s to rend it from his head. Then he struck him with the
flat of his sword upon the cheek, and bade him yield, or he would kill
him.

"For God's love, slay me not!" cried the knight. "I yield me to thy
mercy. I shall swear never to war against thy lady, but be henceforth
her friend and protector."

With this assurance, Bors let him live; while the covetous old lady fled
in fear, followed by all her knights. The victorious champion now called
to him all those who held lands in that estate, and threatened to
destroy them unless they would do the lady such service as belonged to
their holdings. This they swore to do, and there and then paid homage to
the lady, who thus came to her own again through the mighty prowess of
Sir Bors de Ganis.

Not until the country was well in peace did he take his leave, refusing
the offers of wealth which the grateful lady pressed upon him, and
receiving her warm thanks with a humility that well became him.

Hardly would she let him go; but at length he bade her farewell, and
rode away from her tears and thanks. On he journeyed for all that day,
and till midday of the next, when he found himself in a forest, where a
strange adventure befell him.

For at the parting of two ways he met two knights who had taken prisoner
his brother Lionel, whom they had bound all naked upon a hackney, while
they beat him with thorns till the blood flowed from every part of his
body. Yet so great of heart was he that no word came from his lips, and
he made no sign of pain.

Bors, seeing this, was on the point of rushing to his rescue, when he
beheld on the other side a knight who held as prisoner a fair lady, whom
he was taking into the thickest part of the forest to hide her from
those who sought her. And as they went she cried in a lamentable
voice,--

"Saint Mary, rescue me! Holy mother, succor your maid!"

When she saw Bors she cried out to him grievously for aid and rescue.

"By the faith you owe to the high order of knighthood, and for the noble
King Arthur's sake, who I suppose made you knight, help me, gracious
sir, and suffer me not to come to shame through this felon knight!"

On hearing this appeal the distracted knight knew not what to do. On one
side his brother in danger of his life; on the other a maiden in peril
of her honor.

"If I rescue not my brother he will be slain; and that I would not have
for the earth. Yet if I help not the maiden, I am recreant to my vows of
knighthood, a