Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1906-08-17
CHAPTER XIV.

battle array and Sir Nigel having re-
cruited his ranks with the two hum
dred members Of the original White
Company, from the woods near Mont
pezard, Joined the army and received
the honorable commission from the
Prince, to push ahead into Spain and
discover the location and strength OF
the Spanish and French army under
King Henry OF Transtamare. The lit
tie band wound through the passes Of
Navarro and Into the rugged land OF
Spain.
Sir Nigel had with him Sir william
FELTON,, Sir oliver Buttesthorn. stout
old Sir Simon Burnley, the Scotch knight
Grant, the Earl OF Angus, and Sir Rich
ard Causton. all accounted among the
bravest knights in the army. together
with sixty veteran men-atarms, and
three hundred and twenty archers. Spies
had been sent out in the morning, and
returned after night-fall to say that
the King OF Spain was encamped some
fourteen miles OF In the direction Of
Burgos, having with him twenty thou
sand horse and forty-fve thousand foot.
A dry-wood FIRE had been 1T, and round
this the leaders erouched. the glare
beating upon their rugged faces, while
the hardy archers lounged and ohatted
amid the tethered horses, while they
munehed their scanty provisions.
'For my part" said Sir Simon Bur-
ley, I am OF the opinion that we have
already done that which we have come
for. For do we not now know where
the king r.. and how great a Following
he hath, which was the end OF our jour
nsy."
True" answered Sir William FELTON,.
'but I have come on this venture be-
cause II IL a long time since ] have
broken a spear in war. and, certes, l
shall not go back until / have run a
course with some cavalier Of Spain"
II will not leave you, Sir William"
returned sir Simon Burnley; and yet. as
an old soldier and one who hath seen
much OF war, cannot but think that 1t
Is an III thing for four hundred men
to ind themselves between an armv
of sixty thousand on the one side and
a broad river on the other"
yet" said Sir Richard Causton. I'VE
cannot for the honor Of England go
back without q blow struck"
Nor for the honor Of Scotland.
either" cried the Earl Of Angus.
by Saint PAUL. you have spoken
very WE'LL" said Sir Nigel, and l have
always heard that there were very
worthy gentlemen among the Scots,
and hne Bkirmlshing to be had upon
their border. Bethink you Sir Simon,
that we have this news from the lips
OF common spies who can scarce tell
US as much of the enemy and Of his
forces as the prince would wish to
hear"
All night they led their horses,
stumbling and cropping through wild
dehles and rugged alleys, following the
guidance OF frightened peasant who
was strapped by the wrist to Black ST.
mons stirrup-leather. With the early
dawn they found themselves in a dark
rayine, with others sloping away from
1t on either side, and the bare brown
crags rising in long bleak terraces all
round them.
IF It please you, fair lord" said
Black Simon, this man hath misled US,
and since there is no tree upon which
we may hang him, 1t might be well
to hurl him over yonder cliff"
The peasant, reading the soldiers
meaning in his fierce eyes and harsh
accents dropped upon his knees, scream
ing loudly for mercy.
How comes it, dog?" asker Sir WILL
lam FELTON, in Spanish, Where is this
camp to which you swore you would
lead us?"
by the sweet Virgin! BY the blessed
Mother of Godr cried the trembling
peasant swear to you that in the
darkness 1 have myself lost the path
I--"At the instant, there rose the
scream OF a hundred bugles with the
deem rolling of drums and the clashing
of cymbals, all sounding together in one
deafening uproar knights and arch
ers sprang to arms, convinced the
some great host was upon them; but
the guide dropped upon his knees and
thanked Heaven for its mercies.
we have found them caballerosp
he a-ia1 rrhfg Il thar raOFnino rail-"
AS he spoke he scrambled down one
of the narrow ravines, and, climbing
over a low ridge at the further end, he
led them into a short valley with q
stream purling down the centre of 1t
and a very thick growth of elder and
box upon either side. Pushing theii
way through the dense brushwood, they
looked upon a scene which made theii
hearts beat harder and their breath
come faster.
In front of them lay broaa plain
watered by two winding streams anc
covered with grass, stretching away Il
where, in the furthest distance, thu
towers Of Burgos bristled up against
the light blue morning sky. over al
this vast meadow there lay a great city
of tents-thousands upon thousands o.
them, laid out in streets and squares
like a well-ordered town. High silker
DaYiliOnH or cOlOfeu uldEQucSbt cnoot
ing up from among the crowd OF mean
err dwellings,, marked where the grea
lords and barons Of Leon and CASTLE
displayed their standards, while owe
the white roofs, as far as eye coult
reach, the waving of ancients, pavons
penslls, and banderoles, with fash o
gold and glow Of colors, proclaimed
that all the chivalry of Iberia wer
mustered in the plain beneath them
Far of, In the centre of the camp,
huge palace of red and white silk
with the royal arms of CASTLE waVini
from the summit, announced that tn
gallant Henry lay there In the mids
OF his warriors.
As the English adventurers, peepint
out from behind their brushwoo
screen, looked down upon this wondrou
sight, they could see that the vast arm
in front Of them was already afoot Tn
first pink light of the rising sun gilt
tered upon the steel caps and breast
plates of dense masses OF singers an
crossbowmen, who drilled and marche
in the spaces which had been left 70
their exercise. A thousand column
of smoke reeked up into the pur
morning air where the faggots wer
piled and the camp-kettles alread
simmering. In the open plain. cloud
of light horse galloped and swoope
with swaying bodies and waving jave
Inns. after the fashion which the Span