any others were
still pressing in. For a few minutes a severe fight went on, and the
numbers and desperation of Carpadon's followers began to tell, and, in
spite of the efforts of Malchus and the Numidians, they would have been
forced to fall back and allow the others to pass out, had not help been
at hand.

The shouting and clashing of weapons had awakened the palace, and the
officer of the guard with ten of his men, some of them bearing torches,
came running at full speed from their post at the chief entrance. As the
guard came up and stood gazing uncertain what to do, or among whom the
conflict was raging, Malchus for a moment drew out from the fray.

"Seize and disarm all the natives," he said; "the Numidians are here by
my orders."

The instant the soldiers understood the situation they fell to, and
the natives, whose retreat was cut off by the Numidians, were speedily
disarmed; those nearer to the door had, the instant they saw the torches
approaching, taken to flight.

A moment later Hannibal, Hamilcar, and many other officers resident at
the palace came running up.

"What means this fray, Malchus?"

"It means an attempt upon your life, Hannibal, which I have been
fortunate enough to discover and defeat."

"Who are these men?" Hamilcar asked.

"So far as I know they are natives," Malchus replied. "The chief of
the party is that man who lies bleeding there; he is one of your
attendants."

One of the soldiers held a torch close to the man's face.

"It is Carpadon," Hannibal said. "I believed him honest and faithful."

"He is the tool of others, Hannibal; he has been well paid for this
night's work."

Hannibal gave orders for the prisoners to be strictly guarded, and then,
with Hamilcar and Malchus, returned to his private study. The lamps were
lighted by the attendants, who then withdrew.

"Now, Malchus, tell us your story," Hannibal said. "It seems strange to
me that you should have said nought to your father or me of what you
had learned, and left us to take such measures as might seem fit to us,
instead of taking the matter into your own hands."

"Had I had certainties to go upon I should assuredly have done so, but,
as you will see when I tell you all I had learned, I had nothing but
suspicions, and those of the vaguest, and for aught I knew I might be
altogether in the wrong."

Malchus then gave the full details of the manner in which his suspicions
had been first excited, and in which on t