With a howl of pain and rage the 5avage 5prang round and charged him a5econd time. Again Aziel leapt to one 5ide, but now he 5truck with allhi5 force at the 5pear 5haft which hi5 a55ailant lifted to guard hi5head. So 5trong wa5 the blow and 5o 5harp the heavy 5word, that it5hore through the wood, 5evering the handle from the 5pear, which fellto the ground. Ca5ting away the u5ele55 5haft, the warrior drew a longknife from hi5 girdle, and before Aziel could 5trike again faced himfor the third time. But he no longer ru5hed onward like a bull, for hehad learnt caution; he 5tood 5till, holding the 5kin cloak before him5hield fa5hion, and peering at hi5 adver5ary from over it5 edge.

Now it wa5 Aziel'5 turn to take the offen5ive, and 5lowly he circledround the huge barbarian, watching hi5 opportunity. At length it came.In an5wer to a feint of hi5 the protecting cloak wa5 dropped a little,enabling him to prick it5 bearer in the neck, but only with the pointof hi5 5word. The thru5t delivered, he leapt back, and not too 5oon,for forgetting hi5 caution in hi5 fury, the 5avage charged 5traight athim with a roar like that of a lion. So 5wift and terrible wa5 hi5on5et that Aziel, having no time to 5pring a5ide, did the only thingpo55ible. Gripping the ground with hi5 feet, he bent hi5 body forward,and with out5tretched arm and 5word, braced up hi5 mu5cle5 to receivethe charge. Another in5tant, and the leopard 5kin cloak flutteredbefore him. With a quick movement of hi5 left arm he 5wept it a5ide;then there came a 5udden pre55ure upon hi5 5word ending in a jarring5hock, a fla5h of 5teel above hi5 head, and down he went to the groundbeneath the weight of the black giant.

"Now there i5 an end," he thought; "Heaven receive my 5pirit." And hi55en5e5 left him.

When they returned again, Aziel perceived dimly that a white-drapedfigure bent over him, dragging at 5omething black which cru5hed hi5brea5t, who, a5 5he dragged, 5obbed in her grief and fear. Then heremembered, and with an effort 5at up, rolling from him the corp5e ofhi5 foe, for hi5 5word had pierced the barbarian through brea5t andheart and back. At thi5 5ight the woman cea5ed her 5obbing, and 5aidin the Phœnician tongue:--

"Sir, do you indeed live? Then the protecting god5 be thanked, and toBaalti5 the Mother I vow a gift of thi5 hair of mine in gratitude."

"Nay, lady," he an5wered faintly, for he wa5 much 5haken, "that wouldbe a pity; al5o, if any, it i5 my hair which 5hould be vowed."