Adventure Magazine, April 10, 1924 — page 59: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Making of the Morning Star f She stood up, tossing back her dark hair. iT would not have it otherwise. For now, messire, perchance, I share the last hours of a brave knight and true.”’ “OQ maid,’ Robert replied gruffly, being stirred by her bold words, “this is no fit place for a child of d’Ibelin to end her days.”’ “Then forsooth and verily,’ she cried, her mood changing lightly, “let us adven- ture forth and win us honor. Nay, the troubadours shall yet make a tale of us, and we will yet see Jerusalem. Master Will hath planned a plan for me whereby I may go forth when the time comes. ’Tis but a makeshift of a plan, and yet ie Ellen turned and disappeared into her sleeping-chamber and emerged with her arms full of garments. “‘and yet ’twill make a man of a maid.”’ Her dark tresses were hidden by a light helmet of silvered steel, and a cotton drop that fell to her boyish shoulders. “Well for me,” she said gravely, “‘the Moslems of this quarter are slender men, for Will hath looted shamefully.” She held out a finely wrought habur- geon of delicate chain mail with a silk girdle, and wide damask pantaloons with embroidered slippers, and—smiling merrily —a long khalat of the richest purple. “Ha, Master Robert,” quoth the bow- man, who had come in when he heard his name called, ‘she hath the bearing of a likely esquire-at-arms and a temper to boot. I have found for her a small shield and a bow suitable for her hand i “Vah khawand,” interrupted Ellen blithely, “‘wilt take me for a companion upon your road—your road of peril?” “Aye, verily,” smiled the knight. “Yet no khawand am I, for that is ‘lord and master.’ ”’ “Lord and master,’ she whispered; and there was no mockery in her eager eyes. “Harken,” said Robert suddenly. A sound as of a multitude of bees came through the open embrasures. The two men glanced at each other. To their trained ears the distant hum resolved itself into the mutter of kettle-drums and the clashing of cymbals mingled with the up- roar of human voices. Robert picked up his sword-belt and helm. “That would be a bruit upon the wall.”’ Swiftly he girdled on the long simitar he had chosen for lack of a better weapon of the size and weight to which he was ac- 99 57 customed. Ellen dropped her belongings and caught up the white surcoat. ‘Wear this, my lord, for the sake of—of Evagrius, who hath blessed it.” Skilfully she slipped off the khalai that covered his mail and thrust the mantle over his shoulders, fastening his belt upon the outside. As he strode toward the gar- den he gripped her hand, and she skipped beside him to the outer gate. “Fare you well—the good angels fight at your side!” “Brave heart!” cried the knight. ‘‘Keep hidden until I return.” The alley door flew open, and a bearded Kankali peered within and saluted Robert as Will ran up with the saddled charger. _ “Will the lord grant his servant permis- sion ” “The barbarians have bridged the gap between the wall and the causeway. Aye, they have launched a storm, and Allah hath caused a battle to be.” Heedless of Robert’s last advice, Ellen watched him ride away from the gate and waved farewell as he reached the turn in the alley. “A fine mark hath thy mantle made of him,” grumbled the archer, who was disap- pointed at being left behind. ‘Ah, for the shafts of the foe— Why, lass—why, as St. Dunstan hears me, thou art weeping!” CHAPTER XIII THE STORM AS THEY trotted out of the alley Rob- ert signed to the messenger to come up with him, and sent the man to command Kutchluk Khan to saddle his ponies and hold his men ready to ride. He pressed for- ward alone, seeking the shortest way to the wall. Here the alleys, odorous with fish and wool and stagnant water, twisted and turned, and his horse was forced to pick a way among heaps of refuse. White walls loomed out of the darkness and voices flung hearty curses after him in many languages. He turned aside into a quarter where the wooden barrier was let down, and lights gleamed from lattices and the scent of in- cense and aloes was in the air. In gateways under great lanterns the tinted faces of wo- men peered at him, and from a roof nearly over his head came the high-pitched song COnCOOO C S (C@