he Marquess's neck.

'The signal is a good one,' he said. 'Strike, Cogia.'

Cogia drove his knife in up to the heft. The Marquess coughed. Giafar
lifted him from his ass, quite dead.

'Now,' says he, 'go thou back, Cogia. I will stay here. For so the Old
Man plainly desired.'

'I think with you,' said Cogia. 'Give me the token.' So they cut off the
Marquess's right hand, and Cogia, after shaking it, put it in his vest.
When he was well upon his way to the mountain road, Giafar sat down on a
bank of violets, ate some bread and dates, then went to sleep in the
sun. So afterwards he was found by a picket of soldiers from Sidon, who
also found all of their lord but his right hand. They took Giafar ibn
Mulk and burned him alive.

The Old Man of Musse was extremely kind to Jehane, who pleased him so
well that he was seldom out of her company. He thought Fulke a fine
little boy, as he could hardly fail to be, owning such parents. All the
liberty that was possible to the favourite of such a great prince she
had. One day, about six weeks after she had first come into the valley,
he sent for her. When she had come in and made her reverence he drew her
near to his throne, put his arm round her, and kissed her. He observed
with satisfaction that she was looking very well.

'My child,' he said kindly, 'I have news which I am sure will please
you. Very much of the Marquess of Montferrat is by this time lying
disintegrate in a vault.'

Jehane's green eyes faltered for a moment as she gazed into his wise old
face.

'Sir,' she asked, by habit, 'is this true?' 'It is quite true,' said the
Old Man. 'In proof of it regard his hand, which one of my Assassins, the
survivor, has brought me.' He drew from his bosom a pale hand, and would
have laid it in Jehane's lap if she had let him. As she would not, he
placed it beside him on the floor. Pursuing his discourse, he said--

'I might fairly claim my reward for that. And so I should if I had not
got it already.'

Again Jehane pondered him gravely. 'What reward more have you, sire?'

The Old Man, smiling very wisely, pressed her waist. Jehane thought.

'Why, what will you do with me now, sire?' she inquired. 'Will you kill
me?'

'Can you ask?' said the Old Man. Then he went on more seriously to say
that he supposed the life of King Richard to be safe for the immediate
future, but that he foresaw great difficulties in his way before he
could be snug at home. 'The Marquess of Montf