The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-25

and sped on in its stride. Then the
| black found its feet again and gallop-
ed forward to the further gate, and
) Lozelle also found his feet and turned
to run.
Stand! Stand, coward" yelled ten
thousand voices and, hearing them. he
drew his sword and stood.
WITHIN three great strides Wulf
dragged his charger to its launches.
then wheeled it round
Charge him!" shouted the multi
tude; but he remained seated, as
though unwilling to attack a horse
less man. Next he sprang from his
saddle, and accompanied by the horse
smoke, which followed him as a dog
follows its master, walked slowly to-
wards Lozelle, as he walked casting
away his lance and drawing the great
| cross-hilted sword.
Again the silence fell, and through it
rang the cry of Goodwin:
A Darcy! A DARCY"
A Darcy! A Darcy" came back
| Wults answer from the bridge, and
his voice echoed thin and hollow in
| the spaces of the gulf. Yet they re-
Joiced to hear it, for it told them that
J he was sound and strong.
Wult had no shield and Lozelle had
no helm--the fight was even. They
crouched opposite each other, the
sword flashed aloft in the moonlight;
from FAR away came the distant clank
| OF steel, soft. continual clamor of
! IRON on iron, A blow fell on Wulf's
mail, who had nought wherewith to
guard himself, and he staggered back
Another blow. another and another,
ana back. still back he reeled-back
TO the edge of the bridge, back un-
| I'll he struck against the horse that
stood behind him, and, resting there
| a moment, as it seemed, regained his
! balance
Then there was change. Look, he
rushed forward, welding the great
blade in both hands. The stroke lit
upon Lozelle's shield and seemed to
tear 1t in two, for in that stiffness all
, could hear the clang of it's upper half
! as 1t fell upon the stones. Beneath
| the weight of it he staggered, sank to
his knee, gained his feet again, and
! IN his turn gave back. Yes, now it
was Lozelle who rocked and reeled
| Aye, by st. Chad! Lozelle who went
| down beneath that mighty blow which
| missed the head but fell upon his
shoulder, and lay there like a log, till
| presently the moonlight shone upon
| ms mailed hand stretched upward in
a prayer for mercy. From house-top.
| terrace and wall. from soaring gates
and battlements. the multitude of the
| people of the Assassins gathered on
either side the gulf broke into a roar
that beat up the mountain sides like
a voice of thunder. And the roar
shaped itself to these words:
Kill him! kill him! kill him!''
Sinan held up his hand, and a sudden
silence fell. Then he, too, screamed in
his thin voice:
Kill him! He is conquered"
But the great Wulf only leaned upon
the cross-handle of his brand. and
| looked at the fallen foe. Presently. he
seemed to speak with him. then Loz-
| ellie lifted the blade that lay beside
him and gave it to him in token of
surrender. Wulf handled it awhile
shook it on high in triumph. and
whirled it about his head till it shone
in the moonlight. Next, with a shout
he cast it from him far into the gulf.
where it was seen for a moment, an
arc of cleaning light, and the next
was gone.
Now, taking no more heed of the
conquered knight, Wulf turned and be-
! gan to walk towards his horse.
Scarcely was his back towards him
when Lozelle was on his feet again, a
| dagger in his hand.
Look behind you'll" yelled Goodwin:
| but the spectators, pleased that the
fight was not yet done broke into a
roar of cheers. Wulf heard and swung
| round AS he faced Lozelle the dag
ger struck him on the breast, and
we'll must it have been for him that
his mail was good. To use his sword
he had neither space nor time, but
ere the next stroke could fall his arms
were about Lozelle, and the fight for
life begun.
To and fro they reeled and stagger-
! ed, whirling round and round, till
i It.
| Wulf or which foe. Now they were
on the edge of the abyss, and, in that
| last dread strain for mastery, seemed
to stand there still as stone. Then
one man began to bend down. Seel
his head hung over. Further and fur
| ther he bent but his arms could not
be loosened.
"They will both go!" cried the null
| titude in their joy
| Look A dagger flashed. Once,
| twice thrice ii cleaned, and those
wrestlers fell apart while from deep
down in the gulf came the thud of a
fallen body.
"Which-oh, which," cried Rosa
mund from her battlement.
"Sir Hugh Lozelle," answered Cod
win in a solemn voice.
Then the head of Rosamund fell for
ward on her breast, and for a while
she seemed to sleep.
Wulf went to his horse. turned 1t
about on the bridge. and throwing his
arm around its neck, rested for a
space. Then he mounted and walked
slowly towards the inner gate. Push
ing through the guard and officers,
Goodwin rode out to meet him.
! "Bravely done, brother" he said.
when they came face to face. Say,
are you hurt?"
Bruised and shaken-no more" an
| swered Wulf.
"a good beginning truly. Now for
the rest" said Goodwin. Then he
glanced over his shoulder, and added.
"See. they are leading Rosamund
away. but Sinan remains. to speak
with you doubtless. for Masouda beck
ons."
"What shall we do?" asked Wulf
make a plan. bother, for my head
swlms."
Here what he has to say. Then as
vour horse is not wounded either, ride
FOR II when I give the signal as Ma
souda babe us. There Is no other way.
| Pretend that YOU are somewhat hurt"
So Goodwin leading, while the null
! ,itude roared a welcome 10 the con-
orerlng Wulf. who had borne him
self 80 bravely for their pleasure. they
! rode 20 the mouth Of the bridge and
halted IN the little space before the
archway. There Al-je-bal spoke by
"a noble fray" he said Il did not
think that Franks could fight 80 well
| gar. Sir KniGht Will you feast with
me IN my palaceT -,
~ thank YOU, lord A" answered Wuf,
nbut / must rest while my brother
] "a