The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-27
trayed me. He has brought you here to
plunder Is il not sof'

trayed me. He has brought you here to
plunder. Is 1t not soi'
Perhaps ii 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 viper to my breast"
cried, land he has stung me. It is a base
thing that stings the hand that helps IL.
BY your love of vengeance. charge you to
leave him to me. Let it be seen this day
how treachery and ingratitude can be re-
quilted. We two have eaten salt together
/ took him in, giving him of my best, and
now he clamors for my life. 1t is his il he
can take it, You will grant the prayer of
forsaken stranger that no hand but his
enemy's be raised against him. 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
dog,
Abram ben Alden savagely. let his in
tnIOtb lScl Tile eugt Ol u believer y
sword Who is he that he should handy
words with usP or with his head, TO the
sharks with his carcass, and let us to the
spolr'
"Thy tongue is too fast for thy wit,
Abram ben Aden," said the man whom I
took To be leader. 'He has yielded the
ship TO us. He is ready 10 put his life upon
thy blade point IL thou will grant him
like privilege in return. A fair bargain, by
the memory of Sikandar-el-Rumi. Many
time hast thou boasted OF thy skill with
the sword; thou lowest revenge as well IA
any man. Here Is thy opportunity to
show thou possessest one and canst take
the other. What think yet" addressing
his comrades. us it not as sayp"
1T is as thou sayest," came quickly In
chorus from the twoscore eager men.
Judging il best to take prompt advantage
of this change of sentiment in my favor, l
strobe forward, and before he could raise
q finger to prevent me caught Abram ben
Alden firmly by the beard.
Last night we ate salt together" said
ut was the vow OF friendship Today I
Ipit i'm thy vile face IL is the vow of eter-
nal enmity,n and suiting the action to the
word spat full in his face. IL is the great
est affront you can offer an Arab, or in
deed to any man of the Moslem faith.
"Th0u shalt rue itp' he shouted. stamp
Ing with rage, while he wiped his face
"By the holy prophet, thou shalt rue i'll
Mark me, son OF an infidel dog, my sword
will slake it's thirst in thy blood. will
hew thee in pieces. will scatter thee TO
the winds. 20 that no man can gather the
fragments"
In an instant was back, with my sword
drawn ready for the attack.
"Thou hast there the sword gave thee"
said. ''Crown thy baseness and scatter
me"
"Thou art a foolr' he Missed. There are
better things than letting the blood out of
thy foul Christian body. l will take TO
venge for thisdefilement; yea, revenge that
will not 30 much as leave thy name among
men, but not now"
"Hear how coward can speak, said
90 the crowd. But give Us room. Either
he takes his revenge now, or take mine.'
"Yea, leave them roomr' rose on all sides,
and the mass pushed back. making va
can't space ia the middle. On the one side
stood Atram ben Alden. his lean dark face
like a flend's. and his fingers nervously
clutching the handle Of his sword. On the
other was |, motionless, deadly white, am
sure, but with a fixed detexminstion 10
die or have vengeance. ] was perfectly