exclaiming as it fell:

"'I dub thee knight.
Arise, Sir Ralph, De Wilton's heir!
For King, for Church, for Lady fair,
See that thou fight.'"

De Wilton knelt again before the giant warrior, and grasping his hand,
exclaimed:

"Where'er I meet a Douglas, that Douglas will be to me as a brother."

"Nay, nay," the Lord of Tantallon replied, "not so; I have two sons in
the field armed against your king. They fight for James of Scotland; you
for Henry of England.

"'And, if thou meet'st them under shield,
Upon them bravely,--do thy worst;
And foul fall him that blenches first!"

They parted; De Wilton to Surrey's camp, the Douglas to his castle to
ponder on the strange events of the past few days, and Clare to weep in
loneliness.

It was yet early when Marmion ordered his train to be ready for the
southward march. He had safe pass-ports for all, given under the royal
seal of James. Douglas provided a guide as far as Surrey's camp. The
ancient earl, with stately grace, placed the Lady Clare on her palfrey
and whispered in her ear, "The falcon's prey has flown."