248 THE BOY CRUSADERS.

and they pes a full hour in breathless sus-
pense.

At Jength a loud shout intimated that the Tartars
had penetrated to the garden; and Bisset, wishing
to bring matters to a crisis, stepped forward so as
to make himself visible, and then retreated to his
post. Immediately twenty of the fierce Mogul
warriors rushed towards the place, and with loud
shouts prepared for fresh carnage. But, when they
perceived the Templar and the English knight
guarding the door with the air of men who could
not fail to prove terrible antagonists, they hesitated,
paused, and seemed to think that it was necessary to
exercise caution.

Now, this delay was not without an important
result. In the leader of the Tartars, Bisset to his
astonishment saw a man whom he had met under
other circumstances, and instantly turned his dis-
covery to account.

‘Hold, hold, brave warrior!’ cried he, in a con-
ciliating tone. ‘With us you have no quarrel. We
are ambassadors who were sent hither by the King
of France to obtain the release of some captives, and
in you I recognise one of the barons of Tartary who
came to the court of the island of Cyprus, and to
whom I myself, as a knight in the Christian king’s
service, rendered what service I could. With us,
therefore, I repeat, you have no quarrel. Wherefore
should we dye our weapons in each other’s blood ?’

The Tartar remained motionless, and eyed the
knight keenly, and not without suspicion.

‘It may be as yousay,’ repliel he after some con-