The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-02-08
A Story Of
the east.
SYLVANUS
COBB. JR.

grove and walk awhile"
Ulin bowed her head again as she
spoke. with her hand upon her brow
upon her brow for a moment-and
then pressed upon her bosom. And
thus Abba left her.
When the freed girl reached the
grove in front OF the cave she found
Jullan and Osmir in close converse
tlon and before they noticed her she
mad heard enough to excite her Gu
rioslty; and with a freedom that was
natural to her, she asked them what
had happened.
"osm1r thinks" said Julian, with a
smile. that n of the Arab robbers
has followed lis and tracked us to
ms place; but l laugh at him"
i may be mistaken rejoined the
other, but still I think l am right,
| have seen the fellow twice; once by
the river at the entrance of the wood,
anu once further away. 1t was one OF
the rascals VINO escaped u.s."
And if it is the Arab, what can he
want?" asked Abba.
IF it be n of those fellows" re-
turned Julian, che may wish to Join
our ranks"
oh" added Osmir, che may hope to
steal something" (.
Very likely" asserted The chicftain
However" he concluded, after a brief
pause. W may as well keep a sharp
lookout"
"Selim and 1 are on the watch" said
Osmir; land if we catch the rascal.
we'll secure him."
Abba fancied that Julian had
thoughts which he was not willing to
express in her presence, but she did
not mean to fret herself; and before
she reJoined her mistress she had al
most forgotten the circumstances.
At noon, and again in the evening.
did Ulin meet Julian; but they did
not freely together. She
could not meet the gaze of those lus-
trous eyes without trembling, and she
sought to avoid that which so much
moved her. If he had approached her
and spoken freely with her on some
subject Of general interest she would
have Joined him readily; but he did
not do so.
Morning came again, and again the
maiden met the man who had saved
her from the Arabs. This time he
greeted her in few words, and soon
turned away to speak with Hobaddan.
He did not seem we'll. He looked
paler than on the day before. and
there was an expression of pain about
the mouth and eyes. Ulin was uneasy.
Perhaps his wound was giving him
new trouble. AS soon as the morn
ingss meal had been eaten, she sought
Ezabel and asked her if Julian was
suffering from his wound.
mo-" replied the old woman 81
do not think it is his wound. | have
noticed his appearance and have asked
him what it meant; but he puts me
off with a smile and a blessing and
tries to assure me that all is well. I
do not like to see him suffer. He is
like a child to me and 1 love him ten
derby. All, the world little knows
what a noble, generous soul dwells
within that manly form"
IF 1 thought he was suffering from
M account" said Ulin, 81 should be
most unhappy"
How on your account?" said Eza-
bel, quickly.
II mean in consequence of the wound
he received while fighting for my de-
Ilverance." .
"Iphardly think it is that. Some
thing beside the wound troubles him.
1t may be that the short captivity in
Damascus worries him. He may have
heard something there that gives him
unpleasant Thought"
At noon Julian did not appear when
the rest ate their dinner. He vas out
by the river. Late in the afternoon
Ulin met Ezabel again and the latter
seemed sad and detected.
Julian is going TO leave u.s." ex-
claimed the woman. in answer to an
inquiry from Ulin.
Leave u.s." repeated our heroine.
with a start.
Yes; so he told me only an hour
since"
When will he go?'
Early In Inc morning."
But he will shortly '%return?"
II fear not. I asked him that and
he only shook his head"
Does he give any reason for his
going away?"
"None that you need to know, my
child. In fact, he gives me no reason
directly. am left to draw my ccnclu-
sions from accidental remarks"
When Ulin retired to her chamber
she was in a frame of mind not cas-
lily analysed. She spoke to Abba con-
corning the chieftain's unexpected de-
parture and the girl expressed the
opinion that he felt himself. to be in
the way.
what do you mean by that?" asked
Ulin.
"Well," replied Abba, Il think JUL
ian feels that there are enough dwell
ers in the hermit's cave without him.
I may be mistaken; but his manner,
for a day or two past, has seemed to
indicate that he was not perfectly at
ease here
The princess asked no more ques-
lions, but busted herself with her own
thoughts.
AS the u was sinking from its
daily course, Ulin wandered out into
'the grove alone. and as she approached
the spot where she sometimes sat with
the hermit, she saw Julian, seated
upon a bench beneath an orange tree.
At first she thought Of turning back,
and retracing her steps; but an i'm
pulse which was no result of her will,
but rather an instructive emotion, as
though some secret force, led her on;
and almost before she was aware of it
she came SO lea that the youth