kish guard preparing to shoot probably some
native of her own dear valley.

There had been another though silent observer of this scene, and as
he heard the cry from Komel's lips, he dropped himself from the tree
under which the sentry stood, right upon his shoulders, bearing him
to the ground, while the contents of the carbine were cast into the
air harmlessly. The half-witted boy had destroyed the aim, and the
alarm given by the report of his carbine enabled the boatman,
whoever he was, to make good his escape at once. The enraged guard
turned to vent his anger upon the cause of his failure to kill the
boatman, but when he beheld the half-witted being gazing up at the
stars as unconcernedly as though nothing had happened, he remembered
that the person of the boy was sacred.

With a suppressed oath the guard resumed his weapon, and paced along
the path that formed his post.

As soon as the excitement attendant upon the scene we have related
had subsided, Komel once more turned in wonder to recall those sweet
notes, so endeared to her by a thousand associations, and to wonder
from whom and whence they came. Was it possible that some dear
friend from home had discovered her prison, her gilded cage, and
that those notes were intended for her ear, or had the singer, by
some miraculous chance, come hither and uttered those notes
thoughtlessly? Thus conjecturing and surmising, Komel scarcely
closed her eyes all night, and when she did so, it was to live over
in her dreams the scenes we have referred to, and to seem to hear
once more those thrilling and tender notes of her far off home. Then
she seemed once more to behold the Turk taking his deadly aim, and
the idiot boy dropping from the tree to frustrate his murderous
intention, and throwing the guard by his weight to the ground; and
then the imaginary report of the carbine would again arouse her, to
fall asleep and dream once more.

During the whole of the day that followed she could think of nothing
but that strange serenade; she even thought of the possibility of
her father having traced her hither, and sung that song to ascertain
if she were there, and then she wondered that she had not thought on
time instant to reply to it, and resolved on the subsequent evening
to watch if the song should be repeated, resolving that if this was
the case, to respond to its notes come from whom they might. And
with this purpose, a little before the same hour, she repaired
thither