from his shoulders.Rough sandals of bark were on his feet, fastened to his ankles bythongs of leather. At his back hung a bow and quiver, and in one handhe grasped a thick spear or club and a round black shield of bull'shide; while in the other he held the slender form of Ina.
"Set me at freedom! How dare you thus insult me?" she cried. "I wouldseek my way homeward."
"Not so, fair maiden," answered the man with rough harsh tones, in astrange dialect, though Ina could comprehend it sufficiently tounderstand the tenor of his words. "Not so; you are a prize of too muchvalue to be allowed to escape so easily."
"Begone, barbarian, and loose your hold," cried Ina, though fearful andtrembling in his rude grasp, yet retaining her native dignity. "Thinkyou to escape the vengeance of my tribe, if you should wrong me?"
"Vengeance! say you?" exclaimed the man scornfully. "Think you I fearthe vengeance of any?"
"You will have cause to fear it, if you do not release me," sheanswered. "Know you not what chieftain's child I am?"
"I know full well," said the savage. "You are the daughter of the chiefwho wronged my master; who slew my master's brother; and you are thetimid maid who would not be his bride. But now you'll not again refuseto obey his will."
"I know not of whom you speak," cried Ina. "My father never slew achief of Atteghei."
"I know your father well," answered the ruffian. "He is the ChieftainArslan Gherrei, and you refused to be the bride of the brave Khan, mymaster, Khoros Kaloret."
"Your master Kaloret Khan?" cried Ina, still more terrified than before,at the sound of that name. "Yet he would never dare to rob a nobleUzden of his daughter. Release me, ruffian!"
"My master fears not any chief of Atteghei," answered the man, fiercely."I'll waste no more speech; so cease your cries, and come willingly.My noble master waits your coming."
Ina shrieked with fear. "Oh, Allah, protect me!" she cried, as thesavage endeavoured to drag her away. "Barbarian, release me, I prayyou, let me go."
"No, no, girl, your prayers are useless," answered the man. "Let mymaster hear them. On me, they are thrown away."
"Haste, haste, Conrin," she cried, in Turkish; "fly to our home. Sendmessengers to Selem, to my father, and rouse the villagers."
As the barbarian saw the page hastening to obey, he said to Ina: "Staythat boy, till we are out of sight. If he moves hence, I'll send anarrow through his breast."
Conrin, who understood not his words--Ina being too terrified tointerpret them--was hurrying from rock to rock, fearless of the perilwhich a single false step might cause, or of the cruel death whichthreatened him; when the barbarian prepared to put his threat intoexecution. For an instant, he loosened his hold of Ina, unslinging hisbow from his back, and drawing a shaft to its head, with a hand whichnever missed its aim. In vain, Ina shrieked to Conrin to stop, andimplored the monster to hold his hand. Neither of them heard her voice.
The last moment of the poor boy's life seemed to have arrived, as thearrow flew from the string; but ere the hand which drew it reached theear, it was struck by a violent blow, and the shaft wavering in its aim,flew high above the page's head. The fierce mountaineer, taking asecond arrow, turned to his aggressor, when he found his arm held by apowerful and firm grasp.
Ina shrieked with fear for her preserver's life--for in him she beheldthe stranger Thaddeus--as the follower of the Khan attempted to seizehis heavy spear, and to fell him to the ground. But the young Pole,grappling with him, prevented his raising it high enough to strike.Though Thaddeus was strong and active, his fierce opponent was heavierand more powerful. Releasing his arm with a sudden exertion, he soughthis dagger in his girdle; but the Pole throwing himself upon him withhis whole force, the two combatants fell to the ground.
"Fear not for me, dearest Ina," cried he; "save yourself. Hasten downthe cliffs, and fly homewards. I will hold this robber, until you aresafe."
Ina scarcely heard his words, or, if she did, thought not of followinghis advice; but trembling for his life, she watched the combat, so as,if possible, to lend her aid. For an instant, Thaddeus was uppermost;but endeavouring to grasp his opponent's throat, he was obliged torelease one arm; when, drawing his dagger from his belt, themountaineer, by a violent effort, threw himself round, grasping thefatal weapon in his hand, and bringing the unfortunate youth below him.He was about to stab the young Pole, when another, though a feeble hand,directed its aim, and it struck deeply into the earth, in a cleft of therock.
