ook to deceive
and cut you down, kill Salah-ed-din, and escape by the further
door. Can you hold your own awhile against eight men, think you?"

"We have done so before and will try," answered Wulf. "But how
shall we know that they are not Mameluks?"

"Thus--they will wish to pass the door, and you will say, 'Nay,
sons of Sinan,' whereon they will spring on you to kill you. Then
be ready and shout aloud."

"And if they overcome us," asked Godwin, "then the Sultan would
be slain?"

"Nay, for you must lock the door of the chamber of Salah-ed-din
and hide away the key. The sound of the fighting will arouse the
outer guard ere hurt can come to him. Or," she added, after
thinking awhile, "perhaps it will be best to reveal the plot to
the Sultan at once."

"No, no," answered Wulf; "let us take the chance. I weary of
doing nothing here. Hassan guards the outer gate. He will come
swiftly at the sound of blows."

"Good," said Masouda; "I will see that he is there and awake. Now
farewell, and pray that we may meet again. I say nothing of this
story to the princess Rosamund until it is done with." Then
throwing her cloak about her shoulders, she turned and went.

"Is that true, think you?" asked Wulf of Godwin.

"We have never found Masouda to be a liar," was his answer.
"Come; let us see to our armour, for the knives of those fedai
are sharp."

It was near midnight, and the brethren stood in the small, domed
ante-chamber, from which a door opened into the sleeping rooms of
Saladin. The guard of eight Mameluks had left them, to be met by
their relief in the courtyard, according to custom, but no relief
had as yet appeared in the ante-chamber.

"It would seem that Masouda's tale is true," said Godwin, and
going to the door he locked it, and hid the key beneath a
cushion.

Then they took their stand in front of the locked door, before
which hung curtains, standing in the shadow with the light from
the hanging silver lamps pouring down in front of them. Here they
waited awhile in silence, till at length they heard the tramp of
men, and eight Mameluks, clad in yellow above their mail, marched
in and saluted.

"Stand!" said Godwin, and they stood a minute, then began to edge
forward.

"Stand!" said both the brethren again, but still they edged
forward.

"Stand, sons of Sinan!" they said a third time, drawing their
swords.

Then with a hiss of disappointed rage the fedai came at them.

"A D'Arcy! A D'Arcy! Help