A Story of
the Ea.st...
By
SYLVANUS
COBB, JR.
Copyrighted IS91 by Robert Dormer’s Sons.
I "You action speaks for itself. TiOok
at these chains; and mark the fate to
l which I am doomed.'*
"I-meant not the action of the past,
good master; i alluded to action that
| was to come.”
"Action to come?”
"Yes. Selim ar.d I are here to speak
of your release from this dungeon.
Hold—let our words be few, for the
i time I3 short. We have promised that
we would lead you forth from Horam's
| power if tho thing were possible.”
"Promised whom?” asked Julian.
The black hesitated. He knew not
j that he should use the name of the
princess, so he finally answered:
"Hohaddan is in the city, and our
promise has been sent to him. But—
there is something more. If we lead
you from this place, we do so in the
face of great danger. We have plan
ned for that, and have freely staked
our lives in the work. But, if w’e suc
ceed, and you are free, we can never
more return to Damascus. If we go
with you from this dungeon, we must
go with you from the city, and remain
with you.”
Julian believed that the black was
speaking truly and honestly.
"Certainly,” he said, "if you lead me
in safety from the bonds that now en
compass me, I will give you such re
turn as you may desire. You may re
main with me, if you like, or I will
give you safe conduct into the land
of the Syrians.”
“Your word is enough, my master;
and henceforth Selim and I are your
servants. We change our allegiance,
and the proof of our fidelity shall he
manifest in this first act of our serv
ice. We have dangers to meet, sir.”
"Talk not of dangers," cried the
chieftain. "Throw off these chains;
give me a sword; and lead me to the
upper world; and I ask no more. Once
again I trust you, and if you prove
true, my gratitude shall be your while
I live?”
Without further words Osmir pro
ceeded to the work he had come to
perform. Selim held the lantern,
while he loosed the irons from Julian's
limbs; and very soon the chieftain
stepped forth wltn his limbs free.
"There is no time to waste,” said
Osmir, as he cast the chains upon the
floor. We have good swords at hand,
and for the rest we must trust to our
W’it and strength. There is danger
enough between this dungeon and the
open air; but I am ready to meet it.”
“By the gods,” cried Julian, as he
grasped the sword which Osmir had
placed in his hand. “I can laugh at
danger now. Lead on, and let this
present hour he the last of Horam's
power!”
(To be continued.)
HARPOONING BLUE WHALES.
The llarpoon Gun It a Cruel Instrument
of Destruction.
To pursue the blue whale success
fully is, according to an interesting
article in Pearson’s Magazine, a com
plicated undertaking. For instance,
one of the requirements is a boat that
can steam twelve knots an hour, ajid
w'hich is furnished with a formidable
w*eapon known as the harpoon-gun.
The harpoon-gun is a ponderous piece
of apparatus laced on a raised plat
form on the prow of the whaler, and
consists of a short, stout cannon,
mounted on a broad pedestal, on which
it can rotate horizontally. The gun
has also a vertical motion, and can be
turned quickly in whatever direction
the prow of the ship dominates. On
the top of the gun are "sights" for
aiming, just as in a rifle. Behind is
the stock, W'hich is grasped in the
hand when firing the gun, and be
neath it the1 trigger. The breech is a
box-like arrangement, situated just
where the stock is fastened to the gun
proper. The gun is loaded in the or
dinary way from the muzzle, and the
harpoon is tightly rammed into it. To
discharge the gun, a small cartridge,
wdth a wire attached, is first put into
the breech. Pressure on the trigger
causes a pull on the wire, w'hich ignites
i the cartridge and discharges the gun
simultaneously. The harpoon is about
six feet in length and very massive. It
consists essentially of three parts, the
anterior conical portion, the movable
barbs, arid the shaft. The anterior
conical piece is an explosive shell filled
with gunpow'der, and screws on to the
rest of the harpoon. The explosive
shell is fired with a time-fuse after the
harpoon is imbedded in the whale.
Taken all in all the harpoon-gun is
about the most exquisitely cruel in
strument of destruction devised by the
ingenuity of man! But it is only
W'hen one sees and knows the prodigi
ous brute it is meant to destroy, that
one realizes that it is nevertheless
none too effective. The gun is never
discharged at a greater distance than
fifty feet, and seldom Indeed at more
than thirty from the whale. To he
able to get so near requires not only
very fine seamanship but a very in
timate knowledge of the habits of the
animal.—Philadelphia Times.
Hugest Sea Creature.
