o the protection of Holy Katherine, the patron saint of his
house, plunged into the water, and next moment was battling manfully
with the waves. But everything was against him, even the tide; and, in
spite of his skill as a swimmer, his efforts were at first abortive. But
it was not his nature to yield easily; and, as he put forth all his
strength, and made a desperate struggle, the affair began to wear
another face.

'Good Walter,' murmured Guy, who stood, pale as death, watching the
swimmer. 'Brave Walter!'

'Now, may our lady, the Virgin, aid and prosper him,' exclaimed the
knight. 'Never have I witnessed a bolder attempt.'

As the knight spoke, a loud cheer burst from the crowd; and then there
was silence. Walter drew nearer and nearer to the woman, for whose life
he was freely venturing his own. In another minute he clutched her with
one hand, turned towards the shore, and, favoured by the tide, came
sailing towards the spot which the crowd occupied.

A dozen of the men dashed knee-deep into the water to relieve Walter of
his burden; and as they did so, a dozen of the women stretched out their
hands, and received the still unconscious form of her who had been
rescued; meanwhile the knight and Guy Muschamp caught hold of Walter,
who, fatigued and overcome with his almost superhuman exertions, would
otherwise have fallen to the ground. However they laid him down
carefully to rest; and, while Guy stood watching over him, Bisset went
to look to the safety of the damsel who had been rescued.

'Sir squire,' said he, with enthusiasm, as he returned, 'you have done
as noble a deed as it has ever been my fate to witness, and the King of
France shall hear of it, as I am a living man; and,' continued he, in a
whisper, 'hearken! you may at the same time congratulate yourself on
having had the good luck to save a woman well worth saving.'

'What mean you, sir knight,' asked Walter, faintly.

'Simply this--that she is young, fair to behold, and evidently of high
lineage.'

CHAPTER X.

ON THE LADDER OF LIFE.

FOUR days passed over, and Walter Espec, quite recovered from the
effects of his struggle with the waves, and of the salt water he had
involuntarily imbibed during his perilous adventure on the coast of
Cyprus, was at Nicosia, and engaged in chivalrous exercises, in the
courtyard of the house occupied by the Earl of March; when he was
accosted by Bisset, the English knight, who had been a witness of his