Volume I Part 68 (2/2)
CHAPTER L
THE HOLY SIGNAL
At the southern end of the province of Oran, at the entrance to the Great Sahara, is the Salt Mountain, called by the Arabs Khenegel Melch
A solitary horse the road A white hood covered his head and a long gun was slung over his shoulder Suddenly he halted and gazed around On the left of him was the dark-red monolith called the Rock of Blood Many hts faint groans are heard; they are like the cries of the spirits of the murdered ones, and the traveller who hears the sounds commends his soul to Allah and hurries away from the horrible spot The solitary horse thin ar from his horse and examined the Rock of Blood carefully On the stone near the base of the monolith was a star similar to those on his horse The traveller prostrated hiain The horse sped along like the wind, and was soon at the desert of the Great Sahara Here all is light, not a shadow intercepts the rays of the sun, not a sound is heard here, all is silent The horseradually setting He did not seelare, and upon a closer examination of his person one would have found this natural He was scarred all over and appeared to have undergone every bodily ill His bernouse flew aside and frohan peeped; no cord or belt held it It was attached to the man's skin The man was a martyr Not a part of his body hole He was a mass of cuts and bruises His brothers called him a saint He spoke to Allah and Allah listened to his speech The desert was his empire, and a smile broke over his lips when he found himself on his territory How he kept in his ithout a path to guide him was a mystery The sun had disappeared fro his gun, laid his finger on the trigger He see Was it an eneun was pointed in that direction The moon now rose pale and clear A loud report was heard The saint greeted the moon, and said these words from the Koran in a loud, firm voice:
”The time will come for those who are to appear before Allah's throne”
”The time has come,” answered another voice
”Swear by the wise Koran that you are sent to show the right road,”
continued the saint
”I swear it by the wise Koran,” replied the same voice
”Are you he whom I expect?”
”I anal?”
”Look!” replied the stranger, throwing his bernouse aside and showing his lean, naked breast, and on his brown breast shone a star with six points
The saint got off his horse, kissed the ground, and muttered half aloud:
”Allah is Allah, and Mahomet is his prophet”
”Rise,” said the other; ”the true believer only kneels to Allah”
”Are you not Allah's er? Have you not come to chastise the infidel oppressors of the holy island?”
”I am he, but yet I say rise The brothers know that I am here They kneould appear in the fourthsun had disappeared from the horizon The brothers, then, have sent you?”
”Yes”
”Are they ready to obey the er of Allah? Are they ready to sacrifice their own and their wives' lives?”
”Look at me! I have torn my limbs with pincers The brothers have done likewise We are ready to obey”
”Then I say to you, Maldar Mohae has come Death to the Giaours!”
He paused for a moment; then continued:
”Where are the Khouans?”