The San Francisco call., 1905-01-08

palmer Nicholas, next hid themselves
in the grove of trees about fifty yards
from the house, where traces of them
were found afterward, waiting for the
signal and, if that were necessary,
ready 10 attack and burn the hall while
all men feasted there. But 1t was not
necessary, since the cunning scheme
of the drugged wine, which only an
Eastern could have devised. succeeded.
So 1t happened that the only man they
had to meet in arms was one old
knight, of which doubtless they were
glad, as their numbers being few, they
wished to avoid a desperate battle.
wherein many must fall, and, If help
came, they might be destroyed to the
last man.
When all was over they led Rosa
mund to the boat, felt their way down
the creek, towing behind them the
little skiff which they had taken from
the water-house, laden with their dead
and wounded. This, as the brethren
learned afterward, proved the most
perilous part of their adventures.
since 1t was very dark and came on to
snow twice they grounded upon mud
banks. Still guided by Nicholas. who
had studied the river, they reached
the galley before dawn and with the
first light weighed anchor and very
cautiously rowed out to sea. The rest
is known.
Two days later, since there was no
time to spare, Sir Andrew was buried
with great pomp at Stangate Abbey.
in the same tomb where lay the heart
of his brother, the father of the
brethren, who had fallen in the East
ern wars. After he had been laid to
rest amid much lamentation and in
the presence of a great concourse of
people, for the fame of these strange
happenings had travelled far and wide
his will was opened. Then it was
found that with the exception of GER
tain sums OF money left to his neph-
ews, legacy to Stangate Abbey and
another to be devoted to masses for
the repose of his soul, with some gifts
to his servants and the poor, all his
estate was devised to his daughter
Rosamund. The brethren, however.
Or the survivor of them, held it in
trust on her behalf, with the charge
that they should keep watch and ward
over her and manage her lands till she
took a husband.
These lands, together with their own,
the brethren placed in the hands of
Prior John at Stangate, in the pres
ence OF witnesses, to administer them
subject to the provisions of the will,
taking a tithe of the rents and profits
for his pains. The priceless jewels also
that had been sent by Saladin were
given into his keeping, and a receipt
with a list of the same signed in dupli-
cate deposited with a clerk at South
minister. This, indeed, was necessary,
seeing that none save the brethren and
the Prior knew of these jewels, of
which, being Of so great a value, it
was not safe to speak. Their affairs
arranged, having first made their wills
in favor of each other with remainder
to their heirs -at-law, since it was
scarcely to he hoped that both of them
would return alive from such a quest,
they received the communion, and
with it his blessing from the hands of
Prior John. Then early one morning,
before any were astir, they rode quietly
away to London.
On the top of Steeple Hill. sending
forward the servant who led the mule
laden with their baggage-that same
mule which had been left by the spy
Nicholas-they turned their horses
heads to look in farewell on their home.
There to the north of them lay the
Blackwater, and to the west the parish
of Maryland, toward which the laden
barges crept along the stream TO
Steeple Creek Below was the wide
fiat outlined with trees and in it.
marked by the plantation where the
Saracens had hid, the hall and church
of Steeple, the home in which they had
grown from childhood to youth, and
from youth to mans estate in the COM
pany of the fair, lost Rosamund. who
was the love of both, and whom both
went forth to seek. That past was all
behind them, and in front dark and
troublous future, of which they could
not read the mystery nor guess the end.
Would they ever look on Steeple Hall
again? Were they who stood there
about to match their strength and
oh cro q painSf all the might Of Saia-
din, doomed to fail or gloriously to sue
ceed?
Through the darkness that shrouded
their forward path shone one bright
star of love-but for which of them did
that star shine, or was it perchance for
neither? They knew not How could
they know aught save that the venture
seemed very desperate. Indeed. the
few to whom they had spoken of it
thought them mad Yet they remem-
bered the last words of Sir Andrew.
bidding them keep a high heart, since
he believed that things would yet go
well. 1t seemed to them. in trust. that
they were not quite alone-as though
his brave spirit companioned them on
their search, guiding their feet, with
ghostly counsel which they could not
hear. They remembered also their
oaths to him, to one another. and to
Rosamund; and in silent token that
they would keep them to the death.
pressed each others hands. Then turn
ing their horses southwark, they rode
forward with light hearts, not caring
what befell, If only at the last, living
or dead, Rosamund and her father
should, in his own words. find no cause
to be ashamed Of them.
Through the hot haze. Of July
morning dromon, as certain merchant
vessels Of that time were called, might
have been seen drifting before a light
breeze into st. Georges Bay at Beirut,
on the coast Of Syria. Cyprus, whence
she had sailed last, was not hundred
miles away, yet she had taken six days
to do the journey, not on account OF
storms-of which there were none at
this time of year, but through lack of
wind to move her. Still, her captain
and the motley crowd of passengers
for the most part Eastern merchants
and their servants, together with q
number of pilgrims of all nations
thanked God for so prosperous voy-
age-for in those times he who crossed
the seas without shipwreck was very
fortunate Among these passengers
We're Goodwin and Wulf, travelling, as
their uncle had hidden them, unattend-
ed by squires or by servants. Upon the
ship they passed themselves off as
brothers named Peter and John Of Lin
coin, town of which they knew some
thing. having stayed there on their way
to the Scottish wars, simple gentlemen
of small estate. making pilgrimage to
the Holy Land in penitence for their
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