The daily gazette., 1878-12-23

IN advance OF the main tower of The bar
bican, in one of the most exposed posi-
lions he could have selected, and de.
manded to know upon what errand the
troop had come.
1--WE mold not conference with YOU,
castle walls between u.s." answered the
D'ack knight, whose voice, and whose whole
bearing and stalafrt presence, John re.
cognlzed as belonging to Raoul de Lang.
wolf. "Throw open your ga'es and Won
shall quickly know our pleasure. If
you put us TO the labor of forcing our
way IL Shall be worse for those who else
may not suffer.n
At this juncture second knight rode
up and spoke with the Bohemian. He
was cased in plate armor, with his visor
closed, but Zeta Bethtoui, who had come
to his masters side, recognized him.
Hal" the secretary cried, clutchng
the DUKES arm, that is the fiend in.
carnate. 1t is Burgun1y's butcher.
Ma llotin du Bac! He would not be here
If Charles had not planned bloody work.
fear my lord - Down, Down."
| But the Dote of alarm came too late.
A tall broad-shouldered archer had ad-
vanced with MaillOtin du Bac, who, at
sign from the latter, raised his heavy
bow, with a long, steel-barbed finely
feathered arrow adjusted to the string
and drew to the very arrows head. John
OF Luxembourg stood with his wiser raIs-
ed, and his whole face exposed. He
heard Behton's cry, and saw the stout
archer OF the black baldric, but he was
| too late to avoid the fatal shaft. As an
echo 10 the warning came the venge full
| t"ang OF the boW-strlng, and the steel
point, with its following barbs, entered
| The dukes night eye. crushing through
| the bone of the orbit, aud bury ing itself
deep in the brais. He fell back dead in
to Bethtoni's arms.
The secretary bore the body down 10
the pavement below, where he was Just
I IN season to meet a score of the Black
Riders who had gained entrance.
1t was not enough that the grand duke
should die. Charles had decreed and
ordered that the whole household should
be put to the sword and his devoted
heuchman, Maillotin du Bac, was The
man to obey. The number of the grand
dukes children was known, and Du Bac
saw the terrible order executed. Where
he had found the Prince Leon, whom he
at once recognized by his tell-tale galb,
he had found another boy of nearly the
same age, and him he was about to slay,
in spite of the tears and prayers of the
poor mother who clung to him, when the
Black Knight of Bohemia came up.
"What is all this?" De Langwolf de-
manded, as he approached.
"Ob, good sir!-noble knightl-he is
my boy!-my own Leon. Oh, spare him!
spare him ~
"Psha v let the brat live," said the
Black chief.
"But this little viper is as spiteful as
tiger" returned Du Bac. "Zounds he
came near knocking one OF my men over
with club Look at him. Look at his
eyes. He don't ask for life. l tell you
be must die. If he lives, he will live TO
give us trouble"
"No," persisted the Bohemian. "John
of Luxembourg and all his family are
dead, and that fills the measure. Here,
my good woman, take your boy, aud
when he is grown old enough to bear
arms, let him come to me, and will give
him service"
Mailotin du Bac chafed angrily, and
would have cut the boy down had not the
Black Knight declared it to have become
personal matter.
"Strke the poor forester's boy" said
he, sand you strike mel"
And so the life of the boy was saved
and Du Bac muttered, as he turned away:
81 tell you that boy will live to give
us trouble !"
And his words were prophetic.
Eight years had passed since the mas
sacre of Alsdorf, and the prince who had
instigated that wicked work still plotted
and fought for power. He had not yet
come to the ducal throne of Burgundy,
though the event was not far distant. .--l
Philip the Good still lived, and relgned
in name, but Charles the Bold, his son
and heir, was the responsible prince and
arbitrator.
1t was early in the day-a day of late
autumn-clear, bright aud beautiful. The
air was crisp and braclng. Upon broad
plain, lat the foot of the slope upon which
stood the town of MoDt-PHery, was mar
shalled an army under the banner of
Louis of France. The distance from
Paris was not more than five leagues.
Little more than a good bow-shot dis
tant, with an insignificant tributary of
the e some between them, lay anoth'r
army spread over greater terri ory land
displaying various banners. A final ef-
fori was to be made to hurl Louis from
his throne. His own brother. the Duke
of Berry, was at the head of the insur-
gent force, aided by Charles OF Burgun-
dy.
1t was dubious prospect for King
Louis. The coalition against him was
strong, and led by vetern chieftains; but
he did not fater. 1t was evident that
the main battle was to be fought upon
his right. Against that wing, on the op-
phsite side, were marshalled the forces of
Burgundy and the Low Countries, under
Charles the Bold, and to meet them Louis
had appointed his well-tried, faithful
heuchnan, knight and baron, Sir John
st. Hurbert.
Ina low-roofed cot, close by where
rested the right wing of the royal forces,
sal two generals engaged in looking over
a roughIy-dra wn map. They were the
baruns John st. Hubert and Odin Lava |
lette. st Hubert was a man of fifty, tall
and muscular, and casedin armor, only
h s head being bare. l. ,valette was his |
] g = tenant,to whom Sir John was giving |
directions for the coming battle. While |
they thus conferred door was noise- |
les.ly opened, and a youth entered un-
announced.
"Ah, Leonl" cried st. Hubert, as the |
youth approached, "you have come just
In time. Have you examined the tords
below us 2"
:. NJ IL, +bo+ INV lord aneWarad /