of his love, next to this lord Sinan."

Wulf heard, and, as Lozelle drew near to them, sprang forward
with an oath and struck him across the face with his mailed hand.
Instantly guards thrust themselves between them, and Sinan asked
through Masouda:

"Why do you dare to strike this Frank in my presence?"

"Because, lord," answered Wulf, "he is a rogue who has brought
all these troubles on our house. I challenge him to meet me in
battle to the death."

"And I also," said Godwin.

"I am ready," shouted Lozelle, stung to fury by the blow.

"Then, dog, why did you try to run away when you saw our faces?"
asked Wulf.

Masouda held up her hand and began to interpret, addressing
Lozelle, and speaking in the first person as the "mouth" of
Sinan.

"I thank you for your service who have served me before. Your
messenger came, a Frank whom I knew in old days. As you had
arranged it should be, I sent one of my fedais with soldiers to
kill the men of Salah-ed-din on the ship and capture this lady
who is his niece, all of which it seems has been done. The
bargain that your messenger made was that the lady should be
given over to you--"

Here Godwin and Wulf ground their teeth and glared at him.

"But these knights say that you stole her, their kinswoman, from
them, and one of them has struck you and challenged you to single
combat, which challenge you have accepted. I sanction the combat
gladly, who have long desired to see two knights of the Franks
fight in tourney according to their custom. I will set the
course, and you shall be given the best horse in my kingdom; this
knight shall ride his own. These are the conditions--the course
shall be on the bridge between the inner and outer gates of the
castle city, and the fight, which must be to the death, shall
take place on the night of the full moon--that is, three days
from now. If you are victor, we will talk of the matter of the
lady for whom you bargained as a wife."

"My lord, my lord," answered Lozelle, "who can lay a lance on
that terrible place in moonlight? Is it thus that you keep faith
with me?"

"I can and will!" cried Wulf. "Dog, I would fight you in the
gates of hell, with my soul on the hazard."

"Keep faith with yourself," said Sinan, "who said that you
accepted the challenge of this knight and made no conditions,
and when you have proved upon his body that his quarrel is not
just, then speak of my faith with you. Nay, no more words; when
this figh