Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-09-13

" VI " II w W
their comfort and to guard them. Sal
adm they saw often, for it pleased him
to tell them tales of those days when
their father and uncle were in the east
pr to talk with them of England and
the Franks and even now and again
to reason with Goodwin on matters
of religion. Moreover. to show his
faith IN them, he gave them the rank
Of officers of his own bodyguard, and
when, wcarying of idlcness. they asked
it of him. allowed them to take their
share of duty in the guarding Of his
palace and person. This at n time
when peace still reigncd between
Frank and .Saracen the brethren We're
not ashamed to do, who received no
payment for their services.
Peace reigned indeed, but Goodwin
and Wulf could guess that it would
not reign long. Damascus and the
plain around it were n great camp,
and every day new thousands of wild
tribesmen poured in and took up the
quarters that had been prepared for
them. They asked Masouda. who knew
everything. what it meant. She an
swered:
at means the iihad, the holy war,
which is being preached in every
mosque throughout the east. II means
that the great struggle between cross
and crescent is 1T hand. and then. pill
grims Peter and John, you will nave
to choose your standard"
There can be little doubt about
that" said Wulf.
None" replied Masouda, with on>
of her smiles. "only ii may pain you
to have to make war upon the Princess
of Baalbec and her uncle, the com
mander Of the faithful" Then she
went. still smiling.
For this was the trouble Of it: Rosa
mund, their cousin and their love, had
In truth become the Princess Of Baal-
bec-for them. She lived in great state
md freedom, as Saladin had promised
that she should live in his letter to Sir
Andrew Darcy. No insult or violence
was offered to her faith: no suitOr was
thrust upon her. Rut she was in a land
where. women do not OnsOr with men,
especially IL they be high placed. AS n
princess Of the empire of Saladin. she
must otcy its run"s ever to yelling her.
self when she went abroad and ex-
changing no private words with men.
Goodwin and Wulf prayed Saladin that
they might be allowed to speak with
her from time to time, but he only an
swered shortly:
sir Knights. u customs are sul
customs. Moreover. the less you see of
the Princess of Baalbcc the better ]
think it will be for her, for you. whose
blood l do not wish to have upon my
bands, and for myself, who await the
fulfllment of that dream which the
angel brought
Then the brethren left his presence
sore ut heart, for, although they saw
her from time TO time al fcasts and
from them ms though she sat in Steeple
~hall-aye, aud farther. Also they came
to see that of rescuing her from Da-
masCus there was no hope at all. She
dwelt in her own palace, whereof the
walls We're guarded night and day by a
company OF the sultan'S mumelukes,
who knew that they were answcrablc
for her with their lives. Within its
walls. again, lived trusted eunuchs, IN
der the command of n cunning fellow
named MesrouT, and her retinue OF
women, all of them spies and watchful
nnn nnD1fopt b.v.,Y-or ,-na lnft RI
them. When she reached the court
Rosamund had prayed Of The sultan
that Masm:da should not be separated
from her, and this, because of the part
She had played in his niece's rescue
from the power of Sinan, he had grant
ed, though doubtfully. Moreover, Ma
SCUBA, being a person of no account
except for her beauty, and a hereto
was allowed to go where she would
and to speak with whom she wished
So, az she wished to speak often will
Goodwin, they did not lack for tidings
of ROsamund.
From her they learned that in a fash
ion h princess was happy enough
who would not be that had Just escap
ed from Al-je-bal?-yet weary of tn,
strange eastern life, of the restraints
upon her and of her aimless days; vex
ed also that she might not mix with th'
brethren. Day by day she sent then
her greetings and with them warning.
to attempt nothing not even to see he
since there was no hope that they
would succeed. SO much afraid OF
them was the sultan. Rosamund said
that both she and they were watched
day and night, and of any folly thei
lives would pay the price. When they
heard all this the brethren began I,
despair.
Then it was that u chance came [,
them OF which the issue was to max,
them still more admired by SaladiI
and to lift Masouda TO honor. One no
morning they were seated in the court
yard of their house beside the fountain
staring mt the passcrsby through tn
bars Of the bronze gates and at the sen
tries who marched to and fro befor,
them. The house was in one of tn
principal thoroughfares Of Damascus
and In front Of it flowed continually al
unending, many colored stream of folk
Goodwin and Wulf, seated in tn
shade Of the painted house. watched
them gloomily. They were weary o
the ever changing sameness, weary O
the eternal glare and glitter OF this I'm
familiar life, weary of the insisten
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