Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-08-30

a man she would love bin well, and
perhaps that might be worse for him
than her hate"
Are these knights spiesi" asked the
first.
IL suppose so." was the answer, "sll-
ly fellows who think that they can spy
upon q nation OF spies. They would
have done better to keep to fighting, at
which doubtless they are good enough.
What will happen to them"
"What always happens, / Supposed
pleasant time at first; then, II they can
be put to no other use, a choice be
tween the faith n the cup Or pcr-
haps, rs they seem men of rank. they
may be imprisoned in the dungeon tow
err and held to ransom"
Just then the curtain was drawn. md
through 1t entered Masouda herself.
She was dressed in a white robe ;hat
had a dagger worked in red over the
left breast. Never had they seen her
look so beautiful as she seemed thus.
Greetings. brothers Peter and Iohu,"
she said In French.
The brethren rose and bowed to her.
The women who were cleaning the
mail bowed also, for it seemed that
here Masouda was a person Of iiupOr-
lance. She took the hauberks from
their hands.
all cleanscd," she said sharply. ~
think that you girls talk better than
you work. Nay, they must serve. Help
these lords TO don them. Fools, hat
Is the shirt of the gray eyed knight.
Give It me. ! will be his squire" And
she Snatched the hauberk from their
hands. whereat, when her back was
turned, they glanced at one another.
Now" she said when they were full.
" armed and had donned their man.
ties, you brethren look as pilgrims
should. Listen, l have a message for
YOU. The master will receive you in
an hours time, till when. if it please
you. we can walk in the gardens"
SO they went out with her, and as
they passed toward the curtain she
whispered:
For your lives sakes, remember all
that | have told ~you-above everything
about the wine and the ring, for II you
dream the drink dream you will be
searched. Speak no word to me save
of common matters"
In the passage beyond the curtain
white robed guards were standing,
armed with spears, who turned and fol-
lowed them without a word. They
passed through an archway into the IA
nous gardens, which were said to be
the most beautiful in all the east. Beau
tiful they were indeed, planted with
trees. shrubs and flowers such as are
seldom seen, while between fern clad
rocks flowed rills which fell over deep
cliffs in waterfalls of foam. On they
walked, down the sand strewn paths
for a mile or more, accompanied by
Masouda and the guard. At length,
passing through a brake Of whispering,
reeduke plants, of a sudden they came
to a low wall and saw, yawning black
and wide at their very feet, that vast
cleft which they had crossed before
they entered the castle.
ut encircles the inner city, the sor-
tress and its grounds" said Masouda.
land who lives today that could throw
a bridge across It? Now come back"
So, following the gulf round. they re-
turned to the castle by another path
and were ushered into an anteroom
where stood a watch of twelve men.
Here MasOuda left them In the midst
of the men. who stared at them with
stony eyes. Presently she returned and
beckoned to them to follow her. Walk
ing down a long passage. they came to
curtains. in front Of which were two
sentries. who drew these curtains ss
they approached. Then. side by side.
they entered a great hall, long as Stan
gate Abbey church. and passed through
a number Of people, all crouched upon
the ground. Beyond these the hall mar.
rowed.
Hero sat and stood more people,
fierce eyed, turbaned men. who wore
great knives in their girdles. These, as
they learned a~fterward, We're called the
fedais. the sworn assassins, who lived
but to do the command Of their lord.
the great assassin. At the end of this
chancel were more curtains, beyond
which was a guarded door. 1t opened,
and on its farther side they found
themselves In full sunlight on an I'M.
walled terrace, surrounded by thu
mighty gulf into which it was built ou'
On the right and left edges of this ter
race sat old and bearded men. twe,vs
in number. their heads bowed huu.bly
and their eyes fixed upon the grcund.
These were the dais or councillors.
At the head of the terrace. unlIer ar
open and beautifully carved PAVILION
Of wood, stood two gigantic soldiers,
having the red dagger blaZoned on
their white robes. Between them was
a black cushion, and on the cushion a
black heap. At first, staring out Of the
bright sunlight at this heap In the
shadow, the brethren wondered what
1t might be. Then they caught sight OF
the glitter OF eyes and knew that the
heap was a man who wore a black tur
ban on his head and q black, bell shap
ed robe clasped ut the breast with q
red jewel. He looked like a coiled up
snake; the dark and glittering eyes
also were those OF a snake. or his fea-
lures, in the deep shade Of the canopy
and of the wide black turban, they
could see nothing.