o know why he so deeply
grieves."

"That is little to what I should be glad to do for you," said Balin. He
rode on apace, and ere long found the knight in a neighboring forest in
company with a damsel.

"Sir knight," he said, "you must come with me to King Arthur. He demands
to see you and learn the cause of your sorrow."

"That I shall not do," said the knight. "It will injure me greatly, and
do no good to you or him."

"Then you must make ready to fight," said Balin. "I have my order to
bring you willingly or by force, and I should be loath to have a fight
with you."

"Will you be my warrant if I go with you?" asked the knight. "For truly
you lead me into danger."

"Yes. And I shall die rather than let you come to harm, if it is in my
power to avert it."

This said, the knight turned and rode back with Balin, accompanied by
the damsel. But as they reached King Arthur's pavilion a strange thing
happened. A spear was thrust through the body of the knight, inflicting
a mortal wound. Yet the hand and form of him who did this fatal deed
remained unseen.

"Alas!" said the knight, "it is as I feared. Under your conduct and
guard I have been slain by a traitorous knight called Garlon, who
through enchantment rides invisible, and does such deeds as this. My day
is done. As you are a true knight, I charge you to take my horse, which
is better than yours, and ride with this damsel on the quest which for
me is at an end. Follow as she will lead, and revenge my death when best
you may."

"That shall I do," said Balin. "Upon the honor of knighthood I vow to
follow your quest, and to revenge you on this false foe, or die as you
have done."

Then, leaving the king, Balin rode with the damsel, who bore with her
the truncheon of the spear with which the knight had been killed. After
they had gone, King Arthur had the knight buried richly and honorably,
and had written upon the tomb his name, Herleus de Berbeus, and how he
came to his death through the treachery of the invisible knight Garlon.

Meanwhile Balin and the damsel rode onward until they found themselves
in a forest. Here they met a knight engaged in hunting, who asked Balin
why he showed such grief.

"That I do not care to tell," said Balin.

"You should if I were armed as you are, for your answer is too curt to
be courteous."

"My story is not worth fighting for," answered Balin. "I will tell you
if you so greatly desire to know." He thereupon told him th