The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-04-07
BOB'B||S
MERRILL


81. drum against the ground,
nss ,;ns one moment and with the
hreath cursing some h0of-beat
-. hehipd me and the muffled
49, ss,rand that was certain to fol-
The men were as afraid as
"A the thing feared most OF
81 u panic. Yet what more could
n han / had done? lay and
.tcbed the camels,i and every step
~ brought them nearer felt like
NM In 3 chain that bound US all.
nre thing became perfectly eyi-
4.vt before long. There we're not
M ~ than two hundred camels,
..s,efore in a fight we should be
~. ~. 10 beat them OF, easily. But
ss,sss We could ambnscade them
..rd there was no time to prepare
.s.t nov) it would be impossible
). lin or capture them all. Some
Sould get away and those would
ssrrv the alarm to the nearest
wiltary post. Then gone would be
~ anne for us of evading capture
= obstruction. But it, was also
"hv;ous TO me that no such cara
=, would come straight on toward
:. Al such speed if it knew of our
s,,slence or our whereabouts. They
synected us as little as we expect
Cd them. 80
81 Law still, trembling. wonder
nv what Ranjoor Singh would say
Il me. supposing he did not die in
,bo cart there wondering what
tho matter might be with Ranioor
sinsb-4wondcriug what | should do
srrnosing he did die and we escap-
ii from this present predieament.
7 knew there was little hope of my
maintaining discipline without Ran
ioor Singh's aid. And | had not
tho least notion whittier to lead,
unless toward Russia.
Such thoughts made me physical
" sick, so that it was relief to
;nrn away from them and watch
me oncoming caravan, especially
as began to suspect it would no,
come within mile of us. Pres
antlv I began to be certain that it
would cross our track less than
mile away. ! began to whisper to
myself excitedly. Then at last
"Yes..' said :, aloud.
"Yes!' said voice beside nc,
and nearly jumped out OF ny
skin unless they suspect the track
o, our cart wheels and follow it
up, we are all right"
looked round into the eyes Of
Ranioor Singh, and felt my whole
skin creep like snakes at slough
Ing time.
"sahib,' said l.
You have done we'll enough
said he. except that if attacked
YOU would have hard work to gath
er your forces and control them,
But never mind. you did quite we'll
enough for this first time.' said
Ranioor Singh.
"sahibt" l said. But ! thought
you were in cart. dying.
IN a cart. res,' he said by
inc, although that was no fault
OF somebodv's.'
begged him to explain. and
while We watched the cameis cross
our track God knows. sahih, why
they did not grow suspicious and
follow along 1.-THE told me how
he had sat on the great rock. not
very sleepy but thinking. chin on
knee when suddenly some man
erawled up from behind and struck
him heavy blow.
Feel my head said he. and |
ielt under his turban. There was
brgise the size OF my folded fist.
| swore--as who would not is
il Deep" | said. still watching the
canlels and before he answered me
he sent the trooper to go and find
bis horse.
Superficial" he said then. BY
The favor Of God but a water
y bruise- Ny head must have yield
ed beneath the blow"
Who struck t?r said l. scarce
y thinking what | said. for my
mind was full of the camels, now
fank toward us. that would have
served our purpose like the gift of
God could We only have contrived
10 capture them.
How should l know" he an
s"ered. "See-they pass within a
haif-mlle of where I sat. Is not
mat the rock?' And | said yes.
Had you fingered there" he
said, word about lis would have
gone back to Angora at top camel
speed. What possessed you to come
away"
God" said |. and he nodded, so
Iaat | began to preen myself. He
aollced my gathering self-esteem.
nevertheless he said aloud.
out as if talking to himself. yet
careful that | should hear, had
ms not happened to ME | should
nave seen those camels on the sky
Hne. Did you count the camels?"
IWo hundred ana eight" said |.
How many armed men with
Aem ne asked. My eyes are
YET olm from the blow"
one hundred and four" said |,
and an officer or two"
: ne nodded. "The prisoners would
s sa'e been a nuisance" he said,
set We might have used them
,ater What with camels and what
WIN horses-and there is a good
spo' Tor an ambuseade through
w a'eh tney must pass presently
neht and surveyed it while they
.ooAea my dinner-neyer mind
never mind said he. IF YOU had
,; aae mistake it would have been