crushing his rider against the bank. Nor was this all; the Frenchman's lance struck full and fair on Ralph's breast, and was shivered to the vamplate; but the Southwark armourer had put better metal into his spear-head; it pierced sheer through the gay corselet and the habergeon beneath, just above the gorget, and the tough English ash only broke off at last close to the embedded steel. Before the sand-cloud had cleared away, Ralph had sprung from saddle, and holding his misericorde to the throat of his fallen foe, bade him "Yield, rescue or no rescue!"

No answer came, save a low moan of intense, half-conscious agony, as dark red drops oozed not only from the breast-wound but through the bars of the vizor. A strange chill horror overcame Brakespeare as he felt himself for the first time in presence of death- death, too, dealt by his own hand. Enmity of race, the fierce delight of battle, the flush of a maiden triumph, were all swallowed up in a deep pity nearly akin to remorse. He beckoned, first to Will Lanyon, then to the French squire, to come to aid the fallen knight; while he himself held down the Limousin's head, lest in struggling to rise he should do his lord further hurt. Slowly and painfully the three succceded in disentangling the dying man-for that he was dying none doubted; and propping him against the road bank, they loosened helmet and gorget. Ralph would have given much to have undone his work, as he gazed on the countenance whose marvellous beauty he had marred. The features were alrealy pinched and drawn; the rich colour of the cheeks had faded to dull ashen grey; and through the rigid lips a thin dark stream was welling. The Gascon squire showed his grief after his impassioned southern fashion; wringing his hands, and speaking fast in a dialect that Ralph could scarcely comprehend. Even on Lanyon's rugged face were manifest signs of compassion, as he stood holding the bridles of the loose horses; for by this time the Limousin had scrambled up, seemingly none the worse for his fall.

"Bring water"-Ralph said to the French squire; and, kneeling down, he rested the knight's head on his own shoulder. The pool was not three roods off; but, before the water came, Loys de Chastelnaye had begun to revive. The flow of blood from his mouth abated; and, as he looked up and saw who supported him, his lips relaxed into a faint semblance of their old pleasant smile; when his face had been laved, and he had drunken twice or thrice, he spoke-almost in a whisper, but quite calmly and clearly

"Pardie, I was the veriest vantard but now, and I am rightly served: nevertheless, I take no shame to myself to have gone down before so strong a lance. Scant time have I for parley; beau sire, this my esquire, no less than I, are at your mercy; but Aymery, my good cousin and heir, will, I know, ransom him speedily. Gilles, I charge thee, so soon as thou art free, make all speed to Hacquemont; and deliver into the white hands of the damoiselle Marguerite this her gage. Say to her that I have done it no dishonour; but have borne it ever so forward as I might, turning bridle before no single foe, till thus in loyal combat was I slain: furthermore, by my hopes of mercy do I aver, that since she kissed these lips of mine they have been virgin of woman. So do I earnestly entreat of her pity, to grant unto no living man favour-be it ever so small-for the space of one year and one day; after that she shall be assoilzied of her troth-plight. Let her grace with her dear love some knight, worthier and more fortunate than this her poor servitor; and may the saints send to both long life and liesse."

"Nay, not so," Ralph broke in, so soon as the weak voice ceased. "Of ransom will I have none; and this your squire is free to set forth when he will to carry his message of dolour. I wis not what maketh me so heavy of heart; but, gentle sir, I had liever have miscarried in this my first proof of arms, than have won honour at the cost of your fair life."

A brief gleam of pleasure shot across the other's face, darkening already with the death-shadow.

"Ay, so?" he murmured. "Long since, in truth, from your manner of speech might I have guessed that I dealt with no common routier. To God and to the holy saints do I give thanks, that by no churl's hand was Loys de Chastelnaye sped. For this your kindness may——"

The benison, if such was meant, was choked in mid utterance by a fresh gush of blood, coming now in sharp, quick jets; and when it abated, the pulse had nearly ceased to beat. Once only in that last quiet minute of life-for death struggle there was none-the white lips moved; and Brakespeare, bending down his ear, caught what may have been an appeal to the Virgin-mother's mercy; but Ralph always believed it was a woman's name.