Thaddeus seized the dagger; when his opponent, with tremendous exertion,arose and attempted to hurl him over the cliff; but as the mountaineerapproached the edge, his foot slipped. Seizing the fortunate moment,and mustering all his strength, Thaddeus struck the dagger deep into hisbreast. The huge barbarian fell heavily, still clasping Thaddeus in hisarms, who, nevertheless, forced him to the edge of the platform, whenthe body rolled over to a jutting craig, some feet below where theystood.
Recovering himself, Thaddeus turned to Ina, "Lady," he said, "I owe mylife to your courage: your timely aid saved me."
"Oh, no," she cried; "it was you who saved my life, and more than life,for which you bravely risked your own. Allah be praised, who guardedyours, and brought you to my rescue! You also saved poor Conrin's life.But let us not stay here. The comrades of the man may come and revengehis death on you. Oh, let us hasten home."
"I will bear you safely down these steep cliffs, lady," said Thaddeus;"you are weak, and scarce able to walk from terror."
Lifting her gently (and Ina thought not of resisting his offer), withfirm and fearless steps, he sought a path amid the craigs; and as hebore her slight form in his arms, he felt her hand unconsciously presshis. Her bright beaming eyes betrayed the ardent gratitude, which herlips feared to utter. She looked anxiously into his face, to learn ifhe felt oppressed by fatigue; but there she read alone his love andpride, at having saved her; nor could she bring herself to entreat himto set her down, till they reached in safety the bottom of the glen.
"I am stronger now, and will fatigue your arms no longer, noble Sir,"she said. Thaddeus at last, unwillingly obeyed her repeated requests,though she still consented to lean on his arm, as he accompanied herhomeward.
"Whence came that robber, who so terrified you?" asked Thaddeus.
"Oh he was no robber," answered Ina. "But a follower of the fierceKhan, whose brother the young Conrin slew and who seeks to wed me."
"Wed you, lady? Can such as he be worthy of you?" exclaimed the youngPole with enthusiasm.
"I know not; but I never loved him," answered Ina; "and now I doublyfear his vengeance for your sake. When he hears that you have slain hisfollower, he will not rest till he has had satisfaction for his blood.I would that you were safe beyond his reach!"
"I do not dread any injury he can do me," cried Thaddeus. "To havesaved you from danger is so great a joy that I would die to gain it."
Ina felt her heart beat quickly as he spoke; for the tone of his voicesaid more even than the words themselves.
It was a moment of delight--of pure bliss to both those young beings;notwithstanding the wildness of the scene, the danger they had passedthrough and which might be still pursuing them. They knew that theymutually loved. They attempted not to speak; for they felt that wordswould not adequately convey their love. They looked into each other'seyes, and there they read all each could wish to know. Ina thought ofher preserver, and the danger he was yet in; and, as she hastenedthrough the glen, she cast many an anxious glance to see if anyfollowed. She thought that she heard a footstep; it was but the rushingof the stream across a rock; she tried to increase her speed; again sheturned with fear--it was but the echo of their tread among the cliffs.
Thaddeus endeavoured to tranquillise her alarms; and partiallysucceeded, by assuring her that he had himself descended the ravine, andhad encountered no one. As they emerged from the narrow gorge, loudshouts saluted their ears, and they met a band of villagers led on byConrin, who, overcome by his exertions,
sunk down at his mistress's feeton seeing she was safe. Ina stooped over the poor boy with deepsolicitude, endeavouring to unloose his vest; but he strenuouslyresisted her offers, declaring that he was fast recovering.
The party, composed of old and young, armed with weapons, shouted loudlyfor joy when they saw Ina in safety; she thanked them for theirpromptitude in coming to her rescue, and presented Thaddeus as herpreserver. The villagers complimented him on his bravery and success,as with shouts and songs, they followed her homeward. The aged chiefhad left his house to encourage the people in their pursuit of theravisher; but, when he saw his young kinswoman in