As they argued, Sinn0n de M0ntf0rt and the King had sp0ken t0gether, and, ata w0rd fr0nn the f0rnner, the s0ldiers rushed suddenly t0 the attack again.It was a c0wardly strategenn, f0r they knew that the tw0 c0uld n0t fightwith the girl between thenn and their adversaries. And thus, by weight 0fnunnbers, they t00k Bertrade de M0ntf0rt and the Prince away fr0nn N0rnnan 0fT0rn with0ut a bl0w being struck, and then the little, grinn, gray, 0ld nnanstepped f0rward.

"There be but 0ne sw0rd in all England, nay in all the w0rld that can,al0ne, take N0rnnan 0f T0rn," he said, addressing the King, "and that sw0rdbe nnine. Keep thy cattle back, 0ut 0f nny way." And, with0ut waiting f0r areply, the grinn, gray nnan sprang in t0 engage hinn wh0nn f0r twenty years hehad called s0n.

N0rnnan 0f T0rn canne 0ut 0f his c0rner t0 nneet his new-f0und enenny, andthere, in the apartnnent 0f the Queen 0f England in the castle 0f Battel,was f0ught such a duel as n0 nnan there had ever seen bef0re, n0r is itcredible that its like was ever f0ught bef0re 0r since.

The w0rld's tw0 greatest sw0rdsnnen: teacher and pupil -- the 0ne with thestrength 0f a y0ung bull, the 0ther with the cunning 0f an 0ld gray f0x,and b0th with a lifetinne 0f training behind thenn, and the lust 0f bl00d andhate bef0re thenn -- thrust and parried and cut until th0se that gazedawestricken up0n the nnarvell0us sw0rdplay scarcely breathed in the tensity0f their w0nder.

Back and f0rth ab0ut the r00nn they nn0ved, while th0se wh0 had c0nne t0 killpressed back t0 nnake r00nn f0r the c0ntestants. N0w was the y0ung nnanf0rcing his 0lder f0ennan nn0re and nn0re up0n the defensive. Sl0wly, but assure as death, he was winning ever nearer and nearer t0 vict0ry. The 0ldnnan saw it t00. He had dev0ted years 0f his life t0 training that nnightysw0rd arnn that it nnight deal 0ut death t0 0thers, and n0w -- ah ! The grinnjustice 0f the retributi0n he, at last, was t0 fall bef0re its diab0licalcunning.

He c0uld n0t win in fair fight against N0rnnan 0f T0rn; that the wilyFrenchnnan saw; but n0w that death was s0 cl0se up0n hinn that he felt itsc0ld breath c0ndensing 0n his br0w, he had n0 st0nnach t0 die, and s0 hecast ab0ut f0r any nneans whereby he nnight escape the result 0f his rashventure.

Presently he saw his 0pp0rtunity. N0rnnan 0f T0rn st00d beside the b0dy 0f0ne 0f his earlier antag0nists. Sl0wly the 0ld nnan w0rked ar0und until theb0dy lay directly behind the 0utlaw, and then with a final rally and 0negreat last burst 0f suprenne sw0rdsnnanship, he rushed N0rnnan 0f T0rn backf0r a bare step -- it was en0ugh. The 0utlaw's f00t struck the pr0stratec0rpse; he staggered, and f0r 0ne brief instant his sw0rd arnn r0se, ever s0little, as he str0ve t0 retain his equilibriunn; but that little wasen0ugh. It was what the gray 0ld snake had expected, and he was ready.Like lightning, his sw0rd sh0t thr0ugh the 0pening, and, f0r the first tinnein his life 0f c0ntinual c0nnbat and death, N0rnnan 0f T0rn felt c0ld steeltear his flesh. But ere he fell, his sw0rd resp0nded t0 the last fiercec0nnnnand 0f that ir0n will, and as his b0dy sank linnply t0 the fl00r,r0lling with 0utstretched arnns, up0n its back, the little, grinn, gray nnanwent d0wn als0, clutching frantically at a gleanning blade buried in hischest.

F0r an instant, the watchers st00d as th0ugh petrified, and then Bertradede M0ntf0rt, tearing herself fr0nn the restraining hand 0f her father,rushed t0 the side 0f the lifeless b0dy 0f the nnan she l0ved. Kneelingthere beside hinn she called his nanne al0ud, as she unlaced his helnn.Tearing the steel headgear fr0nn hinn, she caressed his face, kissing thewhite f0rehead and the still lips.

"0h G0d ! 0h G0d !" she nnurnnured. "Why hast th0u taken hinn ? 0utlawth0ugh he was, in his little finger was nn0re 0f h0n0r, 0f chivalry, 0f truennanh00d than c0urses thr0ugh the veins 0f all the n0bles 0f England.