er for Paynim pay! Traitor to God and man, who have eaten my
bread and now slaughter me like an ox on my hearth-stone, may
your own end be even worse, and at the hands of those you
serve."

The palmer Nicholas, for it was he, although he no longer wore
the palmer's robe, slunk away muttering, and was lost among the
crowd in the passage. Then, with a sudden and a bitter cry,
Rosamund swooped forward, as a bird swoops, snatched up the
sword her sire would never lift again, and setting its hilt upon
the floor, cast herself forward. But its point never touched her
breast, for the emir sprang swiftly and struck the steel aside;
then, as she fell, caught her in his arms. "Lady," he said,
loosing her very gently. "Allah does not need you yet. I have
told you that it is not fated. Now will you pass me your
word--for being of the blood of Salah-ed-din and D'Arcy, you,
too, cannot lie--that neither now nor afterwards you will attempt
to harm yourself? If not, I must bind you, which I am loth to
do--it is a sacrilege to which I pray you will not force me."

"Promise, Rosamund," said the hollow voice of her father, "and go
to fulfil your fate. Self-murder is a crime, and the man is
right; it is decreed. I bid you promise."

"I obey and promise," said Rosamund. "It is your hour, my lord
Hassan."

He bowed deeply and answered:

"I am satisfied, and henceforth we are your servants. Princess,
the night air is bitter; you cannot travel thus. In which chamber
are your garments?"

She pointed with her finger. A man took a taper, and, accompanied
by two others, entered the place, to return presently with their
arms full of all the apparel they could find. Indeed, they even
brought her missal and the silver crucifix which hung above her
bed and with it her leathern case of trinkets.

"Keep out the warmest cloak," said Hassan, "and tie the rest up
in those carpets."

So the rugs that Sir Andrew had bought that day from the merchant
Georgios were made to serve as travelling bags to hold his
daughter's gear. Thus even in this hour of haste and danger
thought was taken for her comfort.

"Princess," said Hassan, bowing, "my master, your uncle, sent you
certain jewels of no mean value. Is it your wish that they should
accompany you?"

Without lifting her eyes from her dying father's face, Rosamund
answered heavily:

"Where they are, there let them bide. What have I to do with
jewels?"

"Your will is my law," he said, "and othe