her
sensations than those of personal danger, sprung eagerly upon his horse,
and fled with the utmost precipitation in the direction that his master
had taken.

The Moors, for such they were, saw his flight with savage
disappointment; but Roque having the advantage of a horse to facilitate
his escape, they considered that a pursuit would be useless. They left
him, therefore, hoping that his capture would be made by some other of
the straggling parties that patrolled those solitudes.

"The base Christian escapes," said one, who appeared to be the leader.

"Yes, Malique," answered another, "but let us look what he leaves
behind."

"By the Prophet's sacred beard," cried Malique, "it bears very much the
resemblance of a woman. But she moves not.--What, is she dead? The
detested ruffian surely has not murdered her. Let us hasten down and
ascertain the truth."

They rapidly descended from the height, and surrounded the unhappy
Theodora, who, quite overcome with fatigue, was still sleeping.

"She is not dead; she is only asleep," quoth one.

"And a pleasant apartment has she chosen for her chamber," cried
another.

"She is a lovely lady, and gentle handmaids will she have to awaken her
withal," observed Malique. "Soft and fair as one of the Houris promised
to the faithful in paradise. By the holy sepulchre of Mecca, such a
morsel as this would not be disagreeable even to the fastidious palate
of our chief Caneri."

He approached, and for a moment stood gazing over the sleeping beauty,
his eyes glistening with savage pleasure; then pulling her gently by the
arm,--

"Awake, fair maiden, awake!" he said, in as soothing a tone as the
roughness of his nature would permit.

With a fitful start Theodora awoke. She opened her eyes. Oh, horror!
horror! Surely she was labouring under the impression of a fearful
delusion. Yes, it must be the wild chimera of her feverish fancy. She
saw herself surrounded by a band of appalling figures, each seeming to
vie with his fellow who should display in his appearance the greatest
terror.

The pale moon that now slowly arose from behind the clouds, threw
around streams of chilling, unearthly light, which served to illumine
countenances still more chilling and unearthly. Strange black eyes,
wildly rolling under their darksome covering, were all intensely gazing
on her; and horrid grins, which were peculiar to those features, served
to increase the natural ferocity of their ruffian as