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15he Scourge I A Story of I
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SYLVANUS
^ COBB. JR.
Copyrighted 1891 by Robert Bonner's Sons.
CHAPTER XV.—tContinued.)
‘‘I hope you have rested well," said
the chief, approaching the princess.
“I have slept, sir.” she replied,
trembling as she looked into his dark
face.
"Then you are ready to resume
your saddle. We will ride before the
heat of the noonday sun Is upon us."
"You will not claim us for compan
ions further. I trust.”
"Only while our roads lay together,
lady. Surely you cannot object to
that.”
"But I wish to go to the hank of
the Pharaphar.”
"Just as I expected; so 1 shall not
be disappointed. Your horses are
ready. 1 will have them brought this
way.”
The guard had already been placed
upon a horse, and Ulin saw them
binding him to a saddle. What did
this mean?
Hardly knowing what she did. Ulin
suffered herself to be lifted into the
saddle; and in a few moments more
Albia was by her side.
"Why have you bound Shubal to his
seat?" she asked.
"That he may ride safely. He is a
bungling fellow, and might tumble off
if he were not secured. But don't let
that worry you.”
CHAPTER XVI.
The Strange Horseman.
At this moment the guard came
near to the place whee his mistress
sat, his horse having moved of his own
accord, and as she turned towards him
he spoke to her:
"My dear good lady, they lie to you
when they tell you that they mean you
no harm. I have heard them talk and
I know their plans. We are all to be
sold into slavery in the kingdom be
yond the Syrian desert!”
"Mercy!” cried Ulin, turning pale as
ileath and clasping her hands in agony.
"O. my dream! my dream!”
"Easy, fair lady,” said A1 Abbas.
"This black rascal knows not what
he says. I allowed him to speak so
that I might see how his mind ran.
"It is false," exclaimed Shubal. “I
heard them lay the plan. Aon, my
mistress, are to be sold for a
The guard's speech was stopped by
two of the robbers, who threw him
bach upon his horse, and stopped his
mouth with their hands.
“Sir robber.” cried Ulin, stretching
her hands out towards him, "deceive
me no more. I think my poor slave
has told me the truth.”
"A pest upon the slave, lady! HU
tongue shall come out by the root:, if
he speaks again without my leave.
Stick to your saddle, and keep up
your courage.”
As the Arab spoke he leaped upon
the back of his horse, and ere the prin
cess could ask another question, the
party was upon the move, the order of
arrangements being the same as be
fore.
"We are not going towards the
Pharphar." said Ulin.
' "No." replied Albia. “We are go
ing the other way.”
"Then Shubal told us the truth."
"Alas, dear mistress, I dare not
say."
"But you think so?
“I cannot deny it.”
“And you thought so before you
heard Shubal speak?”
“I feared something of the kind.”
AI Abbas overheard the girls as they
thus conversed, and he was presently
by their side.
"Lady Ulin.” he said, and he spoke
sternly and sharply, “you are now on
I he move, and when you stop again it
will be far away from Damascus. I
owe something to the officers of that
city, and I will repay a part of the
debt by taking you away from them.
You are to go just as far as I please
to take you; and the more quietly
you go the better it will he for you;
-o you had better begin to accommo
date yourself to the circumstances."
He rode back to his place and Ulin
grasped the bow of her saddle for sup
port.
"Courage,” said Albia. riding as near
as she could. "There may be some
way to escape. The good spirits will
not desert us."
The princess heard the words, and
they had a marked effect upon her.
She had naturally a strong resolution,
' and when she was once resolved to
bear up. her strength was not long
in coming to her assistance. On the
present occasion she knew that she
had heard the worst. In fact, she had
reason to believe that her captor
meant for her the most dreadful fate
to which one in her station could be
subject. For a while she was com
pletely stunned by the fearful blow;
but as she came to reason with her
self. she saw that her only hope was
in escape. The Arabs were low. bru
tal and sordid, and would sell her
for gold. She could read in their
evil faces that they were not to he
touched »y sympathy. What then
could she do? She must get away
from them. And if this was to be
lone she must summon all her ener
gies to the work.
But. alas! the case looked hopeless
enough; what could two weak girls
do against such odds? Only some in
terposition beyond their own efforts
could save them. So. after ail, if help
was to come, it must come from some
unknown source. And could such help
be found? If ferverv- prayers could
J
be answered, and if the most holy need
could be met, it might be hoped for.
