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

every bend OF the road every burn, almost
every tuft of heather, every dear figure, my
father, my mother. old Duncan and the
rest rose before me with the vividness oi
reality. Sir Thomas Gordon with his
brown face was there, too, and so was lisa
bel, looking as had so often seen her, with
her melting eyes and her abundance oi
glossy hair. | trembled with a feeling
half of joy, half of supersttious dread-as
looked from one to another of the vision
airy company. 1t was pleasant to see them
all as of old. Should l ever see them
againS The meeting was gladsome, but
would it be the lastp
In some agitation of spirit rose, and my
foot struck against the green bag. 1t was
an electric link connecting me In very real
ity with those Of whom was thinking. |
picked it up, drew forth the pipes, hurried
ly turned them and the next instant was
playing highland airs with might and main.
Very weird and strange and thrilling sound
ed the music Of my native hills In that close
subterranean cell-thrilling as the grasp of
a friend in the day of adversity, strange as
the Gaelic speech amid Arabian sands.
played till knew no fear and forgot all
danger, till there rose within me spirit of
revolt and resistance that would have de-
fed the united power of all the caliphs
from Aboo- Beltr to Mustassim. [The first
and last of the real caliphs. Under the
Mamelukes there were, properly speaking,
no caliphs, and the claim OF the sultan to
rank as caliph is absurd
My jailers beat upon tho door with the
butts of their muskets TO demand silence,
but they might as well have whistled to
the charging lion. Needless of their pound
ing. indeed scarcely hearing it, / played on,
the wild slogan of the clans almost burst
ing the walls asunder. Faster and faster
danced the fingers Of the piper; ever more
and more furious rose the strains that
never yet failed to give the strength of &C.
stasy to a Highlander. 1t was the pipes that
won Waterloo, that saved Lucknow, that
broke the Russian swoop at Balakava. On
reeking fields of gore their scream has made
men forget death and Danish the thought
of yielding What they had done in the
stress and havoc of battle they were now
doing in solitariness and darkness. With
their music In my ears, | could dare any
thing.
All at once the door opened, and reAec-
tion of far away sunshine drlbbled feebly
in. A band Of grisly warriors stood with
out, grasping their weapons and bearing
countenances Of distrust and apprehension,
Come forth" said one, stepping a little
In advance of his fellows. THE great Abou
kuram waiteth to hear the charges against
thee"
For half n second held my breath, un-
certain whether or not to put up my pipes.
Then with fierce gathering Of spirit l
blew again, harder than ever and swent
forth, my chanter bumming so bravely that
the Arabs fell back with their fingers hard
In their ears. Perhaps it was out OF char.
hnu hnnp H..
die with a thing SO unearthly, but the
guards suffered me to have my own way.
and 1, determined to make good appear.
ance, put my whole soul into the playing
We passed along devious passages of
treacherous suggestion, then through an
open circular court, whence we had a
glimpse Of enormous walls, stoutly bas,
toned and buttressed and of massive tow
ers thanking arched gateways; then into
another large court surrounded by balco-
nies. All the while blew with unabated
defiance and independence, much to the
amazement of the assembled people. and
to the evident terror of not few who
clearly regarded the skirling of the pipes
as the screeching of evil spirits. NV tune
on entering was the Highland i4addie,r
and very singular figure / must have cut
with my bandaged head, my pulled cheeks
and trailing garments. had vague feel
ing of being second Macpherson march.
ing VIGOROUSLY to death to my own quick.
step, and dare say the bit of bravado sns.
tained me.
Though it was yet little past the dawn,
the court was densely thronged with citi,
zens and soldiers, for the Arabs are abroad
with the sun. On a raised seat facing the
entrance sat the governor Benches of
stone and heat o n orfb that ro, ,,,,n.l A.
sides were occupied by eourtiers, castle of
fcals and the more prominent citizens,
while the common people and the soldiery,
some with bristling arms and some with
out, elbowed each other to find standing
room MS best they could.
Marching with my proudest step into the
center, | abruptly ceased playing and sa.
luted my judge. He did not return my sa-
lutte, but sitting motionless as a statue
watched me with sharpeyes and contracted
brows.
For an Arab he was uncommonIy hand
some. In the prime of life, he was tall,
brond chested, clean featured and bore him
self with the imperial mien of the Caesars
His hair was jet black; his eyes, also black
were as keen as the falcons and more de-
termined, aud his countenance in general
expressed haughtiness and inheXible reso
luton just then it was inauSpiciously
severe
He was arrayed with regal splendor, Over
cleaning white shirt he wore cashmere
robe richly embroidered by the artists of
Delhi, and above that again a small deli,
cately worked cloak of camel's hair, dis |
tinction reserved for sheiks and princes
alone. His tasseled turban was of the I'm. i,
est red and yellow silk gorgeously brocaded,
and was fastened by fillet Of eamePs hair |
inwoven with gold and silver and blazing |
with precious stones. His leather girlle, /
worked with gold and set with brilliants, |
a gold hilted sword and steel /
and ivory handled dagger, flashing with
jewels and embossed and inlaid with the
precious metal. His feet were in crimson
slippers, on which were bound elaborately |
decorated sandals.
There was an uncomfortable silence as he
examined me minutely from head to foot.
On 10Th sides of him sat his ministers
ugly. crafty, pitiless looking dogs, with
sort of grin of expectation on their faces
but none dared to disturb the governors
scrutiny. Presently he gave signal, and
without a word the guards pushed me
closer to him. Fora moment he scrutinized
me again, and his eyes had In them the
leaplng lights OF hawks when it bends
over its prey.
Thou hast the face of Christian, an
!ntldel, and the garb OF an Arab, believer"
be said sharply at length. How cometh
Its"
My lord" ! replied. with a profound
bow, "a generous and charitable man of
1hts town bestowed these clothes upon me-"
His charity was i'll at ease, me thinks
What is his namef'
! hesitated, not wishing to compromise
Said Achmet
Thou wilt find it best to be quick with
thy answers" said Abou Kuram sternly
His name" replied. "is Said Aehmet."
Thou meanest to tell me he sheltered
and clothed theefr
He snccored thy servant when he was
In need ;" answered humbly
go bring Said Achmet, > he called out
ave will see into this matter
Three men instantly bent themselves TO
he earth and hurried OF to arrest my ben.
factor