The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-12-19

/ 0HlRs lucu III 1GmC I0H lana WUbI ln0t
dwell till these thiags are forgotten. Ant
now my task Il done, 30 fare thee well. A
times will como and SEQ that thou needles
lnauxht."
80 she went, and thenceforwa-d was
nursed. and that sklllfully, BY the physician
| and two women slaves; and as my wound
healed 90 my strength csme back to me
slowly at drsf, then most swiftly. In foul
days from that time left my couch, and h
three more could walk an hour in the pal
ace gardens: another week and l could
read and think, though went no more q
Court And ut length one afternoon Char.
mion came and babe me make ready. for Ia
| two days would the fleet sail, first for the
| coast OF Syria, and thence TO the gulf Of
Issus and C..icia.
Thereon, with all Formally, and in writ
ing, craved leave Of Cleopatra that might
| be left, urging that my health was even
now so feeble that could not travel But
in answer message was sent 10 me that
must come. And so on the appointed day
was carried on litter down to the boat,
and together with that very soldier who had
cut me down, the Captain Brennus, and
others OF his troop twho, indeed. were sent
10 guard mel, We rowed aboard the vessel
where she lay at anchor with the rest Of the
great fleet. For Cleopatra was voyaging as
though TO war in much pomp, and escorted
by mighty fleet Of ships, whereof her
galley, built like house and lined through
out with cedar and silken hangings, was the
most beautiful and costly that the world
has ever seen. But on this vessel went
not, and, therefore, 1t CHANGED that saw
not Cleopatra nor CharmIon till we landed
at the mouth Of tho River Cydnus. The
signal being made, tho fleet set sail; and
the wind being fair, on the evening Of the
second day We came TO Joppa Thence we
sailed slowly with contrary winds up the
coast Of Syria, making C&sarea and PtoL
emais and Tsrus and Berytus and past
Lebanon's white brow crowned with
his crest OF cedars, on to Heraclea
and across the Gulf OF Issus to the mouth
Of Cydnus. And ever as we journeyed
the strong breath OF the sea brought back
my health, till ut length, save for line Of
white upon my head, where the sword had
fallen, was almost rs had been. And
one night, as we drew near Cydnus, while
Brennus and sat alone together on the
deck, his eye fell upon the white mark his
sword had made, and he swore . great
oath by his heather gods. "An' thou hadst
died, lad" he said. 'smethinks ! could
never again have held up my headi All!
that was coward stroke, and shamed am
/ to think that should have struck It, and
thou on the ground and with thy back TO
mel Knowest thou that when thou didst
lie 'twixt life and death, every day came
to ask things OF thee! and I swore by
Taranis that il thou dldst die I'd turn my
back upon tina. soft palace life and then
away for the North"
NAY, trouble not, Brennus," answered;
lit was thy duty
"Mayhap! but there are duties that
brave man should not do-nay, not ut the
bidding of any Queen who ever ruled in
Egypt! Thy blow had dazed me or had
not struck. What is it, lad!- art in trouble
with this Queen Of ours. Why art thou
dragged a prisoner upon this pleasure
party! knOwest thou that we are strictly
charged that il thou dost escape our lives
shall pay the price.'
'.Ay, in sore trouble, FRIEND" ] an
swered; TASK me no MORE
''Then, being Of the age thou art-there's
a woman in it, that swear land, per-
chance, though am rough and foolish, /
might make a guess Look thou. lad, what
sayest thous am a-wcary Of the service
OF Cleopatra and tits hot land Of deserts
and Of luxury, that sap . mans strength
and drain his pocket; and 50 are others
whom / wot Of What sayest thou; let's
take one Of these unwieldy vessels and
away to the North! Ill lead thee to . bet
ter land than Egypt-a land Of lake and
mountain and great forests Of sweet
scented pine: ay. and find thee girl fit
to mate with, mine own mecca strong
girl, and tall, with wide blue eyes, and
long, fair hair, and arms that would crack
thy ribs were she 10 hug thee! Come,
what sayest thou! Put away the past, and
away for the bonny North, and be son to
me-
For moment thought, and then sadly
shook my head; for though sorely was l
tempted to be gone, knew that in Egypt
lay my fate. and my fate might not fly.
Brcnnus.' l answered. 1T may not be,
"Fain would that it might be, but am
bound b. Il chain Of destiny which can not
break, and in the land Of Egypt must live
and die.''
las thou wilt. lad. said the old warrior
Dearly should have loved to marry thee
among my people and make son OF thee.
At the least, remember that while am
here thou hast Brennus for . friend. And
one thing more: beware Of that beautcous
Queen OF thine. for, by Taranis, perchance
an hour NAV come when she will hold that
thou knowest too much, and then" and
he drew his hand across his throat. "And
now good night; a cap of wine, then to
sleep, for tomorrow the fcolery-"
HIRE srerdt lengths Of the second roll Of
pnlvrus are 10 broken as to BE- indecipherabie.
They s.em d hare been descsipfirc ~ Cleopatrd's
,oyage up me Cydnus to the city Of Tdrsus.
And the writing continuesl 10 those who
could take JOY in such things the sight must,
indeed, have been q gallant one. For the
stern Of our galley was covered with sheets