The San Francisco call., 1905-01-29

presently. in rage, the master of the
Templars drew his sword and dashed
1t down upon the table.
Another veil was lifted, and 10! he
saw the camp of Saladin, the mighty,
endless camp, with it's ten thousand
tents, among which the ~Saracens
cried to Allah through all the watches
or the night. He saw the royal pavi-
lion, and in 1t the Sultan walked to and
fro alone-none sof his emirs, not even
his son. were with him. He was lost in
thought, and Goodwin read his thought.
1t was: BEHIND me the Jordan and
the Sea of Galilee, into which, If my
hanks were turned, should be driven,
l and all my host In front the terri
tories OF the Franks, where l have no
friend: and by Nazareth their great
army. Allah alone can help me. If
thev sit still and force me to advance
across the desert and attack them be-
fore my army melts away, then / am
lost. If they advance upon me round
the Mountain Tabor and by the wa
tered land, l may be lost. But ion!
If Allah should make them mad, and
they should strike straight across the
desert-then, then they are lost, and
the reign of the Cross in Syria is for
ever at an end. 1 will wait here. I
will wait here"
Look! near to the pavilion Of Saladin
stood another tent, closely guarded,
and in it on a cushioned bed lay two
women. One was Rosamund, and she
slept sound; and the other was Masou-
da. and she was waking, for her eyes
met his in the darkness.
The last veil was withdrawn, and
now Goodwin saw sight at which his
soul shivered A fire. blackened plain,
and above 1t frowning mountain, and
that mountain thick. thick with dead,
thousands and thousands and thou
sands of dead, among which the hyenas
wandered and the night-birds
screamed He could see their faces:
many of them he knew again as those
of living men whom he had met in
Jerusalem and elsewhere, or had seen
with the army. He could hear also the
meanings of the few who were yet
alive.
About that field-yes, and In the
camp of Saladin, where lay more dead
his body seemed to wander searching
for something, he knew not what, till
it came to him that it was the corpse
of Wulf for which he sought and found
it not-nay, nor his own either. Then
once more he heard the spirits pass
very great company, for to them
were gathered all those dead-heard
them pass away, wailing, ever more
'oiAti6s Al IllC iOSI Cd duS6 OIL
Christ.
Goodwin awoke from his dream
trembling. mounted his horse, and
rode back to Wulf. Beneath, as be-
fore. lay the sleeping camp. yonder
stretched the brown desert, and there
sat Wulf watching both.
Tell me" asked Goodwin, how long
is 1t since 1 left you?''
Some few minutes-twenty, per-
haps," answered his brother.
"A short while to have seen so
much. Then Wulf looked at him Gu
riously and asked:
What have you seen?"
II told you, Wulf, you would
not believe
Tell me, and I will say"
So Goodwin told him all, and at the
end asked him, What think you?"
Wulf considered awhile, and an
swered
Well. brother, you have touched
no wine to-day, so you are not drunk,
and you have done nothing foolish, so
you are not mad. Therefore it
would seem that the saints have been
talking to you, or, at least, so
should think of any man whom 1 be-
neVed to be as good as you are. Yet
it is folk like you that see visions, and
those visions are not always true, for
sometimes, l believe, the devil is their
Snowman. Our watch is ended, for
l hear the horses of the knights who
come to relieve us. Listen; this is my
counsel. In the camp yonder is our
friend, with whom we travelled from
Jerusalem, Egbert, the Bishop of Naz.
areth, who marches with the host
Let us go to him and lay this matter
before him, for he is q holy man and
learned; no false, self-seeking priest
Goodwin nodded in assent, and pres
emily, when the other knights had
come and they had made their report
to them, they rode off together to the
tent of Egbert, and, leaving their
horses in charge of a servant, en-
tered.
Egbert was an Englishman who
had spent more than thirty years of
his life in the East. whereof the suns
had tanned his wrinkled face to the
hue of bronze, that seemed the darker
in contrast with his blue eyes and
snow-white hair and beard. Enter
ing the tent, they found him at his
prayers before little image of the
Virgin, and stood with bowed heads
until he had finished. Presently he
arose, and, greeting them with
blessing, asked them what they
needed.
"Your counsel, holy father" an
swered Wulf. Goodwin, set out your
tale"
So, having seen that the tent flap.
was closed and that none fingered
near, Goodwin told him his dream
The old man listened patiently, nor
did he seem surprised at this strange
story, since in those days men saw
or thought that they saw-many such
visions, which were accepted by the
church as true.
When he had finished Goodwin asked
of him as he had asked of Wulf:
What think you, holy father? Is this
a dream, or is it a message? And if
so, from whom comes the message?'
Goodwin Darcy" he answered, ''in
my youth I knew your father. 1t was
1 who shrove him when he lay dying
of his wounds, and a nobler soul never
passed from earth to heaven. After
you had left Damascus, when you were
the guest of Saladin, we dwelt together
in the same lodging in Jerusalem, and
together we Travelled here, during all
which time learned to know you also
as the worthy son of a worthy sire
no dissolute knight, but a true servant
of the church. 1t well may be that to
such a one as you foresight has been
given, that through you those who
rule us may be warned, and all Christ
endom saved from great sorrow and
disgrace. Come, let us go to the King
and tell this story, for he still sits in
council yonder."