Of all the uncanny creatures in the
animal kingdom the one whose ac
quaintance is hardest to make is the
blue whale, the largest of all the
whales, and, indeed, one of the most
colossal animals, living or extinct,
known to science. You will look in
vain for him in zoological collections,
in menageries, or even In museums. A
brute 90 feet in length and weighing
just as many tons does not lend Itself
to preservation or stuffing, and the few
skeletons of him which do exist give
one no idea of what he is lil'e. The
blue whale is hunted by the Norwe
gians chiefly for the sake of his oil,
and Is of considerable value, a full
grown specimen being worth from
$1,250 to $1,500.
NO PUBLIC SUPPORT.'
TARIFF REVISION PLAN NOT IN
GENERAL FAVOR.
i drofatfd l>y I*rof«>sMlo»mI Free-Trudp
lie former* and a 1.hutted Number of
Doubting- Thomas Protectionist*- -With
out a 1 vg to Stami On.
One point in connection with the
gossip about alleged necessity for re
vision of the tariff cannot fail to be
observed by those who are considering
the question in all its phases, and that
is that except among the professional
tariff reformers the demand is not vo
ciferously emphasized in any quarter
except where there has always been a
manifest weakness on the doctrine and
policy of protection. You look into
any section of the country where there
has always been a lame and halting
support given the cause of protection,
and you will find all the Republicans
that are to be found anywhere who
are fearful that the trust gobble'uns”
will get the people and the Republican
party if the markets of the United
States are not speedily turned over to
the foreign producers.
With these exceptions, and a few
representatives in congress who are
ready to get into the current of any
passing breeze of popular clamor,
rather than take their part in shaping
public sentiment rightly, there is ab
solutely no support for the talk about
the necessity for revising the tariff.
When the people reflect upon the re
sults of the past year, not only in do
mestic trade, but in the marvelous de
velopment of our international trade,
facts concerning which will soon be
ready for inspection, there will be a
speedy fading of the Babcock idea of
reforming trusts with the aid of for
eigners.
It is well to reflect upon the fact,
in this connection, that not a single
member of either house of congress,
who has any really close participation
in the preparation of lawrs bearing up
on the tariff or finance, has uttered
one word in favor of the Habeock idea.
This is significant, to say the least.
The preliminary figures furnished by
the treasury department covering the
trade of the United States with foreign
countries have been completed, and,
subject to a few changes, will stand as
representing the most remarkable year
la the experience of the nation with
international trade. One thing is dem
onstrated by the results of the last,
year's business, and that is that those
who are of opinion that there should
be a revision of the tariff must find
the reasons for such action by the next
congress elsewhere than in the results
obtained in the field of our trade rela
tions with foreign countries. So far
as that trade is concerned the advan
tages, to whatever cause due, have
been largely with the producers of this
country. Our laws of trade have cer
tainly been promotlve of the best in
terests of the country so far as inter
national trade Is concerned, to a great
er degree during the past year than
during any recent year in the nation’s
life. The most significant fact is the
renmrkable gain in our exports of do
mestic products. The returns to the
treasury have not yet' been completed
to an extent which makes it possible
to show the relative gains of manufac
tures and farm produce in this In
creased export business, but it is in
teresting to know that during the year
ending June 30 we sent abroad com
modities to the amount of $89,000,000
worth more than were sold abroad last
year and almost double what we sold
abroad during 1895, The Influence of
wisely framed laws is also shown in
the fact that while our export trade
was growing so handsomely, we
bought in foreign countries about $28,
000,000 worth less of commodities than
we bought in the previous year, which
means that the producers of this coun
try had a wider field among our own
people for the disposition of their
products. The net foreign business
done by our people in the twelve
months just ended aggregated nearly
two and a half billion dollars, and the
striking fact which stands out in bold
relief in this connection Is that the ag
gregate of our sales abroad exceeded
our purchase abroad by the sum of
$664,000,000, The tremendous import
ance of these figures is made clear
when It is considered that this excess
of exports over imports amounts to al
most the total aggregate import or ex
port business of the country in any
year previous to seven years ago. If
there is any comfort in these figures
for tariff revisionaries they are wel
come to it. The fact of the matter is
the trade statistics of the fiscal year
just closed leaves them without a leg
to stand on.
In this connection it is well to note
the fact that the treasury finances
were never In better shape than at
present. The total available cash bal
ance is upward of $171,000,000, and the
net amount of free gold in the treas
ury. the property of the government,
is about $60,000,000. This is a hand
some showing, considering the reduc
tions made in internal taxation, and
the bond purchases made by the de
partment during the past tkree
months.
