The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-02-22
Scourge
ofDamaSCuS
A Story Of
the East...
BY
SYLVANUS
COBB. JR.
Copyrighted 1901 By Robert Bonner,s Son.

OF her days! None of her own sex
shall attend upon her; but black
guards shall be her sole companions.
What say you to that?'
The e~xecutioners were not long In
obeying the order. A large mat was
brought in and spread upon the floor,
n three stout baskets of palm-leaf
were placed upon it. The mat and the
baskets were darkly stained, and even
Omar, used as he was to such scenes,
~shuddered when he beheld the prepa-
rations. When all was ready, Horam
to his captain and ordered that
all the prisoners should be brought in.
At length they came. Julian and
and Selim came first. Then fol-
lowed Ben Hadad and Ezabel, with
Shubal and Ortok. And lastly came
Ulin and Abba.
The robber chieftain was led up to
the block. His arms were folded upon
his broad bosom, with the heavy
chains hanging almost to his feet,
and his head was borne erect. There
was a deep pain-mark in his face, but
it was not of fear for himself.
Outlaw spoke Horam, through
his shut teeth, and with his thin hands
clenched. 1.-The hour has come in which
you are to close your career of rapine
and robbery; and these people who
have been friends to you, and who
have given you protection in your
crime. are to see your head fall. Per-
haps you would ask for mercy"
MOI" said the chieftain. Il ask no
mercy at the hand of Koran of Da-
mascus. Let the work be finished as
quickly as possible, and thus shall one
more be added to the list of thy bloody
deeds. l could wish to live that l
might take more vengeance on thee
And is there not one thing for
which you would live?" asked the king,
bending a searching, burning glance
upon him.
Julian started, and struggled; but
made no reply. And in a moment more
Koran turned to his chief executioner.
Bel Dara, go now to your work.
Let this mans head fall first. Your
arm is strong, and your hand is sure.
Bend him upon his knees, and watch
for my signal"
Their was a low, wild cry breaking
upon the air; and as Julian turned his
head, he saw Ulin, white and faint, in
the arms of her attendant.
Before the grim executioners could
bend the robber chieftain to his knees
there was an interruption in the pro-
ceedings. The voice Of Ben Hadad,
stern and authoritative, sounded above
all else:
King of Damascus, ere you stain
your hands with that mans blood, 1
must reveal to you a secret which it
is fitting you should know"
"Old man." he said, you speak a
secret. Do you think to trife with
me?"
Il have to cause a simple story to
be unfolded to your majesty replied
Ben Hadad; "and if you will grant
this woman speech, she will give you
light"
The king looked hard into the face
of Ezabel, and for the first time he
seemed to be struck by something IA
miliar in her features. A moment he
sat as If irresolute, and then he said,
starting up as though his mind were
fixed:
LET the woman approach"
Ezabel came near to the throne, Ben
,Hadad walking close behind her.
Woman, what is it that you have
to tell? Speak, and let not the words
lag upon your lips"
II speak by the request of Ben Ha-
dad" replied Ezabel; land the story
which l shall tell you is known only
to the old hermit and myself. Even
Julian himself knows not the secret l
have to impart, and were he now upon
the verge of death, no persuasion
should draw it from me. 1t may be
that the disclosure will consign me to
your executioner; but 1 care not. I
shall waste no words. I was born in
this city, and was married at an early
age. One o was born to me, and
then my husband died. Shortly after
this bereavement | was called to nurse
a sick child-a girl, some three years
old-who was suffering from an acct
dent. The child recovered under my
care, and as I had formed a strong
attachment for her, and as she had
also conceived the same for me, I was
retained to attend upon her. Her par-
ents were of the wealthiest of Damas>
Gus, and while they made it. very
pleasant for me to remain with their
daughter, they also provided a good
place for my son, Hobaddan. My
charge grew up to be a beautiful maid
en-, and became my mistress; and I
served her with joy, for she was good
and kind and generous: and | knew
that h loved me. In time my mis-
tress became a wife, and | went with
her to her new home. For 4 few
months all went pleasantly under this
new relation; but finally a dark cloud
arose to obscure the heaven of my
lady's joy. Her husband became jeal-
Gus of h~er-became SO jealous hat his
soul was fraught with deadly ven
geance. He fancied that his wife's
6ulit iidu DeeL proven, anu he resolved
to put her away from him forever.
Her protestations awaited nothing. He
would not listen to her-he would not
even allow her to approach him; but
he gave her into the hands of his eX-
ecutioners, and babe them drown her
IN the waters of the Pharphar. l dis
covered what was to be done, and
slipped away from the home Of the
cruel husband, and sought my son,
who had then become a stout youth.
Hobaddan and l hid ourselves near
the gates of the city, and when the
executioners came out, we followed
them. They had with them a large
sack and T lnou tbot NV ,,;ct,oa,