got out half the words; the grand old Arab waved his hand and
said, "When the wounded is laid before the tent of Ben Ali, where is the
question of recompense? Peace be with thee, my son! Bring him hither.
Aldonza, lay the carpet yonder, and the cushions beneath the window,
where I may have light to look to his hurt."

Therewith he murmured a few words in an unknown tongue, which, as
Ambrose understood, were an invocation to the God of Abraham to bless
his endeavours to heal the stranger youth, but which happily were spoken
before the arrival of the others, who would certainly have believed them
an incantation.

The carpet though worn threadbare, was a beautiful old Moorish rug, once
glowing with brilliancy, and still rich in colouring, and the cushion
was of thick damask faded to a strange pale green. All in that double-
stalled partition, once belonging to the great earl's war-horses, was
scrupulously clean, for the Christian Moor had retained some of the
peculiar virtues born of Mohammedanism and of high civilisation. The
apprentice lads tramped in much as if they had been entering a wizard's
cave, though Stephen had taken care to assure Edmund of his application
of the test of holy water.

Following the old man's directions, Edmund and Stephen deposited their
burden on the rug. Aldonza brought some warm water, and Abenali washed
and examined the wound, Aldonza standing by and handing him whatever he
needed, now and then assisting with her slender brown hands in a manner
astonishing to the youths, who stood by anxious and helpless, while
their companion began to show signs of returning life.

Abenali pronounced that the stone had missed the eyeball, but the cut
and bruise were such as to require constant bathing, and the blow on the
head was the more serious matter, for when the patient tried to raise
himself he instantly became sick and giddy, so that it would be wise to
leave him where he was. This was much against the will of Edmund
Burgess, who shared all the prejudices of the English prentice against
the foreigner--perhaps a wizard and rival in trade; but there was no
help for it, and he could only insist that Stephen should mount guard
over the bed until he had reported to his master, and returned with his
orders. Therewith he departed, with such elaborate thanks and
courtesies to the host, as betrayed a little alarm in the tall
apprentice, who feared not quarter-staff, nor wrestler, and had even
daun