The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-13

herself down and wept till she thought
that her heart would break.
Well might Rosamund weep whose
beloved sire was slain, who was torn
from her home to find herself in the
power of a man she hated. Yet there
was hope for her. Hassan, Eastern
trickster as he might be, was her
friend; and her uncle, Saladin at least,
would never wish that she should be
shamed. Most like he knew nothing of
this man Lozelle, except as one of
those Christian traitors who were ever
ready to betray the Cross for gold.
But Saladin was far away and her
home lay behind her, and her cousins
and lovers were eating out their hearts
upon that fading shore. And she-one
woman alone-was on this ship with
the evil man Lozelle, who thus had
kept his promise, and there were none
save EasternS to protect her. none
save them-and God, who had permit
ted that such things should be.
The ship swayed, she grew sick
and faint. Hassan brought her food
with his own hands, but she loathed
it who only desired to die. The day
turned to night, the night turned to
day again, and always Hassan brought
her food and strove to comfort her,
till at length she remembered no more.
Then came a long, long Sleep and in
the sleep dreams of her father stand
ing with his face to the foe and sweep
ing them down with his long sword
as a sickle sweeps corn-of her father
felled by the pilgrim knave, dying upon
the floor of his own house and say
ing, God will guard you. His will
be done" Dreams of Goodwin and Wulf
also fighting to save her, plighting their
troths and swearing their oaths, and
between the dreams blackness.
RnCann1IOd q DO 10 he
streaming warmly through the shutter
of her cabin, and to see a woman who
held cup in her hand, watching her
"a stout woman of middle age with
not unkindly face. She looked about
her and remembered all. So she was
still in the ship
Whence come your" she asked the
woman.
From France, lady. This ship put
in at Marseilles, and there l was hir-
ed to nurse one who lay sick, which
suited me very well, as l wished to
go to Jerusalem to seek my husband,
and good money was offered me. Still
had known that they were all Sara
Gems on this ship, / am not sure that
l should have come-that is, except the
captain, Sir Hugh, and the palmer
Nicholas; though what they, or you
either, are doing in such company 1
cannot guess"
What is your name?" asked Rosa
mund idly
'Marie-Marie Bouchet. MY husband
is fish-monger, or was, until one of
| those crusading priests got hold of
him and took him off to kill Paynims
and save his soul, much against my
| will. Well, l promised him that if he
did not return in five years 1 would
come to look for him. So here 1 am,
but where he may be is another mat
| ter"
ut is brave of you to CO." said
| Rosamund, then added by an after
| thought, How long is it since we left
| Marseilles?"
Marie counted on her fat fingers.
| and answered:
| "Five-nearly six weeks. You have
been wandering in your mind all that
| time, talking of many strange things
and we have called at three ports.
| forget their names, but the last one
| was an island with a beautiful harbor
| Now, in about twenty days, If all goes
well, we should reach another island
called Cyprus. But you must not talk
so much, you must sleep. The Sara
cen called Hassan, who is a clever doc
| tor, told me So"
So Rosamund slept, and from that
| time forward, floating on the calm
Mediterranean sea, her strength began
| to come back again rapidly, who was
young and strong in body and con-
stitution. Three days later she was
| helped to the deck, where the first
man she saw was Hasan, who came
| forward to greet her with many East
| ern salutations and JOY written on his
| dark, wrinkled face.
II give thanks to Allah for your sake
and my own" he said. For yours
that you still live whom l thought
would die, and for myself that had you
| died your life would have been re-
| quired at my hands by Salah-ed-din,
my MASTER"
IF so, he should have blamed Az
| rael, not you" answered Rosamund,
| smiling; then suddenly turned cold,
| for before her was Sir Hugh Lozelle.
| who also thanked heaven that she had
recovered. She listened to him cold
ly. and present he went away, but soon
| was at her side again. Indeed she
| could never be free of him, for when
ever she appeared on deck he was
there, nor could he be repealed, since
| neither silence nor rebuff would stir
| him. Always he sat near talking in
his false, hateful voice, and devouring
her with the greedy eyes which she
could feel fixed upon her face. With
him often was his jackal, the false
| palmer Nicholas, who crawled about
ter her. but to this man she would
never speak a word.
At last she could bear II no longer,
| and when her health had returned to
her, summoned Hassan to her cabin.
Tell me, prince" she said. who
rules upon this vessel?"
Three people," he answered. bow
ing. THE knight, Sir Hugh Lozelle.
who. as a skilled navigator is the
captain and rules the sailors; l. who
who rule the fighting men; and you.
Princess. who rule us ALL"
Then / command that the rogue
named Nicholas shall not be allowed
to approach me. Is II to be borne that
/ must associate with my fathers
murderer"
IT fear that In that business we all
had a hand. nevertheless your order
shall be obeyed. To tell you the truth.
lady, hate the fellow, who is but
| common spv'
IL desire ALSO" went on Rosamund.
ito speak no more with Sir Hugh
| Lozelle."
That is more difficult" said Has
san, since he is the captain whom my
master ordered me to obey In all
things that have 10 do with the ship"
II have nothing to do with the
ship" answered Rosamund; and sure
ly the princess OF Baalbee II so ] am,
may choose her own companions.
wish 70 see more OF you and less of
Sir Hugh Lozelle."
Il am honored." replied Hassan.
and will do my best"
For some days after this although
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