The Washington times., 1922-06-20
This Years Most Thrilling
Serial !.
Serial

for time that reiegated TIL toinor'
row everything that could possibly
be neglected today. Near her one
OF the older men. more rigid IN his
observances than the generality
of Ahmend Ben Hassan's follow
ers, was placidly absorbed In his
devotions. prostratingShlniself and
fulfilling his ritual with tho sub.
lime lack Of self-consciousness OF
the Mohammedan deyotee. 4
Outside his own tent the vsiet
and Henri were sitting in the sun.
CASTOR on an upturned bucket.
cleaing a rifle. and his brother
stretched full length Oh the
ground. idly tapping at the flics
with the duster with which he
had been polishing the Vicontes
riding-boots. Both mel were TAX
ing rapidly with frequent little
bursts Of gay laughter, The Per-
sian hound was lying at their feet.
He raised his head as Diana ap-s
peared. and. rising. went to her
slowly, rearing up against her
with a paw on each shoulder,
making clumsy efforts to lick her
face, and she pushed him down
with difficulty, STOPPING to kiss
his shaggy head.
She looked away across the de-
sert beyond the last palms OF the
oasis. A haze hung round about,
shimmering In the heat and biurr'
ing the outline Of the distant bills.
A tiny breeze brought the acrid
smell Of camels closer 10
her. and the creaking whine
Of the tackling over the
well sounded not very far away.
Diana gave q little sigh. 1t had
crown so familiar, She seemed to
have lived no other life beside this
nomad existence. The years that
had gone before faded into a. kind
of dim remembrance, the time
when she had travelled ceaseless-
ly round the world with her broth
er seemed very remote. She had
existed then. filling her life with
snort. unconscious Of the some
thing that was lacking In her
nature, apd now she was alive AT
last, and the heart whose existence
she had doubted was burning and
throbbing with a passion that was
consuming her. Her eyes swept
lingeringly around the camp with
q very tender light in them. Every
thing she saw was connected with
and bound up in the man who was
lord of It all. She was very proud
of him. proud of his magnificent
physical abilities. pSpud Of his hold
over his wild turbulent followers.
proud with the pride Of primeval
woman In the dominant man ruling
his fellowmen by force and fear.
The old Arab had finished his
prayers and rose leisurely from
his knees, salaaming with a broad
smile. All the tribesmen smiled
on her. and would 60 out Of their
way to win a nod of recognition
from her. She faltered few
words in stumbling Arabic in re-
ply to his long. flowery speech.
and with a little laugh beat a
hasty retreat INTO the tent.
She paused beside the Vicomte.
els It another novel?" she asked
shyiy. indicating the steadily in
creasing pile Of manuscript.
He turned on his chair, resting
his arms on the rail. twirling a
fountain pen between his fingers.
and smiled at her as she curled up
on the divan with Kopec, who had
followed her into the tent. mo.
Madame. Something more serious
this time. It is a history Of this
curious tribe Of Ahmed's. They are
different in so many ways from
ordinary Arabs. They have been
a race apart for generations. They
have beliefs and customs peculiar
Iy their own. You may, for in
stance. have noticed the singular
absence among them Of the strict
religious practices that hold among
other Mohammedans. Ahmed Ben
Hassan's tribe worship first and