Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CHAPTER XV. The Prince with his English and Gas con army moved swiftly southward in battle array and Sir Nigel having re cruited his ranks with the two hun dred members of the original White Company. from the woods near Mont pezard. joined the army and received the honorable commission from the Prince, to push ahead into Spain and discover the location and strength of the Spanish and French army under King Henry of Transtamare. The lit tle band wound through the passes of Navarre and into the rugged land of Spain. Sir Nigel had with him Sir William Felton, Sir Oliver Buttesthorn, stout old Sir Simon Burley, the Scotch knight errant, the Earl of Angus, and Sir Rich ard Causton, all accounted among the bravest knights in the army, together with sixty veteran men-at-arms, and three hundred and twenty archers. Spies had been sent out in the morning, and returned after night-fall to say that the King of Spain was encamped some fourteen miles off in the direction of Burgos, having with him twenty thou sand horse and forty-five thousand foot. A dry-wood fire had been lit, and round this the leaders crotlched, the glare beating upon their rugged faces, while the hardy archers lounged and chatted amid the tethered horses, while they munched their scanty provisions. "For my part." said Sir Simon Bur ley, I am of the opinion that we have already done that which we have ome for. For do we not now know where the king is. and how great a rollowing he hath, which was the end of our jour ney." "True." answered Sir William Felton, "but I have come on this venture be cause it is a long time since I have broken a spear in war, and, certes, I shall not go back until I have run a course with some cavalier of Spain." "I will not leave you. Sir William. returned Sir Simon Burley; "and yet, as an old soldier and one who hath seen much of war. I cannot but think that it is an ill thing for four hundred men to find themselves between an ar of sixty thousand on the one side and a broad river on the other." "Yet," said Sir Richard Causton. "we cannot for the honor of England go back without a blow struck." "Nor for the honor of Scotland, either." cried the Earl of Angus. "By Sa.int Paul! you have spoken very well," said Sir Nigel, "and I have always heard that there were very worthy gentlemen among the Scots, and fine skIrmishing to be had upon their border. Bethink you, Sir Simon. that we have this news from the lips of common spies, who can scarce tell us as much of the enemy and of his forces as the prince would wish to hear." All night they led their horses, stumbling and groping through wild defiles and rugged alleys, following the guidance of a frightened peasant who was strapped by the wrist to Black Si mon's stirrup-leather. With the early dawn they found themselves in a dark ravine, with others sloping away from it on either side, and the bare brown crags rising in long bleak terraces all round them. "If it please you, fair lord," said Black Simon, 'this man hath misled us, and since there is no tree upon which we may hang him, it might be well to hurl him over yonder cliff." The peasant, reading the soldier's meaning in his fierce eyes and harsh accents dropped upon his knees. sc-'eam lng louidly for mercy. "How comes it, dog?" asker Sir Will Iam Felton in Spanish. "Where lis this camp to which you swore you would lead us?" "By the sweet Virgin: By the bWessed Mother of God!" cried the trembling peasant, " I swear to you that in the darkness I have myself lost the path, I-"At the instant, there rose the scream of a hundred bugles, *with the 'deep rolling of drums and the clashing of cymbals, all sounding together in one Leafening uproar. Knights and arch ers sprang to arms, convinced 1 some great host was upon them; but the guide dropped upon his knees and thanked Heaven for its mercies. "We have found them caballeros!" he cried. This is their morning call." As he spoke he scrambled down one of the narrow ravines, and, climbing over a low ridge at the further end. he led them into a short valley with a stream purling down the centre of it, and a very thick growth of elder and box upon either side. Pushing their way through the dense brushwood, they looked upon a scene which made their hearts beat harder and their breath come faster. In front of them lay a broad plain, watered by two winding streams and covered with grass, stretching away to where. In the furthest distance, the towers of Burgos bristled up against the light blue morning sky. Ov;er all this vast meadow there lay a great city of tents-thousands upon thousands of them, laid out in streets and squares like a well-ordered town. High silken pavilions or colored niarquees, shoot log up from among the crowd of .mean er dwellings, marked where the great * lords and barons of Leon and Castile displayed their standards, while over the white roofs, as far as eye could reach, the waving of ancients, pavons, pensils, and banderries, with flash 0f gold anel glow of colors. proclaimed that all the chivalry of Iberia were mustered in the plain beneath them. Far off, in the centre of the camp.a huge palace of red and white silk, with the royal arms of Castile wavmng from the summit, announced