The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-30

Drave4 out De clrcumspect.-God bless
and and keep you! -There-awayl"
Drawing his sword and waving it above
bis head, Leon dashed away to the head /
Iof the stalwart foresters, who had been
set apart as reserve force.
These men were the immediate retain |
ers and tenants Of st. Hubert; about two
hundred and fifty in number; armed with |
swords and pixies, these last being formid- |
able weapons, with shafts twelve feet in
length, and heads, of steel heavy and
sharp. Every man of them had known
Leon from his prattling boyhood. and had
come to love him for his goodness and
truth, as well as for his proves and bra
very. He first exhibited to them the goI-
den truncheon Of the baron, and then, in
few words, told them whabhe had been
ordered to do.
My brave, true hearts, he concluded,
IF We capture those great guns we save
the day, The king looks to US, and is anx-
ious. Will you follow me?
The shout of assent made the welkin
ring,
Leon. with keen glance and close
calculation, had marked the movements
on the bill, and was squirting forward at
the TOD of his speed At the foot
of the hill, with not more than
three hundred yards between him
self aud the advance guard of the enemy.
he turned and gave the order for the
sweeping to the right and left of the rear
divisions. His order was instantly repeat
ed to the chiefs of division, and few mo-
, ments more the foresters were completely
envelopiug the hill. Onward and upward
swept the youthful leader, bearing his
light target to keep the flying arrows from
| his throat, while his followers pressed
J close to his tracks.
L Upon the summit of the hill the Bour-
} bonnais and Spaniards, to the number Of
full FIVE hundred, were working with all
D their might. Their chief was none other
Q than Jean H., the Duke de Bourbon.
B, Three hundred archers and pikemen were
D were arranged to resist the attacking col,
/ umD, while the rest worked at the common
: Three Of the huge pieces had been placed
in position and loaded, and the duke, with
his own hand, was prepared to discharge
e the first, when the shock came. A crowd
9 of bis men had been driven before ;ht
muzzle of the gun be was about to FIRE
d he dropped the match stock and sprang t.
the front But single glance told min
!; he was too late.
d Like a thunderbolt dashed young Leol
upon the pikemen of Bourbonuais, turning
IS aside the weapons that are aimed az MIN
and striking down two men in his course
And his orders had been obeyed to tn,
very letter. So promptly had the leader
B. of the second and third divisions come u
o. as they had been directed, that the enem
ID was struck on all hands at the came ia
,e slant, and panic seising them at once, the
III fed pell NELL. Leon did not make an
ne pursuit, but set at work to turn the car
ut non against those who had brought ther
az upon the field.
Three of the guns gere already loaded
tie and the matches lighted. and as soon
he they could be trained upon the Duke
ad Berry, flank they were discharged. TIL
ch moral effect of the enormous pieces of orr
NJ nance was of greater moment than Il
of physical. CONSERVATION and awe resulte
ris in fear: aud fear begat decentralization an
fight.
is Leon piled the battery until he b.
he driven the Allies beyond reach of his pr
~, jectiles, and then he thought of his guar,
is laD. 1t was now past noon, and the bait
vas had ragged furiously all the time Ev
ne, and anon our hero had taken view
yas the field below him, and he knew We
led nearly hoy the battle was going. II
royal forces were surely gaining, and
ing soon as he felt justified in leaving the Ca
vas tured hill, he made arrangements to /
but join his chief. Leaving half the troop
the guard the ordnance under command of /
his most trusty lieutenant, he summoned t
site remainder to follow him to the plain whe
,ery the conflict was raging. He had Sc
der that the forces of Sir Hubert were CLOSE
,uis engaged with those Of Burgundy, and
ltul Concluded on next page)