The San Francisco call., 1905-01-22

by the stream. having first washed
them with water and though the time
was short, thus eased him much. Then.
so soon as the dawn was gray, having
drunk their fill and, as they had moth
Ing else, eaten some watercress that
grew In the stream, they frightened
their saddlegirths and started. Scarce
ly had they gone a hundred yards
when, from the gulf beneath, that was
hidden In gray mists, they heard the
sound OF horses hoofs and mems
voices.
Push on" said Masouda, "Al-Jebai
is on our track
Upward they climbed through the
gathering light, skirting the edge Of
dreadful precipices which, in the gloom,
1t would have been impossible to pass,
till at length they reached a great
tableland that ran to the foot Of some
mountains dozen miles or more away.
Among those mountains scared two
peaks, set close together. To these
Masouda pointed, saying that their
road ran between them and that be-
yond lay the valley Of the Orontes.
them they heard the sound OF men
shouting. although they could see moth
ing because Of the dense mist.
Push on" said Masouda; there Is
no time to spare" and they went for
ward, but only at a hand gallop, for
the ground was still rough and the
light uncertain.
When they had covered some six
miles Of the distance between them
and the mountain pass, the sun rose
suddenly and sucked UP the mist.
This was what they saw. Before them
lay fiat, sandy plain; behind. the
stony ground that they had trayersed.
>..A -l1 L..
away, some twenty men Of the Assas-
sins.
They cannot catch u.s." said Wulf:
but Masouda pointed to the right,
where the mist still hung, and said:
''Yonder see spears
Presently 1t thinned, and there q
league from them they saw a great
body of mounted soldiers-perhaps
there were four hundred.
Look" she said. they have come
round during the night, as I feared
they would. Now we must cross tie
pass before them or be TAKEN" and
she struck her horse fiercely with a
stick that she had cut at the stream.
Half a mile further on a shout from
a great body of men to their right.
which was answered by another shout
from those behind, told them that they
were seen.
"On.'' said Masouda. "The race will
be close" So they began to gallop
their best.
Two miles were done but although
that behind was far away, the great
cloud of dust to their right grew ever
nearer till it seemed as though it must
reach the mouth of the mountain pass
before them. Then Goodwin spoke.
"Wulf and Rosamund. ride on. Your
horses are swift and can outpace them.
At the crest of the mountain pass wait
Lii
IL we come. If not, ride on again, and
God be with you
AYE" said Masouda, ride and head
for the Emesa bridget can be seen
from far away-and there yield your
selves to the officers of Salah-ed-din."
They hung back, but in a stern voice
Goodwin repeated:
ride, command you both"
For Rosamund's sake, so be it," an
swered Wulf. Then he called to Smoke
and Flame, and they stretched them
selves out upon the sand and passed
away swifter than swallows. Soon
Goodwin and Masouda. toiling behind,
saw them enter the mouth of the
pass.
Good" she said. Except those Of
their own breed, there are no horses
in Syria than can catch those two.
They will come to Emesa, have no
fear .
WHO was the man that brought
them to us?' asked Goodwin, as they
galloped side by side, their eyes fixed
upon the ever-nearing cloud of dust,
In which the spear points sparkled.
my fathers brother-my uncle, as
/ called him." she answered. He Is
shiek OF the desert. who owns the an
cient breed that cannot be bought for
gold.'
'"Then you are not of the Assassins,
Masouda?"
mo: 1 only tell you. now that the
end seems near. My father was an
Arab, my mother noble Frank,
French woman. whom he found starv-
ing in the desert after a fight, and took
to his tent and made his wife. The
Assassins fell upon us and killed him
and her. and captured me, child OF
IL. Afterward, when / grew older, be-
ing beautiful In those days, / was
taken to the harem of Sinan, and, al
though In secret / had been bred up
Christian by my mother, they swore me
Of his accursed faith. Now you will
understand why hate him so sorely
who murdered my father and my
mother, and made me what am; why
hold myself so vile also. Yes, have
been forced to serve as his spy or be
killed. who, although he believed me
his faithful slave, desired first to be
avenged upon him"
win, as he spurred his laborfng steed.
'I hold you most noble"
II rejoice to hear 1t before we die"
she answered. looking him in the eyes
in such fashion that he dropped his
head before her burning gaze, who
hold you dear, Sir Goodwin, for whose
sake I have dared these things, al
though I am nought to you. Nay,
speak not: the lady Rosamund has
told me all that story-except its an
swer."
Now they were off the sand, over
which they had been racing side by
side, and beginning to breast the
mountain slope. nor was Goodwin sorry
that the clatter of their horses hoofs
upon the stones prevented further
speech between them. So far they had
outpaced the Assassins, who had
longer and a rougher road to travel,
but the great cloud of dust was not TOO
yards away. and in front OF It, shaking
their spears, rode some OF the best
mounted OF their soldiers.
These horses still have strengthf
they are better than I thought them"
cried Masouda- "They will not gain on
US across the mountains. but after
ward"
For the next league they spoke no