The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-10-24
Bv HORSLEY BROS. & FIGUERS
white marble hall, most brilliantly illu-

"Here is the danger. Once we can
get through here into Cecile's apart |
ment, we are safe"
We crossed the hall without impedi- !
ment. We entered the apartment,
which seemed dim to me after the hall ;
but bright, indeed, all appeared when,
from an inner room a lady advanced.
She wore the costume of the country,
and the heavy silver wells, with which
the women are concealed in Algiers, fell |
over her.
In another instant she raised her veil, |
and I behcld the loveliest creature had
ever seen in my life-her large, bril- |
liant, yet melting eyes, fixed on me.
Ithrew myself at her feet. GO, |
O." Do then see you again 2" h.. /
"Raoul, she replied in a low, soft !
voice, "have you not forgotten me ?
Do you not love me still p ,.
Glove you still Never have you
been out of my thoughts but how are
you here? Here and a slave How
did you leave your happy home? How
did you come in this mans power?"
''Listen to me, Raoul, and You will
see how naturally fell into the tolls
three years ago. A young Arab was
sent to BordeaHx-taz complete his edu-
cation. He came to our house. He
fell in love with me. A marriage be-
tween us was of course impossible, even
had not been betrothed to you. Has
san understood this, and seemed to have
abandoned all the feelings of love he
had entertained for me. A month since
he announced to us his departure for
his native country, and as last proof
of his friendship, asked my mother to
honor him with a visit on board the
vessel that was to take him from us-a
condescension he called it. My mother
consented. We went, accompanied only
by Hassan, who came to fetch us. 1t
was easy to separate us, both curious
as we were to see the various parts of
the ship. When at last | tried to JOIN
my mOtheTs she was gone. What be-
came of her I cannot tell you. All l
know is that the vessel sailed, while l
fell in a swoon at the feet of Hassan.
When l recovered, he told me he had
determined that I should be his; he
had sacrificed everything to obtain me.
So am here, and Providence has sent
you to my assistance.
"This very night we will hyP'
"That cannot be. / should be miss
ed, traced, and again captured. No
Raoul, you must take me hence to
French vessel ready to sail that very
night"
"But I cannot go with you. l dare
not quit Algiers without leave OF alb
sence."
al can reach Marseilles in safety.
There can await you. Only get be-
yond the power of these horrible peo-
ple."
al swore to free her-to obey her
she was so beautiful, so tender, so sad,
that would have dared anything for
her deliverance Each night, introduc-
ed by the Arab woman, l came to her.
She was more lovely even than had
ever dreamed. She had grown into
different being from the one l had cher
ished in my heart often, in our short
interviews, did refer to our early days,
but the remembrance seemed too sad
for her to hear the names of those we
loved, her family-mine all brought
tears to her eyes"
There was an ineffable Joy to me IN
these interviews, stolen and dangerous
as they were. and of but few minutes
duration still / burned to free her frOa4
the power of this Hassan, even at the
pain of not seeing her. 1 would have
tried the French authorities, but what
had to prove the truth of my story or
the identity of CeciIe? Then the French
authorities are chary of Indifference
with the native customs in fact as Ce-
cile said, our only safety lay in her Sc
| cret flight. Hessan was away. Once Ce-
cile had been in his power-he had made
no effort to force her love; he trusted
| to time, to absence from all other ties,
and to his devotion, to ultimately OBJ
| tain her love.
At the thought of this my heart beat
| with rage and terror. I resolved to de-
| lay no longer. Vessels were sailing ev-
| erv dav to France, but wanted not a
| vessel full of passengers, but some
| small merchant vessel, where none would
know even of Cecile's presence.
At last it was found, and all was al
ranged. A European dress was prOcur-
ed and conveyed to Cecile. In these,
one night, without any interruption, she
passed out of Hessans palace the way |
entered it.
| We were in the street; 1 dared bring
no conveyance; we had to walk with
rapid steps down to the quay. On we
rushed. when suddenly man darts from
one of the dark porticos, and stands be-
fore us.
1t was my friend the Jew.
"You are pursued, said he; 'her
flight is discovered. Trust her to me ;
here is my house. | can shield her.
No one will suspect me. You can save
her only thus, and only thus save your
self from the disgrace, which an officer
will fall on you"
''Disgrace!'' cried Cecile, starting
from me: ''take me, lead me anywhere.
Raoul, fly"
"With me she is safe; come to-mOr'
row; she will be ready"
''But she will miss the vessel it sails
tonight"
There will be another, then; but
hear footsteps approaching, fly.
The Jew and Cecile disappeared into
one of the houses, and L, bewlldefeo
and deeply mortified, went slowly tc
my quarters.
The next day there was great rumOl
in the town the French authorities
had been appealed to-a most daring
robbery had been committed one OF
the fayorite slaves of the dethrOned Dey
had escaped from his palace with Jew
! els of enormous value. She was Eu'
| ropean, too-sOme dancing girl he hao
| picked up from the French theatre IL
| Algiers: she had sailed for France, il
was supposed, but where or how, ano
who had been her accomplice it was i'm
possible to discover.
I heard this with indifference; ano
as soon as deemed it safe. proceeded
racked with anxiety, to the Jew, s house
| reached it, and on the threshold
stood the Arab woman.
"Cecile," said ].
She presented me with note without
speaking a word.
I tore it open.
81 am safe you will not betray me
for if you do will swear you are my
accomplice. I have long been waiting
for this opportunity, and l thank yor
, for helping me and Dey's Jewels off to
gether. am merely the Dey's slave
a Partisan with only her beauty and he
wits. Now [ am rich, and will pray 70
you, my gallant and and credulous cav
alier
"You should not have confded you
secrets and your love to the jew; he i
t with me, and we will not forget you.
"CARAIEN."
7 etOod % if tu,-nad to stone Il COUlt