shady tree, picketing their horses, and eating such provisions as
they had brought with them.

In the morning, just as their steeds were saddled and they were
preparing to resume their journey, they saw their pursuers enter the
valley a mile or two below them, and move rapidly in their direction.
Evidently they had turned back after losing the track, and found it
without much delay. But their horses wore more weary than those of the
fleeing lovers, so that the latter were confident of winning the race.

Swift was the flight and swift the pursuit. The valley was wide and
nearly straight, and the lovers steadily increased the distance
between them and their pursuers. They followed no path, but kept
steadily forward, with their faces toward the mountains. Their
pursuers, originally half a dozen, diminished to five, then to four,
and as the hours wore on Selim found that only two were in sight. But
a new obstacle arose to his escape.

[Illustration: THE FIGHT]

He knew that the valley he was ascending was abruptly enclosed in the
mountains, and escape would be difficult. Further to the east was a
more practicable one, and he determined to attempt to reach it.
Turning from the valley, he was followed by his two pursuers, who were
so close upon him that he determined to fight them. Acson had brought
away one of her father's scimetars, and with this Selim prepared to do
battle. Finding a suitable place among the rocks, he concealed his
horses, and with Acson made a stand where he could fight to advantage.
He took his position on a rock just over the path his pursuers were
likely to follow, and watched his opportunity to hurl a stone, which
knocked one of them senseless. The other was dismounted by his horse
taking fright, and before he could regain his saddle, Selim was upon
him. A short hand-to-hand fight resulted in Selim's favor.

Leaving his adversaries upon the ground, one of them dead and the
other mortally wounded, Selim called Acson and returned to his horses.
Both the fugitives were thoroughly exhausted on reaching the valley,
and found to their dismay that a stream they were obliged to cross was
greatly swollen with recent rains in the mountains.

They were anxious to put the stream between them and their remaining
pursuers, and after a brief halt they plunged in with their horses.
Selim crossed safely, his horse stemming the current and landing some
distance below the point where he entered the water. Acson w