that the gallant Henry lay there in the midst of his warriors. - As the English adventurers. peeping out from behind their brushwooc screen, looked dow.n upon this n~ ondrous sight, they could see that the vast army in front of them was already afo. t. The first pink light of the rising sun glit tered upon tehe steel caps and breast plates of dense masses of slingers anc erossbowmen, who drilled and marchec in the spaces whib'h had been left fo: their exercise. A thousand columns of smoke reeked up Into the pure morning air where the farrots wer4 piled and the camp-kettles already simmering. In the nen nlnin- coud of light horse enlinpedl and swonne' with swayIng bodies and waving jave lins, after the fashion which the Snan ish had adopted from their ynoorish en emies All along hy the sede' bank: of the rivers lond lines of PAres e theih masters' charters down to water whi e the knights thoems'lv'Ps linne'' in gavly-dressed grouPs about the door of their pavilions. or rode out. wit? their falcons upon their wrists anc (A 501 npyr hted 894.By Haper their greyhounds behind them, in quest of quail or leveret. The leaders sat amongst the box wood, and took counsel together as to what they should do; while from be low there surged up the buzz of voices, the shouting, the neighing of horses, and all the uproar of a great camp. "What boots it to wait?" said Sir William Felton. "Let us ride down upon their camp before they discover us." "And so say . cried the Scottish earl; for they do not know that there is any enemy within thirty long leagues of them." "For my part," said Sir Simon Bur ley, "I think that it is madness, for you cannot hope to rout this great ar my; and where are you to go and what are you to do when they have turned upon you?" "Nay," said Sir Nigel, "I have a plan by which we may attempt some small deed upon them, and yet, by the help of God, may be able to draw off again; which, as Sir Simon Burley hath said, would be scarce possible in any other way." "How then. Sir Nigel?" asked sev eral voices. "We shall lie here all day; for amid this brushwood it is ill for them to see us. Then when evening comes we shall sally out upon them and :ae if we may not gain some honorable advancement from them. We shall have nightfall to cover us when we draw off so that we may make our way back through the mountains. I would station a score of archers here in the pass, with all our pennons jutting forth from the rocks, and as many nakirs and drums and bugles as we have with us, so that those who follow us in the fading light, may think that the whole army of the prince is upon them, and fear' to go further. What think you of my plan, Sir Simon?" "By my troth! I think very well 'of it," cried the prudent old commander. If four hundred men must needs run a tilt against sixty thousand, I cannot see how they can do it better or more safely." "And so say I," cried Felton, hearti ly. "But I wish the day were over, for it will be an ill thing for us if they chance to light upon us." The words were scarce out of hs mouth when there came a clatter of loose stones, the sharp clink of trotting hoofs, and a dark-faced cavalier, mounted upon a white horse, burst through the bushes and rode swiftly down the valley from the end which was farthest from the Spanish camp. Lightly armed, with his vizor open and a hawk perched upon his left wrist he looked about him with the careles air of a man who is bent wholly upon pleasure, and unconscious of the pos sibility of danger. Suddenly, however, his eyes lit upon the fierce faces which glared out at him from the brushwood. With a cry of terror, ho thrust his spurs into his horse's sides, and dash ed for the narrow opening of the gorge. For a moment it seemed as though he would have reached it, for he had trampled over' or dashed aside the ar chers who threw themselves in his way; but Hordle John seized him by the foot in his grasp of iron and dragged him from the saddle, while two others caught the frightened horse. "Ho, ho!" roared the great archer. "How many cows wilt buy my mother, if I set thee free?" "Hush that bull's bellowing!" cried Sir Nigel impatiently. "Bring the man here. By St. Paul! it is not the first time that we have met; for,' if I mis take not, it Is Don Diego Alvarez, who was once at the prince's court." -"It is indeed I," said the Spanish knight, "I trust that I am now tne prisoner of some honorable knight or gentleman." "You are the prisoner of the man who took you, Sir Diego," answered Sir Ni gel. "And I may tell you that better men than either you or I have found themselves before now prisoners in the hands of the archers of England." "What ransom, then, does he de mand?" asked the Spaniard. Big John scratched his red head and grinned In high delight when the ques tion was propounded to him. 