SILALTS ROV LN

happened when Hassan was dr ageed muo this place; for I expeet he lmlsu,(l pretty

stoutly.” We saw the fakir throw himscll prostrate upon the ground as he faced the stone 1dol, then, raising his body slowlv, he

approached us and asked Have the Feringhees seen aueht Tike this silent ety before 27 Denviers shrugged his

shoulders impatiently as he answered

“Show us the spot where the Arab s hidden s we did not come here to look the work of a mee ol fanatics [ the

trampled grass before us mdicates anvihing, vou have dr: ageed him into one

of these caves which surround

us.”’ The ki gave a shrill laugh, which re-cchoed Irom cave o

cave. Then he replied: U\ stranger cause than Ve suppose was that which

heat down the grass hefore us wrowing amid these ruims which ve hove daved o enter, ver shall

veo see the cave wherein

o the imprisoned

O whom Ve O seeks” e moved B

across the dry, rusthng grass as he

spoke, closely {ol- | , )

lowed Dy us. In the shadow ol the ruins above, onc sidde ol this vast

hollow scemed Lo crow dim, the caves running into It appearing unimvitime, When he had of the caves the fakir stopped pointing to it said

That is the place ve seck and o learn about which ve bribed me. The man lies asleep, but stoopimg over him

lllt]

nearce one A,

Voomay rouse the Arvab and take him henee, Lolmeed for o moment at the Linatie as hee spolie LBencath his disordered and ratted hair o firee hatred seemed to Tioht

his cves as they were directed towards us.

wowe approached the entrnee of the cave, shrill Taugh came from his turi- ing round T saw him wave his arms wildlyv i th(: air and then disappear into one o the cavities, just as Denviers exelaimed

• lrollow me cautiously, THarold: it is quite

possible that some plot may he revealed to us ina moment. 1 have no confidence whatever in this treacherous fakir.”

b oaaW D

EASTERN QUL R 503

We entered the cave, my companion lead- g the wav and softly calling Hassan's name. No reply came forth, ]m\\uu and when we had advanced a few v nda he \tuppul SV

ot crhaps Hassan s asleep, alter alll

Unless my eves deceive me in the “gloom, there s eertainly oM thing Iving in the cave a littde farther on” ])LL]Ld arefully mto the dark cave, and then hecame aware of two- bright red spots shining just in front ol us..

Prank,” T sad Lo

Iy colpanion,

VIS o

FRUGGLING WITH A HUGE T1oss,

CHassancis Iving there, sure enough, 1 can turncd towards us: T wonder why he - o 7 1 Tefe the sentence unfinished, for Dieinviers, uttering a WArNIng Cry 1o me, trned and fled from the cave. [ felt his breath come fast upon me as he pressed on from behind me, then o moment afterwards, just as we emerged from the cave, T heard hin [l with o heavy thud to the ground.

Turming quickly round, T saw to my consternation that: Denviers was struggling night and main with o huge tigress, which held him down s he tied to arip her by the

throat !

see his eves