The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-14

81? | ride back to Ascalon to find
Masouda. For the sake of Rosamund
and perhaps for my sake also Mason
da has run a fearful rick. Bethink
You what will be the mood Of Saladin
when at length he finds that she upon
whom he had built such hopes has
gone. She may have given her life to
set ROsamund free to join Us in .Jeru-
salem"
Rosamund looked at Goodwin. and
Goodwin looked at Rosamund, and there
was understanding in their eyes, for
now both of them saw the truth in all
its glory and all its horror.
81 think that should go back also"
said Rosamund
That shall not be-" answered Wulf.
DC he has sworn"
''That cannot be- added Goodwin.
Shall the aacrifice of blood be offered
In vain? Moreover, it is our duty to
prevent you. Rosamund, l know not
what has CHANGED. l go to see. Through
life, through death, l ride on till | find
Masouda and kneel to her in homage.
And in love-" exclaimed Rosamund.
'Mayhap," Goodwin answered, speak
ing more to himself than to her.
Farewell, my liege lady and cousin
Rosamund," Goodwin said. My part
is played. Now l leave you in the keep
ing of God in heaven and of Wulf on
earth. Should we meet no more my
counsel is that you two wed here in
Jerusalem and travel back to Steeplc,
there to live in peace if it may be SO.
Brother Wulf, fare you we'll also. We
part today for the first time who from
our birth have lived together and loved
together and done many deed togeth-
er, some of which we can look back
upon without shame"
."Oh. Goodwin" said Wulf, I'VE do
not part thus easily. Our lady here will
be safe enough among the nuns-more
safe than I can keep her. Give me an
hour, and will set her there and join
you. Both Of us owe a debt to Masou
da, and it is not right that it should be
paid by you alone"
"Nay," answered Goodwin, "look upon
Rosamund and think what is about to
befall this city. Can you leave her at
such time"
Then Wulf dropped his head, and,
trusting himself to speak no more
words. Goodwin mounted his horse and
without so much as looking back rode
into the narrow street and out through
the gateway till presently he was lost
in the distance and the desert
Wulf and Rosamund watched him go
in silence, for they were choked with
tears
"Oh. would that 7 were dead who
have lived to bring all this woe upon
you 10th and upon that great heart,
Masouda. I say, Wulf, would that I
were dead" said Rosamund.
Like enough the wish will be full
filled before all is DONE" answered
Wulf YEARLY, "only then pray that l
may be dead with you, for now, Rosa
mund, Goodwin has gone forever as I
fear. and you alone are left to me.
Come, let us cease complaining, since
to dwell upon these griefs cannot help
us. and be thankful that for awhile at
least we are free. Follow me, Rosa
mund, and we will ride to this nunncry
to find you shelter if we may"
So they rode on through the narrow
streets that were crowded with scared
people. for now the news was spread
that the embassy had rejected the
terms of Saladin. He had offered to
give the city food and to suffer it's in
habitants to fortify the walls and to
hold them till the following Whitsun-
tide if, should no help reach them, they
would swear to surrender then. But
they had answered that while they had
life they would never abandon the
place where their God had died
So now war was before them-war to
the end. And who We're they that must
bear it's brunt? Their leaders were
slain or captive, their king prisoner
their soldiers skeletons on the field OF
Hattin. Only the women and children
the sick, the old and the wounded re-
manned. perhaps $4,000 souls in all, but
few of whom could bear arms. Yet
these few must defend Jerusalem
against the might of the victorious
Saracen. Little wonder that they
walled in the streets till the cry OF
their despair went up to heaven.
Pushing their path through this sad
| multitude, who took little note of them
at length they came to the nunnery on
the sacred Via Dolorosa.
Here the porter told him that the
nuns were at prayer in their chapel
Wulf replied that he must see the lady
abbess upon matter which would not
delay, and they were shown into COO
and lofty room. Presently the door
opened, and through it came the alb
bess in her white robes, a tall and
stately Englishwoman of middle age
who looked at them curiously.
Lady Abbess," said Wulf bowling
low, this lady is the daughter and
heiress of Sir Andrew Darcy, my
dead uncle, and in Syria the Princess
of Baalbec and the niece of Saladin."
The abbess started and asked:
rs she, then. of their accused faith
as her garb would seem to show?"
NAY. mother" said Rosamund: 81
am a Christian, If a sinful one, and
come here to seek sanctuary lest wher
they know who l am and he clamors a
their gates my fellow Christians may
surrender me to my uncle, the sultan"
Tell me the story said the abbess
And they tsld her briefly, while she lis
tened, amazed. When they had finished
she said:
To 1,