A complete change had come over the fortunes of Fatima. Vain, cruel,
and tyrannical but the moment before, she was now humbled to the dust of
the desert. In place of commanding her fellow wives, she now approached
them with entreaties, begging them to take charge of her child, which
she seemed determined to leave behind her. Both willingly assented to
her wishes.
Our adventurers were puzzled by this circumstance; for there appeared to
be no reason that Fatima should leave her offspring behind her. Even
the Krooman could not explain it; and as the shades of night descended
over the desert, the mother separated from her child, perhaps never more
to embrace it in this world of wickedness and woe.
About two hours before daybreak, on the morning after the departure of
Golah, there was an alarm in the _douar_, which created amongst the
Arabs a wonderful excitement.
The man who had been keeping guard over the camp was not to be seen; and
one of the fleetest camels, as well as a swift desert horse, was also
gone.
The slaves were instantly mustered, when it was found that one of them
was likewise missing. It was Golah's son.
His absence accounted for the loss of the camel, and perhaps the horse,
but what had become of the Arab guard?
He certainly would not have absconded with the slave, for he had left
valuable property behind him.
There was no time for exchanging surmises over this mystery. Pursuit
must be instantly made for the recovery of slave, camel, and horse.
The Arab sheik detailed four of his followers to this duty, and they
hasted to make ready for their departure. They would start as soon as
the light of day should enable them to see the course the missing
animals had taken.
All believed that the fugitives would have to be sought for in a
southerly direction; and therefore the caravan would have to be further
delayed in its journey.
While making preparations for the pursuit, another unpleasant discovery
was made. Two ship's muskets, that had been taken from Golah's party,
were also missing.
They had been extracted from a tent in which two of the Arabs had slept,
two of the four who were now preparing to search for the missing
property.
The sheik became alarmed. The camp seemed full of traitors; and yet, as
the guns were the private property of the two men who slept in the tent,
they could not, for losing them, reasonably be accused of anything more
than stupidity.
Contrary to the anticipations of all, the tracks of the lost animals
were found to lead off in a north-westerly direction; and at about two
hundred yards from the camp a dark object was seen lying upon the
ground. On examination it proved to be the Arab who had been appointed
night guard over the _douar_.
He was stone dead; and by his side lay one of the missing muskets, with
the stock broken and covered with his own brains.
The tragedy was not difficult to be explained. The man had seen one or
two of the hobbled animals straying from the camp. Not thinking that
they were being led gently away, he had, without giving any alarm, gone
out to bring them back. Golah's son, who was leading them off, by
keeping concealed behind one of the animals, had found an opportunity of
giving the guard his death-blow without any noise to disturb the
slumbering denizens of the _douar_.
No doubt he had gone to rejoin his father, and the adroit manner in
which he had made his departure, taking with him a musket, a camel, and
a horse, not only excited the wonder, but the admiration of those from
whom he had stolen them.
In the division of the slaves young Harry Blount and the Krooman had
become the property of the Arab sheik. The Krooman having some
knowledge of the Arabic language, soon established himself in the good
opinion of his new master. While the Arabs were discussing the most
available mode to obtain revenge for the murder of their companion, as
well as to regain possession of the property they had lost, the Krooman,
skilled in Golah's character, volunteered to assist them by a little
advice.
Pointing to the south, he suggested to them that, by going in that
direction, they would certainly see or hear something of Golah and his
son.
The sheik could the more readily believe this, since the country of the
black chief lay to the southward, and Golah, on leaving the _douar_, had
gone in that direction.
"But why did his dog of a son not go south?" inquired the Arabs,
pointing to the tracks of the stolen horse, which still appeared to lead
towards the north-west.
"If you go north," replied the Krooman, "you will be sure to see Golah;
or if you stay here you will learn something of him."
"What! will he be in both directions at the same time, and here
likewise?"
"No, not that; but he will follow you."
The Arabs were willing to believe that there was a chance of recovering
their property on the road they had been intending to follow, especially
as the stolen horse and camel had been taken in that direction.
They determined, therefore, to continue their journey.
Too late they perceived their folly in treating Golah as they had done.
He was now beyond their reach, and, in all likelihood, had been rejoined
by his son. He was an enemy against whom they would have to keep a
constant watch; and the thought of this caused the old Arab sheik to
swear by the Prophet's beard that he would never again show mercy to a
man whom he had plundered.
For about an hour after resuming their march, the footprints of the
camel could be traced in the direction they wished to go; but gradually
they became less perceptible, until at length they were lost altogether.
A smart breeze had been blowing, which had filled the tracks with sand,
which was light and easily disturbed.
Trusting to chance, and still with some hope of recovering the stolen
property, they continued on in the same direction, and, not long after
losing the tracks, they found some fresh evidence that they were going
the right way.
The old sheik, who was riding in advance of the others, on looking to
the right, perceived an object on the sand that demanded a closer
inspection. He turned and rode towards it, closely followed by the
people of his party.
On drawing near to the object it proved to be the body of a human being,
lying back upwards, and yet with the face turned full towards the
heavens. The features were at once recognised as those of Fatima, the
favourite!
The head of the unfortunate woman had been severed from her body, and
then placed contiguous to it, with the face in an inverted position.
The ghastly spectacle was instructive. It proved that Golah, although
going off southward, must have turned back again, and was now not far
off, hovering about the track he believed his enemies would be likely to
take. His son, moreover, was in all likelihood along with him.
When departing along with her husband, Fatima had probably anticipated
the terrible fate that awaited her; and, for that reason, had left her
child in the care of the other wives.
Neither of these seemed in the least surprised on discovering the body.
Both had surmised that such would be Fatima's fate; and it was for that
reason they had so willingly taken charge of her child.
The caravan made a short halt, which was taken advantage of by the two
women to cover the body with sand.
The journey was then resumed.