Pluck And Luck (no. 79) (1899 12 06)

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/ Ri , a anttitte i Kili ~ | Raa Lsgued Weekly—By Subscription $2:50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York Post Office, by Frank Tousey. No. 79. NEW YORK, DECEMBER 6, 1899, Price 5 Cents. * $t. Croix, with an oath, slashed the old man across the face with his riding whip. “Shame! shame! Monsieur St. Croix! Strike an old man like him! I did not think you such a base, dastardly coward!” cried al.

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me ete These Books Tell You Brorythi - ALOOMPLETE SET IS A REGULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA) , Hach book consists of sixty-four pages, printed on good paper, in clear type and neatly bound im an attractive, illustra Most of the books are also profusely illustrated, and all of the subjects treated upon are explained in such a simple mannei child can thoroughly understand them. Look over the list as classified and see if you want t6 know anything about th mentioned, THESE BOOKS ANE FOR SALE BY ALL NEWSDEALERS OR WILL BH. SENT (BY, MAIL: ©O ANY’ 4 PROM THIS OL FLiCE ON RECEIPT OF PRICE, TEN CENTS BACH, OR ANY THREE BOOKS FOR TWEN CENTS. POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. Address FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 Union Sqe Wn SPORTING. No. 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH—The most complete funting and fishing guide ever published. It contains: full in- gtructions about guns, “hunting dogs,. traps, trapping and fishing, together with descriptions of game and fish. . $ ; No. 26. HOW TO ROW; SATL AND BUILD A BOAT.—Fully 5; SHustrated. .Wvery boy Should know how to row and sail a boat. Full instructions are given in this little book, together with’ in- _structions on swimming and riding, companion sports to boating. “No: 47. HOW TO BREAK, RIDE. AND DRIVE A HORSE.— 4 complete treatise on the horse. Describing the.most useful horses for business, the best horses for the road; also valuable recipes for diseases peculiar to the horse. No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A handy - pook for boys, containing full directions formeonstructing canoes » |and the most popular manner of sailing them. Tully illustrated. _By C, Stansfield ficks. Y om FORTUNE TELLING. 3 ; No. 1. NAPOLISON’S ORACULUM, AND DREAM ‘BOOK.— Containing the gréat oracle of human destiny; also the true. mean- ing of almost any kind of dreams, together with charms, ceremonies, and curious games of cards. A. complete book, : No, 23. HOW TO EXPLAIN: DREAMS.—BEyervbody dreams, trom the little child to the aged man and woman... This little book #ives the explanation to-all kinds of dreams, together with lucky «td milucky days, and “Napoleon's Ovaculum,” the book of. fate. oso, 28. HOW TO THLL FORTUNES.—Everyone is desirous of snowing what his future life will bring forth, whether happiness or “masery,- wealth or poverty... You.can ‘tell*by a glance at this little ook, Buy one and be convineed. ‘Tell your own fortune. ‘Tell - the fortune of your friends. - i : VS No. 76., HOW ‘LO TELL FORTUNES BY THE HAND.— \ Dontaining rules for telling fortunes by the aid of the lines of ‘the band, or the secret of palmistry. Also’ the seeret of telling future aid of moles, marks, scars, etc. Illustrated. By <A. events by. _ Anderson. Pecan { eet ates ARAL ETIG oi 5 ‘No! 6 HOW TO BHCOME' AN ATHLETE,-—-Giving full in- mtruction for the use of dunib ‘bells, Indian alubs, parallel bars, horizontal bars and yarious other methods of developing a good, By et y muscle; containing over sixty Ulystrations:..Hyery boy can become ertaaeaaud healthy ‘by following the instructions contained jn-this little book. _ : AI i # "No. 10, HOW LO BOX.—The art of ‘self-defense madé easy. 1 a taining over thirty illustrations-of guards, blows, and ‘the differ- ant ‘positions of a good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of “these useful and-instructive books, as it will teach you how: fo box ont an instructor. Bes 0. 25. HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.—Containing full jons for all kinds ‘of gymnastic sports and athletic exercises, racing thirty-five illustrations. By Professor W. Macdonald, “handy and useful book. i aha ae Loa “No. 34. HOW FO, PENCE.—Containing . full instruction for #encing and thé use of the broadsword ; also instruction in archery. Described with twenty-one practical illustrations, giving the- best psitions in fencing. A’ complete book. ‘o. 61. HOW TO BECOME A BOWLER.—A complete manual wing. Containing fwil instructions for playing all the stand- American and German games; together with rules and systems sporting in use by. the principal bowling elubs in the United tes. By Bartholomew Batterson. Ta hoe Obie ; TRICKS WITH CARDS. jul 05). HOW TO DO. TRICKS WITH, CARDS,—Containing @xplanations of the general principles (of sleight-of-hand applicable } ay: See ot band ofcard tricks with otdinary cards, and not requiring o ht-of-hand; of tricks involying sleight-of-hand, or the use of lly prepared cards. By Professor ‘Haffner. With illustra- 72. HOW. TO DO SIXTY TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Em- ‘all of. the latest and most A. Anderson... * i TO DO FORTY: TP. g tive Card Tricks asiperformed by lead ios, "Atyonged for boure amucefient. ! mother, sister, brothe deceptive, card tricks, with il- |. f MAGIC. No. 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS—The great book -of card tricks, containing full instruction of all the leading of the day, also the most pepulax magical illusions as pe our leading magicians; every boy should obtain a copy 0} as it will both amuse and instruct, No, 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SEGHT.—Heller’s s explained by his former assistant, Fred’ Hunt, Jr, «Exp the secret dialogues were carried on between the magic hoy on the stage; also giving all the codes and signals, authentic explanation of second sight. re No. 43. HOW TO BECOME A MAGICIAN.—Cor grandest assortment of magical illusions ever placed — public. Also tricks with cards, incantations, ete, No. 68. HOW TO DO CHEMICAL TRICKS.—Cont ‘one hundred highly amusing and instructive tricks witl By A; Anderson. — Handsomely. illustrated. No, 69. HOW TO DO SLEIGHT OF HAND.—Cont fifty of the latest and best tricks used by magicians. A ing the secret of second sight... Fully illustrated. By A vo. 0, HOW TO. MAKE MAGIC TOYS.—Cont ‘directions for°*making Magic Toys and devices of many A. Anderson. . Fully illustrated. ‘No. 78. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH NUMBERS many curious tricks with figures and the magic of numb Anderson. “Fully illustrated, ; No, 75. HOW. _TO. BECOME, A. CONJURER.— tricks with Dominoes, Dice, Cups and Balls, Hats, ete. thirty-six illustrations. By Ay Anderson. No. 78; HOW TO DO THE BLACK ART.—Contair plete deseription of the mysteries of Magic and Sleigh together with many wonderful experiments. By vk Illustrated, f _ MECHANICAL. ae No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR,— should know how inventions originated. This book exr all, giving examples in electricity, hydraulics, magneti Poenmnass mechanics, ete., ete. The most instructive ished. : es _ No, 56. HOW TO BECOME AN BNGINEER.—Cont instructions how to proceed in order to become a loco gineer; also directions for building a model locomotive with a full description of everything an engineer should + No. 57. HOW TO MAKE MUSICAL INSTRUMEN directions how to make a Banjo, Violin, Zither, Aeolian FE phone and other musical instruments; together with # scription of nearly every musical instrument used in. modern times. ; Profusely illustrated. “By Algernon S.. for twenty years bandmaster of the Royal Bengal Marin No, 59. HOW TO MAKE A MAGIC LANTERN,—| a description of the lantern, together with its history and Also full directions for its use and for painting slides. HL illustrated, by John Aten. PET ME ‘ No. 71. HOW TO DO MECHANICAL TRICKS. —t LS Be boa sixty Mechanic i Dek coh ea complete instructions for pe Y By A, Anderson. Fully illustrated. . ‘ LETTER WRITING. ©, No. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.—A ' plete little book, containing full directions for writing 1 ee palit to use them; also giving specimen letters for kb and old.. Ae Cie SALE Na No. 12. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO) LADIES complete instructions for writing lefters to ladies on all also letters of introduction; notes and requests. y No. 24. HOW. TO WRITE LETTERS TO) GENTE Containing full directions for writing to gentlemen on all also giving sample letters for instruction. - ike No. 58. HOW TO WRITH LETTERS.—A_ wonde book, telling you ‘ho write to noes ereriieatt, yo ployer; and, Mm fact, everybody SOA ‘oung man and eyc RS CORRECT! on almost am gether with

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| Complete Stories of Adventure. Issued Weekly—By Subseription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1899, in the offive of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D.C., by Frank Tousey, 24 Union Square, New York. No. 79. NEW YORK, December 6, 1899. Price 5 Cents. OR, . Young America in Africa. BY JAS. C. MERRITT. i | CHAPTER 1, “I did, because I know sensible people don’t like to be taken - by surprise, country cousin fashion, when perhaps they may ae ‘A STRANGE MEETING OF OLD FRIENDS. have made other arrangements, so I cabled you that I was — / coming, the very day the steamer sailed, and telegraphed you — _ Egypt! The land of the Pharaohs, whose civilization ended | at Liverpool that I was on my way.” N a5 peter ours ee. ; the county | nt He pyramids, gaat couse “Neither message was received.” { evidences of man’s power, which for centuries have stood,| “Of course you can imagine how dreary life w 1. grim and silent, gazing out upon the desert. my dearest wife, that is to be, was far tae in Heypta Mer Cairo! The once proud city, built upon the banks of the} ‘That’s the main thir ; . ; Nile, and at one time the resort of the mighty, the learned and} ine to see Laura Ring ese Peta Sa ee Bt the brave, but now a mere bazar, a stopping place for curious ee 7 if : : = tourists on their way to visit the ‘wonders of this famous Gilbert Brentford s face turned pale at these words, and he ~ country. gasped for breath, but said nothing. The young lady in ques- ~ anaes Ti rie eae aa he ee * * * Mas ay his eget and was engaged to Clarence Atwater, a “Hello, Gilbert! how are you?” young American physician about twenty-two years of age. Gil~ i “why, Gal, gay Bey ee did you come from?” bert was twenty-five, and was an attache of the American lega- i “rom the glorious United States, of course, where you saw | U0? aa a pd a He was stationed at Cairo, and was very muc me last. I turned my practice over to a young fellow with | SWDrised early one evening, udm coming out of his privat m vains t liars, and star join 2 5 ; re : 0; » Cal, betwee: more brains than do and'started out to join you whom and himself the above conversation took place. ; - “T am delighted to see you.” pales ve E “Who v : y build up a practi i He turned pale, as we have said, at Cal’s last words, but the po evigews Dub TnAG fey eer or mescrice Ment, REPO +4. cata nop motiee Ie AlN condinued, gall: ne 0 telling what might happen.” 3s quently I, Clarence Atwater, M. D., called Cal for con- | e, am goi turn jn Cairo, cure the Egyptians of their aches and pains, and|°°'.. , F ‘ Pare . Halls beset physician 40. Melanesians ’ ‘There's no use in standing here in the street, when ther yonder, is it not? I would ever so much like to go in the ‘ve not been in your old city more than an hour, and the t } : 4 Ts. reaching the hotel, and when that was done, started out as find you.” Ncteees Buge eS anal : _ And how is Laura? I declare I have no business to be wa: ing, talking with you, instead of going at once to see he MTL IS hot at All: walikely” zs i is a good hotel close at hand. Oh, I say, there’s a cafe ov was so hot and dusty that I took a bath the first thing a “Here Iam,” ~, jek was She'll scold me well for not calling upon her first.” — y _ This time Gilbert’s agitation was too apparent to pass supposed that y: fe ‘notices Hawksnest?” falling to the ground. mistake. You see it was just “What in Heaven ails’ the income which my practice|in great alarm. if > and for the whole of it.” Buf tothe any use in. “ly, fe Reda DEC oe iv old women, and : seni PARE ASSEN GS ies men; getting up at e rain and attend a/y tee Mh | les wea

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va ~. x 1 4 had happened, because, as you must know, the news of such an event would soon be known all over Cairo.” “Til news travels fast as weeds grow apace.” and Cal looked at him with a vague suspicion, whispering his “They found me at last and reported what I have told you, doubts to Gilbert; but as the man seemed to be half asleep, and | but it was then too late. However, the governor has ordered _ presently laid his head on the table, let his cigarette tall to the | out the troops, and we intend to start in purusit of the ma- dusty floor, and began to snore sonorously, Gilbert said t at rauders to-horrow at sunrise.” - it was all right, and the two friends drew up to a table as their “T will go with you!” _ refreshments were placed before them by a picturesque Egyp- “Thanks, old friend; I would sooner have you than anyone _ tian wearing a fez cap. I know. It is getting ‘close upon dark now, so let us return to “Now, Gil, old fellow, what is the matter?” asked Cal, tak-|the hotel. Where are you stopping?” ' “ing a.sip of the fragrant coffee. “At the Grand Caird House, but upon learning that you were “Laura has gone!” at the Royal Jugyptian, I gave orders to have my duds taken 3 “Gone!” cried the dther, in surprise. “Where has she gone?” | there at once.’ “Would to Heaven I knew!” “T am glad you did, for now we will be near each other. Let's “®xplain yourself, old man. Did she go away of her own| 80 there at once.” f accord?” They arose, paid their bill and sauntered out into the nar- # “No; she could not possibly have done so.” : row street, and at the same time the slouching figure in the * “For merey’s sake, go on! ael me all about it! This sus-|dark corner that had been listening intently to everything pense is horrible!” they had said, arose, and waiting until they were well out of “She was ace away by : a band of wandering Bedouin oi cg followed them at a distance, keeping them™always in Arabs!” sight. They entered the hotel, and the slovenly man followed, mix- P ing with the throng that at that time filled the smoking room; i men of all nationalities and shades of color, and of various sp ranks, from the military commander to the poor student or courier, being assembled there. i After dinner Cal strolled alone into the office and the clerk seeing him, sent a boy to tell him that a note had been left for him at the desk. ee Cal was handed a plain, sealed envelope, addressed in a strange hand as follows: pie “How long azo?” “Only yesterday. A fellow named Sheik Hassan has been ‘prowling about the cofintry, and the Cadi of the city had or- dered the soldiers out to drive him off. He was an infernal scoundrel, and he and his horde of Arab devils had committed -many depredations upon the people of the neighborhood, run- ning off their sheep and cattle, poisoning some of their camels, and slaughtering others, stealing from parties of tour ists, and aising Old Ned generally. ig | “Yes—yes; and this fellow Hassan, what has ie to do with By, Taura’s disappearance?” { “My sister occupied an outer room in the hotel, on the CLarence Atwater, M. D., ound floor, and retired to rest early. She had been on a sit to Gluzeh and Cheops during the day, and was exceeding- y tired, the more so as she had, on the previous day, been to ee the Nilometer, and the little. church built over the grotto where our Savior and His mother lived during their exile in Egypt, besides calling upon the Shah and going around among e curious places hereabouts. ‘So, as I have said, she was very h exhausted and retired early.” es! what: next?” ; ‘This morning she did not come in to breakfast with the but we thought nothing of ‘it until) one of the hotel i servants reported that my sister’s window , \was;open and that he room seemed to be in great disorder.” “Good Heayen! Go on, old fellow, go on.” “That alarmed us, of course, and we broke into the room. the bed was tumbled up, and the blankets thrown confusedly m the floor. Chairs were thrown down, and the rest of the ure was in a slovenly condition, the burean pulled out Royal Egyptian Hotel, Cairo, u fe Egypt. Private and Confidential. The words “Private and Confidential” were underlined, and trembling with anxiety, Cal went out into the marble-payed court, hung with lanterns, where no sound but the splashing, of the little fountain could be heard, and there tore open the envelope eagerly, the. while his heart beat with strange emo- tion. i eg A single half-sheet of note paper was all it contained, and i upon this were the following. strange words: FS | “If you desire to learn of the whereabouts of Laura Brent- its place, and the drawers scattered upon the floor, the] ford, nay, even see and converse with her, be at the base of marble top of the washstand broken in two, and my sister’s the great Pyramid at eleven o’clock to-night. If you desire meal sk smashed into and rifled.” secrecy as well as speed, a swift horse will be ready for you -'“The miserable thieves!” outside the city gates any time after nine. Say mp this Il of her jewelry and money had been taken, and even the} to anyone, or your journey will be futile. Trust ones ane in ornaments, silver: vases and bronze trifles, together with | the writer and all will be well.” ything valuable that could be carried away, stolen ia the | uders.” ' ‘The note was unsigned, but in the place of ‘the | signature _ “And Laura, herself?” were three fine-pointed stars, arranged : in the form of trie» 5s “Was missing! The clothes she had worn the previous day | anglé of equal sides. Dos a gone, and also her lace shawl, one or two silk dresses, and| “Whoever this ‘three stars’ may be,” exelaimed Cal, thomen ts a an legzant camel’s hair wrap that I gave her. The villains had | fully, “I shall keep the i a td ‘ svidently compelled her to dress, and had then taken such oth- . ' ; rer things as had pleased their fancy. On the floor was a cloth - S purated with some pungent drug, and outside, close to the v, we found a ;curiously-shaped glass bottle, kee ee me Hcy aie ae had dr ged her, the wretches!” : btedly. A turban was also there, and a jeweled dag- | ni / was identified as one stolen from a gentleman | Bare, Hassan, near the ‘Pyramids. area id no one hear the noise that the barbarians must ‘CHAPTER II. CAL’S KINDNESS AND eae TREACHERY. " Saying nothing whatever to Gilbert about the letter, “and | telling the clerk that he was going out for a few hours, but might possibly not be back as early as he expected, Cal threw | the strap of his little medicine-case across his shoulder” and set forth. y He reached the gates, and passing outside, looked about him. It was just after sunset, and the, short twilight had almost it was Hassan?” | | ended, the stars beginning4o shine very brilliantly. dt iN hikers a doubt. Some ae As Cal stood gazing about him, evidently in quest of some- — 6ut sunrise this morn- thing, he heard the shrill neigh of a horse, and turning quick- shabby-looking man—evidently a pees ed. ad nf heard something, but thought niotbice of i “su pposing it to be some of the guests. that had re ite, a quently do here.” ee steeds, and that. seated } 0 Deas ius I have no doubt. was | a re shine ow ha peculiar ig é erin t pe they form a yu_belie ei in the stars?”

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4 - THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. aoe Seeger eee feeling of unutterable dread which threatened to overpower | No—no, it was true. The footsteps, the torch, the man, all ‘him, and drive him mad. He arose, and groping his way into #@ small chamber opening near the place where his path had were real and his deliverer was in sight. /But what a horrid form. What glaring eyes it had, what * been blocked, left it by another’ passage, walking along as ] bony fingers, what wild, upkempt locks, what a tangle of white , Maraitly as he could in the impenetrable, gloom, thinking that | beard. he might be able to find his way out. And that terrible roar, more like the ery of a wild beast than He could see: nothing, hear nothing. The darkness was as|the voice of a human being. ‘his creature could not have - unfathomable as the bottomless pit, and the silence as heavy | come to deliver him. No, he had come to destroy. and as unbearable as the darkness. He shouted, in order to “Who are you?” cried Cal, as the uneanny figure rapidly ap- Pe ' have the companionship of his own voice, but the pitiless| proached. “In the name of Allah,” he continued, “who and echoes sounded so mockingly in his ears that even his own} what are you?” ; _ words forced him to silence. From one passage to another, now up now down, he wan- dered interminably, and although he must have turned upon “his steps more than once, he did not know it, but seemed to be} lity for my soul: Nothing can bring me these but the ‘White - walking always ahead, as if the only way by which to escape} Sun’ of the Pharaohs.” was to continue moving. % At times the passages were low and narrow, and filled with rubbish, and walking was difficult; then they would be high} horror! was he a madman, who like himself had been en- and spacious, and often passages would lead from them in all! tombed in the Pyramid and had lost his reason? directions, although the eye, not seeing them, was not so much bewildered as it would have been had the place been lit up. ‘wearily after the other until he could scarcely stand. One sin- gle spark of hope in his breast appeared to glimmer amid the ie: him to keep on and he would eventually escape. . ‘stand, he staggered to his feet and continued his hopeless 3 Search for the way out of his living tomb, knowing all too nemy. And she, the one most adored, his affianced wife, did she e knew, even assisted in his immolation! Horror of horrors! diabolical, so inhuman, so fiendish a deed. No, it was St. Croix who had taken this dastardly revenge. j “si ch a deed, and although he guessed that perhaps St. Croix had been in league with the party that carried Laura off, he did not see why the man should wish to hurt him whom he had never seen, unless he had mistaken him for Laura’s brother; but then that could not be, as the mysterious note had been addressed properly. : How ‘wearily the hours dragged on as he continued his cea eless march, how slowly the minutes wore away. He hear the beating of his heart as if it had been the tick- a clock, and oh! such a slow clock; he thought the sec- se intites and the minutes hours! ; ’ Tho co in a Pyramid! . 8. 6 confined air was stifling to breathe, and he ‘estat not isonous vapors it. might contain, which, gradually b his senses, would slowly drive him to his death! or ne deep, long draught of the life-giving air from the ch as he delighted to breathe in his beloved western enly, as dis lay there cori pietely exhausted, his head to the cold stones, the same unaccountable feeling of ercome him, and - springing up, he rushed forward, ! vild shriek of agony rang. from his pete lips. Vas that an echo he heard? — peas 1s ue responding to his shriek? d he really hear an cats shout ‘Even when he fainted from exhaustion, something appeared | face, seized one of his hands, and then suddenly starting back, to urge, nay, even goad him on, and though scarcely able to|he cried: now of his fate? Had she perhaps consented to, and for alll you here alone? By Osiris, had I known there had been nhs very thought of it was madness! He would not-think} for fam the Demon of the Desert!) The burning sand is my- of such a thing ‘for a moment. She was not capable of so| home. I come and go at will, and naught can stay me. How- He could not imagine what motive’ the man could have for! my heart is young and always will be. Strength and vigor eh one, Taek one. inhalation of that, were worth a ‘year of , mind then become crazed, and aia he faney ne heard p 4 oe, “The Demon of the Desert!” ‘What do you seek?” “Rest—rest—rest! Repose for my poor old body, tranquil- 4 What could the creature mean? } hd Was he human, and if so, was he a rational being, or, oh, “Who are you, again I ask you?” shouted Cal, as the horri- ble apparition rushed toward him, waving the torch in the . Wearied with his constant walking, and yet seemingly urged | air and stretching one long, bony, skeleton-like arm toward ; on by the dread of being buried alive, Cal dragged one foot | him as if to grasp him in his terrible clutch and tear him limb ; from limb. a “Ismail Ben Abdul, the Demon of the Desert! the descend- : 'Stygian darkness of despair, and a voice seemed to whisper to} ant of the Pharaohs!” a He rushed upon Cal and cast the light of the torch in his “Ha! ’tis the young American who did me a kindness!” At these words Cal gazed earnestly at the figure, which now well that he could never find it, and that he must die here, | stood silent and motionless before him, and he at once recog- where’ he had been led by the treacherous hand of some secret| nized the old man whom Armand had struck with his whip: “AhJit is you. You lave come to release me?” asked Cal. “Release you! Ah, I see; that devil who struck me has left 4g treachery afoot, I would have torn the white devil’s heart out, adji,” he, continued, softly, “you have shown me a kindness, and the Sahara Demon never forgets anything. I am old, but still remain to me, though I simulate weakness ‘in order to re- ceive alms, though I use them not and am no beggar. ’Tis a ‘vile deception -which I practice for a certain purpose. The day has been when an Egyptian would sooner tear his tongue out by the roots than tell an untruth.” “You are a strange being. M “Yes; but you ‘are faint,” continued the man, taking some- thing from a niche in the wall, close at hand. “Here is food and wine, and better yet, water cool and sparkling. Aha, the Arab hounds understand a few things yet, and know how to keep water cool. Wat, drink and be glad. Thankful am I that in my wanderings through this tomb of my ancestors, I was | brought to you, for surely you were in sore distress.” — Cal wasted no time in satisfying himself, and he felt very much relieved; the presence of a companion in this strange place contributing as much as anything toward making him feel more comfortable. \ “Do you wander Henna RCheo en this place?” asked Cal. | “No; it is ngw some time since I was last here, but my mis- — sion must be accomplished, while yet I haye ‘strength, or I shall never rest easy in my grave. I am certain now that — what I seek is. here in this Pyramid, and when I recover it, my task will be but half finished, for a long pilgrimage is then be- | /fore me.” * “What is it that you seek?” Herald “The ‘White Sun’ of the ise Me i) nea “YT do not comprehend!” G5 2) “A Jewel of rarest pees whose value. would pay the. ransom — ( A pure, colorless | gem, from. whose : rite’ rings ¢ ‘ dling, a never dying flame; a crystal of such hardness _ tes nothin “ean break it; a’ 2 nae of priceless worth, the ha: through Sueeeeive ; ‘ip often read of such things be- ‘ou imow. it to be here?” | 80; our, traditions ree ded | Yes, ‘it is here ‘hat

