The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-05

By RIDER HAGGARD

or of "Sae,'' king Soisuon5 Mines" Ell

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snow. as ii CHANGED, I had a friend,
a dark and secret man named Jcbal,
the young sheik of terrible people.
whose cruel rites no Christian under
stands. They are the subjects Of one
Mohan1med, In Persia, and live in castles
at Masyaf, on Lebanon. This man had
been in alliance with the Franks. and
once in battle saved his life from
the Saracens at the risk OF my own,
whereon he swore that did ! summon
him from the ends of the earth he
would come to me If l needed help.
Moreover. he gave me his signet ring
as q token. and. by virtue of it. SO he
said, power in his dominions equal to
his own, though these l never visited.
You know it." and. holding up his hand,
Sir Andrew showed them heavy gold
ring in which was set black stone
with red veins running across the stone
in the exact shape of dagger, and be-
meath the dagger words cut in unknown
characters.
$50 in my plight bethought me of
Jebal and found means to send him a
letter sealed with his ring. Nor did he
forget his promise, for within twelve
days Zobeide and were galioping for
Beirut on two horses so swift that all
the cavalry of Ayoub could not over
take them. We reached the city, and
there were married. Rosamund. There,
too, your mother was baptized Chris
tan. Thence, since it was not safe for
us to stay in the east, we took ship and
came safe home, bearing this ring of
Jebal with us, for l would not give ii
up. as his servants demanded that /
should do, except to him alone.
THAT Is the story. Since then Sal.
adm. who In those days was but a no.
BILE youth. has become the greatest sui
tao that the east has ever known, and,
having been told of you. Rosamund, by
that traitor Lozelle, he seeks to take
you in your mothers place, and. daugh-
ter, tell you that fear him."
"At least we have year or longer in
which to prepare ourselves or to hide"
said Rosamund. His palmer must
travel back to the east before my uncle
Saladin can have our answer"
AYE" said Sir Andrew, perhaps we
have year"
what of the attack on the quayw
asked Goodwin. who had been thinking.
1.-The knight Lozelle was named there.
Yet IL Saladin had to do with it, it
seems strange that the blow should
have come before the word" g
Sir Andrew brooded awhile, then
said: ..
Bring in this palmer. will ques-
ton him." g.. .s.e. ...
So the man Nicholas. who was found
still eating as though his hunger would
never be satisfied. was brought in b.
Wulf. He bowed low before the old
knight and Rosamund, studying, them
the while with his sharp eyes, and the
roof and the floor and every other de-
tail Of the chamber. for those eyes Of
his seemed to miss nothing.
"You have brought me a letter from
far away, Sir Palmer, who are named
Nicholas" said Sir Andrew. 81 find 1t
strange that one in your holy garb
should be chosen as the messenger Of
Saladin, with whom Christian men
have little to do"
But Saladin has much to do with
Christian men. Sir Andrew. Thus he
takes them prisoner even In times Of
peace, as he did me-" ...
"Did he. then, take the knight Lozelle
prisoner
1.-THE knight LozelleT repeated the
palmer. "Was he big. red faced man,
with scar upon his forehead, who al
ways wore black cloak over his
mail?"
THAT might be he"
"Then he was not taken prisoner. but
Gus while I lay in bonds there. After
ward he left. and at Jaffa I heard that
he had sailed for Europe three months
before did"
Now the brethren look at each other.
So Lozelle icas in 7ngland. But Sir
Andrew made no comment, only he
said:
"Tell me your story. and be careful
that you speak the truth"
"Why should not. who have moth
ing to hide2" answered Nicholas. 81
was captured by some Arabs as I
journeyed to the Jordan upon pill
grimage. who. when they found that /
had no goods to be robbed OF, would
have killed me. This, indeed. they were
about to do, had not some of Saladin's
soldiers come by and commanded them
to hold their hands and give me over
to them. They did SO, and the soldiers
took me to Damascus. There I was i'm
prisoned. but not close, and then 1t was
that saw LoZelle, or, at least, a Chris
tian man who had some such name. and.
as he seemed to be in favor with the
Saracens, / begged him to intcrcede
| for me. Afterward was brought be-
fore the court of Saladin, and, having
questioned me. the sultan himself told
me that must either worship the false
prophet or die, to which you can guess
my answer.
''Three days later Saladin sent for
me again and offered to spare my life
IL I would swear an oath, which oath
was that should take certain pack
age and deliver it to you or to your
daughter named the Lady Rosamund,
here at your hall of Steeple, in Essex,
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