Heiress of Haddon

hallenger, wi

nds; the challe

YD

ger to bring to light such old relics of previous tourneys which had ever taken place there as could be discovered outside, and the stir was not one whit less. The level sward through which the Wye rippled on its way to join the Derwent, having once been selected as

and hospitality of the King of the Peak, as well as by the desire to witness the rare exhibition of a t

of the ground; the balconies, decked with their brightly coloured hangings, faced them from the other side, and a slightly elevated platform, upon whi

and every tree which might reasonably have been expected to yield a glimpse of the scene was crowded by rustics, eager to gaze upon so rare an exhibition. Behind all rose the grey old towers of the Hall, which presented a very p

e dulled; but the other, the "joust a l'outrance," was of a far more dangerous kind. Lances, swords, and even, occasionally, mace-like weapons with s

rd, a shout of admiration went up from the assemblage, as the gates swung open and the party descended from the Hall; and round after round of p

d giving the signal to commence by waving a dainty little flag, the

and De la Zouch came forward from either side of the balcony, and each, well protected with armour, stood leaning up

again, and the two assailants leapt simultaneously into the saddle. A minute later the galloping rush, the s

either of them could recover from it, but after the first thrust and parry they each passed on, apparently uninjure

, to the uttermost as the anxious onlookers stood o

e the struggle. Each waited for the other to advance, and for a moment or two they

xclaimed De Lacey, in piteous, tones, "and I

"you'll see sport enough soon; they will begin dir

rs rode forward and th

o witness his triumph; but, although it was anticipated that he would win easily enough with that weapon, it was feared by his well-wisher

uld 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

whom she loved was stricken down never to rise again, and wishing, for the fiftieth t

ution 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 sadd

th eyes wide open with astoni

life," replied Sir George, enr

ed De la Zouch receive a stinging blow on his arm fro

ounded, and the combatants, nothing loth, rode off f

e la Zouch had better fortune, for just as the bugles were sounding for them to cease he

is opponent was far more than a match for him, and blow after blow was rained down upon him, whilst on his own part Sir Henry was too busily engaged in defending himself to attempt to act on the offensive. He was hard pressed

lence by loudly criticising the deeds of their respective champion, and vociferously calling out

s wherein to reinvigorate his nerves, while Crowleigh was in wa

e that he was a doctor, and, leaping from his seat, he clambered over the ba

ust be stopped at once. Sir Henry,

d Manners, "I have

ded Crowleigh. "He will make a sorr

d the old knigh

darted off across the arena, closely followed by a huge mast

ouch, intent on ridding himself of his adversary, declared he would give no quarter, and, altering

a moment doubted, not even by the veriest tyro present. Sir Henry's wild thrusts were parried with consummate ease, and while the knight's

ted himself. The time came at last, and then with a few

ed a score of v

th all his might. The people waited with throbbing hearts to witness the stroke whic

ike!" yelled a ch

magnanimously declared that the f

promptly; "you have proved your cause, and if

m. He murmured his perfect acquiescence to her will, and was about to pass out of the ring, an easy victor, whe

ows he scrutinised the intruder. "Thou art a Royal messenger," he added

the baron surmised little good from the arrival of the courtier. As the latter urged

of the Peak," rep

r George

nd this summons, which cites thee to appear at West

nt of laying violent hands upon the man, but a moment's

come," he doggedly

suddenly as he had appeared, leaving the awe-stricken assembly to disperse with much less ple