The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1906-09-06

~ ODWIN knew that he lay sick,
suo but save that Maaouda seem.
~ ed 70 tend him In his sickness
he knew no more. for all the
past had gone from him.
He knew also that be travelled while
he was III, for at dawn he would hear
the camp break up with a mighty noise
and feel his litter lifted by slaves who
bore him along for hours across tile
burning sand tn at length the evening
came and with hummlng sound like
the sound OF hivlng bees the great ar
my set It's blvouac.
AT length that Journey was done, aud
there arose new noises as OF the roar
Of battle Orders were given, and men
marched ont In thousands. Then rose
that roar, and they marched back
again, mourning their dead.
At last came a day whea, opening hls
eyes, Goodwin turned to rest them on
Masouda. and, 10, she was gone, and IN
her accustomed place there sat man
whom he knew well-I1gbert once
bishop Of Nazareth.
where am IT. he asked
Outside the walls OF Jerusalem, my
son, prisoner in the camp Of sala-
din" was the answer
"And where Is Masouda. who has sat
by me all these days7"
"In heaven. trust" came the gentle
answer FOR she was brave lady. 1t
Is who have sat by you"
Then Goodwin remembered the truth
and, eroanlng fell asleep Afterwnrd,
as be grew stronger, Egbert told him
all the story. He learned that when he
was found lying senseless on the body
Of Masouda the emlrs wished Saladln
to kill him II for no other reason be-
cause he had dashed out the eye Of the
holy imaum with lamp But the sui
tan, who had discovered the truth,
would not for he said that It was un-
worthy of the Imaum to have Knocked
his grief and that Sir Goodwin had
dealt with him as he deserved
So the lmaum lost both his eye and
his vengeance.
Thus It had come about that the
bishop Egbert was ordered to nurse
him and II possible to save his life,
and when at last they marched upon
Jerusalem soldiers were told OF to
bear his litter, and good tent was set
apart to cover him. Now the Siege Of
the holy city had begun, and there
was much slaughter on both sides.
"Will 1t fallT' asked Goodwin.
IL fear so unless the saints help
them" answered Egbert "Alas, fear
So"
qWill not saladIn be merclfulr he
asked again.
''Why should be be merclful, my son,
since they have refused his terms and
defied hlm9 Nay, ne has sworn that as
Godfrey took the place nigh upon a
hundred years ago and slaughtered the
Mussulmans who dwelt there by thou
sands--men, women and children to-
gether-so will he do 70 the Christians.
Oh, why should he spare themi They
must die. They must die" And, wiring
ing his hands, Egbert left the tent.
Goodwin lay still, wondering what the
answer to this riddle might be. He
could think OF one, and one only, In
Jerusalem was Rosamund, the sultnn's
niece. whom he must desire to recap
ture, above all things, not only because
she was Of his blood, but since he
feared that II he did not do so his VI
sion concerning her would come to
nothing.
Now. what was this vision, that
through Rosamund much slaughteI
should be spared. Wen, II Jerusalem
were saved, would not tens OF thou
sands OF Moslem and Christian lives
be saved alsoi oh, surely here was
the answer and some angel had put It
Into his heart, and now he prayed for
strength to plant II In the heart OF Sal
adm for strength and opportunity.
This very day Goodwin found the OPP
portunity. AS he lay doing In his tent
that evening, being still too weak to
rise, a shadow fell upon him, and,
opening his eyes, he saw the sultan
himself standing alone by his bedside.
Now he strove to rise to salute him,
but in a kind voice saladin babe him lie
still and, seating himself, began to
talk
"Sir Goodwin he said IL am come
to ask your pardon. When sent you
to visit that dead woman, who had suf-
fered Justly for her crime, I did an
act unworthy Of a king"
Il thank you, sire, who were always
nobIe.r answered Goodwin.
"You say SO. Yet I have done things
10 YOU ana yours that you can scarcely
hold as noble" said saladin. Say,
Sir Goodwin, 10 that story which they
tell IN the camps true that a vision