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PHE Dif se N —— —, Fahne back to Sesostris the Great, Rameses, Thothmeo—all the proud kings of Egypt, are reckoned among my ancestors. I can count them back for fifty centuries. I tell thee, boy, the pride and glory of Wgypt had already departed centuries before your petty world was thought of. The blood of the mighty ones of the earth flows in my veins. I am the last and only living ] descendant of a long line of kings—the Pharaohs, whom all ' the world know and revere; and when it suits my purpose, I am the brother of the sirocco, the companion of the whirl- wind-—I am the Demon of the Desert!” “And this diamond?” asked Cal, not knowing what to make of his strange companion. “Was the diadem of the Pharaohs, and, on account of its great brilliancy, was called the ‘White Sun.’ down to son, and he, in turn, to his son; and so it descended through a long and most illustrious line. Its age is incalcu- lable, and its beauty is known by every true Mohammedan— .. for, do not the sacred books say: “The deeds of a good man, they shall shine like the diadem of the Pharaohs, and all the world shall praise them’? This refers to the famous jewel.” ee “Why has it been neglected so long?” “For ages it has been forgotten; but, as one after another of the rélics of the past hegan to appear, it was remembered, be- cause it is mentioned in many of our writings. I, as the last representative of a mighty but now fallen race, resolved to recover this treasure—which “is regarded with the most holy reverence by-the true believer—and making a pilgrimage ‘across the desert to the holy temple at Timbuctoo, there sol- emnly deposit it with due ceremony, and there it shall remain forever!” CHAPTER IV. \ ~ ee THE Ce SUN” OF THE PHARAOHS IS RECOVERED AND AGAIN LOST. ; “And you" boehieve you will find it here,’ in this place?” “Yes, I must, but I may need your assistance. The descend- ants of the Pharaohs does not disdain to ask help from one _ who has done him a kindness. Boy! the scar on my cheek will perhaps fade away, but the memory of your noble con- Cn at te de That one act shall do more to bless and prosper your after years than you can imagine; for though the body of the Desert Demon may die, his soul never will, and be i sure that it will always keep watch over your welfare.” _ “Why are you called the Demon of the Desert?” “a-ha! tis a merry question!” shrieked the strange crea- ture, whom Cal did not know whether to believe insane or not. “Ha-ha! ask the thieving Arabs why I am thus called. Ask who it is who sweeps down upon them like the sand-storm, and with a single hand scatters’ them far and wide; who it is that they dread the most, who pursues them. most relentlessly, | who appears at all times and all places. They will answer | You,» the Demon of the Desert! Ha-ha! I hate the Bedouin “and my hand is against him, for I am an Egyptian ‘and have y ancesti in a line of kings; I am the devil of Sahara, and a do they tremble when I appear.” “Le ing this it overcomes me like meet th weight.” Y is. Cc wardly heart out, and he will rue the day ows my name but myself, and none ever shall, i answered the man, frowning. “It suits my purpose to be ee Ismail, an outcast, a wanderer! Lead on, boy—lead on. No, iberty for you, a long pilgrimage for Aine st eho ou know the way. okay there is little I do not know of the a eee i on reams follow | ant of the last of the Pharaohs, and from him I trace the line i Father handed it | fe the stone floor below, deepening the opening. s depart from this terrible place,” said Call, interrupt-|- wild harangue; “TI cannot. bear the gloom of the place, holding up a glittering necklace, composed of vario Inly let me once meet that Sheik Hassan and I will tear|ly, the whole forming an harmonious. piste of 5 he ever met|such as is never seen in these times. Bgyptian, and. yet you bear an Arabic. name; |museums of the world. ollow me, and we hy Wace the priceless. gem, and then—| sealed, with a covering. of lead. _ OF THE DESERT. 5 — —— — wee SS ver near, ever \wary, this figure watched the two, and when the old man spoke of hating the Bedouin, this man only © smiled and shrugged hig shoulders. ' “Hold up the light,” American,’ commanded Ismail, length, when they stood in the ony chamber. “Higher, so, that’s it. Ha-ha, I was not deceived. Do you see those char- acters? You cannot read them to me, but they are as plain as day, for I am learned in sueh things 7h ate “What do they say?” i" “Phat here in this chamber is hidden the sacred talisman, the ‘White Sun’ of the Pharaohs! Do you see those pictured representations’ of dogs, cats and odd-looking birds?” “I do; these animals were held sacred by the Kgyptians, were they not?” “Yes, and are still. This small apartment was once de- voted to the worship of Isis ‘and Osiris. Do you see the winged globe surrounded -by serpents? ’Tis the emblem of eternity, of power and wisdom and of time. Hold the light closer! Ha, I have found it—I have found it! Think you. 97 that you can climb up to ee small recess, just Par bai is largest sculpture?” aN “T don’t know, I ean try.” ; “Here, give me the light! Now mount upon my shoulder. ‘Fear not for me, I can support you. I am not. the wreck you think me, Ha-ha, good, there you are, boy, on the shoul- ders of the descendant of the Pharaohs! ‘Tell that to your grandchildren, when you reach my age, and be proud to tell it, for Ismail does not carry fools or cowards upon his back.” Cal stood up, his feet resting on either shoulder of the old man, who stood as firm as a rock, while he handed the youn man the torch and bade him clear away the rubbish from the fissure just below the sculptured image of an Egyptian king: mounted upon a horse and holding a long spear in his hand. Cal found that there was quite a long and deep recess peti the height being sufficient to allow a man to lie down at ease; — and our hero doubted not that here reposed the body of one- ; of the old kings, or at least some person of distinction. The hole had evidently been once closed by a slab, but the hammers of impertinent tourists and relic-hunters had chip- ped away piece after piece until but little remained, and Cal found no trouble in removing the rest» thereby disclosing a mass of rubbish, the remains of rich silks and gold embroid- ered robes, which he tore away with his hands and threw on “What do you find, now, boy?” asked the Beyptian. “Put your hand to the extreme right—so, there, what do you see?” _ “Some long, round body, heavily swathed in perfumed cloths, filled thickly with some oily” substance. vd “Tear them away. Now, what isit?*t “Great. Heaven! look out—look out, don’t let me fall,” cried x Cal, in a fright. ; The old man held on to him and kept him’ from falling, | ha Cal getting over his fright, tore away the wrappings swiftly and completely, and called out: “It is the mummy of a woman, and I can. feel something lik string of beads around her neck.” = - “You have a knife—a sharp one?” is A “Ves, Py ie Aeris “Then cut away the cloths and unclasp “tha necklace. It is |yours. So is everything yon find but the one priceless. dowels bap “By George, what a treasure!” said Cal, in a few mo ments, at a éach one exquisitely and daintily carved, and all se like it in his life, and he had ie in some of the THOSE f 4 & “Keep it, boy, keep it; now sear hon an ‘tell me whe }you find,” : ; ‘ - He thrust the wondrous. emblem tate ently brought out a small ape hate ( “Keep that, too,” said the boy, iat ee auth

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6 es _ MON OF THE Hele = a - pause, which seemed to last an hour, Cal’s feet and legs ap-| smaller every moment, the ‘sands seeming to actually fly be- peared, and he called to the Egyptian to catch him. neath the feet of the swift steeds, which, urged on by their Ismail did so, and, standing on the old man’s shoulders, Cal} wild riders to the very height of their speed, put mile upon held up a box, which was a perfect cube, about three inches on | mile behind them, never once stopping until high noon came a side, covered with lead. , around, and the blazing sun, standing almost above their ~* : “T found it resting on a little shelf inside, all covered with heads, called the Arabs to a halt, in order that they might rest , gold ornaments and loose, unset jewels,” said Cal, “and by the | during the great heat of the day, which would be nearly un- inscription, I judged it to be the very thing.” bearable in the afternoon, and after the evening shadows had “Open it—open it,” said Ismail. “It can be no other than} begun to gather, again go on their tireless way across the the diadem I seek.” desert. “IT put its humble companions in my pocket,” answered Cal, All this time Cal had been strapped, face downward, to the Tipping off the outer covering of lead with difficulty and dis-| back of a splendid animal, whose rein the Sheik Hassan closing a box made of some very hard and highly perfumed | himself held fastened around his left arm, guiding his own wood, beautifully polished and inlaid with pearl. charger with one hand. He quickly wrenched off the cover, and, pulling something The young man could, of course, see nothing, the ground out that looked like an egg, tore off wrapping after wrapping | gliding beneath him so rapidly that he could scarcely distin- of papyrus and silk, and finally, with a wild shout, held up an | guish the'‘color of the reddish-brown sand, everything being object that sparkled and glittered in the light like a living | blurred to his vision; and he was unable to tell whether the | fire! Demon, whose curse, ringing loud and clear upon the silent “Look—look, Ismail! Is this it?” asked Call, holding the air, seemed: still to haunt him, was in pursuit or not, or jewel out between his thumb and forefinger. whether any villages or oases were in sight. . The old man glanced up, and was dazzled by the brilliancy His position was a painful one at the best, and it grew mo- of the jewel, a superb, clear-white- diamond, larger than a|mentarily more tiresome, until at last the poor fellow thought ‘robin’s egg, and nearly as large as a small hen’s egg, oval in| he should faint from very agony. shape, and cut so well that from every facet there leaped and| His lips grew hot and parched, and his throat burned like a 2 danced a wonderful fire, that fairly made the jewel blaze in the | furnace; his eyes became swollen and bloodshot, and ached, as hee torchlight. if keen daggers were continually piercing them, while his oa; “Yes—yes, that is it—that is it. Praise to all our divinities | heart throbbed and thumped against’ his ribs. as though it their serene pleasure. Now may I set out upon my holy | would burst its confines, and send the seething blood in red pi el”? 2 od gushes from his mouth and ears. \ d Bgyptian lowered Cal to the floor, and throwing It was indeed a terrible ride to our hero, and when it was "9 Hs arms around him, embraced him again and again; pressing | over and he was lifted from the horse and set upon his feet, it many kisses upon both cheeks, as is the custom among eastern | seemed hardly possible for him to stand; and had not the nations, until the poor fellow thought he would be devoured, | Sheik Hasgan caught him in hisjarms, he must certainly have and begged to be released. fallen senseless to the earth. ® - “Retain the jewel till we ‘get-outside,” said Ismail, leading He fainted, as it was, and when again he became aware of the way hurriedly, for the torch was very nearly out. g“If an| what was going on around him, he found himself upon his _ unhallowed hand should clasp that jewel, death would be the) back in a tent, while an Arab girl was bathing his temples _ punishment of the sacrilege. Fear not; the companion of a!and forehead with cold water, and offering him adrink of the _ descendant of the Pharaohs is safe from, all harm. Thy gen-}same delicious fluid, which he quaffed at a single swallow, ~ _ erous heart protects thee, and thy manly nature drives the evil | while his eyes expressed his fervent thanks. one far away. I must not touch the jewel here, or the wrath; “I am Zuleika, the daughter of Sheik Hassan,” said the of the gods will be visited upon me; but once in the outer er, girl, in passably English, “and you shall not take k the prohibition is removed. Haste—haste!” another such ride. We were in hot haste this morning, and - The young physician replaced the jewel in its casket and put had no time to. change your position, or it would not have : - the latter in a pocket by itself, hurrying after his conductor , been so.’ a read leaving the rubbish as he had thrown it. . ‘| Cal pointed to his little meateine case, which he saw lying | The torch soon went out completely, but Ismail knew the! near him, and asked the maiden to bring it to him, saying that way thoroughly, and, bidding Cal keep hold of his flowing | he wished to- take something which would take away his . ree robes, he hurried along toward the entrance as fast as possible. pains. ste ~ Neither of the two knew that the same shadowy form that] She brought it to him, ‘pit then, seeming to be struck with had been watching’ them all along, and had seen their every |a sudden thought, withheld it, saying in a tremulous voice: \otion, had shown the same excitement that Cal had at the| “The young sahib will not take his own life?” ; ight of the jewels, and particularly the diamond, and had,| “By Jove! I had not thought of that,” mused Cal to himself, hen they started to return, hurried on ahead of them at a| “That would be one way out of my troubles, sure enough, uch more rapid pace. » though I should prefer to get rid of those dirty wretches in- At last the passages grow lighter and lighter, and soon Cal | Stead, by the same process.” Then addressing the girl, whom "gees the light lying.across the stone floor of the last passage, | he thought singularly beautiful for an Arab, he ssured her R ow, narrow one, half choked with rubbish; and, dashing | that such an idea had not entered his brain--that suicides ahead of the old man, rushes forward with a great shout, and | were denied entrance into Paradise, and that he would never: | ‘9 ce more hails the all glorious sun. dare to give up his hopes for the future in that way; saying, — ¢ that instant there is a wild shout, a perfect whirlwind of| in conclusion, that he merely desired to relieve his pain. _ y forms sweeps around him, and before he knows what| The young creature, reassured py this speech, gave him the hay ppéned, the young man is caught up from the ground, medicine case, and Cal took one his own prescriptions, feel- ‘bound, thrown upon a horse’s back, and is galloping away | ing much better after it. Zuleika then gave him food, after ong a horde of Bedouins, while the leader laughs harshly, | which he fell into a deep sleep, from which he did not awake nd shouts” back toward. the pyramids: until the sun was low in the heavens and the Bedouins | ‘were — Master Ismail, you self-styled erp I have out-| beginning to make preparations for departure. The young man walked out of his tent and gazed about him; nmense_ cloud of dust following them, the party | but with the exception of\three or four tents of the Arabs, — dashed off straight into the desert, leaving the pyra- who numbered some twenty souls in all, nothing was to. ee d the city, and civilization behind, and Tushing oak seen but the trackless desert, stretching before and peed, and alas waste! oi on either side, as far as the eye could reach. . cene, not a tree or bush nor a single elevation ‘ve to break the dead level spread out On every’ | has, the eee still { in “his sae Map Og Guanes. the | hand. la kee the touch of the jewel paralyze him and, Here and there were little isos of sand baked almost as ha ee 1 Ha! old man, stand not here prating, but hard as the rock by the fiery rays of the sun, and occasionally, thieves to the death. Ha-ha! Sheik Hassan! Be-| there might bea depression of a foot or so; but at the distance sue the thic re ° wrath of the Demon yh cau cheno 4 a few is gee these Hea a themselves into th eae Sri ce ; we / bu Ps

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year, in the forts rays of the African sun, and no one oe cen them! Oh, it is horrible—horrible! God save any man from such a fate! God forbid that such an end should be mine!” The Arabs had by this time begun to strike their tents, and were about half a dozen. These creatures were lying down with their hind legs extended, and when the very first load was put. upon their backs, they would ery and groan, as if the burden were too hard to bear. Their riders well knew their capacity, however, and gave them no more than they could well carry, and still travel at a high rate of speed; but the dromedary:is a tricky beast, and . seems almost endowed with intellect, so cunning is he, and _nobody but an Arab can manage him. At last everything was ready, and after a hasty meal, just as the sun was setting, the Arabs mounted their steeds, Cal be- ing allowed to sit up, though fastened in his saddle, and to have the use of his arms, his horse being led, however, as be- fore, by the Sheik Hassan. j ‘The little cavalcade set out and Cal, who made good use of -* his eyes,,saw, that’ upon the backs of two of the camels, perched high in the air, there sat a veiled female figure, in front of each of which sat a man to direct the animal’s course. “Two ladies,” mused Cal; “does the sheik carry his wife as’ well as his daughter with him? Zuleika ce. nothing of this, ‘What can it mean?” Thinking was not an easy, task at the rate of speed which was kept up, the pace being almost as rapid as in the morning, and Cal soon found that he must give all his attention to him- self and his horse, so that he might not fall from the saddle. One by one the stars came out and shone brilliantly in the cloudless sky, and presently Cal saw the group of three which had been pointed out to ‘him the night before at the base of the Great Pyramid by the treacherous Frenchman; and the sight brought back to his mind the terrible incidents of that . fearfulnight—the wanderings in the passages of the Pyramid, the meeting with the Demon of the Desert, and the recovery of the diamond, the White Sun of the Pharaohs, from its long resting place. He mechanically put his hand upon the side pocket, where he had placed the gem, and felt the perfumed jwood casket _ just where he. had deposited it. ‘Then he thrust his hand into the other pocket and discovered the loose gems and the price- jess necklace still in their places. : “At least it was not robbery which moved these fellows to “What, then, can capture me,” thought the young physician. have been their motive?” _ By and by the moon came up in splendor, and again the long shadows of the riders hurried away before them as they had done the previous night during that ride of a dozen - miles to the Pyramids; and once more Cal’s thoughts went te back to that eventful evening, as he tried to fathom the pur- pose of St. ae ig him away from the city on a fool's errand, as he now kn ‘to be. || . And then an idea darted through his brain so swiftly that * he wondered at not having long ago thought of it, and he ex- claimed aloud ere he knew what he was about. “By Jove! the other woman on the camel is Laura herself!” In an instant he recollected that he had spoken his thoughts aloud, an unwise thing to do at the best, particularly if one _ does not want his-companions to know what he is thinking Phy ae upon this occasion | an occurrence that was fol-’ = he sta ee words sounded out upon the stillness, broken only the patter of the horses’ hoofs upon the gritty Sand, every man turned toward the speaker, though t few ‘could understand the tongue in which the words had a be n uttered, the sheik himself hissing a low warning in the ame language, e mischief had been done, ‘however, if mischief it could be called, for a piercing shriek was heard before the echo of the words had died away, and one of the women, throwing off her veil and looking around with arms extended toward the ican, eried out, in joyful tone rious ds have come ‘to save me! Thank | tins of the speaker, bathed in his betrothed, and he realized i ily uttered and inadvertent. ‘words more than a brie: mil oe spying and | he ve done. to pack them upon the backs of the camels, of which there, was sufficient for Cal to re- | ied camel,” who threw her veil over her Mes and prevented Hees from uttering another sound, At the same moment Sheik Hassan drew rein, the whole party having that instant come to a halt, and, turning around, he placed the muzzle of a huge pistol against Cal’s temple and commanded him upon pain of instant death not to address the Bie white woman or even utter a sound unle’s addressed. hie: Cal was a brave fellow, and, thinking naught of the conse- quences, he dashed the sheik’s weapon aside and said in de- fiant tones, which revealed his interpid spirit: “Beware, Sheik Hassan, how you treat an American citizen, and remember, too, that the Demon of the Desert follows fast behind.” y CHAPTER VI. ee ’ 1 THE PROMISE AND/ITS CONDITION——A SURPRISE. ~~ 2 The effect of these threatening words was very marked, and Cal could see that the sheik turned pale and bit his thin lips with ill concealed rage. Then he curled his long mustache dis- dainfully, and, replacing his weapon in his broad sash, pushed his white turban back from his forehead, and said, slowly: “You have spoken brave words, sahib, and many there ee who would throw them back in your teeth, Sheik Hassan ad- — an mires bravery and respects an undaunted heart; but for the future, be advised and say as little as possible. As for YOUR, ote being an American citizen, I care not that for any of your foreign infidel powers,” snapping his fingers, ‘“‘and still less” do I care for the impotent rage of a crazed old ,beggar who calls himselt by the terrible name you have mentioned. T pity his disordered mind, but I laugh at his ravines!” | Sheik Hassan then commanded the party to proceed ‘upor their journey, and once more the sands flew from beneath tk feet of the steeds, and the long shadows chased each other | i ahead of their riders, while the moon rose higher and higher, making évery object as distinct and clear as if shone upon by” : an. electric spark. Despite Sheik Hassan’s bold assertions, Cal knew full well that his words had affected the Bedouin deeply, and not only him, but every member of the thieving horde; and the young man recalled every word of Ismail’s frenzied warning as the Arabs had rushed away with their prizes, feeling sure that - sooner ow later he would see the mysterious old man once more, and maybe owe his deliverance to the Demon’s agency. Cal kept silence for the remainder of the night making up his mind to see Laura as soon as he could and plan their es- — eape, if such a thing was possible. He was considerably — cheered by the knowledge that she was in the party, and she — in turn had her drooping spirits revived by knowing that Cal f was near her, though she could not account for his presence bet in Egypt at a time when she had supposed he was thousands ; of miles away, and knew. nothing of her abduction. Soon after sunrise the little caravan halted, the camels were — unloaded, tents pitched, men and animals partook of food, and Cal was led into the tent he had occupied the previou day, and bound hand and foot, though not in as painful a manner as before, but merely. to prevent his leaving the te After a little Zuleika’came to him with refreshments, re- leasing him that he might eat, and from her he learned th particulars of the plots to abduct. him. Laura had been al lowed to believe that she would be rescued, d had been placed where he had seen her; but when. he rushed -up ha‘ been hurried away, the wily ‘Arabs well knowing that he would follow. Then he was left in the Pyramid, and the wom ‘and some men, with the camels, were ordered to proceed a fe miles and await the coming of Hassan. : The latter had seen Ismail, thoug’ unseen by ‘him, Sea ae sheik’s intent was to have avenged himself upon the old el but overhearing the story of the jewel, and having seen its. covery, he determined to secure that instead of mol the Egyptian. Consequently, he had kept his men in wait: and at a given signal, had 1 him off. “But what was tee ‘motive of the Fren to the Pyramids?” he. asked. 7 eta: ne want t “T cannot ans eS will be released _ “There is some sais oe sah I will ‘Shall I ea

