Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-27

|
speaking, however, one lady was as much
| as the boldest could well manage, and, in
the case of the older viXens, at times more.
| Suleiman cast swift appraising glance
| about the room. '
THE queen-which is the queens' he de-
manded of Baruk.
'She is not here, my lord" answered the
quaking Baruk.
Not here, thou dog! And wherefore are
we heref Wouldst thou have thy blood
| spilled ere thou art minute older? BY
this red blade, will have none of thy tar
| rying and wavering."
Baruk took step forward in quivering
trepidation. Nor did he tremble without
cause, for some of the women spying him
were at him like tigresses, screeching that
| he had betrayed them.
This is unseemly," said. Suleiman, in
| tervening. "Yedo your loneliness wrong"
The wretch is a traitor" they clRmored.
He hath betrayed us. We will have his
eyes out for the dishonor"
Nay, nay, my charming Ones" said Su-
lehman, with the most gallant air imagin-
able. I'VE do him injustice. Never was
keeper of beauty so faithful to his trust
He hath conducted US hither, o lights of
our souls, on the sharp compulsion of steel.
Unreasonable man, to deny US entrance to
such a paradise! | protest / nearly slew
him at the thought of what he would
withhold from U.S. Far and fast have we
ridden on unavoidable ones for the heav
emily joy of looking upon you, and now we
PROSTATE ourselves at your feet"
In spite of their rage, the ladies could not
help smiling at the insinuating sweetness
of Suleiman.
BE comforted, ye who are as the stars in
glory and Brightness" he went on. This
guardian of your angelic slunbers hath
not been false. But the times are strange,
o peerless princesses! Men are not masters
in their own houses. Even the mighty
Amood Sim hath tasted defeat and is no
longer able to rule his palace"
Such of the ladies as were disengaged
clasped their hands, turned their eyes to
heaven, and with one accord screamed.
Stay me for causing you pain, ye ador
able Ones" pleaded Suleiman. II VOW we
deserve death for thus disturbing your
meditations. Yet must l ask one question
Is the beauteous flower, the queen, within?
Business brooketh no delay, else would we
tarry to sip honey off your lips, 0 ye en-
chantresSes.
jealousy is an ever active fire in the
harem. There was probably not one among
them who would not have rejoiced in her
heart to see the reigning beauty cast from
thc window, but deceit knows how to be
discreet. Never would they permit unhal-
lowed strangers to pollute their beautiful
queen by looking upon her, not SO long as
they had breath to defend her Intimating
this, as many as were free bolted through
an inner door, slamming and fastening it
behind them.
MAKE haste" said Suleiman. I'VE must
not lose them. They will guide us to the
queen"
Easily forcing the door, we dashed in pur-
suit. Along the dark tripping ways we
flew, guided 10y cries and vanishing skirt
tails, round innumcrable angles, through
countless doors, till we came upon long,
straight passage. At the farther end,
through a dim vista of muslin, we got a
glimpse Of two women, whom we had not
hitherto seen, disappearing at their utmost
speed with flying tresses that told of dis
tress.
"'Tis shel It's shell" cried Baruk excited
ly. Then to himself, though loud enough
to be audible to all: GLORY be to heaven,
she will escape! She can hideH' But sud
denly remembering the position OF affairs,
he called again: My lord, make haste. She
is thine; so also is her companion, the In
dian princess Of fabulous wealth. That is
a tale of wonder. | would tell it to my
lord but there is no time. The holy
prophet preserve me!' And he groaned as
IL IttkCil Will a SuNlNiSIl I)ftll
Suleiman bounded past the shrieking
bevy we had first met, the rest of us fol-
lowing as best we could. Sudden cries of
terror rose in front and echoed shrilly in
many recesses.
''She is captured" said Suleiman, leaping
faster. She must be ours. Close up, my
men"
In an instant we were round the corner,
to find our prizes in the arms of three men
who were already setting about binding
them.
''Narlets, let go" shouted Sulciman,
drawing his crooked sword and rushing
upon the group. Two of the men turning
quickly drew pair of long, thin daggers
and put themselves in posture of defense;
the third catching the women by the wrists
dragged them screaming into an adjacent
room.
We crowded to Suleiman's aid, and the
business would have been over in IA jiffy
had not the women who were behind come
up and flung themselves bliudly among
our weapons. Suleimau growled at the in
corruption of the sport; his resentment
being the fiercpr possibly that his adver
saries, profiting by the DIVERSION took to
their heels without much as cut upon
them. The fellow who tugged at the queen
and her companion, seeing battle was hope
less, dropped his hold and fled after his
comrades.
Thus released, the two women nd on
afresh in a worse agony of fright than
ever, and we, getting unceremoniOusly rid
of the others, went in hot pursuit. We
gained on them, and they separated, leap
ing out of sight on either side of Il passage,
as have seen hunted rabbits disappear
among whins and ferns. Suleiman, With
half the company. darted after the one, l.
with the rest, going on the track Of the
other who proved TO be The Indian princess
We had almost utertHken hGr, when
sudden as tiger from her native tungfes
a mEn sprung out of ambush, seized her,
md before she currfd 50 much rs cry Rad
her into curtHined recess, There we're
two men trying to gag and bind her, but
they never accomplished the operation,
One went down, wreaking his vengeance on
the spear that pierced him, and the other
shot out of sight, leaving the rope twisted
about his victims arms. Faint with fatigue
and fear the lady gavea little peculiar cry,
staggered and fell back, as it happened
80 "a !k Y