the prince ; hut though he treated her with the most dis-tinguished courtesy, the term of his visit to Navarre expired before their acquaintance had ripened into an intimacy that would warrant her venturing upon the delicate task of reclaiming her gift. Months elapsed before Berengaria again saw the knight who had made such an impression upon her youthful imagination, and she began to fear that the ring had, in reality, conducted him to his predestined sepulchre in the sea, when her brother Sancho returning from a tour in France, brought intelligence of the most gratifying character. " Bememberest thou, my sister," said he, " the valiant Plantagenet, who so gallantly bore off the honors of our tournament ?" " Aye, verily," replied the princess, casting down her eyes. " He has been wan-dering through Germany, challenging all true knights to chivalrous combat, and has met with many strange adven-tures," continued Sancho. " Recount them," said Beren-garia, " I listen with attention." " Thou who didst reward his valor, as red, and black, and white knight in one day, canst well appreciate his partiality for disguises," resumed her brother : " and it seems, that during this expedition, one had nearly cost him his life. Passing through the domin-ions of the King of Almaine, he assumed the dress of a palmer, but being discovered, was cast into prison. Ardour, the son of the king, learning that a knight of remarkable strength and prowess was confined in a dungeon, brought him forth and invited him to stand a buffet. Richard ac-cepted the challenge, and received a blow that laid him prostrate. Recovering himself, he returned the stroke with so much force, that he broke the cheek-bone of his antago-nist, who sank to the ground and instantly expired. The king awakened to fresh transports of fury, at the loss of his son, gave orders that the prisoner should be closely fettered and returned to the lowest dungeon of the castle. But the monarch had, also, a daughter, a princess of great beauty, who became exceedingly interested in the man that had so dexterously slain her brother. Learning that a plan was on foot to make the bold knight the prey of a lion, she 214 HEROINES OF THE CRUSADES.