At the end of Eome two or three
hours the party came to a thick grove
of palms; near which was a spring,
and here they stopped just long
enough to water the horses. They
had started on again, and were at
some little distance from the grove,
when one of the Arabs who rode in the
rear, came forward and informed his
leader that a horseman was following
them. A1 Abbas looked back and saw
that the stranger was a black, and
that he rode a swift and powerful
horse.
"He wishes to overtake us." said
the fellow who had come from the
rear.
“Then he must ride for it," returned
the chief. "I cannot stop. 1 wonder
where he came from."
"When 1 first saw him, he seemed
to have just emerged from the grove.”
in a short time the strange horse
man had come so near that the light
of his eyes could be seen, and A1 Ab
bas saw that he must soon overtake
them; so he concluded to drop behind
and find out what was wanted, evi
dently desiring that the men should
not see what manner of prizes he had
in charge, at least until his character
was known. The robbers were directed
to slacken their speed a little, but to
keep on their course, and having given
this order, the chief turned his horse's
head and rode back; and ere long he
was within speaking distance of the
stranger, who proved to be a stout,
well-made man, with a face as black
as night.
"Hallo!” cried A1 Abbas, reining in
liis horse. “Who are you?”
"1 am king of this plain," replied
the African, at the same time reining
in his own horse; "and I have come
out to see who thus trespasses upon
my domain. Who are you ”
The Arab hesitated in his answer,
as he supposed the black must be
crazy.
"Who are you. and what sort of
company do you lead?” cried the Af
rican.
"I lead my own company; and if
you want anything, come and get it,”
answered the Arab.
"I want nothing but to know who
you are; and the next time you come
this way. be sure and stop again at
the grove of the date-palms. I will
have a banquet prepared for you.”
Thus speaking, the stranger wheeled
his horse in a broad circle, and started
back towards the place whence he had
come.
A1 Abbas rode back to his party,
and when they asked him what man
ner of man he had met, he replied
that it was only a poor crazy fool, who
imagined that he owned the broad
plain upon which they were traveling.
"He is worth capturing,” suggested
one of the robbers.
"We could not capture him if we
would,” said the chief. “He rides a
better horse than we own.”
While the Arabs were gazing hack
after the retiring horseman Albla drew
close to the side of her mistress and
spoke, quickly and excitedly:
"Did you recognize him?”
“Whom?”
"The crazy man who followed us.”
"No.”
"It was Osmir!”
“Osmir! ”
"Hush! Not a word. As sure as I
live it was Osmir; and be assured we
have help at hand.”
“But he has gone.”
"Aye, for he only came out to see
who we were. Be sure he has recog
nized us.”
Ulin felt her heart bound up with
springing hope; and her next prayer
was uttered with returning faith in
heaven's protecting power.
CHAPTER XVH.
By the Banks of the Pharphar.
Half an hour after A1 Ahl)as had
resumed his place at the head of his
troop, the same robber who had be
fore come from the real-, again rode
to the front, this time bringing intelli
gence that a number of horsemen were
pursuing them. The chief drew his
horse aside and looked back, and saw
four men coming. They were well
mounted, and seemed to be in hot pur
suit.
"There is something more than ac
cident in this,” said A1 Abbas. “The
fellow i3 with them who followed us
before.”
“Two of those men are white," re
marked the robber who had ridden
up from the rear. “What can they
want of us?"
“Never mind,” returned the chief.
"If they want us, let them catch us.
And if, beyond that, they want more,
let them make their wants known.”
Thus speaking, the Aral) leader re
sumed his place, and urged his horses
forward with increasing speed. Ever
and anon he cast his eyes behind him,
and it was ere long evident that the
strangers were rapidly gaining upon
him.
"We may as well stop now as at any
time, said A1 Abbas, addressing the
man who rode by his side. “I will
halt and ascertain what these fellows
want. It is about time our horses
had a breathing spell.”
At a simple order from their chief,
the Arabs wheeled their horses in a
circle, bringing up in line, facing their
pursuers, with their prisoners in the
rear.
"Who are you that thus pursues and
stops me?” demanded Al Abbas.
"I am Julian, the Scourge of Ea
mascus!" replied the foremost of the
opposite party.
At the sound of that name the Arab
trembled, for he knew that no king's
officer had been more persistent in
driving petty robbers from the plains
of Damascus than had Julian. But
presently he recovered himself. Boom
ing to think that, were the man's as
sertion true, the opposing force was
not strong enough to be feared.
“If you be Julian.” he cried, “you
have come forth with a smalt retinue.
But what seek you?”
