f
our comrades, but to-morrow we shall be separated again. Now if
you are to escape--"

"I will escape! I must escape, even if I am recaptured and die
for it," broke in Rosamund passionately.

"Speak low," said Masouda. "I saw the eunuch Mesrour pass the
door of the tent, and he is a spy--they all are spies."

"If you are to escape," repeated Godwin in a whisper, "it must be
within the next few weeks while the army is on the march. The
risk is great to all of us--even to you, and we have no plan.
But, Masouda, you are clever; make one, and tell it to us."

She lifted her head to speak, when suddenly a shadow fell upon
them. It was that of the head eunuch, Mesrour, a fat,
cunning-faced man, with a cringing air. Low he bowed before them,
saying:

"Your pardon, O Princess. A messenger has come from Salah-ed-din
demanding the presence of these knights at the banquet that he
has made ready for his noble prisoners."

"We obey," said Godwin, and rising they bowed to Rosamund and to
Masouda, then turned to go, leaving the star jewel where they had
been seated.

Very skilfully Mesrour covered it with a fold of his robe, and
under shelter of the fold slipped down his hand and grasped it,
not knowing that although she seemed to be turned away, Masouda
was watching him out of the corner of her eye. Waiting till the
brethren reached the tent door, she called out:

"Sir Wulf, are you already weary of the enchanted Star of
Fortune, or would you bequeath it to us?"

Now Wulf came back, saying heavily:

"I forgot the thing--who would not at such a time? Where is it? I
left it on the cushion."

"Try the hand of Mesrour," said Masouda, whereat with a very
crooked smile the eunuch produced it, and said:

"I wished to show you, Sir Knight, that you must be careful with
such gems as these, especially in a camp where there are many
dishonest persons."

"I thank you," answered Wulf as he took it; "you have shown me."
Then, followed by the sound of Masouda's mocking laughter, they
left the tent.

The Sultan's messenger led them forward, across ground strewn
with the bodies of the murdered Templars and Hospitallers, lying
as Godwin had seen them in his dream on the mountain top near
Nazareth. Over one of these corpses Godwin stumbled in the
gloom, so heavily, that he fell to his knees. He searched the
face in the starlight, to find it was that of a knight of the
Hospitallers of whom he had made a friend at Jerusalem--a very