rawing the cloth from the stretcher he revealed the stiff
form of the spy Nicholas, who lay there dead, a look of terror
frozen on his face.

"At least this one has come to an end he deserved," muttered Wulf
to Godwin.

"So, having searched without avail, I came on here with the lady
your prisoner and the Frank Lozelle. I have spoken."

Now when he had heard this report, forgetting his calm, Sinan
arose from the cushion and stepped forward two paces. There he
halted, with fury in his glittering eyes, looking like a man
clothed in a black bell. For a moment he stroked his beard, and
the brethren noted that on the first finger of his right hand
was a ring so like to that which hung about the neck of Godwin
that none could have told them apart.

"Man," Sinan said in a low voice, "what have you done? You have
left the emir Hassan go, who is the most trusted friend and
general of the Sultan of Damascus. By now he is there, or near
it, and within six days we shall see the army of Salah-ed-din
riding across the plain. Also you have not killed the crew and
the Frankish woman, and they too will make report of the taking
of the ship and the capture of this lady, who is of the house of
Salah-ed-din and whom he seeks more earnestly than all the
kingdom of the Franks. What have you to say?"

"Lord," answered the tall fedai, and his hand trembled as he
spoke, "most mighty lord, I had no orders as to the killing of
the crew from your lips, and the Frank Lozelle told me that he
had agreed with you that they should be spared."

"Then, slave, he lied. He agreed with me through that dead spy
that they should be slain, and do you not know that if I give no
orders in such a case I mean death, not life? But what of the
prince Hassan?"

"Lord, I have nothing to say. I think he must have bribed the spy
named Nicholas"--and he pointed to the corpse--"to cut his bonds,
and afterwards killed the man for vengeance sake, for by the body
we found a heavy purse of gold. That he hated him as he hated
yonder Lozelle I know, for he called them dogs and traitors in
the boat; and since he could not strike them, his hands being
bound, he spat in their faces, cursing them in the name of Allah.
That is why, Lozelle being afraid to be near him, I set the spy
Nicholas, who was a bold fellow, as a watch over him, and two
soldiers outside the tent, while Lozelle and I watched the lady."

"Let those soldiers be brought," said Sinan, "and tell their
s