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eT ee ae THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. © | = 5 -turned to her friends, and I am determined to do it, come _ what may!” ie 2 “The desert is like the sea, and the traveler upon its sands ' eannot find his way without a guide. As well try to reach a _} haven without a compass.” i “How do you happen to be acquainted with ships and the | sea—you, a child of the desert?” f “Some day I will tell you. ae plan?” “Never! . I shall thalee every: effort to rescue the maiden.” = The young girl’s face flushed crimson, and her bosom heaved ' violently, while her breath came and went in gasps, her whole appearance denoting intense excitement.’ ~~ “You love this white girl?” she asked, after a long pause, - her yoice arising scarce above a whisper. “She is my affianced wife, and when we return to America, i we'll be married.” Had a thunderbolt struck the Arab girl, she Sepa not have been more astonished; and without a word she hurried from ‘the tent, in order to conceal her emotion. She had fallen deeply in love with Cal, and with the intensity of all eastern races had resolved to brave every danger for his sake. It was she who had planned his escape, intending to fly _ with him and leave her father and tribe, everything that was dear to her, for his sake; and now to be told that he loved mother, and was betrothed to her, was more than her passion- ate nature could endure. she had gone, Cal pondered upon her strange conduct, “not the faintest suspicion of the real state of the case mtered"his head; and he was still thinking of how he should nage to see Laura, when the hangings of the tent were shed aside, and Sheik Hassan entered. ‘Listen to me, Christian dog!” growled the Bedouin, an- ‘ ily, fixing his. eyes upon Cal, while a heavy frown mantled is b “You have dared such things the past night that rve death at my hands, but‘as I know——” you are speaking to me, you dirty thief of the desert,” urned Cal, defiantly, “you had better be more careful in r choice of language; for in my country, such words ad- You will abandon this wild low. What have you tg say to me? ne is short.” - have deiepaisadt to release you, having no further use for : by the time you reach the abodes of civilization, I e that it will be papers to, awit to Don’t waste words, the iis, Sheik Hassan I am in your power; your hire: tnumber. me, and it is useless for me to resist. You en to. reason, though, I am sure. Release me and the maiden, and give us a safe transport to the nearest city it, and not only will I promise that you shall go unpun- ut in' addition will give you jewels worth more money th an you ever saw or heard of in all your life.” | ; d these jewels, how shall I receive them? How do Ir will not betray me?” asked the wily fellow. ir word of honor upon, the Koran, and upon future bliss, that you will send the lady and Cairo, or Alexandria, or any other city in se, and the jewels shall be yours before we ul have them- when you baye sworn < iv do wba ° you know Twill] keep my “premise?” e not break it if you swear it by ‘Allah! raided Impressively, oss sheik paled creak and bit his ar noth ing!’ ” he eaial folding his arms. iceless, diamond, the most sacred fete of the: Pharaohs!” moe if I | side and interposed. itself between him and destruction, fi CHAPTER VII. THE COMBAT—THE POISONED DACGER—ZULEIKA’S GRATITUDE. “Ha-ha! you cannot keep your word, and I will not keep mine,” laughed Hassan, scornfully. “‘You are an idle boaster. } Where are the precious jewels you promised me? You have them not!” Cal thrust his hand into another pocket where the loose jewels and the leaden casket still unsealed had been put, but they too were missing. Tt was incomprehensible to him, and he puzzled his brain in vain for the solution of the question. . The large dianrond might have been taken from its box, and the latter restored to his pocket at the first onslaught of the Arabs, and very likely it had been; that was easy enough to account for, and he knew now, from Zuleika’s story, that they had been aware of his possessing the jewels; but how the necklace and the loose gems could have been taken without his knowledge, passed his comprehension. i He had felt them. in his pocket, during the night, aid had. * not been asleep, since, so they could not have been ‘taken from him at such a time. At any rate, they were gone, and his scheme of Hrtvins: the wily sheik had failed. me: “FF might have known it nous ” he thought “after what | Zuleika told me.” Hassan’ seemed greatly to eaiey his Adsoomittate, and he laughed softly to himself for some eas re while Cal strode angrily up and down the tent. He had not been secured again after erie partaken of Fis breakfast, and consequently his hands were’free. _ Pi Annoyed exceedingly by Hassan’s jeering 2 manner, he. a quick movement as the Arab was passing: “him with folded Pes ‘arms, and snatched one of the daggers from his broad belt. ee: “Now, you cowardly thief!” he cried, “we are evenly match- — ed! Protect yourself, for I mean to kill you if I can! You ae, have broken faith with me, and you deserve death as a thief!” “Take care, boy!” said the sheik, assuming a defensive atti- tude. : “Boy yourself, you villain! able, thieving, Arab cur!” “By Allah, you insult me to my very teeth!” erie the: en- raged Bedouin. “This is more than flesh can bear, and I bs nounce my care of you. Protect yourself. d ‘He rushed at Cal furiously, but the young man was as spry and agile as a kitten, and he kept Hassan at a distance, while the keen blades flashed and glistened, every now and then eee together, and sending out a shower of sparks. Wot are no man, but a miser- and having a wrist of steel; he presse and fast until, but for an unlucky sli z keen dagger through Hassan’ s body. + as As it was, he fell heavily, and his weapon flew ian nis grasp, and before he could recover it, ‘Sheik: Hassan ‘was upon him like a whirlwind. One swift stroke, and the knife iyeouta: have been buried deep i i in a vital part, and poor Cal’s history would have ende then and there; but at the critical moment a lithe form flew to his ily one sinewy arm, Seized the dagger of Hassan and | aa i aside. — wots was Zuletka, who thus, at the shet of her ow? interfered to save the young ‘man from a terrible’ The peril she underwent was greater than Ca was. The dagger of Hassan did’ not wound her deeply, | i i her left arm near the shoulder, to the depth f li ce ch, causing the red blood to flow freely. not know that the dagger was poisoned, cigars aid the young pi girl woul t only too well, and Be becar e erri 7 her Biooa” ‘he cried, fr: mn t} HH bee he

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Beate |. “DHE DEMON OF THE DESERT, ete =e his, he sucked the poison from the Saad: and then soplied| powe:.ul remedies, tor the case wae a desperate one and must, needs be treated so. His medicine case was pete cas and it being very com- plete, Cal was able to find what he wanted, and before long _ had the satisfaction of knowing that in all probability Zuleika would live, although she had been taken with a high fever and raved incessantly. The day wore on, and Cal secured several hours of much needed sleep, his mental exhaustion after the thrilling events of the past few hours being as great as was his physical, and he slept till late in the afternoon. He was then awakened by some one entering the tent and placing a hand upon his face, * He looked up and saw Zuleika. : “You here again?” he asked. “How do you feel. now, bet- esi! Or Pa) CY a: “You have saved my life,” she said, simply, ‘and my honed tude is yours. Your noble art shall never be forgotten.” “You risked your own life to save mine, and it was ie one and only return that I could make.” Pa ““Listen; I loved you from the first moment I saw you, and _ vowed: that you should return that love. When I knew that “your heart had been given to another I was in despair and ‘could have gone to my death without a sigh, I could not “hate you, but felt so utterly miserable that death would have been welcome (o me. You were the one beloved object in all my visions, and I cared for nothing else. When I saw your peril I thought not of self, but determined to save you!” “But at what a risk!” ' Twas nothing; but if it were, the game ‘was worth it. You Haveinot only restored me to life, and done that which _ will make the terrible Sheik Hassan your friend through good ' and ill, but you have taught me my duty.” » “Bnd that 18?” uf “I know that you, in your cold western climate, do not think : it proper for a maiden to declare her love unasked. We of the Bi east are ‘of a different mold. We love and we hate with a ‘fierte passion, and think it.no harm to show our feelings. I have said I loved you! I do still; but it is an unselfish love, vt and no. trace of jealousy can be found in it.. What I would have sooner died than do once, I am now ePany and anxious to perform.” vi "What is that?” ¥ “To rescue you and your beloved from my father’s wild as- ~ gociates, and to carry you back in safety to your friends,” “If you do that, there is nothing reasonable that I won’t do for: you,” replied Gal, warmly. “Just give me a chance. ‘to ay from these dogs, and Pl warrant I’ll find the road to A i a “Pyramids. The stars will guide me.” ‘ no; you could never go alone, You would ‘die on the rd dear ones far away would look in vain for your Te nd never. know your fa wwe a stout heart, and with swift steeds the journey be long.” ; : You could never make it! The’ blinding sand-storm, the burning sigocco, the mirage, the wandering wind—these and a hanuied erils would beset you! No-no; I will not let you) vithout guides, “Your blood would be upon my head if nf i wish to. ‘speak to your beloved? The. guards at are tad and I will guide you there if yon it?” a have long prayed that I might have the ‘of once more embracing my beloved.” ] 1e way to another tent, and in a few | re clasped in a fond embrace. as ‘horses in the troop; for he knew that these animals could net — ij bride; but the other jewels are in my father’s peg | Arabs gave utterance to a ery of astonishment, and pointed, be your bones would mingle with the broiling sands, | f lextr aordinary manner, e ‘overcome, though he strove to conceal it; but when prese! and camels into an almost impalpable dust, which arose in — clouds about them, and made breathing most difficult at times. The heat was nothing like so unbearable as during the day, and in fact, as the hours passed by, the air became very cold, _ and thick blankets were absolutely necessary for even com- — parative comfort. No springs or water of any kind had been met with since the start; but the Arabs were well supplied with this neces- — sary liquid, two large skins being slung over the backs of each — of the camels, and most of the horses carrying at least one. These skins held about a dozen or twenty gallons apiece, and as the camels had taken copious draughts before starting out, there was no chance that they would require any more for twenty days at least; and food being plenty also, the Brospects Tae of suffering, upon those scores, at any rate; were small, ¥ Cal comforted himself with the idea that the journey would not be one of long diration, on account of the number of — bear the discomforts of a journey through the desert nearly as- well as camels, but he knew nothing of Hassan’s plans, which knowledge would have considerably dampened his enthusiasm. Zuleika had whispered to him just before setting out upon their night journey that before many hours she would find an oppor tunity of releasing him and the Americamt: ‘girl, se to Cairo, “The wondrous necklace, also, which is fit for’ shall be restored to you,” she said, “that you may a T fear he will not part with them.” : “I eare nothing for jewels,” he returned, "50 long as th most precious jewel of all, my beloved Laura, is restored her sorrowing friends. As for the diamond, the Demon. Desert will look out for that, and will not lightly p: ub wit it. “Hush! do not speak of that terriblesbéing.’ very name,” replied Zuleika, with a: udder. ' “What do you know of him?” ts , “Much: it is a long story, and some day you may chear it. She would say no more, but hurried from. the tent, whie. was soon after struck, and Gal did not see’ her agai “sh had mounted on a camel and the little procession The hours passed, and still they were journeyin into the desert, and Cal was beginning to think tha’ would be no deliverance for him, when suddenly one of the I tremble at his hind them toa singular appearance upon the horizon. : This was a bright light which danced up and down, now be- es coming quite faint, then blazing: ah again in cay i: brilliant manner. “Tis the moon! cried one, in Arabic. « $39 “The moon?” said another. “Ah, dog, the moon never shines like that. ‘That light is too. small and By! waveri & the moon.” /The light dahesa and flashed and waved rowed i ‘seeming to come: nearer and nearer, momentarily growing brighter and larger, .and piaplings The Arabs out of their wits. _ 4 Cal could not make it out, and the Bedouin ns signs of alarm, urging their steeds to ‘greater spec Hven Hassan felt an undefined dread which hé et sa the light appeared to be borne ahead by: a strange, form, | Dana: uncouth sounds were heard accompan ekering, he swore. by Allah that ‘it ean devi suing them,. $ fearer and ne antic rer? | strange figure cow id be shrieks were. redoubled | another in picoraai on lad set for the ins, ess % “Tt is the aks. Sirocco i in visib ened d e! hi ir, th ! Tho. makes the delusive 1 page to ’ cried Hamet, ther Baek oni Bee

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THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. The Demon of the Desert! Had this mysterious being then fulfilled his promise, and was he on the track of the’ thieving Arabs? es, it was he, indeed. “Ha-ha, you may well tremble!” he shrieked, waving his -torch. “Beware, Sheik Hassan, beware!” and holding a long barreled Egyptian gun in one hand, he fired another shot at the Bedouin chief, and springing from his camel laid about him vigorously. Gal had been thrown from his horse at the first onslaught, and lay stunned upon the sand, while his steed galloped mad- ly away, and for many minutes all was a blank. When he came to himself, he found someone bathing his temples, and looking up, discovered his old acquaintance of the Pyramid, Ismail. , “a-ha! boy, I have rescued you at last!” said the old man, “and put the cowardly Bedouins to flight. The jewel—the White Sun of the Pharaohs—you have it? Give it to me!” “Where is the white maiden?” asked Cal. “Is she free? ‘Yes—yes, she fell to the ground,’ returned the other, ab- y, “and lies not far away, stunned; she will) soon recover. ‘ jiewel—where is it?” he continued, wildly. “Give it to me; its touch is death to every hand but mine, now!” ‘Cal seemed to hear nothing but that Laura was safe, and the Arabs dispersed; and springing to his feet, he gazed around wildly, endeavoring to discover where she was. '“Laura—Laura, where are you?” he shrieked in despair. “Speak tq me, tell me you still live!” Bs ‘Then. seeing a form lying upon the sand at some little dis- tance, upon which the first rays of the rising moon were shin- ing, he darted forward. Ismail seized him by the wrist, and prevented him from Ba more than one or two steps. “The diamond! Give it to me!” he cried, fiercely, while his eyes fairly blazed with insane fury, increasing the impression, Cal had already formed that the man was mad. - “JT have it not. It was taken from me when I slept,” an- swered Cal. “Let me go to my beloved.” *Lost!” shrieked the Hgyptian, releasing his hold upon he young man. “By Osiris! I will scour the desert from the yramids to the ocean, and from Soudan to Barbary!” he con- ued with a wild burst of hysterical rage, ‘before I give it He shrieked, tore his hair, rent his garments, raved like a dman ; but Cal saw nothing, heard nothing, so engrossed s he in the one absorbing See to once again behold his idolized Laura. Catching the inanimate form oi his arms, he hastily tore) e the veil, and pressed kiss after kiss upon the cold face; n eleasing her, he let the light of the moon. fall upon her ! It was not Laura that he held in his enraptured leika, the Arab maiden! ost!” he groaned, as he comprehended the terrible His. ay finspired ery was echoed by the old man, and to- 6p ther nae shrieked in the very ‘depth of despair: t .. “Lost—lost—lost!” Fie ore _ CHAPTER IX. he bana ia , a ALONE IN THE DESERT—THE DELUSION AND THE REALITY. moment the aged Egyptian stood thus, buried in de- and then with a wild cry of rage, he ran to where his nel was quietly standing in the wery spot where his rider, and bidding the animal kneel, Ismail mount-| k, and in.a mi ment was ‘speeding away over mah have ne thought for Cal, and the latter was 80 the idea, of be ovaid him, that he d by the pris crea- ut | maiden’s: hand. would nof come back at al g lies hter now, and we ca: 5 at ney “Follow me, -| have told thee of! with thirst?” one that carried them over considerable ground in the course of an hour. The sun rose right out of the level sands, which seemed to glow in the light like molten metal, and by the time the huge orb was an hour high the night chill had been dispelled, and the air was just comfortably warm. As it rose higher, and its rays shone more directly upon the lone travelers, the air became oppressive, and motion of the slightest kind was wearisome and exhausting; poor Cal thought that his limbs would fall from under him at every + second. They continued their weary march, however, while the air grew hotter and hotter, and the burning sands were a seeth- | ing furnace, through which they marched and marched, the , seemingly red-hot particles getting into Cal’s shoes and tortur- ing him horribly. om Higher and higher rose the sun, fiercer and fiercer grew the : heat,.and now the young man’s throat was parched with thirst, © and his tongue clove to the*roof of his mouth. He could scarce speak above a whisper, but his eyes uttered most pa- thetically the one craving of his heart. Water—water—water! Oh, for a single drop of water! And the great burning king of the heavens looked goed and seemed to mock his agony. Zuleika, too, seemed to be suffering from thirst, but not nearly as much as her companion, whom she encouraged LO! Aine press on, and ere long they would reach some of the band who would give them drink. “T know a well deep down in the sands, far—far below the reach of the sun’s burning rays, where the water is as pure and cold as the ice from the mountains; the well was dug many hundreds of years ago, and has never. yet run dry. It lies to the south of us, but is still a long way distant.” ‘Cal groaned in agony; and suddenly thrusting his hand into his pocket, drew out the quaint necklace of carved gems, and holding it up before him, thus addressed it: “Ha—ha! how you sparkle! You are worth thous thousands! And yet I would gladly, willingly part with you for one lon draught of fresh, sparkling, life-giving water! Ha—ha!” he shrieked, in his delirium, “gold and precious jew- els beyond: price in my possession, and dying for a cup of © water!” He flung the jewels from him, and would have crushed the glittering treasure under his foot, had not the Arab girl snatched it hastily from the ground, where it lay shining and sparkling, and prevented him from injuring it. “No—no,” she said, excitedly. -“Despise not the jewels, their time has not yet come}; wait, and you will find them of use to ~ you. They are yours, and my father shall not be called a - thief. I have returned them all to you. Preserve and keep them; some day their value will ap ppat “Gold! jewels! what do I care for them?” fnaatan” Cal, crowding the string of linked jewels back into his pocket; “it is water I want—pure, refreshing water; one drop were pontine % a hundred of the rarest gems ever seen!” 5 “Patience—patience, sahib, and we shall reach the well Allah, have. mercy on me!” she apts to herself, “for telling an ‘untruth, for the well is not within a hundred miles of us.” — eee Les “How can I be patient, »! gasped Cal, Is cagthen Tam ‘bu On and on they went, across the horrible dead level of sant Uf when suddenly, with a wild.shout that ‘caused ‘intense - pail his hot throat, Cal rushed forward. “See—see! the pwayins palms and the gushing springs!” he ae cried, in wild” ecstasy. “Look yonder where the graceful branches wave, and under their grateful shade sparkle: nees a rill of ice-cold water, refreshing, invigorating! (a —come!” and he seized his comrade by the hand. ‘ “Alas! he sees nothing!” said. Zuleika, bitterly, ‘ he raves, a fatal delusion is upon him. The mirage of the desert is all he sees!” “If you will not come, I will go alone and d Kk my fil of th refreshing liquid!” he cried, fiercely, yi “Do you not see the tree Ops ear the on of the wai i -“T see no ng! “ean seo os and hear the er

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She loved him with all the ardor that her emotional nature was capable of, her passion being fierce and uncontrolla and she was not the creature to brook any division of his love; — he must give it all to her, as she gave him all hers, and woe to any rival who might step in between them. And Laura Brentford, what of her? Suppose by some chance she and the young American should again meet? ; It was by no means improbable. a She had been carried away by Hassan and the others, and ~~ of course the sheik would search for his daughter. With a furious gesture, but uttering not a word, lest she — should awaken the object of her ardent passion, the Arab girl | put the thought away from her, as one that would demand © plenty of attention when the proper time came, but which must not be dwelt upon at the present. She dared not think of it; so, dismissing it with a tremen-. — dous exertion of the will, she began chanting one of those wild ; songs of the desert, the weird and fascinating music of which ss - unheard of outside of the native wilds where it had irth. The effect was rather soothing than otherwise,:and Cal slept on calm and undisturbed, dreaming of her he loved, while this untamed desert child sang him to rest, and he all unconscious - of the tornado of passion sweeping through her breast. : ee As she sat there, communing with her wild thoughts; she : had not observed the approach of a number of Bedouing mcunted on camels, who, seeing. the trees and knowing there must be water near at hand, had turned their steps toward the spot. “Oh, my God!” shrieked the, ‘poor fellow, Hig everything a} cheat, a lie, in this hideous desert? Is there no relief, and shall I die here, far from friends and alone, my bones to bleach in the scorching sun, and my friends to watch in vain for my return? No—no! I have been reserved for better things. Come, Zuleika, come!” he cried, “’twas but a delu- sion, a mockery, but surely there are trees and springs some- where about; we are nowhere near the heart of the desert yet, and there must be water; surely there must be. Come!” “Allah preserve him, his mind is wandering!” muttered the maiden, dragging herself sadly forward. “There—there! Look! off there to the right!” he suddenly _ eried, about half an hour afterward. “I would swear that this is no delusion.” Zuleika looked, and her heart gave a great bound. _.. Was she, too, deceived? >. Had her senses left her, as well as the poor, worn-out Amer- “ican? Were those real trees she saw, or had her eyes, accustomed *to all the sights of the desert, been blinded by the horrible ' mockery of the mirage? “Allah forgive that I should lose my reason!” she muttered, devoutly; ‘and yet I dare not say those are trees. Oh, this suspense is terrible—terrible! Haste, sahib, before the bless- ¢ ed vision vanishes!” ; i = “Ha-ha-ha! This time it will-not vanish!” cried Cal, with a ¥ i ' ¢ hoarse laugh, while his throat seemed to be burning and pierc- x ed with a myriad sharp points, and he quickly followed the ~ Arab girl, who had gone on ahead of him some distance. 3 This time he saw the trees, and was positive there was no Fe: delusion. He knew it was no lie, no mockery, and urged| They advanced cautiously, seeing the two sitting there so — ‘i on by his burning thirst, he sped. quickly over the sand, the! peacefully, and dismounting noiselessly, surrounded the little «_ _._ trees growing nearer at every step. oasis, creeping’ swiftly nearer and nearer. Qe Suddenly, however, he plunged headlong upon the ground, Nig _ not having noticed a considerable depression in the surface |. of the plain, and sitting up, he looked all about him. All at once there is a wild yell, a dozen Swarthy uel rush upon the travelers, the shadowing mantle is torn down, and Cal is rudely awakened from his pleasant. sleep, to behold a lot © es The trees had disappeared from sight. . of Arab ruffians glaring at him with their evileyes. =. fe u he cern girl, OF eae to be seen. Two of them had seized Zuleika, and she was now struggling e was alone in the deser i in their grasp and evidently trying to draw some. wea on, con- f | Alone with the horrible delusions of this fearful place— a bate pee itune Hi cealed in her dress. Cal sprang to his feet, and feeling that his sins had turned, flew at the two ruffians and sent them reeling tot ground by a stunning blow on the side of their heads. y This gave Zuleika time to get her weapon, which Cal saw was a large pistol, similar to the ones carried by Hassan. “Stand back, you thieving dogs!” she cried, with flashin: eyes, as the Arabs approached. “I know you, Sheik ‘Ali, and you know Sheik Hassan! Beware of his wrath if you harm — one hair of his daughter’s head!” ' ; As she stood there, with her raven hair flowing upon h shapely shoulders, her dark eyes sparkling and her lithe form tense and rigid, the right arm slightly raised and the 1 t thrown back, she looked the very image of an amazon queen of the old days, when Babylon was in its glory and ies = ruled in might. . : “We will not harm thee, maiden,” said the foremost ‘Arab, a villainous-looking creature, with a white turban, long flowing — cloak, and a wide sash stuck full of knives and pistols, while a. long gun was slung across his shoulder. renee “You dare not!” hissed the girl. , “Tis the Christian dog we want, and we must have | me be worth a large ransom,” and Ali advanced as if al Zuleika threw her left hand in front of the young man, ‘uttered a hasty warning to the Arab, taking: aim at his hea He drew his sword and dashed forward to his doom. ; There was a flash, a report, a puff of smoke, and Ali lay dead upon the sand, his blood mingling with the waters of the — spring and dying them crimson, ; - As the Arab fell, Cal darted forward, _ whipped his body oben | the. man having fallen upon his face, and in an instan | possessed himself of the gun and pistols of ‘the dead chie: The rest of the party paused only for an instant after | death, and then rushed in upon the two companions with ries and threats of vengeance. xi Cal fired into the yelling horde and brought ' 1 }to the earth with a bullet in his brain, and then club | gun, which used that way was a most formidable wi wie | swung it around his head d sent ae ee oe wii ‘Arab to grass with a pain in his head. | ff Led to gush up} Seeing the. determined resistance of the ees some peg Zuleika had © “ TO means ‘been idle, the Ar S Jed, le their ¢ead and wounded wher “ppey will return in sreater numbe S us for what we have done, said Cal, | maybe carry us off captive into the | the mere thought of it drives me 1 hey return we will be far away, and the When oe sun goes down and the is we wil rsue ou our journ: a@lone with his delirium, his agony—alone, without a guide or bape bow devoid of means to support life—utterly helpless. , He did not know that a few steps would bring him in sight of the trees again;. he had no reasoning powers; he knew “nothing but that the trees had disappeared, and phat all around him was desolation! “There is, then, no hope!” he sighed, and burying his head xi an his hands, he fell, in an unconscious mass, upon the broil- _ ing sands. The next thing he knew, after a long period when all was “cya was that Zuleika was holding a cup to his lips, and that was lying on his back under the shade of a palm tree, ere the grass was green and slimy, and a little spring bub- d up from the moist earth. ! & apes . wit CHAPTER X. ‘ THE arrpox AND [THE mnsGtai-seere HASSAN’S RESOLVE, ‘This was no mockery, no delusion, but the blessed reality. It was no dream, ‘no faney, but a palpable fact. fere were trees and fruit, grass and water, food aud drink, ose and refreshment. — ‘he poor fellow drank deep~ of the cool and reviving liquid, seemed as if he could never be satisfied. en b he had drank all that Zuleika thought good for him, e him some dates to eat, after which, feeling very much aoe h wo 1 on weary, he tor ok one of his « own.

