The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-01-19
CHAPTER XVI.
The Strange Horseman.

The Strange Horseman.
At this moment the guard came
near to the place where his mistress
sat- his horse having moved of his own
accord, and as she turned towards him
he spoke to her:
"My dear good lady, they lie to you
when they tell you that they mean you
no harm. have heard them talk ana
l know their plans. We are all to be
sold into slavery in the kingdom be-
yond the Syrian desert!"
Mercy" cried Ulin. turning pale as
death and clasping her hands in agony.
20, my dream! my DREAM"
easy, fair lady, said AL Abb IS
.This black rascal knows not what
he says. I allowed him to speak so
that might see how his mind ran.
cit is FALSE exclaimed Shubal. II
heard them lay the plan. You, my
are to be sold for "a"
The guards speech was stopped by
two of the robbers. who threw him
back upon his horse. and stopped his
mouth with their hands.
"Sir robber," cried Ulin, stretching
her hands out towards him. deceive
me no more. 1 think my poor slave
has told me the truth"
"a pest upon the slave, lady: His
tongue shall come out by the roots il
he speaks again without my leave.
Stick to your saddle, and keep up
your courage"
AS the Arab spoke he leapea upon
the back of his horse. and ere the prin-
cess could ask another question. the
party was upon the move. the order of
being the same as be-
fore.
I'VE are not going towards the
Pharphar," said Ulin.
NO" replied Abba. Eve are go
ing the other way
Then Shubal told us the truth"
"Alas, dear mistress dare not
say"
But you think so?''
'T cannot deny it..
"And you thought so before you
heard Shubal speak,
81 feared something of the kind"
Al Abbas overheard the girls as they
thus conversed, and he was presently
by their side.
Lady Ulin," he said. and he spoke
sternly and sharply: ''ycu are now on
the move, and when you stop again it
will be far away from Damascus. l
owe something to the officers of that
city, and l will repay a part of the
debt by taking you away from them.
You are to go just as far as please
to take you; and the more quietly
you go the better it will he for you:
so you had better begin to accommo-
date yourself to the circumstances"
He rode back to his place and Ulin
grasped the bow of her saddle for sup
port.
Courage said Abba. riding as near
as she could. There may be some
way to escape. The good spirits will
not desert u.s.
The princess heard the words, and
they had a marked effect upon her
She. had naturally a strong resolution
and when she was once resolved t.
bear up, her strength was not long
in coming to her assistance. On the
present occasion she knew that she
had heard the worst. In fact, she had
reason to believe that her caIto,
meant for her the most dreadful fats
to which one in her station could BIZ
subject. For while she was com
pletely stunned by the fearful blow;
but as she came to reason with her
self, she saw that her only hope wa
in escape. The Arabs were low. bru
tai and sordid, and would sell he
for gold. She could read in thei
evil faces that they were not to b,
touched by sympathy. What thel
could she do? She must get ava.
from them. And IL this was to b.
done she must summon all her ener
giles to the work. !.
But, alas! the case looked hopeless
enough; what could two weak girl
do against such odds? Only some IN
terposition beyond their own effort
could save them. SO, after all, II hel
Vas y come, It must come from som
unknown source. And could snch ftel
y found i feryent pra.ers cot,l