“I have come to take from you those
prisoners that you hold. Deliver them
up to me. and I will trouble you no
more.”
“And suppose that 1 should refuse
to do any such thing?"
"Then l should be forced to take
them from yon. As I address you. 1
recognize who you are. if I am not
greatly mistaken, yon are Al Abbas,
the Arab—a villain who lives by rob
bing women and old men."
"Now, by the blood of Cush!" ex
claimed Al Abbas, drawing his sword
and urging his horse forward, "I'll
make you feel another thing the Arab
robber can do! What, ho. my men!
Down with these rascals!”
In a moment the Arabs were ready
for action, and hurried forward to
strike with their leader.
As soon as Shubal found his guard
gone, he called to Alhia to come and
set him free.
“Cut these cords.” he cried, “and I
may he of some help In this afTair.
Merciful heaven, is not this the work
of a good spirit!"
The bondmalden was not long in
setting him free from his saddle, and
as soon as he was clear lie sprang for
ward to where the ring of clashing
steel had already broke upon the air.
With something like a smile of dis
dain upon his handsome features did
Julian behold the approach of the
Arabs, while Hobaddan. who sat close
by his side, looked grim and stern.
Osmir and Selim drew to the front as
the token of battle was given, and
their cool, determined hearing, plainly
showed that they were foemen not to
be despised. Al Abbas rode directly
for the youthful chieftain, with his
sword ready for the stroke; but he
had mistaken his man, if he thought
to touch any vulnerable point. Julian
knocked his weapon up, and quickly
drove him from his horse; and then,
seeking to make quick work of it, and
feeling no great sympathy for woman
stealers. he simply rode the Arab
leader down, cleaving open his head
as Jie fell.
Shubal was close at hand when Al
Abbas dropped, and quickly as pos
sible he possessed himself of the
fallen man's sword, and was just in
season to join iu the conflict as three
of the Arabs had attacked Julian.
The young chieftain struck down one
of them by a winding blow across the
bare neck, hut he might have had
severe work with the other two had
not help arrived; for the rascals wer,e
strong, and the death of their leader
had given them new impulse to con
quer. It was not the impulse of re
venge. No, no. The death of Al Ab
bas left more gold for those who sur
vived. But the unexpected arrival of
the freed slave upon the scene gave a
new turn to the tide. One of the Arabs
he struck down from behind, and the
other one alone proved no match for
the stalwart chieftain.
In the meantime Hobaddan. with
Osmir and Selim, had disposed of the
others. Two they had slain, and twc
tiad taken to flight.
‘ (To be continued.)
BROKE BLAINE'S BOOM.
Kx-Governor Nowell's Medlrnl Opinion
Turned .lerxey Uelcgntex.
Friends of the late William A. New
ell. onpe Governor of New Jersey, have
recalled an old story in which he fig
ures as the rock upon which the Pres
idential hopes of James G. Blaine
were wrecked in 187(>. The ex-Gover
nor, who was a physician as well as a
politician, was a delegate to the Re
publican national convention in that
year, and he was prominent among
those members of the New Jersey dele
gation who- favored Mr. Blaine’s nom
ination. While the struggle for the
various aspirants was in progress, the
news came that Mr. Blaine had been
stricken with what was variously de
scribed as apoplexy ami sunstroke.
This event was eagerly seized upon
by the two or three Jersey delegates
who favored Mr. Oonkling, and these,
hearing that Dr. Newell had expressed
a fear that the effects of such a
“stroke" as Mr. Blaine had suffered
might seriously and permanently affect
his mental faculties, saw an oppor
tunity, as they thought, to help their
candidate. They secured a conference
of the delegation, and. when it had
met, they called upon the ex-Governor
to give his opinion, as a medical man.
as to whether, in the circumstances,
it would be prudent to nominate the
Maine statesman. The answer, given
with extreme reluctance and regret,
and of course entirely sincere, was in
the negative. Mr. Blaine’s hold upon
the New Jersey delegates was imme
diately broken, but their votes ulti
mately went, not to Mr. Conkling, but
to Mr. Hayes. Those who like to as
cribe great effects to small causes saw
at the time, in the inaccurate, long
distance diagnosis of Dr. Newell the
explanation of Mr. Blaine’s failure to
reach the Presidency, for they say
that, though he was defeated in 1881,
if he had been nominated in J87t> he
would have been elected.—New York
Times.
The man who is imprisoned for life
no longer dreads being found out.
THE J1EW P'RESI'DEJVT
Theodore 'Roosevelt Is JVobv
the flatioris Chief
Magistrate.