'Tell him," said he, "that I shall have ten cows and a bull too, if It be but a lit tle one. Also a dress of blue sendall for mother and a red one for Joan; with five acres of pasture-land, two scythes. and a fine new grindstone. Likewise a small house, with stalls for the cows and thirty-six gallons of beer for the thirsty weather." "Tut, tat," said Sir Nigel, laughing. "All these things may be had for mon ey; and I think. Don Diego, that five thousand crowns is not too much for so renowned a knight." "It shall be duly paid him." "For some days we must keep you with us; and I must crave leave also to use your shield, your armor and your horse. I have need of it this day, but it shall be duly returned to you. Set guards, Aylward, with arrow on string, at either end of the pass; for it may happen that some other cava iers may visit us ere the time be come." All day the little band of English men lay in the sheltered gorge, look ing down upon the vast host of their unconscious enemies. The sun had sunk behind a cloud-bank in the west before Sir Nigel at last gave word that the men should resume their arms and have their horses ready. Hie had him self thrown 'off his armor, and had dressed himself from head to foot in the harness of the captured Spaniard. "Sir William," said he, "it is my opin ion to attempt a small <'eed, and I ask ou therefore that you will lead this outfall upon the camn. Thor me, I will ride into their camp with my squire and two archers. I pray you to watch me, and to ride forth when I am. come among the tents. You will leave twn ty men behind here, and asl wie plane this morninz. and you venturied acfa here after you havevetrdafr "I will do as yon order. N'igel; but what is that you propose to do?" "You will see anon, and indeed it is ut a trifling matter. Alleyne, you will come with rme, and lead a spare hose hw the am T will hav-e the wo arcers who ro~e wit'i us through France. for they are trusty men and of stout heart. Let them ride behind s and let them leave their bows here aoong the bushes for it is not my wish that they should know that we are Englishmen. Say no word to any whom we may meet, and. If any speak in ~you, pass on as though you heard hem not. n Sosaying, Sir Nigel mounted the I - wht oreo the Spanish cavalier. 10'1 - Brotle . - and rode quietly forth from his con cealment with his three companions behind him. Alleyne leading his mas ter's own steed by the bridle. So many small parties of French and Spanish horse were sweeping hither and thither that the small band attracted little notice, and making its way at a gentle trot across the plain, they came as far as the camp without challenge or hindrance. On and on they pushed past the endless lires of #nts. amid the dense swarms of horsemen and of footmen, until the huge royal ravilion stretched in front of them. They were close upon it when of a sudden there broke out a wild hubb h 4m p dis tant portion of the camp, with screams and war-crfes and all the wild tumult of battle. At the sound soldio- -me rushing from their tents, knights shouted loudly for their squires, and there was mad turmoil on every hand of bewildered men and plunging horses. At the royal tent a crowd of gorgeous ly dressed servants ran hither and thither in helpless panic for the guard of soldiers who were stationed there had already ridden off in the direc tion of the alarm. A man-at-arms on either side of the doorway were the sole protectors of the royal dwelling. "I have come for the king,' whisper ed Sir Nigel; "and, by Saint Paul! -nust back with us or I must bi' here." Alleyne and Aylward sprang from their horses, and flew at the two sentries, who were disarmed and beaten down in an In stant by so furious and unexpected an at tack. Sir Nigel dashed into the royal tent. nnd was followed by Hordle John as soon ns the horses had been secured. From within came wild screamings and the clash of steel, and then the two emerged once more, their swords and forearms red dened with blood, while John bore over his shoulder the senseless body of a man whose gray surcoat, adorned with the lions and towers of Castile, proclaimed him to belong to the royal house. A crowd of white-faced sewers and pages swarmed At their heels, those behind pushing forwards, while the foremost shrank back from the fierce faces and reeking weapons of the adventurers. The senseless body was thrown -across the spare horse, the four sprang to their saddles, and away they thundered with loose reins and busy spurs through the swarming camp. But confusih and. disorder still reigned among the Spaniards, for Sir William Felton and his men had swept through half their camp, leaving a long litter of the dead and dying to mark their course. Un certain who were their attackers, and un able to tell their English enemies from their newly-arrived Breton allies, the Spanish knights rode wildly hither and thither In aimless fury. The mad tur moil, the mixture of races, and the fading light, were all in favor of the four who alone knew their own purpose among the vast uncertain multitude. Another five minutes of wild galloping over the plain, and they were all back in their gorge, while their pursuers fell hack before the roling of the English drums and blare of trumpets, which seemed to proclaim that the whole army of the prince was about to emerge from the mountain passes. "By my soul! Nigel," cried Sir Oliver, "what have we here?" "It is a prisoner whom I have taken, and in sooth, as he came from the royal tent .and wears the royal arms upon his jupon, I trust that he is the King of Spain." "The King of Spain!" cried the com panions, crowding round in amazement. "Nay, Sir Nigel,'' said Felton, peering