ing, and bestowed the embroidered glove as the guerdon of his skill. " Part we so soon, sir knight?" said Sancho, reining his Heed, so as to keep pace with that of his unex-pected guest. " I would fain set lance in rest against so fair a foe." "Without deigning a reply, the knight put spurs to his horse, and leaping the barriers disappeared in the wood. Rejoining his two friends in the pavilion who were con-doling with each, other over their inglorious defeat, Sancho burst into a stream of invective. " Ungrateful cravens," cried he, " to repine at heaven's grace. I would have given the brightest jewel in the crown of Navarre, for leave to set lance in rest against either of yon doughty knights." " Thou shouldst have been very welcome," exclaimed Raimond, laying his hand upon his wounded limb. " Our Lady grant henceforth that dame Fortune send all such favors to thee," and he laughed in spite of his discomfiture. A startling blast from the wood interrupted the colloquy, and Count Raimond petulantly exclaimed, " Methinks the foul fiends have congregated in the forest ! That hath the sound of the last trumpet." " Aye, verily," replied Count Henry, reconnoitering from the door of the pavilion, "and yonder comes Death on the paie horse. Prince Sancho, thine hour has come, prepare to meet thy final overthrow." There seemed a terrible sig-nificance in the words, for upon a snowy charger, whose mane and tail nearly swept the ground, just entering the lists, was seen a knight, dressed in a suit of armor of such shining brilliancy as almost to dazzle the eyes of the be-holders. His crest was a white dove with its wings spread, and conspicuous upon his right shoulder appeared a blood-red cross. He carried neither lance nor spear, but an im-mense battle-axe hung at his saddle-bow. " By my troth," said Sancho, " be he the angel of death himself, I will dis-pute his empire, even though he bring twelve legions of his mysterious retainers to back him. It shall not be said that the chivalry of Spain, aye, and of France to boot," casting a glance at his crest-fallen friends, "are but trophies of the prowess of these unknown demi-gods." " Heaven grant 210 HEEOINES OF THE CRUSADES.