led, but the two women were in grievous dread of the
lion, and durst not move from the corner where they were crouching; at
last the man grew angry, and burst the door asunder, as the lion had
done before him. He entered the hut, and straightway beheld the dreadful
beast, with glaring eyes and gleaming teeth, as Una had first beheld
him. But Kirkrapine (such was his name) had neither beauty nor goodness
to still the lion's rage, and in another moment his body was rent in
a thousand pieces.

[Illustration: At the sight of the Lion, she flung down the pitcher]

The sun had scarce sent his first beams above the horizon when Una left
the hut, mounted on her ass, and, followed by the lion, again began her
quest of the Red Cross Knight. But, alas! though she found him not, she
met her ancient foe, the magician Archimago, who had taken on himself
the form of him whom she sought. Too true and unsuspecting was she, to
dream of guile in others, and the welcome she gave him was from her
whole heart. In the guise of the knight, Archimago greeted her fondly,
and bade her tell him the story of her woes, and how came she to take
the lion for her companion. And so they journeyed, the flowers seeming
sweeter and the skies brighter to Una, as they went, when suddenly they
beheld

One pricking towards them with hasty heat;
Full strongly armed, and on a courser free.

On his shield the words 'Sans loy' could be read, written in letters of
blood.

Now, though Archimago had clad himself in the outward shape of the Red
Cross Knight, he lacked his courage and his skill in war; and his heart
was faint from fear, when the Saracen reined back his horse and prepared
for battle. In the shock of the rush the wizard was borne backwards, and
the blood from his side dyed the ground.

'The life that from Sansfoy thou tookest, Sansloy shall from thee take,'
cried the Paynim, and was unlacing the vizor of the fallen man to deal
him his death-stroke when a cry from Una stayed his hand for a moment,
though it was not her prayers for mercy that would have kept him from
drawing his sword, but the sight of the hoary head beneath the helmet,
which startled him.

'Archimago!' he stammered, 'what mishap is this?' And still Archimago
lay on the ground stunned, and answered nothing.

For a moment Una gazed in amazement at the strange sight before her, and
wondered what was the meaning of these things. Then she turned to fly,
but, quick as thought,