It was "Witch! Witch! _Witch!_" Executioners who were waiting for the victim to be chosen in this ordeal by cat, rushed forward and seizing the girl began to drag her towards the fire.

The prisoner who was standing by her and whom we rightly guessed to be her husband, tried to protect her, but his arms being bound, poor fellow, he could do nothing.

One of the executioners knocked him down with a stick.

For a moment his wife escaped and threw herself upon him, but the brutes lifted her up again, haling her towards the fire, whilst all the audience shouted wildly.
"I can't stand this," said Leo, "it's murder--coldblooded murder," and he drew his sword.
"Best leave the beasts alone," I answered doubtfully, though my own blood was boiling in my veins.
Whether he heard or not I do not know, for the next thing I saw was Leo rushing through the gate waving the Khan's sword and shouting at the top of his voice.

Then I struck my heels into the ribs of the horse and followed after him.