The Armourer's Apprentice — page 43: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

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The knight spr quickly on oue side and avoided the stroke, : The next moment he had seized the gigantic Saracen by the throat and a fear- Bat struggle ensued. _ Backwards and forwards they swayed -Jocked in a deadly grip. _ The Saracen was amazed at the strength of our hero and tried to shake him off, so that he might be able to use his sword: but Sir Stephen grasped him so closely that he “could make no use of the weapon. Closer and closer did the knight enfold ‘him in his embrace, till the guard felt he was being squeezed to death as many a man has been by the hug of a bear. _ Finding all his endeavours vain he began #0 roar for help, and doubtless his cries would soon have brought him assistance; but at that moment a terrible shrieking and shcuting arose in the palace. - $u Stephen knew that this showed that the work of murder had been completed. ce eee eng his embrace, the knight erushed the life out of the Saracen and flung his body down. He was only just in time, for the other Saracen had gained an advantage over es who had fallen on ‘the floor. | & ‘ - — * ‘strike when Sir Stephen bounded forward, d with one blow drove his dagger into he fellow’s heart, who fell dead without a _ “Up, up, Giaffa—up!” cried Sir Stephen, as he assisted his follower to rise, “1 hear footsteps coming this way. The whole castle isaroused. Hark! there are sounds ofa truggle. Quick, man, quick! Tear oid she outer robes of these fellows and iet Beery bem on. There, that will do. Now what shall we do with our own garments and these. bodies ?” | 3 “Throw them in here,” said Giaifs. _ And he raised the top of the couch, show- ing that it was made in the usual Oriental fashion, so as to form a large trunk as well €8 a couch, — Quickly were the bodies thrown in, and ft of the couch re laced, _ Then, seizing one of the scimitars and & | . . : dering Gioffs to take the other, they at bs op The scimitar was already raised to. once passed on to the harem, from whence just before the direst shrieks had issued, ut now all was silent as the grave. ai Noone was to befound. There were th Iutes and toys belonging to the ladies of the harem, and what Eastern women take sueh delight in. Here and there a tiny shipper, or a gaudy gold neck scarf, showed whence the frightened creatures had fled; but nothing could be seen oi the owners. “Where can they be?” demanded our hero of his companion. Giaffa looked puzzled for some moments, and then said— “TI cannot tell. I have heard 1t said that the Sheik Mahomed Abu’s palace was like the burrows of @ rabbit warren. In most large harems there are secret places which are known only to the chief female . attendant. These are kept well suppliec — with provisions, so that the females can be taken there at any moment, and hidden away a month without detection.” “Then you think that they have been conducted thither by this Sir Bidulph’s orders, “ Notso; most likely against his orders. The eunuchs are sometimes false to their masters, but not often—the female watchers, never! No, they hava heard the turmoil, and have hidden away for safety. Your lady Alice may remain thus hidden for months there in perfect safety.” | “Pray Heaven it may beso! But keep still; the tumult comes this way,” - And now the sound of strife ceased as quickiy asit hac begun, Loud shouts arose of “Long live the Old | Man of the Mountain!” “ Long live Sheik Almanzor!” Then came the noise of hurrying feet, andthe flashing of torches, and then Sir Biduiph, holding the bleeding head of the sheik aloft with his left hand, while with his right he grasped the gleaming scimitar with which he had performed the deed, rushed into tha apartments of the harem. followed by @ yelling crowd of renegade Englishmen and Saracen soldiers, who, as they waved their dripping swords aloft, reiterated the ery of “ Long live the Sherk Almanzor.” “How now ?” thundered forth Sir Bidulph, as he gazed round the empty rooms; “ here © are the gilded cages, but where are the singing birds? Havethey all flown? Where are the guards ?” “Yonder, my lord,” said one of the men, pointing to Sir Stephen and Guaffa, who, crossing their hands upon their breasts, stood in the usual Hastern style of Aumilia- tron, (E(@) Eomichoo