at the, prisoner through the uncertain light. "I have twice seen Henry of Transtamare, and certes this man. in no way resembles him. "Who are you, fellow?'' he added in Spanish, "and how is it that you dare to wear the arms of Castile?'' The prisoner was but recovering the consciousness which had been squeezed from him by the grip of Hordle John. "If it please you,'' he answered, "I and nine others are the body-squires of the king, and must ever wear his arms, so as to shield him from even such perils as have threatened him this night. The king is at the tent of the brave Du Guesc lin, where h4-will sup to night. But I am a caballero of Aragon, Don Sancho Pene los, and, though I be no king, I am yet ready to pay a fitting price for my ran som.'' "By Saint Paul! I will not touch your gold,'' cried Sir Nigel. "Go back to your master and give him greeting from Sir Nigel Lorigg of Twynhamn Castle, telling him that I had hoped to make his better acquaintance this night, and that, if I have disordered his tent, it was but in my eagerness to know so famed and cour teous a knight. Spur on, comrades! for we must cover many a league ere we can venture to light fire or to loosen girth. CHAPTER XVI. It was a cold, bleak morning in the be ginning of March. and the mist was drift ing in dense rolling clouds through the passes of the Cantabrian mountains. The Company had passed the night in a shel tered gully. Here and there, through the dense haze which surrounded them, there loomed out huge pinnacles and jutting houlders of rock: while high above the sea of vapor there towered up one gigantic peak, with the pink glow of the early sun shine upon its snow-capped head. The camp was loud with laughter and merriment, for a messenger had ridden in from the prince with words of heart-stir ring praise for what they had done, and with orders that they should still abIde in the forefront of the army. "The Lord Loring craves your attend ance in his tent," said a young archer to Alleyne. The squire found the knight seated upon a cushion, with his legs crossed in front, of him and a broad ribbon of parchment laid across his knees, over which he was poring with frowning brows and pursed lips. "It came this morning by the prince's messenger," said he, "and was brought from England by Sir John Fallislee, who is new come from Sussex." Alleyne turned to the letter, and, as his eyes rested upon it, his face turned pale and a cry of surprise and grief burst from his lips.' "What then?" asked the knirht. peering up at him anxiously. "There is nought amiss with the Lady Mary or with the Lady Maude?" "It is 177 brother-my poor unhappy brother!" cried Alleyne. with his hand to his hrow. "He is dead." "By Saint Paul! I have never heard that he had shown so much love for you tht you should mourn him so." "Yet he was my brother-the only kith or kin that I bad upon earth. Alas! alas! He has been slain-and slain, I fear, amidst crime and violence." "Ha!" said Sir Nigel. "Read on, I "God be with thee, my onored .uord, and nave thee in is hviy keepimg. The Lady Loring hath asked me, tue pries, so set down in writing what natn beianuc at Twynauam, and ail that cencerus the death of thy ill neighbor the omenan oh Miustead. For when ye had left us, this evil man gathered aiound him all outlaws, illeius, and masteriess men. until they xere come to such a torce that they slew .ud scattered the king's men who went .gainst them. Then, couing forth from .ue woods, they laid siege to thy castle, .nd for two days they girt us in and shot ,ard against us, with such numbers as .vere a marvel to see. Yet the Lady Lor .ug held the place stoutly, and on the aecond day the Soeman was slain-by ais own men, as some think-so that we were delivered from their hands; for which praise be to all the saints, and more especially to the holy Anselm, upon whose feast it came to pass. The Lady Loring and the Lady Maude, thy fair daughter, are in good health. May all the saints preserve thee!" "My fair lord." said Alleyne. with a flush on his weather-stained cheeks, "I love your daughter, the Lady Maude; and, unworthy as I am. I would give my heart's blood to serve her." "By St. Paul! Edrieson," said the knight coldly, arching his eyebrows, "you aim high In this matter. Our blood is very old." "And mine also Is very old," answered the squire. "And the 'Lady Maude is our single child. All our name and lands center upon her." "Alas! that I should say it, but I also am now the only Edrieson." "And why have I not heard this from you before, Alleyne? In sooth, I think you have used me ill." "Nay, my fair lord, say not so; for I know not whether your daughter loves me, and there is -no pledge between us." Sir Nigel pondered for a few moments, and then burst out a-laughing. "By St. Paul!" said he, "I know not why -I should mix in the matter: for I have ever found that the Lady Maude vas very well able to look to her own affairs. Since first she could stamp her little foot, she hath ever been able to get that for which she craved; and if she set- her heart on thee, Alleyne, and thou o- - r, I do not think that this Spanish king, with his three score thousand men, could hold you apart. Yet this I will say, that I would see you a full knight ere you