Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-16

safely about-as one whom his mother
conforteth. The wounded animal seeks its
lair that it may die in peace; the wounded
spirit turns home that it may be strength
sned and solaced, were it only by mere rec
objection. But for that divine memory,
that swift fight through space and time,
might have gone that Instant and leaped
from the bulwarkS into the flood below. 1t
was an impotent mood, the mood of cow
ard, If you like but let those who have been
similarly tried say IL their hearts have
never failed them. And let those who have
never borne the stress Of misfortune be-
ware what fate has in store for them, and
remember that they jest at scars who never
felt @ wound"
l returned to bed by and by, falling
asleep at length on Q resolution to be up
next morning with the sun. AS it turned
out, was astir in advance of my time.
Just as the first glimmer Of dawn fickered
on the sea was startled by q noise of ropes
upon the ships sides, a scurrying of feet
on the deck and a tumult of contending
voices in shrill confusion all round. Quick
as thought tumbled out Of bed, threw on
my clothes, stuck brace of revolvers in
my belt, grasped my sword and bounded
up the companionway. At the head there
was an abrupt and uncomfortable stop
page, for no sooner did my foot touch deck
than a score of cleaning scimiters were
circling about my throat, preventing the
slightest chance of defense.
A throng of swarthy, fierce eyed, vocifer-
ating villains pressed and brandished their
weapons so" truculently that could have
sworn to a chilly sensation of steel in my
windpipe, though as yet no one had actu-
ally touched me. Divining that the rascals
were Arabs, l demanded in the Arab
md inv bo. re hot
this sudden invasion and hostile display
meant. At this familiar voice called out
Enlarge thy turban, friend; great is the
bountifulness of fortune to her favorites!"
There was a sardonic laugh from those
whose blades were closest about my neck.
Then one who seemed to be the leader,
pushing a little forward, said sternly:
''This ship is ours If thou art in love with
thy life, surrender; if thou art tired of it,
resist. Speak quickly"
The logic of this laconic speech being
perfectly irresistible, 1 Immediately an
swered: "Since I value my life notwith-
standing the difficulty of preserving it,
surrender. Will my friends lower their
swords, for, to say the truth. they cause me
an uneasy itching"
when thou hast given up thy weapons"
said the spokesman CURLY.
''They who do me the honor of this visit
belong to brave and chivalrous people,"
rejoined, remembering Asian manners. II
know their history, and the songs of their
poets, and the valor of their deeds. am q
stranger, alone and at your mercy. My
arms are my sole possession. I pray you
let me keep them"
NAY, by Fatima's eyelash, arms in thy
hands are as poison in the adder's tongue!'
cried Abram ben Alden, coming forward so
that now caught sight of him. There was
a diabolical fire in his black eyes, and his
face bore an insolent leer of triumph. The
look of him put all my fear to fight, and
in its place kindled a sudden and savage
desire to be revenged.
''That man." l said, pointing in scorn
and anger at him and forgetting the fate
that was so imminent; that man has be-
trayed me. He has brought you here to
plumber Is it not sop
Perhaps it was the unexpected audacity
of my mien and question that made them
answer so promptly and frankly, but in
stantly dozen of them called out, ut is So"
II have taken this per to my breast"
cried, land he has stung me. 1t is base
thing that stinGs the hand that helps it.
By your love of vengeance, l charge you to
leave him to me. Let it be seen this day
how treachery and ingratitude can be re-
took him in, giving him of my best, and
now he clamors for my life. 1t is his if he
can take it. You will grant the prayer Of
a forsaken stranger that no hand but his
enemy's be raised against him. l trust to
your honor to see justice between man and
man."
All this while the Arabs were swarming
upon deck and pushing and crushing and
craning to see me and catch my words
Their looks encouraged me. 1.-THE ship is
yours" went on, still more boldly. II
yield it without murmur; only let me put
my life against the life of this son of a
dog J., w oo. .,n,.,, ,,,
Abram ben Alden savagely. Let his in
fdel throat feel the edge of believers
sword Who is he that he should handy
words with us? Off with his head, to the
sharks with his carcass, and let us to the
spoilp'
'Thy tongue is too fast for thy wit,
Abram ben Aden," said the man whom /
took to be leader. He has yielded the
ship to us. He is ready to puthis life upon
thy blade point if thou will grant him a
like privilege in return. A fair bargain, by
the memory of Sikandar-el-Rumi. Many a
time hast thou boosted of thy skill with
the sword; thou lowest revenge as well as
any man. Here is thy opportunity to
show thou possessest one and canst take
the other. What think ye?" addressing
his comrades. us it not as say?"
SIT is as thou sayest," came quickly in
chorus from the twoscore eager men.
Judging it best to take prompt advantage
of this change of sentiment in my favor,
strobe forward, and before he could raise
a finger to prevent me caught Abram ben
Alden firmly by the beard.
81 niUht we ate salt tOnpthprb said
1T was the VOW of friendship. Today l
spit in thy vile face. 1t is the VOW of eter-
nal enmity,' and suiting the action to the
word spat full in his face. 1t is the great
est affront you can offer an Arab, or in
deed to any man of the Moslem faith.
'Thou shalt rue it!' he shouted. stamp
ing with rage, while he wiped his face
by the holy prophet, thou shalt rue it,!
Mark me, son of an infidel dog, my sword
will slake its thirst in thy blood. will
hew thee in pieces. | will scatter thee to
the winds, SO that no man can gather the
Fragments"
In an instant l was back, with my sword
drawn ready for the attack.
Thou hast there the sword | gave thee"
| said. Grown thy baseness and scatter
me-"
Thou art fool!' he Missed There are
better things than letting the blood out of
Thy foul Christian body. I will take re-
Venge for this defilement yea, revenge that
will not so much as leave thy name among
men, but not now"
Hear how coward can speak," said
20 the crowd. But give us room. Either
be takes his revenge now, or I take mine"
'Yea, leave them roomH' rose on all sides,
and the mass pushed back, making a va
can't space in the middle. On the one side
stood Abram ben Alden, his lean dark face
like f1end's, and z Is fingers nervously
slutching the handle of his sword. On the
other was l, motionless, deadly white, am
sure, but with fixed determination to
die or have vengeance. I was perfectly
calm, probably because the hazard was SO
desperate. The gaze of all those alien eyes
was as nothing; as nothing, too, was the
chance of being killed. Thought and pur-
pose and feeling were concentrated on the
man opposite.