The evening world. Newspaper, August 31, 1915, Page 13

pitt ifil ' i | i ! ' i & F i f: CHAPTER IV. (Ovnttnned ) The Mission. know what you're talk about!” Four objections. “i. heard the scandal about thie Manten, the exploring man, who's here—our Colonel's old palit” “No, I've heard that Stanton’s at Touggourt. But I've heard no scan- dal,” answered Max. “What has he got to do with the dancing giris?” As he spoke it was aa if he remem~ dered = seoi Btaston sitting with Ganda Velisio at one of the ittte tea tables on the terrace of the hotel at Algiers; the ayua: solute, red~ tanned face and the big, square, blue eyes burning with aggressive vitality. “Everything to do with one of ‘them,’ id Four Byes, “That's the ecanda!, Keeme Btanton’s been play- ing tho fool. ‘They way he's half mad, anyhow, about a lot of things—always was, but it Is a bit worse since a touch o’ the sun he had @ year or two ago. Ho's off his head about an Ouled Nail (dancing girl)—don't know whether she came here because of him or whether he picked her up at Touggourt, but the story ts he could @ got away before now with his blooming caravan on that fool ex- pedition of his to the ‘Lost Oasis’ you read of in the papers, only he couldn't bring bimeelf to leave this Ahmara, or whatever her crack-Jaw namo is. The chap that was talking to me says she's the handsomest creature you'd see in a lifétime an’ she’s going to dance here to-night to spite Stanton.” “To spite him? Max repeated not understanding, “Yes, you young greenhorn! Any- body’d know you was new to Africa! These girls, when they get to be colebrated for their looks or any other réason, won't danen in public as a general thing, They leave that to the common ones, who need to do something to at~ tract. Anyhow, Stanton wouldn't ha let this Ahmara dance in a cafe before a ¢rowd of nomads from the desert, She lives with the dancing lot, because there's some law or other about that for these girls, but that’s all, till to- night. There's been a row, my old pal told me, because Stanton gives my lady the tip not to come near him or pretend to know him while his friend the Colonel is here, She's in such a beast of a rage she's announced to the owner of the cafe that she'll dance to-night; and | bet every man in Touggourt except Stanton and DeLisle ii be here.” Already the great bare cafe was fill- ing up. At last she came, the great desert dancer, said to be the most beautiful Ouled Nall of her generation, Max did not see how or whence sho arrived, but he heard the rustling and indrawing of breaths that heralded her coming. was there, in the square left open for the dancing, All the light in the room seemed to focus upon her, so did she scintillate from head to foot with spangles, stood ik the space between benches, eying the audience from under a long veil of green tissue al- moet covered with sparkling bits of gold and silver, On her head she wore @ high golden crown, and under the green veil fell a long, square woven entirely of gold, Her dress was scarlet as poppy petals, and she appeared to be draped in many layers gleams, For a long stood motionless, Then, when she had made her effect, suddenly ehe threw up her vell, Winding it again, unsiniling, statue-still, for her immense dark eye with kohl, which darted glances of except room. Perhaps #he was looking for she helt who some might be there, lashed eyes fx themselves on him, Then, receiving no response, passed on and shot a flery challenge into the eyes of a young caid in @ bent forward from his carpeted bench in a dream of admiration, secured with a scarf of glittering hung from her looped black braids over her bosom and down to the huge golden buckle at her loosely belted Vor the firet time Mea understood the meaning of the Ouled Nat! dance, This child-women of the desert, with her wicked eyes and mouth, made it @ pantomime of love in ite fret timid beginnings, ite fears and Desitations, ite Bnal self-abandon and rapture, Abmare wae # dangerous rival for a daughter of Hurope with uch & man as Richard Stanton. When ebe had danced once she re- fused to Induige the audience aga! but, staring scorn at the company, accepted a cup of coffes from th handsome young eald tn the biack mantic. She eat beside him with « ferce alr of bravado, and ignored ev- ery one else, as though the dimly lit room in which her spangies famed was empty save for their two selve Bo she would have sat by Max if he bad given back glance for glance; but he pushed his way out quickly when Abmara’s dance was over, and drew in long, deep breeths of desert alr, weet with wild thyme, before he dared let bimself even