Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-09-20

De"Tu DTfslilDE WIN WTutu, anu, urAW-
ing his saber. shouted aloud:
You scorn Mohammed! Behold! l
avenge Mohammed upon you! Take
him away!' and he struck him with
the fiat Of his scimiter.
Then mamelukes leaped upon the
prince. Dragging him TO the entrance
Of the tent they forced him to his knees
and there beheaded him.
In the hush that followed this ter.
rible deed King Guy said to Goodwin:
ASK the sultan IL it Is my turn
next"
May" answered Saladin. Kings do
not kill kings, but that truce breaker
has met with no more than his de-
serts."
Then came a scene still more dread
full. Saladin went to the door Of his
tent and, standing over the body OF
Reginald, babe them parade the cap
tive Templars and Eospitalers before
him.
"These also are faith breakers" he
shouted, land Of their unclean tribes
will I rid the world. Eo, my emirs and
doctors Of the lnw"-and he turned to
the great crowd of his captains about
hlm-"take each Of you one Of them
and kill him.
Now the emirs hung back, for,
though fanatics, they were brave and
loved not this slaughter Of defenseless
men, and even the mamelukes muir
INJURED aloud.
But Saladin cried again:
"They are worthy Of death, and he
who disobeys my command shall him.
self be slain"
Sultan" said Goodwin, I'VE cannot
witness such n crime. We ask that we
may die with them"
Nay" he answered.; you have eat
en- of my salt, and to kill you would BE-
murder. Get you to the tent OF the
Princess of Baalbec yonder, for there
you will see nothing of the death of
these Franks. your fellow worshipers.'
So the brethren turned and, led by n
Inameiuke, fed aghast for the first
time in their lives past the long lines
of Templars and Hospltalers, who in
the last red light of the dying day
knelt upon the sand and prayed, while
the emirs came up to kill them.
They entered the tent, none forbid
ding them, and at the end of it saw
two women crouched together on some
cushions, who arose, clinging to each
other. Then the women saw also and
sprang forward with a cry Of Joy, say
ing:
80 you live-you live"
aye, Rosamund," answered God
win. "to see this shame-would God
that we did not-while others die. They
murder the knights Of the holy orders.
To your knees and pray for their pass.
ing souls"
SO they knelt down and prayed TIL
the tuInult died away and they knew
that all was done.
RosamuDd had little to tell, except
that she had been well treated and al
ways kept by the person of the sultan,
marching to and fro with his army. for
he awaited the fulfllment OF his dream
concerning her. Then they told her all
that had CHANGED to them; also of the
vision Of Goodwin and Its dreadful &C
complishment and of the death Of Has
san beneath the sword Of Wulf. AT
that story Rosamund wept and shrank
from him a little, for though 1t was
this prince who had stolen her from
her home she loved Hassan. Yet when
Wulf said humbly: The fault Is not
mine; it was SO fated. Would that
had died instead of this Saracen.'
Rosamund answered: mo, no. l an
proud that you should have conquered
But Wulf shook his head and said:
Il am not proud. Although weary
with that awful battle, ! was still the
younger and stronger man, though al
first he well nigh mastered me by his
ed friends, Look. he gave me this
and he showed her the great emerald
badge which the dying prince had giver
him.
do you know" asked Masouda
that this jewel Is very famous, moi
only for its value, but because It is
said to have belonged to one of the
children of the prophet, and to bring
good fortune to Its owner? There Ii
scarce a soldier in the sultan's army
who would not give all he has for yon
der trinket, which Is known Throughout
the land as the star of Hassan. So be
ware, Sir Wulf, lest you be robbed o.
murdered. although you have eaten thu
salt Of Salah-ed din"
II remember the captain Abdullal
looking at 1t greedily and lamentint
that the luck of the house of HassaI
should pass to an unbeliever." sait
Wulf. well, enough of this jewel an(
Its dangers; l think Goodwin has word:
to say"
"Yes." said Goodwin. "We are herr
In your tent through the kindness o
Saiadin, who did not wish us to wit
ness the death Of our comrades, but to
morrow we shall be separated again
Now, II you are to escape
II will escape! must escape. ever
II l am recaptured and die for it.
broke in ROsaInund passionately.
"Speak low" said Masouda. * saw
the eunuch Mesrour pass the door of tn
tent, and he Is a %spy-they all ar
spies"
Suddenly a shadow fell upon them
1t was that of the head eunuch, Mes
rour, a fat, cunning faced man, with
cringing air. Low he bowed befor
them, saying: