Show A Pi h TrYfi TVIs PiJB1ui r v r JLON CMwroRD q2 AUTHOR Of tiMACJtttteA ARZTHUMfT I JLLU3TMTW3JW s 7 WElL 4Q > f OPYACHT 1 D07 lJY IAAION CMWFORO r SYNOPSIS Unrnkn n Trtrtnr Klilbcrntno I enamored ti of a golden bearded HtrariKor who WIIH IiroipeetliiK nml muilylntc herbs In tho r vklnlly of her home In eimrnl Aslu and reverted to him the mention of it mine 1 of rallies hoping that the HtrunRvr would love her In retmti for her dlscloHiim r = They were followed to the ciivo by the b fdrls rcliitlviS who blocked up the entrance r en-trance iiiul drew off tlio water supply leaving tho couple to die j CHAPTER Continued I i The traveler fished up tho sack and waded out upon tho tiny beach Ho I looked up rather anxiously though ho could not have seen a bend looking down from above If there hnd been any one there There was not light enough Ho understood also that If tho men were going to shoot nt him from tho height they would wait till It G was dnyllght llnrnka stood Rtlll In the water which was up to her waist and ho paid no attention to her but out down to think what lie should do Tho night wns warm and his clothes 41 would dry on him by degrees Ho would hnvo taken thorn off and spread them out for ho thought no more off of-f Bnrakns presence than If sho had boon a harmless young animal standIng stand-Ing there In tho pool but ho could not toll what might happen nt any moment mo-ment nnd so long as ho was dressed r and had all his few belongings about him he felt ready to meet fate Harakn saw that he did not heed her und was thinking Sho came up out of tho water very slowly and she modestly loosened her wot garment from her so thnt It hung straight when she stood nt the end of the beach ns far from the traveler as pos slblo She also sat down to dry herself her-self and there was aliened for a long time After halt an hour tho traveler rose y and began to examine tho rock feeling feel-ing It with his hands wherever there was tho least shadow as high as ho could reach to find if there wns any foothold though ho was already sure that there was not There Is no way out Bnrnkn said nt last I have been hero by day I I havn Rflm n They will let themselves down from above with ropes till they are near enough to shoot tho traveler J answered No replied Bnrnka They know that you have a good weapon and they will not risk their lives They 3 will leave us hero to starve That Is what they will do It Is our portion nail wo shall dlo It will bo easy for there Is water and when wo are hungry hun-gry wo can drink our fill You will die first You aro not as wo nr e you cannot live so long without food Tho traveler wondered it sho was right but ho said nothing If wo had got out with tho treasure treas-ure continued Harnka you would have loved mo for It because you would have boon tho greyest mnn In the world through mo Hut now because be-cause we must dlo you hate me I understand If you do not kill mo you will dlo first and when you are dead I shall kiss you many times till I die also It will be very easy I am k not afraid I Tho man sat quite still and looked nt the dark streak by the dgo of the t pool where the water had wet it when tho falling boulder outside had sent In little waves Ho could seo it distinctly dis-tinctly Again there was sllonco for n long time Now and then Harnka loosened her only garment about her A J as sho sat so that It might dry more quickly and she quietly wrung out her thick blilck hair and shook it over her shoulders to dry It too and stuck her two silver pins Into the sand beside her Still the traveler sat with bent bend gazing at the edge of tho pool Ills hands wero quite dry now mind ho slowly rubbed tho clinging moistures moisture-s from his revolver Some men would have been thinking In such a plight that u starving wore too hard to near t n bullet would shorten their Bufferings In tho end but this mnn was very full of life and tho love of life nnd while 1 he lived ho would hope Ho still watched tho samo dark streak whero tho sand was wet he had not realized that ho had been so far from it till then but by looking atM at-M It n long time in the starlight his sight had probably grown tired so that he no longer saw It distinctly lIe raised himself a little on his hands and pushed himself down till It was quite clearly visible again nod he looked at tho rock opposite mill up to tho stars again to rest his eyes Ho was not moro than a yard from the water now The place was very quiet 1Vom far above a slight draught of air descended warm from tho rocks that had been heated nil day In tho sun Hut tlioro was no Bound except when Baraka moved a little Presently she did not movo anymore any-more nnd when the traveler looked he i m saw thnt she tins curled up on the snail ns eastern women lie when they sleop