think of San- da. Banda, who loved stanton—with this recompense! An Max walked back to camp, to take what rest he could before the early start, be met @ sergeant of bis company, a tall Rui to be a Nihilist, who self from Siberia by finding sanctuary in the Legion. “1 have sent two men to look for you.” he said. “The colonel wants you, Go to his tent at once.” Max went, and at the tent met Richard Stanton coming out. Max recognized his figure rather than his features, for the light was at his back. It shone into the Legionnaire'’s face as he stepved aside to let the explorer pass, but Stanton’s eyes rested on the corporal of the Legion without Interest or recognition, The colonel had just bidden him good-bye, and he strode away with long ner- Vous strides, “Will he go to the cafe and sec Ahmara with the cald?” The thought flashed through Max's mind, but he had no time to finish it. Colonel DeLislc was calling him into the tent. ‘The only light was a lantern with a candle in It; yet saluting, Max saw at once that the colonel's face was | troubled, “Have I done anything I oughtn't to have done?” he questioned him- self anxiously, but the first words reassured as niuch ag they surprised him. “Corporal St. George, I sent for you bocause you are the only one among my men of whom I can ask the favor I'm going to ask.” ‘A favor—from me to you, Colonel?" Max echoed, astonished. “Yes. You asked me for one the other night, and I granted it because it was easy but this is different This is very hard. If you do the thing, you will lose the march and the fight which we may come in for at the end, Is there anything that could make up to you for euch a sacrifice “But, my Colonel,” answered Max, “you have only to give me orders, and my And then she Whatever they may be I shall be happy to carry them out.” He spoke firmly, yet he could not hide the fact that this was a blow. He had looked forward to the march, bard as it might be, and Even he felt a throb to the excitement at the end as a of excityment as the tall, erect figure thirsty man looks forward to @ the, draught of water, “But Lam not going to give you any orders,” said DeLisie. “It would not be fair or right, This is a private matter, I have just received a letter from my daughter with rather bad news, of the south, a friend of years’ stand- ing, who bas a daughter of her age, I needn't give you details, but Banda of thin etuff that Mashed out metallic has unfortunately offended this man moment he in perhaps the one way an Arab, no matter how enlightened, cannot fore « give, From what she tells me I can't wholly blame him for bis anger, but— around ‘her arm, she it's impossible for her to stop longer snatched it off her head, and paused in his house, Not that she's in danger Ren Raane encircied being the man he is, An Arub's Ideas tha —nol incredible, of hospitality would prevent his offer- pride and deflance around the silent ing to send a guest away, no matter how much he might want to be rid expected of ber, Yet! can't endure tho thought Max felt the long- of asking bim for @ caravan and guard #fier what seems to have hap- gold-embroideded black cloak, who you watched over my daughter on @ as 8 brother might watch over @ sister, She was perfect in her way, a Hv- That is why I ask, as a favor from ing statue of pale bronze, with the one man to another, whether you eyes of a young tigress and the mouth would be willing to go to the Agha’s of a passionate child, The gold crown, house and escort my daughter here to I know how much I am gauze, the rows of golden colina that exacting of a, born soldiet like your- jJourney—watched over her Touggourt. self.” “I implore you to accept me for the service,” el I told you she was staying in shawl of some material which seemed the house of one of the great chiefs MARKETING | wos ( "But do you thoroughly understand what ft means? Y'o go on without you, It will be hopeless for you to follow us. I give you eight days’ ve, which will be ample time for the engaging of a small caravan— three or four good men and the wife of one to act as servant to my daugh- ter—going to Ben Raana’s place at Djazerta, arriving at Touggourt, and returning to Bel-Abbes. I ghall have to send you back there, you see, There's nothing else to do.” “T understand, my Colonel, But though I'm sorry to lose the expert- ence, I'd rather be able to do this for you and for Mademoiselle DeLisic than anything else.” “Thank you. That's settled then, except details. We'll arrange them at once, for you must get off to-mor- row as soon as possible after our start. Another man must be appointed in your place, Corporal, At