urs
into the sides of his horse, and in instant answer felt the noble steed
spring forward with a bound.

Through all the clashing of his armor reverberating in the hollow depths
of his helmet, he saw the mail-clad figure from the other end of the
lists rushing towards him, looming larger and larger as they came
together. He gripped his saddle with his knees, clutched the stirrup
with the soles of his feet, and bent his body still more forward. In the
instant of meeting, with almost the blindness of instinct, he dropped
the point of his spear against the single red flower-de-luce in the
middle of the on-coming shield. There was a thunderous crash that seemed
to rack every joint, he heard the crackle of splintered wood, he felt
the momentary trembling recoil of the horse beneath him, and in the next
instant had passed by. As he checked the onward rush of his horse at the
far end of the course, he heard faintly in the dim hollow recess of the
helm the loud shout and the clapping of hands of those who looked on,
and found himself gripping with nervous intensity the butt of a broken
spear, his mouth clammy with excitement, and his heart thumping in his
throat.

Then he realized that he had met his opponent, and had borne the meeting
well. As he turned his horse's head towards his own end of the lists, he
saw the other trotting slowly back towards his station, also holding a
broken spear shaft in his hand.

As he passed the iron figure a voice issued from the helmet, "Well done,
Sir Myles, nobly done!" and his heart bounded in answer to the words of
praise. When he had reached his own end of the lists, he flung away his
broken spear, and Gascoyne came forward with another.

"Oh, Myles!" he said, with sob in his voice, "it was nobly done. Never
did I see a better ridden course in all my life. I did not believe that
thou couldst do half so well. Oh, Myles, prithee knock him out of his
saddle an thou lovest me!"

Myles, in his high-keyed nervousness, could not forbear a short
hysterical laugh at his friend's warmth of enthusiasm. He took the fresh
lance in his hand, and then, seeing that his opponent was walking his
horse slowly up and down at his end of the lists, did the same during
the little time of rest before the next encounter.

When, in answer to the command of the Marshal, he took his place a
second time, he found himself calmer and more collected than before, but
every faculty no less intensely fixed than it ha