The San Francisco call., 1905-01-08
Gone. With the horses?"

Nay. he has left them behind"
Did you pay him, then, LADY," asked
Goodwin.
1t was so easy to see that Masouda
her voice, which in general seemed
somewhat hard, softened as she an
swered, for the first time giving him
his own title.
Why do you call me lady Sir God
win d Arcy, who am but an innkeeper,
for whom sometimes men find hard
names? Well, perhaps 1 was lady
once before l became an innkeeper; but
now l am-the widow Masouda as you
are the pilgrim Peter. Still l thank
you for this-bad guess of yours .
Then, stepping back foot or two to-
ward the door, which she had closed be-
hind her, she made him curtsey so
full of dignity and grace that any who
saw 1T must be sure that, wherever she
might dwell, she was not bred in inns.
Goodwin returned the bow, dof1ing his
cap. Their eyes met and from hers
he learned that he had no treachery
to fear from this woman, whatever
else he might have to fear. Indeed,
from that moment, however black and
doubtful seemed the road, he would
have trusted his life to her; for this
was the message written there-a mes
sage which she meant that he should
read. Yet at his heart he felt terribly
afraid. Wulf, who saw something of
all this and guessed more, also was
afraid. He wondered what Rosamund
would have thought of it, if she had
seen that strange look in the eyes of
this woman who had been a lady and
was an innkeeper, of whom men
called Spy, and daughter of Satan, and
child of Al-je-bal To his fancy that
look was like fash of lightning upon
a dark night, which for second il
lumines some magical, unguessed land
scape, after which comes the night
again, blacker than before.
Now the widow Masouda was saying
III her usual somewhat hard voice:
No; l did not pay him. AT the last
he would take no money, but, having
passed it, neither would he break his
word to knights who can ride so well
and boldly. So / made a bargain with
him on behalf of both of you, which
l expect that you will keep, since my
good faith is pledged, and this Arab is
a chief and my kinsman. 1t. is this,
that if you and these horses should
live, and the time comes when you have
no more need of them, you will cause
ii to be cried in the market-place of
whatever town is nearest to you, by
the voice of the public ,crier, that for
six days they stand to be returned to
him who lent them. Then If he comes
not they can be sold, which must not
be sold or given away to any one with
out this proclamation. Do you con-
sent?"
aye" answered both of them. but
Wulf added: only we should like to
know why the Arab, Son-of- the Sand,
who is your kinsman. trusts his glor-
ious horses to us in this fashion"
Your breakfast is served, my
guests" answered Masouda in tones
that rang like the clash of metal, so
hard were they. Whereon Wulf shook
his head and followed her into the eat
ing-room, which was now empty again
as ii had been on the afternoon of their
arrival.
Most of the day they spent with their
horses. In the evening, this time unac-
companied by Masouda, they rode out
for little way. though rather doubt
fully, since they were not sure that
their beasts, which seemed to be almost
human, would not take the bits between
thir teeth and rush with them back to
the desert whence they came. But al
though from time to time they looked
about them for their master the Arab,
whinnying as they looked, this they
did not do, or show vice of any kind;
indeed, two ladies' palfreys could not
brought them home again, groomed,
fed and fondled them, while they
pricked their ears, shifting them all
over, as though they knew that these
were their new lords and wished to
make friends of them.
The morrow was a Sunday, and, at
tended by Masouda's slave. without
whom she would not suffer them to
walk in the town, the brethren went to
To- h. oh. xxr1af H~l
been mosque, wearing pilgrims robes
over their mail.
do you not accompany us, who are
of the faith?' asked Wulf.
Nay" answered Masouda, II am in
no mood to make confession. This day
I count my beads at home"
So they went alone, and mingling
with a crowd Of humble persons at the
back of the church, which was large
and dim, watched the knights and
priests Of various nations struggling
for precedence Of place beneath the
dome. Also they heard the Bishop of
the town preach a sermon from which
they learned much. He spoke at length
of the great coming war with Saladin,
whom he named Anti-Christ. More
over, he prayed them all to compose
their differences and prepare for that
awful struggle. lest in the end the
cross of their Master should be tram
pied under foot of the Saracen, his SOL
diers slain, his fanes desecrated and
his people slaughtered or driven into
the sea-words of warning that were
received in heavy silence.
-Four full days have gone by. Let
US ask our hostess if she has any news
for u.s. said Wulf as they walked back
to the inn.
AYE, we will ask her." answered
Goodwin.
AS it chanced, there was no need, for
when they entered their chamber they
found Masouda standing in the center
of it, apparently lost in thought.
II have come to speak with you,''
she said, looking up. DO you still
wish to visit the sheik Al-je-bal?"
They answered Yes"
Good. I have leave for you to go;
but I counsel you not to go, for it is
dangerous. Let us be open with one
another. know your object. I knew
1t an hour before you ever set foot
upon this shore, and that is why you
were brought to this house. You would
seek the help of the lord Sinan against
Salah-ed- din, from whom you hope to
rescue a certain great lady of his blood
who is your kinswoman and whom
both of you desire in marriage. You
see, have learned that also. Well,
this land is full of spies, who travel
to and from Europe and make report
of all things to those who pay them
enough. For instance can say 1t, as
you will not see him again-the trader
Thomas with whom Won STAYED in this