The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-22

kSopytiShti looo, Dy SVnn Aexahoer Steuart.I
show the heartlness OF his friendship, he in
sisted on investing me with the badge O
honor himself.
FIT to be sheik, by the glories Of AL
Raschid," he said, stepping back in admi
ration when he had buckled on the weapon
II tell thee that great are the swordsmitt
and the maker of garments. Who confer
roth distinction like them? Thou art ne
longer as straddling tongs. Thou hast the
gface of the waving palm; thou bendest az
the willow by the brook. On warhorss
t1ou wOuldst be the bravest of warriors
Yea, and In the shadow of the court, in the
place Of judgment, who could so fitly de
liver lawsP In every line and look of thee
save mayhap in the fairness of thy face
thou art a son of Ishmael. And the Arabian
sky will quickly take that fair cast out OF
thee. Then of truth thou shalt be as our
selvesl'
He walked deliberately round me noting
with words and beams of delight each point
of resemblance to the true born Arab He
could not enough admire, though suspect
his pleasure in my gallant equipment was
rather due to his own share in it than to
the dignity and naturalness with which |
carried it. Suddenly he got grave.
Thou remindest me of them 1 would
fain have about me-" he said With some
thing of sigh. AS II to explain his change
of manner he added; Il had three sons.
One slcepeth beneath the green waves that
bore thee hither; one lies deep under sands
hqaped upon him by tho fingers of the lone
desert wind. The third is even now doing
battle, or it may be he has gone the way Of
his brothers My heart is solitary at the
thought that | may never look on him
again. And thou art so like him. He re-
senbled thee in youth, in suppleness, In
bearing, In goodness of appearance, his eye
had the hardihood of thine, and his arm
the same readiness to strike"
His comparisons were cut short by an
imperative knocking at the door, which
replaced his look of sadness by one Of
alarm.
"What meaneth thisP" he said, with
bated breath, as he bent his ear to hearken.
The knock was almost instantly repeated
with au added imperlousness and empha-
sis. ut must be a summons from the gov
ernor," he said, glanoing at me with an ex-
preston of anxiety us he rose to meet his
visitors.
IL was as he suspected. A dozen OF the
castle guards, armed to the teeth clustered
about the door. and 1t was evident they
We're excited. Said Achmet endeayor-
ed TO temporlze, but he was peremptorily
ordered to stand aside, and the men, with
weapons drawn, pushed past him. With.
out word they seized me and began drag
glIig me toward the door. The idea of re-
sistance comes strong upon one SO uncere-
moniously handled without cause, and /
had Swift thoughts of trying the quality of
Sad Achmet's silver hilted sword. He
perceived the danger and rushed to my
sida
'iAs thou valuest thy life resist not" he
whispered hurriedly The governor has
sent them to tako thee. Go and rely on
my aid"
III the grip Of dozen armed fanatics ft
would indeed have been folly to make op
position. So, merely begging that might
be permitted to take my green bag, quiet
~ suffered myself . be thrust into the
midst of bristling clump of spears The
greatest malefactor on earth could not have
been more JealOusly guarded or more ts-
nopiniously hustled. / had just one word
OF announcement In passing through the
door l got whisper from Said Achmet
that he would be al the castle by sunrise
on the morrow to testify in my favor. His
meaning was not clear, but it was solacinp
to have even one friend at so dubious a
juncture.
The winds seemed to bear intelligence of
my arrest. No sooner had we quilted the
garden than wewero in clamoring crowd
bearing links that shed a grotesque and
lnrid light on the strange scene. As /
knew that in Arab towns the inhabitants
are rarely abroad after sunset, the demon
striltion was evidence of unusual, indeed
of extraordinary, commotion.
The people pressing about us, speculated
aloud on the doom that was in store for me,
and their auguries were anything but
cheering. What was more disquieting, they
once or twice showed Il disposition to take
matters into their own hands If they had
done that, have notion this history
would never have been written As lis.
tened to the shoutings and mutterings
about me had very vivid remembrance
Of Said Aehmet's tale of the Egyptian and
Persian.
Here may be the very place where they
were killed." l thought to myself as we
went along. Here their blood may have
been poured out. These walls may have
echoed their dying groans." And some
times in sudden flares and sweeps of the
torches the crimsoned ground had grewsome
suggestions of violent deeds
ON reaching the castle walls, which were
surprisingly thick, we entered through a
narrow gateway, 6anlted with towers, to a
sort Of esplanade crowded with soldiers
Then we entered an outer court, passing
through another narrow gate to an inner
This also we traversed; then we passed
through several crooked corridors till we
came TO a gap in a dead wall. Into this /
was thrust, a door was banged and bolted
behind me, and / was alone In utter dark
ness Amoment's cropping proved was in
q windowless dungeon probably con-
Damned cell