the seeming vision dashed his sword into its sheath, sprang lightly to
his saddle, and vanished as he came. The moon sank from sight, and the
poor, shivering, wretched English knight lay groveling on the plain.
Could it be his mortal enemy had left the grave to strike down a living
foe, and to stare in derisive hatred from a raised visor? Whether dead
or alive, the elfin foe had little reason to spare the life of so
dastardly an enemy!

Sweetly sleeping, or patiently listening, Eustace waited for the return
of his knight, waited till he heard a horse coming, spurred to its
utmost speed. The rider hastily threw the rein to his squire, but spoke
not a word. In the dim light the youth plainly saw that the armor and
the falcon crest on his lord's helmet were covered with clay, that the
knees and sides of the noble charger were in sad plight. It was evident
the beast and his rider had been overthrown. To broken and brief rest
Eustace returned and never did he more gladly welcome the light of day.

"Eustace did ne'er so blithely mark
The first notes of the morning lark."



CHAPTER IV.


"The lark sang shrill, the cock he crew,
And loudly Marmion's bugles blew,
And with their light and lively call,
Brought groom and yeoman to the stall."