Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-23
MONDAY
The Riders of the Green BaIdric.
A ROMANCE OF FEUDAL TINES

in name The great feudal lords OF tie pro
yinces were sovereign provinces, holding gov
erEment in their own right.
The kings OF ChriStendom themselves were
little else than robbers on large scale.
lt was dull. loweTy day. the seventeenth OF
August. in the year of our Lord Fourteen Hun
dred Fifty-eight, at AlsdOrf. which was then
within the Grand Duchy OF Luxembourg and
the summer residence OF the grand duke.
On this dismal August day the Grand Duke
John stood in the outer court OF his castle the
gates OF which were thrown wide open. looking
upon number OF children who were AZ play
upon the veyety Sward. Three OF them were
children OF his OWn-Jwo boys and grl-and
three others were children OF one OF his forest
erS. Gaen Picard BIZ name. of the dukes chill
dren Isabella was the Oldest. having seen eight
Years. Leon was the next. aged six years; and
The youngest was Alfred, aged four. The chill
dIen OF the forester We're two girls and boy.
ard very nearly of the same ages, respectively,
as their titled mates. The boys had been foster
brotheIS. the wife OF the forester having nlroed
them both.
ON The present occasion the children were
engaged in sport, and the dukes face bright
ened rs their gleesome Shouts and laughter
reached him. BY and by the two foster
brothers. seeing him, ran towards him.
Ha my little heroes he cried, as the boys
came up. where are your quarter-stayes:
haven't seen you exercise for a long time"
With WhoOp and bound the lads dashed
away. and very soon returned with the slaves
Two sticks OF tough ash. wrought very nearly
into the form OF broad-swordS: and at a signal
from the duke they took position. and went at
dozen passes had been made. that they had
eagerly pursued the sport. and thar they had
been blessed with the teaching of thorough
master.
John OF Luxembourg was not the only witness
OF the b0yish passage at arms. In the doorway
OF lodge close al hand stood a woman the
mother OF Leon Picard, and she called a CON-
panlon TO witness.
Tel me. Mignon, the mother said, ARE they
hot brave boys?'
Indeed they are Barbara, aud were it not
q WIN toll ,rl,i
lords son.
.'Who, indeed" exclaimed Barbara Picard.
- II my own Leon had on the line velvet and the
gold which the other Leon wears he would be
every bit as grand
Foolish woman said voice behind her
outward apparel cannot make q hero. LOOK
air
She turned. and beheld the dukes secretary.
Heta Bethton1. who. besides attending to his
masters literary wants, acted as tutor to the
children.
AS might be gathered from the exclamation
OF the scribe the playful combat between the
the banner OF Luxembourg. The duke regarded
his son proudly. and then turned with smiling
face to the foreSter'S son.
My little hero" he said. ''your effort lust put
forth shows TO me that You are worthy to own
sword. and you shall have one: and you shall
go to Blttburg tomorrow and select one for
yourself: and my own Leon and our good Beth
toni shall go with you. All! here comes Beth
toni. see Mrs. Picard yonder, and the other
children are running towards her. Do you two
Join Them
Suddenly the tramp of horses was heard. and
Bethtoni rushed forward to close the main bar
bican.
'.Did you not see the advancing troop. my
lord?" lie asked Of the duke.
81 saw few horSemen ride out from the
wood
and marked YOU not who led them"
II saw night in black armoT"
''Oh, John of Luxembourg. if you knew all
that know YOU would be arIning Those are
the Black Riders OF Gravelot. and he at their
head is M2ilOtin du Bac.''
"Du Bac," cried John, with a convulSyP starr .
Count de CharOlaiS.
'.Aye,-and for that reason they are here
Can yen not understand? The count means ii
possible. TO possess himself OF Luxembourg [
received hint TO that effect from a way-faring
monk not an hour since, and was On my way 10
you with the intelligence but now, little think
ing the enemy were SO near
The duke saw his danger, and fastened into
The keep to arm himself.
The Black Riders OF GravelOt Castle had long
been the terror OF the whole country. Original
y marshalled by Bohemian knight-errant, Sir
Raoul Gle Langwof, they had grown from a
score 20 troop OF full two hundred. and not
only did they attack castles and villages for
purpose OF plumber, but they had more than
once successfully turned their arms against in
c0rpOrated cities Lately this laWlesS force ha d
accepted service under the Count de CharOlaiS
and John OF Luxembourg knew very well that
they would not thus appear upon his domain
BY the time the leader of the Black Riders
had reached the outer gate the approaches to
the castle had been secured, and its forces mus
tered to the number OF tive-and-siXty. OF the
enemE-lT enemies they were-there were full
two hundred, all strong men, and well armed:
| and when they had drawn UP before the outer
barbican their herald sounded a blast upon his
trumpet. Which call the grand duke answered in
person. His secretary and the chief OF his Off
GERS sought to diSsuade him from exposing him.
sell. but he would not listen.
No 80 IL
vance OF the main tower of the barbcan. in one
Of the most exposed positions he could have Sc
lected. and demanded to know upon what ezra nd
the troop had come.
eve hold not conference with your castle
walls between u.s. answered the black knight
whose voice, and whose whole bearing and
stalWart presence, John recognized as belong
ing TO Raoul de Langwolt. .'Throw open your
gates and you shall quickly know our pleasure.
II YOU put us to the labor OF forcing our way
1t shall be worse for those who else may not
suffer-
Al this ilmcture second knight rode up and
spoke with the Bohemian. He was caSed in
plate arlnor, with his visor closed, but Zeta
Bethtonf, who had come to his masters side.
recognized him.
..Ha.r the secretary cried, clutchtng the duke 5
arm. that is the tiend incarnate. 1t is Bur-
gllndyS butcher MaillOtin du BAG. He would
not be here if Charles had not planned bloody
work. fear my lord-Down. Down.
But the note OF alarm came too late A tall
broad-shouldered archer had advanced with
Mailotin Gu Bac, who, at a sign from the lat
ter. raised his heavy bow, with long, steel
barbed finely feathered arrow adjusted to the
string. and drew to the very arrows head. John
of Luxembourg stood with his visor raised.
and his whole face exposed. He heard Bethto-
mis- cry. and saw the stout archer of the black
badlic, but he was 100 late to avoid the fatal
shaft. AS an echo to the warning came the
yengeTul tWang OF the bow-string, and the steel
point, with its following barbS, entered the
dukes right eye, crashing through the bone OF
The ORBIT, and burying itself deep in the brain.
He fell back dead into Bethtoni's arms
The secretary bore the body down TO the
pavement below, where he was Just In season
TO meet score OF the Black Riders who had
gained entrance.
1t was not enough that the grand duke should
die. Charles had decreeu and ordered that the
whole household should be put TO the sword:
and his devoted henchman. Mailiotin 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 recog-
nized by his tell-tale garb, he had found an-
other boy OF nearly the same age, and him be
was about to Stay, 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 thlS?" De LangwOlf demanded.
as he approached.
.'Oh, good sir,-noble Knight he. is my
boy!-my own Leon. oh, spare him. Spare
him"
..Pshaw. let the brat live said the Black
chief.
:. But this little viper is as spiteful as tiger
returned Du Bac. hounds. he came near
knocking one OF my men over with club. Look