and swear me to maintain Belsaye to the last
man 'gainst siege or storm, so long as life be in you!"

Now when they had sworn, Beltane turned him to the Reeve:

"Good sir," quoth he, "I pray you loose now the captives from their
chains. Let your prisoners be secured, and for the rest, let us now eat
and drink lest we famish."

Thus in a while, Sir Robert of Hurstmanswyke, dazed and bewildered, and
his four esquires, together with his thirty men-at-arms, stripped of
armour and weapons, were led away and lodged secure beneath the keep.

Now it chanced that as Beltane stood apart with head a-droop as one in
thought, there came to him Sir Fidelis and touched him with gentle
hand.

"My lord Beltane," said he softly, "of what think you?"

"Of Pentavalon, and how soonest her sorrows may be done away."

"Lovest thou Pentavalon indeed, messire?"

"Aye, truly, Fidelis."

"Then wherefore let her suffer longer?"

"Suffer? Aye, there it is--but how may I bring her woes to sudden end?
I am too weak, her oppressors many, and my men but few--"

"Few?" quoth Sir Fidelis, speaking with head low-stooped. "Few,
messire? Not so. Ten thousand lances might follow thee to-morrow an
thou but spake the word--"

"Nay," sighed Beltane, "mock me not, good Fidelis, thou dost know me a
lonely man and friendless--to whom should I speak?"

"To one that loveth thee now as ever, to one that yearneth for thee
with heart nigh to breaking--to Helen--"

"Ah!" quoth Beltane, slow and bitter, "speak word to Helen the
Beautiful--the Wilful--the Wanton? No, a thousand times! Rather would I
perish, I and all my hopes, than seek aid of such as she--"

"Lovest thou Pentavalon indeed, messire? Nay, methinks better far thou
dost love thy cold and cruel pride--so must Pentavalon endure her
grievous wrongs, and so do I pity her, but--most of all--I pity thee,
messire!"

Now would Beltane have answered but found no word, and therefore fell
to black and bitter anger, and, turning on his heel, incontinent strode
away into the council-hall where a banquet had been spread. Frowning,
he ate and drank in haste, scarce heeding the words addressed to him,
wherefore others grew silent also; and thereafter, his hunger assuaged,
strode he out into the square and summoned his company.

"Men of Pentavalon," spake he loud and quick, "howso poor and humble ye
be, henceforth ye shall go, each and every, equipped in knightly mail
from foot to head, your man's flesh