time, three or four horsemen appeared on
the hither side of the ravine, advancing at a gallop. Douglas recognised
them as enemies.

"Fly, madam," cried George, "fly without loss of a second; for those who
are coming upon us are followed by others. Gain the road, while I go to
check them. And you," added he, addressing the escort, "be killed to the
last man rather than let them take your queen."

"George! George!" cried the queen, motionless, and as if riveted to the
spot.

But George had already dashed away with all his horse's speed, and as
he was splendidly mounted, he flew across the space with lightning
rapidity, and reached the gorge before the enemy. There he stopped, put
his lance in rest, and alone against five bravely awaited the encounter.

As to the queen, she had no desire to go; but, on the contrary, as if
turned to stone, she remained in the same place, her eyes fastened on
this combat which was taking place at scarcely five hundred paces from
her. Suddenly, glancing at her enemies, she saw that one of them bore
in the middle of his shield a bleeding heart, the Douglas arms. Then she
uttered a cry of pain, and drooping her head--

"Douglas against Douglas; brother against brother!" she murmured: "it
only wanted this last blow."

"Madam, madam," cried her escort, "there is not an instant to lose: the
young master of Douglas cannot hold out long thus alone against five;
let us fly! let us fly!" And two of them taking the queen's horse by the
bridle, put it to the gallop, at the moment when George, after having
beaten down two of his enemies and wounded a third, was thrown down in
his turn in the dust, thrust to the heart by a lance-head. The queen
groaned on seeing him fall; then, as if he alone had detained her, and
as if he being killed she had no interest in anything else, she put
Rosabelle to the gallop, and as she and her troop were splendidly
mounted, they had soon lost sight of the battlefield.

She fled thus for sixty miles, without taking any rest, and without
ceasing to weep or to sigh: at last, having traversed the counties of
Renfrew and Ayr, she reached the Abbey of Dundrennan, in Galloway, and
certain of being, for the time at least, sheltered from every danger,
she gave the order to stop. The prior respectfully received her at the
gate of the convent.

"I bring you misfortune and ruin, father," said the queen, alighting
from her horse.

"They are welcome," replied the prior, "since