The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-06-06
TVVCVWNbNO. 90, - VDHSHV1O
AT THE
SULTAN'S
COUCH
By Clinton Danserfield
BIZ the S. S. Mcclure Company
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of silk. AS he faced his anxious at
tendants the glare in his eyes made
them fall back as though he had struck
them with the scimiter which always
Law within his reach.
"Allah sent you all as a plague" he
said fiercnly. Here have l lain three
mortal hours, and sleep comes not near
mine eyes. Higher with the lights
fools. Can man rest with shadows
hanging over him."
The lights shone more brilliantly,
while the rulers eyes searched jealous
ly in every corner. Suddenly he sat up
"Fetch me that Christian page who
was brought to the palace yesterday.
weary of the eternal sameness of your
faces"
The grand vizier, whose life was i'm
Uttered beyond words by his masters
liking for his presence, went himself
to seek the boy. wondering as he went
how much longer he could attend to
affairs of state if he was expected to
keep awake all night as well.
A velvet footed eunuch brought him
quickly to the pages side. The boy
slept peacefully. although the tears he
shed in praying over the little cottag.
he called home were scarcely dry Oh
his cheeks.
The vizier woke him, not urgently
Sooth to say, he felt some pity for thi:
blue eyed lad, and, moved by a kindi;
impulse, he helped the page to dress
and took his hand as they hurried
through the long, dimly lighted CORR
doris
The sultan still sat up, clutching hi:
covering around him and remindin.:
the vizier most unpleasantly of a sulleL
wild boar in his lair, solitary. miSera.
BILE, but infinitely dangerous The vi.
zier shivered inwardly as he presented
the page.
Leave the boy alone with mer'
| growled his master Are you para.
lyzed, you sons of idiocy, that you d.
not move when | speak,"
This last sentence cleared the room
y. dlluOuSll llG Sulldll utu utN
er been so nearly alone before.
His two gigantic guards, who slep-
at the foot of his bed, went last, their
naked scimiters cleaning in their
hands. The door closed noiselessly.
The page knelt quietly near the cen
| ter of the room, the light from tho
swinging lamps full upon him His
eyes were resting undisturbedly on the
sultan.
"Rise and come herew growled the
ruler hOarsely. The page rose, and to
the sultan's establishment, he walked
confidently to the couch and, seating
himself on it, passed his slim, cool fin
gers over the rulers brow.
How very hot and uncomfortable
you arer' he said thoughtfully. You've
almost got a fever, but your face il
worst of ALL"
whats the matter with my face"
| demanded the sultan, considerably tax
en- aback.
"It's quite wrinkled with trouble
just like fathers is before motheS
smooths it away for him. This is the
way she does it,"
He was so small and the mighty
ruler so large that he had to kneel OF
the coverings to reach his masters
forehead. but his touch produced re
markabe effect. The sultan sank back
on his pillows and lay quite still for
nearly fifteen minutes, while the strok,
ing went on.
Outside the door knelt the grand
vizier, looking carefully through the
keyhole, too amazed to report the re-
suit of his observations to the officers
! behind him.
"What makes you think trouble put
those lines in my face?" asked the sui
| tan.
81 don't know how know it." said
the page perplexedly, "but l do. You
see, when they took me away from
mother and brought me to the palace
thought you would be just perfectly
happy. But you look like the old rug
maker near us did when the soldiers
broke his loom to pieces"
The sultan grinned, his lip curling
upward. after the fashion of wolf.
would that my viZier could hear thee
pay compliments But my loom is not
tempt it. Thou seest the splendor OF
my palace?"
"You have more things than any one
could count" said the page reflective
ly. what a good time your boys must
havep'
The sultan scowled. His heir ap
parent was in the depths of toad in.
tested dungeon. while his other sons
trembled daily for their heads Il
don't talk of Them" he muttered. I'm
grateful hounds they are" Then he
added hastily by way of changing the
subject: your infdel sect clings to
its holes. which it calls homes. There
fore. | suppose, your mother shrieked
and screamed when they brought you
away"
Two round. hot tears splashed down
from the pages eyes upon his masters
beard. The vizier distinctly saw them
CLEAN in the light. though he could
catch no word of the conversation He
looked to see the audacious boys head
neatly swept off with the curved scim-
tier, but the sultan merely lay still.
"She never screams" said the page
quietly. "She told me it was Gods
will should come here. else you could
not have taken me. She said | would
find people here more unhappy than
| chn Or l could nunr he and | must