orn up, for its leaves lay
scattered about the pavement and after the jewels had been hastily dug
from their settings, the covers of green velvet had been cast aside as
worthless. Every seat or divan had been either broken or slashed by
swords, every vessel or mirror smashed, every ornament damaged beyond
repair.

Thinking it best to leave her, a woman, in care of a guard of our armed
men, while I went forward, I made the suggestion, but she would not hear
of it.

"No," she answered smiling. "I will remain ever at thy side, for beside
thee I fear not. Thou art my rescuer, and my life is thine."

"But some of the sights we may witness are not such as a woman's eyes
should behold," I answered.

"It mattereth not. That thou wilt allow me to accompany thee, is all I
ask."

"Very well," I replied, laughing. "Thou art welcome. Come."

By my side she hurried through the chamber wherein had stood the throne,
and thence through several handsome courts, wandering at last into
another smaller chamber at the side of which I noticed an alcove with a
huge Arab bed surrounded by quaint lattices, so dark that my gaze could
not penetrate to its recesses.

As we passed, the movement of some object in the deep shadow beside the
bed attracted my attention. Advancing quickly I detected the figure of a
man, and, fearing a sudden dash by one of our lurking foes, I again drew
my sword.

Liola, seeing this, gave vent to a little scream of alarm and placed her
hand upon my arm in fear, but next second the fugitive, anticipating my
intention to attack him, sprang suddenly forward into the light.

The bearded face, the fierce, flashing eyes, the thick lips and bushy
brows were all familiar to me. Although he wore the white cotton garb of
the meanest slave, I recognised him in an instant.

It was the great Arab chieftain Samory!

CHAPTER XXXIV.

LIOLA'S DISCOVERY.

WITH a sudden bound I left Liola's side and sprang upon the leader of our
enemies, clutching him fiercely by the throat and shouting for
assistance. No one was, however, near, and for a few moments we struggled
desperately. He was unarmed, and I, having unfortunately dropped my sword
in the encounter, our conflict resolved itself into a fierce wrestle for
the possession of the weapon which must give victory to the one into
whose hands it fell. Once Samory, wiry and muscular like all Arabs,
notwithstanding his age, stooped swiftly in an endeavour to snatch up the