go to my daughter with words of love. I have ever, sid that a brave lance should wed her; and, by my soul! Edricson, if God spare you, I think that. you will acquit yourself well. But enough of such trifles, for we have our work before us, and it will be time to speak of this matter when we see the white cliffs of England once more. Go to Sir William Felton, I pray you, and ask him to come hither, for it is time that we were marching. There is no pass at the further end of the valley, and it is a perilous place should an enemy come upon us." Alleyne delivered his message, and then wandered forth from the camp, for his mind was all in a whirl with this un expected news, and with his talk with Sir Nigel. Sitting upon a rock, with his burning brow resting upon his hands, he thought of his brother, of their quarrel, of the Lady Maude in her bedraggled rid ing-dress, of the gray old castle, of the proud pale face in the armory, and of the last fiery words with which she had sped him on his way. Then he was but a penniless, monk-bred lad, unknown and unfriended. Now he was himself Soeman of Minstead, the head of an old stock, and the Lord of an estate which, if reduced from its former size, was still ample to preserve the dignit' of his family. Further, he had become a man of experience was counted brave among men, had won the esteem and confidence of her father, and above all, has been listoned to by him when he told him the secret of his love. As to the gaining of knighthood, in such stirring tImes it was no great matter for a brave squire of gentle birth to aspire to that honor. He would leave his bones among these Spanieh ravines, or he would ob some deed whieh would call the eyes of men upon him. Alleyne was still seated on the rock, his griefs and his joys drifting swiftly over his mind like the shadow of clouds upon a sunlit meadow, when of a sudden he became conscious of a low, deep sound which came booming up to hi~n through the fog. He shouted an alarm to the camp. "It is a great body of horse,'' said E'' William Felton, "and they are riding v ry swiftly hitherwards." The Company stood peering into the dense fog wireath, amidst a silence so profound that the dripping of the water from the rocks and the breathing of the horses grew loud upon the ear. Suddenly from out the sea of mist came the sound of a neigh, followed by a long blast of a bugle. "It is a Spanish call, my fair lord," said Black Simon. "By my faith, said Sir Nigel, 'smiling. "we may promise theum some sport ere they sound the mort over us. But there is a hill in the center of the gorge upon which we might make our stand.'' "I marked It yester night," said Felton, "and no better spot could be found for our purpose, for it is very steep at the back.' The whole Company, leading their horses, passed across to the small hill which loomed up from the mist. It was indeed admirably designed for defence, for it sloped down In front. all jaggedl andl boulder strewn, while It fell aw~ay behind in a sheer cliff of a hundred feet or more. On the summit was a snmall, uneven plateau, with a stretch across of a hun dred paces, and a depth of half as much again. "Unloose the horses,'' said Sir Nigel. "Now order the ranks, and fing wide the banners, for our souls are God's and our bodies the king's, and our swords for Saat George and for Et thnd!" Sir Nigel had scarcely spoken when the mist seemed to thin in the valley, and to sred away into long ragged clouds which trailed from the edges of the cliffs, and the sun broke through. It gleamed and shimmered with dazzling brightness upon the armor and headpleces of a vast body of horsemen who stretched across the harranca from one cliff to the other, and extended backwards until their rear-guard were far out upon the plain beyond. Line after line, and rank after rank, they chocked the neck of the valley with a long vista of tossing pennons, twinkling lances, waving plumes and streaming banderoles, while the curvets and gain hades of the chargers lent a constant mo tion and shimmer to the glittering, many colored mass. A yell of exultation, and a forest of waving steel through the length and breadth of their column', announced that they could at last see their entrapned enemies. while the swelling notes of a hundred bugles and drum'is, mixed with the clash of Moorish cymbials. broke forth into a proud peal of martial triumph. Strange it was to these gallant and sparking cava liers of Spain to look upon this handful of men upon the unih, t.. thin neofbw men, the knots of knights and men-nt-arms with armor rusted and discolored from long service. and to learn that these were in deed the soldiers whose fame and prow ess had been the camp-fire talk of every army in Christendom. Very still and silent they stood, lenhing upon their bows. while their leaders took counsel torether in front of them. No clang of bugle rose from their stern rank. but in the center waved the leopards of England, on the rirht the ensirn of their Company with the roses of Lorinr. and on the left over three score of Welsh bowman. there float ed the red banner of Merlin with the red boar's heads of the ' Buttenthorns. Grave l and sedately they stood before the morning sun, waiting for the onslaught of their