livion of rest to those who had engaged in the more war-like duties of the arblast and mangonel. The sounds of life gradually decreased, and a profound silence reigned throughout the christian camp uninterrupted, save by the tread of the patrol who took his weary round upon the out-posts, like the sentinel of a beleaguered city. In her protracted efforts to quiet the sobbing queen, El-siebede learned a curious and inexplicable fact, namely, that a greater draft is made upon the patience and energy of the nurse by the over-excited feelings of the sensitive wife, than by the real wants of the sick man himself. Thus the leech had long been dozing upon his watch, ere the anxious Moorish girl had found it possible to leave the bedside of her mistress. At length the incessant calls upon her sympathy subsided into sighs which gradually relaxed into the regular breathing of healthy slumber, and the im-patient attendant stealing noiselessly from the apartment sought among the attendants for the wily Salaman. " Awake, Salaman," she whispered, softly. The black instantly arose, without salutation or remark, and stood be-fore her rolling his eyes in perfect self-possession, as though to repel the suspicion that a person of his active vigilance could have been detected in the weakness of slumber. Lay-ing her finger upon her lip, Elsiebede led the way among sleeping guards to the little enclosure in front of the tent. " Bring me," said she, " the signet-ring from the hand of the king." Salaman, who had long labored under the hal-lucination that no feat could be beyond his ability, looked absolutely sober at this unheard-of proposition, ejaculating, " It is to put my head into the lion's mouth !" but instantly recovering his self-complacency, he added, "Nothing can be easier. Remain here till I come." Skilfully avoiding the tent ropes, he wormed himself under the folds of the pavilion into the outer apartment, where the chamberlain and guard were snoring in melodious concert, and carefully lifting the curtain entered the royal presence. But through the darkness that reigned, he could not readily discern the 236 1 HEROINES OF THE CRUSADES.