The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-13
CHAPTER x.
On board the Galley.

Rosamund was led from the Hall of
Steeple across the meadow down to
the quay as Steeple Creek, where a
great boat waited-that of which the
band brethren had found the impress
in the mud. In this the band embark
ed, placing their dead and wounded,
with one or two to tend them, in the
fishing skiff that had belonged to her
father This skiff having been made
fast to the stern of the boat, they push
ed off, and in utter silence rowed down
the creek till they reached the tidal
stream of the blackwater, where they
turned their bow Stewards. Through
the thick night and the falling snow
slowly they felt their way along, some
times rowing, sometimes drifting,
while the false palmer Nicholas sterred
them. The journey proved dangerous,
for they could scarcely see the shore,
although they kept as close to it as
they dared.
The end of it was that they ground
ed on a mud bank, and, do what they
would, could not thrust themselves
free. Now hope rose in the heart of
Rosamund. who sat still as a statue
in the middle of the boat. the prince
Hassan at heT side and the armed
men-twenty or thirty of them-all
about her. Perhaps, she thought, they
and be seen and rescued when the
brethren woke from their drugged
sleep. But Hassan read her mind, and
said to her gently enough:
BE not deceived. lady. for 1 must
tell you that if the worst comes to the
worst, we shall place you in the little
skiff and go on, leaving the rest to
take their chance"
AS it happened, at the full tide they
~ he M drff .xff@A
the ebb down towards the sea. At the
first break of dawn she looked up, and
there. looming large in the mist. lay a
galley, anchored in the mouth of the
river. Giving thanks to Allah for their
safe arrival, the band brought her
aboard and led her towards the cab
in. On the poop stood a tall man,
who commanding the sailors that they
should get up the anchor. AS she
came he advanced to her, bowling and
saying:
Lady Rosamund, thus you find me
again, when doubtless you never
thought to see more"
She looked at him in the fair light
and her blood went cold. 1t was the
knight Lozelle.
You here. Sir Hugh" she gasped.
Where you are, there / am" he
answered. with sneer upon his coarse,
handsome face. did not swear that
it should be so. beauteous Rosamund,
after your sanity cousin worsted me
in the fray?"
you here" she repeated, "you, a
Christian knight, and in the pay of
Saladinl'
"In the pay of anyone who leads
me to you, Rosamund." Then, seeing
the emir Hassan approach, he turned
to give some orders to the sailors,
and she passed on to the cabin and in
her agony fell upon her knees.
When Rosamund rose from them she
felt that the ship was moving, and,
desiring to look her last on Essex
land, went out again upon the poop,
where Hassan and Sir Hugh placed
themselves, one upon either side of
her. Then it was that she saw the
tower of st. Peter on the Wall and
her cousins seated on horseback In
front of it. the light of the sun shining
upon their mail Also she saw Wulf
spur his horse into the sea. and faint
ly heard his great cry of Fear not!
We follow, we follow!"
A thought came to her, and she
sprang towards the bulwark; but they
were watching and held her, so that
all that she could do was TO throw up
her arms in token.
Now the wind caught the sail and
the ship went forward swiftly, so that
soon she lost sight of them. Then In
her grief and rage Rosamund turned
upon Sir Hugh Lozelle and beat him
with bitter words till he shrank be-
fore her.
Coward and traitor!' she said. 80
It was you who planned this, know
ing every secret of our home. where
often you were a guesti You who for
Paynim gold have murdered my IA
Their, not daring to show your face be-
fore his sword. but hanging like a
thief upon the coast, ready to receive
what drawer men had stolen. OH may
God avenge his blood and me on you.
false knight--false to Him and me and
faith and honor-as avenge He will!
Heard you not what my klnsman
called 70 me? We follow. we followv
Yes, they follow and their swords
those swords you feared TO look on
shall yet pierce your heart and give
up your soul TO your master Satan,'
and she paused, trembling with her
righteous wrath. while Hassan stared
at her and muttered:
by Allah. princess indeed SO
have ! seen Salah-ed-din look I'm his
rage. Yes, and she has his very eyes"
But Sir Hugh answered in thick
voice.
Let them follow--one or both.
fear them not and out there my foot
Will not slip IN the snow"