NO SURRENDER.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 41, 14 October 1867, Page 4

NO SURRENDER.

Ever constant, ever true, Let the word be, No air n;ler! Boldly dare and greatly do 1 This shall bring us bravely through, No surrender, No surrender! And, though Fortune’s smiles be few, Hope is always springing new, Still inspiring me and you With a magic—No surrender 1 Nail the colours to the mast, Shouting gladly, No surrender 3 Troubles here are all but past— Serve them as you did the last. No surrender, no surrender 1 Though the skies be overcast. And upon the sleety blast Disappointments gather fast, Beat them oft with No surrender. Constant and courageous still, Mind, the word is No surrender! Battle, though it he uphill Stagger not at seeming ill, No surrender, No surrender 1 Hope—and thus your hope fulfil— There's a way where there's a will, And the way all cares to kill Is to give them—No surrender 1

DAOUD THE LITTLE. CHAPTER 111. A slight struggle, or attempt to rise, was manifest, as a low groan escaped his lips, and he stretched out his limbs and was dead. The horse darted off in terror over a low fencing on the other side of the roadway, and galloped towards the open country. Youssef flung the matchlock behind him into a thicket. He observed no one in sight, and that the deed was unwitnessed, for Daoud, who was no ?reat distance off, was concealed by a turning in the road. Approaching the pacha, and perceiving that his victim was quite dead, he thrust his hand into his robe. He drew forth a jewelled purse heavily stored with pieces of gold, and a long bit of parchment. There was nothing more. “ Thou mayst take this as thy pass to Ehlis,” ho cried. It was his own death-warrant, and he thrust the paper back into the pacha’s robe, for he -did not or could not read it.

“The gold is mine! Shame, however,’ he exclaimed a moment after, “ to leave so rich a prize to thieves and beggars ! Ah, I have it! A present for little Daoud —a gift from his old comrade Youssef, that may make him a head shorter yet. Yes, the pacha’s death will soon be discovered, his attendants will be even now at hand—some culprit must be found, and if found, no inquiry will be made for me. Youssef the Wise shall yet outmatch Daoud the Little.” Dragging oif the robe from the murdered man. he hastened from the spot, and in a few minutes approached that part of the -causeway where Daoud still pursued his solitary labor, having determined not to relinquish his task-work until pre vented from continuing it by the shades of evening, for he had promised himself a day of rest and recreation ■on the morrow.

“ Caitiff,” said Youssef. “ I was somewhat harsh to thee just now; but as I have vowed this day 10 do some good deed for many an hour misspent, and the sun even now touches yon distant mountain, I would not be foresworn. Here’s a robe which I have even taken from under my own, not needing such superfluity. Take it; and be thankful to the prophet, who sends thee a friend in need.”

Daoud stretched out his hand to receive the gift, for the handsome habiliments in which Youssef was attired dis--armed all suspicion, and he really thought the deed was one of those wayward acts of generosity by which the •faithful occasionally fulfil certain vows to assure their nearer approach to Para- ’ dise and the Houris. At the same instant, however, he recognised Youssef and motioned to reject the preferred gift. He was too late; at all events, Youssef threw it at his feet, and fled. The cause was .apparent; a troop of advancing horsemen were seen in the distance. -Before they came up to the spot where he was, Daoud observed that they stopped abruptly in their career, and that immediately afterwards the air was filled with fearful cries and menaces as thosejwho hadylismounted raised some heavy object from the road. Startled by a vague but undefined terror, Daoud threw his heavy working tools into a trench, and snatching up the robe, fled towards the city. A dozen horsemen instantly pursued him with loud shouts, and more than one ball whistled past his head. He hurled from him the robe which impeded his flight, the sight of which further stimulated the ardour of his pursuers, and in another moment {perhaps luckily indeed, or otherwise a worse fate might have befallen him) Daoud was ridden over by one of the mounted guards. When he came to his senses, Daoud found himself chained to the wall in an underground cell in the fortress ofthe palace. Truly,” he muttered, “Youssef has conquered !” and he gave himself up to

