Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-11-08
a Story Of
the East.
By
SYLVANUS
COBB. JR.

b udu gone, Abba remarked:
The more L see OF that man, the
more do love and honor him. He
+ is no common man, my lady"
! stall always remember him with
+ gratitude" returned Ulin. gazing down
IS she spoke.
! And l.. added the bondmaiden,
earnestly. should like to remain with
Elm, and serve him always.
You are generous. Abba"
Because l am but d poor slave, and
can only pay such debts with grateful
service"
No, no, Albia-a slave no more.
When We left my fathers house you
stepped forth free. You are my COM
panlOn-nOt my slave"
The girl caught the hand OF her mis-
tgeSs, and batned it with tears.
Free" she murmured "Aye-free
to serve you now and evermore. Still,
dear lady, there IS a holy satisfaction
in feeling that the servile badge is
stricken off. Your poor slave loved
you truly, and you may be assured
that she will love you none the less
now that she is a slave no more"
Shortly after this, and while yet AL
bia was drying her eyes, Julian called
up the hoi ses, and made ready for an
other start.
Late in the evening they reached the
bank of the Phalphar, and once more
stopped to rest. The cave of the her
mi nrllx fnxr lsa-acr Il i-ror
and could be easily reached by mid
night. For himself the chieftain did
not care lie wished the princess 10
act her own pleasure.
The cave of Ben Hadad was in
deep valley, where the river wound
between two long, high hills, and
! thick woods shut it out from the heat
OF the MONDAY sun and from the gaze
of the stranger. good path led to
IL from the plain, though a person
needed acquaintance with the way in
order safely to follow it. Julian was
surely used to the path. for he thread
ed its various windings without any
/ hesitation. and at length drew up be-
fore a bold face of rock, beneath an
overhanging shelf on which was the
entrance TO Ben Hadad's cave. 1t was
too dark now to see all this plainly,
but those who had been there before
knew very we'll where they were. A
! loud call from Hobaddan soon brought
a lighted torch from the cave. borne
by black slave.
What no. Ortok; where is your
master?" demanded the lieutenant.
'Ho. hot is Hobaddan."
Yes, you grinning rascal, it is |;
and it is also Julian; and, further
more, others are with us Where is
Ben Hadad "
He is in his b0d. sir, sound asleep"
And where is anywhere is Eza-
bel?"
She is also asleep. SIR
Then call Them at once But hold
lead us into the cave first"
The negro came out with his torch.
and while Hobaddan stopped fe :
moments with the slaves to look after
the horses, Julian led Ulin and Abba
/ into the cave. 1t was a broad, high
chamber in the solid rock, and the
| light of the torch revealed the fact
that there must be other chambers be-
yond.
In little while a tall, brOad-shoul-
| dered old man. with hair and beard as
/ white as the breast of swan. came
| forth from distant passage, and al
most at the same time an aged woman
came from another direction. Ju!in
| quickly approached them, and spoke
a few words in private and then said,
/ aloud:
These ladies. good father and moth
er, seek your aid and protec ion. Ask
/ them no questions tonight, for they
are worn and weary. and need repose.
On the morrow they will tell you their
story" He then approached the prin-
cess.
The old woman. when she saw AL
bias face. recognized her at once: and
as she gaZed upon the beautiful saa-
lures OF the princess. the latter said
lures of he princess. she said:
Good mother" replied Ulin, 81 shall
tell you the whole truth and then Won
will know just how much protection
we need
And thereupon she went on. and re-
/ lated all that had TRANSFERRED TO the
present. She told how she had con-
scented to be the wife OF the king-she
told of the death of her mother-and
ten she told how. in her bereavement
she bgc az to dread and fear the man
she had promised to marry.
The woman took Ulin's hand. and
pressed it warmly between her own.
Dear child" she ga l. with much
emotion, for she had been deeply
moved during the recital-"you could
not have told your story to one who
could nave better understood it, | no.
only sympa -hize with you, but will
protect you, if need be. with all the
power | possess; and | assure you that
our good Ben Hadad will join me with
all his heart. You did right in fleeing
from the wicked king | know him
well. lady; and believe you have not
only saved yourself from an unhappy
fate, but you have saved Horam from
committing more crime. Thus much
we understand. and now. my dear
Tin, if l MAJ venture upon the in
quiry. what do you propose to do in
the future?"
MY thoughts in that direction have
been vague and troublesome" replied
the princess She spoke frankly. fol