The sun., 1891-07-12
THE WHITE COMPANY.
BY CON AN DOYLE.
CHAPTER XVIII.
now~rrs coMnAprs CAME OVER THE MARCHES
OF FRANCE.


How"rrE coMRADEs CAME ovxn THE MARCHES
OF FRANCE
After passing oahors. the party branched
away from tho main rond. and leaving the
river to tho north OF them. followed smaller
track which wound over vast and desolate
plain. This path led them amid marshes and
woods. until It brought them out Into elade
with broad stream swirling swiftly down tho
centre OF 1t. Through this the horses srlashed
their way. and on tho further shore sr Nigel
announced to them that they were now within
the borders Of tho land Of France. For some
miles they still followed the samo lonely track.
which led them through dense wood. ana
chen widening out curved down to an opon.
rolling country, such as they had traversed
between Aieuillon and Cahors.
Tit were grim and desolate upon the Eng
lish border. however. what CON describe the
hideous barrenness OF this ten times harried
eract OF France2 Tho whole fnce OF the coun-
try was SCARED and disngurod. mottled over
with :he black blotchcs OF burned farmstead-
SnEs and the gray. enunt gable-ends OF what
lad boen chntenux. Broken fencos. crumbltng
walls. vineyards Uttered with stones. the shat
tered arches OF bridges-looE where you might.
the signs OF ruin and rapino met tho eye Here
and there only. on the furthest sky line. the
gaarled turrets OF q castle. or the graceful pin
nscles OF church or OF monastery showed where
eervod sone small islet OF security in this uni
versal food OF misery. Moodily aud IN silence
tho llttlo party rode along tho narrow and
Irregular track. their hearts weighed down by
this fur stretching land OF despair. 1t was In
deed stricken and Olightod country. and a
man might hnve ridden from AuvorCne in the
north to tho marches OF Folk. nor evor soen
smiling village or q thriving homestead.
From time to timc as thoy advanced they saw
strange lean figures scraplng and scratching
amid tho woods and thstes. VINO. on sight OF
tho band Of horscmen. throw up their arms
and dived In among tue hrushwood as shy and
as swift as wild animals. Mora thnn onco..
however. they came on families crouch
ag by tho wayside. who were too weak
from hunger and disease to fly. so that they
could but sit Ike hnres on tussock. with
painting chests and terror in their eyes. So
gaunt were these poor folk. SO worn and spent
with bent and knotted frames. and sullen
hopeless. mutnous faces-that It made the
young Englishmen heartsick to look upon
them. Indeed 1t seemed MS though nl
hope and light had gone 80 far from them
that it was not to be brought back: for
when Sir Nigel threw down handful OF silver
among them there came no softeninR OF their
lined faces. but they clutched greedlly at the
coins. peering questioningly at him. and
champtng with their animal Jaws Here
saw tho rude bundle Of sticks which served
them rs IL home-more like a fowls nest than
the dwelling place OF man. Yet why should
they build and strive. VIXEN the first adventurer
who passed would set torch 10 their thatch.
and when their own feudal lords would wiring
from them with blows and curses the last
fruits OF their toll? They sat at the lowest
depth OF human misery and huRgsd bitter
comfort to their souls as they realized that
Atov INu VAT shauh Rad a. thn
human gift OF speech. and would take council
among themselves In their brushwood hovels.
Rlaring with bleared eyes aud pointing with
thin iuRers at the great widespread chateaux
which ate like a cancer into the life OF the
countryside. Whom such men. who arc be-
yond hope and fear. begin In their dim minds
to see the source OF their woes. it may be an
evil time for those who have wronged them.
The weak man becomes strong when he has
nothing. for then only can lie feel tho wild mad
thrill Of despair. High and strong the chateau.
lowly and weak the brushwood hut: but God
help the seigneur and his lady when the mon
OF tho brushwood set their hands to the work
OF revepRe
Through such country did the party ride for
eight or 1t might be nine miles. until the sun
began to slope down In the west and their
shadows to stream down the road in front OF
them. Wary and careful they must be. with
was no mans land. and their only passports
were those that hung from their bolts. French
men and Englishmen. Gascon and Provencal.
Brsbanter Tardvenu. Scorcher. Flayer. and
Free Companion. wandered and struggled
over the whole Of the accursed district So
bars and cheerless was the outlook. and so few
and Door the dwellings,. that Sir Nigel began to
have fears as to whether he might find food
and quarters for his little troop. 1t was relief
IN m
opened out upon q larger road. and thoy saw
some little way down 1t q square white house
with great bunch Of holly hung out at the
end OF q stick from one Of the upper windows.
by st. PAUL." said he. - I nm right glad: /: for
had feared that we might have neither pro-
want nor herbergage. Ride on. Alleyne. and
tell this innkceper that nm English knight with
his party will lodge with him this night"
Alleyne set spurs to his horse and reached
The inn door O longbow-shot before his COM
panions. Neither varlet nor ostlsr could be
seen soihe pushed open tho door and called
loudly for the landlord. Three times he
shouted. but receiving no reply. he opened an
inner door and advanced into the chief guest
I room OF the hostel.
: A very cheerful wood IRE was sputtering
and cracking in an open grato at the further
lend Of the apartment At one side OF this fire
IN htgh-backed oak chair. sat a lady. hor fsee
turned toward the door. The flrelight PLAYED
over her features. and Alleyne thought that he
had never seen such Queenly power. such dig
nifty and strength. upon a womaD's face. She
might have been fve-nnd-t thirty years of age.
with nouiline nose. firm and yet sensitive
mouth. dark ourving brows and dcep-set eyes
which shone and sparklsd with shifting bril-
ilisncy. Beautiful as she was. It was not her
beauty which impressed itself upon the be-
holder; It Was her strength. her power. tho
,taAn a Of Vfadom which hung Oy0p tha brohd
pWhits brow. the decision which lay In tho
.sausre Jaw and delicately moulded chin. A
sChsplst OF pearls sparklsd amid her black
Ehair. with . gsu1e silver network how-
.1ng baek from It over her shoulders: . black
. mantle was swsthed round her. and she
,saesnsd back in her chair As one who 10 fresh
'trom o journey.
In the opposite corner. there sat very burly
and broad-shouldsred man. clad In black