The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-30

no time to spare" And they went for
ward, but only at a hand gallop, for
the ground was still rough and the
light uncertain.
When they had covered some six
miles OF the distance between them and
the mountain pass the sun rose sudden
ly and sucked up the mist. This was
what they saw: Before them lay fiat,
sandy plain; behind, the stony ground
that they had traversed, and, riding
over it. two miles from them. some
twenty men Of the assassins.
They cannot catch u.s." said Wulf,
but Masouda pointed to the right,
where the mist still hung, and said:
"Yonder l see spears"
Presently 1t thinned, and there,
league away, they saw q great body
OF mounted soldiers. Perhaps there
were 400.
Look she said. They have come
round during the night, as l feared
they would. Now we must cross the
path before them or be takcn''
Half mile farther on a shout from
the great body of men to their right,
which was answered by another shout
from those behind, told them that they
were seen.
ON" said Masouda. The race will
be close" So they began to gallop
their best.
Two miles were done; but, although
that behind was far off, the great cloud
Of dust to their right grew ever nearer
till it seemed as though it must reach
the mouth Of the mountain pass before
them. Then Goodwin spoke:
''Wulf and Rosamund, ride on. Your
horses are swift and can outpace them.
At the crest of the mountain pass wait
awhile to breathe the beasts and see If
we come. If not. ride on again, and
God be with you"
Aye" said Masouda; ride and head
for the Emesa bridget can be seen
from far-and there yield yourselves
to the officers Of Salah-ed-din."
They hung back, but in stern voice
Goodwin repeated:
Ride, l command you both"
For Rosamund's sake, so be it," an
swered Wulf. Then he called to Smoke
and Flame, and they stretched them
selves out upon the sand and passed
thence swifter than swallows. Soon
Goodwin and Masouda, telling behind,
saw them enter the mouth of the pass.
"Who was the man who brought the
horses to us?' asked Goodwin as they
galloped side by side, their eyes fixed
upon the ever nearing cloud Of dust
my fathers brother-my uncle, as
called him." she answered. HE is a
sheik Of the desert. who owns the
ancient breed that cannot be bought
for gold"
Then you are not of the assassins,
Masouda?'
mo. l may tell you, now that the
end seems so near. My father was an
Arab, my mother a noble Frank, a
Frenchwoman, whom he found starv-
| ing in the desert after n fight and took
to his tent and made his wife. The
assassins fell up/l us and killed him
and her and captured me as child of
twelve. Afterward. when I grew older
being beautiful in those days. 1 was
taken to the harem of Sinan, and, al
though in secret 1 had been bred up a
Christian by my mother, they swore
me to his accursed faith. Now you
will understand why | hate him SO
sorely who murdered my father and
my mother and made me what I am
| why 1 hold myself so vile. Yes, have
been forced to serve as his spy or be
killed"
81 do not hold you vile" painted God
win as he spurred his laboring steel.
Il hold you most noble"
II rejoice to hear it before we die"
she answered, looking him in the eyes
in such fashion that he dropped his
head before her burning gaze. who
hold you dear, Sir Goodwin, for whose
sake I have dared these things. al
though l am naught to you Nay,
speak not. The Lady Rosamund has
told me all that story-except it's an
swcr."
| Now they were off the sand over
which they had been racing side by
side and beginning to breast the noun
tain slope. So far they had outpaccd
the assassins, who had longer and a
| rougher road to travel, but the great
cloud OF dust was not Toosyards away,
and in front of it, shaking their spears,
rode some Of the best mounted of their
soldiers.
These horses still have strength.
| They are better than thought them"
cried Masouda. "They will not gain
on us across the mountains, but after
ward
For the next league they spoke no
more, who must keep their horses from
falling as they toiled up the steep path.
At length they reached the crest, AMI
there, on the very top OF 1t. saw Wulf
and Rosamund standing by Flame and
| Smoke.
'They rest" Goodwin said: then he
shouted: Mount! Mount! The foe is
! closer
So they climbed to their saddles
| again, and all four of them together
began to descend the long slope that
| stretched to the plain two leagues be-
meath. Far off across this plain ran a
broad. silver streak, beyond which
from that height they could see the
walls of a city.
, 1.-THE Orontesr' cried Masouda
Gross that and we are safe" But
Goodwin looked first at his horse. then
at Masouda, and shook his head.
Well might he do so. for. stout heart
ed as they We're, the beasts were much
distressed that had galloped so far
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