COMPLACENT UNCLE SAM.
Well Sutlufieil with the Way Thing*. Are
Kunnlng at
“Things are rather quiet," I re
marked to Uncle Sam as I found him
complacently resting in a hammock,
smoking a most fragrant domestic
cigar.
“Yes," he replied, handing me a per
fecto, “and I think we are entitled to
a rest. My people never worked so
hard before in their lives, and never
made so much money. They are sort |
of figuring up the profits these clays, I
and cleaning up the factories. But they .
will all get to work again pretty soon, I
for orders keep pouring in for all kinds !
of goods."
"The free-traders don't seem to be |
very happy," 1 said.
No, it's not their kind of weather," !
he remarked, with a smile. "But I t
don't mind them any more than I do j
these pesky {lies and mosquitoes. They j
are gone with a little brush.
"Did you ever notice,” he added,
that mosquitoes don’t like tobacco
smoke? Well, free-traders don’t like
smoke, either, especially the chimney
smoke of the factories. They are a
good deal like tramps. They hate work
and water and soap. By the way, did
you ever know of so few tramps as
there are this summer? Even they
seem to be working at something be
sides back doors and haylofts. What
a blesing it is to think we are at. peace
with all the world, and that every one
who wants work can get It. I’m not
much of a fellow to moralize, but I
never wras quite so much impressed
with the blessings of a well balanced
protective tariff."
“Do you consider the prosperity of
the farmers due to the tariff?” I asked.
"Of course I do," replied the old gen
tleman, earnestly. “I’ll give Provi
dence credit for the continued good
crops, but what do abundants crops
amount to unless the prices are right?
And good prices are the result of the
demand for more food right here at
home. Why, my people never ate so
much in their lives as they are con
suming now. That full dinner pail Is
no fairy tale. I can tell you. And the
people are eating all the mee ' iey
want, and they don’t stint nutter
and eggs and fruits and L,. urles that
they never hear of abroad. The grain
and other farm produce 1 sell abroad
are almost insignificant compared to
what I sell at home. I knew when
the Dingley law was passed that Liver
pool would not always make the price
of wheat. I’ll be selling them tea and
coffee and macaroni yet."
"But, Uncle Sam,” I Interrupted,
"the free-traders keep telling us that
we cannot keep on selling abroad If we
do not buy more."
“Don’t worry about that., my boy.
Look at the figures. Those free-traders
either don’t know what they are talk
ing about, or else they’re training to
beat Ananias. Those foreigners have
got to buy of me whether I buy the
same amount of them or not. If they
can’t pay In full, I’ll charge It and col
lect the Interest at 3 or 4 per cent. I’ll
allow they can’t keep on forever buy
ing more than they sell, but when they
get broke, why, perhaps they’ll want
to bo annexed. Guess Old Glory can
cover them all. Have another cigar
and a little julep.”
And the old man laughed as heartily
as a farmer at the circus. F. C.
TRADE S RISING THERMOMETER.
7 1901
liMiiH
mo
tUHif
iSssr
w
Would It I’f.j ?
The New York Wor.'d is still harp
ing on the old free-trade string—viz.,
that, if we want foreign nations to buy
from us, we must buy from them: that,
in other words, we ought, in order to
retain our foreign trade, to throw open ■
the American market to foreign manu
facturers. Without bothering, for the '
time being, to discuss the merits of the |
question exhaustively, we would like !
to ask the World if it would not be just
as well not to get so excited about the
matter until foreign nations begin to
show at least some little evidence that
they are about to withdraw their trade
from us. Just at present there are no
signs which seem to point to that
course of action on their part. Our
foreign trade is not falling off alarm
ingly. On the contrary, it is still on
the increase. When it begins to de
cline, it will be time enough to take
up the question as to whether it will
pay us to exchange for our foreign
market the market worth fifty times as
much which we have at home.
_
lion Free Trade Would Work.
The only way that free trade would !
serve to prevent the tariff war that
may be threatened would be that it j
would probably so cripple our Indus- :
tries that they would no longer be i
dangerous competitors in foreign coun
tries. The question of the protective |
tariff does not enter into the equation
only in so far as it has built up the
industries that are now enabled to
compete successfully with the manu
facturers of the other countries on
their own grounds.—Helena (Mont.)
Record.
Railroad Rerclvewhlp.
