Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24

and wet trickled down my throat. Then
a dark figure caught my rein, and, in
the shadow, I hardly knew whether it
was friend or enemy. Ride, lady,
there is no hope to fight" cried the
voice of Ahmed. He pointed to a
flying figure. which already neared the
safety of the plain. 1t was Jusuf his
stirrups swinging. his robe like a dark
sail against the sunset.
X X X
T LOOKED up and saw the tribesmen
silhouetted recklessly above us. My
brain cooled and started firing stead
There Is no danger" 7 told Ahmed
between set teeth. MY life is protect
ed For a few seconds there was a
duel between rifle and revolver. Then
two of the dark blotches disappeared
and, with scream, my stallion reared.
Before could recover my balance,
the animal had bolted. and, in this I'M
dignified manner, led retreat which
undoubtedly saved the situation. A
man caught at my stirrup as passed.
1t was the wounded Bedouin. bent
down to drag him to the saddle. but he
was too heavy My stallion plunged
his way free, and in vain wrenched at
the bit.
It is not etiquette in the desert to
pursue foe, so, by the time the merci-
full dusk had closed round us, we were
free of the open plain and could count
our losses. We had left two dead
among the dunes, but the wounded man
had been rescued.
The night wind brought us to our
senses, and, dejectedly, We turned back
ward to some ruined huts We had
passed in the late afternoon. Jusuf had
already reached them and we found
him speeches. with indignation. His
dignity had been affronted and he
could think of nothing but vengeance,
which I guessed would be by proxy.
In silence we prepared for the night.
The camel which had carried our
stores lay dead across the borders of
Ait Amra, and we had nothing with us
but few dates and a strip or two OF
dried gazelle meat. Worse still, the
goatskin that held the last of our
precious water had been pierced by a
bullet. But a Bedouin relieved our
gloom announcing that there was an
old well few yards from the huts.
BY this time it was pitch dark. We
lowered the great gourd that served
as bucket into the depths. which
seemed family phosphorescent, and
UIUuSklt ~ up Ay AAANA'
TN darkness we divided our meager
provisions and drank the vlest
water I have ever tasted In darkness
I tore up my sash and bandaged the
wounded mans shoulder. Then, hav-
ing given him the last of my aspirin.
crawIed into a corner, rolled myself
into blanket, and went to sleep with
my head pillowed on my arm.
My cheek was stiff and sore, so
woke vowing vengeance on the raiders
and slept no more because of a curious
pain that increased as the stars rose
higher Gradually I was conscious of
movement in the hut. Generally the
Bedouins slept like statues, but now
they flung themselves from side to side,
punctuating their restlessness with
groans.
"Wallahi. snake eats my insides,"
came woeful voice that / failed TO
recognize, and it occurred to me that
the description exactly fitted my own
agony.
Allah, the water was accursed!" said
another Bedouin There was certainly
a Jim in the we'll"
I was wondering what had been in
the well. when a soft, fat voice beside
me remarked family: 1T is finished.
BY Allah, am going to die"
Allah forbid" I replied in a voice
which 1 hoped sounded encouraging.
Il have a powerful medicine that Will
cure you"
Contorted with pain I crawled to the
spot where ! had left my saddle-bags,
and, in pitch darkness began fumbling
for the little bottle of brandy reserved
for such emergencies as these. Signs
drifted past me and I shivered little,
for it seemed as If the place were full
of tormented spirits. My fingers shook
when. after much futile searching, they
closed around the precious flask.
Slowly, because of the pangs that
wrung me, crept back to Jusuf but he
did not answer when I spoke to him.
In desperation began feeling the hud-
died bodies, for when an Arab makes up
his mind to die it takes strong measures
to stop him.
"Jusuf, have the medicine. 1t is
very strong" cried to him: but his
head sagged inertly against my arm.
Ruthlessly I forced open his teeth and
poured half the contents of the flask
through them.
Then Jusuf spoke, and his voice was
unexpectedly strong.
by Allah, that is good medicine he
said. Have you more of it?"
1 handed him the flask. heard him
gulping the last precious drops, and was
mildly amused at the thought of his
horror if he knew that the medicine
was the spirit forbidden by his prophet.
Then I must have dozed, for when
was next conscious the sun was pouring
into the hut. which was empty except
for the fat. silk-clad figure of Jusuf.
who was eating doura grains with relish.
Outside, silhouetted against the desert,
was group of my Bedouins talking to
three strangers. evidently the dilatory
guides of Ait Amra.
I stared duly at the pinched and