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Those on board seemed perfectly thunderstruck at the sight of the chase thus turning the tables upon them. "Fire!" he cried, as he arrived opposite the Turks. The guns were fired directly into the crowded ship. Loud cries and screams, and the crash of a falling mast told how well those shots had been aimed. "Now for the next!" screamed Ranadar, excited. "We will serve them in the same way!"
She was dressed in the elegant Grecian costume, and on her head she held a small guitar which she had just finished playing. Ranadar looked at the beautiful being, filled with wonder and profound astonishment at so much beauty. What was his amazement when he saw her raise her head and gently sigh his own name? "Ranadar!"
Three times the steel of Ranadar started the blood of Achmet. Twice he forced him upon his knee. At last the Turk struck furiously at the corsair. But the next moment his sword was whirled from his hand, and the Moslem chief fell gasping at the feet of Ranadar. "Victory, victory! Down with the Turks," shouted the fierce corsair, as they rushed more furiously than ever upon their foes.
The Turkish prisoners were carried to Scio, and after a long time were exchanged for Greek captives. The name of Ranadar gained new glory, and his deeds were spoken of everywhere. One tenth of the spoil was Ranadar's, but this he forced upon Monilon, in order to enable him again to rebuild his ruined home in Komao.
Ranadar was filled with a variety of contending emotions. But passionate love and pity for the beautiful Iona were pre-eminent among them. He looked in silence after Achmet had gone, but suddenly remembered that no time could be lost in waiting there. "Surely," he said to himself, "there must be something else here beside this aperture, there must be some small door by which one might enter.
The lovely girl, overcome by her sudden escape from death, from sorrow and misery overcome at the sight of Ranadar, free, and making her free, felt a deep gush of joy and bliss, too great for utterance. Her tears of happiness flowed freely, and while she clung to him she sighed his name, "Ranadar!" "Cling to me closer, closer, Iona! There is the water beneath us. We must escape.
At the noise of his entrance, she started, and looking up, muttered a few words in a daring tone, as though she supposed the slaves had come to put her to death, but seeing Ranadar the great corsair, the man whom she loved beyond all words, she uttered a faint scream of joy and raised her arms and face to heaven. He caught her in his arms. "Fly with me, Iona. I know all. Come with your Ranadar.
We will make the Turks remember us, and when they pursue another corsair they will tremble, for they shall think of Ranadar the corsair." In obedience to his orders the train was prepared, but as it would be some time before their pursuers would come up to them, they did not make any preparation for soon firing it. Three hours more passed, and now the nearest ship had arrived within gunshot.
He stood there with folded arms, glancing at them as haughtily and proudly as though he were victor, and not a captive. "You Ranadar!" "I am. I did that," said he, pointing to the blackened fragments upon the water. "What! You come here, you confess your name, and your atrocious deed? Do you hope to live?" "No." "And you shall not be disappointed.
Monilon took it, for well he knew that Ranadar would have it again-well he knew it, by the happy smile and lovely blushes of Iona. Komao rises from the sea not more than thirty miles to the north of Scio. It is a lovely spot, where trees of luxuriant foliage and richest fruit grow on every side.
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