The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-08-27

to rest or eat until there was no
further danger from pursuit, and so he
staggered on until at last he fell and
could rise no more.
And thus it was that Achmet Eek,
the Arab, found him. Achmet's follow
ers were for running a spear through
the body of their hereditary enemy
but Achmet would have it otherwise.
First he would question the Belgian. 1t
were easier to question a man first and
kill him afterward, than kill him first
and then question him.
So he had Lieut.. Albert Werper car
ried to his own tent, and there slaves
administered wine and food in small
quantities until at last the prisoner
regained consciousness. As he opened
his eyes he saw the faces of strange
black men about him, and just outside
the tent the figure Of an Arab. No
where was the uniform Of his soldiers
to be seen.
The Arab turned and seeing the
open eyes of the prisoner upon him,
entered the tent.
II am Achmet Eek" he announced.
"Who are you, and what were ytu do
Ing in my country Where are your
soldiers?"
.Achmet Eek Werper's eyes went
wide, and his heart sank. He was in
the clutches of the most notorio is Of
cut-throats-a hater of all Europ cans,
especially those who wore the uniform
of Belgium.
But in the very hatred of the man
for Belgians, Werper saw a faint ray
of hope for himself. He, too, was an
outcast and an outlaw. So far, at leaA+,.
they possessed a common interest, al 4
Werper decided to play upon it for q n
that it might yield.
Il have heard of you," he replied
''and was searching for you. My peo-
pie have turned against me. I hate
them. Even now their soldiers are
searching for me, to kill me. I knew
that you would protect me from them,
for you, too, hate them. In return /
will take service with you. 1 am a
trained soldier. I can fight, and your
enemies are my enemies"
Achmet Eek eyed the European in
silence. In his mind he revolved many
thoughts, chief among which was that
the unbeliever lied. OF course there
was the chance that he did not lie, and
if he told the truth then his PROPOSE
tion was one well worthy of considera-
ton, since fighting men were never
over plentiful-especially white men
with the training and knowledge of
military matters that European Of
icer must possess.
"If you have lied to me-" said
Achmet Eek. II will kill you at any
time. What return, other than your
life. do you expect for your services?"
my keep only, at first" replied
Werper. Later, if 1 am worth more,
we can easily reach an understanding"
Werper's only desire at the moment
was to preserve his life. And so the
agreement was reached and Lieut., AL
bert Werper became a member of the
ivory and slave raiding band of the
notorious Achmet Eek.
For months the renegade Belgian
rode with the savage raiders. He
fought with savage abandon, and a
vicious cruelty fully equal to that of
his fellow desperadoes. Achmet Eek
watched his recruit with eagle eye,
and with a growing satisfaction which
finally found expression in a greater
confidence in the man, and resulted in
an increased independence of action
for Werper. d
Achmet Eek took the Belgian into
his confidence to a great extent, and at
last unfolded to him a pet scheme
which the Arab had long fostered, but
which he never had found an oppor-
tunity to effect. With the aid of
European, however, the thing might be
easily accomplished. He sounded Wer-
per.
"You have heard of the man men
call Tarzan?" he asked.
Werper nodded. 81 have heard of
him; but do not know him.
"But for him we might carry on our
trading in safety and with great
profit" continued the Arab. .For