leopards over their shoulders, and having great rings of
gold upon their arms and in their ears.

"This is the place," said one; and, "Knock at the door," ordered the
other. Perpetua stepped out of the shadow of the trees towards them.
Robert, following her action with his eyes, saw the men and knew them,
amazed, for his Moorish slaves Zal and Rustum. He asked himself why they
were there, and could not answer the question; yet some memory seemed to
be trying to assert itself in his troubled brain, and he watched what
followed vaguely as one shackled by sleep.

"What do you seek?" Perpetua asked of the new-comers.

The one who had spoken last questioned her.

"Are you the daughter of Theron the executioner?"

"I am she," Perpetua answered.

The other black giant spoke.

"You must come with us. Your father has sent for you. He lies sick at
Syracuse."

Perpetua gave a great cry.

"My father sick! I will go with you at once."

The sound of her cry seemed to rend the veil of forgetfulness that hung
about the brain of Robert. He knew now why these men had come, sent by
Hildebrand in obedience to his King's command. For the first time in his
foolish life Robert felt his heart throb with pity, his spirit rise in
arms against injustice. The girl who had disdained him in his pride had
been kind to him in his misery; she should suffer no wrong from him. He
limped into the open space and waved the Saracens aside with a gesture
of command, while he called to Perpetua:

"No, no; do not go with them. It is a trick, a lie." Advancing fiercely
upon the slaves, who stared at the sudden appearance of the discredited
jester, he cried out: "I have changed my mind. Begone!" Then, reading
only derision and denial on their countenances, he raged at them.

"Do you not know me, fellows? I am the King!"

The black slaves grinned evilly. One of them turned to Perpetua, who, in
her eagerness to join her father, listened with impatience to the
grotesque assertions of the fool.

"Come, maiden, come," he said. "There is no time to lose." Then as
Robert interposed himself between the girl and the slave, the slave
roared at him, "Out of the way, fool!"

Robert felt his members tremble at the ferocity of the monster who was
wont to kiss his hand, but he stood his ground.

"She shall not go," he said.

"I say she shall," the black answered, and with his huge hand he dealt
Robert a blow that beat him brutally to the earth. Perpetua sp