Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-05-17

1aSt, ahn tHey ate. When thIS was nn. ished. having nothing else to do. thay made signs to one of the women that they wished for cloths wherewith to been bidden. they pretended to under. stand no word of Arabic. She nodded and presently returned with a conpan- ion carrying feathers and paste in jar Nor did they leave them. but. sitting upon the ground. whether the brethren willed it or no. took the shirts of mail and rubbed them till they shone like silver. while Goodwin and Wulf polished their helms, spurs and bucklers. cleans Ing their swords and daggers also.
 Now, as these women worked they began to talk to each other in low voice. and some of their talk. though not all. the brethren understood.
 "A handsome pair truly said the first. 'We should be fortunate if we had such men for husbands. although they are Franks and infidels."
 Tt was cruel of the lady Masouda to bring these birds into the master $ net. She might have warned them"
 .'Masouda was ever cruel,' answered the other who hates all men. which is unnatural Yet I think if she loved a man she would love him well, and perhaps that might be worse for him than her hate"
 Are these knights spies?' asked the first.
 ''l suppose so," was the answer, "sil- ly fellows who think that they can spy upon 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, suppose-a pleasant time at first; then, if they can be put to no other use, choice be tween the faith and the cup. Or per haps, as they seem men of rank, they may be imprisoned in the dungeon tow CT and held to ransom"
 Just then the curtain was drawn, and through it entered Masouda herself. She was dressed in white robe that had dagger worked in red over the left breast. Never had they seen her look so beautiful as she seemed thus.
 Greetings, brothers Peter and John," 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 person of impOr- tance She took the hauberkS from their hands.
 ..lll cleansed," she said sharply. Il think that you girls talk better than you work. Nay, they must serve. Help these lords to don them. Fools, that 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 ly armed and had donned their man. ties, you brethren look as pilgrims should Listen, 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 if 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 fa- 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 mile or more, accompanied by Masouda and the guard. At length. passing through brake of whispering. reedlike plants, of 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.
 ''It encircles the inner city, the for tress and it's grounds" said Masouda. "and 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 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 long passage, they came to curtains, in front of which were two sentries. who drew these curtains as they approached. Then, side by side, they entered great hall, long as Stan gate Abbey church. and passed through a number of people, all crouched upc1 the ground. Beyond these the hall nar- rowed.
 Here sat and stood more people.