Water
brought from a neighboring spring soon restored the fainting sufferers
to consciousness, and with the first glances of their large blue eyes
arose a new sun upon their deliverers. The charming girls cast a
shuddering glance upon the field of slaughter, kneeled before the
knights with their arms folded in thanksgiving, timidly murmured to
them some words in an unknown language, and, after a short internal
struggle, rushed into their preservers' arms. An ardent kiss burned
upon the lips of each of the enraptured heroes; but before they could
recover from their delightful surprise, the maidens had escaped from
their embraces. One bound of their little feet lifted them into the
air,--a zephyr expanded their dresses into sails,--and with glances of
ineffable sweetness they rose high over the gigantic trees, and swept
beyond the vision of their astonished beholders.

CHAPTER II.

'By my knightly oath, it is not fair,' said Ryno, after a long pause,
'to leave us standing here alone.'

'It is ungrateful,' murmured Idallan.

_Ryno._--Say not that; for had all my heart's blood flowed upon this
spot, the kiss impressed upon my lips would have been a sufficient
reward.

_Idallan._--I am wounded in the arm.

_Ryno._--And I in the heart, which is far more dangerous.

_Idallan._--What is now to be done?

_Ryno._--Resume our travels. The heavenly forms moved towards the west,
and happily no direction can be the wrong one for us.

Idallan sighed, and they proceeded towards their horses.

'Hold! what do I see?' cried Ryno.

'Where?' asked Idallan.

'A white veil, the earthly covering which the fairies left behind them
when they mounted into the air.'

The two knights rushed towards the veil, and both caught hold of it at
the same moment. 'It belonged to the damsel saved by me, and is
therefore mine!' exclaimed Idallan.

_Ryno._--I saw it first.

_Idallan._--My blood flowed in the strife by which we have obtained it!

_Ryno._--It is mine, I will not yield it up.

_Idallan._--Nor I, but with my life.

Both held the veil fast, and it was in imminent danger of being torn in
pieces.

'Hold!' said Ryno. 'Why should we senselessly destroy that which,
uninjured, would make one of us happy. Let us calmly and peacefully
determine our respective claims by an appeal to argument and reason.'

'I never will resign my claim,' scornfully exclaimed Idallan. 'If you
persist in yours, t