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f He could not distinguish Hara from the other place, the ‘chance of being found By your father?” said Cal, in| dared not say anything to attract her attention, knowing, from sao notatian: Sheik Hassan’s words, that such a proceeding would stir up — “Stay here and you are lost!” . his anger, and feeling, from the glances bestowed upon him by “Better remain and be seized by those murdering villains,| the Arab girl whenever Laura’s name was mentioned, that her than attempt to cross the desert alone. Here there is food} jealousy, once aroused, would be bitter and might be the cause and water, but there’—and he pointed to the desert—‘there is | of much trouble. -“nothing—absolutely nothing.” PR All through the long night they rode rapidly, and many _ e ‘You are mad to remain here. The Bedouins will return inj miles were put behind them, the rising sun beholding them large numbers, and we shall both be slain, for what can we do} still upon their way. In an hour or so the tents were pitched, against such odds?” ; Cal sharing that of the sheik and his daughter, and seeing “Tt is an even chance, then, for if we go out upon the desert} nothing whatever of Laura. ‘ _ we shall certainly perish. I prefer to take the chance of re-) At the usual hour in the afternoon the march was resumed, - MInaining here! ‘ ; and three days later the caravan stopped at a little village on “You await only your—— the borders of quite a large oasis, one of the most extensive! Soe) cid Gal oo eine tke ont eta ier ase oe we known of these islands of the desert, a few hundred i , > miles from Fazzan. ; 999 k — tue sidhowteeaaeen out nponthe.pinin toward A stop of a day was made at this place, and then an almost “IT gee'a cloud of dust, and hear shouts and the report of eee ae meee Was talten, ; firearms. I see a strange confusion and hubbub! Two parties uring all this time nothing had been seen or heard of the: ' of travelers are engaged in deadly combat!” Desert Demon, and Cal thought he had abandoned his search, — “Ali’s band is one, but the other?” ‘1 not dreaming how sdon he was to once more behold the indom- te s itable Egyptian, whom nothing seemed to daunt, and to whom pe oe. Coy eater antics theron 4p ae Datars obstacles, which would be insurmountable to most men, were : ] mere trifles. ; shall be taken!” Seta mn Cal had long since given up any idea of escaping with aT 1 oe fa dase gh pa as 7 come across friends, who Laura, for Zuleika had evidently forgotten all about her prom-. — ill send us Hone ania your de ” ise and guarded him jealously, scarcely permitting him to ibe rH 1 out of her sight an instant. ee eae era aebey Henn said Zuleika, with Hassan treated him with the utmost courtesy, and the other : bers of the band regarded him with much more fayor She raised a glittering dagger which she had taken from one rie 5 | coe the dead Arabs, and was about to sink it to the hilt in her than they had formerly done, seeming to look upon. fle Amer- aie ican as a future member of their great family, ‘ fl Birothing bosom, when he nes her wrist and prevented the Cal began to pick up the Arabic language, though; oe) course, he met with many difficulties, that tongue being hardest to acquire of any of the Eastern languages, all of which present Aidioaeuie it, then?” fe ee . ee their See ia a en reary week had glided by monotonously since the de- ‘they as bn, hat Hat i not see that parture from the village, and Cal was tired beyond measure at beholding every day the same interminable stretch of — dreary waste, the same broiling sun, the same pines a ‘Hurrah—hurrah!” shouted Cal, in the wildest ex: and never once the face ot her he r oved, citement They have come to rescue us!” n another moment the party dashed up and, the leaders rit mounting, Cal recognized Sheik Hassan, Hamet, Ahmed, the camels did not supply as much oa i Oe they: had at fi given,, and, in fact, everything denote that hard times Se coming. oo Phat Se the aity, seemed to have grown in size, | "being several women with ‘it. The horses had been : ed, and all were mounted upon camels. nights being almost as a boaeag le as ‘the dave, on accou: ( ere is she, my adored, my betrothed?” demanded Cal of the intense ‘cold, and weaker and weaker Brey our young é heik.. “Where is the white maiden?” ‘las the days progressed. “Tn my power! Listen, ‘sahib! . That accused beggar, | Js-|. Despair was eating away his heart, and he: was. resolved n pursuit with an army of devils. There is no going| brave anything for one glance oe the ae sapere re 0 vi Be ‘my son, | anid live with’ us, for Zuleika loves | Laura Brentford. He offered to give Hassan all the Drees: jewels thai , been strangely restored to him, with the exception of the d 1d here he paiueet for a moment in order to ae his ‘words mond, if he would Jet him have just five minutes conversa) 5 a Ba great ect, ‘ ‘we are bound for the very heart of the: desert!” with Laura once a day; ‘but Hassan only laughed, and said if ‘ : Pine t that the jewels could be his any eee if he oe but. choos ! Aa See Teeter: | take them. nae, F ee haayy a, r fe Then, in a stern tone, CHAPTER XI. pie of 0 D BEGINS ‘TO SHOW ITS ear atlaanis of the desert! it ture those words ‘conjured ‘ip! - What yf pris mee and 7 eee Piilain fates) him, | phe i ae es, began to. Beet ; 1 : a ed what was the Thot hast ‘when ee Ais d to him, in Tee ane Nagy eh and pleadin ay Se Sx 7 Pea bringing from 2 its | wn cl

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sharp particles cutting the skin like needles if by chance any part of the person were exposed. The very sun was obscured by the driving, blinding clouds of sand which swept over the plain, the air being as dark as night, and the heat most intense, and stifling, while the drift- ing sand, rapidly filling in all depressions, all space between men and camels, seemed to burn like living coals. No one could breathe the air, so filled with sand was it, and the travelers kept their heads as close to the ground as posi- ble, for the slightest inhalation of the sharp sand would cause the most exquisite pain, than which nothing more dreadful can be imagined. Poor Cal choked and coughed and suffered the direst agony, the seconds seeming like minutes, and although the storm of wind and sand lasted less than five minutes, it seemed to him as if several hours had passed. When the fury of the sirocco seemed to have abated, he lift- ed his head and looked over the back of the camel, the sight that met his gaze almost taking away his breath. He could see nothing but the humps of the camels, every- thing else being buried in the hot sand, and many of the beasts being entirely covered up. Huge ridges and drifts of sand gecattered here and there, showed him where lay some of his companions, and not far away was one unfortunate fellow who had not been able to get under shelter quick enough, and had been literally choked to death by the blinding, stifling sand. It was Hamet, and he lay upon his back, his staring, in- flamed eyeballs, partly clogged mouth and distorted features, showing the agony of his death, all presenting a picture of horror which haunted Cal for many a day. “Poor fellow!” he said, rising to his feet and shaking the sand from his clothing; “he was nothing but a thieving Arab I know, but even he deserved a better fate than this.” He walked over to where the dead: body lay, half covered with sand, the whirling drifts having formed a sort of ridge all around him, and preventing him from being buried en- tirely, and began lifting him from his burning grave. As he did so, he noticed that one of the man’s hands, the right, was closed tightly around some object which was elutched in a vise-like grip. Cal was unobserved among the general bustle of scrambling from the,sand-mounds on the part of the Arabs, and one look at the object in the dead man’s hand caused his heart to leap into his mouth. With a peculiar, dexterous motion, known to surgeons and physicians, Cal sueceeded in quickly forcing the man’s hand open, and in a moment the thing which had caused him so much excitement, fell into his own hand, which closed upon it instantly and hid it from sight. “Tf its presence in impious hands does truly cause death, as has been said, how swiftly the penalty has been paid,’ mused Cal, gravely. “Rather was it the desire to possess it which caused this fellow’s death, for had he thought of his safety in- stead of trying to steal this talisman, he would now be alive, and I would not have regained this marvelous stone!” e had recovered thé wonderful diamond of the Pyramid in the most unexpected manner. /The White Sun of the Pharaohs was again in his possession, and it had cost one man his life, the desire to possess it hav- ing been his ruin. How many more lives would he sacrificed by it before it should be deposited in the temple? This thought flashed through Cal’s brain as he put the dia- mond in a small pocket next to his body, not daring to trust it anywhere else. a He knew that his own life would be forfeited if any of the _ Bedouins discovered it in his possession, and he was well "aware that the Egyptian would not be deterred from shedding blood in order to regain it, “T have it once more, and this time I swear I will not light- ly part with it,” said the young man, inwardly, “although I believe its possession brings danger or death to him who holds it. So it has proved thus far; whether it will continue to do so remains to be seen!” In another instant Zuleika was at/his side, her face beam- ing with love and admiration. “You are safe, Allah be praised!” “Yes, and the others?” } “Some are dead, suffocated by the frightful sand.” “And she—the one I—the white maiden, is she safe?” “Yes,” was the reply made, but the girl’s eyes sparkled with jealous passion, and Cal saw that shé wished the answer | had been different. ; The storm had so entirely changed the aspect of the desert and had so bewildered Hassan, that he dared not trust him- _ self to proceed on his way until the stars shone out, and con- ' sequently a rest of several hours was taken, after which, when the night was well advanced, the march was resumed, Hassan being then able to determine his course by the stars. \ Just as they were about to proceed, Zuleika seized Cal by the sleeve and led him off into the darkness, where they were out of sight behind a group of camels. “Listen, sahib!” she whispered, so that none but him coul@ hear, “the precious diamond you know of is missing! My father is in a rage, and swears that the thief shall be punished with death if he is discovered.” “He was the first thief, to begin with,” muttered Cal. “Sh! If you know where it is or have it in your own pos- session, though I know you are no thief and have the best right to it, guard it well and breathe not a word to any one concerning it.” Then she hurried away, and Cal, buttoning his vest closely over the hidden pocket where lay the precious jewel, set his: teeth, and said within himself: .“The White Sun of the Pharaohs is in my possession, and while I live, sha never be taken from me with my consent, nor by any common force until I restore it myself to its prop- er owner, the Demon of the Desert.” CHAPTER XII. ATTACKED BY) DEMONS—-RETROSPECTIVE GLANCES. The caravan started soon after this, and Cal had no oppor- tunity of proving to Sheik Hassan that it would be useless for him to attempt to take the jewel from him. Indeed, an exciting incident soon afterward occurred, which made him forget the diamond entirely. Darkness had settled upon the desert, and there being no . moon as yet, the only light was that of the stars which twink- led in myriads above'their heads. All at once the same mysterious dancing light they had seem on a previous occasion appeared upon the horizon, while a fiendish yell sounded on the air: In an.instant the light was seen to be accompanied by oth- ers, which danced and twinkled most erratically, coming near- er and nearer every moment. . There seemed to be at least a score of them, and the startled Bedouins urged their camels on at a more rapid pace. Now the lights come nearer, and camels are discerned, upon whose backs are seated most strange and unearthly riders. They seem to be men, but their bodies glow like living coals, their faces being as black as night, and in their hands they hold flaming spears, which emit a mysterious light, and seem to be on fire. / . Leading this unearthly band is a tall, white-headed man, babe ragged locks and tangled beard give him a most fearful look. He bestrides a camel and carries a cimeter, and from the soles of his sandals to the plume of his turban he appears to — be one glowing mass of fire. “Ha-ha! Beware of the wrath of the Sahara demon, the spirit of the simoon!” he shrieks, as he hurls his frightful band upon the Bedouins, “I am Ariel, the storm-fiend, and the ae of Heaven is in my hand! Ha! tremble, ye Bedouin ogs!” , “The Demon of the Desert!” scream the women in affright, while the whole party with one accord flies over the sand as if borne on the wings of the terrible simoon. The black riders clothed in fire and headed by their horrid — leader, rush furiously upon the Arabs and spare none that they can overtake, cutting down the luckless wretches, and slaughtering them mercilessly. ir Faster and faster ride the Arabs, but they cannot shake off their fierce pursuers, and the report of firearms is soon heard, the flash of powder mingling with the clashing of steel, and many an. Arab rolls from his lofty seat and falls lifeless upon the sand, where the relentless sun shall scorch his flesh and bleach his bones till they crumble into dust. Thowgh surrounded by the wild riders, Cal remained un- harmed, not a creature of them offering him any injury, or . molesting him in the slightest degree, » The Arabs scatter and flee away in all directions, hoping by this means to escape, and the Demon of the Desert, for he in- deed it was who led this wild band, shouted out for his men to pursue only Sheik Hassan, and let the rest escape. Cal’s camel was then suddenly brought to a stop, and he was nearly thrown from his seat. f “Ismail, if you haye a heart,'save the white maiden!” called out the young man, as he saw the others hurrying off, and knew that Laura must be with them. . She heard his cry, and struggling heroically with the man who drove her camel, ‘Succeeded in throwing him to the ~ ground, and bringing the beast to a halt. At the same moment a woman, hotly pursued by two of the Demon’s devil-like followers, sprang from her camel to the ground, and as they rushed upon her she shot both of them dead. ; 4

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Not. stopping to hear an answer, the Demon walked rapidly S away, Biving utterance to a peculiar call, which soon brought the Nubians to his side. Giving some directions to them concerning Cal and the two women, he mounted his camel and rode up to Cal, as if about to bid him adieu for the present. 1 “And we—which way do we go—toward Cairo?” asked the young man. “Not so, my friend; but wherever you go be assured that you shall be safe.” Without further parley he gave the word to his camel, and gees and rider bounded off, being soon lost to sight in the gloom. Then, with an angry ‘shriek, she tore aside her veil, and re- ealing her beautiful features, called out to the young Ameri- ‘ean to save her. It was Zuleika, the daughter of the Sheik Hassan. Cal was about to spring to her side, when three stalwart _ fellows, with black faces and garments that glittered like the _ folds of a serpent, descended from their camels, and rushed upon her, i At the same moment, Ismail, with a ery of rage, commanded K them not to lay a single finger upon the Arab maiden under pain of arousing his fiercest anger. On the instant, Cal had flown to Laura’s assistance, and at a word from the weird creature who commanded these un- tamed beings, whatever they were, whether fiend or human, they left the young lovers alone and undecided. ; - “Thank Heaven! we are saved from that fiend, Sheik Hds- i gan,” said Laura, “though who this terrible creature is I know not.” “He is an Egyptian, and I am in doubt at times to know whether he is in his right mind or not. He saved me from perishing in the Pyramid that night after I caught a glimpse of you in the entrance.” ' “Tf thought you had come to rescue me from the Arabs, and my spirits rose to the highest pitch. Then J was hurried _ through the passages until when it seemed as if you were | about to take me from them, the Arabs released a heavy stone - oyer a doorway and barred your further progress.- | ‘What I suffered that night surpasses telling, and but for Ismail I should have perished.” “The Arabs took me out through another passage they , knew of and then out upon the desert, where we waited for Hassan.” - “Pell me!” cried the young man suddenly, as the thought ‘struck him, “did you know in Cairo a Frenchman, one Armand ‘St. Croix?” Laura turned pale and seemed deeply agitated, not being’ able to speak for a full minute. “Yes, I knew him,” she said, at length, tremulousty. “He “was a villain, an adventurer, and had the audacity to sue for my hand in marriage.” “Aha! now I begin to see light!” “JT refused him with scorn, for he is known in Cairo as an -unprincipled roue. ‘Then he went to Gilbert, but of course met. with no better sucess.” ‘3 “No; should think not.” “Then he told me that if I would not have him I should r be. another’ that he would have me carried off by the abs, and that I would rue the day when I scorned his ove!’ z “Did you say aught of this: to Gilbert?” “No, for I deemed it but an idle boast. The next day we isited the notable places in the vicinity, and during the fol- ying night I was carried off, but saw nothing of St. Croix.” “Did you see him after you left the Pyramid?” es; and he bitterly taunted me, saying that even then, if would relent, he wend rescue me, and we would go to France together. ath “The scoundrel! If +t; ever meet him, I’ll make him see more than three stars, I guess. He'll think the whole firmament has fallen on him!” * ae am Burey now that I did not mention his threat to Gil- . 2? | \ q f ; _ So aie be but. there is no help for it now.” x At that ‘moment. Ismail approached, and Cal saw that the fiery appearance of his pgs was due to phosphorus rubbed ae a NES mantle are he wore, and which he now threw ay “Pear not, be Siuleeile Nie gaid, in kindly tones; “though|u ‘B le to my foes, I never forget a friend. These followers mine are Nubians; they will give you a safe convoy over the| voyage upon the Mediterranean. Ns f, and to-morrow, or on the Fiesiseae day, a3 will rejoin ~ “I will pass over the first years of ‘my life, which en > me more like a troubled dream than anything else, and pr CHAPTIR XIII. ZULEIKA TELLS THE STORY OF HER LIFE. “You will go with us?” asked Cal, of the Arabic maiden, as Ismail disappeared in the darkness, ‘and the Nubians began to make preparations for continuing the journey. “Alas! sahib, there remains naught else,” she answered, sad- ly. “Father, friends—all torn from me! What else is there for me? The desert is barren; d cannot cross it alone. You ~~ are my only friend.” Ip 3 “Go with us, and I will be ise sister—will love you for the - many kind deeds done to my beloved,” said Laura tenderly. The girl seemed deeply affected, and as she stood wringing her hands, the tears flowing down her dark cheeks and her lips trembling, she seemed the very personification of grief. “Why should you be so kind to me?” she said, huskily. “I would have stolen thy love from thee, and would have killed — thee, hadst thou protested! Alas! I, too, had a lover once, but. now—now I have nothing! Oh, my brave, my beautiful Selim! would to Heaven you were here!” “And you will go ene us?” asked Laura, again, in a ‘voice full of tenderness. “Yes; your path is mine now, your lodgings mines your friends mine,’ and without further ado, she mounted her camel, Cal getting up in front of Laura, while his animal was led behind, and the strange party set out amid the darkness, i ee gait of the moon’s rising being yet two or three hours dis- tan i ‘Did I not tell you that some day I would relate the histo of my strange life, and why I hate the very name of the Sa; ad emma Zuleika presently asked, as they rode | on, side side yeYon did,” answered Cal. “Shall I tell you. my gad on now? "Tis as siting a as any. ” wt r “We shall be ‘signed to hear you, if you feel inclined a ik speak,” answered Laura, while Cal nodded his head in token of assent. “Listen, then, to the story of Zobeide, ‘now called Zu ika, ¢ and juga if my lot has not been a sad one, and if I hav cause wish that the simoon might blast the traitor, Is' and that even my own bones ee lie whitening on these i sands!” M “Poor girl, I pity you,” said’ Laura; and then, with a deep sigh, Zuleika, as we shall continue to call her, Boot eoanas with her narrative: : “TJ can remember indistinctly a eautiful roan whom re ea mother, but it,seems sometimes as if my father were © ay at that time, for I havé no recollection of seeing him ntil later. IT seemed always to. be traveling, now living in. Cairo, and now somewhere else; once I know I took a Jones — #F her so “you?” wey" a 0 seek the MPSS ‘Sheik Bacete,) and avenge the wrongs my father lived in Mogodore, and was reputed to be w athe having large herds and owning many slaves. He did Pes from place. to place then, as he does: now, and I was as hai las a queen. : “Then he told me’ that enemies had begun to arise agi st: ; among them an Egyptian. called Ismail, one best since who accused my father \ ; es, ¢ alled. hima pirate and corsair, a t f . “Thou knowest not lerer. Little by ee my father’s goods p 2 i esie with the Americans, and one | i nd he e that this Isma: of Egyptian arrion!” ahpieKed: Zuleika, ru nd hair streaming behind her, a “mirage lure | mens tod | agains! hou gibbering devil! ul know. thee to| “Ma e and mine phase ever lived. anal ) ove, or ill fortune would he a, against the