aid hOI bend rested on hor hand for her garment was dry now and she was drowsy after the walk and the effort she hnd made He sides since there wns no escape from death and as the man did not love her flio might as woll sleep if I she could Ho had been certain of the distance I between hl feet ail the waters edge as ho sat It hnd bon n yard at the J moat Hut now It was more ho was suro that It was n yard nnd a haIr at tho leant Ho rubbed his eyes and looked lard at tho dark bolt of wet sand nnd It wns twlco as wldo as It had been The water was still running run-ning out somewhere but It was no lodger running In and In an hour or two tho pool would bo dry The traveler trav-eler was something of nn engineer and understood sooner than nn ordinary or-dinary man could have done that his enemies hnd Intentionally stopped up the narrow entrance through which he hall to come both to make his escape es-cape impossible nnd to hasten his end by depriving him of water Tho fallen boulder alone could not have kept out tho overflow of tho spring effectually They must have shoveled down masses mass-es of enrth with tho plants thnt grew In It abundantly and filled It with twining threadlike roots and they must hnvo skillfully forced quantities of tho stuff Into the openings nil round tho big stone making n regular dam against tho spring which would soon run down In the opposite direction They know of course that Bnrnka hUll led him to the place and had gone In with him for she had left all her outer garments outside and they meant that sho should die nlso with her secret In a week or a fortnight or n month they would come and dig away the dntn nnd pry tho boulder aside and would get In nnd find the white bones of tho two on tho sand after the vultures had picked then clean and they would take the tram olers good revolver and his money 110 thought of nil thoso things us m ho sal there In tho dim light nnd watched the slow receding of tho waterline and listened to the girls soft amid rcg ulnr breathing There was no dentin dent-In her dream ns sho slept away tho last hours of tho night though there might not bo many more nights for her Ho heard her breath but ho did not heed her for the water wns sink ing before him sinking away into tho sand now that It was no longer fed from the opening Ho sat motionless and his thoughts run mndly from hope to dcspnlr and back again to hope The water was going down beyond question If It was merely draining itself through the snnd to some subterranean channel ho was lost but If It wns flowing away through nny passage like tho ono by which ho had entered there was still a chance of escnpo n very small chance When death Is at tho gate tho tiniest loophole looks wide enough to crawl through The surface of tho pool subsided I but there was no loophole and ns tho traveler watched hope sank In his heart like the water In tho hollow of tho sand but Haralsa slept on peacefully peace-fully curled up on her side like n lit tlo Wild animal When the pool was almost dry the traveler crept down to tho edge and drank his fill that ho might not begin to thirst sooner than need be nnd just then day dawned suddenly and tho warm darkness gave way to n cool light In a fow moments Immediately because It wnA day Barnkn stretched herself on tho sand and then sat up and when site saw I what the traveler wns doing she also went and drank as much ns she could swallow for she had understood why ho was drinking as soon as sho saw that tho pool was nearly dry When she could drink no more sho looked up nt tho rocks high overhead and they were already whlto and red and yellow In tho light of the risen sun for in that country there is no very long time between dark night and broad dny Bnrnka sat down again on the spot whero she had slept but sho said I nothing Tho man was trying to dig a little hole In tho wot sand with his hands beyond tho water that was still left for perhaps he thought thnt If he could make a pit on one sldo some water would stay In It but the sand ran together I ns soon as ho moved It and presently as he bent over ho felt that ho was sinking Into It himself and understood that II was a sort of qulcksnnd thnt would suck him down 110 therefore throw himself flat on his back stretching out his arms and legs and mailing movements move-ments as If ho wero swimming he worked his way from thoVlnngerous place till he wns safe on tho firm wliito beach again Ho sat up then and bent his bond till his forehead pressed on his hands and ho shut his eyes to keep out tho light of day Ho had not slept as Unrakn had but ho was not sleepy perhaps ho would not bo able to sleep ngaln before tho end como Bnrnka watched him qulotly for she understood that ho despaired of life and sho wondered whnt ho would do and besides ho