Earl of Alban, is a foul and an
attainted liar in all that he hath accused me of. To uphold which
allegation, and to defend me, who am blinded by his unknightliness, I do
offer a champion to prove all that I say with his body in combat."

The Earl of Mackworth darted a quick look at Myles, who came forward the
moment his father had ended, and kneeled beside him. The King offered no
interruption to his speech, but he bent a look heavy with anger upon the
young man.

"My gracious Lord and King," said Myles, "I, the son of the accused, do
offer myself as his champion in this cause, beseeching thee of thy grace
leave to prove the truth of the same, being a belted knight by thy grace
and of thy creation and the peer of any who weareth spurs." Thereupon,
rising, he drew his iron gauntlet from his girdle, and flung it clashing
down upon the floor, and with his heart swelling within him with anger
and indignation and pity of his blind father, he cried, in a loud
voice, "I do accuse thee, William of Alban, that thou liest vilely as
aforesaid, and here cast down my gage, daring thee to take it up."

The Earl of Alban made as though he would accept the challenge, but the
King stopped him hastily.

"Stop!" he cried, harshly. "Touch not the gage! Let it lie--let it lie,
I tell thee, my Lord! Now then," said he, turning to the others, "tell
me what meaneth all this coil? Who brought this man hither?"

He looked from one to another of those who stood silently around, but no
one answered.

"I see," said he, "ye all have had to do with it. It is as my Lord of
Alban sayeth; ye are his enemies, and ye are my enemies as well. In this
I do smell a vile plot. I cannot undo what I have done, and since I have
made this young man a knight with mine own hands, I cannot deny that
he is fit to challenge my Lord of Alban. Ne'theless, the High Court of
Chivalry shall adjudge this case. Meantime," said he, turning to the
Earl Marshal, who was present, "I give thee this attainted Lord in
charge. Convey him presently to the Tower, and let him abide our
pleasure there. Also, thou mayst take up yon gage, and keep it till it
is redeemed according to our pleasure."

He stood thoughtfully for a moment, and then raising his eyes, looked
fixedly at the Earl of Mackworth. "I know," he said, "that I be a right
sick man, and there be some who are already plotting to overthrow those
who have held up my hand with their own strength for all these years."
T