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THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. who meant to destroy him and me both, as he had killed my | have walked in darkness a long weary time, but the light is poor mother. coming, and my heart shall be made glad.” ia “Selim and I used to meet at night, by stealth, in the gar-] She ceased, and as if her words had been prophetic, the full den behind our house, and close to a small tower used as a|fOund moon presently arose, apparently from the midst of the — wine house. Here, among the shady trees and flowering shrubs, | S4ndy plain, and shed its bright rays all around. ox | @did my brave-Selim and myself hold sweet converse with each} _ Through the night the party traveled, and when morning ~ “/Jother, and vow to be ever true. Alas! those honeyed hours can | 4awned they kept straight on for two or three hours longer, . ever return, and for all that I can learn, my noble Selim|the commander of the “Nubians—a tall, muscular fellow, as | ‘moulders in the grave. black as night—informed Cal that a few miles further to the | SAE 6 F th was an oasis, containing a ruined city, built ages before ‘ This Murad I have mentioned was a handsome man, very Sou ores po ae E swarthy, his hair and beard being as black as night; not at and that there’they would stop until Ismail joined them. _ Ss all like my Selim, who was white and fair, and wore his gold- ai a en hair in glossy waves upon his swan-like neck and shapely é ¢ ey f - shoulders. , CHAPTER XIV. fie: “Murad tormented me with his attentions, and said that ; is ‘ on my father sanctioned them, ‘but Hassan swore that though “ITS PRESENCE IN UNHALLOWED HANDS IS DEATH!” ‘ ‘the man was no friend of his, I must marry him ‘to eseape the _ wrath of the Sahara demon, as Ismail was even then called.}_ On the borders of a wonderfully fertile tract of land about I vowed before Heaven that I would not, and thus matters | three miles long by half that many in width, situated in the ‘stood. very heart of the desert, the little band paused to rest and “One night I met Selim, by stealth, and he told me things| await the coming of the remarkable person whose assumed that puzzled me exceedingly. He said that Ismail was my | name forms the title of our story. can best friend, and that Hassan was a villainiand not my father Cal had never before, except in the everglades of Florida, at all; that he had stolen me from my parents and wished me| seen such luxuriant vegetation, and he was struck with amaze-. to marry Murad, who was the worst foe my true father had | ment that here, in the very midst of burning sand, surround- ever had, in order that the latter’s misery might be more com-| ed on every hand by a barren waste, should suddenly be found plete. He told me that Hassan had been a corsair, and that]a perfect garden—an Eden—where the grass was as green as even now his castle was a meeting place of robbers, whom Is-| an emerald; where the vine upheld its purple and golden clus- ~~ mail had tried to bring to justice. No one but Selim could | ters to the sun; where orange groves and orchards of apricots, _ have told me \this unpunished; but he looked so true and so} peaches and otlrer fruits were found, and where wheat and — _ good, that I was forced to believe him. other grains waved their heavy heads in the evening breeze, - “When he asked me to fly with him that very night and be|and the pretty clover sprung up between the stalks. * , s wife I hesitated for a moment only, and then throwing And yet all these things were to be met with, besides many my arms about him, I said that I was ready to go with him | domestic animals, which Cal saw quietly feeding. 4 _the end of the world, as the love of the woman toward her And all this was not in a boundless tract, but in a mere spot. husband was greater than that of the child for her parents. of vendure in the tremendous stretch of desert, nearly ten “He kissed me fondly, and at that moment we heard a ery | thousand miles in extent running ‘from the western coast of ~— of rage, and looking in the direction of the sound, saw the| Africa, across that continent, through Arabia and Persia, and — ‘ Swarthy Murad just climbing over the top of the wall that sur-| to the eastern limits of the Desert of Gobi; for even the better ; rounded the. arden. parts of Egypt are not much better than a desert, the rivers; ‘Selim drew his sword, white I clung to him in affright, as | being all that save the land from utter desolation. d, clutching his scabbard, leaped from the wall, a look of It is only the wisdom c man in planting trees and potas: epest hate distorting his sinister visage. j wells in these wastes that will ever overcome the natural “What followed is a blank. advantages of these hot countries, and if the French plan o “Swords flashed, hot words were interchanged, blow met] letting in the Mediterranean upon the desert (by no Pee ota blow and the spar ks flew like rain from the keen blades of the| possible of achievement) is successful, the world will } e mmbatants, who seemed bent upon destroying each other. a change it never dreamed of. ut enough, of geograp: The castle was aroused, lights gleamed amid the darkness, | discussion,’and let us proceed wi our story. and angry voices were heard, and soon I saw Hassan’s The houses of the inhabitants were built upon the sand itire household, himself at the head, come rushing toward | around this wonderful spot, in order that every inch o ae ground should be available for growing Durposes—a wise pro =o ith one rapid pass my brave Selim made a false lunge} vision, certainly. BR Mes: ‘Murad, which the swarthy villain parried, thus laying his| - Not far away, Cal saw the ruins of what looked like a fo _ breast open. for an attack, which Selim made on the instant, | or castle, and so strong was it that it had to be broken down _ sending his sword straight through Murad’s body. *| by monstrous engines, the marks of the terrible blows give ‘he latter fell dead without a groan, and Selim’s sword | by them being plainly seen. remaining in the lifeless corpse, was wrenched from his The walls had evidently been stormed by a large party i) just as my father and the rest ran up. besiegers, who had summoned greater powers than their Ow! was torn from my lover’s arms, and he, unarmed and de-| to their aid, and brought huge battering rams, worked by ess among a horde of enemies, was ‘obliged ‘to fly for his} chains and levers, with which to force an ‘entrance, The travelers were at) once given refreshments, and th ared the wall at a single bound, while bullets flew Cal and his friends retired to rest, the young man sleeping v id him, but ere he was gone, I ee his dear voice | til nearly sunset. and bidd ae me be true. The Nubian Said then came to him bearing food and | ‘somé e £' ; said, ‘I will so no day return and| choice wine made in the place, at the same time te hole world should say} that the people had arranged a little entertainment - E and his friends, to take place in one of the best-preserv: ) aces of the ancient city that very evening, and asking him ‘he would be pleased to honor it with his. presence. — 45 a Cal replied graciously that nothing would please him ter, and that Said might inform the good people that. he 8 and | s, called by a his friends would be in attendance at the fete which the never seen, the | habitants had been so kind as to pr ide for their aise the only Seated upon. an, improvised chair of state on | large hall, the> ‘roof supported by pillars, w' nigh day, still showed the remains of exquisite wor id ate for ‘otten n hit a canopy of gay rugs and tent hangings, att Aas is a fiend in ; | maidens, 4 at: their feét eds two jst Ba a I “i uy as one naends and Huowanothing » of what, around me. _ For months longe’ was conscious a . time, though my life was de red of. At last if) om imes in the city, and sometimes on ¢ range name, and surrounded by people’ k Hassan, my ne ks bevewen Chakrient ire of it oing th eek a numbe Te eae Tiros at At ‘ae

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ren OF THE DESERT. eae yes 4 | formed a picturesque background, danced gracefully, now sing- - dy, now in twos, threes and fives, keeping up all the time a weird chant, not at all unmusical and unlike anything Cal had ever heard. ; Then the whole number joined intermixedly in a sort of march, the music growing louder and louder, until it amount- -ed to a perfect uproar. { Then, of a sudden, torches were brought in, each man hold- ang one, while the dancing-girls produced a number of long . Yibbons which they formed into a kind of gay tent, one dancer, standing in the center upon the shoulders of two - huge blacks, holding one end of all the ribbons in her hands, _ while the others, poised gracefully-in a circle about her, held ; the other ends. rd Then there was a crash af cymbals, a wild intermingling of torches, bright colors, men, women, black and white faces, and then at a signal the whole whirling crowd flew away as if driven we the wind, and the hall was deserted. . After this there were many wonderful exhibitions of jug- gling, knife-throwing, balancing and posturing, the like of which Cal had never seen, although he had traveled much and “3 witnessed many wonderful things. ness of legerdemain which were simply astounding. Rushing suddenly up to Cal, he seemed to thrust his hand into the _ young man’s pocket and take out a number of birds which he Set loose, also a’ large quantity of many-colored ribbons hich he whirled about like so many serpents, he standing in the middle; and lastly, three torches all blazing, which he swung around: his head and then suddenly swallowed, or at ‘least, appeared to do so. All this occupied less time than it takes to deseribe it, and was completely bewildered by the man’s astounding per- aN? ‘he Nahin quickly disappeared after this last feat and no re was seen of him. Then followed many more strange ex: hibitions, the whole prolonging the fete to a late hour, the - Moon sending her silvery rays through the huge fissures in he. old walls before Said advanced, and expressing the hope hat the strangers had been. pleased, informed them that the : _ entertainment was at a close. — hey were then conducted to their tents, Cal feeling very ue | fatigued, and solacing himself with a smoke from a long ye Arabic pipe before throwing himself upon his couch, | e divested: himself of his coat and vest, and then, “animated some strange impulse, looked to see if the wonderful dia- | 10nd which had already been the cause of many remarkable mntures, and. was destined to go through still more won- “derful ones, was still in its place. ) _He put‘his hand in the secret pocket where he had deposited the | gem, the casket having been left in his coat, and his @ White Sun of the Pharaohs had again pear stolen! i was. staggered, as he thought that it was impossible for en take the jewel from its hiding- ‘place without his en. rtaA it, been ‘done, and by whom? _ he answer came like a clap of thunder. i he ‘was, Gai ran out at. once into the en-| 1e middle of the tents, coming suddenly upon the y of a huge Nubian, lying upon his ge his face th pene and a ‘een’ dagger thrust 6 the hilt | i stone,” jnurmured Cal. = hi van tended ized‘ the dea Sipaty e one W ad pretende caventget 18 i f his pockets, and | ver m, el, but without suc: 0 ching One man, in particular, a gigantic Nubian, showed great deft- | Nubians seemed to have been all killed except Said and | | harmed.” The ‘Nubian had stolen the diamond during his last exhibi- f ai nae that fatality which |» Aral) Berors Cal Sonia call after ‘him. |cimeter right and left, thus’ clearin; sok this '_ He saw. e tha that many CHAPTER XV. THE OASIS IS ATTACKED, AND CAL MADE PRISONER—MURAD THE | DARK. ese Cal replaced the diamond whence it had been stolen, re | solving to take even better care of it in the future than he i had done in the past, and then seeing no one stirring, the half- choked Arab haying slunk away out of sight, the young physician returned to his tent, first satisfying himself that Laura was perfectly comfortable. fi The morning had searcely dawned, when Cal heard a fright- ful noise outside, and before he could jump up to see what was the matter, the whole tent came tumbling about his ears, burying him beneath its folds. ; He struggled to get out, but he was so entangled that he could scarcely moye, and every effort was painful. He could hardly breathe, for, in addition to the close tex : ture of the material composing the tent, it was so extremely dirty and dusty that the poor fellow coughed and sneezed and — felt as if he should choke. 5 ‘He had nothing by which he could cut his way out, and as for crawling under, he hardly knew which way to crawl, SO. ; mixed up was everything. » ; He shouted for help, hoping that somebody would come and ara release him from his most disagreeable position. He could still hear the noise, as of a conflict, and wondered if the people of the oasis had been attacked by some wander- ing tribe, who envied them their lot. ee Suddenly he saw the sharp blade of a cimeter penetrating ~ through the tent cloth, and coming rather too near him for comfort. He squirmed away, but the weapon was thrust in deeper and deeper, and then began to move from side to side, as if who- ever held it was determined to kill him. He shouted for the man to be a little more careful, but at. iat ene the cimeter was dropped through, and fell upon if is leg. ‘ Picking it up, he cut away the tent, and soon made a hole ~ large enough to crawl through. As he emerged from his strange place of imprisonment, the sharp weapon still in his hand, he saw Said, the Nubian, not far away, securely bound, while two or three ferocious-looking Bedouins surrounded him. é Near the young man himself was another Arab, who laughed 5 ‘heartily as he made, his appearance through the tent. : ; “By Allah, tis a@ merry sight,” he said, in Arabic. “Th 1 not I meant to harm you, sahib, for that was not my inten- oe tion,’ ee L 5 “Who are. Vous! Heddee of this marauding | band?” for could now see many strange Arabs standing about, while the or two others, while the Arabs had been driven away or taken. “I lead these dauntless riders, if that is what you wish to say, but fear not for yourself, I will not suffer you to. bes “And the. woten—those who were in yonder tent—what has H become of them?” cake white woman and her Arab attendant?” ; “ s ” “The white woman will be useless to us, ‘ghe has gone with ‘Abdul Ahmed to feed swine and bear burdens.” 4 “And the’ other, ‘monster—what have ‘you done with Pees et «with Zobeide, “The same. ” Phan she was he ase: of the white woman?” crs the reputed daughter of Sheik Hassan?” He scrambled out and jumped to se srdied sated ur) path fo through th ‘ ae ty ho eva

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: ‘ Yeo, & THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. “moment he found himself fighting two Arabs instead of one, and big fellows they were, too. i Swift as lightning he parried blows from both men at once, _ and occasionally succeeded in getting in a thrust at one or the other of his foos, though he was. kept pretty busy vate yt himself. At length another Arab rushed up and attacked him, and then another, but not one of the four could manage to bring him down, or even wound him. They rushed upon him from all sides, but he seemed to be - facing four ways at once, and parried the blows showered upon him with the quickness of thought. _ Suddenly his ciméter blade snapped short off at the guard, and the poor. fellow was left without a weapon. His case looked hopeless, and the four Arabs uttered a yell of triumph as they beheld his mishap. ‘With horrid cries they rushed upon him, thinking to an- ihilate him at once. They had not reckoned upon the devotion of a, true-hearted American girl. Swift as the wind, Laura ran to her lover’s side, and put into his hand the sword of the dead Arab, which she had eer together with his pistols ‘while the fight was in prog- achat ' you, ‘wolves of the denen etl dogs of Sahara!” yelled Cal, growing excited. “Come on, a hundred of you! at is one American? Come on, you cut-throats! Aha! take that, you bouncing Bedouin and bounce out of this!” ‘ The man did, indeed, bounce away, having had the whole ide of his face laid open by a slashing blow from’ the young ysician. Another lost: his right ear, and a third got a thrust between ess” Arab, except as the principal requisite for a funeral, be- ng as dead as a man ever was. Jal lost his cimeter, however, and seemed to be in as des- at she Eau do inthe way of repelling an attack. Zs “To obtain food, water, captives and treasure. be harmed, but you must accompany me.’ Set did not find the Arab maiden?” “e oO: away. Had I known She was ‘here, I would not have let her escape.” “You love her?” “What matters it? shall follow the other party, and purchase her from them.” “How are you called?” You will not another band which accompanied mine carried her — I am determined to possess her, and “Murad el Khall (or dark Murad); you know me—you have — heard of me?” continued the Arab, as he saw a look of sur- prise come into Cal’s face, the young man having remembered Zuleika’s story. “T have heard of you, but you were thought to be dead. That | cs affray with Selim in Mogodore was thought “Curse the fair-haired hound!” hissed the other. “Twas a bad blow he gave me, and for months I hovered between life and death. I will give him its match when I meet him, if he still lives.” “Do you know that Ismail, your reputed friend, expected here, and that these are his friends?” “The Sahara devil! He is expected?” “Yes; he was in pursuit of Hassan.” . “By ‘Allah! then let Hassan beware, if Ismail gets upon his track! Mount and away with us, Sahib, for stirring times are before us. Ho! Abdallah, Ibrahim, Suliman, are ap ready?" is “Yes, » ot “Then away with us, for the Sahara demon is abroad, bene on destruction!” CHAPTER XVI. 5, THE DEMON AGAIN—AN UNFORTUNATE MISHAP. 1 The party numbered nearly a hundred souls, and as ; the; is shortly : h ey. ‘the two running Arabs rushed upon the young man, she dashed away, the dust they raised utterly obscures | the | camp ey ed away at them, and brought down two of the wretches, h bullets in their brains, Ki eware how you injure this. maiden!” cried cal, throwing self in front of her as fother Arabs rushed up,, “for she is der the protection. of the terrible Demon of the Desert.” mention of this dreaded being the Arabs paused as if urning away in terror as if the demon himself had Oa) : ett Haas their midst. sf eh aie ay. be the demon himself in the guise of this brave young man,” said one; “he fights better than’ anyone I ever +: Take care how we offend him.” Arab ever fought with such desperation? he cannot be: must be the fiend of the w irlwind in person.” well, that was a lucky. thoug t, at all events,” mused Arabs went oft, ‘leaving him ‘alone. “Tt was a for- hat i happened to think of my Egyp- inate thing, my dear, at nt.” tian ‘friend at that mom name ‘seems to strike terror,” answered Laura, |: e myself seen. what his actual presence can do. i W succeeded in overtaking Hassan. It is time he reappeared, for if. we ever needed him we do ‘The S¢ strangers will take nH deaues into the dosent, 4 5 lere, dearest, those jewels will be safer'in nine, I guess,” he continued, handing her nd the roneeaus Yoon nee of carved “intended it: for a wading pres-| or a queen rye ; areful with n,” he said, handing her the} a ee lose it on any i excep’ 7 i Tl Keep 1 ‘it on ate arceiy heen made, when the ak leika, sud eopre appea |ed no nearer than when they started. jand after the men behind them. Mile after mile was briskly traversed, and the day was we advanced before they came to a halt. | No trace of the other party had yet been seen, but ‘Murad knew in what direction it had gone, and he was determined to overtaké it before night. The heat had grown so intense that it would have Bese mad néss to travel further at any rate of speed, the burning ray: the sun seeming to turn the sand beneath their feet into a ‘very furnace. Ordering the larger part of the caravan to pit ch their tents, the black-visaged Arab took a dozen of his bes arriors Ww him, and pushed on in pursuit of Abdul Ahmed, who ee not taken Laura, as he supposed, but the Ara i oy ab maiden ‘ Commending the two Americans to the care of Me men one warning them to do no injury to the captives, Murad tinued his pursuit, after telling his men to aw: t his It was night before anything was heard from hi aman came riding back in hot haste, saying that H tle party. had come in contact with - a much larger” band of Bedouins, and that he had been captured and the rest 1a The messenger himself had barely escaped Ww th sii had ridden back as fast as he i news, and to bring assistance : wold The Arabs at once struck their tents, and ‘march, which lasted all night, but i the mornin; the Cal saw heaps upon heaps of the whiteni and animals, and for peat tr i ares thou a highr oad ; They Linh aN at an eM with steps Jeading down to it, so th a beast water being none | should again set in, ‘and Another night march w. still no foe ( se

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1. 48 THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. . as we keep this American with us. - carry the woman into captivity, or sell her to whoever we first meet.” - @al heard these words, and stepping forward, replied, hotly: “May the wrath of the Sahara demon pursue you, if you harm one hair of her head! May the sirocco blast you! May. ‘your bones wither——’’s ! “Seize the infidel! Silence him!” cried Ibrahim; and be- fore Cal could offer any resistance he was thrown down, bound, gagged, and carried away to a tent, while Laura was ~ put under a heavy guard in another. “We will make captives of them both,” said Ibrahim, who had assumed the leadership of the party, “and we will see if - the boasted power of this fiend will suffice to protect them.” _ The night had already set in, and still Cal heard no signs -. of moving, and began to think that there was to be no further progress made that day, when he ‘suddenly saw a long, sinuous . arm part the hangings of the tent. ; Two Arabs sat inside asleep, but they made no sound as the form of a man crept swiftly in. The light was so dim that Cal could not make out whose form it was, and he was about to move when the intruder made a warning gesture. With a sudden blow that seemed to descend with the rapidi- ty: and force of a thunderbolt, the robed figure buried a gleam- ing knife into one of the Arabs, and as the other moved un- easily and opened hig eyes, he, too, was struck down before ‘he could utter a sound. “ Who was the unknown assassin, tte thus, shrouded in darkness, plied his bloody trade? ‘Cal trembled, for he knew not if he would be the next vic- tim of this desperate being, whoever he was. Who was he, indeed? Cal’s eyes, was soon. answered. man, threw aside his cloak. ' The Demon of the Desert stood revealed. This terrible being had again come to the rescue of the man who had done him a kindness. '. It all seemed so startling that Cal cotld scarcely d-aw his ‘breath, but gazed with supreme surprise upon the weird; un- earthly figure standing before him. - How had Ismail eluded the vigilance of the Arab guards? flow had he succeeded in approaching pe encampment with- out being discovered? These were lves. mail reached down, cut the cords that bound eet ibe; then set him upon his feet, supporting him for a moment, the young American was scarcely able to stand. , ‘He’ had ‘lain so long in one position, and the cords had been it cautiously: nh! the jewel. Have you Tyee Ss upon its account.” ha! there must be peril when one has such a treas- harge. It is safe now, though, and Tr shall at last take my hands.” ; How did you enter i db aeived ‘Sh! Some one approaches!” . pat it just as a huge Arab, probably hearing a noise and specting ‘that all was not right, pushed aside the hangings entered. y ne swift, sure blow of the glittering steel, ‘and the: man lay a pool-of his own blood, by the is e of his iboats, had just bed time to notice. eful Egyptian hurried feok: to. Cal: rican!” he. wl hispered: “My camel is ected you were here; and TI entered | the ae ina one Lioain ‘sle oo Tenifet? ions this singular creature. — We must kill him, and | The question unuttered, but expressed, hah at by | The man advanced rapidly, and pausing before the young | “Pyramid?” . 1 i OAT questions whic immediately presented. them: : The evpiee took the gag Ais Cal’ § mouth, and then said, | ‘is safe,’ whispered Cal, “put I have been in many dan- | speak! “Destruction! Gliding swiftly toward the door of the tent, the demon ae ai last i; fa. Biers na aithiy’ + robbers have felt, the keen |. did not wonder that. he Arabs dreaded terrible work!” whispered our hero, suddenly, suspicious noises being heard without. “Stay—one moment! We must return for the Arab girl; she whom you call Zuleika.” ; “Zuleika!” said Cal, in surprise. “She was captured by an- — other band at the time of the attack upon the Nubians, and — carried away in an opposite direction.” “By Osiris!” shrieked the Egyptian; “are all my plans to go. for naught? Must I never regain her?” pea He eried aloud in his agony, forgetting his former caution, and in another instant half a dozen Arabs rushed into the _ tent with cimeters flashing. if, Recognizing their dread foe in a moment, they | rushed upon him, calling loudly for aid, but Ismail, seizing Cal by the hand and dragging the youth after him, made his way through — his enemies, cutting right and left with his deadly blade, and — soon reached the outer air. “i “Haste—haste!” he cried, still pulling his companion after him, his age seeming to make his step none the less firm and at swift. mM “They are coming from all sides,” said Cal. escape!” “T will baffle them yet,” answered the other. “Flight is the only thing left at this moment. One step further, and we are safe.” 1 He bounded past the last line of tents, and, uttering a pe- — culiar cry, sprang toward his camel, pulling Cal after him. oN He mounted, placing our hero upon the seat in front of him, — spoke to the beast, who quickly arose to his full height, and then urging him ahead, rode skiftly out into the desert, as the s howling Arabs came swarming out of their camp with horri- ble cries of rage. vig “Come on, accursed dogs of a degenerate race!” shrieked Is- { “There is no mail, looking back and shaking his fist. “He rides well who overtakes the Demon of the Desert!” “Stay—stay!” eried Cal, in the greatest excitement. “We _ must return!” nares “Return? Impossible!” Pei “But we must!” e “Why, boy?” asked the demon, still urging his steed on- oY ward. “The white maiden—my betrothed—has been left behind ins A the Arab camp!” “The American woman? She whom you looked for ae the “The same.” “I thought’ her to be the ‘ATH girl—Zuleika. I funn’ h in her tent, and whispered her to have SIERES canes I would | soon deliver her from her captors.” ‘te “She is my betrothed. You, will not abandon her? - Save her for my sake!” 7m, . “All in good time, boy—all in good time. No harm sha come to her.” bot \ “But there must be no delay! She must be saved at once, for your sake as well as mine.” | >, Cal’s excited manner and impressive words so moved the old Egyptian that he came to a halt, being already far in a vance of the yelling Arabs. | f “What can you mean, boy?” he questioned. What mean you?” “The diamond, the White Sun of the Pharaohs ae “Yes—yes; what of it?” ss The young woman has it in her possession!’ You said it was safe!” “T gave it to her for better keeping. ‘Had 4 retained it ¢ should have lost it, for the robbers deprived me of everyt’ I had; hat; coat, medicine-case, everything!” _ ‘Tis a desperate venture, lad, but I wane: risk every to sense that jewel!” — F rau u will return?” ; “Yes, and do thee a good turn at the same time I reg: ink priceless jewel so long sought, ‘so deeply prized!” “It has been a dear prize, indeed, to more than one,” Cal, drily, “for nearly all who have ‘sought to deprive us have lost their lives.” nother word Ismail ‘turned his camel, and biddi on keep a Siw hold, rushed swiftly. back t “Por my sake, A) ; mss 4 Ue

