met of his opponent
and glanced off. Hubert's came so full on the crest of his enemy
that he went down, horse and all.

Had this been a mortal combat, Hubert would at once have been
expected to dismount, and with his sword to compel a confession
from his fallen foe, on the pain of instant death in the case of
refusal. But this combat was limited to the tourney--and a loud
acclaim hailed Hubert as Victor.

Drogo was stunned by his fall, and borne by the earl's command to
his chamber.

"God hath spoken, and vindicated the innocent," said the earl.

"Rise, my son," he added to Hubert, who knelt before him. "We
believe in thy truth, and will abide by the event of the ordeal;
but as thou art saved from expulsion, it is fitting that Drogo
should pay the penalty he strove to inflict upon another."

Hubert was not generous enough to pray for the pardon of his foe
(as in any book about good boys he would have done). He felt too
deeply injured by the lie.

But his innocence was not left to the simple test of the trial by
combat, in which case many modern unbelievers might feel inward
doubts. That night the forester sought the earl again, and brought
with him a verdurer or under keeper. This man had seen the whole
affair, had seen Drogo pick up Hubert's arrow after the latter was
gone, and stand as if musing over it, when a deer came that way,
and Drogo let fly the shaft at once. Then he discovered the
spectator, and bribed him with all the money he had about him to
keep silence, which the fellow did, until he heard of the trial by
combat and the accusation of the innocent, whereupon his conscience
gave him no rest until he had owned his fault, and bringing the
bribe to his chief, the forester, had made full reparation.

There was another gathering of the pages in the great hall on the
following day. The earl and chaplain were there, the chief forester
and his subordinate. Drogo, still suffering from his fall, and by
no means improved in appearance, was brought before them.

"Drogo de Harengod," said the earl, "I should have doubted of God's
justice, had the ordeal to which thou didst appeal gone otherwise.
But since yesterday the right has been made yet more clear. Dost
thou know yon verdurer?"

Drogo looked at the man.

"My lord," he said. "I accept the decision of the combat. Let me go
from Kenilworth."

"What, without reparation?"

"I have my punishment to bear in expulsion from this place"--("if
punishment i