Sidi-bel- Abbes you shall have special work while we are gone. There hasn't been much time for thinking since I got the news, but I have thought that out, At first, I may as well tell you, my idea was to ask Stanton to put off his expedition and go to Ben Raana's, But—something I heard to- night turned me against that plan, I should like to have another man with you out of the regiment in case of trouble. Not that there can be trouble! But I shouldn't feel justified in asking for a second volunteer. All the men are so keen! It's bad enough to send one away op @ private matter of my own, and"—~ In his flush of excitement the sol- dler {nterrupted bis colonel. “Sir, I know of one! My friend would be glad to go with me!" “You speak of Garcta again?’ “Yes, my Colonel." “Are you sure of him am sure,” “Very well. Talk to bim then. Come back to mo afterward, and UU give you all instructions,” The name of the Agha and the name of the place where he lived were ringing through Max's head. Boo Raana—Djagerta! ‘The father of the girl Manoel Val fez loved and must save Wee ihe Agha of Djazerta, Now Valdez need not desert! they pened. You realize that it is impos- sible for me to go myself, My duty CHAPTER V, is with my regiment, Once before, Gone! HEN Corporal St. George ar- rived at the oasis town of Djazerta ho had with him in his small caravan no other man in the uniform of the Legion, He had ly camel- drivers in white or brown burnouses, nomads who live tn tents, and whose womenfolk go unveiled without loa- ing the respect of men, They had come from the black tents outside Touggourt, all but one, who Joined the party after it had started, follow- ing on a fast camel. He was a dark- faced man like the rest, and wore such garments as the others wore, only less shabby than theirs, and none but the leader knew him or why he had,come. The Arab fashion of covering the body heavily, and espe- clally of protecting the mouth in days of heat as well as cold, was observed religiously by this tall, grave person, The one woman of the band, Khadra, wife of the chief camel-driver, won- dered if the stranger had any disfig- urement; but hor husband smiled « superior smile, remarking that wom- en have room tn their minds only for curiosity about what can never con- cern them, When the caravan reached Djazerta they found tho oasis town indulging in festivities because of the marriage of the Agha’sa daughter, The customary week of feasting and rejoicing was at its helght, but, to the disappointment of every one, the bride and all the Agha's family had in the midst of the celebrations suddenly gone out to the douar, the desert encampment of the tribe over which Ben Raaya ruled as chief, This was unprecedented for the wedding of great personages that the end of the entertainment should take place in the douar; but it was said that the bride was ill with over-ex citement, and rather than put off the marriage, her father had decided to try the effeot of desert alr, This was the news which was told to Max at the Agha's gates after his forced march from Touggourt. It Was translated for him into French by his interpreter, the dark-faced man who covered his mouth even more closely than did the dwellers in the black tents near Touggourt; for Max, though he had studied Arabic of nights In the Legion's library, and taken lessons from Garcia, could not yet understand the desert dialects when spoken quickly, An interpreter was a real necossity for him on a des- ert journey with Arabs to command, and as the two talked together out- side the open gate in the high white wall, discussing the situation, neither the Agha's men nor any man of the caravan could understand a word. The language they used was a mys~ tery. French, English, Spanish-—all were jargons to these people of the southern desert, “At the douuar!" Max repeated, “Where is it?” “Not twenty miles awa: answered Manoel, keeping all feeling out of his voice, as an interpreter should. “But it's between here and Touggourt, Not exactly on the way, still we could have reached it by taking @ detour of @ few kilometres off the caravan track and saved hours, precious hours.” “Never mind,” said Max, worrled though he was because of the delay, that meant something to him, tf not as much to Manoel, “Never mind, We ehall be in time yet, They say the foo Aes. tivities are only balf over. That means she isn't married, Buck up! I know this Is @ shock; but ft Isn't a surprise that the wedding feast should be on. You've been expecting that. You've even been afraid it might be all over.” oe 8 © Banda DeLisle's short life had not been brilliantly happy. She had