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lef t her and having” not even time to warn Laura of her danger. That branch of the party which had seized her left the main _ body at once, and struck off into the desert in a southwesterly direction. / Before many hours, as we have already seen, the party was : ymet by another and routed, and such of Murad’s men as had ‘endeavored to rescue her were also defeated, one man alone remaining to tell the tale of their discomfiture. - . Zuleika was still a prisoner, but something about the leader of the»party who had taken her from Abdul Ahmed struck her -as being familiar, and she endeavored to reach him. The Arab, thinking she intended to escape, faid rude - hands upon her, and prevented her from advancing. 4 In a few moments the leader turned, and she caught a full view of his form and face. He was, unlike the rest, of a fair complexion, with silken “locks of gold falling upon his shoulders and over his high, white forehead. His eyes were blue, and had a look of inex- ‘pressible tenderness, although at times they could emit a glance as fierce as an eagle’s. . One look at his face and form sent the hot blood mounting ‘to the girl’s temples. “Selim—Selim! My own—my beloved!” she cried, striving a0] break away from the detaining Arabs. / The man turned quickly toward the maiden, with eyes 2 Pace fire, and form quivering. “Who calls?” he cried. _* ‘Tis I—your own Zobeide! adored!” _ He was at her side in a moment, and bade his followers release her. Save me, my own love—my He gave but one glance at the beautiful being, and then “clasped her to him in a long embrace. - _ “Zoheide! my long. lost, dearly beloved Zobeide!” he cried, in rapture. “Once more do I behold thee, whom I have mourned: as dead. Never more shall we be parted!” “Never, my Selim, never! You alone art truly beloved. No other ties shall"bind me, no other life shall lure me but that thou leadest.” Ae Hassan, the false one, where is he? Lives he yet, the © ‘Speak not thus, Selim, he is my father.” “He is not. He is a false friend who has stolen thee from e own devoted parent, and tried to instil a hatred in your toward one whom thou shouldest love.” ather lives?” “Where is he?” ne _ “I know not.” ‘ hat is his name?” eal cannot tell thee.” ee Nes herefore?” . o net ask me now. is not yet come,” Me will take me to him?” T will try. We must make a halt now, for the sun ‘is hot, In time you shall know all, but, the 1 it touches.” at ar they?" ot youth and maiden, Americans. They haye been e, and I would not see then perish. LMS { Vhere are they now?” _ “They were in the camp when it was attacked. 2 “Then they are in the power of Murad the dark. ¥ : aired) ives he ye Se Cae ce A) but oly until I can meet him. Some of his. hirelings to take you from me. Let the dog beware, for is pan his track, and will shoUlowy Ht up to the very ¥ id a out i in hoarse fone: e the storm fiend, Ponte the: spirit of the sete the the “Desert!” ‘strides the camel bore his two riders toward the neing Arabs, who paused for a moment, horror-struck, ith a ‘sudden impulse of fear which they could not n all directions. — F iB) | who seemed to think the repast a sumptuous one, but in. ‘th | permitted to come near them, and suffered as’ much from oe as he had from the heat previously. ; and children going to London, rested nearly all | him with an extra quantity of milk. tion was anything but pleasant, -| running over the hot sand and sharp sto | ish, and, in spite of the old woman’s kindness, was in a, | mate rescue kept him from sinking utterly, ang buoy Su Rite upon his ice felt al , Saw a myriad of d pe lights | fash before his eyes, ‘and the roynding things. He knew not if Ismail had gone on in search of Laura, or whether he had been killed, for all was a blank. For any good he could do his betrothed or the Egyptian, he & E might have been dead. Seas Meanwhile Ismail hastened on, shooting at such Arabs as — ce came within range, and pursuing those whom he could see had carried away the American girl, all the while shouting out ae see terrible warning. Cal was awakened by hearing a confused sound of bites % and opening his eyes, saw a number of savage Arabs standing around him. The darkness had gone, the sun being half an hour high, and its heat already beginning to be oppressive. Seizing him rudely by the arm, one of the Arabs forced him to arise, after which he delivered a hasty order to those ~ ; about him. Before the young man could resist, the human cormorants had sprung upon him, deprived him of his bdots, hat and near-— ly every article of clothing, bound his hands behind him, put a rope around his neck, and had fastened this to the headstall of one of the camels. ete with a few hasty words, the party mounted and rode ° Poor Cal! him. Deprived of her he loved best, far from his home, snatched - away from even those strange friends he had made in that wild land, robbed, despoiled of everything, treated as a slave, this was the hardest blow that had yet befallen and compelled to walk barefooted upon yee scorching sands, © his lot was indeed a hard one. The pace he was obliged to keep up was far beyond his. strength, considering the place and circumstances, and more than once he thought he should fall exhausted. 3g At these times the cruel spears of the Arabs would pierce his flesh, goading him on to renewed exertions, forcing him to keep up with the camel, or be dragged along the gritty, } burning sands. Covered with blood, sweat and dust from head to aes: sore with his wounds, and the exertion, unable to save h self, should he fall, his hands being fastened behind him; was a sorry plight, indeed, and only the providence of ‘God ; preserved him from death. At last the Heat became too intense for even the Arabs to endure, and they called a halt, pitched their tents, and pre — pared a simple meal, after. which they would sleep until — evening. The unfortunate young man was given a small qu camel’s milk, a few ounces of a thick pudding made of corn and water boiled together, and beside this a REY small quantity to drink. As far as food was concerned, he fared as well as ike Arab matter of a couch he was not so well provided. “A rough, hairy blanket, which scratched and irritated skin, was thrown to him, and he was told to wrap himself and go to sleep. The night being cold, the Arabs lit fires, but Cal was” their w ay, and Cal had a chance to get over his exhaustion somewhat. . A woman, an ugly old hag, who looked nearly a hun years of age, took pity on our hero’s forlorn’ condition, and bandaged his feet, applied healing oils to his wound him the skin of some animal to wrap himself in bas sup The next day the party, who were travelers wit Being able to speak Arabic, Cal got along : would otherwise have done, and his promises of re’ ard, case he should be carried to his friends, seemed to have gr weight with the old woman. The next time they started out she made the young man sit on her camel, and though, in his. semi-nude esc paenci ury compared of the desert. it was h Day followed day, and though Cal became weak and fey fully inflamed and parboiled condition, the thought of ul i. SP aues aes CHAPTER XVI ‘ AGAIN wir FRIENDS, ON ntity Tne ; : ~ q My ae <i

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“THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. Hard fare, very little water, no comfort; I will stand it no longer!” The allowance of water had been growing smaller and small-j} er, and all but one of the female camels were dry, so that their | supply of milk was also short. ‘the Arab chief grew more cruel every, day, and once he beat the old woman for showing Cal a kindness, upon which’ the young man resolved to punish the brute at the first opportuni- ty offered. On this particular evening, he had crawled into the old woman’s tent undiscovered, when he suddenly came across his coat tied up in a bundle. He appropriated it forthwith, and found that the little ob- long casket, sealed with sheet lead, still remained in one of the pockets. Seeing a knife belonging to the old woman lying near, he snatched it up, and, going just outside the tent, tore the lead from the package. Inside was a small box with a sliding lid, which Cal with- drew and discovered a fine white powder. Taking some of this in his hand he carefully examined it, smelling it and rubbing a pinch between his fingers. “By Jove, the very thing!” he said; “who would have thought the old Egyptians were toxicologists? There isn’t a more deadly poison known to the profession; if I don’t give those wretches a dose, then I don’t know myself!” Putting on his coat and securing the box in his pocket, he crept’ to a tent where some of the women had laid out the even- ing meal preparatory to calling the chief and his men. He made a tremendous outery at one side of the tent, and then, when the women’ ran out to see what the trouble was, slipped under, and thickly dusting the food with the powder, made his way out again unnoticed. He then ran hastily to the old woman’s tent, and finding her about to go out, seized her by the hand and looked at her impressively. “Hat no food to-night, except what you prepare yourself!” he said; “there is death in it. Let none of the women and children eat, either.” “What mean you, sahib?” she asked, alarmed at his wild looks. “Ask me not, mother; Allah forbid that I should do you any harm, but the sheik! His hours are numbered!” “°Tis well, no one will mourn. I have known the time, be- fore my spirit was broken, when. I would have killed him in return for an angry look, but now——” She paused, for at that very instant the robber strode) an- grily into the tent, and seeing Cal, burst out into curses against him, “Tdle hound, Christian dog!” he hissed; your work; you are worth less than the salt you eat! vel I have not killed you before now!” “Insolent Arab, know you not that I am under the dread protection of the Desert Demon? Beware how you treat me, for I will have a terrible vengeance!” ' The enraged Arab rushed upon him with his drawn cimeter, and would have struck him to the earth, had not the old woman rushed in. between them and received the blow intend- ed for Cal. She was not badly wounded, though she fell to the earth, but fixing her glassy eyes upon the villain, pointing one skin- ny finger at him, she said: “Wor this, Abdallah, you are doomed! the light of another day!” With a curse parting his lips, the man struck Cal savagely, félling him to the earth unconscious, and rushed from the tent. Cal awoke to find himself stretched out upon the sands, the moon shining in his face, and the old woman bending over him. “The doom ees fallen, sahib, and the wicked Abdallah has passed on to meet his dead master, Ablitz” (Satan). ?, “And the rest?” ey “Nead! ” ’ ' “But not the women or children; they have not suffered?” _. “No; but they have left, bearing away the corpses; surely, it was a terrible revenge!” “And have my sufferings been nothing, woman? Should I endure all this and say nothing, do nothing to requite it? The vengeance of Allah has fallen upon them. I was but the in- strument.” “T murmur not, sahib. _ the powder?” ‘Krom the Sahara Demon ‘himself. is . “You know him?” i Me) TEGO: You have a camel?’ _ “Yes; and one for you, besides. Your raiment also I have secured. Can you travel? Are you strong enough?” “My will is strong enough now to urge me on.” “get ye gone to I mar- You shall never see It was indeed just. Where got you Would he were here. “Then we must away. Stop! this ring; it was yours; I have saved it for you.” “Thanks, mother,” said Cal, taking the ring and putting it upon his finger. “I have been told that some day it might prove a benefit to me.. Let us hope it may.” “It has done so, sahib. But for that you would have re- ceived no kindness at my hands. Well do I know it, and welt do I remember he who gave it thee!” “Tsmail Ben Abdul Said?” “So he is called. I knew him by another name, in the years that have passed.” “What was it?” rs “IT am not permitted to say. In him you have a powerful 2 friend.” “Why has he deserted me?” “For a good reason, doubtless, See, the queen of the night rises high in the heavens. Away—away!” Cal resumed his long unused clothing, and drawing on his boots, which greatly pained his swollen and inflamed feet, mounted his camel and rode off, the old woman leading the way upon her own beast. Through the night they rode, and Cal could soon see the three stars far behind him, which St. Croix had pointed out to him upon that fatal night. What memories they recalled, what emotions, what bitter feelings of revenge! “And yet, had I not accompanied the false guide,” he mused, as he rode along, “I might never have seen Laura, never haye met the Demon of the Desert, never have had in my hand that wonderful gem, the ‘White Sun.’ Ah, what adventures that diamond has led me into!” ara On and on, over the sandy wastes, with nothing to break the dead level, no travelers in sight, naught but the moon and |” the cloudless sky to gaze upon, their long shadows ever fleeing before them, rode the strangely assorted pair in silence. Two hours passed, and Cal was wondering what the old woman could be thinking about, when she drew rein and waited for him to come up. “What chance brought you into iepwinglthe Sahara De- mon?” she asked, abruptly, a8 they rode along together. nae Cal told of their first meeting, of that frightful night in the =~ pyramid, and of the subsequent appearance of the terribie = creature, whose very name seemed to cause alarm, : “Ha-ha! they say his mind wanders,” she said, “and well* © might it, for much has he'suffered. Ah, Iam an old woman’ and the desert is wide. I shall never see him again.” f “You have known him well in past years?” Ki “We were playmates! That circlet,of gold was put upon his: * ead my own hand! Guard it well, for there is a blessing ~~ * on it!’ ee “Let me give it back to you, you have a better right to it.” — “No—no; keep! it, sahib, keep it since he gave it. He well ~~ knew that it would serve you some day. Keep it; it may lead you to him; would it might!” “You long to see him,” said Cal, excitedly; “you are keeping back something! You could tell a strange story, if ,you would.” ; : “Vos, ” “You gave this ring to the old Heyptian?” “T did, and swore to love him.” “You are an Arab, and the Arabs and the Egyptians do not ~ love ae other.” “He said himself that he hated Arabs feared him. Why did you a “Because,” and the withered old proudly, “because I was his wife!” SV owe” “Yes, ” “This is all so strange I know not what to think,” Ainapenele the young man, thoughtfully. “The. wild tales of the Arabian — Nights are but nonsense compared with what I have Keard,’”’ .° “He has told you of me?” ij “No, ” / oe, “He thinks me dead! Many a time have I wished to die, but ~ now, I would not die until I had again seen him and Tenewed those vows made so many years ago.” Nothing more was said, the march being kept up Hsin after sunrise. The sun came up hot and scorching, and before long ; the heat became unbearable. There was no shelter, no water, nothing to allay their suf- .— fering, and Cal was about to give up/in despair, when the old woman pointed to a long, moving line far ahead of them. j “A caravan!” she said. “There is hope for us yet. The God ~ of the Hgyptians does not desert you.” “A caravan?” t “Surely! They will be halting before long; let us hasten.” Although much fatigued, Cal urged his steed forward to keep pace with his guide, and he soon had the unspeakable pleasure of seeing that the caravan had indeed come to a halt, ¥6-Bedouins,. and that alka cz § year to love him?” fi 5 . drey herself up “7

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na that. tents were being pitched, and all the Ret er pe par ee for an extended rest. z _feel} with their riders, that rest and refreshment were at hand. As they drew nearer they could see that the caravan was a| will meet her; do not, and you will miss her.” . large one, and finally, as they reached the tents, a single rider appeared and soon reached them. “What seek you?” he asked. . “Food and rest,” said Cal, dismounting, sinking exhausted upon the sand at the next moment. : The man jumped down and raised the poor fellow up, hold- ing one hand in his own. is “T know that ring,” he said, with great emotion. did you get it?” / “Krom the Demon of the Desert.” “Then welcome, for you are among friends. Zobeide has told me of you. [I am Selim, long mourned as dead, but now restored. Come, eat, drink, and take the rest you so much need. You are with friends who will not let you suffer!” “Where CHAPTER XIX. i WHAT THE STARS BROUGHT ABOUT. It was.a long time before Cal recovered sufficiently to be ble to tell his adventures, or even discover whether or not 4aura was in the caravan, having heen thrown into a raging fever soon. after his rescue by Selim. - juleika attended. ‘to his every want, and nursed him through | his sickness with the most utter faithfulness, which came of “her gratitude to him for having saved her life, At last the young man was able to speak, and the first ques- “asked was concerning Laura. . He was soit that neith- nor Ismail had yet appeared. le ‘did not stop to®think that it was not the most likely ng in the world for the Egyptian to find him in so many ' burst out into complaining, because Laura not been rescued before and brought to where he was. + was very much annoyed, too, because Selim persisted in ing on across the desert; and he told Zuleika that he the Been open: to wait be Ismail should have a fi an} e up. mesa is not the plac to sit down quietly and wait, ould do in a walled city,” answered the Arab girl. ne knows whether we ‘shall ever live to cross, travel @ ever so fast. There are a hundred dangers to be feared full force, would soon end our journey. We must make all e haste we can, and trust to this Egyptian’s own skill, to e him to find us.” F Think you he will?” asked Cal, nervously. it er to bring your beloved again to you.” © be patient, but as ‘the’ days passed by, and there gns of Laura or e demon, he grew discouraged. old him that they must be about two thousand miles , and they could either push on to the sea, or strike ard Timbuctoo, where they were most likely ‘to find his mission taking him there, and: that eventually they a him. ‘ T e old woman, la’ n, who was called Zemilla, dtrdtely opposed nd most. feasible. _ give her reason, she refused for a long time to do that she w pau ia convinced of the truth of what she] a directed their course elsewhere than | ee ri due west, as she called it, having a very ere he ing ee beiraist Laing cause ee ePHee sahib; wi nak a0! poner toward . er of bright stars.” 9 2.) V form of a Dympmid?” i ght stare are there in the grou? . aoe wen ee ; Rear A se trite toward se0—your desert f eee: all.” > ai id guarded against, anyone of which, coming upon us with |) (try; he knows the desert. well; and will do all in| “and declared that the journey to the sea was} _ Suddenly the F * «what i8 it” “Phe brightest star of all Papaciaais the one you tove: The . ‘Over the shifting sands galloped the worn camels, seeming | others are yourself and Ismail, both led on by the bright star 2: ahead. The recovery of your adored is now your only aim in life. Her star points toward the sea. Travel there, and you _ “But Ismail is going to Timbuctoo.” “I care not. I tell you the stars announce to me beyond dispute that our course is straight to the sea.” “Prove to me that such a course is best, and I will take fies “T will—watch!” : Zemilla raised her hands toward the heavens, stretching her — arms out above her head, and uttering some strange, unintelli- gible sounds. Then she suddenly exclaimed, in Arabic: “Give me a sign, spirit of the air, beautiful Ariel, show me a” token that this youth may know I ‘speak true.” Suddenly, as she spoke, a brilliant meteor flashed in mid- 4 air, and sweeping through the sky, leaving a long, fiery train behind it, fell to the earth, or disappeared from sight. Its course had been toward the west. “Behold!” cried Zemilla; ‘do. you believe me now?” iM “Whether I do or not, I shall journey westward!” “Wnough! You have faith in what I say!” When the march was resumed, it was toward the ocean. ; On the second day afterward, a large caravan was observed coming from the north. They seemed in hot haste, rushing ort with flying banners. “Tt is a war party,” said Selim, as they came nearer. “And see!” cried Zeleika, in terror. ‘That blood-red pen-— nant which leads the column is the sign ee which Sheik Has: e san makes known his presence.” ; “Sheik Hassan!” cried Cal. " i 1 “Yes, ” f “ ‘ a’ “Then let him look to his life!” answered Selim. ¥ Then addressing his men, he commanded them to form as strong a line as they could, in order to repel an attack if one f should be made. th On came the wild horde, the dust hovering in a thick ‘cloud i; above their heads, through which shone the red Pepa of ibe Hassan. Selim’s men, with guns cocked and ready, stood firm, ‘await: ing the shock, never uttering a sound, but determined to wipe ‘ out the thieving band that was speeding down upon ‘them,’ or lose their own lives. — “Yield—yield, thou fair-skinned cur!” shouted Hassan hin’ self, drawing his cimeter, and rushing upon Selim. “Never!” 4nd two bright blades flashed in the sunlight. — They clashed and clinked, and sent out showers: of sparks: swifter than. lightning were the motions of the combatants: rape firm as iron was Selim’s wrist, keen was his glance, and flus! oe was his cheek, while Hassan SER with the utmost desper ation. Cal singled out a dark- looking waht: who’ wesmen to be: aie f in command to Hassan, and iat him as he’ was making his way toward Selim. — ithe The man blustered and cursed and Leesa S bi purpose, for Cal’s arm was strong, and his wris' tempered steel, and the’ Arab was hard presse ‘Suddenly he broke away, and rushed full til i The latter turned as he approached, and, with a smi triumph, met the onslaught, turning the ‘dark man ; aside with the greatest ease. ra y “Ha-ha, false Murad!” cried Selim; “y Fonscy once you escaped eye jet no work “Tffeminate: brat, make you peace wi to leave your bones to whiten on the while Hassan joined hir isa its, wh rhand, the ee ; on a with what fierce passions they Ww was a trem h to nie races and

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= ‘No—no; “tis: a troop coming to the aid of Hassan!” cried y one of Selim’s men. “Nearer eame the cloud, and then in its midst could be seen the glitter of armor, and in the very front rank, clad in a coat of mail that shone-like the sun, was Ismail Ben Abdul Said, the Demon of the Desert himself. -- “God be praised!” ‘cried Sélim. “Now shall this robber Has- “gan, this despoiler of homes, meet the just fate that he has . 80 long escaped!” On came the strange being with his band, a veritable army, ‘clad in shining mail, with long spears, unerring guns and keen, daggers, their armor glistening and pennants flying. ' The demon was the foremost figure of all, and close behind in rode a most beautiful youth, fair of face and slender of dimb, wearing a shirt of mail that shone like silver, in his hand a shining cimeter, and over his flowing locks a turban of gold cloth surmounted by a scarlet plume. Ismail himself wore the Egyptian head-dress, and among - dts heavy folds, standing out in full prominence, sparkling hee nd shimmering in strange contrast to the swarthy skin of its possessor, shone the precious diamond, the White Sun of the Pharaohs. — ; “Now, by the glory of Pharaoh!” cried Ismail, ‘Bedouin dogs to pieces!” “eut the CHAPTER XX, GILBERT BRENTFORD OBTAINS A CLEW. it-is about time for us to return to Gilbert Brentford, the brother of Laura. whom we left in Cairo after Cal’s sudden disappearance. . Gilbert inquired for Cal after dinnner, not seeing him around, and was told that he had gone out and would not be back until late. He thought it rather singular that his old chum, on the me very night of his arrival, should go away without saying’ where he was going or telling him anything about it, partic- ularly as there were plans to be made regarding the expedi- ion the next day. He strolled listlessly about the hotel smoking and thinking, eae ane that Cal would return at some uhne dure h r, with a ee pipe and a fan, an interesting book, a bril- lamp, the latter suspended over his head, Gilbert made himself easy and began to sit up for his chum. The pipe was smoked out twice with long intervals babekeut e book lost its interest by not lasting long enough; the lamp a er own dim, and Gilbert himself felt very. tired, and still Ibert looked at his watch; it had stopped at a few minutes Me a twelve, but he knew he had heard the great clock down- | ; strike several times since he last looked at his watch, h had then said eleven. hy ‘didn’ t he sella fellow?” @ cigar, scraped up another light, took a newspaper, | ready for another. waiting spell. sake of comfort he loosened his Gates kicked off 5, and stretched himself out in his chair with his nm i i and Gilbert was sound. asleep, while poor Cal was ing spouh in the mayster ious passages of the great Pyr- mp had gone out, the sun was shining he noise of. bustle TErOueD the house p Aang clog. : Bees 1d apeene was ‘being hurried ore ‘| walked quickly cigar ‘fell sae his. fingers, Graaveas into a spittoon, and | t his ittle clock on. ‘the shelf he was surprised to | a. young n man’s other baggage 1 was thrown nontisedl > abate jusi as he had left it in his excitement. On the floor, near the dressing-table, was something white, bys which Gilbert picked up. ¥ It was an envelope addressed to his friend. “sane “Aha! a note marked ‘private.’ That’s what has taken him away. What could it have been? Who would write to him? He knows nobody here.” : The young diplomat walked up and down, and isc 3 brushed aside the draperies of the dressing- table. ; A crumpled piece of paper was revealed. He picked it up, smoothed it out, and glanced hastily at it. It was the note that Cal had received the night before, and which had been the means of taking him off to the Pyramids. ; “I see it all. The poor boy has been decoyed to the Pyra- mids, and there murdered by the Arabs.” Me Then he paced up and down for a few moments, absorbed in thought. : “Who could have Written this letter?” he’ mused. “Some- / one ‘who wanted him put out of the way. But why? What j motive could they haye had?” is He thought again, but could come to no Seplarattor of the mystery; he felt completely baffled. “If he had known anyone here, I might imagine ite someone was jealous of him, and wished to put him out of the way, so as to possess Laura for himself. “Tf that were so,” continued the young man, “then some: one besides the Arabs have beer engaged in this business, and the Sheik Hassan was but a tool.” ; He examined the note once more, and then discovered the , three stars in the place of the signature. “I have a clew,” he muttered. “There is a man here who pretends to be an astrologer; claims to be able to reveal the future; and to tell, by the aid of planets, all that one wishes to know. I will go to him.” * First, however, ,he had his breakfast, and then lighting a cigar, walked out into the office. Nat He observed a shabby-genteel sort of personage standing | near the desk, and something in the man’s manner aenU, bin ma as familiar. ~- : Mi _In a moment the man 's identity came to him. a ‘It was the shabby-looking European he had seen in the cafe. the day before. a} “That man knows something of this case, or I am very much mistaken,” thought Brentford. “I must try him.” Seeing an acquaintance not far off, Gilbert walked over: to. him and said, in quite a loud tone of voice: (em Se Fa the expedition against the Sheik Hassan ae out : yet?” { “Yes, it went early this morning. 4, 7 “T am sorry about that; I meant to have. gone with it m ‘self, but a friend whom I expected did not turn up, and | could not go without him.” d . Gilbert turned suddenly, after uttering these words, an y a diabolical smile cross the face of the shabby man. a The fellow did not observe that he was watching, and he rubbed his thin, sallow hands in glee. Z Then he looked about him, saw Gilbert gazing at him, an out into the street. “111 bet that fellow knows more than he cares to tel if I get it out of him, then I am out in my | latio: Not very long after that, Gilbert knocked at the door of astrologer’s house, but found that. the reader of the mysteri of the stars had not put in an. appearance. He was turning to go away when the shabby man came ) and asked him what he desired to know. & . “Many things, you spying knave!” he apauabad: seizing 4 man by the collar; “and first of all, what you have done my friend. Who sent him that note, and why? T everything, yu miserable cur, or ll shake you to piece “I know nothing, sir, absolutely nothing, and iT tool in the hands of a clever workman.” : “I see, and if I pay you more than your prese da will work for me and against him?” “The best master pays the most.” : _ “There is five dollars. Remember, if you prove f Ise to. {ett have. you turned over to the authorities and bai ries Af ers. Pat 1 o the eee of my fri nd and my: cd ¥ « an reported it to g0 eone else?" Wee om

