trick that tried me
sorely. I heard a quick exclamation of surprise from the girl, a shout
of delighted approval from Jordan, and then there was no sound but the
harsh trampling of our feet and the heavy breathing. De Croix's effort
was to lift me to his hip for a throw; mine, to press him backward by
bodily strength. Both of us were sadly hindered by the sliding sand on
which we strove. Twice I thought I had him, when my footing failed;
and once he held me fairly uplifted from the ground, yet could not make
the toss. 'T was a wild grapple, for when we had exhausted all the
tricks we knew, it came to be a sheer test of physical endurance.
Then, for the first time, I felt myself the master,--though he was a
man, that gay French dandy, and never did my ribs crack under the
pressure of a stronger hand. But I slowly pressed him back, inch by
inch, struggling like a demon to the last, until I forced his shoulders
to the sand.

For a moment he lay there, panting heavily; then the old frank and easy
smile came upon his lips.

"Your hand, monsieur," he said; "that is, if it yet retains sufficient
strength to lift me."

Upon his feet he brushed the sand from out his long hair, and bowed
gallantly.

"I have done my very best, Mademoiselle. 'Tis defeat, but not
disgrace, for I have made your giant puff to win. May I not hope it
has won me restoration to your good graces?"

CHAPTER IX

IN SIGHT OF THE FLAG

It would have been impossible not to respond to his humor and
good-nature, even had the girl been desirous of doing otherwise. From
the first I felt that she liked this reckless courtier, whose easy
words and actions made me realize more deeply than ever my own
heaviness of thought and wit.

As he stood there now, bowing low before her, his clothing awry and his
long hair in disorder from our fierce contest, she smiled upon him
graciously, and extended a hand that he was prompt enough to accept and
hold.

"Surely," she said mockingly, "no maid, even in the glorious days of
chivalry, had ever more heroic figures to do battle for her honor. I
accept the _amende_, Monsieur, and henceforth enroll you as knight at
my court. Upon my word," and she looked about at the desolate
sand-heaps surrounding us, "'tis not much to boast of here; nor, in
truth, is Dearborn greatly better."

She paused, drawing her hand gently from his grasp, and holding it out
toward me.

"Yet, Captain," she continued, glancing a