seemed to hem tho most beautiful mall In tho world and sho Invert him and sho was I going to die with him H comforted her to think that no other woman could got him now It was almost worth while to die for that alone for she could not have borne that another woman should have him siren lio despised her and If it had coulo to pass sho would have tried to kill that other But there was no danger of such a thing now and he I would die first and situ would kiss j him nanny lines whon ho was dead j and then sho would dlo also i Tho pool wan all gone by this tint I l 1 C 1 f 1 Z l ItG CT Leaving a FunnelShaped Hollow in the Sand leaving a funnel siapped hollow in the sand where It hnd been If any water still leaked through from without with-out it lost Itself under the snnd and tho mnn and tho girl wero at tho bottom bot-tom of a great natural well that was quite dry Harnka looked up and she saw a vulture sitting In the sun on n pinnacle 300 feet above her head Ho would sit thero till she wns dead for ho know what waR coming then ho would spread his wings n little and let himself down awkwardly halfflying and halfscrambling When Vo had finished ho would sit and look at her bones and doze till he was able to flyaway fly-away The hours passed and the sun roso higher In tho sky and struck deeper Into tho shady woll till ho was almost overhead anti thero wns scarcely any shadow left II became very hot and stilling because tho passage through which tho air had entered with the water was shut up Then the traveler took off his loose jacket and opened his flannel shirt at tho neck and turned up his sleeves for coolness and he crept backwards into thQ hollow hol-low where the ruby mine was to shelter shel-ter himself from the sun But Baraka edged away to tho very foot of the cliff where there remained a bolt of shade even at noon and as she sat there sho took the hem of her ono garment In her hands and slowly fanned her little feet Neither ho nor she had spoken for many hours and sho could eec that In tho recess of the rock he was sitting as before with his forehead against his hands thnt wore clasped on his knees In tho at tltudo and bearing of despair He began to be athirst now in tho heat If ho had not known that there wns no water ho could easily have done without it through a long day but knowledge that there was none and that ho was never to drink again parched his life and his throat and his tongue till It felt like a dried fig In his mouth lie did not feel hunger nnd Indeed ho hud a little food In a wallet ho carried but ho could not have eaton eat-on without water and it did not occur to him that Bnraka might be hungry Perhaps even if he had known that sho was ho would not hnvo glIn hoof r ho-of what ho hnd he would have kept It for himself What was tho life of a wild Idil girl compared with his But tho vulture wns watching him as well l us Bnrakn ami would not move from Its pinnaelo till the end though days might pass Harnka was not thirsty yet because she had drunk her fill In tho mornIng morn-Ing and wns not used to drink often It was enough that she could look nt the mnn she loved for tho end would t come soon enough without thinking about It All day long tho traveler crouched in tho hollow of tho ruby cave nnd Bnrnka watched him tram hor place when It grew dark the vulture vul-ture on tho pinnacle of rock thrust its ugly head under Its wing AJ soon ns m Bnraka could not seo any more she curled herself up on the white sand like n little wild animal nnd wont to sleep though she was thirsty It wus dawn when she awoke and her linen Ktmnent was damp with the dew so that the couch of It refreshed her The traveler had come out and was lying prone on the sand his face burled against his arm as soldiers sloop In a bivouac She could not tell whether he wan asleep or not but she know that he could not see her and I sho cautiously sucked tho dew from I her garment drawing It up to her mouth and squeezing it between her lips It was little enough refreshment but it was something and sho was not afraid which made a difference Just as she had drawn the edge of her shift down and round her ankles again the man turned on his side suddenly and then rose to his feet For an instant he glared at hor and she saw that his blue eyes wero bloodshot and burning then he picked up the heavy camel bag and began to make his way round what hall been tho beach of the pool towards tho passage through which they had entered and which was now a dry cave wldo below narrow nar-row at the top and between six or seven feet high He trod carefully and tried his way for ho feared the quicksand bill he knew that there was none In tho passage since he had walked through the water mind had felt the way hard under his feet In I a few moments lie disappeared