tected by
his excellent armour, still fought with all the valour of his
Norman race--fought like a paladin of romance--when--

A sudden cry, "Holy Cross to the rescue!" and a gallant band of
light horsemen charged the Infidels in the rear.

The assailants became the assailed, and fled in all directions.

"Rise up, sir knight--for knight you should be," said a stern manly
voice; and a warrior of noble mien, whose features were yet hidden
behind his visor, raised the youthful hero from the ground.

CHAPTER XXVI. "QUANTUM MUTATUS AB ILLO HECTORE."

An hour had passed away since the conflict had ceased, and all was
again peaceful and still. The Christian dead were buried; the
Moslems yet dotted the plain with prostrate corpses, whose unclosed
and glassy eyes met the gazer in every direction.

Of these the Crusaders reckoned little, nor did the ghastly
spectacle at all disturb their rest. They sorrowed, indeed, for
their own comrades; but when the parting prayers were breathed over
their desert graves, they dismissed even them from their thoughts.

"They have given their lives in a noble cause, and the saints will
take good care of them and make their beds in Paradise," was the
general sentiment.

And now the fire was rekindled, the wine skins passed round, the
venison steaks again placed on the glowing embers, and they
refreshed the inner man, with appetites sharpened by their
desperate exertions in the late struggle.

Close by the side of the young knight sat their deliverer, whose
followers mingled with the Englishmen around at one or other of the
fires they had kindled.

"A health," said the young knight--"a health to our deliverer. Had
he not come so opportunely to our rescue, we were now supping in
Paradise.

"What name shall I give to our honoured guest?"

"Men call me the Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, but it is too proud
a title to be borne by mortal man."

"Art thou he, then, whose fame has filled our ears, of whom
minstrels sing, who with a band of stout followers defied the
Moslem's rage in these forest fastnesses, before even Peter
preached the word of God?"

"Thou hast exaggerated my merits, but be they many, or as I would
say few, I am he of whom they speak."

"We are indeed honoured, thrice honoured, to be saved by thee; and
these thy followers--of what nation are they?"

"Of all countries which rejoice in the light of the True Faith, but
they were Varangians {xxvii}, of the househo