Swords From the West Read Free Page B

daughter of Sieur de Rohan was in Tana, under his protection. Rohan had requested him to safeguard her.
    "What token bring ye as warranty of your mission?" he asked. "A writing, Sir Bruce?"
    The Scottish swordsman looked calmly at the merchant. "Ye wit well, Messer Andrea, that my lord of Rohan could not write a paternoster. I am saying that he spoke with me after he had been cut down, and he bade me go to you and take in my charge his daughter, to shield and guard her to her home."
    Messer Andrea lowered his eyes and stroked his long chin. The daughter of the dead seigneur, Marie de Rohan was still a child-but a child who was beginning to be beautiful. She was thin and white, and grieving had darkened the shadows under her eyes. Still, there was the hue of fire in her hair, with a glint of gold running through it. Such hair was the fashion in Venice, and Messer Andrea knew certain noblemen who would pay two hundred ducats of full weight for Marie de Rohan.
    Her father had never paid his debt to the Counter, and Marie had no kinsmen to protect her. Messer Andrea was not minded to yield her to a wandering swordsman.
    "How will you find a way," he asked, sharply, "back to Christian lands?"
    "By the caravan route."
    Prince Theodore propped himself up on an elbow and exclaimed shrilly: "By the hide and hair of the Evil One, this is madness! With forty lances I would not set foot upon that road."
    "Betimes, my lord," responded Sir Bruce, "a maid is safer upon the road than behind walls."
    The smooth brow of the Greek darkened, and his hand caught at the hilt of the long dagger in his girdle.
    "Your Mightiness!" The Counter's dry voice was like the flicker of a whip. "Allow me to warn our guest of the peril outside the walls. Piculph-see thou to the watch. Send in cupbearers with Cyprian wine."
    The Greek sank back upon the divan deeper into the shadow, stifling his anger with whispered oaths. At first he would not touch the silver goblet of cool white wine offered him by the two Circassian women who came unveiled, silent and graceful as animals upon the soft carpet. Then he clutched his cup, gulped it down and signed for more.
    Sir Bruce waited to see him drink first, and in the pause the keen ears of the Scot caught the movement of armed men all about him-the clank of the iron butts of crossbows against stone parapets, the crackle and flare of the cresset newly lighted that showed him the steel caps of a score of bowmen, the dark arms of mangonels and the bronze tubes of flame throwers on the outer wall. Even in the alleys below, the night was full of sounds-a man's sudden oath, the clatter of hoofs, and the ceaseless wail of beggars.
    "You have noticed, young man, that Tana is strongly held. I have been warned." Messer Andrea tapped the parchment in his fingers. "There is one near at hand who fears not the wrath of God nor the weapons of man.
    "And here is the message he sends me." Messer Andrea unrolled the parchment and held it so the Scot could see the strange writing-tiny scrolls and curlicues-that covered it. Some of the marks were inscribed in red upon a gilt circle.
    "'Tis Arabic, with a royal name emblazoned," commented Sir Bruce. "I ken-" he was silent for a moment. "Read it, I cannot."
    "That name," assented the Genoese, "is Tamerlane."
    Sir Bruce looked up reflectively. In bazaar and caravansary he had heard men speak of Tamerlane, a lame Tatar king who had emerged with his horde from the unknown steppes of the east.
    Messer Andrea read slowly:
    "By command of TAMERLANE, King of all Kings, the Victorious, Lord of Fortunate Happenings-to the master of Tana, these words are sent. With sharp sword edges and swift horses we are passing thy city. Send out to us therefore a suitable gift, and no harm will befall thee at our hand."
    Messer Andrea was silent a moment, studying the parchment. He resumed:
    "If the tribute is not sufficient, we will turn aside and make war upon ye. We will set the red cock crowing. We will build