The Red Cloud chief., 1901-07-26
ScOurge
@Damascu
CHAPTER ~.
The ~Israelite-
Copyrighted 1921 BY Robert Bonner. Son.

When the king left his afianced
bride he was soreiy %perplexed; and the
longer he reflected upon what had
t%ranspired. the deeper grew his rage
and chagrin. He walked alone In the
garden until the sun had set, and then
lie went In and called for his minister
to attend him.
About Cassem. what think you of
this outrage which the Scourge OF Da.
mascus has now committed?'
Il think II Is h~igh-handed and
startling" replied the minister.
HAS your daughter explained more
to you than l have yet heard?"
"She has told me all she knows. sire.
The robber came. according to his own
account, for the purpose Of wrestling
her from the King Of Damascus: but
she refused to go with him; and SO
urgent was she In her protcstations,
that Julian finally went away and left
her. / think, however. that his retreat
was FASTENED by the fear that your
majesty might be upon him with a
dangerous force"
II have no donbt that such Is the
case, About. But the end OF this is
not yet. This daring demon has run
at large long enough. lie has already
stricken fearful blows upon our COM
merce, and now ne takes q new course
OF attack upon IL defenceless daugh-
tiers. 1t has come to be SO that a
tc not aaHa ~ otarx frnrn na-
mascus; nor are our merchants safe In
returning from other lands. 1t must
not be so. BY the heavens above me,
1t shall not be SO! ] must find some
way for this mans capture. I have
sent out my armies against him, and
he has either avoided them. or met
and overcome them. Life Of my soul
just think of II. He met a thousand of
my armed men, and swept them back
over the plains of Abilene as though
they had been SO many ONE Wha.
shall I do, Aboul?"
There Is but one way, sire. that |
can conceive of. II seems to be useless
to send out force against him: for he
is a quick-wltted rascal; and, II hs
cannot successfully cope with them
he can keep out Of their way. He ha;
spies throughout the whole land"
"Aye-I know he hast" cried the
king, with a fresh burst OF rage. "Ht
has friends among those who live
very near to our capital. wish
could get hold Of them"
Get hold OF the chieftain first"
"Ah-but how?"
1T must be done by strategem. sire
II you cannot find some n man whit
Is able to entrap the Scourge. I SCI
not how you are ever to overcome him
A single man with wit. will and Ell
durance may accomplish much. A lit
tie mouse, working In secret, ma!
uproot a great tree
by my life. About, you have Spoken
the truth. The work must be dom
secretly. Have I such a man abou
me?"
How Is 1t with Judah, the Israel
ite?" suggested the minister.
The king started and clapped hi
hands together when he heard tn
name.
by the shades of Tartarus, goo,
About, you have hit the very man. Ju
dab Is with us now. I left him in tn
D hall as I came in from the garden.
| will send for him."
A slave, who stood Just without tn
door, was sent after the man who ha
been spoken OF. and ere long he mad
his appearance before his royal mas
ter. He was a middle-aged man. wit
black hair and keen black eyes; wit
features sharp in outline. and moulde
: into a cast of peculiar cunning; an
with body and limbs light and muscu
lar. He was below the ordinary siz
, of man; and what he may have lacke
In physical strength was more tina
made UP by the quickness and prec
sion OF movement. He had been
dweller in Damascus since chlldhoo,
(: his mother having come from Judei
4 in poverty and disgrace. and given hi
: away to an officer of the kings house
hold.
$ Judah" spoke the monarch.
want you to engage in a dangerous eI
t terprise; but, II you are successful, II
j. honor will be greater than the DANCE
Are you willing to try it,
"Anything, sire, that car yield n
honor and emolument," replied Il
Israelite. with a low bow. Give n
o the freedom OF a citizen, and grid Il
l. sword OF a lieutenant about my loin
v and I will undertake anything.
" would not ven hesitate to 60 o,
) against the Scourge of Damascus"
"Ha! II Is the very thing, Juda
1t is this accursed robber chiefla
"a that / wish to secure. II you WI
=. slay him. and bring me his head, I W
A. make you n free citizen Of Damascu
- and II you will bring him to me aliy
a and deliver him into my hands. l W
N not only bestow the citizenship up'
you. and grid the sword OF a lieute
ant about your loins, but l will 81
you a house and a WIFE"
The black eyes of the Israelite sna