Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1839-06-08

his scimItar on the first alarm was woun- |
ded, overpowered and, and bound to one |
Of It's branches.
So unlooked-for capture, almost in the |
vicinity Of the city, was hailed with delight
by the Arabs, whose chief Immediately |
claimed the maiden as his spoil; and hav-
ing looked upon her beauty, talked exuIt.
ingly of the number ofpufses which would
be freely paid down for SO fair a purchase;
while others appropriated the horse and |
weapons of Aga, the whole of wlsicA,-
as their practised glance al once deteced,
were of great value'-Having satisfied
themselves on this point, half dozen Of
the most distinguished Of the party seated
themselves on the grass, and prepared to
partake Of the fruits which were still spread
before the maiden; while the rest, formed
into separate groups on the margin Of The
stream, drew from out Of their travelling.
bags their less delicate contents, and com
menccd hurried meal.
Zohara, meanwhile, looked en- tremb-
lingIy, and vague projects of escape rolled
across her mind; ,like wreaths of vapor,
they left nothing tangible behind and as
she turned aside from her captors, and her
eye fell upon the dropping and wounded
Aga, the origin Of all her suherings, her
heart froze within her, and her pulses stood
still, as though Azrahe! had pressed his
finger upon his brow.
Coiled among the branches above her
head, she beheld an enormous serpent
slowly moving along towards the bough to
which the unhappy young man had been
secured. The sunlight fell Pickering
through the leayes,and touching at intervals
the bright scales with which he was COW
cred, turned them into jewels: his deep
green eyes looked like emeralds, and his
forked tongue protrudea its poisoned lance
from the blood-stained cavern OF bis yawn-
ing jaws. On, on he moved and Zoha-
ria could not stir limb, nor utter cry
for help-on, on, until his head rested on
the shoulder of the wounded man, and his
cleaning folds were coiled around his bo-
dy. Here Cor while he remained, as
though contemplating the scene beneath;
and then gliding away into the thick foil
age as noiseIessy as he had stolen forth,
he disappeared among the leaves.
Again Zohara breathed freely; and she
would have warned her captors of the Vi
entity of their dangerous enemy, and be-
saught Of them to rescue the insensble
Aga from so horrible death; but at this
moment the Arabs, having drank too deep
y from their nine-skins, began to wrangle
among themselves, and never ceased their
dispute until the slumber Of inebriety stole
upon them, when, one by one, they laid
their heads upon the earth, aud slept.
Now indeed the maiden began 10 let
the wings Of hope .fulter about her heart
but she felt the necessity of caution, for
although the groups by the river bank fol-
lowed the example Of their chiefs, and
flung themselves into the altitude Of re-
pose, she knew, that theirs would be but
the lighter slumbers Of fatigue, which an
ungarded movement might serve TO dissi-
pate. While, therefore, she was carefully
turning in her mind the most feasible
means Of success, her thoughts divided
between her terror Of the serpent, and her
hope of escape from her enemies, the
mighty snake once more appeared above
her head, and as her eye again rested upon
it, she crouched down with clasped hands
and clenched teeth, without power TO with
draw herself from the danger.
The serpent, however, glidcd down the
tree, and passed her by uLheeded, attract.
ed by the scent of the wine-skin, which
yet lay beside the sleeping Arabs. Twice,
thrice he reached his crested head high
above them; and then plunging it into the
liquid, he drank deep, and flung back into
The wine few heavy black drops of the
foul poison which hung about his jaws.
The noise Of his retreat, as he again
glided swiftly into the underwood, with a
rafting sound, accompanied by a shrll
kissing noise, aroused the Arabs, who
started from the earth; and clutched their
weapons; bat when, on looking round,
they could discover no cause of alarm,
and saw one pale captive seated beneath
The tree, and the other yet bound to its
branches, they only muttered an impreca-
ton; and Selling the skins Of wine, passed
them one to another, and resumed their
rest.
Now was the moment come when 70
hara felt within her the courage which
grows out Of peril. She glided to the side
Of Aga, but he did not unclose his eyes
she touched his hand, it was cold and
nerveess-and the maiden started with a
new terror, for she felt that she looked on.
death.
A sudden impulse shook her, and she
drew forth her dagger. Were not they
who were sleeping but a few PAGES off,
her enemiesi and might she not deliver
herself from their graspi Those at her
T. r. -