atre with
rapid steps, vaulting from tier to tier, and bounding with wonderful
agility from one mass of ruin to another. At length she reached the
level; and then, foaming and panting, she rushed to Alroy, threw herself
upon the ground, embraced his feet, and wiped off the dust from his
sandals with her hair.

The assembly broke into long and loud acclamations of supernatural
confidence and sanguine enthusiasm. They beheld their Messiah wave his
miraculous sceptre. They thought of Hassan Subah and his Seljuks only
as of victims, and of to-morrow only as of a day which was to commence a
new era of triumph, freedom, and empire!

Hassan Subah after five days' forced marches pitched his sumptuous
pavilion in that beautiful Oasis, which had afforded such delightful
refreshment to Alroy when a solitary pilgrim. Around for nearly a mile,
were the tents of his warriors, and of the numerous caravan that had
accompanied him, laden with water and provisions for his troops. Here,
while he reposed, he also sought information as to the position of his
enemy.

A party of observation, which he had immediately despatched, returned
almost instantly with a small caravan that had been recently plundered
by the robbers. The merchant, a venerable and pious Moslem, was ushered
into the presence of the Governor of Hamadan.

'From the robbers' haunt?' enquired Hassan.

'Unfortunately so,' answered the merchant.

'Is it far?'

'A day's journey.'

'And you quitted it?'

'Yesterday morn.'

'What is their force?'

The merchant hesitated.

'Do they not make prisoners?' enquired the Governor, casting a
scrutinising glance at his companion.

'Holy Prophet! what a miserable wretch am I!' exclaimed the venerable
merchant, bursting into tears. 'A faithful subject of the Caliph, I am
obliged to serve rebels, a devout Moslem, I am forced to aid Jews! Order
me to be hanged at once, my lord,' continued the unfortunate merchant,
wringing his hands. 'Order me to be hanged at once. I have lived long
enough.'

'What is all this?' enquired Hassan; 'speak, friend, without fear.'

'I am a faithful subject of the Caliph,' answered the merchant; 'I am a
devout Moslem, but I have lost ten thousand dirhems.'

'I am sorry for you, sir; I also have lost something, but my losses are
nothing to you, nor yours to me.'

'Accursed be the hour when these dogs tempted me! Tell me, is it sin to
break faith with a Jew?'

'On the contrary, I could find yo