railing, and, buoyed up by the air, settled slowly
toward the lists. A young rider in the approaching
rear rank saw the handkerchief fall, and darting
swiftly forward, caught it on the point of his
lance ere it touched the ground. He drew up his
horse and made a movement as though to extend
the handkerchief toward the lady, who was blushing
profusely at the attention she had attracted by
her carelessness. The rider hesitated a moment,
glanced interrogatively at Warwick, and receiving
a smile in return, tied the handkerchief around
the middle of his lance and quickly rejoined his
comrades at the head of the lists.

The young man with the bandage round his
head, on the benches across the lists, had forced
his way to the front row and was leaning against
the railing. His restless eye was attracted by
the falling handkerchief, and his face, hitherto
anxious, suddenly lit up with animation.

"Yas, suh, yas, suh, it's her!" he muttered
softly. "It's Miss Rena, sho's you bawn. She
looked lack a' angel befo', but now, up dere
'mongs' all dem rich, fine folks, she looks lack a
whole flock er angels. Dey ain' one er dem ladies
w'at could hol' a candle ter her. I wonder w'at
dat man's gwine ter do wid her handkercher? I
s'pose he's her gent'eman now. I wonder ef
she'd know me er speak ter me ef she seed me?