For some brief space after all was over, the youth never stirred; suddenly he started and shifted very gently the corpse from his shoulder to the ground beside him, for he heard Hawkwood's trumpet

sounding the recall. All his soldierly instinct came back at once, and he was a man-at-arms again, ready and willing for any duty he laid his hand almost roughly on the shoulder of the Gascon squire, who seemed still well nigh distraught with grief.

“Waste not time in wailing here"-he said-" thou knowest what thou hast to do; set about it speedily. First, -it behoves thee to see thy lord's body carefully bestowed, where it may lack no due rite or funeral observance; there is a moustier in yon wood to the right; I heard its bells chime but now. That rich armour will ensure the monks their guerdon, if they grudge free masses to such a knight's soul. His destrier wends with me; but thou may'st keep thine own, which I perceive tarries for thee there. For the rest—I have set thee free, that thou may'st do thy lord's bidding to the uttermost: if thou fail therein, or linger by the way, the shame of broken trust is thine."

So with one more look at the face which waxed beautiful again as it settled into the death-calm-Ralph picked up his headless lance from where it lay; and, after glancing heedfully over both the chargers so as to be sure that neither had suffered from the encounter, mounted and rode slowly back by the way that he had come; followed by Lanyon, leading the Limousin by the bridle. It was characteristic of the yeoman that, whilst they were alone together, he troubled his leader with no word of gratulation or triumph whether this silence is to be set down to rough natural tact, or to the trouble and confusion of his simple mind, would be very hard to determine.

CHAPTER XIII.

HOW RALPH BRAKESTEARE DONNED SILVER SPURS.

THE other scouts had all rejoined the main body before Brakespeare and his follower appeared; and none brought tidings, or had seen traces of an enemy; so there was wonder, and perchance a little envy, among some of Hawkwood's followers when they saw how Fortune had favoured the youngest of their band. On their leader's usually reserved face there was frank pleasure, as he rode out some paces to meet Brakespeare, and bent his own head in acknowledgment of the other's salute.

III.

12

"Where leftest thou thy lance-head, my son?" he said. "For well I wot it was not idly wasted. And how comest thou by yon gallant war-horse? Those clean limbs and high crest never were nurtured on thin Normandy pastures; but, I dare swear, near the banks of Garonne."

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a

"Scarce some half-hour ago-" Ralph answered- French knight came to where I was posted, with his squire, and would have passed on in my despite, not-as I judge from our brief parley-with purpose of plunder or of espial, but rather in discharge of some chivalrous vow. I gainsaid him, as in duty bound; and we ran a fair course, wherein it was my evil hap to wound unto death as proper a gentilhomme as mine eyes have ever looked on. He called himself Loys de Chastelnaye."

A half-incredulous murmur spread amongst the men-at-arms who sat within car-shot, and Hawkwood himself raised his eyebrows slightly, as he made answer:

"Now lift thy vizor, good youth, that I may read in thy face if this be jest or vaunt. Dost thou come back to tell me, thus sadly, that thou, a raw youth, hast, in thy first tilt with grinded spears, slain outright the Vicompte de Chastelnaye, whose prowess all we who fought in Gascony or Guienne have seen? By the Rood! if thou sayest sooth, thy valiance is less wonderful than thine unconcern."

Ralph did as he was bidden, and all could see that the heaviness on his countenance was not feigned.

"I speak as I was told"- he answered, simply-" and men seldom fable in the death-throc. Moreover, on the housing of his destrere, there is blazonry to witness if I lie."

At the word Lanyon wheeled the charger that he led, so as to bring full into view the escutcheon on the cointise. The three gold chevrons on a sable field, not a few there present had seen before-seen them borne on a broad banderol, in the forefront of a charge, when England was sore put to it to hold her own. There arose another murmur, this time of honest applause.

"I did wrong to suspect thee"-Hawkwood said-"though it seems passing strange: at another time I will hear how it all befell. Loys de Chastelnaye bore himself ever as a true knight; and died not cravenly, I dare avow-God rest his soul! The esquire, seeing his lord's misadventure, doubtless made haste to flee?"

Nay "-Ralph answered-“he was no recreant; but abode to the last, giving such aid as he might, having surrendered himself prisoner