The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-18

when he learned from Kenneth the reason
of his visit his raging was as fierce as
that OF the wild beast from which he
took his name. And he was the more an
gered that the Scottish knight would
give no explanation of why he had left
his post. Richard would have killed tho
knight before him with his own hand had
it not been for the interposition of Sir
Thomas de Vaux, who persuaded him to
send instead for an executioner while the
knight heavily shackled, was taken I'M
der guard and the hermit of Engaddi,
who was in the camp, was sent for to
shrive him. Berengaria and her ladies,
learning what mischief their practical
joke had occasioned, now came rushing
into the tent, confessed their part in the
transaction and begged the knights life.
But Richard swore he should die. The
hermit coming from confessing Kenneth
solemnly told the King that he had
learned under the seal of confession that
which would make Richard regret to his
dying day if he took the life of the Scot
fish knight. But all in vain.
Then came the hakim and claimed the
life of Kenneth as a reward for saving
the life of the King. Richards moods
were fierce but transient and now, worn
out with Importantly, he said, well, it
seems that we are best to save this foul
and craven knight. There, take him as
thy slave. Ha, but ! have seen him
brave in battle and would not have be-
lieved he would have proved recreant
even for the smile of our fair cousin. Go,
he is thy slave
Edith. who had commanded rather than
besought the King to spare Sir Kenneth,
now vowed that she would wear black
for him always as a reminder that he had
been unworthily disgraced through the use
of her name. She had no feeling toward
the knight but such as a daughter of
royalty might entertain for lowly knight;
she did not love Kenneth, but she did
love justice. Slavery was worse than
death and she would never forgive her
royal kinsman-no never.
Some days after the departure of the
hakim with his new slave there came to
the camp messengers from Saladin bear
ing letters to Richard and, as a gift, an
Ethiopian slave. a mute, who the Sedan
said, was killed in the care Of armor.
With the slave was a dog who might have
looked like Roswal had be not been clipped
and colored differently One day, as the
king, seated in the door of his tent, was
deeply bordering over letters just received
from England and the slave was clean
ing his armor nearby, a fanatic Arab, set
on by the Grand Master, crawled up and
attempted the life of the monarch. But
before his dagger could descend the slave
had hurled the would-be assassin to the
ground, where Richard dashed out the
creatures brains with a camp stool. But
the dagger of the Arab had slightly
scratched the arm of the slave, and, know
ing it to be probably poisoned weapon,
the king called upon some of the attend
ants to suck the wound. No one stirring
Richard called them towards and applied
his own royal lips to the slaves arm.
But after a minute the slave suddenly
sprang back, threw a scarf over his arm
and signified by signs that he would not
further permit the king to do so lowly
an office. The king, whose quick eye had
caught sight of the place upon the Etni-
opian's arm where his lips had just been
looked at the slave long and inquiringls
and then turned away musing Then
turning again toward the mute, he said
my sable friend, the Sedan. says that
thou art expert in mysteries. would that
thou, by raising one blacker than thyself
or by whatever means thou wilt, might
reveal to me the thief who did mine
honor wrong in the stealing of England's
banner" The mute made signs for writ
ing materials, and, writing in the lingus
franca, which was used in the commune
cations between the Crusaders and the
saracens, told the King that If he and hi
dog were stationed where they could SCI
the Princes of the Crusade when they
passed by and saluted the English stan