The San Francisco call., 1905-01-29

In one OF the principal thorougniareS
OF Damascus, and in front OF 1T howeo
continually an unending, many-colored
stream OF folk.
There were white-robed Arabs Of the
desert mounted on. their grumbling
camels; caravans of merchandise from
Egypt or elsewhere; asses laden with
firewood of the gray, prickly growth OF
the Wild thyme for the bakers ovens
water sellers with their goatskin bags;
venders of birds or sweetmeats; women
going to the bath in closed and cur
tanned litters, escorted by the eunuchs
of their households great lords riding
on their Arab horses and preceded by
their runners, who thrust the crowd
esunder and beat the poor with WHIPS;
beggars. halt, MANNED and bl1nd, De-
seeching aims; lepers, from whom all
shrank away, who walled their woes
aloud; stately companies OF soldiers,
some mounted and some atoot; holy
men, who gave blessings and received
aims: and so forth, without number
and without end.
Goodwin and Wulf, seated in the shade
of the painted house, watched them
gloonily. They were weary OF this
ever-changing sameness, weary OF the.
eternal glare and glitter OF this unfa-
miliar life, weary of the lnsistent cries
of the mullahs on the minarets, OF the
flash of the swords that would soon be
red with the blood of their own people:
weary, too, of the hopeless task to
which they were sworn. Rosamund
was of this multitude; she was the
Princess of Baalbec, half an Eastern
by her blood and growing more East
ern day by day-or so they thought IN
their bitterness. AS we'll might two
Saracens hope to snatch the Queen or
England from her palace at Westmin-
ster as they to drag the Princess OF
Baalbec out of the power of monarch
more absolute than any King OF Eng
land.
So they sat. silent since they had
nothing to say and looked now at the
passing crowd and now at the thin
stream of water falling continually
into the marble basin.
Presently they heard voices at the
gate, and looking up saw a woman
wrapped in a long cloak, talking with
the guard, who with a laugh thrust
out his arm. as though to place II
around her. Then a knife flashed,
and the soldier stepped back, still
laughing, and opened the wicket. The
woman came in. 1t was Masouda.
They rose and bowed to her, but she
passed before them into the house.
Thither they followed. while the SOL
dier at the gate laughed again. and
at tHc SOuIlu Vi lilS AlAOShCAS s1Od-
wins cheek grew red. Even in the
COOL darkened room she noticed 1t,
and said, bitterly enough:
What does 1T matter? Such In,
suits are my daily bread whom they
believe" and she stopped.
They had best say nothing OF
what they believe to me-" muttered
Goodwin.
Il thank YOU" Masouda answered.
With
ing off her cloak. stood before them
unveiled, clad2in the white robes that
befitted her tall and graceful form,
and were blazored on the breast with
the cognizance&ofs Baalbec5 Well for
you she wefit on, that they hold
me to be what ! am not, since other
wise ] should Win no entry to this
house" -
What of our Lady Rosamund,'
broke in Wulf awkwardly. for. like
Goodwin, he was panied. -
Masouda laid her hand upon her
breast as though to still its heaving,
then answered:
1.-The. Princess of Baalbac, my mis-
tress. is well and as ever. beautiful,
though somewhat weary of the pomp
in which she finds no joy. She sent
which of you they should be deliv>
cred, so. pilgrims, you must share
them"
Goodwin WINGED, but Wulf asked if
there were any hope Of seeing her, to
which Masouda answered.:
None" adding in a low voice, Il
came upon another business. Do you
brethren wish to do Salah-ed-din a
service?''
Il don't know. What is it?" asked
Goodwin gloomily.
"Only to save his life-for which
he may be grateful, or may not, ac-
cording to his mood"
Speak on" said Goodwin, land tell
us how we can save the life of the
Sultan of the East"
do you still remember Sinan and
his fedais? Yes-they are not easily
forgotten, are they? Well, tonight
he has plotted to murder Salah-ed-din.
and afterward to murder you II he
can, and to carry away your lady
Rosanund if he can, or, falling that,
to murder her also. Oh! the tale is
true enough. I have it from one OF
them under the Signet-surely that
Signet has proved us well-who be-
lieves, poor fool, that am in the plot.
Now, you are the officers of the body
guard who watch in the antecham-
Der tonight, are you not? Well, when
the guard is changed at midnight, the
eight men who should replace them
at the doors of the room OF Salah-ed-
din will not arrive: they will be de-
coyed by false order. In their stead
will come eight nurderers, disguised
In the robes and arms Of Mamelukes.
They look to deceive and cut you
down, kill Salah-ed-din, and escape by
the further door. Can you hold your
own awhile against eight men, think
your"
I'VE have done so before and will
try said Wulf. But how shall we
know that they are not Mamelukes?"
"Thus-they will wish to pass the
door, and you will say, Nay, sons OF
Sinan.' whereupon they will spring
on you to kill you. Then be ready and
shout aloud"
fAnd if they overcome u.s." asked
Goodwin, then the Sultan would be
slain?"
Nay, for you must lock the door Of
the chamber of Salah-ed-din and hide
away the key. The sound of the fight
ing will arouse the outer guard ere
hurt can come to him. Or" she. added,
after thinking awhile, perhaps it viii
be best to reveal the plot to the Sui
tan at once"
mo, no." answered Wulf; ''let us
take the chance. 1 weary of doing
nothing here. Hassan guards the outer
gate. He will come swiftly at the
sound of blows
Good" said Masouda: II will see
that he is there and awake. Now fare
well and rrav that we NAV meet again