shalt find a friend in Bohemond, whenever thou shalt stand in need of But methinks Giuseppe had a son, worthy of so brave a father. What has become of thy brother, Bartoldo ?'

his succor.

He fell, as I heard, at Dorylæum,' she answered mournfully, 'in a fruitless effort to save thy cousin William from the spear of the Saracen. And now Agatha is left without a single relative among this mighty host. On the death of our father, Bartoldo was seized with an unconquerable desire to join the army of the Crusaders; our mother had been long dead, and I resolved to follow my brother, in the hope that I might be enabled to minister to his comforts in the perils and privations which I knew he would be called on to endure.'

'Alas! poor maiden,' replied the chief, and how hast thou been preserved, with no friend to watch over thee, amid the horrors of this dreadful siege?'

The saints have protected me,' she said, with much solemnity, 'and have raised me up a friend in the Lady Isabella, wife of the Count of Blois.'

'Stephen of Blois, fair one, is wearied of the discomforts of this protracted siege,' rejoined the chief, and under the plea of ill health, will shortly desert our camp. Hast thou no other protector to defend thee when he has departed?'

'Cause thy attendants to retire,' she replied, after a brief pause, and I will answer thee.'

Bohemond waved his hand, and his followers left the tent. The maiden resumed.

'Pledge me thy faith, Prince of Tarentum, that my secret shall be safe in thy keeping.'

I promise,' said the chief, upon the faith and honor of a knight, that thy secret shall be betrayed to none.'

'It is enough,' said Agatha; 'know then that I am betrothed to Phirouz, the Armenian.'

'How can I credit thee, maiden? Phirouz is a Mahommedan, and has for some time been intrusted by Baghasian, Prince of Antioch, with the defence of one of the towers which guards the northern wall.'

My words are nevertheless true,' replied the maiden, and Phirouz is no Mahommedan; I have been the poor instrument, in the hands of Heaven, of bringing him over to our holy religion.'

But by what means hast thou been enabled to hold converse with him ?'

'For some weeks,' she replied, Phirouz was daily in our camp as a spy —'

Well for him he crossed not my path,' interrupted Bohemond; 'trust me, his visits would effectually have been arrested.'

'I knew him not as a spy,' continued Agatha; he won my affections ere I knew his office; and when I did know it, I forbade him, for a time, my presence. Meanwhile he had been rewarded for his intelligence by the situation he now holds. When we again met, he sought the interview, to learn from me new arguments for the truth of Christianity; for my former words had sunk deep into his heart, and he felt that his own creed was false, but he knew not then that ours was true. And now,' continued the maiden, Prince of Tarentum, thou hast given me life, it is my duty to recompense thee as I best may. Would yon

der proud city be a worthy prize to thine ambition? Perchance the poor Agatha can give even that into thine hands.'

Bohemond gazed upon her for a moment, like one entranced. Then striding twice or thrice rapidly across the tent, he paused abruptly before the maiden, and exclaimed:

'Show me but the way, fair herald of glad tidings, and I swear to thee by the holy sepulchre, that thou and thy lover shall be richly rewarded.'

'Admit me to thy tent to-morrow evening,' said the maiden with some hesitation, and perchance thou mayest hear further intelligence.' So saying, she withdrew, and Bohemond retired to his couch, but not to sleep ambition was too busy at his heart to allow slumber to visit him, weary though he was with the hard strife of the day.

CHAPTER III.

THE ARMENIAN.

THE moon was sleeping in solemn beauty upon city and camp. No sound was to be heard, save the tread of sentries- the deep murmuring of the Orontes - the occasional baying of a hound, or neigh of a war-horse- and the clatter of the armourer's hammer, repairing the mail, battered in the morning's contest; the lateness of the hour, at which he plied his task, proving how great a demand for his services the battle had caused. It was near midnight, and amidst the stillness of the hour, a figure closely muffled in an ample cloak was ascending, with an elastic step, the abrupt path of the mountain toward the northern extremity of the city. At length, pausing at some distance from the walls, it thrice sounded a peculiar note with a small whistle, listening with some anxiety between each blast. The echo of the last had scarcely died away, ere from a broad loop-hole of one of the towers, a ladder of ropes was let down, and a form was seen rapidly descending. It was that of a man under the middle age, slight, but of perfect symmetry, and rather above than below the common standard of height. Instead of the turban which was commonly worn, his head was covered with a high crimson cap, beneath which might be seen a finely moulded brow and face, terminating at the chin in a perfect oval; its deep olive complexion agreeing well with the jet black hair which fell gracefully from beneath the cap, and the long, slender moustache, which curved like a battle-bow above his small, well formed mouth. The straight Grecian nose showed him not to be of Turkish descent, though the piercing black eye, and indeed the general contour of the features, proclaimed an eastern origin.

