ill you before, but you shall not escape
me this time."

"The best man shall win," said Sir Ivaine, cheerfully.

Then the two began a great combat. Their swords clashed so that
the noise of the fountain was drowned; they fought so eagerly
that they were not even aware of the storm. It was not long
before the Black Knight began to grow weak from the many powerful
and death-dealing strokes from Sir Ivaine's sword. At last,
seeing that he was mortally wounded, the Black Knight turned his
horse and galloped in the direction of his castle.

Ordering the lion to stay where it had lain during the combat,
Sir Ivaine followed. But he could not quite catch up with the
Black Knight, although gaining on him inch by inch. By the time
the castle moat was reached, Sir Ivaine was only five feet
behind. The horses thundered one after the other over the bridge.
The Black Knight rode under the portcullis, or sharp iron gate,
which was raised. The instant he was inside, the portcullis fell,
in order to shut out Sir Ivaine.

But Sir Ivaine had already passed beneath it, and as it fell his
horse was cut in two. Even the long plume in Sir Ivaine's helmet
was shorn off, and lay outside the gate.

Sir Ivaine sprang to his feet and drew his sword to renew his
attack upon the Black Knight, but he was already dead, and lay
across his panting horse's neck.

Then Sir Ivaine realized what his recklessness had cost him.
There he was, alone in a strange castle, the lord of which he
had killed. Soon the people of the castle would come and capture
him, for he could not escape, since the portcullis was down.

He ran into the castle, and up the stairs leading to the turret.
He was fast growing weak from the wounds he had received, and his
armor was heavy. Moreover, in spite of his care, it clashed at
every step, and he was afraid some one would soon hear him. He
had all but reached the top of the stairs when the door of the
turret room opened, and a little maiden looked down upon him. He
begged her not to cry out, and telling her who he was and what he
had done, asked her to hide him.

"I will," she said, "because you are brave and you are wounded,
and because you have killed that wicked tyrant, the Black Knight.
He does not own this castle at all; it belongs to a beautiful
lady, his cousin, who is my mistress. He keeps her here a
prisoner because she will not marry him."

Then the little maiden led him into the turret room. She
concealed his