foemen. "By Saint Paul," said Sir Nigel, gazing with puckered eye down the valley, "there apea to he some very worthy people a:nolig tnei.. unat is this gulde ban nec whien waves over the lefit' --It is the eusign of the Knights of Cala rva" ans- ,e?ed 'eltun. --And the one upon tue rightT' it marus the Kuights of Santiago and I see by the banner that the grana mas ter riucs at their heau. "You are n6At, tor i can also seel them. Tuere is Liuch -pan?1n blazonry also if I cvuiu 6a read it. Don Diego, you know tue arms ot your own country, and who are they who have done us so much honor?" The Spanish prisoner looked with exul tant eyes upon the deep and serried rauis of his countrymen. "PY Saint James" he said, "if ye fail this day, ye fall by no mean hands for the flower of the army of Castile ride under the banner of Don Tello, with the chivalry of Asturias, Toledo, Leon, Cor dova, Galicia and Seville and the knights of France and Aragon. If you will take my rede, you will come to a composi tion with them, for they wifl give you such terms as you have given me." "Nay, by Saint Paul, It were pity if so many brave men, were drawn together and no little deed of arms come of it. Ha! William, they advance upon us, and by my soul it is a sight worth coming over the seas to witness." As he spoke the two wings of the Span ish host, consisting of the Knights of Calatrava on the one side and of Santiago on the other , came swooping swiftly down the valley, while the main body followed more slowly behind. The vanguard halted a long bow-shot from the hill, and with waving spears and vaunting shouts chal lenged their enemies to come forth, while two cavaliers, pricking forward from the glittering ranks, walked their horses slow ly between the two arrays with targets braced and lances in rest like the chal lengers In a tourney. "By Saint Paul!" cried Sir Nigel, with his eye glowing like an ember, "these appear to be- two very worthy and debo nair gentlemen. I do not call to mind when I have seen any people who seemed of so great a heart and so high of enter prise. We have our horses, Sir William: shall be not relieve them of any vow which they may have upon their souls?" Felton's reply was to bound upon his charger, and to urge It down the slope, while Sir Nigel followed not three spear's lengths behind him. It was a rugged course, rocky and uneven, yet the two knights, choosing their men, dashed on wards at the top of their speed, while the gallant Spaniards flew as swiftly to meet them. The one to whom Felton found himself opposed was a tall stripling with a stag's head upon his shield, while Sir Nigel's man was broad and squat, with plain steel harness, and a pink and white torse bound round his helmet. The first struck Felton on the target with such force as to split it from side to side, but Sir William's lance crashed through the camail which shielded the Spaniard's throat, and he fell, screaming hoarsely, to the ground. Carried away by the heat and madness of fight, the English knight never drew rein, but charged straight on into the array of the Knights of Calatrava. Long time the silent .ranks upon the hill could see a swirl -and eddy deep down in the heart of the Spanish column, with a circle of rearing chargers and flashing blades. Here and there tossed the white plume of the English helmet, rising and falling like the foam upon a wave, with the fierce gleam and sparkle ever circling round it, until at last It had sunk from view, and another brave man had turned war to peace. Sir Nigel, meanwhlh', had found a foe man worthy of his steel, for his opponent was none other than Sebastian Gomez, the picked lance of the monkish Knights of Santiago, who had won fame in a hun dre'd bloody combats- with the Moors of Andalusia. So fierce was their meeting that their spears shivered up to the very grasp, and the horses reared backwards util It seemed that they must crash down upon thelr rIders. Yet with consummate orsemanship they both swung round In a long curvet, and then plucking out their swords they lashed at each other lIke two lusty smiths hammering upon their anvil. The chargers spun round each others, bit ing and striking, while the two blades wheeled and whizzed and circled In gleams >f dazzling light. Cut, parry, und thrust followed so swiftly upon each others that the eye could not follow them, until at last coming thigh to thigh, they cast their rms around each other and rolled off their saddles to the ground. The heavier Spaniard threw himsfelf upon his enemy, and pinning him down beneath him raised is sword to slay him, while a shout of triumph rose from the ranks of his count rymen. But the fatal blow never fell, for even as *his arm quivered before descend ng, the Spaulard gave a shudder, and stiffening himself, rolled heavily over upon his side, with the blood gushing from his arm-pit and from the slit of his vizor. Sir Nigel sprang to hIs feet with his bloody lagger in his left hand and gazed down upon his adversary, but the fatal and sudden stab in the vital spot, which the Spaniard had exposed by raising his arm, had proved instantly mortal. The Eng lishman leaped upon his horse and made for the hill, at the very instant that a yell of rage from a thousand voices and