o conceal her
emotion from the king and those around her who were ever keeping her
watched.

Deftly, though, she slipped the ring out of her mouth, and deftly she
presently managed to slip it into her bosom, marvelling much the while
whence and how it came, and why. And her anxiety and longing nigh drove
her beside herself. For until all the inmates of the castle had retired
to rest, naught could she learn of the mystery, or of the stranger who had
come to the castle. But once within her own apartments, where she was no
longer watched and guarded as of yore, she quickly, at Dame Bragwaine's
bidding, muffled herself to the eyes, and creeping softly down a flight of
secret stairs, she got out of the castle by a private passage-way and
reached the spot where 'The Swan' lay moored, and where Sir Ganhardine
awaited her with his message and his sad story.

When she heard tell of Sir Tristram's sad plight, and how that he was like
to die, but could not die in peace till he had once more beheld her, there
was no need to plead with her to leave all and go to him. Almost before
the tale was told her she had stepped on board the ship, and without one
glance behind her or one regret she set sail upon the stormy wintry sea to
go to her true love, as fast as the faithful 'Swan' could carry her.
And in her joy that once again she should be with him, once again she
should see him, she almost forgot his sore plight, for hard it was for her
to believe that Sir Tristram could be like to die.

Meanwhile death was drawing nearer and nearer to Sir Tristram.
His restlessness aggravated his wound, his anxious, tortured mind
increased his fever, so that truly he was like to die at any moment.
And all the time, a little way from him sat White-handed Iseult, pale and
cold without, the better to bide the burning rage within.

"Iseult! Iseult!" cried the sick man in his sleep.

"I am here. What would you?" she answered coldly, and he opened his eyes
with a half-doubting joy in them; but his heart sank like lead, and all
the joy died out of him, for the voice was not the voice of his love, nor
the face her face, and sore wearily he sighed, and turned his face away.

"I wronged you past all forgiveness when I married you," he said, "for my
heart had long been given to La Belle Iseult, whose sworn knight I was;
but I did love you, I thought I could make you happy. Have you no pity?
Can you feel no mercy for me now?" he cried piteously.

"