CHAPTER I.

THE MAGIC SWORD.

Once upon a time, in that far-off and famous era of chivalry and
knight-errantry when wandering knights sought adventures far and wide
throughout the land, and no damsel in distress failed to enlist a
valiant champion in her cause, there reigned over England's broad realm
a noble monarch, King Arthur by name, the flower of chivalry, and the
founder of the world-renowned order of Knights of the Round Table. It is
the story of this far-famed monarch, and of the wonderful and valorous
deeds of his Knights, that we here propose to tell, as preserved in the
ancient legends of the land, and set forth at length in the chronicles
of the days of chivalry.

Before the days of Arthur the King, there reigned over all England Uther
Pendragon, a monarch of might and renown. He died at length in years
and honor, and after his death anarchy long prevailed in the land, for
no son of his appeared to claim the throne, and many of the lords who
were high in rank and strong in men sought to win it by force of arms,
while everywhere lawlessness and wrong-doing made life a burden and
wealth a deceit.

But by good fortune there still survived the famous magician Merlin, the
master of all mysteries, who long had been the stay of Uther's throne,
and in whose hands lay the destiny of the realm. For after years of
anarchy, and when men had almost lost hope of right and justice, Merlin,
foreseeing that the time for a change was at hand, went to the
Archbishop of Canterbury, and bade him summon to London by Christmas day
all the lords of the realm and the gentlemen of arms, for on that day a
miracle would be shown by which would be decided who should be ruler of
the kingless realm.

The summons was issued, and by Christmas-tide many lords and knights,
the flower of England's chivalry, had gathered in London, most of them
full of ambition and many of them buoyed up by hope. In the greatest
church of that city prayers went up night and day, all who had been
guilty of wrong-doing seeking to clear their souls of sin; for all
believed that only through God's grace could any man come to dominion in
the realm, and those who aspired to the throne ardently sought to make
their peace with God.

On Christmas day, after the hour of matins and the first mass, came the
miracle which Merlin had predicted; for there suddenly appeared before
the high altar in the church-yard a great four-square block of stone,
of the texture