the' clang of a score of bugles announced the Spanish onset. CHAPTER XVII. But the islanders wi're ready and eager for the encounter. WIth feet firmly planted, their sleeves rolled back to give free play to their muscles, their long ellow how-staves in their left hands, and their quivers slung to the front, they had waited in the. four-deep harrow formation which gave strength to their array, andl yet permitted every man to draw his arrow freely without harm to those in front. On swept the Spaniards, over the level and up to the - slope, ere they met the bliiding storm of the English arrows. Down went the whole ranks In a whirl o' mad confusion, horses plunging and kicking, bewildered men falling' rising, staggering on or back, while ever new lines of horsemen came spurring through the gaps and urged their chargers up the fatal slope. All around himi, Alleyne couldl hear the stern, short orders of the master howmen, while the air was filled wvithi the keen twnnging of the strings and the swish and patter of the shafts. Right across the foot co' the hill there bad sprung up a long wall of struggling horses and stricken men, which ever grew and :eghtenedl as fresh squadrons poured on the attack. So for five long minutes- the galant horsemen of Spain and of France strove ever and again to force a passage, until the low wailing note of a bugle called them back, and they rode slowly out of ow-shot, leaving their best and their lravest in the ghastly, blood-mottled heap behind them. But there was little rest for the victors. Thilst the knights had charged them in front. the siingers had crept round upon either flank and had gained a footing upo'i the cliffs and behind the outlying rocks. A storm of stones broke suddenly unon the defenders, who, drnwn up In lines upon the exposed summit, offered a fair mark to their hidden foes. Jobreton. the old archer, was struck upon the temnle and fell dead without a groan. while fif teen of his bowmen and six of the men at-arms were struck down at the same moment. The others lay on their faces' to avoid the deadly hal,. while at each side of the plateau a fringe of bowmen exchanged shots wvith the slinrers and crosshowmen among the rocks. niming mainly at those who had swarmed up the cliffs and burst ing into laughter and cheers when a well aimed shaft brought one of the~r opponents toppling down from his lofty pereh. "By Saint Paul!'' quoth Sir Nigel. plucking the patch from his eye. "T think that I am now ('lear of my vow, for this Spanish knight was a person from whom much honor might be won. Tndeed, he was a very worthy gentleman, of good courage, and great hardiness. and it grieves me that he should have come by] "Nigel!" cried Sir ti --cy, hu ilg up with consLernauou.. twou i-s I Aylward tells mnC tnat tucru are teu score arrows left in all teir sLearv 6ee! they are springing Ironi their nor ' and cutting their sollerets that tUey rush upon us. Might we not even now aae a retreat'' ''My soul will retreat from my body irst- 'U ed [LUe LItie knignt. ''tiere . aui, and here . blue, wiLue God g-ves uLe ttLigth to lilt a Sworu. N 'And so say .1!" snouted Sir Oliver, LhrUwing his mate hig into tie ir anu cateUijug it again by twe hanlie. "To your arus, Luen:" cried Sir Nigel. ''S*oot While you laay and then out sword, anu let us live o ue together!" '. nen uprose lrota tLe Lni in the rugged caaurian valley a sound suen as hau not oeen heard in [ause parts belure, nor was again, until lie streamus winch rippled amid the rocks had been trozen by over our hundred Wiuters and nUawed by as many returning spriAgs. Deep and full and strong it thundered down the ravine, the nerce battle-call of a warrior race, the last stern welcome to who so should jo with them in that world-old game wh the stake is death. Thrice it swelled forth and thrice it sank away, echoing and- rew verberating amidst the "rags. Then, with set faces, the Company rose up among the storm of stones, and looked down upon the thousands who sped swiftly up the slope against them. Horse and spear had been set aside, but on foot, with sword and bat tle-axe, their broad shields slung in front of them, the chivalry of Spain rushed to the attack. And now arose a struggle so fell, so long, so evenly sustained, that even now the memory of it is handed down amongst the Calabrian mountaineers, and the ill-omen ed knoll is still pointed out by fathers to their children as the "Altura de los Ingle sos," where the men from across the seas fought the great fight with the knights of the south. The last arrow was quickly shot, nor could the slingers hurl their stones, so close were friend and foe. From side to side stretched the thin line of the English, lightly armed and quick-footed, while against it stormed and raged the pressing throng of fiery Spaniards and of gallant Bretons. The clink of crossing sword-blades, the dull thudding of heavy - blows, the panting and gasping of weary and wounded men, all rose together in a wild, long-drawn note, which swelled upwards to the ears of the wondering peasants who looked down from the edges of the cliffs upon the swaying turmoil of the battle beneath them. Back and for ward reeled the leopard banner, now borne up the slope by the rush and weight of the