ticularly
eager to commence the struggle. Each waited for the other to advance,
and for a moment or two they stood perfectly still, keenly regarding
each other through the bars of their visors.

"They are not going to fight, Sir George," exclaimed De Lacey, in
piteous, tones, "and I've come all this weary way to see the sport."

"Never fear, Sir John," replied the baron cheerily, "you'll see
sport enough soon; they will begin directly, but they don't know each
other's mettle yet."

Even as he spoke Manners rode forward and the conflict was renewed.

Sir Henry de la Zouch was famous at the London schools for his
brilliant lance play, and many of his friends had accepted his
invitation to witness his triumph; but, although it was anticipated
that he would win easily enough with that weapon, it was feared by his
well-wishers that unless he succeeded in placing his combatant hors
de combat then, his chance of doing so with the sword would be
considerably less.

De la Zouch himself knew this, although he would not own it, and it
made him cautious. For a long time he stood carefully upon his guard,
but at last, espying a favourable opportunity, he darted a fierce
blow at the vizor of his opponent, hoping it would pierce the bars and
transfix itself there. It was a well-aimed thrust, and almost proved
successful, but, unfortunately for De la Zouch, Manners unwittingly
foiled him by rising in his saddle at the same time to deliver a
similar blow at him, and instead of receiving the lance upon his
helmet, he caught it in the very centre of his breast-plate. Still
the blow was delivered with so powerful a stroke that, standing in the
stirrups as Manners was, it completely upset his balance, and he fell
over.

A great shout rose up at this feat, but Dorothy turned her face aside,
fearing that he whom she loved was stricken down never to rise again,
and wishing, for the fiftieth time, that she was in her own chamber,
peacefully occupied in stitching at her tapestry.

But the shout was broken off suddenly--to be succeeded the next moment
by another, louder and more prolonged, for, although taken unawares
and overturned, Manners put into execution a trick he had learned in
Holland, and sliding under the belly of the horse, he nimbly swung
himself up by the girths on the other side, and reseated himself in
the saddle, much to the astonishment of De la Zouch, who imagined
he had unhorsed him, and much to the delight of the aud