The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-06-23


you.
Of my vision concerning You. which
caused me to bring YOU to the east from
England you know well. Repeat it in
your heart before YOU answer. That
vision told me- that by your noblenesS and
sacrifice YOU should save the lives of
many. | demanded that you should be
brought back TO me, and the request was
refused-why. ii matters not Now | I'M
dcrStaud the roa&On-tnat this was 50
ordained. | demand no more that force
should be used To YOU. l demand that you
shall come of your own free viii TO suf-
fer the bitter aud shameful reward of
your sin, or, If YOU so desire. bide where
you are Of Your own free will and bs
dealt with as God shall decree.
This hangs upon your judgment: If you
come and ask it of me. / will consider
the question of the sparing of Jerusalem
and its Inhabitants. If You refuse to
come, | will certainly put every one OF
them to the sword, save such of the
women and children as may be kept for
slaves. Decide. then, niece and quickly.
whether YOU Will return with my cnvoys
or biie where they find You.
ICSUF SALAHED-DIN.
Rosamund finished reading, and the
letter fiuttered from her hand down to
the marble floor. Then the queen said:
Lady. we ask this sacrifice of YOU
in the name Of these and all their fel.
lows" And she pointed to the womer
and children behind her.
And my lfe:" unused Ro>amund
aloud. 1t is all | have When | have
paid it away | shall be beggared." And
her eyes wandered to where the tall
shape of Wulf stood by pillar of the
church.
"Perchance Saladin will be merci-
full" hazarded the queen.
why should he he merriful." an.
swered RoSamund who has always
warned me that if | escaped from him
and WAS recaptured certainly | must
die? Nay; he will offer me- Islam or
death. which means death by the
rope or in some worse fashion,.
But if You stay here you must die"
pleaded the queen. ''or at best fall into
the hands of the soldiers. oh. lady,
your life is but one life and with it
you can buy those of 10000 souls
lis that so Sure:" asked Ro>amund
He Suitdll HIS lildte Io IIfblhlSc- HS
says only that if | pray it of him he
will consider the question of sparing
Jerusalem
'But-but.' went on the queen, he
says also that if you do not come he
will surely put Jerusalem to the
sword. and to Sir BALKAN he said that
if you gave yourself up he thought he
might grant terms which we should be
glad to take Therefore we dare to ask
of you to give your life in payment for
such a hope. oh, refuse not our PRAYER,
but show that you indeed are great
enough to step forward TO meet the
death which comes to every one of lis
and thereby earn the blessings of half
the world and make sure your place in
heaven nigh to him who also died for
men. Plead with her, my sisters; plead
with her"
Then the women ami children threw
themselves down before her. and with
tears and sobbing prayed her that she
would give up her life for theirs. Rosa
mund looked at them and smiled, then
said i'll Il clear voice:
What say you. my cousin and be-
trOthed. Sir Wulf Darcy? Come hith-
er. and give me your counsel.
SO the gray eyed. ~r worn Wulf
strobe up the aisle and. standing 10y
the altar rails. saluted her.
You have heard" said RoSamund.
Your counsel. Would you have me
de-
Alas" he answered in hoarse
voice, 1T is hard to speak, yet they
are many-you are but one
Now there was a murmur of APP
plausc. for it was known that this
knight loved his lady dearly and that
but the other day he had stood there
to defend her to the death against
those who would give her up TO Sala-
din.
Now RoSamund laughed out. and the
sweet sound Of her laughter was
strange in that solemn place and hour.
'Ah, Wulf" she said. "WuIf. who |
must ever speak the truth, even when |
1t costs him dear. Well, | would not |
have it otherwise Queen. and I'LL you |
foolish people. | did but try your tenn |
pers"
Then RoSamund Sheathed the dagger |
that all this while she held in her hand. |
and, lifting the letter from the floor, |
touched her brow with ii in signal of |
obedience.
Now the ENJOYS bowed before her in |
grave admiration. and the air grew |
thick with blessings. As RoSamund |.
stepped down from the altar the queen
threw her arms about her neck and
kissed her. while lords and knights, wo-
men and children, pressed their lips
np0n her hands. upon the hem of her |