to meet your
brother for the last time?"

"No, sire, for then he might learn the truth and--"

"Refuse this sacrifice, Sir Godwin, which perchance will be
scarcely to his liking."

"I wish to say good-bye to Masouda, she who is waiting woman to
the princess."

"That you cannot do, for, know, I mistrust this Masouda, and
believe that she was at the bottom of your plot. I have dismissed
her from the person of the princess and from my camp, which she
is to leave--if she has not already left--with some Arabs who
are her kin. Had it not been for her services in the land of the
Assassins and afterwards, I should have put her to death."

"Then," said Godwin with a sigh, "I desire only to see Egbert the
bishop, that he may shrive me according to our faith and make
note of my last wishes."

"Good; he shall be sent to you. I accept your statement that you
are the guilty man and not Sir Wulf, and take your life for his.
Leave me now, who have greater matters on my mind. The guard will
seek you at the appointed time."

Godwin bowed and walked away with a steady step while Saladin,
looking after him, muttered:

"The world could ill spare so brave and good a man."

Two hours later guards summoned Godwin from the place where he
was prisoned, and, accompanied by the old bishop who had shriven
him, he passed its door with a happy countenance, such as a
bridegroom might have worn. In a fashion, indeed, he was happy,
whose troubles were done with, who had few sins to mourn, whose
faith was the faith of a child, and who laid down his life for
his friend and brother. They took him to a vault of the great
house where Saladin was lodged--a large, rough place, lit with
torches, in which waited the headsman and his assistants.
Presently Saladin entered, and, looking at him curiously, said:

"Are you still of the same mind, Sir Godwin?"

"I am."

"Good. Yet I have changed mine. You shall say farewell to your
cousin, as you desired. Let the princess of Baalbec be brought
hither, sick or well, that she may see her work. Let her come
alone."

"Sire," pleaded Godwin, "spare her such a sight."

But he pleaded in vain, for Saladin answered only, "I have said."

A while passed, and Godwin, hearing the sweep of robes, looked
up, and saw the tall shape of a veiled woman standing in the
corner of the vault where the shadow was so deep that the
torchlight only glimmered faintly upon her royal ornaments.

"They told me that you were