The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-07

still the great pavilion was crowded
with barons and chief captains. At the
head of the table sat the king, Guy or
Lusignan, a weak faced man, clad In
splendid armor. On his right was the
white haired Count Raymond of Tripoli
and on his left the black bearded,
frowning master of the Templars, clad
in his white mantle, on the left breast
of which the red cross was blazoned.
Words had been running high, their
faces showed II, but just then silence
reiyned. The king looked up and. see
ing the bishop, asked peevishly:
"WGat is itnow? Oh, / remember;
some tale from those tall twin knights.
Well. bring them forward"
So the three of them came forward,
and at Godwsn's prayer the bishop Egg
bert told Of the vision that had come to
him not more than an hour ago while he
kept watch upon the mountain top. AT
first one or two of the barons seemed
DISPOSED to laugh. but when they look
ed at Godwin's high and spiritual face
their laughter died away. Indeed, as
the tale of the rocky hill and the dead
who were stretched upon it went on
they grew white with fear, and whitest
of them all was the king.
els all this true, Sir GodwinT' he
asked when the'bishop had finished.
at is true, my lord king" answered
Goodwin.
"His word Is not enough" broke in
the master of the Templars. Let him
swear to 1t on the holy rood, knowing
that IL he lies 1t will blast his soul to
all eternity"
Now there was an annex to the tent,
rudely furnished as a chapel, and at
the end of this annex tall, yelled OBJ
ject. Rufinus, the bishop of Acre, who
was clad in the armor of knight,
went to the object, and, drawing the
veil. revealed broken, blackened
cross. set around with jewels, that
stood about the height of a man above
the ground, for all the lower part was
gone.
At the sight of it Goodwin and every
man present there fell upon his knees,
for since St Helena found 1t, over sew
en- centuries before, this had been ac
counted the most precious relic In
all Christendom-the very wood upon
which the Saviour suffered, as, indeed,
1t may have been.
SNOW" broke in the voice of the
master of the Templars, "let Sir God
win. Darcy swear to the truth of his
tale upon this rood" - -.
IlRising from his knees Goodwin adj
kanced to the cross, and, laying his
hand upon the wood, said:
: upon this very rood swear that
4
the vision which has been told to the
kings Mghness and to ALL"
The bishop drew back the covering
over the cross and In silence the coun.
Gil took their seats again about the
table. Now the king was very pale
and fearful; indeed, a gloom lay upon
all OF them.
..It would SEEM" he said, that here
a messenger has been sent to US from
heaven. Dare we disobey his mes
sageT
The Grand Templar lifted his rugged,
frowning face.
"A messenger from heaven, said you,
king? To me he seems more like
messenger from Saladin. Tell us, Sir
Goodwin, were not you and your broth
er once the suitan's guests at Da-
mascus, and We're you not officers of
the sultan's bodyguard?"
Now all, looked intently at Goodwin,
who hesitated a little, foreseeing how
his answer would be read, whereon
Wulf spoke in his loud voice:
AYE, we acted as such for awhile
and-doubtless you have heard the sto-
ry-saved Saladin's life when he was
attacked by the assassns."
"Oh," said the Templar, with bitter
sarcasm, ''you saved Saladin's life, did
you? I can well believe 1t. Now, Sir
knights, answer me one more Ques-
tom Fhn-
"Sir Templar,t with my tongue or
with my sword 2" broke in Wulf, but
the king held up his hand and babe
him be silent.
"a truce to your tavern ruffling,
young sir, and answer" went on the
Templar. 'Or, rather. do you answer,
Sir Goodwin. Is your cousin, Rosa
mund. the daughter Of Sir Andrew
Darcy. q niece OF Saladin, and has
she been created by him Princess of
Baalbec, and Is she at this moment in
his city Of Damascus?"
'.She Is his niece" answered Goodwin
quietly. "She Is the Princess of Baal-
bee, but at this moment she Is not in
Damascus"
"How do you know that. Sir God
win?"
Il know 1t because In the vision of
which YOU have been told saw her
sleeping in a tent in the camp OF Sala-
dlu."
Now The council began to laugh, but
Goodwin. with q set, white face. went
on:
Aye, my lord Tcmplar, aud near that
very blazoned tent saw scores of the
Templars and of the Hospitalers lying
dead. Remember ii when the dreadful
hour comes"
Now the laughter died away, and a
murmur OF fear ran round the board.
Only the Templar, who feared nei-
Their man nor spirit. laughed and gave
him the lie with his eyes.
''You do not believe me-" said God
win, nor will you believe me when
say that while was on guard on yon-
der hilltop / saw you wrangling with
the Count of Tripoli--ayc, and draw
your sword and dash il down in front