Across my mind flitted the dear image of a certain hello-girl of West Hartford, and I wished she could see me now.

In that moment, down came the Invincible, with the rush of a whirlwind--the courtly world rose to its feet and bent forward -- the fateful coils went circling through the air, and before you could wink I was towing Sir Launcelot across the field on his back, and kissing my hand to the storm of waving kerchiefs and the thunder-crash of applause that greeted me! Said I to myself, as I coiled my lariat and hung it on my saddle-horn, and sat there drunk with glory, "The victory is perfect--no other will venture against me--knight-errantry is dead." Now imagine my astonishment--and everybody else's, too--to hear the peculiar bugle-call which announces that another competitor is about to enter the lists! There was a mystery here; I couldn't account for this thing.

Next, I noticed Merlin gliding away from me; and then I noticed that my lasso was gone! The old sleight-of-hand expert had stolen it, sure, and slipped it under his robe.
The bugle blew again.

I looked, and down came Sagramor riding again, with his dust brushed off and his veil nicely re-arranged.
I trotted up to meet him, and pretended to find him by the sound of his horse's hoofs.

He said: "Thou'rt quick of ear, but it will not save thee from this!" and he touched the hilt of his great sword.