at beast's head.

"Yes, I do," he said, gently. "Poor old Lupe! I mustn't be surly to my
friends. Good old dog, then! But where's Serge? Do you know where he
is, boy?"

The dog growled, and pressed up against Marcus' leg.

"No, you don't know, old fellow. If you did you'd be with him. There,
go and lie down. I daresay he's gone into the woods to sulk and walk it
off."

The dog whined softly, and then, in obedience to his master's commands,
let himself subside upon the stones, while Marcus strolled off, stopped
once or twice to think and listen, and then said, half aloud:

"There, it's of no use, and perhaps it's all for the best, for I'm so
weak and stupid, and I daresay I shouldn't have been able to talk to him
and say what I meant without breaking down."

He drew himself up firmly, then stood breathing hard for a few moments,
as he turned and gazed through the darkness in different directions, and
then made straight for his little cubicle, entered at once, and,
breathing hard the while as if he had been running far, he cast off his
loose every-day garment and began rapidly to put on the armour in which
he had had such pride.

Practice with old Serge had made him perfect, and, in spite of the
darkness, his fingers obeyed him well, so that it was not long before he
stood girded and buckled up, fully accoutred, with nothing more to be
done than to crown his preparations by placing his heavy helmet upon his
head.

Before he began, his spirits were down to the lowest ebb, but exertion
and excitement, joined with something in the touch of the war-like garb
and the thoughts this last engendered, so that as he went on he
gradually grew brighter, adventurous thoughts encouraged him; and, at
last, taking the helmet in both hands, he placed it upon his head, drew
the armed strap beneath his chin, and readjusted the hang of his short
broadsword, before standing in the darkness absolutely motionless.

"Why, it makes me feel ten years older," he said, "even if I am but a
boy! And here was I, before I began, shrinking and feeling that I
should repent and be afraid to go. And now I am like this!"

He lifted his shield from where it lay upon the bed, took the short
spear which he had leaned in a corner of the wall, and then, stiffened
by his armour and far more by the spirit that seemed to thrill through
every nerve and tendon, he stepped out into the court, to bend down and
place his lips to the clear water in t