Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-05-26
General SnteIl'genff.
,Up AsSASsIys PUNISHMENT.

wears hultIichn Sousui bNhS'"A w 'SpJfN'.
Daoud paused not longer to survey tho
victim of his treachery than to pluck his
dagger from the wound. Then raising the
body with difficulty in his arms, he drag
ped it to the rivers bank and hurled it into
the turbid understanding with a hoarst
murmur down toward the sea; for the cur.
rent sea in near the bank on which he
stood.
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-
morse, prayer and supplication to the Vlr'
gin Mary, that she might cleanse and pur-
ify his soul from this. as from previous sins;
vowing that he would devote the rest of his
life to her service-to works of kindness
and charity; beseechiug her MI so 4-en
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 and
earnestness of criminal to an earthly
Judge. sitting in Judgment on him.
When he had 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 bis 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 it: small boat like
caique; very frail and slight with two
slender oars. The river was at low water,
vet the curren. 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 swimmer.
The Syrian, however, wasintent on other
things and eager 20 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 a
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 Ler promise!
He turned the rapidly. sinking boat back
toward the shore he had left allowing it
to float downward with the current and
inclining it gradually toward the bank,
that he might swim ashore Mt point lower
down than he had launched it, and escape
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 ont for
the shore at u point where he saw it shelly
ing down 10 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 preserya-
ton and rebounding from his late despair
when suddenly he saw to his surprise a
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 nesrer, disclosing to his
gaze, under the bright moonlight, the scaly
back and unshapuly 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 flashing the river into foam
as it forged onward -Daoud could diStiro-
uish its sharp suout elevated above the
flood, and the small, glttering, serpent.
like eyes it fixed on its destined prey.
Each second brought the monster nearer
while the huge jaws would occasionally
open--displaying the sharp double row of
gllstening teeth which armed them-then
close again with snap like the music of
castanets, resounding through the stiffness.
Imminent and deadly was the peril, as
Dtoud 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
a deadly sickness of heart, for an instant
at the new aud hideous form of peril, thus
suddenly confronting him at the very mo.
ment of his tancied escape from all his dan
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
its habits well; for ne had often heard the
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
lie 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 Owed down into the
flood, his dagger bare in his right hand!
The moment after the huge bulk of the