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“To lure him away?” PVCS 2" “Why should he?” “He hates the American.” « “He never saw him before in all his miserable life. eause has he to hate him, I should like to know?” “Because Monsieur Cal, as you call him, loves the one most adored by him, though his love is scorned.” “Loves my—Miss Brentford?” gasped Gilbert, in astonish- - ment, such an idea never having entered his head before. » “He does, and although she has treated him with scorn and contempt, he has sworn to have her.” _“He hired the Bedouins to abduct her, did he not?” said Gilbert, abruptly, taking the man off his guard. 2.) “Yes—oh, yes—that is to say——” 3 “Don’t try to lie to me, or I’ll turn you over to the janizaries this minute. Remember, you are in my employ, and if you =) play me false, it will be the worse for you. Where is your ct master?” “Not yet returned from the Pyramids.” ;“He went there last night?” \ Ley es.” : “With the young American physician?” “Yes, on two fleet steeds. Your lordship possesses wonder- ful powers of perception.” “Never mind that, your master’s intention was to get fe: of my friend, or let others do it for him?” _ “Bxaetly; ‘he will be carried into captivity.” - “Oh, the villain! who would concoct such a diabolical plan!” “Hist! your honor,” said the man, suddenly looking down ne street. “My late master, Mr. St. Croix, approaches.” “And accompanied?” y no one. His brow is sad; he has met with a ied: intment.” . { “Meet me at the Fer cafe at three, and tell me all you know. member, be true and you will be well paid—false, and I'll ye you scorgéd. I can tell!” - Then Gilbert Brentford returned to the office and con- “sulted as to what was best to be done in the matter., One of Sigel agents of the city police was put upon the track C t. Croix, whom he knew well, and he promised to ferret hole plot to the bottom, | What Re i rabanned and so Gilbert could not tell if Laura would be livered or not. Late in the afternoon he received a note evidently in the ndwriting of the police spy, directing him to go at once to CHAPTER XXI. \ REUNIONS. * he Pspeniene of the Demon with his mrilerine company k terror to the Arabs under Murad and Hassan, for they | ne oe with Sewice reinforcements they were likely to\be eated. They. fought with: all the more’ desperation, Hassan hurling self upon Cal with the fury of a wild beast. r & ‘man was in sore. ‘straits, the Arab being much. ‘and stronger than he, and it would have soon been with him, had not the young man who rode by the J Demon dashed, up at that moment, and with the le impetuosity, attacked the robber sheik, crossing abe vith him at once, _. showed great dexterity, and being fresh, while the Arab omewhat winded, he had consinlerable: of an advantage the wily Bedouin. enraged that so slight a ‘youth should. get the ad-| ve , redoubled his exertions, and by a quick mov; \versary’s weapon flying from his hand. sh boy hireling of a doting Egyptian beggar, | of thy presumption!” cried Hassan, t the mond. of ‘his discomfited opponen in his saddle, took Wore al ‘ Bevosiat ‘not deserv: car ul aim : z “ae tt nd ae off his. head at one blow, held it aloft — point of a long spear. ae , “Behold the fate of all the enemies of the Demon of the Desert! . Now thou art avenged, Ismail, truly thou art avenged. “aS Selim at that moment closed with Murad, both having dis- mounted, and rushing upon him, disarmed hini with a light- —~ ning-like movement of the wrist. Throwing aside his cimeter and drawing a jeweled dagger, he sprang upon his dark visaged Ea Bog and buried the weapon to the hilt in his throat. Murad fell without a groan, and Selim, placing his foot upon the man’s neck, waved his blood-stained dagger aloft. “Thus perish all the enernies of Selim the Fair,” he cried. “Tremble, ye heathen dogs, when you behold me in my wrath!” The Arabs seeing the fall of their two leaders, fled incon- tinently, but their relentless foes pursued them, and not a . single man of all the party escaped with his life. ; The Demon rushed hither and thither, doing terrible exe- — cution, and at least a score perished by his hand alone. The others exerted. themselves with almost as furious zeal, and in half an hour after the arrival of the Egyptian, the hostile Arabs were annihilated. : Then the party set out upon their march, guided by the _ Demon, the dead bodies of the Arabs, stripped of everything ( ’ valuable, being left to burn and crumble away . upon the “7% scorching sands. Before setting out, however, our hero met ‘with a glad sur- prise. Riding up to the young warrior, he began to thank — him for his interference during the fight with Hassan., — s The young man took off his golden helmet and displayed a mass of wavy hair, which fell in showers upon his neck, Around his head was a quaint and curious circlet, formed of carved gems, exquisitely set and linked together. ; “Don’t you know me, Cal?” said a voice. \Laura; my own!—it is you, indeed, that I behold,” cried the — young man, throwing his arms about his darling and imprint- nee kiss upon her sweet lips. af es, Cal; it is I, and no one else. ~Don't I make a hand- A | some young warrior?” ‘ iy “Indeed, you do. Where did you get euch brave accou- trements?” yee “Your old friend Ismail provided me with them, knowing ” that I would be better treated traveling in this fashion than ,_ as a woman. We have searched long and diligently for Ghee! clin and*had almost given up all hopes of ever seeing you again.” “Thank Heaven, we meet again, and shall never more pari tt A kind Providence has watched over our fortunes thus. far, rm and I feel that the worst of our trials are over.”’ ke There were other ‘reunions taking place at the same time, ; which were equally joyful. i Ismail, rushing up. to where the women were standing agit gether, said: “Where is the Arab maiden, she who is called Zuleikal?” . ; ‘The old woman who had been, so kind to Call during his terrible journey with the zomadic Arabs, threw off ner biol and approached him. “Do you not know me, Khadames?” she cried. “Do you not /-know your own Zemilla?” “Rhadames?” he echoed, in astonishment. by that name, which I have not neaee | for years. woman, who are you?” “Who calls mak me eas : aa é 44 husband does ‘not know me?” the oe woman said, ‘sorrowfully. “tT am Zemilla, your wife!” — ; “Zemilla, my own! God be praised for this! I dé indeed ‘know you now,” said the Egyptian, “but how sadly changed j I have mourned you as dead for years.” “Many a time haye I wished eelt: dead, Rhadames said, sadly; “but the hope of seeing you once again has. ke alive the flickering flame within my ‘bosom. — Many and ma a time have I prayed for this i Pee ag =e “You knew I lived?” ; i “Not until I beheld your ping sahib. Then I knew it; and longe T should again behold you, a: ). you in | “The gods of my fathers are merciful,” folding his long-lost spous se com

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THE DE MON O F THE DESERT \murmured, hanging her shapely head; “but I have been taught | otherwise.” . “They that said so were as false as the evil one. now, your truest friend—behold your father!” “My father? Oh, Heaven! can this be true?” *“Indeed—indeed, it is, Zobeide!*”’ said the Egyptian, taking her by the hand. “I am your father, and for years has’ the false friend, Hassan, poisoned your mind against me, and tried to make you hate me—striven, with all the force of his devil- ish nature, to injure you, and, by that means, break my heart. ' I am your father, believe me; and some day I will tell you my pitiful story.” me believe you now, my father!” she said. “And now,”, he continued, “let us resume our march across ‘the desert.” Behold, : CHAPTER XXII. A STRANGE STORY AND A TERRIBLE LOSS. The march was forthwith continued, but the heat becoming nitenae, and the*party arriving at a little green spot where ‘there was a well of the coolest and most sparkling water that ' Gal had ever tasted, a halt was called, and the tents were ' pitehed. i They rested until nightfall, and then, Laura having resumed : the attire of hér sex, Zobeide providing her with .suitable ie garments, ° she and Cal rode side by side, conversing lovingly together, and holding sweet communion after so long a sep- aration. : Selim and Zobeide, as we shall now call the Arab girl alto- get er—that being her true name—enjoyed each other’s com- is universal, the tender passion finding a resting: place in the ; whether Christian, Turk, Infidel, or Buddhist; all na- ah, ade and tribes feel the influence of the “sweet little cherub » that sits up aloft,” and all alike being pierced by his arrows. ‘The march was made rapidly, for the desert was more arid Lit an ‘ever, and some of the camels began to suffer ‘from want of food, the dry, coarse plants upon which they fed hecoming earce. Many of them were killed, their meat affording sus- tenance to the’ travelers, ‘put ‘rendering necessary the over- ading of many of the rest. se a Otre ‘afternoon, whil ley were resting in the shadow of ‘te! its, our particul i themselves, im suddenly spoke. — I no © doubt, wonder,” he said,, “that I Should be. so ne - My aa is ance “Tijara; Bit ee ie Arabs, I have adopted. ne name of antic. history. co, your, life has been an_ ey one.” ae { parents. ted put a mere child, carried into | he Turks, sol as a slave to the. lace of the ues pieeae I Bae ‘spiri ie over me again, I me Zob e, and we pledged Br het i ix ‘ i ms and rea aa ‘lat oe rotlta; te prt 475 any as much as did the Americans, for the language of love | the others being determined to remain ther Tae of all God’s creatures, whether white, brown, red, or| halt, Ismail appeared, looking wild and h mk ow—whether Caucasian, Negro, Malay, Indian, or Mon- streami riends being gathered togsthen, in}. : ‘| weyptian said, suddenly. | cross me in my purpose. the ieee oes the Demon of Nog ea ie Egyptians, and | janie the maiden, throwing her arms about the Heypllans, ; nec j “Hassan was a robber!” resumed Marco, ‘‘and had to change his quarters from place to place. I discovered his secret as well as the identity of his supposed daughter, there being a. peculiar mark upon her arm which I myself saw Rhadames - put there.’ “T remember it well,” interposed the Egyptian; “’Twas “e winged globe. I put it there when she was but three years © old, and Marco only nine,” f “At last the time came when we were pledged to each other, assan not daring to interfere, for he knew that his life was no secret to me, and that I would expose him if he opposed my wishes. Zobeide has told you of the combat in the garden, and of my disappearance. I was captured by marauding Bed- ouins, and only succeeded in escaping and forming a band of my own after two years.” “You have met with many changes,” observed Cal. “Yes, my life has been a curious one. The desert is wide, and my search was necessarily a tedious one; but there is an end to all things, and now I have found my betrothed, aveng- ed myself upon my enemies, assisted those who were in dis- tress as I had once been myself, and reunited those who were separated.” “It sounds like some eastern romance,” said Laura. “Who would have supposed that in this wild, desolate land we shoul meet with so many romantic adventures, marvel at 80 many mysteries, and listen to such marvelous stories?” “The east is the very birth-place of romance,” said. Mare “Nowhere else will you find so much that is wonderful. 5 was born the Genius of story-telling, and nowhere else hai been ‘so richly nourished.” 3 Day followed day and the journey was proceeded with at ae rapid rate, the destination being the ancient City of Timb too, where Cal and Laura would find an escort to the Ae r Suddenly, one morning, as the caravan A , and his manner partaking of that that’Cal had formerly noticed, but which had’ disappeared. : “The diamond,” he said. “The: White Sun of the Phar. “What of it?” + “It:is! lost!” oe, “Tost?” echoed all, in great consternation. aie ““Ay—Ic eo my pil igrimage must be Late cat onc?) more. ra “You must have tts said © Cal. r “No—no, I have it not. tL ig gone! yy placed tie girdle and now it is ‘not there.” °° sae “You may have lost it long ago and not senbiwdl pf readin a “Ay, for it is two days since I last looked upon it. I ‘he e searched everywhere, and do not find ft : in No one spoke a word, for the man’s agony “was so errible that words were out of place. r ist *, “T shall seek it if I have to search the rest of ny if “Then springing suddenly on his camel, he waved his hands and shouted hhoarsely_ as he: ‘das en” away: ae Woe to ioe who * “Ha-ha-ha! ‘Tam the Devil of ‘the | abara! I am the storm fiend, the 5 Bey

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THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. i “But he will kill you!” ‘ “Silence! No treachery, you miserable worm, or I will kill you as well—or what’s worse, have you bastinadoed.” “The man trembled violently and endeavored to prevent Gil- bert from passing, but the latter pushed him aside as if he had ' been but a child. _ At that moment the voice of St. Croix was heard, Vedat from the floor above: © What is the matter, Adolph?” "answer him!” whispered Gilbert. “A visitor to see you, sir.” “Tell him I am deeply engaged.” “Say 1 must see him,” whispered Gilbert, and the message owas repeated. '“T will not see him.” “Indeed you shall, then!” shouted Gilbert, springing up the steps and confronting St. Croix on the landing. “What means this intrusion?” ' “Aha, Armand Laroque, it is you, is it? You who have pre- ‘sumed to ask for my sister’s hand! St. Croix suits you better an your own name, I presume. The police of Paris would p a recognize you so quickly, eh?” “This is an insult, sir!” “As you like. What have you done with the young phy- ian, Mr. Atwater, whom you lured to the Great Pyramid last night on a false errand?” ‘The Frenchman started, and suppressed an oath. _ “Tt know your secret, your accomplice has panteased all,” said | _ Gilbert, trusting to an untruth to entrap the man into mak- ga confession. “The conversation overheard by him, and sported to you, gave you your idea. You dress the same as does, look like him in every possible way; that is well con- ceived. You can work up an alibi in that way very nicely.” ir, do you regard me as a criminal?” — “We Americans never mince our words, St. Croix, and when we say anything, we mean it. You are a contemptible scoun- rel! What have you done with my sister, you and the thiev- heik Hassan?” m Dieu, the man knows everything!” hissed St. Croix. REROVeTAS himself, he bit his lip and said, hastily: I do’ not know meee “You have dared to ts her hand in e would not tell me of it, but after her abduc- found @ the proofs in her writing desk. Curse you for as re Frenchman, how dare you cL ees so. much?” E ae Croix,was white with rage. His thin lips were drawn ly back from over his white teeth, which were set rigidly, lis eye glistened like that of a wild animal about to pon its victim. rid,” he muttered. ; but not a French thief!” baaeerne Gilbert, scornfully. | Frenchman started to spring upon the American, but latter struck him ae in) the face that La ees drew blood. H enraged Preretmn any “Name your weapons. as demand an iate meeting!” shall have it. The revolver is the national weapon of , and I shall use it.” ‘none, retorted the other. “It is a clumsy weapon, res no skill to handle. Give me the delicate rapier.” what you will, though I, as the challenged party, have it to choose my weapon.” : , ot this as good as any?” 1% a house? Do you think me 2, fool?” ae seat dreonchiian in ae suav- v ne Breatly: changed since the chal- ng you out. less a villain than you are? Perhaps | ft, was the i Aga given, ie the most insulting ot desire to fight here. ” a MMi oe ‘Selim, Said and the rest of the Arabs- rode off into t the sandy reach of desert stretching beyond, when three forms could have been seen walking rapidly away from the river. : Soon they paused, and took their places, Gilbert standing ‘with face to the light. The word was given, and the two combatants crossed swords the third man standing apart, a little behind the American. Gilbert fought well, but did not notice that the third man was edging up closer and closer, and that he held a rapier in his hand. His opponent’s face was partly covered with a dark hand- kerchief, and being also in shadow, was not easily distinguish- ed, Gilbert’s own face being bathed in moonlight. The young man suddenly began to force his opponent to face toward the moon, and, presently, after one desperate lunge, badly parried by his opponent, Gilbert got a good glance at the man’s face, the handkerchief falling down. It was not St. Croix he was fighting, but the tricky scoun- drel who served him! Armand, then, had avoided the duel, and was, bce far from the city by this time. But there was a third man! Where was he? Gilbert, apprehending treachery, turned to see if the other was still in sight. He was not quick enough. ae The other man, who had been following him about as he faced Adolph to change his position, suddenly sprang forward and aimed a fearful blow at Gilbert’s back. Gilbert had just time to see that Armand was striking at him when the point of the weapon entered his side. He made a fierce lunge at the cowardly Frenchman, whose sword was wrenched from his grasp. Gilbert, feeling faint and giddy, fell upon his face, and the Frenchman’ S sword was broken, leaving the point sticking in his body. Then all was a blank, and he remained unconscious. “Ha-ha,” laughed the Frenchman, “he is done for. Come, — Adolph, I have a bad wound myself, and it must be attended to. Let us leave this viper here to die.” Sif “Or to be scorched by the fierce sun on the morrow. “You're right. Confound that Hassan, I trusted him too much. But for that, my brightest hopes would now be real- ized, and the beautiful American girl would be my wife in ; spite of herself.” ; They departed, and through the night the body of the: American lay stretched upon the sand, the blood oozing slow- ly through a wound in the side, and poor Cal, whom he sought 4S to save, riding on across the trackless desert. ~ tn Gearing xxiv. fh enw TWO STARTLING SURPRISES. une ‘As Ismail rode away the Spirits of the party ‘tell to their lowest ebb. “We must not let him go alone,” said Cal. “Let us follow, and if possible assist him.” “Tt is useless,” answered Selim; “we had better wait unti he returns, for even should he chance to meet. his foes, th have such a terror of him that they would not molest -bim.’ “For all that we had better follow him.” The woman and half the men remained ‘behind, Py Cal, in the direction Ismail had taken. _ The path was a well defined one, ‘nc caravan pointing out the road for miles and All one day did the party follo though they could ‘sometimes near enough to hail him. and they saw Ismail hurrying emmy ino of it, | Then be daooted to the’ aarti and they t ‘The sand beginning to sweep down wupo / ‘ment, they quickly prostrated themselves to the | 2 he terrible, hateod storm passed over

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THB, DEMON oF THE DESERT. He was accompanied by someone, who sat behind him upon | his camel, and as the two came nearer, Cal thought he recog- nized the man as a Huropean by his dress. _ Ismail came up at last, and riding directly to the side of | the American, said, impressively: “Sahib, I have brought you a friend, through the aid of the marvelous gem,-the White Sun.” - He had the jewel in his hand and it sparkled as brilliantly as ever, catching the last rays of the declining sun and re-; peating them a hundred fold. It was not the wondrous diamond, however, that attracted Cal’s attention. It was the face of Ismail’s companion that occupied him. The form was that of a young man clad in modern gar-; ments, which betokened the wearer either an American or European. The face was startlingly familiar. “Impossible!” gasped Cal. “It cannot be.” . At that moment the young man opened his eyes, muttered a few incoherent words and suddenly caught sight of Cal. _ In an instant a look of intelligence came into the glassy eyes, and with one single cry of glad recognition, the stran- ger held out his hand to Cal and clasped the latter’s in a strong grip. “Cal Atwater—thank God!” “Gilbert Brentford, upon my life!” ejaculated Cal, return- | '- ing the pressure. “Who would have expected to see you , here?” “Thank Heaven for guiding the steps of this wonderful be- + ing to where I lay, almost perishing,” said Gilbert, “for with- | ‘out his aid I must have died!” “But this diamond?” “J found it upon the sand, Bee marveled at its great bril- | Maney. I knew it must be of inestimable value, but wondered | - how it should have come there.” “You found it upon the sand?” z “Yes, and would have given it willingly for . a drink of water.” _ “But how came you alone on the desert? You have not fol- Towed us all this distance without a guide?” “No, for I had no idea where you were. I was ‘careied away | from Cairo by a band of agen ne Arabs, Nubians and Hgyp- pane =e: ‘strong horde.” s “FTat the renegades! the hireling dogs!” muttered Ismail, in a rage. “They were a part of my band.” “But how did you happen to meet them?” asked Cal, who | as ouid not yet understand the situation of affairs. j ai discovered ‘your absence, and that you had been decoyed away by a false nee Then I ran across St. Croix, who is an (iyenturer and a fugitive from justice. I fought a duel with | ek by treachery, was wounded, and left for dead on the When I cam ‘to, I found myself traveling over the desert, with the pyramids just fading from sight.” é have you been, perhaps, close at hand many a time, ‘we neither of us knew it?” me) ‘often. ‘heard my captors speaki emon, but, of course, did not know eid of Ismail and the ho they meant. They ob me, and sell me for a slave.” ‘The mercenary fools!” muttered the Heyptian. “They shall terribly punished if once I discover their hiding place. us but. ‘somehow. I was: IRE: and, though pore ‘ivations, managed to keep alive.” ‘ ‘well imagine what you have suffered.” ‘Only yesterday, while haiting, the motley crew that had tu ed me suddenly started up in great agitation, and be- ring for instant flight. I could not understand what Finally, how- , as. I.knew very little Arabic. rstood one of th ?” said Cal, in surprise. ae the man said: that the eye of the Sahara peared in their midst, and that if they Feipincd utterly ; they 1 Bees and bia Set ee ae) | great confusion, and by the appearance of things a is Comm 1 d that I should be taken to him, but I think they intended | unde: to say that the Demon’s eye} the midst of them, and’that its presence bia death.” | them, and they could hardly see anything ahead, so ete we the flying clouds of sand. f departed ok once, Jeaving me| W: “Tt was. I who drew it from its long resting place in the Pyramid, and gave it after many strange adventures into the hands of the last descendant of the Pharoahs. That stone has been one cause of all my troubles, but as it has enabled us to find you, I cannot blame it.” Cal then related the many strange experiences through which the diamond had passed, and Gilbert opened his eyes in astonishment. “T carried the diamond in my hand and started out to find a place of rest, but after walking for hours, and seeing nothing but the dreary dead level of sand, a sense of my awful situa- tion came over me, and weak and helpless I sank to the ground, “How long I lay there, of course, I could not tell, but I was awakened by feeling a cooling draught being poured down my throat. I opened my eyes and saw a strange creature with © white hair and beard bending over me.” “That was our kind friend Rhadames, known as the Demon of the Desert; he has been of great help to us all,” said Cal. “To us all? You have not found Laura?” may “Yes, we have, and-she is awaiting us even now, v, about : day’ 3 march away, upon the desert.” ah “Let us hasten then and rejoin her. happen before we meet.” “You are excited, old fellow, and well you might bé, after what you have experienced. We will reach the other division of the party by to-morrow.” The return march had already been resumed, after a slight halt for rest and refreshment, and the party pushed ahead rapidly through the night, never pausing once until the sun was high in the heavens the next day. te There had been no mistake in retracing their steps, for bot) Selim and Ismail, as we shall continue to call them, were pr: ticed travelers of the desert, and could hold as straight course as a bird; but when the party reached the place where their friends ought to be awaiting them, there was nothing t be seen. ? They pushed ahead for about half an hour and then s denly came upon a strange scene of carnage and battle.» The dead bodies of camels and men lay upon the sand a I fear something may bat had lately taken place. ; Many of the friends of Selim and Ismail were ‘found, ax there was left no doubt in the minds of the party that their friends had been set upon by enemies and murdered. “Great heaven! I feared something would sty me | Gilbert. pet can have become of my sister?’” have done this deed,” observed Selim; “but most likely tt beauty of the ladies has attracted some one and ney. have be carried away.” “Then let us follow and recover them,” said Cal, fiercely. “Both you and I, noble Marco, have an aim in view.” “AY; and we will accomplish’ it, though our path lead to sea.” “My way leads to Timbhetos or to the ocean, w erever list,” said the Egyptian: “aobeide, my long lost ¢ ild, calls for me, and whither she goes, there is my path. LF als Pausing a moment while they took one 1 t look at t murdered friends, the Demon swung his ¢ leter ove head, and, with a ‘wild shout, the whole party dashed off. “Now, by this radiant sun!” shouted the Hgyptian, holding the White Sun aloft, “I swear to rest not until we have res- cued the maidens ‘and avenged the deaths of our friend od brothers!” - “By the White Sun of the Pharaohs we swear it!” shor the whole party, Cal and Gilbert included, as they fairly fley over the sands, making nothing of the fierce heat or of the ers surface, over which they trode with the speed of wih A tremendous dod: of dust enveloped and accompanied At last another cloud similar to. crease their speed. | : “We have tome up with the villains,” mutters: Marco, Greek. “Spare not a single one.” ith a shout the pursuing party | ashes on, while t a an eye hou wo. theirs is. seen, and th in ers pause, set their lances, and Then, with a fierce shock, t | friend and foe are alike ind ig | fusion which a rata

