cleft his antagonist
to the chin before he could recover.

"Here come two more. Now, Alfgar, there is one apiece. The rest are a
mile behind them. You may take the one on the light grey, I will take
the rascal on the dark steed."

Another moment and they were both engaged. Alfgar foiled his
opponent's first stroke, and wounded him slightly in return. Now the
battle became desperate, attack succeeding attack, and parry, parry.
Meanwhile Edmund had again laid his foe prostrate in the dust, but did
not interfere; such was his chivalrous spirit in what he considered an
equal combat, although he cast anxious looks behind, where two or
three other riders were rapidly approaching.

At last victory inclined to Alfgar's side. Parrying a tremendous
stroke with his axe, he returned it with such vigour that the next
moment the Dane lay quivering in the dust.

"There appear to be only three or four more. I think we might engage
them. By the by, Alfgar, you missed one splendid chance through your
steed not answering your guidance to the moment. But I am tired of the
battle-axe, and shall use my sword for a change.

"Ah! there come half-a-dozen more round those firs. We must ride
forward and give up the sport."

Their enemies saw them and quickened their pace. They came to the spot
where their countrymen lay prostrate, and the cry of revenge they
raised, and the manner in which they urged their steeds forward,
showed how strongly the sight appealed to their feelings.

Onward flew pursuers and pursued--onward till Windsor's height, with
its castled hall, appeared in sight, and tempted them to seek
refreshment for man and beast. But they dared not linger on their
journey, and passed the town without entering.

They rode all night through a most desolate country, wasted by fire
and sword in all directions. Only in a few spots was there any
appearance of cultivation, for who would sow when they knew not who
should reap? Not one lonely country house, such as abounded in the
days of Edgar the Pacific, did they see standing, although they passed
the blackened ruins of many an abode, showing where once the joys of
home held sway. Here and there they came upon the relics of strife, in
the shape of bodies of men and horses left to rot, and in one spot,
where a ford had been defended, the rival nations had left their
fallen representatives by hundreds. It must have been months before,
yet no one had buried the bodies. Such people as st