The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-01-15


tened on the wall of prblic building
which he was passing.
He stopped and spelled it out labori-
ously. His knowledge of Arabic was
not unlimited. What he read was, in
substance, as follows:
His Exalted and Majestic Highness, the
Caliph of Allamagdalla protector Of the poor
and light Of the universe, whose dominion was
like unto the dominion of the sun. and whose
power was the greatest of all under Allah who
is great, etc, etc, having decided to increase
his household, was in need Of a servant to act
as faster of the monarch's food. The said
servant would receive u large salary, and in
! addition would have the privilege Of looking on
| the divine face Of the Caliph, more beautiful
than the moon, etc, etc"
Such was the extremity to which the
Caliph's chief servant had been forced
to accomplish that which he had SO read
lily told his master was done.
Tom Walters stood for some time
looking at the proclamation. Finally
he turned away.
"What lark he said. "AnG really
I've got to do something until can hear
from London. and through these
wrctched mails. too"
Zillah, daughter of the Caliph of
Allamagdalla. was walking one sultry
evening in her little garden accom-.
panied by a single attendant, girl OF
about her own age. The Caliph's daugh-
ter, as BETTING the offspring of one Sc
divinely endowed as her father, was tall
and straight and walked with aquecnly
stateliness that became her well.
She was quite young, though a
woman grown, with large dark eyes set
under noble brow, over which her
dark hair curled caressingly. She was
walking slowly up and down in the twi-
light now and then STOPPING to pluck a
flower, or pausing to speak a word to
her attendant, when suddenly there was
a sound as of somebody coming over
the wall and the maid pointed, with a
garden.
The Caliphs daughter looked in the
direction of her attendants gesture and
beheld tall young man, dressed in the
uniform Of her fathers court, lcisurely
picking flower from one of the many
beds that skirted the wall.
AS she saw him he looked up and
caught her glance. He Strengthened up
and came toward her in a manner that
fitted in queerly with his Oriental dress.
Excuse me, ladies'" he said, trying
to ST nmon all he knew of Arabic to his
aid. 81 saw the flowers from the win
dow above, and l could not resist the
temptation to drop down and get over.
| did not know you We're in the garden.
| am sorry to have disturbed YOU
Zillah's face had at first assumed an
expression of extreme hauteur, but as
the stranger Numbered through his
speech, smiling confidently all the time,
her expression changed to one of be-
wilderment, and her hand trembled a
little, for she began, strangely enough,
to be frightened for her queer visitor.
''IIush!'' she said, h,,rriedly. ''some
one may see you.'
Tom did not stir. He began to real
ize that he was talking to a very pretty
girl, and such an occurrence was so I'M
usual to him at present that he did not
wish to break it off so suddenly.
May have the flower?' he said, to
gain time.
She made no answer to his question,
but put her hand on his arm command
ingly.
Are you mad?" she said. eff you
were seen here"
Tom squared his big shoulders and
showed no inclination to go. Really
she was d very handsome girl.
Are you his Majesty's daughter?' he
asked
BY this time the attendant had rec ov-
cred from the shock that the young
mans appearance had given her, and
was trying to draw her mistress away.
The latter yielded to her guidance and
interposcd hurriedly.
Il say now,' he said, rapidly, 'don't
go. Ill go myself if staying here is 60
ing to drive you away, but you see be-
long to the old duifer-I beg your par
don, to the household of the Light of
the Universe in there, and l thought,
being one of you, I might take turn in
here. I'm awfully sorry 1 disturbed
YOU and with quick turn he regained
the wall and swung himself over.
Zillah looked after him until his long
misftting Oriental robes had followed
him over the wall, and then she turned
away with queer look on her pretty
face.
That night she dreamed of a tall
young man who came down to her in a
winged chariot from the skies, and who
tried to carry her away with him. Just
as he was drawing her into his strange
car she awoke with start and little
scream.
"A few weeks later another scene was
enacted in the little garden. ''Zillah, -
| said Tom, standing with both her hands
in his and looking down into her deep,
dark eyes, Il don't believe l can stand
| this much longer. 1t isn't natural, why
can't just ask the Caliph to let me
have you and end it there. He can't
more than refuse, and if he does-well
I've got money enough and Ill just
carry you off like young Lochinvar
beg your pardon-you don't know about
Lochipvar probably, but it's all the
same, will you?"
You do not know what you are say.
ing" said Zillah. Cant you under.
stand, he would have you sewed up in a
sack and thrown into the bay before
night if you were to do such a thing.
1t is hopeless, and you had better leave
| me-"
Tom let go her hands.
Il don't believe you would care" he
said.
Zillah's eyes filled with tears and she
stood very still. Tom saw it, and in a
moment he had his big arms around
her.
"There,' he said, II didn't mean
that. And I won't leave you; no, not
if l have to die for it, which, by the
way, am not going to do. I'll just &C
to the Caliph and tell him how it is, and
he can't help himself. Or, Ill tell you
let us both go, you and me, together
! I'm quite sure that would fetch him.
All this time Zillah said never word
Her head was buried in Toms big chest
under the folds of his baggy robe.
Suddenly they heard the sound of ap