Silently as a wraith she went, now appearing in the open spaces, now vanishing, beneath the dense gloom of cedar boughs, till she reached a naked, lonely rock which stood almost upon the edge of the gulf. Opposite to this rock was a great mound such as ancient peoples reared over the bodies of their dead, and in the mound, cunningly hidden by growing shrubs, a massive door. Masouda took a key from her girdle, and, having looked around to see that they were alone, unlocked it. “Enter,” she said, pushing them before her. They obeyed, and through the darkness within heard her close the door. “Now we are safe awhile,” she said with a sigh, “or, at least, so I think. But I will lead you to where there is more light.” Then, taking each of them by the hand, she went forward along a smooth incline, till presently they saw the moonlight, and by it discovered that they stood at the mouth of a cave which was fringed with bushes. Running up from the depths of the gulf below to this opening was a ridge or shoulder of rock, very steep and narrow. “See the only road that leads from the citadel of Masyaf save that across the bridge,” said Masouda. “A bad one,” answered Wulf, staring downward. “Ay, yet horses trained to rocks can follow it. At its foot is the bottom of the gulf, and a mile or more away to the left a deep cleft which leads to the top of the mountain and to freedom. Will you not take it now? By tomorrow’s dawn you might be far away.” “And where would the lady Rosamund be?” asked Wulf. “In the harem of the lord Sinan—that is, very soon,” she answered, coolly. “Oh, say it not!” he exclaimed, clasping her arm, while Godwin leaned back against the wall of the cave. “Why should I hide the truth? Have you no eyes to see that he is enamoured of her loveliness—like others? Listen; a while ago my master Sinan chanced to lose his queen—how, we need not ask, but it is said that she wearied him. Now, as he must by law, he mourns for her a month, from full moon to full moon. But on the day after the full moon—that is, the third morning from now—he may wed again, and I think there will be a marriage. Till then, however, your sister is as safe as though she yet sat at home in England before Salah-ed-din dreamed his dream.” “Therefore,” said Godwin, “within that time she must either escape or die.” “There is a third way,” answered Masouda, shrugging her shoulders. “She might stay and become the wife of Sinan.” Wulf muttered something between his teeth, then stepped towards her threateningly, saying: “Rescue her, or—” “Stand back, pilgrim John,” she said, with a laugh. “If I rescue her, which indeed would be hard, it will not be for fear of your great sword.” “What, then, will avail, Masouda?” asked Godwin in a sad voice. “To promise you money would be useless, even if we could.”