New-York tribune., 1906-03-04
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for MARCH 4. 1906
s I r N I @ z l.
Confined jyYu Page

strong enough TO destroy the other, ana 50
after ten wears Of continual tgntinS history
recorded a long Intellectual list oi surprises
and arnbushes Of raids and sk1rmIs1es, OF
towns taken and retaEcn, Ot alternate Victory
and defeat, IN which neither party cDliI
claim supremacy II uattercd nothing t9at
Montfort and BlJis had both disappeared
from the scene. the one dead and the other
taken by the English. Their wives cauFat
up the swords which had dropped from the
hands OF their lords, and the long struggle
went on even more savaTely than before
In the south and east the BlO1S faction held
the country, and Nantes the capital was gar
risoned and occupied by q strong French army
In the north and west the MOnttOrt party
prevailed, for the island kingdom was at their
back and ALWAYS fresh sails broke the northern
skyline bearing adventures from over the
Channel.
Between these two there lay broad zone
comprising all the center Of the country,
which was a land Of blood and violence,
where no law prevailed save that Of the sword
From end 10 end it was dotted with castles,
some held for one side, some for the other,
and many mere rObber strOnghOlds, the scenes
Of gross and monstrous deeds, whose brute
owners, knowing that they could never be
called TO account made war upon all mankind,
and wrung with racl, and with flame the last
shilling from all who fell into their savage
hands The fields had long been untitled. Com
merce was dead. From Renncs in the east 20
HennebOn in the west and from DInan IN the
spot where mans life or a woman's honor
was safe Such was the land, full of darkness
and blood, the saddest, blactest spot IN Chris
tendon, into which knolles and his men were
now advancing.
But there was no sadness in the Young
heart OF Nigel, as he rode by the side of knOlles
at the head OF a clunp Of spears, nor did 1t
seem 70 him that Fate had led him into
unduly arduOus path. On the contrary, he
blessed the good fortune which had sent him
INTO so delightful a country, and 1t seemed
10 him as he listened to dreadful stories Of
robber barOns, and looked round al the black
scars Of war which lay branded upon the fair
faces Of the hills, that no hero Of ro-uances
or trOuvere had ever iourneyed through such
a land OF promise, with so fair chance Of
knightly venture and honorable advance
ment.
The Red Ferret was one deed toward his
VOW. Surely a second, and perhaps a better
was 10 be found somewhere upon this glorious
countryside, He had borne himself as the
Others had in the sea-hght, and could not
count It TO his credit where he had done no
more than mere duty Something bevond
this was needed for such a deed as could be
LAID at the feet of the Lady Mary. But surely
1t was TO be found here in fernenting war
distracted Brittany, Then with two done it
would be strange if he could not find occasion
tor that third one, which would complete his
service and set him free to look her in the face
once more. With the great yellow horse cur
vet1ng beneath him, his Guildford armor
cleaning IN the sun, his sword Clanking against
his stirrup-iron, and his fathers tough ash
spear in his hand, he rode with a LIGHT heart
and smiling face, looking eagerly TO right
and to left for any chance which his good Fate
might send.
The road from Dinan to Caulnes. along
which the small army was moving. rose and
dipped over undulating ground, with a bare
marshy plain upon the left where the river
Rance ran down TO the sea, while upon the
night lay wooded country with few wretched
villages, so poor and sorclid that thev had moth
ing with which to tempt the spoiler The
peasants had left them at the first twinkle
OF a steel cap, and lurhed at the edges of the
WOODS ready IN an instant to dive into those
secret recesSeS known only TO themselves.
these creatures suffered sorelv at the hands
OF both parties; but when the chance came
they revenged their wrongs on either in a
savage way which brought fresh brutaIities
upon their heads
The newcomers soon had a chance Of seeinq
TO what lengths they would 60, for in the road
way near to C2ulnes they came upon an English
man-at-arms who had been waylaid and SLAIN
by them. How they had overcome him cOuId
not be told, but how they had slain him within
ms armor was horribly apparent for they had
carried such rock eight men could lift.
and had dropped 1t upon him as he Law. so
that ne was spread out in his shattered case
IKE crab beneath stone. Many a fist was
shaken at the distant woods and many a curse
hurled at those who haunted them as the