eir horses at the outer gate, they met the Earl of
Alban and his followers, who were just quitting the lists, which they
also were in the habit of visiting nearly every day. As the two parties
passed one another, the Earl spoke to a gentleman walking beside him and
in a voice loud enough to be clearly overheard by the others: "Yonder
is the young sprig of Falworth," said he. "His father, my Lords, is
not content with forfeiting his own life for his treason, but must,
forsooth, throw away his son's also. I have faced and overthrown many a
better knight than that boy."

Myles heard the speech, and knew that it was intended for him to hear
it; but he paid no attention to it, walking composedly at the Prince's
side. The Prince had also overheard it, and after a little space of
silence asked, "Dost thou not feel anxiety for thy coming battle,
Myles?"

"Yea, my Lord," said Myles; "sometimes I do feel anxiety, but not such
as my Lord of Alban would have me feel in uttering the speech that he
spake anon. It is anxiety for my father's sake and my mother's sake that
I feel, for truly there are great matters for them pending upon this
fight. Ne'theless, I do know that God will not desert me in my cause,
for verily my father is no traitor."

"But the Earl of Alban," said the Prince, gravely, "is reputed one of
the best-skilled knights in all England; moreover, he is merciless and
without generosity, so that an he gain aught advantage over thee, he
will surely slay thee."

"I am not afraid, my Lord," said Myles, still calmly and composedly.

"Nor am I afraid for thee, Myles," said the Prince, heartily, putting
his arm, as he spoke, around the young man's shoulder; "for truly, wert
thou a knight of forty years, instead of one of twenty, thou couldst not
bear thyself with more courage."

As the time for the duel approached, the days seemed to drag themselves
along upon leaden feet; nevertheless, the days came and went, as all
days do, bringing with them, at last, the fateful 3d of September.

Early in the morning, while the sun was still level and red, the Prince
himself, unattended, came to Myles's apartment, in the outer room of
which Gascoyne was bustling busily about arranging the armor piece by
piece; renewing straps and thongs, but not whistling over his work as he
usually did. The Prince nodded to him, and then passed silently through
to the inner chamber. Myles was upon his knees, and Father Ambrose,
the Prince's chapl