Year: 1867

with pain, and seemed starting from
their sockets; hut recovering, he shook
him self, and, rubbing his bullet shaped
head, and looking around, exclaimed
Allah !! that is what you call a blow
And what Il blow, TOOL Allah But
now comes my turn, o Bokhary, and
if it please God, Shasha the blow CIV.
er shall never deal another


Then, turning towards the sultan, he
cravcd to be allowed to place himself
on equal height with his tall opponent
This was granted; and tour soldiers
were ordered to fetch a marble block
that was at hand, but they found it too
much for them. Alec ran to the spot,
and, having with their assistance put
it on his shoulders, brought it and
placed it IN font of the sultan.


Then having DOTTED his geIab, he
took his position on the block, and,
clenching his six fingered fist, and
throwing his body slightly backwards,
raised his arm, and seemed to choose a
posture whereby he might secure the
greatest power. He hesitated, and
dropped his arm, as if to consider Il lit
tie longer.


And now the black man trembled
and over his sOoty face there seemed
TO come horrid paleness, as Alec re
sumcd in Il yet more decided manner,
his posture Of attack.


Down-rapid as a thundcrbolt-fel
Aice's fist, and with it fell the black,
never to rise again The Bolxhary's
skull was trighttully fractured, and he
who had so often dealt the blows OF
death, was now but as one of those
who had met like fate from his own
relentless arm


There is no power ror strength but
in God exclaimed the sultan, as the
black expired at his feet Give the
clown, pointing to Alec, the fifty du
cats, and let him have safe conduct
5hasha, in truth, is a great loss to my
househould; but who can avoid God 5
decrees, which are written in the Book
Of Fate?


Alec took the purse; and ere the sui.
tan's mandate for him to be escorted
could be put in force, be had mingled
with the crowd, and was seen no more
Some said that the brethren of the
black murdered him that night


Not many weeks after this blow
giving many daring rObberies were re-
ported TO have been committed on the
highway between Tangier and Tetuan,
and in the woods of Sahel near La
-raiche, and in the great forest of Ma
mora, No idea could ever be formed
as to the number of the gang, but it
was supposed 20 be numerous, tor'well-
armed caravans had shared the same
fate as single passengers; and what
was the most mysterious, the robbers
had never been seen, although some
suspected that the marks Of clOven
feet in the wild districts where the
robberics were committed were those
Of the marauders.


Near to the most d ficult passes, and
from out the darkest and densest thick.
cts, would deep sepulchral voice
threaten the travellers; and the words
Halt, or you die" would be heard as
uttered close at hand. Should no heed
be taken Of this command, or should
any attempt be mado to discover tho
speaker, shot would lay low some
one of the party Search or pursuit
for these mysterious highwaymen was
useless, and often proved the death o
many stout heart The caravans
and other travellers, finding no re
source but to obey this call, came by
common consent into a practice 0
stopping when thus summoned, anC
according to the demand they deposi
ted on the ground food, clothes, money
or anything which they were com
manded to place there by the unseen
one, who never failed to accompany
his requisition with some dreadful
threat if an attempt were made to dis
cover him, or if they delayed making
the best of their way off after they had
paid the toll.


Schemes were planned and ambushes
laid tor trapping these unknown out
laws, for no one could suppose that the
public were the victims of q single
robbcr; but the evil spirit, as the folks
firmly believed, thwarted all such at
tempts, for it seemed the peaceful trav-
oilers enemy had strange foreknowl-
edge of every plot against him, and
the fool-hsrdy adventurers who at
tempted his capture seldom returned
to tell their tale.