under I tlio rock Baraka knew what ho meant to do he was going to try to dig through tho dnm at the entrance to let tho water In even If he could not get out but she did not move for in that narrow place and in the dark she could not have helped him Sho sat and waited By and by ho would como out drenched with sweat and yet parching with thirst and he would glare at her hal Ably again perhaps he would be mad I when he camo out and would kill her because she had brought him thereAfter there-After some time she heard a very faint sound overhead and when she looked up tho vulture was gone from his pinnacle She wondered at this and her eyes searched every point add crevice of the rock as far as she could see for sho know that the evil bird could only have been frightened away and though it fears neither bird nor beast but only man she could not believe that any human beIng be-Ing could find a foothold near to t whero It had perched For setae seconds perhaps for a whole minute she saw nothing though 1 she gazed up steadily then sho saw that n small I patch of snowy white was moving slowly on the face of the cliff at somo distance above tho place whero tlie vulture hind been She bent her brows In tho effort to see more by straining her sight and meanwhile the patch descended faster than It seemed possible that a man could climb down that perilous steep Yot i It was a man she know from tho first nnd soon she saw him plainly In his loose shirt and white turban and with a loll gun slung across his hack Nearer still and he was down to tho I Jutting plnnncle where tho vulture hall sat and sho saw his black beard still I nearer by a fow foot and sho know him and then her glance darted to I tho mouth of tho cave nt the other end of which tho man she loved was tolling desperately alone In the dark to pierce the dam of earth and stones It was only a glance In n second of time but when sho looked up tho blackbeared man had already made another stop downwards Baraka measured the distance If ho spoke 1 loud now she could understand him i I She knew him well and she know why he had como with his long gun He was lion fathers brothers son to whom she wag betrothed ho was Snud and ho was risking his lift to come down and kill her mind tho man irT9cP 7 r whom she had led to the ruby mines for loves sake Ho would como down till he was within easy range and then ho would wait till he had a fair chance nt them when they were standing still und she know that ho was a dead shot Tho travelers revolver could never carry as far as the long gun Bnrnka was sure and Saad could come quite near with safety since he seemed able to climb down the face of a flat rock where there wns not foothold for a cat He was still descending ho was getting very near If tho traveler were not warned ho might come out of tho cave unsuspiciously and Sand would shoot him Sand would wish to shoot him first because of his revolver and then ho would kill Baraka at his leisure If he fired at her first the traveler would have a chance at him while ho was reloading his old gun She understood why he had nol killed her yot If Indeed ho wanted to for It was barely possible that he loved her enough to take her alive After hesitating for a few moments not from fear but in doubt she gathered gath-ered herself to spring and made a dash like an antelope along the sand for the mouth of the cave for she knew that Saad would not risk wasting wast-ing his shot on her while she was run nlng She stopped just under tho shelter of the rock and called inward Sand Is coming down the rock with his gun cite cried Load your weapon When the had given this warning sho went out again and stood beforetime before-time mouth of the cave with her back to It Saad was on the rock not 60 feet above the ground at the other sldo of the natural wall but looked as If even he could get no farther down He was standing with both his heels on a ledgo so narrow that moro than half the length of his brown feet V vOObU v < 0000 u u n u u stood over It he was leaning back flat against the sloping cliff and he had his gun before him for he was just able to use both his hands without with-out falling He pointed the gun at her and spoke Where is the man 1 lIe is dead Baraka answered without hesitation Dead 1 Already I killed him in his sleep sho said and I dragged his body Into the cave for fear of the vulture and buried it In the sand Be not angry Sand though he was my fathers guest Come down hither and I will tell all Then you shall shoot me or take me home to be your wife as you will for I am quite innocent Sho meant to entice him within range of the strangers weapon There is no foothold whereby to get lower he answered but he rested the stock of his gun on tho narrow nar-row ledge behind him Drag out the