s hands that the comfort
of the prisoners was placed.

Sometimes in the course of the day veiled ladies would issue in groups
from the palace, attended by black slaves with drawn scimiters. They
passed without unveiling across the point where the slaves were at work,
and all were forbidden on pain of death to look up, or even to approach
the konak or pavilion, where the ladies threw aside their veils, and
enjoyed the scent and sight of the flowers, the splash of murmuring
waters, and the strains of music touched by skillful hands.

Although Cuthbert wondered in his heart what these strange wrapped-up
figures might look like when the veils were thrown back, he certainly
did not care enough about the matter to run any risk of drawing the
anger of his guards upon himself by raising his eyes toward them; nor
did he ever glance up at the palace, which was also interdicted to the
slaves. From the lattice casements during the day the strains of music
and merry laughter often came down to the captives; but this, if
anything, only added to the bitterness of their position, by reminding
them that they were shut off for life from ever hearing the laughter of
the loved ones they had left behind.

For upward of a month Cuthbert remained steadily at work, and during
that time no possible plan of escape had occurred to him, and he had
indeed resigned himself to wait, either until, as he hoped, the city
would be taken by the Christians, or until he himself might be removed
from his present post and sent into the country, where, although his lot
would doubtless be far harder, some chance of escape might open before
him.

One night, long after slumber had fallen upon the city, Cuthbert was
startled by hearing his door open. Rising to his feet, he saw a black
slave, and an old woman beside him. The latter spoke first in the
_lingua-franca_:

"My mistress, the wife of the governor, has sent me to ask your story.
How is it that, although but a youth, you are already a knight? How is
it that you come to be a slave to our people? The sultan himself sent
you to her lord. She would fain hear through me how it has happened. She
is the kindest of ladies, and the sight of your youth has touched her
heart."

With thanks to the unknown lady who had felt an interest in him,
Cuthbert briefly related the events which had led to his captivity. The
old woman placed on the ground a basket containing some choice fruit and
white bread, and then depa