The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1906-05-17
Bv OOav Of aagI0er the bOwstrlng tlOan0ot


BIZ toav of oasDer the bowstrtng t,Oanged.
ut ia that death and the devil have
been here, Sir Wulf."
"Wel, they are often near together.
But thirst Give me water"
A serving woman, pallid, disheveled,
heavy eyed who was stumbling to and
fro, lighting torches and tapers, for 1t
was still dark, brought 1t TO him In a
leathern Jack, from which he drank
deeply.
'That is better" he Said. Then his
eye fell upon the bloody sword set
point downward In the wood of the ia
BILE before him, and he exclaimed
Mother of God, what Is that2 My
uncle's silver hllted sword, red with
blood, and Rosamund's gold chain upon
the hiltl Priest where is the Lady
RosamundW
Gone" answered the chaplain In a
voice that sounded like groan. "The
women woke and found her gone, and
Sir Andrew lies dead OF dying In the
solar, but now have shrlyen him, and,
oh, we have all been druggedp
Wulf sprang to his feet with an oath.
"Ah, have It nowl You mean the
Cyprian chapman Georgloe, he who
sold wine"
"He who sold drugged wlne," echoed
the chaplain, and has stolen away the
Lady Rosamund."
Then Wulf seemed TO go mad.
Presently he shouted In a voice Of
thunder:
Awake, We drunkardsl Awake, and
learn what has CHANGED to usl Your
Lady Rosamund has been raped away
while we were lost In sleepy
At the sound Of that great voice a
tall form arose from the floor and
staggered toward him, holding a gold
cross in It's hand.
what awful words are those, my
brother2" asked Goodwin, who, pale and
dull eyed, rocked to and fro before
him. where Is Rosamundr
"Gone, gone, gomez cried Wulf.
'"rell him, priest"
so the chaplain told himall he knew.
"Thus have we kept our oakhs," went
on Wulf. "Oh, what can we do now
save die for very shame7 What said
you Of my uncle, prlest7 Dead or only
dylngf Nay, answer not, let us see.
Come, brother"
Now together they ran or, rather,
reeled, torch In hand, along the passage.
Before them beneath the white, shroud-
like cloak lay Sir Andrew, the steel
helm on his head and his face beneath
1t even whittier than the cloak. At the
sound Of their footsteps he opened his
eyes.
AT length, at length" he muttered
"Oh, how many years have waited
for you! Nay, be silent, for l do not
know how long my strength will last
But llsten-kneel down and listen"
So they knelt on either side Of him,
and in quick, fierce words he told them
all.
"Take horse swiftly" he gasped,
pauslng now and again to rest, land
rouse the countryside. There is still
a chance. Nay, seven hours have gone
by. There Is no chance Their plans
were too well laid. BY now they will
be at sea. SO hear me, Go to Pales-
tine. There is money for your faring
in my chest, but go alone, with no
company, for In time of peace these
would betray you. Goodwin, draw of
this ring from my finger, and with 1t as
a token find out Jebal, the black sheik
Of the mountain tribe at Masyaf, on
Lebanon. Bid him remember the vow
he made to Andrew Darcy, the Eng
llsh knight. II any can aid you, 1t will
be Jebal who hates the houses Of Nur-
ed-din and of Ayoub, &c. charge you,
let nothing-I say nothing-turn you
aside from seeking him"
For a moment the dying man was ST.
lent, until his face lit up as with
great gladness, and he cried in a loud,
clear voice: Beloved wife, hear you'll
o God. come"
Then, though his eyes, stayed open
and the smile still rested on his face.
bis jaw fell.
fsro / a. Coutinue11