The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-08-03
THE FETTE l KNIGHT.

ain: rackonedbn fnv.nationality topro.
tesct HE from ANY lnolestation. In this |
Was deceived. One day, having strayed
some distance from my party, was
seized b! Il band of horse guards OF one
OF the most powerful sheiks. pre-
sumo he VAS ignorant Of The difference
between II trenthnuu and All English
man. or, perhaps, he thus wantonlv took
the opportunity to secure slave. Pos
s'biy he may have rontounded me with
one Of the British cavalry officers whom
l had been told | resemblel. At any
rate was i'll his power, anu certainly
from no friendly design on his part. AS
Was brought into his presence he was en-
gagged in game OF chess with i female
OF graceful person, but whose features on
account ot the customary Veil, could
not discover. The sheik addressed me
f'ut rs I did not understand the Persian
language l did not reply. Bending
fierce, vinlirtive glance al lne, he gave
some order to my attendants " hirh in
,erpreted from their movements to be
my Immediate DEATH Reitcrutiny the
Order III a perenpturv tone, tle turned
to finish his game
AS | was being led ont 4 lucky thought
struck me. Motioniny to NY gaurds to
allow NE to address their: ruler, / AID.
vanced, and by sigus- intimated that /
too, could play chess | had not c:lcu-
lated wrongly Is. Like all players the
Persian was DESTROYS Of enronnteriug
new antagonists, and no doubt he felt
u special desire to engage with one who
came from foreign land. Ordering my
hands to be unbound, he motioneu
me to Il seat opposite him, the young
tomale yielding he her place. Chance
gave him the move. He opened with
the Ale,ppo gambit, and, as the game
stronger player than my elptor.
for to win the game might be to lose
my slender chance of respite. 50, after
:: struggle which purposely prolonged.
the game was drawn
The chief appeared solne Vi hat nettleu
at this, and inferred that he was I'M
used to lack Of success, still less to defeat.
SO the next game allowed him to win.
after brisk but sharp contest. This put
HIM in thorough good humor, and he
immediately reset the men for third
game, at the same time Diminishing all
the guards but one. ut this my spirits
and hopes rose. Could SO play my game
rs to interest this savage my execution
might be indefinitely postponed Thus,
time might be gained, if opportunity
should offer, to even effect esape-so
ready is Hope with her PROMISE So,.'
after long series OF moves, I allowed,
him to score the third Highly elated at
his successes he pushed the board from
him and spoke t. the attendant guard.
was then conducted through the y:,r
den into all outer building or sort oftuNtl.
From this I COME eulred that it sa@:
the whim OF the sheik to amuse- him
with M chess play. My conjecture
proved to be correct; for, on the follow
sng day, | was conducted again to the
sheik, and, as before, we played three
games-he, of coulSe, scoring them all.
For three weeks affairs thus continued,
the cAlet winning from me each day two
or three hard-fousilt games. At our in,
terviews the same yelled female to who ont
have before alluded was always pres,
tnt. ! tried hard ~ get sight Of her
face, but was baf1ed by the impervious
veil. T thought, however, that could
detect in her eyes, which We're large
and luscious, an expression of compass
sion and Fsynlpathy when they encoun-
tered my ylaurr.
Duli1ag Tie Intervals between Our daily
jIuus | 1nlnutely ana sinxiously scanned
Every possible avenue of escape The
apartment in which l was confined over
looked river about fifty yards wide.
en- the inside, in the garden, guards
were stationed. So escape seemed i'm
possible.
One day, as looked from my window,
] thought I detected tue presence OF 4
body of armed men in the plain on the
other side of the river. It immediately
occurred to me that this might he a de
tachment Of British cavalry But Oh
looking in the direction ut the course Of
the stream | detected at some distance
another similar body of men. 1t could
not he that they were both English, for
their attitude toward each other was
hostile and the r demonstrations men
aring.
However, I had no time for further OBJ
SeryatiOn as was sent for to turnis2a my
usual daily sport. While On our way to
1he'shelk,s apartment noticed among
the guards preparation for DEPARTURE
The household attendants were also
packing up: AS took my place at the
board, / also noticed that the yelled. la
ly gave me glance which was more
than usually sOrroWf0l, and that the
sheik looked stern and threatening. My
fears were suddenly reused, and j de-
duced the conclusion that Us an enemy
was near at hand, remDval necessary
and fight imminent, my execution so
long delayed, was to~-take place after
this our last contest.
While revolving these bitter thoughts
in roy mind, the sktlk, AS usual had Won
the game AS though bored Ly constant
success he was about to sweep the men
from the board A thought struck me.
If am to die, | will at least :lispossess
your mind of the idea that you are my
superior at chess! So | reset my men
and his, too, TVS R94}n Is sAalenglne
play 1t was my moYt: and Z held the
attack throughout After Seventeen
moves, II ! ANNOUNCED mate in FIVE
Though provoked, he evidently attribut-
his part. So we set to again. This time
the Persian had evidently made w. his.
mind not to allow himself to be distract
ed. But again L won with ease. The
third game resulted in like manner.
On commencing the fourth it removed
the rock and this time the result was, il
anything, more disastrous for the sheik
than before. BY this time the chief was
wild with rage But | reset the men,
anxious for another game, as took Il
grim delight in thus revenging myself
When he at Length Brought himself to
resume payS 4 erowned my 4,leens
knight, signing; toahim that with that
, ,iiee;ssse1 1ay99u1d mate hin" The game then
ASH was about to deliver the final
:or1a the sheik sprang up in a frenzy Of
passion. Springing to- the window, with
voice hoarse with passion. he yelled to
he guards. AS this wayt THANKSGIVING the
,eiled lady came forward, and Selling
,iece herself, executed the final move,
aving in Spanish as she did'so. ~ =;
"Thus the fettered knight wins-across
he river" -.
She could say no more, is the
yards entered and seized me. FROM
heir manner pneouf Way;to my quarters
% the tower, finfefred- that my exec1-
lion was fixed to take place at sunrise.
Left alone, I began to reflect on the
ftrange demeanor' of the mysterious
E,nlafe. Could she have. meant more
han she sand? Her repeating my move