Charlevoix county herald., 1906-07-07


it was bad business. A good padre
in France read to us from a scroll the
whole truth Of the matter. The
soldiers came upon Him in the Garden.
IN truth, these Apostles of Hismay have
been holy men, but they were of no
great account as men-at-arms. There
was one, indeed, Sir Peter who smote
out like true man. but, unless he is
belied, he did but clip a varlet's ear,
which was no very knightly deed.
By these ten finger-bones had / been
there, with Black Simon of Norwich,
and but one score of picked men Of the
Company, we had held them in play
Could we do no more, we had at least
filed the false knight, Sir Judas, 50
full of English arrows that he would
curse the day that ever he came on
such an Grand"
The young clerk smiled at his
companions earnestness. Had He
wished help" he said, He could have
summoned legions of archangles from
heaven, so what need had He of yosn
poor bow and arrow? Besides, bethink
you of His own Words-that those whs
live by the sword shall perish by the
sword"
Now, youngster, let things be plat
and plain between us. 1 am a man
who shoots straight at his mark.
You saw the things / had with me at
yonder hostel; name which you Wal,
save the box of rose-colored sugar
which L take to the Lady Loring, and
you shall have them if you will but
come with me to France"
May" said Alleyne, Il would gladly
come with we to France or where else
we WILL just to list to your talk, and
because We are the only two friends
that 1 have in the whole wide world
outside of the cloisters; but indeed it
may not be, for my duty is toward my
brother, seeing that father and mother
are dead and he my elder. Besides,
when We talk Of taking me to France,
We do not conceive how useless
should be to you, seeing that neither
by training nor by nature am 1 fitted
for the wars, and there seems to be
nought but strife in those parts"
"Bethink you again, mon ami"
quoth Awkward. that you might 10
much good yonder, since there are
three hundred men in the Company,
and none who has ever a word OF
grace for them, and yet the Virgin
knows that there was never a set Of
men who were in more need Of 1t.
Sickerly the one duty may balance the
other. Your brother hath done with
out you this many year, and, as 1
| gather, he hath never walked as far
as Beaulieu to see you during all that
time, so he cannot be in any great need
| of you"
Besides" said John, "the Socman of
Minstead is a byword through the
forest, from Bramshaw Hill to Holmes
ley Walk. He is a drunken, brawling,
perilous churl, as you may find to your
cost"
| THE more reason that I should
strive to mend him." quoth Alleyne.
| There is no need to urge me, friends,
for my own wishes would draw me to
| France, and it would be q joy to me
could l go with you. But indeed and
indeed 1T cannot be, so here 1 take my
leave of you, for yonder square tower
amongst the trees upon the right must
surely be the church of Minstead, and
l may reach it by this path through
the woods"
"Well, God be with thee, lad" cried
the archer, pressing Alleyne to his
heart. Il am quick to love, and quick
to hate, and fore God 1 am loath to
part. Yet it may be as we'll that you
should know whittier we go. We shall
now journey south through the woods
until we come out upon the Christ
church road, and so onward, hoping
tonight to reach the castle Of Sir
William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury,
of which Sir Nigel Loring is constable.
There we shall bide, and it is like
enough that for month or more you
may find US there, ere we are ready
for our voyage back to France"
1t was hard indeed for Aleyne to
break away from. these two new but
hearty friends. and so strong was the
combat between his conscience and his
inclinations that he dared not look
round, lest his resolution should slip
away from him.
The path which the young clerk had
now to follow lay through magnifi-
cent forest of the very heaviest timber
where the giant boles of oak and OF
beech formed long aisles in every d.
rection, shooting up their huge
branches to build the majestic arches
OF Natures own cathedral. It was
very still there in the heart Of the
woodlands. The gentle rustic of the
branches and the distant cooling Of
broke in upon the silence, save that
once Alleyne heard afar off a merry
call upon a hunting bugle and the
skrll yapping of the hounds. He
pushed on the quicker, twirling his
staff merrily, and looking out at every
turn Of the path for some sign OF the
old Saxon residence He was suddenly
arrested however, by the appearance
Of Withholding fellow armed with a
club, who sprang out from behind a
tree and barred his passage. He was
a rough, powerful peasant, with cap
and tunic of untanned sheepskin,
leather breeches, and galligasdns
round his legs and feet.
"Standl" he shouted. raising his
heavy cudgel to enforce the order.
"Who are you who walk so freely
throurh the wood?" Whittier would
you go, and what Is your errand?'
'Why should ] answer your ques-
tions, nv friend?" said Alleyne, stand
ing on his guard.
Because your tongue may save
your pate. What hast I'm the scrip"
"Nought Of any price"
How can tell that. clerk? Let me
see"
mot T."
Fool! I could pull you limb from
limb like a rullet. Wouldst lose scrip
and life too7"
ct will part with neither without
fpbt