known the ache of feeling herself unwanted by the only two human beings of par- amount importance In her world; her almost unknown father, and her adored ‘Sir Knight” and hero Richard Stanton, But never for more than a few hours of concentrated pain, Uke those at Algiers, had she suffered for herself as she suffered for Ourleda who must marry the man she loathed. With the subtlety and soft cow. ardice of Mussulman women, young or old, Ourleda said no word to her father of her loathing for Tahar. When Sanda begged her to tell him at least eo much of the truth and trust to his love, the girl replied always dully and hopelessly in the me way: it would be useless, My dear nurse Embarka would Kill Tahar for me if she could get at him,” the “Little Rose” sald one day, calmly, “That would end my trouble, but she cannot reach him, and there is no one she can trust among those who cook or serve food in the men's part of our house, Sanda was struck with horror, but Ourieda could not at first even un- derstand why she was shocked, “If a viper were ready to strike you or one you loved, would you think harm of Killing it?” she asked. ‘Tahar ts venomous as a viper. I should give thanks to Allah if he were dead, no matter how he died. But since Allah does not will bis death, I must pray for courage to die myself rather than be false to Manoel, who has perhaps himself gone to paradise, since ha does not answer when I call; and if a woman can have @ soul, | may be- long to him there.” Then Ourieda evolved a plan, The plan was very hateful, very danger- ous and treacherous, But—!t was to save her, The Arab girl proposad to Sunda that she should pretend to have @ letter from Col, DeLisin calling her &t once to Sidi-bel-Abbes, not giving her even time to wait for tne wedding. Ren Raana would reluc- tantly consent to her going; he would give her an escort—not Tahar, be- cause Tahar must stay for bis mar- riauge—but some trustworthy men of his Koum, and good camela, On the camel prepared for her would be of course @ bassourah with heavy our- tains; probably the one in which she had already travelled. It went also without saying that Sanda would make the journey in Arab dress, such as she had worn during the visit, Ourleda would pretend to be i!l with grief because her friend must loave ber at such « time; already she had The Evening World Daily Magazine. Tuesday: August 31, 19 prepared the Agha’e mind by com~ plaining of weakness. She would take to her bad and refuse to see any one but her nurse, Embarka, Leila Ma~ brouka, glad to be rid of the foreign girl (of whom, beneath her pollt ne: she bad always disapproved), and, hating iliness, would gladly keep out of the way for two or three day: while the wedding preparations went on, It would be easy, or almost easy, if no accident happened, Ourteda ar- gued, for her to go away velled and swathed in the bassourah, while San- da lay In bed In a darkened room, At Touggourt the veiled lady would be met by that Capt. Amaranthe and hin wife, of whom Sanda had spoken: they must be written to immediately an told to expect Mile, DeLisle, As tor Sanda, the result for her when the trick was discovered (as it ought not to be until Ourleda had got out of Algeria) would be simpli She was the daughter of Ben Raana’ friend, a soldier of importance in the ey of France. Col, DoeLisle had entrusted her to the Agha's care, and whe could not be punished a# though she were an Arab woman, If Em- barka or any meniber of Ben Raana’ household so betrayed him and his dearest hopes the right revenge would be death, and no one outside would ever hear what had been done, for tragedies of the harem are sacred, To Mile, DeLisle, however, her host could do nothing, except #end her with a safe escort out of his home And that would be her one desire, Reluctantly, Sanda consented, And the plan’s first details worked out to perfeotion, ‘Then as Sanda went to Ourleda’s room to change places with her, the ever suspicious Mabrouka softly fol- lowed With suddenness she flung open the door of Ourleda's room (which Em- barka, belleving Lella Mabrouka safely asleep, had not locked), and by the likht of a French lamp she saw the old nurse draping Ourleda in Sanda’s vell. In Oureida's green and gold bed from Tunis lay Sanda in @ nightdress of Ourteda’s with her head wrapped vp as Ourteda’s was often wrapped by Embarka as a cure for headacns, Instantly the whole plot was clear to the mother of Tahar, She saw how Ourleda bad meant to go, and how Handa would have kept her place, guarded from intrusion by the old nurse, until the fugitive was safely out of reach, And off to the Agha