Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-23
THE SEA HAWK
BY RAFAEL SABATINT
published by Arrangement With First National Pictures
Inc. Copyrighted by Houghton- Miftin Company.l
CHAPTER XTN

! NuDlanS ana ms HttIe TGt1nue of cor
satrs came to the gates of that white house
Of his on its little eminence outside the Bah
el-Oueb and beyond the walls of the city.
W ttosamuhc and Lionel brought in
! the wake of the cOrsair found themselves in
the spacious courtyard beyond the dark and
narro5 enhance, the blue Of the sky con
tened but the paling embers of the dying
day. and suddenly, sharply upon the evening
stiffness, came mueddn's voice calling the
faithful unto prayer.
Slaves fetched water from the fount in
til played in the middle of the quadrangle
and tossed aloft slender silvery spear Of
water to break into myriad gems and so
shower down into the broad marble basin.
Sakr-el-Bahr washed, as did his followers,
and then he went down upon the praying
mat that had been set for him, whilst his
corsairs detached their cloaks and spread
them upon the ground to serve them in like
stead
The Nubians turned the two slaves about,
lest their 2ances should defle the prisons of
the faithful, and left them so, facing the wall
and the green gate that led into the garden
whence were waited on the cooling air the
perfumes of iessamine and lavender. Through
the laths of the gate they might have caught
glimpse of the riot of color there, and they
might have seen the slaves arrested by the
Persian waterwhee at which they had been
toiling and chanting until the call to prayer
had come to strike them into statues
Sakr-el-Bahr rose from his devotions ut
tered a sharp word of command and entered
the house. The Nubans followed him, nrg-
ing their captiyes before them up the narrow
stairs, aud so brought them out upon the
terrace the roof, that space which in
Ea~.arn houses is devoted to the women,
but which no womens foot had trodden
since this house had been tenanted by Sakr-
el-Bahr the wifeless.
This terrace which was surrounded by a
parapet some four feet high, commanded a
a, I 1o njfx- ooIi ha DO n
eastward from the harbor and Of the island
at the end of the mole which had been so
lab0riously built by the labor OF Christian
slaves from the stones Of the/ruined fortress
the Penon, which Kheyr-ed Din Barbarosso
had wrested from the Spaniards. The deep
ening shroud of evening upon all,
transmitting white and yellow walls alike to
pearly graynesS.
An awning supported upon two gigantic
spears hung out from the southern wall of
the terrace which rose to twice the height
of that forming the parapet its other
three sides. Under this was a diyan and
silken cushions, and near it small Moorish
table Of ebony nlaid with mother of-pearl
and gold. Over the opposite parapet, where
lattice had been set, riOted a trailing rose
tree charged with Y-vod-red blossoms though
now their colors were merged into the all
encompassing grayness.
Here Lionel and ROsamund looked at each
other in the dim light, their faces cleaning
ghostly each to each, whilst the Nubians stood
like twin statues by the door that opened
from the star-head
The man groaned, and clasped his hands
before him. The doublet which had been
torn from him in the sok had since been re-
stored and temporarily repaired by strand
of palmetto cord. But he woefully be-
draggled. Yet his thoughts, if his first
words are to be taken as an indication of
them, were for Rosamunds condition rather
than his own.
20 God, that you should be subjected to
this!" he cried. THAT you should have suf-
fered what you have suffered! The humilia-
ton of it, tie barbarous cruelty! Oh!' He
covered his haggard face with his hands.
She touched him gently on the arm.
what | have suffered is but a little
thing" she said, and her voice was wonder
fully steady and soothing. Have l not said
IL these Godolphin5 were brave folk? Even
their women were held to have something of
the male slrit in their breasts" and to this
none can doubt that Rosamund now bore
witness.
~ not pity me, Lionel, for my sufferings
are at an end or very nearly.
She smiled strangely, the smile of exalta-
ton that you may see upon the martyrs face
in yhe hour of doom.
"How?" quoth he, in faint surprise
"How?" she echoed. is there not always
a way To thrust aside lifes burden when it
srows too heavy-heavier than God would
have Us bear?'
His only answer ..-.~ groan Indee. he
had done little but groa in all the hours
they had spent together since they were
brought ashore from the carack.
Slaves entered, bearing four enormous
flaming torches, which they set in iron
sconces protruding from the wall of the
house. Thence they shed a lurid rudy glow
upon the terrace. The slaves departed again,
and presently, in the black gap of the door
between he Nubians a third figure ap-
peared unheralded. 1t was Sakr-el-Bahr.
! He stood / moment at gaze, his attitude
naughty his &c eXpressonless; then slowly
he advanced He was dressed in a short
white caftan that descended to his knees, and
was caught about his waist in a shimmering
girdle Of gold that quivered like fire in the
glow of the torches as he moved. His arms
from the elbow and his legs from the knee
were bare and his feet shod with gold
embroidered red Turkish slippers. He wore
white turban decked by plume of osprey
attached by jeweed clasp.
He signed to the Nubians. and they van
ished silently, leaving him alone with his
captives.
He bowed to Rosamund.
This, MISTRESS, he said, lis to be your
domain henceforth-which is to treat you
more as wife than slave. For it is to Moslem
wives that the house-tops in Barbary are
/ Glloteu. | hopo you like it..
Lionel staring at him out of white face
his conscience bidding him fear the very
worst, his imagination painting a Thousand
hOrrid fates for him and turning him sick
with dread. shrank before his half-brother,
who scarce appeared TO notice him just then
But Rosamund confronted him, drawn to
the full of her splendid height, and if her
face was pale. yet it as composed and
calm as his own; if her bosom and fell
to betray her agitation. yet her glance was