The game however was not yet played out. After enduring three days of incarceration, and being almost starved into the bargain, Daoud was released from prison, and draggei into the open air. The little man Verily believed his time was cone, and tremblingly looked around for the executioner. Not so; he to-be.arraigned before the cadi, and

to have a fair trial, said the new pacha, who wished to inaugurate his accession to office by an act of justice. Taken into court, Ins looks already condemned him; so, at least, it was whispered by all assembled; yet he was surprised to find Youssef by his side. The - n a ;ter of the horse had not been so lucky as to effect his escape, for the matchlock, having been discoveren by some of Mustapha’s attendants, andtraced.to Youssefs possession, the circumstances already looked somewhat black against him. “ One thing,’’ as the cadi had observed “ was certain; the assassin stood among them; the only question was which was the man ?” The instrument of destruction had beenjpurloined by Youssef;the pacha’s cloak of office was found with Daoud.

“It is a question of character,” cried Youssef interrupting the court. u We both assert our innocence; I alone can prove mine. I have witnesses to speak to my uniform good conduct, and to the high estimation in which I always have stood with the pacha. What possible motive could I have to induce me to destroy my benefactor, and from whom I hoped to receive still further benefits 1 It is not natural. ”

“It is not natural,” murmured the bystanders; but the cadi ordered his officer to check this ebullition of feeling.

The officer thrust out a man next to the door who had not opened his lips, having that moment only just entered.

“Had Daoud any witnessss “ Hone.”

“We were sure of it,” cried the bystanders; “ let him he executed.”

He was about to he taken forth that summary punishment might he inflicted, when the cadi called out to the servants of the court that he was not satisfied, or he felt that justice required the proceedings to he less summary. He ordered Mustapha’s matchlock and robe to be produced. The first article had been traced to Youssef.

“ The pacha had given it to him,” he said.

“How had he disposed of it?”—“ He had given it to Daoud.” This Daoud stenuously denied, and Youssef as strenuously asserted. Youssef was richly dressed, Daoud was dirty, miserable, and in rags. Nobody believed Daoud.

“ How came the robe in the possession of Daoud ?”

“Youssef had given it to me,” replied the little man. “Youssef!” cried the cadi.

“I!” shouted Youssef, “This, my lord, is hut retaliation, because I swore I gave him the matchlock. What on earth should induce me to bestow such a gift on so mean a wretch !”

“ What indeed !” shouted the bystanders. “ Away with him!”

At this moment a countryman appeared. He had heard the report of the the matchlock; he had seen Youssef run away from behind the wall, and throw something away into the low bushes.

Two of Mustapha’s guard stepped forward. They had noticed the threatening aspect directed by the pacha against his master of the horse. They could also speak to certain peculations committed by Youssef, now recently brought to light, and they asserted that the pacha had fully resolved to dismiss, if not to punish his unworthy servant. This Youssef denied. He said he never stood higher in his master’s esteem than at the time of death. They were traitors, and forsworn !

“The pacha, but half an hour before his death, possessed a purse filled with gold pieces,” said the two body-guards. “ He had drawn out his purse to dispense a trifling bounty, and was seen to replace it in his robe.”

“It is false!” cried Youssef. “ There was nothing in the robe but a strip of dirty paper.” “So you own to it!” exclaimed the cadi, in astonishment. “A 1 il Allah ! Ho! ” cried the bystanders. Youssef was confounded. He endeavoured to retract. “ The story of the paper is a fiction!” said the cadi. “It is not!” shouted Youssef, hardly knowing what he- said . “Search the pocket.” The paper was found. Youssef was in exultation—lie scarcely knew why, “ It is true !” he cried- “ A warrant in the pacha’s own bandwriting! A warrant for your execution!” said the cadi. Youssefs lips turned livid; he endeavoured to speak; it was in vain. The cadi made a sign ; the executioner was at hand; the next minute the head of the culprit rolled on the stone flags of the paved court of the justice hall. Daoud’s defence was now credited ; he besides, two of his fellow-workmen, before intimidated, now came forward in his favor. They had parted from him so recently, fully occupied in his daily toil, that it was scarcely possible be could have had time to have left thespot where he was employed, and committed the murder, and then returned to his work. Daoud was conducted home with honor; and from that moment a new era of prosperity commenced, and he lived many years in competence and tranquility at Mosul. CONCLUDED.