The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-23

with no desire to come hither. to speak our
tonguef"
l told him of the tuition of Abram ben
Adam.
Thou seest yonder towerP" he said Sig
nificantly. 1T is not many days since ID
was adorned with the head of spy who
added lying to his other virtues"
AS my lord llveth, | speak the truth,nI
returned earnestly, for it was a hardship
that my proficiency as a linguist should
stand against me.
Never liar yet but was as true as the
prophet. Thine own ears shall hear the
corroboration of thy words"
| Whereupon he called the witnesses. They
appeared in appalling numbers, with up
| palling testimony, delivered with the glib
ness and assurance Of actors who had we'll
conned their parts. had anticipated much.
The reality was beyond my widest concep.
ton; beyond anything indeed that the slug
| gish western imagination could conceive.
| Speechless with amazement and horror,
heard the damning evidence heaped up that
would have convicted with jury sworn to
acquit At times l was almost moved to
Indignation at my own villainy, for | had
difficulty in remembering that l was the
scoundrel depicted, so atrooious above all
belief were the crimes | had committed,
Or yardarm or dangle from castle wall with
half the felonies on his head that bore.
l was the emissary of hostile power
scheming to conquer and ensave / had
! been caught spying by honorable and re-
spectacle men, whose word was as far above
suspicion as Caesars wife. | had sought
entrance to the castle In order to assassi.
nate the prince, my judge, and so clear the
way to the throne for foreign usurper.
Failing in that, had tried to bribe others
to do the foul deed, and the actual money
had given was exhibited by the recipients.
These and other enormities far above any
ordinary capacity for crime were trium-
phantly brought home to me. There could
not be the shadow Of a doubt that was a
rare monster of wickedness, disgrace to
the species.
The clown appeared against me with
enough of incrimatory evidence to hang 10
honest men, and the impertinent youth on
whom had drawn backed him up with a
readiness and resource that must have
admired had he not chanced to be swearing
away my life. After them trooped the ma
1or part of the population, each with a
darker tale and clearer proof of guilt and
depravity than the other. 1t was wonder
full how one man could have sinped so
much; how one head could have devised 30
much wickedness. Long before my ac-
cusers were finished | was loaded with a
mass of iniquity and infamy sufficient to
drag score of saints to the uttermost
deeps OF perdition.
My judge had un easy task. He had to
determine no question of guilt or innocence;
no delicate balancing of points was de.
manded OF him; he had simply to decide
what should be done to an Infamous wretch
who should be defrauded of his deserts by
hanging, beheading, drawing and quarter
ing.
Abou Kuram did not move a muscle dur
ing the fearful recital. Sitting with clinch-
ed lips and dropping lids, he scarcely seemed
to hear. But when tho pitch was exhaust
ed and / could not possibly be made blacker
he turned on me the face of victory.
Art thou satisfied with the testimony?n
he asked grimly. Thou seemest man Of
much integrity. or very truth, thou art
pretty fellow"
MY lord" blurted, with a gulp, for in
spite of my early bravado the sweat Of ter
ror was new breaking upon me, my lord, |
they are liars every one"
And thou alone speakest truth. Yea.
that is likely. Thou hast been at the
pains to learn our tongue and hast faced |
perils in coming hither and put on our |
clothes and spied and plotted out of pure
friendliness of heart. Thy secret plannings |
and bribngs are all for our welfare. Thou
yearnest to do good by stealth"
For the first time he laughed, and it was |
laugh to curdle the blood When the
judge cackles in irony and derision, the |
prisoner may well quake
Quickly recovering his austerity of man.
ner, he looked me over with eyes that pen
etrated to the core Of my being.
Iln,, Lei tapa. 4
othat goodness thou displayest SO strange.
ly.n he said
In my bewiderment had forgotten Said |
Achmet, but now | turned anxiously to |
seek his friendly face. A chill went to my
heart as searched the crowd in vain He l
had not come; he would be too late But |
just as was about to break out into an in
coherent protcstation of innocence in de-
spair of favorable word there was a move.
ment among the people, and Said Achmet
entered between his guards. Advancing
with respectful bearing TO the front, he
made low obeisance and stood with bent
head and body to hear the governors pleas
ure
81 thought" remarked Abou Kuram
very slowly, that Said Aehmet was of
those we could call friends"
There liyeth not a man this day who
could wish my lord better" returned Said
Achmet in low but fervent voice
ct thou givest refuge to spies and enc
mics Of the state.n
Heaven forbid thy servant should do
such IA thing"
But thou hast done itn
Said Achmet's eyes nearly leaped from
mis- head.
MY lord but iesteth' he said after a
pause during which he scarcely breathed
Nay, there is no Jest in it" answered
Abou Kurain. Look on this fellow and
ell me what thou knowest of him."
Said Aehmet briefly related the circum-
tances Of Our meeting, and his reasons for
aking me in and giving me clothes.
Thou art n man of honor, Said Achmet,"
observed the governor, "hut thy pity hath
blinded thee. Dost thou know aught else
# hlm'"
Said Achmet IN few sentences repeated
he tale Of misfortnneI | had told him, Abou
Suram listening with evident irritation
md contempt
81 doubt not he had trouble in getting
,ither," said the governor, and the reason
or his coming may be judged by his readi-
less to endure dangers and hardships
thou it was for sport he encoun-
cred those pelils by sea and laadf In spite
II thy years and thy wanderings, thou
NJ D"V poooi 9ilu ASnllel' n lelen- |
ng tongue impoAeth on thee, and thou
.rt moved by the woe OF the deceitful.
last thou never yet learned that words
re easy as the wind and often as false?
This fellow heth come to spy and the wages
II the spy are death. Thou mayst 90 in
rcedem, Said Aehmet, but another time
ee thou let not thy compassion make
ool of thy judgment. Methinks it is time
hou vert learning to discern between
ricnd and foen
Said Achmet, again bowling profoundly,
etired without word. As he went ont
ur eyes met for a moment, and the look
e gave me was full of sorrow and pity. 1t
vas but glance, yet it expressed more elo-
uently than would be possible in words
he conviction that l was lost and his grief
t being unable to save me, or even so much
s help.