Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-04
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for MARCH a. 1906
s / r n / G Z l.
Confue dfumpg
Continued from page g

5 COnIIIudI IIgIIJIIIg
recorded a long Intellectual list of surprises
and ambushes, of raids and skirmishes OF
towns taken and retaken, of alternate victory
and defeat, in which neither party could
claim a supremacy. 1t mattered nothing that
Montfort and Blois had both disappeared
from the scene, the one dead and the other
taken by the English. Their wives caught
UP the swords which had dropped from the
hands of their lords and the long struggle
went on even more savagely than before.
In the south and east the BloiS faction held
the country, and Nantes the capital was gar
risoned and occupied by strong French army
In the north and west the Montfort party
prevailed, for the island kingdom 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 to 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 rack and with fame the last
shilling from all who fell into their savage
hands The fields had long been untitled Com
merCe was dead. From Rennes in the east to
HennebOn in the west, and from Oman in the
north to Nantes in the SOUTH there was no
SpOl WuSlt d IldIl > lllS VI d "Olltan liOilOl
was safe. Such was the land, full of darkness
and blood, the saddest, blacklist 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 Clump of spears nor did it
seem to him that Fate had led him into an
unduly arduous path On the contrary, he
blessed the good fortune which had sent him
into so delightful a country, and it seemed
- 10 IL GO IF
robber barons, and looked round at the black
scars of war which lay branded upon the fair
faces of the hills, that no hero of romanceS
or trouvere had ever journeyed through such
land of promise, with so fair a chance of
Inightly venture and honorable advance
ment
The Red Ferret was one deed toward his
VOW. Surely a second and perhaps a better,
was to be found somewhere upon this glorious
country-side2 He had borne himself as the
others had in the sea-fght, and could not
count it to his credit where he had done no
more than mere duty. Something beyond
this was needed for such a deed as could be
laid at the feet of the Lady Mary. But surely
it was to be found here in fermenting, war
distracted Brittany? Then with two done it
would be strange if he could not find occasion
for 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
veting beneath him, his Guildford armor
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 Oman to Caulnes, along
which the small army was moving, rose and
dipped over undulating ground. with bare
marshy plain upon the left where the river
Rance ran down to the sea, while upon the
right lay a wooded country with few wretched
villages, SO poor and sordid that they had moth
ing with which to tempt the spoiler The
peasants had left them at the first twinkle
of a steel cap, and lurked at the edges of the
woods, ready in instant to dive into those
secret recesses known only to themselves
These creatures suffered sorely at the hands
of both parties. but when the chance came
they revenged their wrongs on either in
savage way which brought fresh brutalities
upon their heads
The newcomers soon had a chance of seeing
to what lengths they would go, for in the road
way near to Caulnes they came upon an English
man-at-arms who had been waylaid and slain
by them. How they had overcome him could
not be told, but how they had slain him within
his armor was horribly apparent, for they had
carried such a rock as eight could lift,
and had dropped it upon him he lay, so
that he was spread out in his shattered case
like a crab beneath a stone. Many fist was
shaken at the distant woods and many a curse
hurled at those who haunted them, as the