The Worthington advance., 1882-09-28

to become absolute master of Egypt. he
or they must go; and he has at1eadv
made up his mind which of the two L
shall be.
In all their pride and splendor the
doomed men march CALAMITY into the
fatal court yard whence they are never
to return. The gate shuts unperceived
behind them as they enter, while .
crowd OF Obsequi0us servants preso
around them to aid in dismounting, tie
up their horses and marshal ''the noble
chiefs" to their appointed places.
In the last glow of sunset (for this
strange banQuetting hall had no roof.
but the open skyJ the Widespread t..
bles and colored lamps, the crimson
hangings Of the colonnade, thu, dark.
handsome faces of the Mamelukee.
made goodly show. But, although
most Of the guests seemed in good hu-
NOR with everything, one Scared veter-
an, with a long gray beard hanging over
his brawny chest, looked omino,lsly
grave and gloomy. ..-.....: ...s.
"What ails thee Father Hassan1''
asked a tall, handsome lad beside him.
Thy face is Is dark as the peaks of the
Mokattam before a Storm"
81 am i'll at ease, friend said," an
oWVICO VIC O1U W6TbOJs 1tt0t Ol&Ut
dreamed that q wild hare ran past me,
and thou knowest what that forebodes." I"
Evidently Said did know, by ...se sud-
den clo9ding Of his bright young face.
"Well said the wise man, that an en-
emy's gifts bring evil" pursued Hassan:
''Mehemet Ali Pasla loves me not, and
1fss here IN IN his %sx own sa str0nshod' who knows
"Ha! think'st thou that the Pasha
means treachery?" cried the young chief,
with fierce gleam in his large, black
eyes and significant clutch of his ie "
eled sword hilt. IF it be 30 let him be-
ware! for he who beats the tllicket for
an antelope may chance to rouse lion!
But this is idle talk-he dares notl"
He dares not" echoed three or four
of the others, with 4 disdainfnl laugh;
and the feast began.
Long and merrily did they revel; but
just as their mirth was at its height, q shrill
whistle, sharp and ominols ~ the
scream of vulture, pierced the still
night air. Instantly the hangings of the
colonnade fell, and from behind the pill
lars, with flash and q roar like the out.
burst of q thunderstorm. q deadly volley
Of musketry came crashing among the
revelers.
In moment all &as confusion. The
betrayed Mamelukessprang to their feet
and grasped their swords and daggens;
but what could these avail against tho
merciless bullets that hailed upon them
without ceasine? Down they went,
man on man, and among the first that
fell was poor old Hassan, whose gloomy
prophecy was but too truly fulfilled.
Yet even in this deadly peril, the brave
young Said did not lose Ills presence OF
mind. At the first alarm he had
sprung to his horse and united it.,
but the outer gate was shut. There was
only one chance left. As the bowling
murderers closed in to finish their work.
Said spurred his horse and darted like
an arrow through the doorway leadin:
from the collonade to the rampant that
Overflung the precipice.
An exuIting yell broke from his eneA
mics as they rushed after him, thinking
that now they had him fast, hemmed iii
as he was betwe IN their leveled wea-
pons and the fearful gulf beyond. But
they little knew Said, the Mameluke:
One defiant shout, one headlong bound
forward into the empty air, and horse
and man vanished into the fath0mless
depth Of backness below.
Even the savage soldiers turned away
in horror from the sight of that desper-
ate leap, little dreaming that their prey
had escaped them after all. Yet SO it
was. The horse was killed, but the dar-
ing rider escaped with broken limb to
die long years after in a distant land.
upon fur nobler battlefield!