and the vastness of the impending
danger seemed only to stimulate the fertility of his genius.

He pushed on by forced marches towards Media, at the head of fifty
thousand men. At the end of the second day's march, fresh couriers
arrived from Abner, informing him that, unable to resist the valiant
and almost innumerable host of the King of Karasme, he had entirely
evacuated Persia, and had concentrated his forces in Louristan. Alroy,
in consequence of this information, despatched orders to Scherirah, to
join him with his division instantly, and leave the capital to its fate.

They passed again the mountains of Kerrund, and joined Abner and the
army of Media, thirty thousand strong, on the river Abzah. Here Alroy
rested one night, to refresh his men, and on the ensuing morn pushed on
to the Persian frontier, unexpectedly attacked the advanced posts of Alp
Arslan, and beat them back with great loss into the province. But the
force of the King of Karasme was so considerable, that the Caliph did
not venture on a general engagement, and therefore he fell back, and
formed in battle array upon the neighbouring plain of Nehauend, the
theatre of one of his earliest and most brilliant victories, where he
awaited the hourly-expected arrival of Scherirah.

The King of Karasme, who was desirous of bringing affairs to an issue,
and felt confident in his superior force, instantly advanced. In two or
three days at farthest, it was evident that a battle must be fought that
would decide the fate of the East.

On the morn ensuing their arrival at Nehauend, while the Caliph was out
hunting, attended only by a few officers, he was suddenly attacked by
an ambushed band of Karasmians. Alroy and his companions defended
themselves with such desperation that they at length succeeded in
beating off their assailants, although triple their number. The leader
of the Karasmians, as he retreated, hurled a dart at the Caliph, which
must have been fatal, had not a young officer of the guard interposed
his own breast, and received the deadly wound. The party, in confusion,
returned with all speed to the camp, Alroy himself bearing the expiring
victim of desperate loyalty and military enthusiasm.

The bleeding officer was borne to the royal pavilion, and placed upon
the imperial couch. The most skilful leech was summoned; he examined the
wound, but shook his head. The dying warrior was himself sensible of his
desperate condition. His agony could only