.
and he saw Mohammed Boyd seize her
by the throat and bear her back upon
the blankets.
Cheated passion cast a red blur be-
fore the eyes of the Belgian. No The
man should not have her. She was
for him and him alone. He would not
be robbed of his rights.
Quickly he ran across the tent and
threw himself upon the back of No
manned Boyd. The latter, though sur
prised by this sudden and unexpected
attack, was not one to give up without
a battle. The Belgian's fingers We're
feeling for his throat but the Arab
tore them away and rising wheeled
upon his adversary. AS they faced
each other Werper struck the Arab
heavy blow in the face, sending him
staggering backward. If he had fol-
lowed up his advantage he would have
had Mohammed Boyd at his mercy in
another moment; but instead he
tugged at his revolver to draw it from
its holster, and fate ordained that at
that particular moment the weapon
should stick in its leather scabbard.
Before he could disengage it Mo
manned Boyd had recovered himself
and was dashing upon him. Striking
at each other and ceaselessly attempt
ing to clinch, the two battled about
the small interior of the tent. while
the girl, wide-eyed in terror and as
constituent, watched the duel in frozen
silence.
Again and again Werper struggled
to draw his weapon. Mohammed Boyd.
anticipating no such opposition to his
base desires, had come TO the tent I'M
armed, except for a long knife which
he now drew as he stood painting dur
ing the first brief rest of the encoun-
ter.
Werper was still dragging futilely
at his weapon. The Arab was almost
upon him. In desperation the Euro
pean waited until Mohammed Boyd
was all but against him, then he threw
himself to one side to the floor of the
tent, leaving a leg extended in the
path of the Arab.
The trick succeeded. Mohammed
Boyd, carried on by the momentum of
his charge, stumbled over the project
ing obstacle and crashed to the ground.
Instantly he was up again and wheel
ing TO renew the battle; but Werper
was on foot ahead of him, and now his
revolver loosened from its holster,
flashed in his hand.
The Arab dove headfrst to grapple
with him, there was a sharp report.
lurid CLEAN of flame in the darkness.
and Mohammed Boyd rolled over and
over upon the floor TO come to final
rest beside the bed Of the woman he
had sought TO dishonor.
Almost Immediately following the
report came the sound of excited
voices in the camp without Men were
calling back and forth to one another
asking the meaning of the shot. Wer-
Der could hear them running hither
and thither, investigating.
The two sentries who had been re-
fieved and sent 10 their blankets by
Mohammed Boyd We're the first to sug-
Cest going to the tent of the prisoner.
1t occurred TO them that possibly the
woman had successfully defended her
self against their leader.
Werper heard the men approaching.
To be apprehended as the slayer of
IOhammed Boyd would be equivalent
70 sentence u immediate death. The
fierce and brute' raiders would tear to
pieces a Christian who had dared spill
the blood of their leader. He must
find some excuse to delay the finding
of Mohammed Beyd's dead body.
Returning his revolver to it's holster.
he walked quickly to the entrance of
the tent. Parting the flaps he stepped
out and confronted the men, who were
rapidly approaching.
THE woman resisted" he said, land
M0hammed Boyd was forced to shoot
her. She is not dead-onIy slightly
wounded You may 20 back to your
blankets. Mohammed Boyd and | will
look after the prisoner" then he
ru'ned and re-entered the tent, and
Ihs raiders, satisfied by this explana-