'Dearest Agatha,' he exclaimed, as he approached the closely-muffled form, how many weary days have passed since the sound of thy welcome whistle has greeted mine ear.'

Nay, dear Phirouz,' rejoined Agatha,' ever since the night when thou wert so nearly discovered by that midnight prowler, the Count of Melun, I have scarcely dared to leave the camp, lest our interviews should be forever prevented; henceforth I fear me they must be few, unless this unhappy siege should soon terminate. But,' she added, is it certain that even then we could hope to meet without concealment? Would to God that thou, dear Phirouz, wert one of our warriors, and not the

warden of yon hostile tower! And now that thou hast embraced the same faith, is it well for thee to war against the soldiers of the cross?'

'Would that it were otherwise!' he answered, musingly; but, dearest, there are difficulties in the way. I am known in the Christian camp only as a spy. Were I to desert my charge here, and join the ranks of the Crusaders, I should be still looked upon with suspicion; they may even refuse to receive me as a companion in arms. Even were my services accepted, my single arm could avail but little toward the accomplishment of their undertaking.'

'Phirouz,' said the maiden with great earnestness, placing as she spoke her hand upon her lover's arm, 'thou hast often bidden me demand from thee some proof of thy affection. I doubt it not I have never doubted it but the injunction proves that thou art willing to make some sacrifice for thine Agatha. Our warriors are fighting in a holy cause. They have come hither from distant lands to recover the sepulchre where our Lord was buried, and to insure safe passage to and from that sacred spot, for the bands of pious pilgrims who resort thither; and who, thou well knowest, have been miserably oppressed, ill treated, buried in loathsome dungeons, tortured and slain, by those for whom thou art perilling thy life. Is it not thine, dear Phirouz, a believer now in the same creed, to aid their pious design, rather than to give thy assistance to impede it? The command of the tower which now frowns above us, is thine thine Agatha asks thee to forward the undertaking of thy fellow Christians- Bohemond of Tarentum will reward thee richly, if thou wilt.'

It shall be done,' replied the youth, after a pause-long have I felt that my situation was an unpleasant one; but this morning,' he continued, and his eye kindled and his lip quivered as he spoke, 'Baghasian, in making the circuit of the walls, upbraided me with my apostacy from Islamism, and then, in the presence of a large body of my fellow captains, turned away from me with the insulting speech, There is but one step between the apostate and the traitor beware! thou art suspected' Maiden, his prediction shall be verified. Let Bohemond keep his gold; neither for that nor even for thy love - highly as I value it would I betray the trust that is reposed in me, were I not convinced that a purer motive requires me to do so. Even that motive

I might have repressed, but for the insult of Baghasian. Tell Bohemond to have all things prepared for an assault, and when he sees a light in the highest loop-hole of this tower, bid him lead his bravest lances to its foot they shall be admitted. And now, dearest, farewell! I see the torch of the officer of the guard approaching along the walls; I must be on my post. When next we meet, it shall be no longer in the stolen interviews between those of hostile camps.'

He kissed her fair brow, and departed, and was soon in his tower, awaiting his superior's approach.

SLOWLY to Bohemond passed that night and the succeeding day: as evening approached, every step, every voice he heard, drew his eyes

to the tent door.

He had that day called a meeting of his brother chiefs, and demanded of them, in full council, if, in the event the city should be taken by his means, they would consent to give up to him the sole possession of the prize. At first they had refused. Each chief asserted his right to an equal division of the spoil, whoever should lead the way to its acquisition. Bohemond, somewhat disappointed at the reception which his proposal met with, rose abruptly from his seat, saying:

As ye willas ye will, my lords. The distresses of the siege press not more heavily on me than they do upon you. We will again quietly sit down and look at the walls of Antioch. As ye refuse me the possession of the city, ye cannot complain if I refuse to divulge the means by which I had hoped to take it; nevertheless, ye will, perhaps, wish that ye had made a less hasty decision, when ye hear the intelligence I have to communicate.' Clapping his hands, a messenger appeared. Tell these noble leaders,' continued Bohemond, addressing him, 'that which thou didst tell to me as I met thee on my way to the council.'