rushed Mabrouka with the tale. Preseoly Sanda was summoned to hor host's ‘presence, Ben Raana, graver and sterner than she had seen him, was waiting in the early dawn which struck out bleak lights from the dangling priams of the big "French chandeliera—the ugly chandeliers of which Lelia Mabrouka was proud, He aahet ne ques!ions and some noe (het esamet Worse than (he orden! for @wideh Sande bed braced Lereeit The Aghe's voles, pollisiy speaking French, wae etudiourly gent out ley contempt wee tn hue 6 ores when they were fot deliberately turned from the trusted guet whe Bed betrayed bim Me paid be had eummoned her te announce, with regret, thet, owing te the fliness of the man appointed as ctor of the caravan, it would not be ate to etert for some tma Al present here was no other perso equally trov'worthy whe could be wpared. | “Lam reeponsthle to father for thy safety,” be added “And though * poor Arabs are bebind (hese mod- orn times in many ways, we would die rather than betray « trust, That wae o stroke well aimed ander the rores of courtesy, and Handa could but receive tt in silence, She had supposed when Lalla Mabrouka spoke of the caravan not going that (t was only @ threat, Her expectation was to be sent out of the house at once, in disgrace, and though her soul yearned over Ourteda, all that wee timid In her pined to go. It was aur- prising—if anything could surprise her then—to hear that she must re- main, “Almost wurely 1 shan't be allowed to wee Ourieda amain, and if 1 can't help her any more I might well bog father to send for me at once,” she told herself, when Hen Raana, formally taking leave of her, with hand on forehead and heart, had gone, Sho wont slowly and miserably to her own room to awalt developments, and while she waited, hastily wrote the meneage to Colonel Delisie which thres days later found him at Toug- wourt. Ourieda informed her that ehe did not believe Sanda would be permitted to go. “You see," the girl explained tn her halting English, “they—my father and my aunt—shall have too much of the fear to let you go till after all is finished.” “Finished?” “When the marrying has been oyer rs | EMEXT WEEN'S COMPLETE NOVEL IM 1 —ji The Avengers By HEADON HILL Samme Rere before. (be comet oriver, they hed sot vomited this @onas, familar with others Mes slone Gered ot the greet tel oboe different comparimnote Ashe bie Whow famliy, and convener brought from Dieserta Ae the era. "en wound nearer to watehing enctber tent, ne\ #0 big, bul sew Orient to (ler, seperated Meat the wast bulk of the “tense What © that’ Max asked Mameal, who rode beside him ae hue dark-staine1 face aimost by the white folds of Bie woolen (se fire of bis young eyes dimmed #604 by & pair of cheap, epec\acies ouch as elderly Arabe Ween “The Agha must have ordered few tent to be set up for Manoel answered gruffiy; and fueened from (he sharpening of Bit tone and the brevity of his ton that this was the desert Hit hope of success; Haana's suspicions ot expect the to ride brasenly wide with a soldier mesenger Col, Delisle, There was an of suspense after the corporal and his Arab interpreter evived by the Agha in « room whose waile were red draperies; but It was scarcely than a heartbeat. Ben Raana bad just come out from another room beyend, where, the ourtains falling apart, eov~ ral guests in the bigh turbans o4, dosort dignitaries could be seem seated © cushions and waited upem by! Boudanese mon who were serving a meal, ‘ ‘The Agha searcely gianced at Mane companion, the dark, spectacied but announcing in French that mo interpreter would be needed, clapped bie hands to summon @& vant, One of the black men lifted red curtains higher and ceived instructions as to nan i H i F zr? a53% thou canst go, ‘Then It too late, My oven, father aball be sure, thee and me, wo With It Bie pgrsonal responsibitity im know where M—— is, that our plan had Been « was for him, Tsay no, but he not be- Cot, Do Hove. That Is for why they keep thee Ben Reams here, #0 thou not tell M——- things #hould have nd further hand ta they about me, But my father, he shull Plot against the Agha, The rest was Vnot be mean and little in his mind nA p ery ras uniees “ase poe luke my aunt, He not listen to the, ‘ necessary (and 9a words she apeak when she aay wot’ SBI)’ TOF Ourteda’s renege” ~**'7'"* Jet us moet together, My father know Max delivered @ letter from De, very well now we shall be finded Lisle, and the Agha read it slowly out, it is the end for us, He not have fear for what we do if some perscn #hall watch to see I not kill myself.” “What has become of poor Bm- barka?” Sanda asked, Ourleda shook