Evening star., 1922-12-31
"A Son of the Sahara
A Modern Story of the Desert
By Louise Gerard u
1sze. b. the Aacaasay o.

knew his excuse was false one. 1t
was not vengeance that came be-
tween him and Rayma-but Pansy..
And now ne hated the English girl
for she had robbed all other women
of their sweetness.
CHAPTER IL.
over the old fort near the river the
British flag drooped Imply. Many
years had passed since it had last
hung there. Nowadays, the place was
not used. The country was too peace
full to need forts, and the district
officer lived in a corrugated Iron bum
salow Just beyond the remains of the
stockade.
1t was getting on toward evening.
The mist still rose from forest and
shadow valley, as it had risen sixteen
wears before when Barclay first came
TO these parts. And in the stunted
cliffs another generation OF oaooons
swarmed.
On the roof of the old fort Pansy
stood with her father, watching as
she had often watched during her
months in Africa the sunset that eacn
night painted the world with glory.
it's edge gilded sharply and clearly.
Across the golden curtain swept great
fanIike rays of rose and green and
glowing carmine. all radiating from
a blurred mass Of orange hung on
the worlds edge where h;, e, the ne,s su" sa'N
The rlst rolled UP from the wide
shallow valley, in banks and tattered
ribbons rainbow tinted. ana ehG
lakes that. in the dry season, markea
the course OF ~, 5, si'runN'n ,he nood OF
light poured out from the heavens.
The constant change and variety OF
the last few months had easeo ran
sy's pain a little.
with her father she had toured the
colony. She had slept under canvas: IN
native huts and iron bungalows. Ana
there were half a dozen officers on
the governors staff. all anxious TO
entertain his daughter.
But for the nights; ~ panss a,.nss,v "'u'"
Give me the nights. Pansy, ana tne
days I'll leave to you.
Very often Raoul Le Breton's words
came back to her. as she lay sleepiess.
n seemed that he had her nights now.
that man she loved yet could not
marry. Often her heart ached with a
violence that kept her awake until
the morning.
Pansy tried to make her nights as
short as possible: she @ wa, Mas a. a,was vac
often up and dressed before Alice
her plump. pretty. mulatto maid. a
mission girl Pansy had engaged TOT
her stay in Africa-appeared Win
the early morning tea, & an Ano or, Wne snd
away on her old racehorse. with some
member of her fathers staff
And the day that followed was gen
orally full of novelty and interest,";
country to travel through; some
negro chief to interview. native
village to visit.
As the Journey continued. the Eu-
ropeans grew fewer. Until that oAE.
il vas nearly week since Pansy
had seen a white face. except those
of her fathers suite.
Only that afternoon the further
most point of the tour had been
reached. A mile or so beyond was
With her father Pansy often went
over the maps of the district and the
country that lay around it She knew
that beyond the British possessions
tie known district: vast areas. scarce
~ explored, of scrub and poor grass.
that led on to the Back of BEYOND.
the limitless eXpanse of the burning
Sahara.
But. interested as Pansy always
was In all connected with her fathers
province, and all that lay about II,
She was not thinking OF any OF these
things as she stood on the roof with
him. but of her old playmate. Capt.
Cameron.
The governor. his staff and the dis
trict offlcer were going the next day
to visit some rather important ne2ro
chief. Pansy was to have been one
Of the party put on reaens had snddeny
developed bad attack CT malaria.
"I don't think I'll go tomorrow. ,9,
father" she was saying. don't IKE
leaving Bob. I know his orderly can
look after him all right. But he says
he feels better when I'm about. so /
promised to stay and hold his hand"
aust as you like" Sir George an
swered, "In any case the pow-pow
will be very similar to a dozen others
SHe takes it very philosophically,"
ITS the only way to take life" her
father answered. a trttie a .S.aS sadly. .-.,ns,
his in silent sympathy.
She loved and understood her quiet.
indulgent father more than ever. But
the dead girl he still grieved for was
only a misty memory to his child.
"Yes. Daddy, I've learnt that too"
she said ITS no use grousing about
things. It's far better to laugh IN the
teeth Of fate" \
George Barclays arm went round !
mis- daughter.
She had followed out her own pre-
cepts, this brave. bright girl of his !!
As she went about his camp no one |!
would have guessed her life was !
tragedy And even he knew no more |
than she had told him on her unex- |
pected return from Grand Canary.
She was fighting her battle alone, /!
as he in past years had fought his, in |
his own unselffsh way. refusing to let !
her shadows fall on those about her.
CHAPTER III.
About Ave miles away from the old |
fort, deep in the forest. there was a |
large grassy glade, an unfrequented |
spot.
Within 1t now were encamped |
what looked to be q largo party Of |
Arab merchants. There were about |
a hundred of them. and they had come |
early that morning. with horses. and |
camels, and mules. and bales Of NOR |
chandise. And they outnumbered !
Barclays party by nearly three to |
one. His following were not more |
than forty. including thirty Hausa |
Immediately on arriving in the
glade, two Of the Arabs. with curios, |
had been dispatched to the English |
camp: outwardly to sell their goods. |
but. in reality. a. spies.
rest Of the party put aside its peace |
full air. Out of their bales weapons |
were produced: guns Of the latest |
pattern and v1cious-looking knives. |
In his tent the Sultan Casim Ammeh I
..surn in et %Ass It. spe with s as
Edouard. his French doctor. who was
watching his royal master with an