The Savannah morning news., 1904-10-23
ontnued from Last Sundays News.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE WIDOW MASOUDA

I'll h WIDOW MASOJJDA
Many months had gone by since the
brethren sat upon their horses thar
winter morning, and from the shrine
Of st. Peters-on-th Wall. at the
mouth of the Backwater in Essex had
watched with anguished hearts the gal.
ley of Saladtn sailing southwards.
heir love and cousin, Rosanund
standing a prisoner on the deck. Hav-
ing no ship in which to follow her-an5
his indeed. it would have been too late
TO do-they thanked those who had
come to aid them, and returned home
TO Steeple, where they had matters to
arrange. As they went they gathered
from this man and that tidings which
made the whole tale clear to them.
They learned, for instance, then and
afterwards, that the galley that had
been thought to be a merchantmen had
put into the river Crouch by design.
f-igning an injury to her rudder and
that on Christmas Eve she had n,ovA5
up with the tide, and anchored in the
Blackwater about three miles from it's
mouth. Thence a great boat, which she
toWed behind her, and was afterwards
found abandoned, had rowed in the
dusk. keeping along the further shore
to avoid observation, to the mouth of
Steeple Creek, which she descended at
dark, making fast to the Staithe. I'M
seen of any. Her crew of thirty men
or more guided by the false palmer
Nicholas, next hid themselves in the
grove of trees about fifty yards from
the house, where traces of them were
found afterwards, waiting for the sig
nal and, if that were necessary, ready
to attack and burn the Hall while all
men feasted there. But it was not
necessary, since the cunning scheme of
the drugged wine, which only an East
em could have devised succeeded So
it happened that the only man they had
to meet in arms was one old knight, of
which doubtless they were glad. as
their numbers being few, they wished
to avoid a desperate battle, wherein
many must fall and, If help came, they
might be destroyed to the last man.
When all was over they led Rosa
mund to the boat felt their way down
the creek, towing behind them the lit
tie skiff which they had taken from the
water-house, laden with their dead and
wounded. This, as the brethren learn
ed afterwards, proved the most perilous
part of their adventures, since it was
very dark, and came on to snow; twice
they grounded upon the mud banks.
Still guided by Nicholas, who had
studied the river, they reached the gal
ley before dawn. and with the first light
weighed anchor, and very cautiously
rQWed out to sea. The rest is known.
Two DAYS Iafnr
time to spare, Sir Andrew was buried
with great pomp at Stangate Abbey.
III the same tomb, where lay the heart
OF his brother. the father of the breth-
rem, who had fallen in the Eastern
wars. After he had been laid to rest
amidst much lamentation and in the
presence of great concourse of peo-
pie, for the fame of these strange
happenings had Travelled for and wide
his will was opened. Then it was
found that with the exception of GER
tain sums of money left to his neph-
eWs. legacy to Stangate Abbey, ard
another to be devoted to masses for
the repose of his soul with some gifts
10 his servants and the poor. all his
estate was devise to his daughter
Rosamund. The brethren. however, or
tae survivor of them. held it in trust
OH her behalf, with the charge that
ny Sluulu Keep Ndlcn ana WdGQ over
her. and manage her lands till she took
husband.
These lands, together with their
own. the brethren placed in the hands
Oh Pior John at Stangate in the pres
ence of witnesses, to administer for
mem subject to the provisions of the
VIII. taking a 1.-THE of the rents and
profits for his pains. The priceless
Jewels also that had been sent by Sala-
ain were given into his keeping, and
receipt with a list of the same signed
IN duplicate, deposited with a clerk at
Southminster. This, indeed was nee
essary seeing that none. save the
brethren and the Prior knew of these
jewels, of which, being of so great
'dlue, 1t was not safe to speak. Their
sHairs arranged, having first made
their Wills in favor of each other with
remainder to their heirs-at-law. since
was scarcely TO be hoped that both
OF them would return alive from such
quest, they received the Communion,
an with II his blessing from the hands
Of the Prior John. Then early one
morning, before any were astir, they
i"qe quietly away to London.
On the top of Steeple Hill. sending
Forward the servant who led the mule
laden with their baggage-that same
mule which had been left by the spy
;Nl'holas-they turned their horses |
heads to look in farewell on their
nome. There to the north of them /
lay the Blackwater, and to the west
the parish of Maryland. towards which !
Inc laden barges crept along the |
stream to Steeple creek. Below was
me wide. fiat plain outlined with
trees, and in il. marked by the plan
iaiion where the Saracens had hid the
nan and church of Steeple. the home