hor head, unutter- able sadness in ber eyes, “I think never aball I know that in this world.” Ourleda no longer pleaded, She had given up hope, aud resigned herself with the deadly calmness of resigna- tion which only women of the Mus- sulman faith can feel, It was cleur that her will was not ay Allah's will, And women came not on earth for happiness, It was pot sure that they even had aouls, “Allah has appointed that I marry my cousin Tahar,” she said to Sanda, “and I shall marry him, because [ have not @ stiletto nor any polaon, and Lam always watched #o that, even it I had the courage, I could not throw myself down from the roof. But af- terward-—I am not sure yet what I shall do, All I know ts that I shall never be 4 wife to Tahar, Something will happen to one of us, It may be to me, or tt may be to him, But some- thing must happen.” The same night Sanda received a me fe from Mabrouka, It was merely to say that the air of Djazorta not being healthful at this time of year, the Agha had decided, for his daughter's sake, to Anish the week of the wedding feast out in the desert, at the douar, oe * © © 8. When Max, at the head of hia small caravan, catne In sight of the Agha's douar, it was almost noon, and the dexert, shimmering with heat, wae Motionloss, as if under enchantment, ‘They had travelled through the night, after learning that Ben Raana and his family had gone from Djngerta, with intervals of rest no longer than those allowed to the Legion on march, What they saw waa a giant tent as Jarge as a circus tent in a village of America of Europe surrounded at a distance by an army of little tents, black and dirty brown, #0 flat and low that they were like huge bate with outstretched wings resting on the sand, The great tent of the chief with its high roof, its vast spread of white, red and amber striped cloth of close- woven camel's hair, rose nobly above all the others, as a mosque rises above a crowd of prostrate worshippers at prayer, For background, there was a clump of trees; for here, in the far southern desert, Just outalde a waving welter of dunes, lay a region of dayas, where a wilderness of sand and tumbled stones was brightened by greon hollows bait full of gurgiing water Nover before had Max seen a douar ot Importance, the desert dweiling of @ desert chief, But Mancel Lad been through, Then he raised his eyes fixed them upon the Legionnaires as if” wondering how far he might be im Als” colonel’a confidence. sit “My friend has sent then to his daughter to Sidi-bel-Abbes,” 3 Raana said thoughtfully: he cannot be there himself, he be lieves the northern climate better for her health at this year, Perhaps he ie right; my daughter, whom she has would-have been delighted as ried woman to keep Mile with ber, However, my ds Allah's will, Tt must be The day after to-morrow my ter's wedding foast will she will go to her husband's Remain here quietly ti then guest, The interpreter and ¢! sons of they caravan shall cared for, 1 promise thee, household. When my daughter leave. me the daughter of my friend shall go in peace at the same hour, im thy charge,” As he spoke his eyes remained. on the mossenger’s face, watching ter ur change of expression, and the flush that mounted through soldier-tan, * Tt am very sorry,” said Max, “wut Col, DeLisle bas given me only short leave, Thore was just enough timo to get me to Djaser = wourt, and to do the piel ey ably to Sidi-bel-Abbes, He te a« Prompt man, 4% you know, He thimke and acts quickly, It didn't ceeur te him that there need be any great delay. Already there has been @ @ay lont returning from Djaserta, where - T heard that you were at your dowar, A day and @ half there, much ag I should like to be your guest, would , moan overstaying my leave, ‘That, you will see, is impossible.” “If it le impossible, I fear that thou must go from here with thy mig , sion unfulfilled and without Made molselle,” replied the Agha, irritate ingly calm. “For on my side 1 te | impossible to let her go before my Aaughter ts—safely married.” He smiled ax he spoke, but the _ pause and the emphasis on @ certaim | word were deliberate, Max was meat to understand it, in case DeLAsle had confided in him, If not, tt did net matter; he would realize that he had had bis ultimatum, Max did realise this, and, after a stunned seconé, accepted the inevitable, “LM write to BSidi-bel-Abbea amd explain, It's all I can do,” wae theught which ran through his as he polltely informed the Agha that he would, at any cost, walt for Mua, DeLisle. “May I see her and deliv fon a letter f have from her he asked, (To Be Continued - ? ite i i Hil KY § g 43 te ,