Swiftly as Elissa had run down the street, here she redoubled her speed, flitting through the glades like some white spirit, and so rapidly that her companion found it difficult to keep her in view.  At length they came to a large open space of ground where played the level beams of the rising moon, striking upon the dense green foliage of an immense tree that grew there.  Round this tree Elissa ran, glancing about her wildly, so that for a few seconds Metem lost sight of her, for its mass was between them.  When he saw her again she was speeding towards the figure of a man who stood in the open, about ten paces from the outer boughs of the tree.  To this she pointed as she came, crying out aloud, “Beware!  Beware!”

Another moment and she had almost reached the man, and still pointing began to gasp some broken words.  Then, suddenly in the bright moonlight, Metem saw a shining point of light flash towards the pair from the darkness of the tree.  It would seem that Elissa saw it also; at least, she leapt from the ground, her arm lifted above her head as though to catch the object.  Then as her feet once more touched the earth her knees gave way, and she fell down with a moan of pain.  Metem running on towards her, as he went perceived a shape, which looked like that of a black dwarf, slip from the shadow of the tree into some bushes beyond where it was lost.  Now he was there, to find Elissa half-seated, half-lying on the ground, the prince Aziel bending over her, and fixed through the palm of her right hand, which she held up piteously, a little ivory-pointed arrow.

“Draw it out from the wound,” he panted.

“It will not help me,” she answered; “the arrow is poisoned.”

With an exclamation, Metem knelt beside her, and, not heeding her groans of pain, drew the dart through the pierced palm.  Then he tore a strip of linen from his robe, and knotting it round Elissa’s wrist, he took a broken stick that lay near and twisted the linen till it almost cut into her flesh.

“Now, Prince,” he said, “suck the wound, for I have no breath for it.  Fear not, lady, I know an antidote for this arrow poison, and presently I will be back with the salve.  Till then, if you would live, do not suffer that bandage to be loosed, however much it pains you,” and he departed swiftly.

Aziel put his lips to the hurt to draw out the poison.

“Nay,” she said faintly, trying to pull away her hand, “it is not fitting, the venom may kill you.”

“It seems that it was meant for me,” he answered, “so at the worst I do take but my own.”

Presently, directing Elissa to hold her hand above her head, he put his arms about her and carried her a hundred paces or more into the open glade.

“Why do you move me?” she asked, her head resting on his shoulder.

“Because whoever it was that shot the arrow may return to try his fortune a second time, and here in the open his darts cannot reach us.”  Then he set her down upon the grass and stood looking at her.