On the seventh night of the siege help came unexpectedly. Over the hill lay the other Christian village of Balulan, just then at open feud with Mawana, and so without immediate concern in this quarrel. Still, as they heard of the siege, they began to grow more and more restive. Ablahad, the village deacon, at last gathered all the men together, told them that now they must forget the feud, and called for volunteers to go down with him and help their brethren. Soon he had as many as he wanted, a picked band, with all the cartridges they could carry. Old Bajan could not give them leave to go, but he carefully and ostentatiously looked the other way; and the little party stole out that night to put their lives in hazard for their enemies. The deacon knew his ground; and (strictly enjoining his men to hold their fire) he led them straight down upon one of the strongest Kurdish pickets. There was a challenge--and no reply. The sentry fired--and the startled picket sprang to their feet. It was the chance for which Ablahad was waiting! One shattering volley at close quarters disabled eight and twenty of the enemy. The Christians were through the leaguer, and entered Mawana without losing a man, and with their supply of cartridges intact. Nor was this all their success; for so badly were the besiegers' nerves shaken that (thinking the relieving force to be far larger than it really was) they raised the siege that night, and departed to their homes. "And when men arose in the morning and looked out, thanks be to God, the enemy had departed." Gallant _shamasha_ Ablahad did not live long after his brilliant success. About a fortnight later he, with a party of Mawana men, was caught in a little isolated village by overwhelming numbers of Kurds. The Kurds, to their credit be it said (though fully aware of his recent exploit), offered him leave to depart in safety and honour as soon as they learned of his presence among their foes. Bedr Khan Beg himself, the leader of their party, came forward in person to bring the message before the firing began. "We have no quarrel with you, _shamasha_; nor with Bajan your Lord. And we seek for none. Do you go your way," he cried. "But for these men of Mawana there is blood between us and them and we must settle it here." "I thank you for your offer," replied the deacon firmly. "But I am here with my friends, and I will see it out with them." The fight was desperate; but it could have but one ending. The houses were fired; and though the defenders cut their way through the walls from room to room hoping to escape under cover of the smoke, they had finally to choose between suffocation and coming out into the open. And there the little band were shot down to the last man. And so died Ablahad the deacon, surely by as good a death as a man need wish to die.