Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08

more extended line.
The Prince had ridden up to the line of
archers. He in dark armor, his vizor
open, and his handsome aquiline face all glow
ing with spirit and martial fire. The bowmen
yelled at him, and he waved his hands to them
as a huntsman cheers his hounds.
well, John, what think you now?" he
asked. What would my noble father not
give to be by our side this day? Have YOU
seen that they have left their horses"
Yes, my fair lord, they have learned their
lesson . said Chandos. Because we have
had good fortune upon our feet at Crecy and
elsewhere they think that they have found the
trick of it. But it is in my mind that it is very
different to stand when you assailed, as
we have done, and to assail Others when you
must drag your harness for a mile and come
weary to the fray"
You speak wisely, John. But these horse
men who form in front and ride slowly towards
us, what make you of them?"
Doubtless they hope to cut the strings of
our bowmen and SO clear way for the others.
But they are indeed chosen band; for mark
you, fair sir, not those the colors of Cler-
| mont upon the left, and of d'Andreghen upon
the right SO that both Marshals ride with the
vanguard?"
"By Gods soul Tohn," cried the Prince,
sit is very sure that you can seetmore with
one eye than any man in this army with two.
But it is even as you say. And this larger
band behind?'
"They should be Germans, fair sir, by the
The two bodies of horsemen had moved
slowly over the plain, with a space of nearly
quarter of a mile between them. Now, hav-
ing come two bow-shotS from the hostile line
they halted All that they could see of the
English was the long hedge with an occa-
sional twinkle of steel through It's Ieafy
branches, and behind that the spear-heads of
the men-at-arms rising from amidst the brush
| wood and the vines. A lovely autumn country
side with changing many-tinted foliage lay
CHI cd oil hat ~,
| sunshine, and nothing save those Pickering
fitfu1 CLEANS to tell of the silent and lurking
enemy who barred their way. But the bold
spirit of the French cavaliers rose the higher
to the danger The clamor of their war
cries filled the air, and they tossed their pen
| noned spears over their heads in menace and
defiance. From the English line it was noble
| sight, the gallant, paving, curveting horses,
the many-colored twinkling riders, the swoop
and wave and toss of plume and banner
Then bugle rang forth. With sudden
| yell every spur struck deep, every lance was
laid in rest, and the whole gallant squadron
| flew like glittering thunderbolt for the CEN
| ter of the English line.
A hundred yards they had crossed, and vet
another hundred; but there was no move
ment in front of them, and no sound save their
own hoarse battle-cries and the thunder of
their horses. Ever swifter and swifter they
flew. From behind the hedge it was vision
of horses, white, bay, and black, their necks
stretched, their nostrils distended, their bel
lies to the ground, whilst of the rider one could
see but a shield with a plume-tufted vizor
above it. and a spear-head twinkling in front
Then of a sudden the Prince raised his hand
and gave cry. Chandos echoed it, it sweed
down the line, and with one mighty chorus of
twanging strings and kissing shafts the long
pent storm broke at last.
Alas for the noble steeds! Alas for the gal
liant men! When the lust of battle was over
who would not grieve to see that noble squad
ron break into red ruin before the rain of ar
rows beating upon the faces and breasts of
the horses? The front rank crashed down,
and the Others piled themselves upon the top of
them, unable to check their speed or to swerve
aside from the terrible wall of their shattered
comrades which had suddenly sprung up
before them. Fifteen feet high was that
blood-spurting mound of screaming, kicking
horses, and writing, struggling men Here
and there on the TANKS a horseman cleared
himself and dashed for the hedge, only to
have his steed slain under him and to be hurled
from his saddle. OF all the three hundred gal
liant riders, not one ever reached that fatal
hedge
But now in long rolling wave of steel the
German battalion roared swiftly onward. They
opened in the center to pass that terrible
mound of death, and then spurred swiftly in
upon the archers. They were brave men, we'll
led, and in their open lines they could avoid
| A i