'Be it known to you, noble Godfrey,' said the messenger, and ye other leaders of this Christian army, that the Sultaun of Persia is now on his march hither to raise the siege of Antioch, and unless the city be soon in your power

The messenger was here interrupted by Raimond, Count of Toulouse, between whom and Bohemond a coolness, almost amounting to a decided quarrel, had for some time existed.

'The Prince of Tarentum, my lords, hath been happy in discovering a messenger so opportunely to back his arguments. Trust me, I could procure twenty at an hour's notice, who would declare to you that the Sultaun of Persia was marching in an opposite direction.'

Nay,' replied Godfrey, the information is correct. I have this morning received the same intelligence from another source, and it was my intention to have laid the subject before you forthwith. Kerboga leads an immense and well appointed host. What say you then, my lords, shall we accept the noble Bohemond's proposal?'

After some discussion the chiefs, perceiving that the emergency was pressing, consented to agree to the proposition of Bohemond. The following morning was appointed for the council again to meet, to receive from that chief whatever disclosures he might have to make with respect to the capture of the city; and on returning to his tent, it was not without deep anxiety that Bohemond awaited the promised visit of Agatha.

The maiden at length appeared, and the chief read success in her countenance. She revealed to him the conversation which had passed between her and her lover, and the signal which was to warn the Crusaders of the hour of attack. As she turned to depart, the delighted prince threw over her shoulders a massive gold chain, of great value, 'not as a reward,' he said, as she attempted to return it, but as a mark of admiration for the virtue which thou hast exhibited in the midst of vice and licentiousness. Continue thus to act, fair maiden, and the saints doubtless will protect thee; and thy lover-if he be indeed the noble youth thou describest him- will prove himself a husband worthy of thee. May the God of battles bless our arms, and afford ye a peaceful and happy union!'

At the council, on the following morning, Bohemond related to

Godfrey and a few of the principal leaders, under the strictest obligations of secrecy, in consequence of the numerous spies who infested the camp, his intercourse with Phirouz, and his plan of attack. It was then determined to place under Bohemond's orders seven hundred chosen knights, to be ready at a moment's warning, the ostensible object of whose preparation was to lay an ambush for the Persian army, which was known to be approaching. All the necessary arrangements were soon made, and the moment twilight fell, Bohemond's eye was turned anxiously toward the tower of Phirouz.

The night fell dark, cloudy, and tempestuous. It was uncertain when the signal would be made, but the time was so favorable for the enterprise, that the warriors were ordered to hold themselves in readiness, and Godfrey, Bohemond, and Robert of Flanders, the three leaders of the expedition, assembled in complete armor in the tent of the latter, which, from its situation in the camp, commanded a full view of the tower which Phirouz held. Hour after hour passed, and still no signal appeared and after a short deliberation, it was resolved to set out in the direction of the tower, so as to lose no time in entering, after Phirouz should signify his readiness to receive them. Slowly and stealthily they left the camp, all but the leaders ignorant of the real object of the march. Making a circuit of some distance among the mountains, they reached at length a deep valley, not far from the walls, where they halted. The tower was in sight, but dark and still as if untenanted by living being. The leaders, fearful that Phirouz had deceived them, again went apart to consult, and Bohemond had just volunteered to go up to the walls alone, and try to procure some intelligence, when suddenly from the highest loop-hole of the tower flashed forth a brilliant and steady light! Bohemond flew back to the band, and, pointing to the light, said:

My friends and fellow soldiers!

that beacon fire lights you to victory. Not for ambush have we left the camp; a nobler quarry demands your courage. It was necessary to conceal the object of our expedition, lest spies should have learned the truth, and defeated our plans. Know then, that yonder light, gleaming from the tower of Phirouz, shows that he is ready to admit us within the walls. Be brave, fellow soldiers, and your toils will be ended. This night Antioch shall be ours. ward to victory and spoil!'

Now for

The whole band advanced rapidly, but without noise, save what arose from the heavy tread and clanking armor of so many knightsbut even that was unheard, amid the howling of the storm through the steep mountain passes around them. They reached the walls. From the loop-hole through which the lover had descended, two nights before, to meet Agatha, hung a single rope to which a ladder of hides, which the invaders had brought from the camp, was attached, and drawn up by an invisible hand within. Then it was that the full peril of the enterprise struck the minds of the Crusaders. Who shall ascend first?' was the question which each asked, but no one answered.

Who is this Phirouz? exclaimed Walter de Bras, a rough but bold knight of France: we can enter but one at a time, and a single hand above may silently cut off the bravest lancers of the Crusade.'

Phirouz is a true friend,' whispered a voice above; trust to him, and fear nothing. On your speed depends your safety. A patrol with

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