whose bright bascinet a green veil floated.

"Lord," said he, blinking bright eyes, "we have fought well ere now,
but to-day methinks we shall fight as ne'er we fought in all our days."

"Aye," nodded Beltane, "verily, Giles, methinks we shall!"

Thus saying, he turned and looked upon the rolling battle-dust and
settling his feet within the stirrups, clenched iron fingers upon his
long sword.

CHAPTER LXIX

HOW AT LAST THEY CAME TO PENTAVALON CITY

All day long the din and thunder of battle had roared upon the plain;
all day the Duchess Helen with Sir Hacon at her side had watched the
eddying dust-clouds rolling now this way, now that, straining anxious
eyes to catch the gleam of a white plume or the flutter of the blue
banner amid that dark confusion. And oft she heard Sir Hacon mutter
oaths half-stifled, and oft Sir Hacon had heard snatches of her
breathless prayers as the tide of battle swung to and fro, a desperate
fray whence distant shouts and cries mingled in awful din. But now, as
the sun grew low, the close-locked fray began to roll southwards fast
and ever faster, a mighty storm of eddying dust wherein armour gleamed
and steel glimmered back and forth, as Duke Ivo and his proud array
fell back and back on their last stronghold of Pentavalon City.
Whereupon Sir Hacon, upon the bartizan, cursed no more, but forgetful
of his many wounds, waxed jubilant instead.

"Now, by Holy Rood!" he cried, "see, lady--they break--they break!
'Twas that last flanking onset! None but Beltane the Strong could have
marshalled that last charge--drawing on Black Ivo to attempt his
centre, see you, and crushing in his flanks--so needs must their main
battle fall back or meet attack on two sides! Oho, a wondrous crafty
leader is Duke Beltane the Strong! See--ha, see now how fast he driveth
them--and southward--southward on Pentavalon town!"

"So do I thank God, but see how many--O how many do lie fallen by the
way!"

"Why, in battle, most gentle lady, in battle men must needs fall or
wherefore should battles be? Much have I seen of wars, lady, but ne'er
saw eyes sterner fray than this--"

"And I pray God," spake the Duchess, shivering, "these eyes may ne'er
look upon another! O 'tis hateful sight--see--look yonder!" and she
pointed where from the awful battle-wrack reeled men faint with wounds
while others dragged themselves painfully across the trampled ground.

"Why, 'twas a bloody business!" quoth the knight, sh