Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-07

my counsel. All, me! the old name fits
the tongue better than the new one.
1t was sad to learn that she, so young
and fair lady, was so early widowed;
but if it was to be, | say, so best, be-
fore she had learnt to love her Oldlord,
or nayhap to find out that she could
not love him, dear child! Your lord
ship knows that l was here before she
came to gladden. the lives OF us all"
81 have not seen her for years past.
ROLAND spoke dreamily, and it SEEM
ed to him strange that he should have
allowed months, even years to pass,
without revisiting Longuedec. 1t was
true that his duties in the Low Coun-
tries had kept him for some time alb
sent. and that when he returned he
had found much to set In order at Or
bee; now, however, he told himself ne
had always been ready to find excuse
for staying out Of Brittany.
Presently he inquired Of Leon the
possibility of raising a body guard OF
Jeanne's own men for her greater Sc
curity.
"The King will probably exact such
a. levy" he said, land 1t may be with
less regard for the security OF the gar
rison. / do not wish to weaken your
resources, Leon, but there we're sew
eral stout lads 1 remember IN the VII
lage. who must now be grown men;
see to il, old friend. l think one and
all will be proud to serve their lady,
though they might not care to hight
under the banner of Laval"
There are not many my lord; the
King has been gathering soldiers from
every part of F'rance-and Brittany is
reckoned with France nowadays; but
Lao and Matthew are still in the village,
and they are ready to take service
again; only-only''-he lowered his
voice-"that they will not serve against
the Constable of Bourbon"
ST understand. You may tell them
there is no fear l am not going to
Lyons till have found your lady;
there will be plenty of time for me to
discharge them if they do not wish to
join the Kings troops"
"My lord does not think that the
noble Duke would ever draw sword
against the King, his own cousin"
II hope not, good Leon; but 1t IS
not safe to become surety for princes.
Now. go you down the hill, and bring
me as many recruits as you can Mark
you they must be soldiers, not raw
boys. l can give you what remains OF
to-day; I must start at daybreak."
He was going meantime to Coetfrec,
but first he wandered into the garden
where he and Jeanne had spent 50 many
hours together. Nothing was changed,
except that the flowers were scarcer
and less cared for; he guessed that her
mothers last weeks of illness had him
dered Jeanne's loving care for her
plants and flowers He seemed to see the
sweet, bright face, with its saucy,
mock-defiant expression, as they laugh
ed and TESTED together. Should he
know her now, he wondered? With
so much early promise she had per-
haps blossomed out into beautiful wo-
man. AS the picture of her possible
loneliness grew in his mind, truth
dawned on him. He saw, as In a sud-
den flash, the true meaning OF his un-
Willingness to visit Longuedec. He
wanted Jeanne for himself, and he had
not cared to lock on her while she be-
longed to the Count of Laval. He
smiled at this discovery; it seemed
impossible that his hopes and feelings
should have centred themselves on a
mere child, yet he knew that he had
| never sen any other young girl worthy
| to be named in the same breath with
his pupil Ec4n
He paced up and down thef1itt1e lone
| ly garden; he told himself here was
| the secret cause of his indifference to
| other female attractions. In Italy he
had seen some very beautiful women,
hut no h.a5
| their charms.
1T Is at best but an idle dream;
Jeanne will not do the same thing
| twice. l am past thirty, and she is
not yet eighteen. She will, if she Is
| allowed to choose for herself, take a
young husband. What chance have |
| against a gay cavalier like the new
Count of Laval?"
ROLAND was too much a man of ac-
tion to spend time in seIf-torment. He
went to the Castle yard and ordered
his horse and one OF his squires TO be
| Hady; then he rode over to Coetfrec.
He arrived. as he had hoped, in time
| to revoke the order he had previously
sent, that those Of his tenants who had
already served under him should at
| once proceed to Lyons, and await his
arrival there; he now decided that they
| should accompany him To Moulins. His
future movements must be guided by
any news he might gather there about
| Jeanne and her escort.
ROLAND felt cheered that he was able
| to ride back TO Longuedec with six stout
men-at-arms and their following, and
when in the evening he reached the
| Castle, Leon, the seneschal, met him
with the news that Lao and Matthew
| had engaged to be at the Castle gates
| by daybreak with about ten others.
"And, my lord" the old man said
earnestly, you may trust to Lao and
Matthew: they are God-fearing men
| and in time of peace they stay at home
quietly with their wives and children
They will not play you false"
ROLAND thought moment; then he
said:
Il remember Matthew. He was a,
Marignano in the Constable's body
| guard He told me then that his home
was at Longuedec. We will make him
leader, Leon: the Countess's troop must
| have a leader till they place themselves
under her command. You must furnish
them with the banner of Kergrist- .