The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-10-02

the cause of the bloodshed and
had paid heavily for his impulse.
It was quite dark when she
awoke, dark and cool. She pulled
the silken robe over her and Won
dered how long she had been
asleep; then remembered that it
didn't really matter what time 1t
was. Of course escape was impos-
sible and even if she had ever
considered it, the distant sounds
that now came to her-the sharp
yelps from pack of Jackals
fighting over dead animal some
where, the howl of wolf or the
distant wailing laugh of hyenas-
would soon have driven the
thought of escape from her head
But after a while these sounds
diminished, became a part OF the
night itself, and with the moaning
of the wind, the quivering of the
tent flaps made a despert SYM
phony that soothed her to sleep
again.
In the morning the Bedouin
girl. whose name Camilla never
learned, came into the tent with
Camilla's dressing case, larger
basin of water, towels and soap,
and placed them on table. And
when she had bathed and taken
coffee, Camilla found a cigarette
and smoked. AS she did so, her
mind clearing rapidly, the thought
of Hassan came to her again. Has
san and not Ronnie. Hassan more
ominous than ever after what had
happened. Who else but Hassan
would have selected her from
among her companions and
brought her here into this far-off
place? She remembered with
clearer comprehension the slow
smile of her captor when the
name Of Hassan Isar had been
mentioned. Hassan had planned
this abduction just as he had
planned the conspiracy against
Ronnie. She was sure of it now
and she was frightened. Her in
sincerity and disloyalty to Has
san now came to haunt her.
Whatever Hassan's sins against
Ronnie, he had committed none
against Camilla. From the begin
ming he would have done any,
thing she asked. She had betrayed
him again and again, and now
her transgressions were finding
her out. If Hassan had made her
a prisoner she had little to hope
for, and she was willing to admit
that whatever happened to her
would be nothing less than she
deserved. Ronnie had said that
Hassan was politically powerful
in this country; otherwise, she
now realized, his men would not
have dared to hold up MichaePs
bus and kill Slim.
Just after sunset there was a
sound Of a rifle shot in the dis
lance, an answering shot nearby,
and an immediate commotion out
side. The Bedouin girl rushed
from the kitchen and the brigand
who had captured Camilla yes
terday passed before the flap of
the tent in the sunlight and
leaped on his horse. She wanted
to run outside, but the Bedouin
girl interposed, pointing to a
camp chair that she had brought
forward to the table. She gave a
series of grunts which Camilla
interpreted to mean that she was
not permitted to leave the tent.
And yet in spite of her know
ledge that she had brought all
this upon herself she could not
feel that Hassan would dare mo-
lest her on his own terms. Wasn't
the reason why he preferred her
because she could deceive him as
she had always done? Wasn't this
abduction merely his own way of
making their caravan into the de-
sert an accomplished fact in spite
of her opposition?
His entrance at the flap of the
tent was not in the least alarming.
"Of course you know that if it
hadn't been for your friend Slim,
nothing would have happened
yesterday"
His voice was deep but mild
and she gained courage. Nothing
of course" she said, "but the
holdup of an American bus and
the abduction of an American girl
travelling in it"
"Granted. I intended to bring
you here no matter what hap
pened."
"And how are you going to an
swer for it,"
L. ~ oil