THE TWO CAPTAINS.
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his warrior's voice, "Back, ye insolent plunderers! Whoever advances
but one step to the lady shall feel the vengeance of my arm!" They
started and seemed on the point of withdrawing, when one of their
number said, "The knight cannot touch us, the gulf between us is too
broad for that. And as for the lady's throwing herself down--it
almost looks as if the young knight were her lover, and whoever has a
lover is not likely to be so hasty about throwing herself down." All
laughed at this and again advanced. Zelinda tottered at the edge of
the abyss. But with the courage of a lion Fadrique had torn his
target from his arm, and hurling it with his right hand he flung it
at the soldiers with such a sure aim that the rash leader, struck on
the head, fell senseless to the ground. The rest again stood still.
"Away with you!" cried Fadrique authoritatively, "or my dagger shall
strike the next as surely, and then I swear I will never rest till I
have found out your whole gang and appeased my rage." The dagger
gleamed in the youth's hand, but yet more fearfully gleamed the fury
in his eyes, and the soldiers fled. Then Zelinda bowed gratefully to
her preserver, took up a roll of palm-leaves which lay at her feet,
and which must have previously slipped from her hand, and then
vanished hastily through a side-door of the gallery. Henceforth
Fadrique sought her in vain in the burning palace.




CHAPTER VIII.



The great Alba held a council with his chief officers in an open
place in the middle of the conquered city, and, by means of
interpreters, sent question after question to the Turkish prisoners
as to the fate of the beautiful woman who had been seen animating
them on the ramparts, and who was certainly the most exquisite
enchantress that had ever visited the earth. Nothing very distinct
was to be gained from the answers, for although the interrogated all
knew of the the beautiful Zelinda as a noble lady versed in magic
lore, and acknowledged by the whole people, they were utterly unable
to state from whence she had come to Tunis and whither she had now
fled. When at last they began to threaten the prisoners as