uld make his further honorable acquaintance, not from any
presumption, pride, or ill-will, but for the advancement of chivalry and
the glory of our ladies. Give him greeting from Sir Nigel Loring, and
say that the glove which I bear in my cap belongs to the most peerless
and lovely of her sex, whom I am now ready to uphold against any lady
whose claim he might be desirous of advancing."

The landlord was hesitating whether to carry this message or no, when
the door of the inner room was flung open, and the stranger bounded out
like a panther from its den, his hair bristling and his deformed face
convulsed with anger.

"Still here!" he snarled. "Dogs of England, must ye be lashed hence?
Tiphaine, my sword!" He turned to seize his weapon, but as he did so his
gaze fell upon the blazonry of sir Nigel's shield, and he stood staring,
while the fire in his strange green eyes softened into a sly and
humorous twinkle.

"Mort Dieu!" cried he, "it is my little swordsman of Bordeaux. I should
remember that coat-armor, seeing that it is but three days since I
looked upon it in the lists by Garonne. Ah! Sir Nigel, Sir Nigel! you
owe me a return for this," and he touched his right arm, which was girt
round just under the shoulder with a silken kerchief.

But the surprise of the stranger at the sight of Sir Nigel was as
nothing compared with the astonishment and the delight which shone upon
the face of the knight of Hampshire as he looked upon the strange face
of the Frenchman. Twice he opened his mouth and twice he peered again,
as though to assure himself that his eyes had not played him a trick.

"Bertrand!" he gasped at last. "Bertrand du Guesclin!"

"By Saint Ives!" shouted the French soldier, with a hoarse roar of
laughter, "it is well that I should ride with my vizor down, for he that
has once seen my face does not need to be told my name. It is indeed I,
Sir Nigel, and here is my hand! I give you my word that there are but
three Englishmen in this world whom I would touch save with the sharp
edge of the sword: the prince is one, Chandos the second, and you the
third; for I have heard much that is good of you."

"I am growing aged, and am somewhat spent in the wars," quoth Sir Nigel;
"but I can lay by my sword now with an easy mind, for I can say that
I have crossed swords with him who hath the bravest heart and the
strongest arm of all this great kingdom of France. I have longed for it,
I have dreamed of it, and now I c