Evening star., 1941-06-02

above them. David ran to the count
Immediately but Reynol was dead
the dagger's elaborately carved hilt
protruding grotesquely from the
folds of his burnous.
And then, as they stood there be-
side Reynops body, feeling the in
tense heat from the still shoulder
ing storehouse, there was a sudden
rushing noise, as of a burning trail
of gunpowder from bursted cask
followed Immediately by a thunder
Gus explosion and a sky-reaching
column of black and yellow flame
The conclusion knocked them
sprawling on the sand and they lay
there for moment, stunned and
silent.
Matt was the first to lift his head,
and as he did so he caught sight
of the horribly smoking comet that
an instant before had been Carlita S
plane. He heard the wild roar of
the motor above the receding thun-
der Of the explosion, and the screech
of the wind rushing through its
burning fuselage, and he saw its
fatal. headlong, fiery plunge into
the sand few hundred yards from
where they lay.
The natives, who had stood in 81
lent, terrified groups at a safe dis
tance from the burning storehouse,
were picking themselves up from
the ground after that last terrific
explosion, and there were screams
of horror from the women at sight
of the funeral pyre that had fallen
out of the sky. And there was an
awe in their expressions as they
looked from the wreckage of the
plSne to the storehouse, from which
that amazing arm of flame had
leaped so accurately. They fell to
their knees and bowed their heads
until they touched the sand. and in
the dry, hot darkness, illumined
only by the dying embers of the
burning piles the words they uttered
drifted to the ears of the three
Need for Speed.
Next morning there was little left
of what had been the camp. When
it grew light David and Matt dug a
grave for Reynolds body, and with
simple ceremony performed the
burial Leigh insisted on placing
some kind of mark at the place, so
a block of sand-whitened wood was
laid at the head, and on it David
inscribed the words: "He who would
sleep on silk, first must walk on
sand"
Leigh and Matt both looked at
the inscription with obvious curios-
ity. 81 don't think / understand 1t,
David" Leigh said at last.
Neither do l." Matt said.
David stood looking down at the
marker, his serious young face re-
vealing his real affection for the
man who lay buried there. 'Rey-
mol told me once" he said, that it
was an old Arab proverb. What he
always seemed to mean by it was
that things worth having demand
sacrifices before they can be had.
Freedom and liberty and democracy
were the silk of life to Reynol. and
working hard and taking big chances
and sacrificing everything he had
was the walking on sand
think it's rather beautiful, myself
"I agree" Matt said. Leigh nodded
silently.
We'll" David said, turning away.
"our problem now is to get out OF
here and across the border as fast as
possible"
st suppose Carlita's father will
send another plane out when this
one fails to return" Matt said
thoughtfully.
Fright And when they see what's
left here they'll start man-hunt
for the SurVlV0TS-0urSelVeS and
these natives. They'll especially
want to find me, knowing my con-
for all of us, If we're caught, will
be desperate
Matt put his arm around Leigh's
waist and pulled her close to him.
I'm afraid I've gotten you into
something pretty difficult this time,
darling" he said. "We might get
out of it all right, and we might
not. I can't even offer to get you
back to Tripoli, or in touch with
the American Consul. There's lot
Of desert between us and safety"
Leigh Looks Ahead.
Leigh was looking up at him as
he spoke, and there was a bright
mist in her wide blue eyes and a
smile on her lips. "I want you
much more than want safety,
Matt, darling. And If it means
riding the desert like a nomad,
that's all right, too. Sooner or
later we can get word to mother.
and after that all my worries will
be over. You're all I want in life
now"
David, of course, couldn't help
but overhear Leigh's words. And
he turned and put one hand gently
on her shoulder. "I never thought
I'd be talking like an old sage to
Matt or his fiancee," he said with
grin, but things aren't as bad as
you picture them. We can get at
least four of these men to accom-
pany us, and enough camels for
ourselves and our packs. Well start
at sundown and ride all night and
sleep during the day tomorrow. BY
the following morning we'll be at