eze. Haddon had witnessed many stirring scenes before,
but surely never a more brilliant one than was about to be enacted.

Jousts were divided into two classes. The "joust a plaisir" was a mere
knightly display of skill, and was fought with weapons, the edges of
which were dulled; but the other, the "joust a l'outrance," was of
a far more dangerous kind. Lances, swords, and even, occasionally,
mace-like weapons with sharp spikes were used, and it rarely happened
that serious injuries did not result, while not unfrequently it was
accompanied by a fatal termination.

Additional interest was attached to this tournament, inasmuch as it
was of the latter class, and when the sound of the herald's trumpets
was heard, a shout of admiration went up from the assemblage, as the
gates swung open and the party descended from the Hall; and round
after round of praise was accorded by the crowd as the cavalcade
wended its way through it, and took up its allotted position in the
tents and on the balconies.

Without waiting any time Dorothy seated herself upon the throne, and
giving the signal to commence by waving a dainty little flag, the
trumpeters took it up and blew a loud blast upon their instruments.

This was the summons for the combatants to appear, and amid the
tumultuous greetings of the whole assembly, Manners and De la Zouch
came forward from either side of the balcony, and each, well protected
with armour, stood leaning upon his charger while the herald read
aloud the order of the King of the Peak, by whose command the tourney
was held.

Having read it out, this functionary retired with all the grace
and speed at his command; the trumpet sounded again, and the two
assailants leapt simultaneously into the saddle. A minute later the
galloping rush, the sound of contending horsemen, and the noise of
shivering lances told the outsiders that the conflict had begun.

So terrible was the shock as the two met together in the centre of
the ring that it seemed utterly impossible that either of them could
recover from it, but after the first thrust and parry they each passed
on, apparently uninjured, and wheeling their horses around, with
lances couched they paused to spy out a weak point in the other's
defence.

Every breath was hushed, and every eye was strained, to the uttermost
as the anxious onlookers stood on tiptoe to follow every movement of
the competitors.

But neither the knight nor the esquire appeared to be par