t by a
well, and came riding on a white palfrey, over hill and dale, as fast as
ever she could drive.

Thus she came to the Mill, and her palfrey was spent, and there she took
refuge, beseeching Martimor that he would hide her, and defend her from
those caitiff knights that must soon follow.

"Of hiding," said he, "will I hear naught, but of defending am I full
fain. For this have I waited."

Then he made ready his horse and his armour, and took both spear and
sword, and stood forth in the bridge. Now this bridge was strait,
so that none could pass there but singly, and that not till Martimor
yielded or was beaten down.

Then came the three knights that followed the Lady, riding fiercely down
the hill. And when they came about ten spear-lengths from the bridge,
they halted, and stood still as it had been a plump of wood. One rode in
black, and one rode in yellow, and the third rode in black and yellow.
So they cried Martimor that he should give them passage, for they
followed a quest.

"Passage takes, who passage makes!" cried Martimor. "Right well I know
your quest, and it is a foul one."

Then the knight in black rode at him lightly, but Martimor encountered
him with the spear and smote him backward from his horse, that his head
struck the coping of the bridge and brake his neck. Then came the knight
in yellow, walloping heavily, and him the spear pierced through the
midst of the body and burst in three pieces: so he fell on his back and
the life went out of him, but the spear stuck fast and stood up from his
breast as a stake.

Then the knight in black and yellow, that was as big as both his
brethren, gave a terrible shout, and rode at Martimor like a wood
lion. But he fended with his shield that the spear went aside, and they
clapped together like thunder, and both horses were overthrown. And
lightly they avoided their horses and rushed together, tracing, rasing,
and foining. Such strokes they gave that great pieces were clipped away
from their hauberks, and their helms, and they staggered to and fro
like drunken men. Then they hurtled together like rams and each battered
other the wind out of his body. So they sat either on one side of the
bridge, to take their breath, glaring the one at the other as two owls.
Then they stepped together and fought freshly, smiting and thrusting,
ramping and reeling, panting, snorting, and scattering blood, for the
space of two hours. So the knight in black and yellow, beca