onslaught, now pushing downwards again as Sir Nigel, Burley, and Black Simon. with their veteran men at-arms, flung themselves madly into the fray. Alleyne, at his lord's right hand, found himself swept hither and thither in the desperate struggle, exchanging savag thrusts one instant with a Spanish cava lier, and the next torn away by the whirl of men and dashed up against' some new antagonist. To the right Sir Oliver, Ayl ward, Hordle John, and the bowmen of the Company fought furiously against the monkish Knights of Santiago, who were led up the hill by their prior-a great-deep chested man, who wore a brown monastic habit over his suit of mail. Three archers he slew in three giant strokes, but Sir Oliver flung his arms round him, and the two, staggering and straining, reeled back wards and fell, locked in each other's zrasp, over the edge of the steep cliff which flanked the hill. In vain his knights itormed and raved against the thin line which marred their path: the sword of Aylward and the great axe of John gleam 1d In the forefront of the battle and huge lagged pieces of rock, hurled by the trong arms of the bowmen, crashed and hurtled amid their ranks. Slowly they ,ave back down the hill, the archers still ianging upon their skirts, with a long t itter of writhing and twisted figures to nark the cour'se which they had taken e at the same instant the Welshmen upon7 :he left, led on by the Scotch earl, had 'harged out from among the rocks which sheltered them, and by the fury of their a autfall had driven the Spaniards in front W. >them .in headlong flight down the hill. .2 [n the centre only things seemed to he y: ;oing ill with the defenders. Black Simon Mfr was down-dying, as he would wish to have & lied, like a grim old wolf in its lair wIth r. ring of his slain around him. Twice Sir N'igel had been overborne, and twice Al eyne had fought over him until he had-I*. staggered to his feet- once more. Burley ay senseless, stunned by a blow from I miace, and half of the men-at-arms Iay g ittered upon the ground around him. Sir ~~ bis armor cut and smashed, and the vi. or torn from his helmet; yet he sprang hither and thither with light foot and ready - hand, engaging two Bretons and a Span lard at the same instant thrusting, stoop ing, dashing in, springing out-while Al leyne still fought by his side, stemming wIth a handful of men the fierce tide which surged up against them. Yet it would have fared ill with them had not ~ the archers from either side closed in upon the flanks of the attackers, and pressed them very slowly and foot by foot down the long slope, until they were on the plain once more, where their fellows were already rallying for a fresh assault But terrible indeed was the cost at which the last had been repelled. Of the three hundred and seventy men who had held the crest, one hundred and seventy two were left standing, many of whom were sorely wounded and weak from os of blood. Sir Oliver Buttesthorn, Sir Richard Causton, Sir Simon Burley, Black, Simon, Johnston, a hundred and fifty archers, and forty-seven men-at-arms had fallen, while the pitiless hail of stones 4 was already whizzing and piping'once more about their ears, threatening every ia stant to further reduce their numbers. Sir Nigel looked about him at his shat tered ranks, and his face flushed with a soldier's pride. "By St. Paul!" he cried, "I have fought in many a little bickering, but never one that I would be more loth to have nmisse i than this. But you are wounded, Alleyrue ' "It is nought,"~ answered his squire, stanching the blood which dripped from. a swordl-cu! neross his forehead. "These gentlemen of Spain seem to he most courteous and worthy people. I se that they are already forming to continue this debnte with us. Forrai up the bowmen two deep instead of four. By my falth! some very brave men have gone from among us. Aylward, you are a trusty sol dier, for all that your shoulder has nevetr felt accolade, nor your heels worn the gold spurs. Do you tarke charge of the right; I will hold the center, and you, my Lord of Angus, the left." "Ho! for Sir Samkin Aylward:" cried a rough voice among the archers, and a roar of laurghter greeted their new leadler. "By my hilt!'" said the old bowman, "I never thought to lead a wing in a strick en fyeld. Stand close, camaradles, for, by these finger-bones! we must play the man this day." "Conie hither, Alleyne," said Sir Nigel,. walking b'Iek to the edge of the eliiT wvhich formed'i [he rear of their position. 'And you. Norbury," he continued, beck oning to the squire of Sir Oliver, "do you ailso conicee. The two squires hurried across to him, and the three stood looking down into the rocky ravine which lay a hundred and . - fifty feet beneath them. "The prince must hear of how things nrre with us," said the knight. "Anoth er onfali we may withstand, hut they are many and we are few. so that the time must come when we can no -longer form line ncross the hill. Yet if help were brought us we might hold the crest until it comes. See yonder horses which stray among the ro'cks beneath us?" "I see thenm my fair lord." "And see yonder path which winds along the bill upon the further end of the valley?" "I see it." "Were you on those horses, and riding