is own towers."

Hassan shook his head and answered:

"I should like it well, for with this magician my master also has
an ancient quarrel. But he has other feuds upon his hands," and
he looked meaningly at Wulf and Godwin, "and my orders were to
rescue the princess and no more. Well, she has been rescued, and
some hundreds of heads have paid the price of all that she has
suffered. Also, that secret way of yours will be safe enough by
now. So there I let the matter bide, glad enough that it has
ended thus. Only I warn you all--and myself also--to walk warily,
since, if I know aught of him, Sinan's fedais will henceforth dog
the steps of every one of us, striving to bring us to our ends by
murder. Now here come litters; enter them, all of you, and be
borne to the city, who have ridden far enough to-day. Fear not
for your horses; they shall be led in gently and saved alive, if
skill and care can save them. I go to count the slain, and will
join you presently in the citadel."

So the bearers came and lifted up Wulf, and helped Godwin from
his horse--for now that all was over he could scarcely stand--and
with him Rosamund and Masouda. Placing them in the litters, they
carried them, escorted by cavalry, across the bridge of the
Orontes into the city of Emesa, where they lodged them in the
citadel.

Here also, after giving them a drink of barley gruel, and rubbing
their backs and legs with ointment, they led the horses Smoke and
Flame, slowly and with great trouble, for these could hardly
stir, and laid them down on thick beds of straw, tempting them
with food, which after awhile they ate. The four--Rosamund,
Masouda, Godwin, and Wulf--ate also of some soup with wine in
it, and after the hurts of Wulf had been tended by a skilled
doctor, went to their beds, whence they did not rise again for
two days.

Chapter Sixteen: The Sultan Saladin

In the third morning Godwin awoke to see the ray of sunrise
streaming through the latticed window.

They fell upon another bed near-by where Wulf still lay sleeping,
a bandage on his head that had been hurt in the last charge
against the Assassins, and other bandages about his arms and
body, which were much bruised in the fight upon the dreadful
bridge.

Wondrous was it to Godwin to watch him lying there sleeping
healthily, notwithstanding his injuries, and to think of what
they had gone through together with so little harm; to think,
also, of how they had rescued Rosamund