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a \ wr = . “Give up the maidens, or be slain to the last man!” cried Rhadames, dealing terrible blows upon all within reach of his arm. “Yankee land forever!” shouted Cal, seizing a brawny Arab by the throat, and thrusting his cimeter through his body. “Hurrah! for the stars and stripes!” “Where is the white woman?” cried Gilbert, following up ' Marco’s blows. ‘‘Release her at once, or perish every man!” Said and the Nubians, Marco and his Arabs, Cal, Gilbert and all the rest rushed impetuously upon the foe, and at every blow a man fell dead, but nothing was seen of any of the women. _ Neither Zemilla, Zodbeide, or Laura could be seen, and in fact, no women whatever, and yet the party must have been _ the same that attacked the other division of the caravan, for “packed upon the camels were many things which Marco rec- ognized as having belonged to his men. “Where are the women?” he demanded, seizing the leader _by the throat, and dragging him from his seat as the rest of ie: the party broke and fled. — ae “Spare me, and I will tell you!” groaned the wretch, grow- “A ing black in the face. « “Speak quickly, then, Mohammedan cur, or I will slice off ‘your. ears close to your head!” “They have gone on with the rest of our band toward where _ the sun nightly cools his fiery orb in the trackless waters.” _ “How many are they in number? Speak truly, or I will slit your nostrils like those of the base swine that wallow in the: meadows of the Nile!” | «they far outnumber “Your, band, and when our runners ; “shall reach them, they will return’ and cut you to pieces.” ~ “Liar! thou deservest death for that, but I will spare you if you will guide us to the robbers. They have®a town or en- _ ¢campment upon the borders of the mighty waters?” “Yes, and there may be found hundreds of valiant warriors.” “Guide us thither, and go astray at your peril!” . ~The camels and stores of the slain Arabs were taken pos- ssion of, and after a rest of several hours, haste being out of the question for the present, the party set out, headed by Is- mail, Marco, and the Arab, who was called Muley. Hassan. \. It will not be necessary to describe the march, which was ; as rapidly as possible, and only the most necessary de- ey eing allowed; for, owing to the western end of the desert eing far more wild and barren than the eastern, the chances! finding the means of sustaining life were infinitely smaller in before. Bay _ Day. after day passed, and as the shores of the broad ocean _" were brought nearer, the desolation increased, and it seemed as if everything. was conspiring to defeat the aims of the ricans. othing had been seen of the party who had carried away women, and at last Marco threatened to kill ea es led them astray. meter and whipping Muley’s. turban from his head, “look ur ast upon, that sun now sinking below the desert, for. the: i receive this reward of your “treneniers?” me fierce sweep of the shining blade the head of the Ny severed from his body, and rolled oyer upon the , whi his lifeless trunk lay in a pool of snene close beside nt down like a ball ‘of fire, and as the caravan sudden steep Piclingy pekae the whole broad intic came in sight. a very instant there was a wild hurrah, and an over- ning horde of Arabs rushed down upon the little party, far away could be seen a group of boys, decrepid d a number of women, among whom Gilbert. was ognized Laura! — ) he villains outnumber us two to one,” said Rhadames; ‘are not for that. I possess a paw er ye know not of! them, and follow me closely. spire to release ree After that chance must dines us!” , ee | them. THE DEMON OF THE DE }| the ocean seems so near.’ ‘Sun is not yet in its place on the holy altar. ‘I can know no rest. Let us push on, for the ete, Sore _|and stood upon the shores of the mighty ocean. — reached some place where a ship could be taken, which w Quickly throwing aside.the loose robe that. covered his chest, he exposed his inner vest, and cried out, in shrill tones: “Behold your master, you unclean dogs, and creep away to your kennels!” There was a cry of astonishment from the Arabs, and every — weapon was lowered. : They had beheld that which subdued them, and not one of mia that furious band would have dared to harm the Egyptian, as : he hoped to enter Paradise. What had caused this sudden and complete change? They had beheld their master indeed, and trembled at hay- ing aroused his wrath. Fitting tightly to his body, the Egyptian wore a coat of fine, exquisitely-woven chain armor of hardest steel, and over this was a vest of green silk, which fairly wlazed with jewels and rich embroideries. In the center of all was a device, when every man recog- nized as the emblem of the Grand Master of the most sacred and ancient order of Free Masonry; probably one of the old- est orders of which there is any account, or older still. Most of the Arabs belonged to the different orders of mas- onry, the brotherhood numbering a vast number of adherents in the eastern countries, many of the degrees being unobtain- able anywhere else. They at once recognized in, Rhadames one of the Fakirs of the Inner Temple, and more than that, the very highest ma- sonic dignitary in the east, and it was no wonder Vier trembled. . With pallid lips, and tottering limbs, in silence and in shame, they slunk away, leaving their dead on the field, and offering not the slightest molestation to any of the Demon’s R party. When they had all departed, and were completely out of. sight, Rhadames said, proudly: ) “Did I not tell thee I had the power to scatter these caitifts. ; to the four winds? Yet would I not use this dread power till — all else had failed, till my single arm would not suffice to over t whelm the, vermin.” » “T never knew this, my master!” said Marco, calkicaes “vet have I known thee from a child.” # “Mine is not a secret to be lightly told, my son,’ ' replied the — Egyptian, rearranging his disordered robe; “and only in des- — perate cases do I make it known. More than once on this ter- rible journey across the desert, has this ere of mine ren- — dered Ine great assistance.” uf “1 doubt it not,” returned the Greek. ' The Americans regarded this scene with surprise, the tiene of one man having such power over,a horde of untamed Arabs — being very remarkable, and the knowledge of the fact that ner i could do so greatly increasing their respect for him. ‘ “Let us continue our journey to yonder desert of waters,” spoke the Egyptian, at length, “The way is still long, frie —S me i: . “You will leave us then i alee Cal. us?” “T cannot; I have still my mission to perform. The White. Until that time “You will net go wie CHAPTER XXVI. warts THE END OF THE ig neh THE DESERT _ The next day the travelers arrived a the end of f thelae The plan of Rhadames was to go down the coast un ea) were. ta yin of a sand, bleaching Here ahd ere

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28 THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. ‘was a.sail scarcely distinguishable at first, and then growing plainer. “We must hail them,” said Gilbert, “they will-not see us herwise.” “We have no means of letting them know of our presence,” said Cal, sadly; “and they will sail away from us without ever . knowing how near they were to us.’ “There must be some way of attracting their attention,” said Laura. “See, they are coming nearer every moment. How do castaways signal ships?” “By hoisting flags, making bonfires, firing cannons and other things,” said Cal, adding, gloomily, “but we can’t do anything of the kind because we haye no resources.” “We can light a fire at all events,” said Gilbert, suddenly. “One of those battered wrecks down there will make a splen- did blaze.” “Tt’s a wonder that the thieving Arabs have left anything to burn,” said Cal; “if wood could be used like iron they wouldn't leave a stick. T’ll bet that you won’t find a solitary nail, screw, bolt, traveler or the least scrap of iron on any of those wrecks.” “Well, we don’t want iron; we can’t burn it,” said Gilbert. “How are you going to light your wood, in the first place?” By “Take your watch crystal.” “Watch erystal! I like that. Here’s a man that’s lived - among a lot of thieving Arabs for two or three months talking about a watch crystal. It’s a wonder you’ve got any teeth i lett You wouldn’t haye if there’d been any gold filling in them.” The sail had been drawing nearer and nearer, but was still \ too far away to enable any of the sailors to see the travelers. efore the battered wreck of a once gallant ship, which lay high and dry on. the rocks. “9 The Egyptian soon produced a flame, and before long a ; column of thick smoke arose straight in the air to a great] _ height, and then floated off over the desert. The dry wood snapped and cracked,.and the flames roared, and hissed, and sputtered, the smoke meanwhile growing in volume, ang the heat becoming intense. Tt hey see us they will take us for-a party of wild Arabs Bs a having evidently seen the smoke. “We can tell them who we are.” Oo we might if they were near us, but you don’t suppose ‘going to come ashore, not knowing whether we intend hem or not?” y do see us, and are coming to save us. ay es and pretty soon they will get out their spy-elasses, e us for a ae of ee erues Arabs and fly away as fast as can.” ‘You are too "aie omy, my dear fellow,” said Gilbert. loomy? pet erhaps I am, but I have been on the bolnt in times since we left the Pyramids, and ot believe ae we are saved till I set no pirate.” he bites int signal flag from the back of his camel, to attract attention the fire still being kept up. captain of the at eae coast, ome t Agee S intended. ind 6 bettie: there vias con- was a dangerous shoal i nto a vigging, into ey with 2 bad “nal ‘The whole party went down upon the beach, and paused’ d not dare to land,” said ‘Gal, as the. passing. ship tacked, | ais afterward, that I have lost faith in| eens his’ ee spear Wihinck, a We: evidently saw the signals, but be- tated about eh ath a boat apne ies ; \“We shall be sorry to part with you,” said Cal, “but I sup- : pose fate decrees it so.” The Egyptian, rising in his saddle, spoke a few words to _ the Arabs in an impressive tone, pointing to the ship and to *. the three Americans. In an instant every man was in the saddle, and with a wild whoop they dashed off en masse, ascending to the plains above and sweeping down the coast with the speed of the wind. ; “Farewell, sahib,’ said the Demon, for so Cal still called him, “and be assured that the prayers of Rhadames, the last descendant of the Pharaohs, shall be ever with you. The grat- itude of a whole people shall be yours, and in the splendor of this magnificent jewel shall shine thy -virtues—thy courag Sahib, receive my blessing ere I bid thee farewell for the last time.” Cal kneeled’on the sand, and the old man extended his hand in a benediction over the young man’s bowed head. ; Laura and Gilbert joined Cal, and together received the ben- ediction of the old man whose life had so long been a terrible 3 mystery to the wild tribes of the desert. a! The parting between Zobeide and Laura was most. tender, the two maidens having learned to love each other with full — hearts, and Cal thought they never would finish saying Bogd : by. At last all were mounted, and the three Americans were standing alone on the rocks. Lite “Farewell,” was the last word uttered by the Egyptian. “I go to place the White Sun of the Pharaohs in our holy tem-— ple, and there shall I find rest;then~shall I lay my old bones the dust, and sink to sleep. I shall remember thee as jong I live. Farewell!” Then the four long-separated, happily-united friends waved a last farewell to the Americans, and in a few moments had disappear: ed forever from their sight. “J have lost one of the best friends I ever had,” said ‘al. “Phere goes the last I shall ever see of the Demon of t Desert.” ; “See—see, they are lowering a boat for us,” said Gilbert who had turned toward the sea as the plumed turbans of the two men disappeared up the rocky pass, “they are coming at last to save us.’ ; “TI feel just as if I did not care to go,” said Cal, softly, plac- 3 ing his arm around Laura; “the desert has been my ho. long, but see—see, God bless it, the brave old stars and. str floating from the. peak. Hurrah, that makes me feel like new man. Ha-ha, there's no place like home!” ae The sight of the dear old fiag which the jolly skipper ad had hoisted as the boat rowed to land, made the tears com to the eyes of our. three friends, and they embraced each oth for very joy.\ The boat ‘grated on the sands, the three rescued friends — scrambled in and were pulled to the ship, the Sunbeam, f Stonington, bound for Leghorn, and then home, and by nig fall the ‘desert was Adak a speck. in the distance. | lea : ese as Jo RRA TINE RACV; Neo be he two old. bin, and Laura rex Il wor

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> appreciating their worth on account of their associations, felt ' as proud as a queen when wearing the handsome ornament on e her plump neck, and never tired of telling her friends the | story of their being taken from the Pyramid, carried thou- |, Sands of milés across the most barren country in the world | and borne across the sea to her village home, where they be- -,came the delight and admiration of all beholders. Many storms overtook the Sunbeam, and more than once it ‘seemed as if she would be driven on the rocks and wrecked. Once they were chased by Algerine pirates, but the sight f the “gridiron” at the peak, and the sound of the small cannon mounted upon the poop, and blazing away at them in ia defiance, made the wretches turn about and let the Sunbeam oO on her way unmolested. It seemed as if the blessing of the old Egyptian followed j them, for in spite of storm and tempest, pirates and cruisers, evenue officers and commissariats, they at last started on ‘their way across sunny Italy to Otranto, thence across to Gr eece and Athens, whence they expected to procure passage o Alexandria, and from there go by rail to Cairo. Once in civilized countries neither Cal nor Gilbert had any difficulty in obtaining letters of credit, and getting all the oney they wanted, Gilbert running across diplomatic friends cho gave him introductions, and assisted him in every way. ‘The wardrobes of the travelers, which had grown rather small Ane dilapidated, not to say grotesdue, were replenished, Hg Os ey. were all very re tanned from long iidboais to the but as Cal and his sweetheart om eonversed in for amusement, they were looked upon as Hastern dig- aries traveling. incognito, and “wete treated with great dis- netion. Gilbert was obliged to return to Cairo, to attend to ) official business, but Cal eel od. that as soon as his old | and future broth reported himself that he was p to take Laura back to America. ef ss “7 have had all I want of Africa,” he said, “and°I shall be ) By, satisfied if I never see or aad of it again. au know / you haven't seen half of ib? said Gilbert, teasetne: What I haye seen has ‘taken. “away any desire of seeing the » Perhaps you would like to ae me go after the source. “ti so it is, to ive out of. I am entirely satisfied with sk have seen, and I am going home. America is good ake} gh tor me any day. You’ 1 g0, won't: you, Laura?” 4 La ‘a said she would, and so Gilbert said no more about it. ae Athens, the three friends sailed across the ‘Mediter- | Alexandria, and from there they took the train to i 10 desire to take the slow and noisy, though "esque ‘Nile boat, with its singing sailors, piles of freight deseriptio and swarms of begging pee peat ee ~ ert who had already sent word of his coming, repair-. office. yptian Hotel with Laura upon THE DEMON OF THE DESERT. ee city was reached, after | “ae ong absence, /great Pyramid, and deposited in the temple by | ay Egyptian, | g up to the desk, said to the astonished | I account of such trifles as a young man being carried across » the desert by Arabs. He learned, also, that St. Croix had been arrested upon sus- picion of haying caused his disappearance, and had confess- ed to having left him for dead upon the desert, and that it was that as much as anything that had caused his Dosition to be filled. St. Croix was delivered up to the French authorities, and sent to the galleys for five years, but previous‘to his depar- ture, he admitted that he had conceived a deep plot. to obtain possession of Laura, and put Gilbert out of the way. He had intercepted all letters and dispatches to young Brentford which came from ‘America, and discovering that Cal was coming, had determined to get rid of him, also. How nearly he succeeded in his plans we have already seen, and had it not been for the baseness and treachery of his Arab Ls spt ne Saw seg he would have carried out his plot successfully. ' He was, most providentially, foiled in the most important part of his scheme, and through Gilbert’s precaution in leav- ing word at the legation to look out for the Frenchman in case he (Gilbert) was nese: the scoundrel was overtaken and . punished. His accomplice, the shabby-looking spy of the cafe, made . himself scarce as soon as St. Croix got into trouble, and he was never again seen in that part of the world. af Cal persuaded Gilbert to return to the United epaienetces land. | So the three, after visiting the curious places jan upper Egypt, started upon their return to the home which all longed to see once again, and without making the journey unnecessa-. rily long, though they stopped a day or so at the most noted cities upon their route, they at last reached Liverpool, and took the steamer for New York, Cal being the life of the cabin, and all three doing their utmost to make the voyage a pleas- ant one to all. pe Sag erro ES Gilbert obtained an excellent position at Washington, and Cal and his lovely wife, nee Miss Laura Brentford, spend every winter with him. Among all the brilliant toilets at state rditvlens and recep- tions, none are as superb as that of ‘the young physician’s: wife, whose snowy neck is always encircled with the price- less necklace whose story Cal is never tired of telling. ' Cal resumed the practice of medicine more for the sake of ee having something to do than for any other reason, and while he may not be one of the famous leeches of the land, his prac ad tice is not inconsiderable; and did he not devote the larger t part of it to charitable DUS his i income from, that dense: + fa would be quite large. x +) One thing more, and our story is Anishea: ; “Not long ago, Cal, in reading an account | of 3 a journey , through Hastern lands, published ina foreign newspaper, came across an account of a remarkably brilliant diamona to be si seen in the Mahommedan temple’ at Timbuctoo, which, th ‘ account said, was supposed to have been recovered fre m since dead, and reposing within a beautiful tomb in ple, who was reputed to. have been a linea d ania sostris wee Great. Eh eu

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WORK AND WIN. An Interesting Weekly for Young America. - 32 PAGES. COLORED COVERS. = PRICK 6 GENTS. ISSURD EVERY FRIDAY. Every number will contain a well written story, detailing the interesting, startling and humorous adventures of FRED FEARNOT, a bright, honest, independent sort of chap, who has made up his mind to make his own way through life, and in doing so see everything to be seen, do ail the good that can be done, and have all the fun possible. Nothing will be allowed in these stories that can give offense to the most refined minds, and we feel assured that the old as well as young will find both pleasure and profit in following the harmless adventures of this bright young man who always tries to do right, at the same time Bene every effort to iS on a 4 + top. 1 Fred Fearnot; or, Schooldays at Avon, 2 Fred Fearnot, Detective; or, Balking a Desperate Game. 8 Fred Fearnot’s Daring Rescue; or, A Hero in Spite of Himself, 4 Bred Feéarnot’s Narrow Escape; or, The Plot that Failed. 5 Fred Fearnot at Avon Again; or, His Second Term at School, 6 Fred Fearnot’s Pluck; or, His Race to Save a Life, _ 7 Fred Fearnot as an Actor; or, Fame Before the Footlights, 8 Fred Fearnot at Sea; or, A Chase Across the Ocean, 9 Fred Fearnot Out West; or, Adventures With the Cowboys, 10 Fred Fearnot’s Great Peril; or, Running Down the Counter- feiters, ' 11 Fred Fearnot’s Double Vietory; or, Killing Two Birds With One Stone. Million. re Bw Fred Fearnot’s Great Run; or, An Engineer For a Week. 4 Fred Fearnot’s Twenty Rounds; or, His Fight to: Save His Honor. 4 : . Fred Fearnot's Good Work; or, _ Helping a Friend i in Need, 17 Fred Fearnot at College;, or, ‘Work and Fun at Yale. 18 Fred Fearnot’ '$ Luck; or, Fighting an Unseen Foe. j at) Fred Fearnot’s Defeat; or, A Fight Against Great Odds. 20 Fred F Fearnot'’s Own Show; or, On the Road With ha Combination, al Bred Fee: rnot in Chicago; or, The Abduction of Ev lyn, d Fearnot’s Grit; or, Running Down a Desperate Thief, - ed Fearnots ( Camp; or, Hunting For Big Game, Tre | Fea not’s B, B. Club; or, The Nine that Was Never Battin. ‘earnot in Philadelphia OF, Saya. ‘the Scbuyllcill Mys- bakd t ‘ MI . ny READ ONE AND YOU WILL READ THEM ALL. 12 Fred Fearnot’s Game Finish; or, His Bieyele Race to Savea | 38 Fred Feardot’s Flying Trip; or, Around the World On Re cord ‘15 Fred Fearnot's Engine Company; of, Brave Work as a Fireman, 46 Fred Fearnot At Yale Pista or, Teaching the Hollene: ] enti or sent postpaid on receipt of price, earnot’s Famous Stroke; or, The Winning Crew of Avon: — 27 Fred Fearnot's Doubre; or, Unmasking a Dangerous Rival. 28 Bred Fearnot in Boston; or, Downing the Bully of Back Bay. 29 Fred Fearnot's Home Run; or, The Second Tour of His Nine, 30 Fred Fearnot’s Side Show; or, On the Road With a Circus; 31 Fred Fearnot in London; or, Terry Olcott in Danger, S °32 Fred Fearnot in Pari is; or, Evelyn and the Frenchman, B83 Fred Fearnot’ 8 Double Duel; or, Bound to Show His Nerve, 34 Fred Fearnot in Cuba; or, Helping “* Uncle Sam.” : 35 Fred Fearnot’s Danger; or, Three Against One. 3 pane 36 Fred Fearnot’s Pledge; or, Loyal to His Friends. * 37 Fred Vearnot’s Flyers; or, The Bicycle League of Avon. Time. i} 39 Fred Fearnot’s Frolies ; MODs Having Fun With /Eriends ' ‘Foes. 40 Fred Fearnot’s ‘Triumph ; or, Winning His Case i in, Court. Pe 41 Fred Fearnot’s Close Call; or, Punishing a Treacherous F 42 Fred Fearnot’s Big Bluff; or, Working for a Good Cause, — 43 Fred Fearnot’s Ranche; or, Roughing it in Colorado. coh 44 Fred Fearnot's Speculation; or, Outwitting the Land ao 45 Fred Fearnot in the Clouds; or, Evelyn's s Narrow Escape. ve New Tricks. — i | 47 Fred Fearnot's Mettle; or, Hot Work Against Bnemies,, 48 Fred Fearnot i in Wall Street; or, Making and Losing a Mil - 49 Fred 1 Fearnot's s Desperate Ride; or, A Dash to Save e Evelyn. : ; 50 Fred Fearnot's Great Mystery; or, How Ce Pyoret ‘aes bis ; age. OEM : r CAP tecnica cents per ¢