ed an action worthy of
minstrels' praise.'

'Marry,' exclaimed Bisset seriously, 'I look to deriving from this
adventure some benefit more substantial than a sound sleep or minstrels'
flattery; and, to speak truth, I am somewhat weary of this saint-king
and this purposeless Crusade, and would fain go to aid the Emperor of
Constantinople against the Greeks and the Turks; and Baldwin de
Courtenay could not but accord a favourable reception to warriors who
had saved his kinswoman from the Saracens. What thinkest thou of a
movement to Constantinople?'

Walter mused, but did not answer.

CHAPTER XXXV.

MISSION TO BAGDAD.

AFTER the assassination of Touran Chah at Pharescour, the Mamelukes were
very much at a loss on whom to bestow the crown so long worn by the
chiefs of this family of Saladin. In their perplexity they elevated
Chegger Edour to the throne, and proclaimed her 'Queen of the
Mussulmen.' But the affairs of the sultana did not go smoothly. Moslems
were aroused at the elevation of a woman to sovereignty; and the Caliph
of Bagdad, when asked to send the rich robe which the caliphs were in
the habit of sending by way of investiture to the Sultans of Egypt,
demanded with indignation if a man capable of reigning could no longer
be found. Every day the confusion increased and the troubles multiplied.

In order to make matters more pleasant, the sultana associated a
Mameluke named Turcoman with her in the government, and even
condescended so far as to unite herself with him in marriage. But the
aspect of affairs became gradually more alarming, and Chegger Edour,
yielding to the prevailing discontent, abdicated in favour of her
husband. Turcoman, however, found that his crown was somewhat thorny;
and at a critical period he aroused the jealousy of his wife by aspiring
to wed an oriental princess.

The sultana vowed vengeance, and hastened to execute it by causing
Turcoman to be assassinated in his bath. One night an emir, hastily
summoned to the palace, found Chegger Edour seated on a couch with her
feet resting on the dead body of her husband. The emir uttered an
exclamation of horror; but she calmly stated that she had sent for him
to offer her hand and her crown. The emir fled in terror, and next day
the mother of the murdered man had the sultana put to death by her
slaves, and caused her corpse to be thrown into a ditch.

A Mameluke named Koutouz was now elevated to the throne, and signalised
himsel