The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-10
EY MAITER SCOTT

I of woodsman and cut the rope asun- der. To his amszement the peasa nts fled at the moment as with one con | sent.
 quentin leaped down and saw that the last spark of life had fled from the | man whom he had tried to save. While he was bending over him a wild clamor of tongues arose around him. A swarm of gypsies threw themselves on the body with extravagant exclamations | of grief and were making off with fl when there came laundering hoofs. | Witha cry: Spear them like wolves" " I a troop of French horsemen drove in among them, smiting right and left.
 The gypsies scattered into the under brush like rabbits. The soldiers sur rounded Quentin and tied him. An offi- cer whom Quentin knew from the title I by which he was addressed to be the Kings dreaded provost marshal growl- ed out: You have seen him interefer with the Kings Justice by attempting to save an executed traitor. Dispatch him.
 Two men dismounted at the word and began to uncoil a rope. In another | moment Quentin Durward would have been hanging to the tree had not half | dozen Scottish archers came riding | by in full panoplys At their head rode Le Baiafre. His keen eyes looked care- lessly at the group. for summary hang ing by L'Hermite were too common to call for notice. But he recognized the central figure, and with a shout chare- ed to the spot, followed by hts com l rades.
 This is my nephew" cried Le Ball.
 But no Archer of the Guard" sneered the provost marshal, and cannot, therefore. claim any privi- leges."
 The Archers looked on each other uncertainty. Le Balafre, with a quick presence of mind. swore that he had enrolled the youth that morning. "very we'll" said Tristan LHermite. yielding his prey as reluctantly as ever a red eyed beast surrendered his kin. "You must settle 1t with the King" and withdrew. not without many malignant backward glances.
 Now said Le Balafre to his nephew. i've must push to the palace with all speed, that our commander. Lord Crawford, may put down your name in the rolls. It is enroll or De hanged"
 Thus did quentin Durward become Scottish Archer, to save his neck rather than from inclination. He had scarcely been enrolled before he had an opportunity to render service to the King that set him most sudden. ly forward in fortune. Louis had press ed SO hard after boar that he had outridden his courtiers and was quite alone when he brought the fu- rious animal to bay. His horse re- fused to charge The King dismount- ed and advanced with his boar sword. As he struck his foot slipped. The hoar charged with slavering tusks. Another moment and France would have had a new King; but Quentin came headlong at the brute, drovs his spear true and dropped the beast at the feet of Louis.
 When the party came up Louis was calmly measuring the animal. Quen- tin, with ready shrewdness, kept secret his share in the adventure. a fact which the King soon perceived. His Majesty took occasion to whisper to him: T like thee and will do thee good. Build on no mans favor but mine"
 That day a flourish of trumpets an- nounced the arrival of a herald from the Duke of Burgundy-the renowned and undaunted warrior, Count of Gre vecoeur. He strode Into the hall all clad in mail and delivered defiant message from his master, who had long cast off all vassalage to the King of France except in form First he dem4nQGQ Tn no nuIlDtC tdHH uAAS tAfAS the King cease his secret machinationS to induce the Burgundian city of Liege to revolt against the Duke. Second. he demanded that the King send back to his master at once, the Dukes ward, Isabelle, Countess of Grove, and her aunt the Countess Hameline, who had fled from the Burgundian domin- ions to escape a match which was about to be forced on Isabelle by the Duke.
 Louis, pretending to remain unrufiied by language that made hiS nobies clutch their swords. objected that he could not wcll be held responsible for all the Dukes vassals who might Dc driven away by his heady passion.
 sire" said Crevecoeur with a ring ing voice, "there Is one who beheid these ladies in an inn near your castle and who saw Your Majesty. disguised receive them"
 where Is that witness who dares maintain such palpabie falsenoodsT said the King calmly.
 Sire" said the Count dehantiy. "hs was executed yesterday py your pro- vost marshal to prevent h.s testifying here!"
 So saying. crevecoeur suddenly plucked his great steel gauntlet from his right hand and flung 1t on the floor of the hall. T do make known to you. Louis. King of France" cried he. that my most puissant Lord and Prince renounces all allegiance to- ward your crown and dignity, pro- nounces you falsA and faithless and defies you as a prince and as man.!
 At this last climax of audacity loud
 tumult broke forth in the hall: uDn- ois, the son of the Ba astard of Orleans. and Louis. Duke of Orleans, Lord Crawford and others cried: Strike him down! Cut him to pieces" But inc Kings voice arose like thunder and compelled silence. Tn that criti- cal moment of the fortunes of himself | and France he was every inch the King. Ever at his best in his worst | predicaments. he seized the critical | moment rnasterfully. and before Crew l ecoeur could leave he had managed | to obtain a grace of twenty-four hours | to make reply to his cousin of Bur I gundy.
 eve must rid ourselves of this 1 Countess of Croye," said Louis as soon | as he he was alone with Oliver Dain. l "If Burgundy arms against us. Eng l land will attack us through Calais. | 1T is not our time yet to defy them. But l dislike surely to send the Countess | hack to Burgundy. Her castel Is al-
 most impregnable; 1t lies between Bur | Rundy and Flanders, and if the lady l were welded to one who Is bound to
 France it would highly profit us ana | be i'll for Charles of Burgundy. Why | not William de la Marck ?"
 "On my life" said Oliver. T cannot
 tax Your Majesty with being over scrupulous? The Will Boar of Ar 1 dennes, almost an outlaw and under
 the ban of Rome! Robber and mur- .SaoN Na1 uutf Yna