The San Francisco call., 1905-02-05

about to die for you, said Sdladln III q
sloY voice Now. L have had pity on
your grief, and his life has been bought
with arfother life, that of the knight
who stands yonder"
The yelled form started wildly. then
sank back against the wall.
.'Rosamund," broke in Goodwin. speak
ing in French, II beseech you. be silent
and do not unmar me with words or
tears. 1t is best thus. and you know
that it is best. Wulf you love as he
loves you, and / believe that in time
you will be brought together. Me you
do not love. save as u friend. and never
have. Moreover. tell you this that IL
may ease your pain and my conscience;
| no longer seek you as my wife. whose
bride is death. / pray you. give to
Wulf my love and blessing, and to the
lady Masouda say or write. that | offer
her the homage of my heart: that
thought of her in my last moments.
ard that my prayer is We may meet
again where all crooked paths are
Strengthened. Rosamund. farewell;
peace and joy go with you through
many years. aye and with your chill
dren's children OF Goodwin only ask
you to remember this. that. he lived
serving you, and so died"
She heard and stretched out her
arms, and, none forbidding him. God
win walked to where she stood. With
u
and kissed him, first upon the brow
and next upon the lips: then with
low, moaning cry. she turned and fled
from that gloomy place. nor did Sala-
din seek to stay her. Only to himself
the Sultan wondered how it came about
that if it was Wulf she loved. she still
kissed Goodwin thus upon the lips
AS he walked back to the death-place
Goodwin wondered also. first that Rosa
mund should have spoken no single
word and secondly because she had
Kissed him thus. even in that hour.
Why or wherefore he did not know. but
there arose in his mind memory of
that wild ride down the mountain side
at Beirut. ard of lips which then had
touched his cheek, and of the odor OF
hair that then was blown about his
breast. With a sigh he thrust the
thought aside, blushing to think that
such memories should come to him who
had done with earth and its delights.
knelt down before the headsman. and.
turning to the bishop. said:
Bless me, father. and bid them
strike
Then it was that he heard a we'll
known footstep, and looked up to see
Wulf staring at him.
What do you here?" he asked. Has
ycnder fox shared both of us?" And he
nodded at Saiadin.
Let the fox speak said the Sultan
with a smile. Know. Sir Wulf, that
your brother WAS about to die in your
place. and of his own wish. But L
refuse such sacrifice who vet have
made use of it to teach my niece the
Princess that should she continue in
her plottings to escape, or allow you
to continue in them, certainly II viii
bring you to your deaths, and. if need
be. her also. knights, you are brave
men whom | prefer 10 kill in war.
Good horses stand without; take them
as my gilt. and ride with these foolish
citizens of Jerusalem We may meet
again within its streets. Nay. thank
me not. / thank you who have taught
Salah-ed-din how perfect a thing can
be the love of brothers"
The brethren stood q while be-
wildered. for it is Il strange thing thus
to come back from death to life. Each
of them had made sure that he must
die within some few minutes, and pass
through the blacl1ness which walls
man in. to find he knew not what And
now, behold the road that led to that
blackness turned again at its very
edge, and ran forward through the ia
miliar things of earth to some end un-
known. They were brave, both Of
them, and accustomed to face death
daily, as In such place and time all
men must be; moreover, they had
been shriven, and looked to see the
gates of paradise open on their new
born sight
Yet, since no man loves that jour-
ney, 1t was very sweet to know il done
with for while, and that they still
might hope to dwell upon this earth
for many years. Little wonder. then,
that their brains swan. and their eyes
grew dim, as they passed from the
shadow to the light again. 1t was
Wulf who spoke the first
"A noble deed. Goodwin, yet one for
which l should not have thanked you
had it been accomplished, who then
must have lived ON by grace of your
sacrifice. Sultan, we are grateful for
your boon of life. though had you
shed this innocent blood surely it
must have stained your soul. May we
bid farewell to our cousin Rosamund
before we ride"
Nay" answered Saladin; 'Sir God
win has done that already-let it serve
for both. Tomorrow she shall learn
the truth of the story Now so, and
return no more.
That must be as fate wills" an
swered Goodwin. and they bowed and
went.
Outside that gloomy place of death
their swords were given them, and two
good horses, which they mounted.
Hence guides led them to the embassy
from Jerusalem that was already in
the saddle, who were very glad to well
come two such knights IN their COM
pany Then. having bid farewell to the
bishop Egbert. who wept for joy at
their escape. escorted fo. awhile by
Saladin's soldiers. theJ rode awav
from Ascalon at the fall of night.
Soon they had told each other all
there was to tell. When he heard Of
the woe of Rosamund Wulf well-nigh
shed tears.
We have our lives, he said, "but
how shall we save her? While Ma
souda stayed with her there was some
hope, but now I can see none"
There Is none, except in God" an
swered Goodwin, who can do all things
--even free Rosamund and make her
your wife. Also. if Masouda is at lib
erty. we shall hear from her ere long
SO let US keep a good heart
But though he spoke thus, the soul
of Goodwin was oppressed with a fear
which he could not understand. III
seemed as though some great terror
was very close to him. o. to one who
was near and dear. Deeper and deeper
he sank into the pit of dread of he
knew not what. until at length he could
have cried aloud, and his brow was
y =