According to the Railroad Age rail
road receiverships dwindled to three
small roads with only about sixty
miles of track during the past half
year. This is the greatest height to
which we have attained in railroad
solvency. Monkey with the tariff and
that record will soon go hack to the
more than 100 receiverships of ’94, '95
and ’96.
COW DEFENDED HER CALF.
Pot a Hungry flrar to Flight Alter m
Hattie Royal.
The calf, having nursed sufficiently
and feeling his baby legs tire ' jf tho
weight they had not yet learned to
carry, laid himself down. On this th«
cow shifted her position. She turned
half arotyid and lifted her head high.
As she fid so a scene of peril was
borne i.i upon her fine nostrils. She
recognized it instantly. With a snort
of airger she sniffed again, then
stamped a challenge with her fore
hoofs and leveled the lance point3 of
her horns toward the menace. The
next moment her eyes, made keen by
the fear of love, detected the black
outline of the hoar's head through the
coarse screen of the juniper. Without
a second's hesitation she flung up her
tail, gave a short bellow and charged.
The moment she saw herself detected
the bear rose upon her hind-quarters;
nevertheless, she was in a measure
surprised by the sudden blind fury of
the attack. Nimbly she swerved to
avoid it, aiming at the same time a
stroke with her mighty forearm, which
if it had found Its mark would have
smashed her adversary's neck. But as
she struck out, in the act of shifting
her position, a depression of ground
threw her off her balance. The next
Instant one sharp horn caught her
slantingly in the flank, tipping its way
upward, while the mad impact threw
her upon her back. Grappling, she
had her assailant's head and shoulders
in a trap and her gigantic claws cut
through the flesh and sinew like
knives; but at the desperate disadvant
age of her position she could inflict no
disabling blow. The cow, on the other
hand, though mutilated and streaming
with blood, kept pounding with her
whole massive weight and with short,
tremendous shocks crushed the breath
from her foe's ribs. Presently, wrench
ing herself free, the cow drew off for
another battering charge, and as she
did so the hear hurled herself violently
down the slope and gained her feet be
hind a dense thicket of bay shrub. The
cow. with one eye blinded, glared
around for her in vain; then, in a pan
ic of mother terror, plunged back to
her calf.—Leslie’s Monthly.
GOOD LUCK IN BAD ERRORS.
(ireat I’roflt* Have Sometime* Reunited
From Seeming MUtake*.
Mistakes are not always unprofit
able. Sometimes they turn out to be
the most fortunate things that could
have happened. When Orme won the
Eclipse stakes at Sandown eight years
ago the prince of Wales sent his friend
Mr. Courthope to lay a bet on a horse
called Orvieto. But Mr. Courthope
misunderstood the name and placed
the prince’s money on Orme. When
Orme came in a good winner the
prince thought, of course, that he had
lost, instead of which he had won
$50,000. A lucky mistake was that
which resulted in the opening of the
famous Niersfontein gold mine in
South Africa and the making of $30,
000,000. It was an error that saved a
score of people from ruin and mads
wealthy many of them, for the orig
inal Intention of twenty poor men who
were seeking fortune was to buy a
mine called the Rensnek farm. The
prospectors who examined this farm
found that it gave great promise of a
rich mine, and they commissioned an
agent to buy it for $6,000. The agent,
however, got mixed and made a hope
less blunder through not knowing the
district well. He bought another place
called Niersfontein for the prospectors,
and the money was paid over before
the dismayed gold seekers found they
were let in for a place they did not
want. They refused to accept the deal,
but the money had been paid and re
traction was impossible. Worst of all,
some outside people profited by the
error and snapped up the coveted
Rensnek. Before going to law to re
pudiate the transaction the little com
pany had a look at the despised Niers
rontein place, and on giving a trial to
it they round it worth while to hang
on. The other place—the Rensnek—
gave out within a fortnight and ruined
the company which had bought it,
while the Niersfontein became a mag
nificent mine and -has yielded over
$30,000,000.
Great Growth of “Wire Houses."
There are 500 telephones on the floor
of the exchange, each In charge of a
boy, who receives orders from his of
fice and transmits them to the floor
broker for execution. In every brok
er’s office there are from one to ten
telephones, and many brokers rarely
see their clients, who telephone orders
from uptown offices, homes or out of
town. In recent years there has been
j in enormous growth of what are
known as “wire houses.” There are
New York, Chicago or Boston firms
which lease private wires connecting
with many of the leading cities east
of Denver.. No firm yet controls a
private wire to the Pacific coast, but
doubtlesss one will be heard of before
long.—World's Work.
Telephone’* Progre** Abroad.
