The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-19

Rosamund finished reading, and the
letter fluttered from her hand down to
the marble floor. Then the queen said:
LADY, we ask this sacrifice of you
in the name of these and all their fell
lows" And she pointed to the women
and children behind her.
And my lifeT unused Rosamund
aloud. ut is all l have. When / have
paid it away shall be beggared." And
her eyes wandered to where the tall
shape of Wulf stood by pillar of the
church.
"Perchance Saladin will be merci-
full" hazarded the queen.
"Why should he be merciful," an
swered Rosamund, "who has always
warned me that If escaped from him
and was recaptured certainly l must
die? Nay; he will offer me Islam or
death, which means - death by the
rope or in some worse fashion"
But If you stay here you must die"
pleaded the queen, "or at best fall into
the hands of the soldiers. Oh, lady,
your life is but one life, and with it
you can buy those of $4,000 souls!'
as that so sure?" asked Rosamund.
"The sultan has made no promise; he
says only that If I pray it Of him he
will consider the question Of sparing
Jerusalem"
"But-but," went on the queen, "he
says also that if you do not come he
will surely put Jerusalem to the
sword, and to Sir Balian he said that
IL you gave yourself up he thought he
might grant terms which we should be
glad to take. Therefore we dare to ask
of you to give your life in payment for
such hope. oh, refuse not our prayer,
but show that you indeed are great
enough to step forward to meet the
death which comes to every one of us
and thereby earn the blessings of half
the world and make sure your place in
heaven, nigh to him who also died for
men. Plead with her, my sisters; plead
with herv'
Then the women and children threw
themselves down before her, and with
tears and sobbing prayed her that she
would give up her life for theirs. Rosa
mund looked at them and smiled, then
said in a clear voice:
"What say you, my cousin and be-
trothed, Sir Wulf Darcy? Come hith-
er, and give me your counsel"
So the gray eyed, war worn Wulf
strobe up the aisle and, standing by
the altar rails, saluted her.
you have heard" said Rosamund.
"Your counsel. Would you have me
lie?"
"Alas," he answered in a hoarse
voice, at is hard to speak, yet they
ere many-you are but onew
Now there was murmur of ap-
plause, for it was known that this
knight loved his lady dearly and that
but the other day he had stood there
to defend her to the death against
those who would give her up to Sala-
din.
Now Rosamund laughed out, and the
sweet sound of her laughter was
"Ah, Wulf!" she said. "Wulf, who
must ever speak the truth, even when
1t costs him dear. Well, I would not
have it otherwise. Queen, and all you
foolish people, did but try your tenn
pers."
Then Rosamund sheathed the dagger
that all this while she held in her hand,
and, lifting the letter from the floor,
touched her brow with 1t in signal of
obedience
Now the ENJOYS bowed before her in
grave admiration, and the air grew
thick with blessings. AS Rosamund
stepped down from the altar the queen
threw her arms about her neck and
kissed her, while lords and knights, wo-
men and children, pressed their lips
upon her hands, upon the hem of her
white robe and even on her feet, call
Ing her saint" and "deliverer."
ALAS" she answered, waving them
back, ''as yet / am neither of these
things, though TIE ra1-er or item (
hope to be. Come, let us be going"
AYE" echoed Wulf, stepping to her
side, .'let us be going
Rosamund started at the words, and
all there stared. -..
Listen, queen, emirs and people,"
he went on. Il am this lady's kinsman
and her betrothed knight, sworn to
serve her to the end. If she be guilty
of a crime against the sultan, l am
more guilty. and on me also shall fall
his vengeance. Let us be going"
"Wulf, Wulf," she said, lit shall not
be. One life is asked, not both"
Then he whispered in her ear, Sweet
Rosamund, deny me not, lest you
should drive me to madness and self
murder. who will have no more Of
earth without you"
Now, her eyes full Of tears and shin
ing with love, Rosamund murmured
back:
You are too strong for me. Let it
befall as God Wills"
Nor did the others attempt to stay
him any more.
Going to the abbess, Rosamund would
have knelt before her, but it was the
abbess who knelt and called her bless
ed and kissed her. Then a priest was
brought-not the patriarch, of whom
she would have none, but another, a
holy man. =
To him apart at the altar first Rosa
mund and then Wulf made confession
of their sins, receiving dissolution and
the sacrament in that form in which it
was given to the dying, while, save the
emirs, all in the church knelt and pray
Cd "a for SOulS that paSs