The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-06-03
THE ASsAssINs PUNISHMENT.

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t Daoud paused not longer to survey the
o victim of his treachery than to pluck his
r dagger from the wound. Then raising the
s body with difficulty in his arms, he drag
ped it to the rivers bank and hurled it into
: the turbid WITHDRAWING with hoarse
: murmur down toward the sea; for the cur
{ rent sea in near the bank on which he
2 stood.
7 Then, by sudden impulse, throwing
! himself wildly ON his knees, with the tears
= streaming from his eyes, the unhappy man
: burst into an incoherent rhapsody of re-
S morse, prayer and supplication to the Vir-
2 gin Mary, that she might cleanse and pur-
I ify his soul from this, as from previous sins;
T: vowing that ne would devote the rest of his
) life to her service-to works of kindness
/ and charity; beseeching her not so much
) for his own sinful sake, as for that of her
, vestal virgin, Ell Warda, whom ne would
henceforth make the guide and guardian
of his life; pleading forpardon on the bank
| of that lone river, with all the fervor aud
earnestness of criminal to an earthly
Judge, sitting in Judgment on him.
; When he Gad finished his prayer-heard,
perhaps, at that higher bar, but to which
no answer was vouchsafed by sign or por-
, tent, to his excited senses-the Syrian rose,
wiped carefully all signs of blood from his
, dagger, which he again stuck into his sash,
and descending the bank, again peered anx-
iously into the rushes for the bark which
was to bear him across TO Rhoda Island to
see the Prince Nezle Khanum.
At length he found il: a small boat like
a caique; very frail and slight, with two
slender oars. The river was at low water
yet the current was very strong still, and
dangerous to be upset in, from the under
tow which was apt to drown any one who
sunk in its tide. however good a swimmer.
The Syrian, however, was intent on other
things and eager to finish the interview
with the princess on which so much de-
pended. He took but little heed of the
skiff, butlaunched it into the stream, seized
the oars and pulled rapidly away from
shore Scarcely had he reached the strong
current, however, when he was surprised
to find the water rising round his ankles
in the bottom of the boat, which had been
dry when he got into it. His subtle mind
Immediately suspected treachery; and
minutes investigation showed the trap set |
for him by the princess, whose cunning |
had devised the means of removing the |
sole surviving witness of the tragedy plan |
ned by her, although she took no part in it |
With that conviction rose in the Syrian's |
mind all the hatred and all the courage of |
which his late thoughts had robbed him. |
He would battle this wicked woman yet; |
save himself and secure from Ell Warda |
herself-without the intervention of an
other-the performance of Eer promise!
He turned the rapidly sinking boat back
toward the shore he had lett; allowing it |
to float downward with the current and |
inclining it gradually toward the bank
that he might swim ashore at point lower
L IL L L -
the possible watch of the people of the
princess.
When at last the boat settled down, the
Syrian plunging into the stream and keep
ing his head well above it, struck out for
the shore at point where he saw it shelv-
ing down to the waters edge, fringed with
long rushes. Strong as the current was he
breasted it successfully and was reaching
shoal water-wjth heart full of good re-
solves and thankfulness for his preserva-
ton and rebounding from his late despair
when suddenly he saw to his surprise q
dark object resembling an old log floating
from the muddy bank toward him.
As there was no current from the shore,
this struck him as strange; but his sur
prise was changed into horror when the
object approached nearer, disclosing to his
gaze, under the bright moonlight, the scaly
back and unshapely bulk of the crocodilel
most dreaded of all the tenants of that
Shiny food, though but rarely seen so low
down the river,
As the monster moved through the wa
ter, with movement indicating the vast
propulsive power in its short forearms and
muscular tail lashipg the river into foam
as it forged onward-Daoud could disting-
uish its sharp snout elevated above the
food, and the small, glittering, serpent
like eyes it fixed on its destined prey.
Each second brought the monster nearer;
while the huge jaws would occasionally
displaying the sharp double row of
glistening teeth which armed them-then
close again with a snap like the music of
castanets, resounding through the Stiffness
Imminent and deadly was the peril, as
Daoud well knew; but he lost not heart
nor hope. His nerves, steeled to danger
in its most fearful shape during his recent
trials, did not fall him now. But he felt
deadly sickness of heart, for an instant
at the new and hideous form of peril, thus
suddenly confronting him at the very mo-
ment of his fancied escape from all his dam
ger; Just when he was making his good re-
solves for tranquil future.
Never before had he encountered this
dread monster; but he knew its nature and
Arabs of the Upper Nile tell of their en-
counters with, and victories over it; and he
therefore understood which way the path
of safely lay.
He allowed the greedy monster to ap-
proach within two lengths of him-simply
floating himself on the surface of the wa
ter, with wary eye fixed on every move
ment of his adversary. Flight he knew
would be speedy and certain death. He
waited till he could see the very twinkle of
its hungry eye then dived down into the
food, his dagger bare in his right handl
The moment after the huge bulk of the
crocodile seemed convulsed with sudden
pang as it abruptly twisted itself round,
lashing the water into foam with Its terrible
tail, and swapping its jaws fiercely togeth-
er, while its snaky eye emitted sparks OF
FIRE
Then it sullenly- sunk under the water
too, and the calm moonlight shone on the
rippling river, showing no form of man
nor reptile on its agitated surface. But
the water where the crocodile had sunk was
discolored with a dark red stain, which
showed the Syrian's dagger had found a
vulnerable spot.
He had dived beneath the scaly armor
which protected it from above, and struck
an upward blow.
Next moment the man rose again to the
surface, twenty yards further down stream,
and struck out vigorously for the shore, but
the current seized and tore him down stream
further. And on it foated in pursuit his
wounded, but not disabled enemy-fercer
and more savage from its injury, and dis
playing now those vast energies hidden
under its cumbrous and mail-clad carcass.
Thrice when on the very eve OF being
seized and crushed between those mighty
jaws-which EaiDly snapped together hike
the huge portculis of some feudal castle
did the Syrian narrowly escape destruc-
ton by suddenly diving down! And thrice
did he stab with his keen poinard into the
unprotected flesh of his foe, under its fore
arm; while deeper grew the tinge of the
waters, as the red stream gushed out
through the great vital energies of the
Lamphibium still sustained it under the
deep wounds Of its desperate Antagonist
whose human intelligence, craft and cour-
age waged war against its superior strength.
At length it seemed human intellect,
when backed by courage, was destined to
noDouar bTuta fOrce-eYen in a conflict So |