Although the use of the telephone
has increased rapidly here there are
countries in Europe in which tele
phones are In far more general use
! than here. In Stockholm, Sweden, one
person in every fourteen has a tele
! phone, there being more than 20.000
i telephones In a population of 271,000.
! Every tobacconist’s store Is a public
call office and the rates are very low.
England Is far behind in the matter of
telephones, there being only 1 to every
636 of the population. In little Switzer
land there is X to every 172 persors.
but far more business is done over the
telephone In England than in Switzer*
, land.
j Only a fool forgets his folly.
LHACltih 1A—iCOnt.Uu uuj.
“I remember,” pursued Ulin. "It
all comes to me now. I bathed his
bruised head. gad bound up his
wounds, while you brought the cor
dial which my mother provided."
“So It was. my lady. I have seen
the slave since—have seen him several
times—he has brought messages to
your father—and I know that his grat
itude is strong. If Osmir has any
power to open the prison door, and I
can find him, there may be some
hope.”
“But can you find him?" asked the
princess. She spoke eagerly and no
longer sought to conceal the real cause
of her anxiety.
“I can try'.” returned the attendant.;
"and even here we have a fortunate
help. Shubal. who has been so long
your servant, is a near friend to Os
mir. I will take Shubal with me. and
we may find the man we seek. Shall
I not leave at once?”
“Yes, Albia. Go at once. Be careful,
for all may depend on the secrecy of
>cur movements. 1 have entered upon
this matter, and I will now give all
my energies to its consummation. Go
—and bring me answer as quickly as
you can.”
The hondmaiden left the apartment,
and when Ulin was once more alone,
she started to her feet, and moved to
the window. The flush was back upon
her cheek, and the sparkle was in her
eye. Her pure blood was circulating
with new power, as, for the time, she
forgot the king in the memory of the
youthful chieftain.
In less than an hour Albia returned,
and the beam upon her face told very
plainly that she had not been entirely
disappointed.
“My good mistress,” she said, “Shu
bal has served us well. I found him
without difficulty, and he at once
went alone in search of Osmir. He
found him at the royal palace, and has
brought him hither.”
“Brought Osmir?”
“Yes."
“And what does he say?”
“I have not spoken to him of Julian
I thought you had better do that. You
may have more influence.”
“Very well—bring him up at once.
I will shrink from nothing now.”
“In a little while the tall, dark form
glided within the chamber of the
princess. He bowed low as he en
tered. and when he saw the lady Ulin,
he sank down upon his knee.»
“Noble lady,” he said, "Albia in
formed me that I can be of service to
you. Once you served me, and my life
has been yours ever since. Command
me.”
At first Ulin had been startled by
the appearance of the powerful black
within her chamber; but when she re
membered the service she had done
him, and when she saw how gently
the beams of gratitude fell upon her
from his brown eyes, she regained her
confidence.
“I will not command you, Osmir; I
can only ask you to assist me. You
may be able to serve me, and you may
not be able. But I will not detain you
with useless words. You do not yet
know what T seek?”
‘ I do not. lady.”
"You helped to bring the robber
chieftain to Damascus.”
“Ha—who told you that?” He was
not startled with fear; but he rather
seemed to wonder how the princess
had gained the Information.
“Do you knuw a m in named Ho
baddan?”
“Yes, lady. He Is second In command
of the robber band.”
“He has been here, Osmir, and he
has induced me to use iny influence
towards gaining freedom for his chief
tain. I may not explain to you, but
nevertheless I am willing to confess
that I do much desire to free this
Julian from the power of the king.
Can you help me?”
He bowed his head, and pretty soon
arose to his feet.
“Lady," he said, “I did help In the
capture of the young chieftain; but
when I came to know him I would
rather have served him had it been in
my power. I found him a generous,
honorable man and r learned to love
him; but I was bound by an oath to
the will of Judah, and I could not dis
obey. 1 wish I could save him now.”
“Can you do it, Osmir? I do not
wish that the king should kill him.
We thought you might have access to
his dungeon—that you might, at some
time, be set to guard him.”
“So it is, lady; but I am not to be
on the guard again until daylight.”
“And to-morrow may be the last!”
uttered the princess, painfully. "If
you cannot help us our hope has an
end.”
Osmir moved back and leaned
against the wall, with his head upon
his hand.
"Lady," he said, after much
thought, “I have one source of hop?.
My companion, Selim—he who was
with me in the work of capture
stands watch over the chieftain's dun
geon at midnight. Selim may help
me. If he will, Julian may be saved.
