Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1906-07-05
CoPyri9fSfd 1891 BY Harper g 5r0shers


as "Prettily said, mon garcon, Touch
as Ing that same Staying of the Redeemer,
IN IT was bad business. A good padre
er in France read TO US from scroll the
* whole truth OF the matter The (
g soldiers came upon Him in the Garden.
In truth, these Apostlesof Hismay have
d been holy men. but they were Of no
Is great account as men-at-arms. There
was one, indeed, Sir Peter. who smote
n out like a true man; but, unless he is
o belied, he did but clip a varlet's ear.
which was no very knightly deed
a BY these ten finger bonesl had 1 been
e there, with Black Simon OF Norwich,
e and but one score of picked men OF the
4 Company. we had held them in play.
r Gould We do no more. we had at least
filed the false knight, Sir Judas, so
, 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 yosH
poor bow and arrow? Besides, bethink
you Of His own words-that those whs
live by the sword shall perish by the
sword"
Nov, youngster let things be plat
and plain between us. / am man
who shoots straight at his mark.
You saw the things / had with me at
yonder hostel; name which you VIII,
save the box OF rose colored sugar
which take to the Lady Loring, and
you shall have them IL you Will but
come with me to France"
NAY" said Alleyne. II would gla0y
come with We to France or where else
yc will. just to list to your talk, and
because ye are the only two friends
that / have in the whole wide world
.s-4l - a. - lx..s IL -
may not be, for my duty Is toward my
brother. seeing that father and mother
are dead, and he my elder. Besbdess
when We talk OF taking me to France
We do not conceive how useless I
should be to you, seeing that neither
by training nor by nature am l lifted
for the wars, and there seems to be
nought but strife in those parts"
"Bethink you again. mon ami"
quoth Aylward, that you might 20
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 I'm more need OF IT.
Sickerly the one duty may balance the
other. Your brother hath done with
out you this many a year. and, az
gather. he hath never walked as far
as Beaulieu to see you during all that
L
OF you"
Besides" said John, "the Socman Of
Minstead is a byword through the
forest. from Bramshaw Hill to Holiness
ley Walk. He is a drunken, brawling.
perilous churl, as you may find to your
cost"
THE more reason that / 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 IL would be a Joy to me
could l go with you. But indeed and
indeed II cannot be. so here take my
leave OF you, for yonder square tower
amongst the trees upon the right must
eurely be the church of Minstead. and
l may reach 1t by this path through
the woods"
/ "werl. God be with thee. lad" cried
I the archer. pressing Alleyne to his
heart. II am quick to love. and quick
4 to hate, and fore God 1 am loath to
I part. Yet 1t may be as well that you
a should know whittier we go. We shall
4 now journey south through the woods
i until we come out upon the Christ
y church road. and SO onward. hoping
:, Tonight to reach the castle of Sl
: William Montacute, Earl OF Salisbury
: of which Sir Nigel Loring is constable
q There we shall bide, and II Is like
q enough that for a month or more yol
!, may ma us there. ere we are ready
lot our voyage DaCk TO France.
= 1t was hard indeed for Alleyne e
I break away from these two new but
n hearty friends, and so strong was the
! combat between his conscience and his
u 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 a magnif-
e cent forest of the very heaviest timber.
where the giant holes OF oak and of
beech formed long aisles in every d.
rection shooting up their huge
r branches to build the majestic arches
OF Natures own cathedral. 1t was
very still there In the heart OF the
woodlands. The gentle rustic of the
/ branches and the distant cooling OF
pigeons were the only sounds which
broke in upon the silence. save that
once Alleyne heard afar of a merry
call upon a hunting bugle and the
shrill yapping of the hounds He
I pushed on the quicker. twirling his
! stan 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
or Withholding fellow armed with a
club, who sprang out from behind a
tree and barred his passage. He was
rough, powerful peasant with cap
ana tunic of Unframed sheepskin.
leather breeches. and gaiiigasxins
round his legs and feet
"Stand" he shouted. raising his
heavy cudgel to enforce the order.
who are you who walk so freely
through the wood?" Whittier would
You go. and what is your errand ?'
why should I answer your ques-
tions, my friend?" said Alleyne. stand
ing on his guard.
Because your tongue may save
your pate. What hast I'm the scrip r''
'Nought OF any price"
see"
mot T."
FOOL 1 could pull you limb from
limb like a pullet wouIdst lose scrip
and life too?"
night" '"
"A night. quoths? A fight betwixt