By the death of William McKinley
at the hands of the assassin Czolgosz.
Theodore Roosevelt, the Vice-Presi
dent, becomes President of the I'nlted
States.
Theodore Roosevelt was born in
New York City October 27, 1858, of
Dutch and Scotch-lrish ancestry. By
all laws of heredity he is a natural
leader, as his ancestry on both his
father's and his mother’s side, who
trace back beyond revolutionary days,
were conspicuous by reason of their
quality. His father was Theodore
among those who did not regard Mr.
Blaine as the most available candi
date of the party, but after the latter's
nomination Mr. Roosevelt gave him
his hearty support, and in the face
of the remarkable defection in New
York at that time.
la t.li» Nations! Civil Her vice.
Tn May, 1899, President Harrison ap
pointed him civil service commission
er. and he served as president of the
board until May. 1896. During his in
cumbency he was untiring in his ef
forts to apply the civil service prln
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
.. 1 1 ^
Roosevelt, after whom he was named,
and his mother, whose given name
was Martha, was the daughter of
.lames and Martha Bulloch of Georgia.
Educated at llouie.
Young Roosevelt was primarily edu
cated at home under private teachers,
after which he entered Harvard, grad
uating in 1880. Those qualities of ag
gressiveness which have marked his
more recent years of public life were
present with hint in college, and he
was a conspicuous figure among his
fellows.
It was an interesting period in the
history of the party and the nation,
and young Roosevelt entered upon the
political field with eagerness and en
ergy. The purification of political and
official life had been for some time an
j 'A—itiiis.=
MRS. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
ideal with him. and with this came
the belief in the efficacy of the appli
cation of civil-service rules to execu
tive conduct. So strongly did he im
press himself upon bis political asso
ciates that in 18811 he was nominated
for the state assembly and elected.
Ill the Stale Assembly.
He served for three years and soon
came to be recognized as an able and
fearless advocate of the people’s rights
and he succeeded in securing the pas
sage of several measures of great ben
efit. The abolition of fees in the of
fice of the county clerk and the aboli
tion of the joint power of the board
of aldermen in the mayor's appoint
ments were among those of special
benefit to the city of New York.
Another important work done by him
was the investigation of the city gov
ernment, and particularly the police
department, in the winter of 1881. An
other important service was securing
the passage of the civil service reform
law of 1884.
Knns for Mayor of New York.
In 1880 Mr. Roosevelt was nominat
ed as an independent candidate for
mayor of New York, but, although in
dorsed by the Republicans, was de
feated.
In 1884 he was chairman of the New
York delegation to the national Re
publican convention. He had been
J
clples of merit and capacity to all ex
ecutive departments. As a result of
this zeal the country wag shown the
first practical application of the rules
to civil government.
Civil Sarvloe Reformer.
He proved that unflinching civil
service reform was not only consist
ent with party loyalty, but in the
highest degree was necessary to party
service. None doubted the reformer's
Republicanism, but it was not an easy
task. Judgment, tact, honesty, ener
gy, and a certain sturdy pugnacity
were necessary to the accomplishment
of his purpose. Every detail of the
system was opened to carping criti
cism and to hostile attack. The ad
ministration itself was only friendly
to the movement. Not only had poli
ticians to be kept out of places, but
competent servitors had to be pro
vided.
In tli« Police Conimlnftinil.
As president of the civil-service
commission Mr. Roosevelt resigned in
May, 1895, to become president of the
New York board of police commission
ers. Legislative investigation had
shown the corruption in that body,
and to this field he turned with a new
zest. An uncompromising enforce
ment of law was his policy. It brought
criticism and vituperation upon him,
but he persisted. . Honest methods in
the police department were forced,
and civil-service principles were em
bodied Into the system of appoint
ments and promotions. Sunday clos
ing of saloons became a fact, and a
seemly observance of the day was in
sisted upon.
Navy's Assistant Secretary.
In April, 1897, Mr. Roosevelt was
nominated by President McKinley to
be assistant secretary of the navy. He
pushed repairs on the ships and worked
with might and main, forseeing a con
flict with Spain. He left nothing un
done to secure the highest efficiency
in the navy.
On May G, 1898, Mr. Roosevelt re
signed this place to muster in a cav
alry regiment for the Spanish war.