I will hasten away at once, and exert
this only influence I possess."
"And when can I know the result?"
asked Ulin. ■
"Within two hours past midnight."
said Osmir. "That is,” he added, “if
I have any result to bring. If I do not
succeed, I may not return at all.
“At two hours past midnight," pur
sued Ulin, "Hobaddan is to be in my
garden. You can meet him there.”
me guard, atier a
moment's reflection, “if I succeed, I
shall not fear to meet the lieutenant.
If I am not in the garden at the time
appointed, or very near that time, you
may know that I have done all that
lay in my power. Have you more to
say V’
“No, good Osmir. Go to the work,
and do the best you can.”
He spoke a simple word of promise,
and then turned from the apartment,
Albia conducting him down, and guid
ing him out by a small door in the
garden wall.
“Albia.” he said, as he stood be
neath the low arch—and his tone
showed that he did not speak lightly—
"your mistress does not dream, of the
danger I must undergo in this work;
but I will be true to my promise, I will
do all I can. If Selim will not join
me, there is the end; but if he falls in
with me, then we both put our lives
at stake, and the prize may be wmn. I
hope we shall succeed.”
The bond maiden watched the re
treating form until it was lost in the
darkness, and then she closed the
gate, and turned her steps back
towards the house.
chapter" X.
In the Dungeon.
The robber chieftain had been placed
in one of the most gloomy dungeons
beneath the royal palace, his kgs and
arms loaded with chains, and his feet
shackled to a bolt in the floor. How
long he had been there he could not
tell. Night and day were the same
in the living tomb. Food and drink
had been brought to him thrice, and
a masked mute had been in to remove
the tray. He had but one hope of es
cape, and even that was so feeble that
it would not bear the entertainment.
He thought if his followers should dis
cover where he was, they might pos
sibly dare to attempt his release; but
when he came to weigh all the cir
cumstances, he dared not think they
would do it. In short, Julian had made
up his mind that death was very near
to him.
And what had he to live for? What,
but revenge upon the King of Damas
mus? He had no parents—no rela
tives—nothing on earth of his own
blood which he could claim. There
might be living in the city some hu
man being of his kin; but he did not
know of such. He loved his brave
fellows; but they could do without
him. They were bold, stout men, and
could look for themselves. What else
was there? There were some poor
families in the mountains—some
friends upon the plain—and a few de
pendent ones near the river; but Ho
baddan would care for them. What
else was there?
The youthful chieftain bowed his
head, and pressed his heavily laden
hands upon his heart. There was one
more—one whom he had hoped to see
again in the coming time—one who
had left an impression in his soul
which had warmed and quickened his
whole being. But why think of her?
What could the beautiful daughter of
Aboul Cassem be to him? In a few
short days she would be the wife of
his bitterest enemy.
Thus mused the prisoner, standing
erect, with his manacled hands fold
ed upon his bosom, when he was
aroused from his reflections by the
sound of creaking bolts, and in a few
moments more the door of his dun
geon was opened, and the rays of a
lamp penetrated the place. Two men
entered, closing the door after them;
but the eyes of the chieftain were not
yet used enough to the light to dis
tinguish either their forms or features.
Presently, however, as they addressed
each other, he recognized the two
blacks who had so fatally deceived
him, and his first impulse w’as to raise
his heavy chains and smite them
down; but they were not near enough
to be thus reached.
“Osmir—Selim." he said, “are you
here?” '
“Yes, my master,” replied Osmir.
“Have you come to kill me?”
“No.”
“To bear me to the king?”
“What, then? You have the watch
over me
“Yes,”
“And the king fears not to trust
you?”
“You see he does trust us.”
“Aye—as I trusted you. O, you are
two ungrateful villains. Whpn you
came to me in the forest, I believed
your tale of woe, and took pity upon
you; and I meant to be kind to you,
and make your lot a pleasant one. I
looked into your faces, and I thought
you were honest. I did not trust you
from your speech, but from your hon
est looks. However, it is past. And
now what seek ye?”
“Good master,” said Osmir, speak
ing earnestly, “before I tell you why
we are now here, let me say to you
that we are not without hearts, and
that we have some store of honesty.
When we went to your camp, we went
in the service of another master, whom
we were bound to serve. We had
sworn that we would capture you If we
could. But, sir, after we had seen you,
and known you, we would have re
canted had the thing been possible. We
asked Judah to free us from th» task,
but he refused.”
“Why do you tell me this story
now?”
"That you may know the reason of
our action.”
