The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-29

Amid shouts of laughter the table was
cleared, and the cloth twisted into a very fair
substitute for rope. There was some hesita-
ton how to fasten the end, till Duchesne
suggested there would be difficulty in get
ting the massive dinner-ta5le through the
window, and, acting upon the hint, that piece
of furniture was pulled up close to the lattice,
and the cloth made fast to one of its solid
legs.
Between the wall of the garden and the side
of the house ran an alley, four feet wide, and
il now became q problem among the four
adventurers-f DArder refused to join
them-how this gulf was to be passed, the
top of the wall being eight feet below the
level of the window.
''I'll tell YOU" said Arden. 81 am the
lightest, and will lower myself down part of
the way and see if | cannot swing over.
shall then be able to hold the other end of
the rope while you fellows slide down"
Lowering himself cautiously Arden sue
ceeded, with some little difficulty, in estab-
fishing foothold upon the wall. st. Heliers
Joined him, Immediately followed by DEper-
nay and Duchesne.
Stopping for moment to wave q farewell
to d 'Ardier, who promised to remain at the
window till their return, they scrambled down
from the wall, and began to force their way,
as silently as possible, through the dense aud
tangled hedge that surrounded the park. Not
WOru was SpOheu, oAcepb al OCCdSlOudi
smothered exclamation from DEpernay, the
dandy of the party, as the thorns of an acacia
or aloe threatened destruction to some favor
ite garment, until they stood within a small
enclosure, from which paths branched off in
apparently all directions.
'Now, then, for a council of war, said st.
Heliers, halting. (which way, Arden, do
you suppose the Old fellows villa to lie ?"
Either of those paths, 1 imagine, would
l,,1 AL Er0f hat
ran hearty in the same direction.
'Hold on" cried DEpernay; ''let us
divide and try them both. Four of us TO-
gether will be awkward"
''Come along, then, Arden; we will take
this, said ST. Heliers, starting forward. "AU
reCoiT, 00uS dutT6S."
st. Heliers and his friend followed the path
they had chosen for some time, winding
among parterres of flowers and past little
summer-houses of the quaintest devices,
painted and gilded in the extremes of Oriental
taste.
''Upon my word, ST. Heliers, this is
enough to carry one back to the Arabian
Nights. Look at the fountain yonder, it
seems spouting diamonds. Was ever any
thing more charming? And see that kiosk,
how it glitters in the moonlight! All! what's
| this?"
A turn of the path had brought them be-
| trees, and apparently uninhabited. But as
they approached it st. Heliers touched his
| comrades arm and pointed to lattice, partly
concealed by the luxuriant foliage of run
ming vine, through the leaves of which
streamed ray of light.
"Unbuckle your sabre, he whispered, as
he took off his own; I'VE may be heard"
Then, stealthily, keeping as much under
the shadow OF the trees as possible, they
crept on until they stood under the lighted
lattice.
''To get up is the next thing" said St.
| Heliers, below his breath, as he looked uE
doubtfully at the tangled mass of foliage
formed by the vine which promised to be
their only assistant in the attampt, .'Wha
do you think, Arden; can we climb it?"
''Hold on till 1 get my boots off and II
tell you" replied his companion, in the same
subdued tones, as he endeavored to kick oh
one of the articles in question. 'Now, then
let me see what we have to hold on to-"
The next moment the young soldier hat
commenced his escalade. The vine was
large one, and trained by iron clamps driver
into the crevices of the wall, so that, al
though requiring good deal of exertion, h,
progressed more rapidly than he expected
and was soon on a level with the lattice
A smothered exclamation broke from him
and made St Heliers inquire eagerly wha
was the matter.
''Hush Not word Come up as quickl,
as you can, and make no noise, for pity
sake"
Although heavier and less active than hi
companion, st. Heliers was soon seated be
side him upon the broad stone slab formin,
the ledge of the lattice. Carefully putting
aside the leaves that screened it, and placinG
his eye to one of the interstices of the beau
tiful fretwork of the sash, sight SO extra
ordinary burst upon his gaze that his start o
delight and establishment caused him almos
to lose his seat; for there, before them, in al
its Eastern magnifcence and loveliness, wa
the harem of the pacha.
Reclining in the most picturesque ant
natural positions, some half buried in pile
of crimson cushions from Tripoli or shawl
from Cashmere; others seated, smoking, upol
the low divan that crossed the end of tn
room opposite the treacherous lattice, tn
long tubes of their nargiles glittering wit
jewels, they lay, the dark haired starry eyed
Circassians. Charming little children wer,
playing about the apartment, and the peal
of musical laughter that broke from within
indicated the most unrestrained enjoyment
The chamber was large, and evidently on
in common for all the members of the harem
profusely decorated with all the rude splendo
of the Saracenic school. The soft light she
through it from some unseen source lent
tone and refinement to what might otherwis
have appeared meretricious and gaudy
Neither of the two soldiers spoke as thei
eyes followed the graceful movements of tn
, occupants of the room; and it was, in truth
rare and beautiful picture. With thei
raven hair flowing in waves over their shoul
l ders, the graceful Persian costumes, all con
! blned with that attraction which female love
hness exerts over men, now heightened b
: the romaLtlc circumstances under which the