Life in the west had made this a fit
ting ambition. As a hunter of big
game, used to the saddle and the camp
and an unerring shot with rifle and
! --1
ROOSEVELT’S COTTAGE AT OY
STER BAY, L. I.
revolver, the country recognized in
him the making of a dashing .cavalry
leader. He had experienced military
duty in the New York National Guard
in the ’80s. Col. Wood was put in
command of the Rough Riders; Mr.
Roosevelt was lieutenant colonel. On
June 15 the regiment sailed to join
Gen. Shatter in Cuba.
With the Hough Hitler..
From the time of landing until the
fall of Santiago the Rough Riders
were giant figures In the campaign.
Their work reached a climax on July
1. when 1-lent.-Col. Roosevelt ied the
regiment In the desperate charge up
Sau Juan hill. He had shared all the
hardships of his men. and when he
broke the red tape of discipline to
complain of Gen. Shafter’s camp and
Its dangers from disease the army was
with him and the war department lis
tened to his Judgment. On July 11 he
was commissioned a colonel of volun
teers.
Klee ted (governor of New York.
Scarcely two months later the new
military hero was nominated for gov
ernor of New York. In the conven
tion he received 753 votes, against the
218 cast for Gov. Frank S. Black.
Col. Roosevelt entered into the cam
paign with characteristic energy. Men
of all parties supported him and he
was elected by a plurality of mors
than 18.000. His administration was
very satisfactory to his state.
As reformer, official, military leader
and state executive, he has carried his
earnest dashing personality into it all.
As a Writer.
As a writer of outing papers his
vaHed experiences on the trail have
served him well. In biography, his
life of Thomas H. Benton and of
Gouvernour Morris have been praised.
Essays and papers dealing with politi
cal life have added to this reputation.
Of his latest work. “The Rough Rid
ers” has been pointed to as ‘ one of
the most thrilling pieces of military
history produced in recent years.”
When his name was first proposed
for the vice presidency. Mr. Roosevelt
declined the honor, preferring to re
main governor. He finally consented,
after much pressure.
Mr. Itoonevtttt'* Family.
Mr. Roosevelt has been married
twice. His first wife was Miss Alice
Gee of Boston: the second. Miss Edith
Carow of New York. He is the father
of six children, ranging from 1C to 3
years of age.
His domestic life is ideal. Whether
ensconced In winter quarters at Al
bany or New York, or at the famous
Roosevelt home at OyBter Bay on Gong
Island, he is an indulgent father and
romps with his children with as much
zest as the youngest of them. The
youngsters are known as the Roose
velt half-dozen, and all reflect In some
manner the paternal characteristic.
All Bright Children.
The oldest girl is Alice, tall, dark
and serious looking. She rides her
father's Cuban campaign horse with
fearlessness and grace. The next olive
branch is Theodore. Jr., or "young
Teddy,” the idol of his father’s heart
and a genuine chip of the old block.
Young “Teddy” owns a shot gun and
dreams of some day .hooting bigger
game than his father ever did. He
also rides a pony of his own.
Alice, the eldest girl, is nearly IS.
She is the only child by the first Mrs.
Roosevelt. "Young Teddy,” the pres
i
ALICE ROOSEVELT.
ent Mrs. Roosevelt's oldest child, is 13.
Then there are Kermit. 11; Ethel, 9;
Archibald, fi, and Quentin, 3.
Shallow l,ak«H for Fink.
Prof. Marsh of Wisconsin, in speak
ing recently of the peculiarities of
Lake Winnebago, said that it is re
markable for its shallowness. Al
though it is about twenty-eight miles
in width, it has a depth of only
twenty-five feet. This is due to the
fact that the lake's outlet is constantly
deepening and that its inlet is gradu
ally filling its bottom with a sandy or
earthy deposit. But Winnebago's
shallowness makes it remarkably rich,
in fish; indeed, it is one of the most
productive known. Shallow lakes al
ways have more fish than deep ones,
chiefly, perhaps, because there is more
vegetation on the bottom of the shal
low one. Vegetation does not flourish
in deep water.
An Alphabetical Advertisement.
This alphabetical advertisement ap
peared in the London Times in 3842:
To widowers and single gentlemen.—
Wanted by a lady, a situation to su
perintend the household and preside at
table. She is Agreeable. Becoming,
Careful, Desirable, English, Facetious,
Generous, Honest, Industrious, Judi
cious, Keen, Lively, Merry, Natty, Obe
dient, Philosophic, Quiet. Regular, So
ciable, Tasteful, Useful, Vivacious,
Womanish, Xantippish, Youthful. Zeal
ous, etc. Address X. Y. Z., Siaimouds'
Libray, Edgwareroad.
