In the gathering gloom Constantine approached the extreme edge of the
camp, where those who were to bring up the rear had just mounted. A
soldier, somewhat separated from the others, was leading several
horses; either a relay in case of accident to the others, or those
animals whose saddles had been emptied during the fight at the konak.
Constantine's appearance was evidently a surprise to the soldier, who
eyed him closely, but made no movement indicating suspicion beyond
that of a rather pleased curiosity. The man made a low salâm, bowing
his turban to the saddle bow, and addressed him--
"Will you not mount, Sire?" Without responding Constantine leaped into
a saddle.
"You will pardon me, Captain," continued the soldier. "You are
welcome back, for we are in better heart when you are with us."
"Thanks, good fellow," said Constantine, "but I have not returned
yet--at least my return must not be known to the troops until the
morning. We will take your tongue out if you tell any one I am back
without bidding."
The man gave a quick glance as if perplexed. Constantine's hand was
upon his dagger. But the soldier's doubt was relieved as he seemed to
be confident of the familiar form of his captain; and he explained his
apparent suspicion by quickly adding--
"You speak the Servian excellent well, Captain."
"One must get used to it, and every other tongue, in commanding such a
mixed crew as the Sultan gathers into his army," said Constantine.
"You Janizaries are wonderful men," replied the soldier. "You know all
languages. There was the little Aga I once"--
"No matter about that now," said Constantine, interrupting him. "I
want you for a special duty. Can I trust you to do me an errand? If
you do it well you will be glad of it hereafter."
"Ay, ay, Sire! with my life; and my lips as mute as the horse's."
"I captured a girl last night. She knows something I would find out by
close questioning. I must have her brought to the rear."
"Ay! the girl Koremi holds?"
"Yes, tell Koremi to loiter a little with her until I come up. We must
not go far from this defile before I find out what she knows, if I
have to discover it with my dagger in her heart; for there are
traitors among us. Last night there were Arnaouts dressed as Moslems
in the fight."
"That I know," said the soldier, "for I tripped over a fellow myself,
hiding in the bushes, who swore at me in as good round Arnaout tongue
as they speak in hell. I ran him through and found a Giaour corslet
under his jacket. If there are traitors among us we will broil them
over our first camp-fire, that they may scent hell before they get
there."
"You see then why I must find out what I can at once," said the
assumed captain. "Some of our men are in league with the Arnaouts. I
can find out from that girl every one of them. Impress this upon
Koremi; and if he hesitates to let the girl drift to the rear, you can
tell him that he will be suspected of being in league with the
rascals."
Constantine took the ropes which held the horses the man was leading;
and, bidding him to haste, but be cautious that no one but Koremi
should know the message, followed slowly behind.
It was nearly an hour later when the form of the soldier appeared in
the road just before him.
"Right!" said Constantine.
"Right!" was the response, first to the assumed captain, then repeated
to some one behind him. Two other forms appeared; one of them a woman.
Anticipating his orders, the second trooper untied a rope from about
his own waist, and handed it, together with the rein of the horse the
woman rode, to Constantine. Then, making a low obeisance, the two
troopers withdrew a little distance to the rear.
The other end of the rope which Constantine held was about the waist
of the captive. Drawing the led horse close to his own, and dropping
his turban more over his face, Constantine closely scrutinized the
features of the woman. She was Morsinia. It was difficult for him to
repress the excitement and delay the revelation of his true person,
but the hazard of the least cry of surprise or recognition on her part
nerved him to coolness.
"Where are you taking me? If you have the courage, kill me," said the
girl.
Constantine replied only by whistling a snatch of an Albanian air.
"Are you an Albanian renegade?" continued the girl. "Could you not be
content to sell yourself to fight for the Turk against other enemies,
but must be a double traitor, and kill and kidnap your own kind?"
The whistling continued. But as the soldiers were a little removed, he
said in a low voice, disguising his natural tones:
"I am an Albanian, and if you will not speak, but only obey, I can
save you."
"Jesu grant you are true!" was the tremulous response.
"This will prove it," muttered he, reaching toward her, and with his
knife cutting a broad strap which bound her limbs to the saddle. "If
tied elsewhere, here is the knife."
The way, which had been narrowed by the projection of the mountains on
either side, now widened a little. Constantine knew the spot well.
There had once been a mill and peasant's hut there, and now quite a
plat of grass was growing from the soft soil. The eye could not
discern it, for the darkness was rayless. But Constantine remembered
the grassy stretch was just round the point of rock they were passing.
The horses were walking slowly, being allowed by their riders to pick
their way along the stony road. As they turned the rock a strong wind
rushed through the ravine, wailing a requiem over the now deserted
settlement and the dead leaves of last year, which it whirled in
eddies; and singing a lullaby through the trees to the new-born leaves
of the spring time, which were rocked on the cradling branches. This,
together with the clatter of the horses' feet before and behind them,
enabled Constantine to draw the captive's horse and his own upon the
soft turf without being heard. Halting them at a few yards' distance,
they allowed the men who had followed them to pass by, and sat in
silence until the lessening sound told them that the soldiers had made
another turn in the road. Then, wheeling the horses, Constantine gave
loose rein back over the track they had come. After a short ride he
dismounted, and closely examining the way, led the horses to one side,
up a path, and down again to a little plateau, perhaps a furlong from
the main road, where a grazing patch would keep them from being
betrayed by the neighing. He dreaded the fatigue of further journey to
his comrade; for even his own ordinarily tireless frame was beginning
to feel the drain of the terrible night and day they had passed
through.
Constantine threw off his turban and stretched his strong arms to
lift the captive from her horse, exclaiming with delight in his own
familiar tones,--
"I am no Albanian, dear Morsinia, but--"
"Constantine!" she cried.
He laid an almost lifeless form upon the turf, for the shock of the
revelation had been too much for her jaded nerves and excited brain.
Unrolling the cloth of his turban he spread it over her person, while
his own breast was her pillow. Slowly she recovered strength and
self-command.
In a few words the mutual stories of the hours of their separation
were told. Morsinia had been treated with exceeding kindness and
respect, as the captive of the chief officer of the expedition, who
seemed to be a person of some distinction, though she had not seen
him. Constantine insisted upon his companion's seeking sleep, but by
his inquiries, did as much as her own thoughts to keep her awake; so
that at the dawn they confessed that the eyes of neither had been
closed. The necessity of procuring food led them to start at daybreak
for the nearest settlement. They descended to the road and retraced
the course of the preceding night; for it was useless to return to the
wrecked hamlet. They had gone but a short distance when they heard the
sound of a body of cavalry directly in front of them, riding rapidly
up the valley. There was no time to avoid the approaching riders
either by flight or concealment. Constantine said hastily,
"Remember, if they are Turks, I too am a Turk, and you are my captive.
If they are friends, all is well. Stay where you are, and I will ride
forward to meet them."