The Breckenridge news., 1906-08-08
CHAPTER NV.

con army moved swiftly southwark in
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
TIC 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 Burley. the Scotch knight
errant, the Earl Of Angus and Sir Rich
ard Causton. all accounted among the
bravest knights in the army. together
with sixty veteran meu-at-armS. aud
three hundred and twenty arChers. Spies
had been sent out in the morning. ami
returned after night-fall to say that
the King Of spain was encamped some
fourteen miles IN i'm the direction OF
Burgos. having with him twenty thou-
sand horse and forty-hve thousand foot.
4 dry-wood FIRE had been lit. and round
this the leaders crouched. the glare
beating upon their rugged faces. while
the hardy archorS lounged and chatted
amid the tethered horses, while they
munched their scanty provisions.
For my part" said Sir Simon Bur
lev. ] am Of the opinion that We have
already done that which we have come
for For do we not now know where
the king is and how great Following
he hath. which was the end Of our jour
ney"
True answered Sir william FELTON,.
but | have come on this venture be-
cause il is long time since ! have
broken a spear In war. and, certes, |
shall not 20 back until ] have run
course with some cavalier Of Spain
II will not leave YOU. Sir william"
returned sir Simon Burley; and yet as
an old soldier and one who hath seen
much Of war. I cannot but think that IL
IS an n thing for rour hundred men
to find themselves between am
of sixty thousand ON the one side and
a broad river on the other.
Yet" said Sir Richard Causton. we
cannot for the honor of England 20
rack without a 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 ] have
always heard that there were very
worthy gentlemen among the scots. .
and fire skirmiShlng 10 be- had upon .
their border Bcthink you. Sir simon. .
that we have this news from the lips .
NJ common spies. who can scarce tell I
MS as much OF the enemy and ~ his /.
forces as the prince would wish TO
hear
All nlght they Ied their horses, |
stumbling and cropping through wild I
defles and rugged alleys. following the |
guidance Of a frightened peasant who |
was strapped by the wrist TO Black 81 /
mons stirrup-leather with the early I
dawn they found themselves in dark +
ravine, with others sloping away from .
Il on either side and the bare brown /.
rising n long bleak terraces all J.
round them.
IF 1t 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 iu his fierce eyes and harsh .
accents dropped upon his knees. scream
Ing loudly for mercy.
How comes IT, doR2' asker Sir Will
lam FELTON, in Spanish Where Is this
camp TO which you Swore YOU would
lead U.s.
BY the sweet virgin, BY the blessed .
Mother Of Cod cried the trembling
peasant " ] swear to you that in the .
darkness ! have myself lost the path,
AT the instant. there rose the
scream OF a hundred bugleS with the .
deep rolling Of drums and the clashing
Of cymbals. AN sounding together in one .
deafeninE uproar knights and arch
ers spranB 20 arms, convinced
some great host was upon them; but
the guide dropped upon his knees and
thanked Heaven for its mercies.
We have found them caballero-.
he cried. This ls their morning call
As he spoke ue scrambled down one .
OF the narrow ralines. and. climbing .
over low ridge at the further end. h" .
led them into short valley with a .
stream purIiuE down the centre of 10. .
g.. d.. ..rrHf O. b. .tF al a rH
box upon either side Pushing their .
way through the dense brushwood. they .
looked upon scene which made their F.
hearts beat harder and their breath .
come faster.
In front Of them lay a broad plain,
watered by two winding streams and
covered with grass, stretching away to .
where. In the furthest distance. the .
towers of BurEos bristled up against .
the light blue morning SKY. over all .
this vast meadow there lay great city .
~ tents-thousands upon thousands OF .
them. laid out In streets and squares
ike a well-ordered town. High silken .
pavllions or colOred marques. shoot .
ing up from among the crowd OF mean .
er dwellings, marked where the great .
lords and barons Of Leon and CASTLE .
displayed their standards, while over .
the white roofs, as far as eye could .
reach, the waving OF anctents. pavons, |
penSils, and banderoles. with flash OF /
gold and glow OF colors, proclaimed .
that all the chivalry Of iberia were /
mustered In the plain beneath them. /
Far or, in the centre OF the camp, /
huge palace OF red and white silk !
with the royal arms OF CASTLE waving
from the summit, announced that the /
gallant Henry lay there in the midst /
~ his warriors
AS the English adventures, peeping /
cut from behind their brushwood /
screen, looked down upon this wondrous
light. they could see that the vast army !
in front Of them was already afoot. The !
0rst pink light OF the rising sun gilt
tered upon the steel caps and breast !
plates OF dense masses OF singers and |
crossbowmen, who drilled and marched /
IN the spaces which had been left for !
their exercise. thousand columns |
~ smoke reeked up into the pure
,1orning air where the faggots were
piled and the camp-kettles already
simmerinE In the open plain clouds
of light horse galloped and swooped |
with swayinE bodies and waving jave-
lins, after the fashion which the Span
ish had adopted from their Moorish en-
ONs