m I
have no power, for I am his slave."

"He is the enemy of Saladin, and may help us for his hate's
sake."

"Yes, he is the enemy of Salah-ed-din now more than ever. He may
help you or he may not. Also," she added with meaning, "you may
not wish the help he offers. Oh!" and there was a note of
entreaty in her voice, "think, think! For the last time, I pray
you think!"

"We have thought," answered Godwin solemnly; "and, whatever
chances, we will obey the command of the dead."

She heard and bowed her head in assent, then said, looking up
again:

"So be it. You are not easily turned from your purpose, and I
like that spirit well. But hear my counsel. While you are in this
city speak no Arabic and pretend to understand none. Also drink
nothing but water, which is good here, for the lord Sinan sets
strange wines before his guests, that, if they pass the lips,
produce visions and a kind of waking madness in which you might
do deeds whereof you were afterwards ashamed. Or you might swear
oaths that would sit heavy on your souls, and yet could not be
broken except at the cost of life."

"Fear not," answered Wulf. "Water shall be our drink, who have
had enough of drugged wines," for he remembered the Christmas
feast in the Hall at Steeple.

"You, Sir Godwin," went on Masouda, "have about your neck a
certain ring which you were mad enough to show to me, a
stranger--a ring with writing on it which none can read save the
great men that in this land are called the dais. Well, as it
chances, the secret is safe with me; but be wise; say nothing of
that ring and let no eye see it."

"Why not?" asked Godwin. "It is the token of our dead uncle to
the Al-je-bal."

She looked round her cautiously and replied:

"Because it is, or was once, the great Signet, and a day may come
when it will save your lives. Doubtless when the lord who is dead
thought it gone forever he caused another to be fashioned, so
like that I who have had both in my hand could not tell the two
apart. To him who holds that ring all gates are open; but to let
it be known that you have its double means death. Do you
understand?"

They nodded, and Masouda continued:

"Lastly--though you may think that this seems much to ask--trust
me always, even if I seem to play you false, who for your sakes,"
and she sighed, "have broken oaths and spoken words for which the
punishment is to die by torment. Nay, thank me not, for I do only
what I must who am a slave