The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-14


pointed TO the two camels, laden with
the inferior articles which he had pur-
chased. ard read the number and de-
soription of his goods from his tab
$50
What value do you set upon tbs
whole OF them, merchant" asked Tho
bal
ITO the traders of the country Sc
much, but to you, oh king. so much
only" and he named a sum twice that
which he had paid in the city.
so be it, said Ithobal. indifferently
Il do not haggle over wares, though
your price is large; presently my treas
urer shall weigh you out the gold.
There was a moments pause, and
then Metem SAID:
The trees in this camp of yours bear
evil fruit, o king. If 1 might ask. why
irdoes that little black monkey hang
ycnder?"
Because he tried to do murder with
his poisoned arrows" answered Tho
bal. sullenly.
And failed. Well il must comfort
you to thiak that if he did fail he
was of the number Of your servants. II
I is strange now Tat some knaVe I'M
known attempted murder last night in
the palace gardens, also with poisoned
arrows. l say attempted, but as yet
cannot be sure that he did not sue
ceed.''
What" exclaimed IthobaI, was
-" and he stopped.
mo, king. ARIEL was not hit; the
Lady ELISA took the arrow through her
i hand, and lies between life and death.
/ am doctoring her. and had it not been
| for my skill she would now be stiff and
black-as the rogue who shot the ar
| row."
Save her." said IthobaI, hoarsely.
and l will pay you doctors fee of
hundred ounces of pure gold. o, had
/ I but known, the clumsy fool had not
died so easily
Metem took out his tablets and made
! a note of the amount.
Take comfort. king he said 81
think that shall earn, the fee. But, to
speak truth, this matter looks some
what ugly, and your name is mentioned
in it; it is also said that your cousin,
the great man whom the Prince Aziel
slew, was charged to abduct certain
lady by your order"
Then false tales are told in Zimboe.
and not for the first time" said Tho
bal coldly. Listen, merchant, 1 ave
a question to ask you. VIII the Prince
Aziel meet me in single combat with
whatever weapons he may choose?"
Doubtless, and slay you as he slew
your cousin, for he is a fine swordsman
and your strength would not avail
against him. But your question is al
ready answered, for though the prince
would be glad enough to fight you,
Saxon will have none of it. Have you
nothing else to ask me, king?"
Ithobal nodded and said:
Listen, merchant. l know your re-
pute of old: that you love money and
will do much to gain it, and that you
are craftier than any hillside fox. Now,
if you can do my will you can have
more wealth than ever you won in your
life before"
1.-The offer sounds good in n poor
mans ears, king, but it depends upon
what is your WILL
Ithobal went to the door of the tent
and commanded the sentries VINO stood
without to suffer none TO disturb him
or draw near. Then he returned and
said:
81 will tell you, but beware how you
betray my counsels in this or in any
other matter. You know how things
are between me and the Lady Elisa
and her father Saxon, and the city
which he governs; unless within eight
days she is given to me in marriage,
l have sworn that l will make war
upon Zimboe. Aye, and 1 will make it.
for already the great tribes are gather
of them 10000 strong. Once let them
march beneath yonder walls, and be-
fore they leave it Zimboe's city of gold
shall be nothing but heap of ruins
and a habitation of the dead. Such
shall be my vengeance: but seek love |
more than vengeance. for what will it
avail me to butcher all that people of |
traders, if-as well may chance in the |
accidents of war-I lose her whom |
desire. whose beauty shall be my crown |
of crowns, and whose mind shall make |
me great indeed? Therefore, it may
be, I would win her without war; let |
the war come afterward, as come it |
must, for the time is ripe. And though |
she turned from me, this I should have |
done, had it not been for yonder Prince |
Azlel, Whom she met in a wild fashion |
and straightway learned to dove. Now
the thing is more difficult. Nay, while
the Prince AZiel can take heP~to wife,
1t is well nigh impossible, since no
threats of war or ruin can turn a wo-
mans heart from him she seeks to
him she flies. Therefore, / ask your
Your pardon, king" Metem broke in,
but / would save you, perchance. from
saying words that 1 do not wish to
listen to, and that you may afterward
regret having spoken. If you were
about to require of me that I should
cause or be PRIV to the death of the
Prince Aziel, you would require it in
vain; yes. if you would pay me gold in
iiVuhtdilS, anu germs IN Gamer IOadS.
With murder l will have naught to do;
moreover, the prince. your rival. is my
friend, and l will not harm him. Fur
her, / may tell you that after last
/ Sht none will be able to come near
him to hurt a hair of his head, seeing
hat through daylight and through
he is guarded by two men,
And has a WOman's body set before
lin as shield" said Ithobal, bitterly.
But you speak too fast; I was not
ibout to ask you to kill this man. or
wen to procure his death, but rather
hat you should so contrive that he can
lot wed ELISA How you contrive il /
are nothing, so that she is not harm
ID. GU may kidnap him, or stir up the
'Ity against him, as one who would
re the source of war. and cause him to
Ne despatched back to the great sea, or
tribe the priests of Ell to hide him
way, or what you will. if only you sep
rate him from this woman forever
'ay merchant, are you willing TO I'M
Iertake the task, or must my good gold
70 elsewhere"
Metem pondered a while. and an
wered:
Il think that I will undertake it,
ing, that is. if we can come to terms.
hough whether l shall succeed is an
Their matter. l will undertake 1t, not
My because I seek to enrich myself,
ut because I and others who love him
hink that it would be a very evil thing
hat this Prince Aziel. whose blood is
he most royal in the whole world, 4
Tithout the consent of the great king
{ Israel, his grandfather. should wed &
he daughter of a Pheoenician officer,
owever beautiful and loving she may :
e. Also love yonder city. and would
OF see it plunged into a bloody war
nd perchance destroyed because q Ger