The San Francisco call., 1905-01-15

What of it, Sir Saracen?" answered
Lozelle, insolently. us not Christian
knight fit mate for the blood of ar
Eastern chief? Had I offered her less
than marriage, you might have spo-
KEN
"Youi" answered Hassan, with rage
in his low voice, ''you,y hucksterine
thief and renegade, who swear by Ma
homet in Damascus and by your pro
phet Jesus in England-aye, deny IL
not, have heard YOU, as l have heard
that rogue Nicholas. your servant
You, her fit mate? Why. were it not
that you must guide this ship, and that
my master bade me not quarrel with
you till your task was done. | would
behead you now and cut from your
throat the tongue that dared to speak
such words" and as he spoke he
gripped the handle of his scimitar.
Lozelle quailed before his fierce eyes
for we'll he knew Hassan, and knew
alAp that If it came to fighting his sail
ors were no match for the emir ~nd his
picked Saracens.
when our duty is done you shall
answer for those words,'' he said, try
ing to look brave.
"By Allah! 1 hold you to the prom
ise." replied Hassan. Before Salah-
ed-din / will answer for them when and
where you will, as you shall answer to
him for your treachery."
''Of what. then, am accused?" asked
Lozelle. ''Of loving the lady Rosa
mund, as do all men-perhaps your
self, old and withered. as you are,
among them?''
AYE, and for that crime will repay
you, old and withered as I am, Sir
Renegade. But with Salah-ed-din you
have another score to settle-that by
promising her escape you tried to Sc
duce her from this ship, where you
were sworn to guard her, saying that
you would find her refuge among the
Greeks of Cyprus"
Were this true" replied Lozelle,
"the Sultan might have cause of COM
plant against me. But it is not true
Harken, since speak I must. The lady
Rosamundp prayed me to do this deed,
and l told her that for my honors
sake 1t is not possible, although it was
true that I loved her now as always,
and would dare much for her. Then
she said that if 1 did but save her
from you Saracens, / should not go
without my reward, since she would
wed me. Again, although it cost me
sore, I answered that it might not be,
but when once I had brought my ship
to land, was her true knight, and
being freed of my oath, would do my
best to save her."
Princess, you hear" said Hassan.
turning to Rosamund. What say
you?"
II say" she answered coIdly, "that
this man lies to save himself. I say.
moreover, that 1 said to him, that
sooner would I die than he should lay
a finger on me-
Il hold also that he lies," said Has
ger II you would live to see
another sun. Here. I will not fight
with you, but Salah-ed-din shall
learn all this case when we reach
his court, and Judge between the
word of the Princess of Baalbec and of
his hired servant, the false Frank and
pirate, Sir Hugh Loxelle"
Let him learn it-when we reach
his court answered Lozelle, with
meaning; then added, Have you aught
else TO say to me, Prince Hassan? Be-
cause, If not, I must be attending to
the business of my ship, which YOU
suppose that / was about to abandon
to- win lady's, love-
"Onlv this. that the ship IS the Sui
tan's and not yours, for he bought it
from you, and that henceforth this lady
will be guarded day and night, and
doubly guarded when we come to the
shores of Cyprum where it seem that
you have friends. Understand and re-
member"
"I understand, and certainly I. win
remember. replied Lozelle. and SO
81 think" said Rosamund. when he
had gone, that we shall be fortunate
If we land safe in Syria"
That was in my mind, also. ladv
think, too, that have forgot NV Wis
dom, but my heart rose against This
man, and being still weak from siclr.
ness, I lost my Judgment and smoke
what was in my heart. who would have
done better to wait. Now. perhans ~
will be best to kill him, If it were not
that he alone has the skill t0 navieate
the ship, which is a trade that he hoe
followed from his youth. Nav Iat a.
go as Allah wills. He is just. and will
bring the matter to Judgment in dne
time" uoe
Yes. but to what judgment?'' asked
II hope to that of the sword. an
swered Hassan, as he bowed and left
her.
From that time forward armed man
watched all the night through before
cabin, and when sbe
walked the deck armed men walked
after her. Nor was she troubled bv
Lozelle, who sought to speak with her
no more. or to Hassan either Only
with the man Nicholas he spoke much
AT length upon one golden evening
for Lozelle was a skillful pilot. one of
the best. indeed, who sailed those seas
they came to the shores of Cvnru~ a<nd