"My lord," answered Dame Lyoness simply, "that moment you enter these
gates I shall drink this brew. A brew that will quickly dispose of all
the misery that this earth holds for me. Then will you be able to
claim my dead body but naught else. If hope were not mine, if I did
not feel certain that some brave knight would come here from King
Arthur's court to rescue me from your unwelcome presence, a knight
sent here at the beseeching of my sister Linet, I would long ago have
drunk this poison and so rid the world of one who has brought naught
but misery to many brave knights."

[Illustration: He Knocked With The Hilt Of His Sword]

"Lady," the Red Knight rejoined, "I hear that such a knight is now on
his way. Yet have you overmuch faith in him or mayhap I have given you
poor proof of my own skill and strength. If he should come, if his
blood does not turn to water, think you he will win from the Red
Knight?"

"Yet do I so hope. I pray that he has greater skill and strength than
yours. And I shall dare hope."

Then did the lady turn and make her way within, giving the knight no
further glance. Ruefully he turned away, and so woeful a figure that
few would have known him for the brave and commanding Red Knight of
the Red Lawns.

There came the Lady Linet first of all our party of five. She it was
who entered the gates of the castle of Dame Lyoness unmolested. So had
it been arranged. There she recounted of Sir Gareth and of the others,
too. She told of the knight's bravery and how he had overcome Sir