mans body that I may see It I toll you I buried It I killed him tho night before last I cannot dig him up now Why did you run to the mouth of the cave when you saw me If the man I Is dead Because at first I was afraid you would shoot mo from above therefore I took shelter Why did you come out again if you were in fear After I had run In I was ashamed for I felt suro that you would not kill me without hearing the truth So I came out to speak with you Gel down and I will show you the mans grave Have I wings I cannot comedown come-down It is impossible Baraka felt a puff of hot air pass her just above her right ankle and i at the same Instant she heard n sharp report not very loud and moro like the snapping of a strong but very dry stick than the explosion of firearms Sho instinctively sprang to the left keeping her eyes on Saad For a moment ho did not move But ho was already dead as he slowly bent forward from the rock making a deep obeisance with both arms hang Ing down before him so that his body shot down perpendicularly to the J A I sand whero It struck head first rolled over und lay motionless In a heap The travelers was a Mauser pistol that would have killed ns surely at COO yards as GO and the bullet had gone through the Tartars brain I Jlarnka sprang up tho sandy slope and ran along the narrow beach to the I body In au Instant she had detached I tho large brown water gourd from thsl I thong by which he It had hung overt Sands shoulder and she felt that It I wan full Without a thought for herself I her-self sho hastened back to tho mouth of the cave where the traveler wasl now standing Ills face was dripping with perspiration that ran down Into his matted golden beard his eyes I were wild his hands wore bleeding Drink cried Hnraka Joyfully and sho gave him the gourd lie gripped It as a greedy dog snap at n bit of meat and pulling out the wooden plug ho set tho gourd to his lips with an expression of beatitude But ho was an old traveler and only drank a little knowing that his life might depend on making tho small supply last A gourd of water was worth more than many rubles just then Arc you very thirsty yet he asked In a harsh voice No answered Unraka bravely keep It for yourself Ills hand closed round the neck 01 < the gourd and ho looked up toward tho rocks above Tho vulture had come back and was circling slowdown slow-down You had hotter bury tho bod while I go on working said tho tray eler turning back Into tho cave and taking the gourd with him Unraka had marked the place where ho had tried to dig for water und had almost disappeared In the quicksand Sho took from the body the wallet In which were dates and some balfd I bread and then dragged nnd pushed and rolled tho dead man from the place where he had fallen The vulture vul-ture sat on the lowest ledge where his claws could find a hold and though he wntched her with horrible red eyes while she robbed him of his 1 prey ho did not dare go nearer Tho body sank Into tho moving sand and Baraka hpd to roll herself back to firmer ground In haste to escape < es-cape being swallowed up with the dead man The last she saw of him was one brown foot sticking up It sank slowly out of sight and then she went to the hollow whero the ruby mine was nnd took up a piece of the broken crust full of precious stones and threw it at the vulture as hard as she could It did not hit him but heat he-at once tumbled off the ledge Into the air opened his queer bedraggled wings and struck upwards I Then Barnkn sat down in tho shade and slowly brushed away tho dry sand that had got Into the folds of her IIn en garment and looked steadily at tit mouth of tho cave and tried not to realize that her throat was parched and her lips almost cracking with thirst and that tho traveler had 8 gourd almost full of water with him For she loved him and was willing te die that he might live a little longer besides If ho succeeded In digging Hit I way out there would bo plenty te drink and when ho was free sho Wltl sure that he would love her because she had made him so rich The sun rose higher and at last 1 shone down to tho bottom of time t chasm and she sat In the narrow strlr of shade whore she had passed mosl of the previous day Sho was very thirsty and feverish and felt tired and wished she could sleep but could not Still the traveler tolled In tit darkness and from time to time ShE heard sounds from far away as ot stones and loose earth falling He was still working hard for ho was very strong and ho was desperate Unraka thought that If ho was able to dig through tho dam the water would run In again and sho watched tho sand for hours but it wns dtlel than ever The shadow broadened again and crept up the rock quickly I as tho afternoon passed TO BU CONTINUED t 1J Sf < 4 rt2 J dI = 2 |