the management of the horse with the left hand
necessary, and required a true eye and a steady
arm. The rider captured three of the twelve
rings, knocked three others off the hooks, and
left six undisturbed. Turning at the end of the
lists, he took the lance with the reins in the left
hand and drew his sword with the right. He
then rode back over the course, cutting at the
wooden balls upon the posts. Of these he clove
one in twain, to use the parlance of chivalry, and
knocked two others off their supports. His
performance was greeted with a liberal measure of
applause, for which he bowed in smiling acknowledgment
as he took his place among the riders.

Again the herald's call sounded, and the tourney
went forward. Rider after rider, with varying
skill, essayed his fortune with lance and sword.
Some took a liberal proportion of the rings; others
merely knocked them over the boundaries, where
they were collected by agile little negro boys and
handed back to the attendants. A balking horse
caused the spectators much amusement and his
rider no little chagrin.

The lady who had dropped the handkerchief
kept her eye upon the knight who had bound it
round his lance. "Who is he, John?" she asked
the gentleman beside her.