The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-31

work The noise of merry crowd coming down the Street of the Armorers had at tracted his attention.
 There was mighty merrymaking in the ancient city o Bruges and, for that matter through the length and breadth of Flanders The highways and byways were filled with people Gallant chevaliers afoot or in the saddle sturdy townsmen, rollicking pages grave priests and richly clad maids and atrons sweled the eager throng. For was not Charles the Bold the great Duke of Burgundy and Count of Flanders about to enter his capital city, at the head of goodly train, and did it not behoove the people of Bruges to hold high holiday in honor of the young sovereign so lately come to his crowne
 Little wonder in view of this great occasion, that the wits of lad like Aain should sometimes go a-wool- gathering. It well for the armorers apprentice however, that his master, old Jehane happened to be abroad Jehane Duplessis. Master Armorer of Bruges was veritable tyrant, who ruled Alain hardly, and allowed little time for watching gay crowds listen ing to the music of festivals Just now old Jehane was bound on business so urgent that he had left Aain sole charge To be brief, he had gone to the Town Hall, there to enter his among the host of com petors for the honored post of arnorer-n-chief to the Duke
 Now each and every person entered for this contest must needs submit for examination, as evidence of his skill helmet of rare design and workmanship During the afternoon the Duke himself to choose from all the helmets laid before him the one he liked the best Old Jehane had carried under his cloak a helmet which he felt almost certain was destined to be the prize winner It assuredy the most beautiful of its kind in all Flanders-of solid slver exqustely inlaid and worth thousands of crowns.
 As Jehane placed this treasure among the many less splendid helmets in the crowded Town Hal his heart felt glow of exultation.
 Instead of exuation, Jehane's heart ought to have known only remorse and shame For this magnificent this costly silver helmet had not been fashioned by him at all In point of fact, the hands which had fashioned as well as the brain which had planned it prentice. The natural gifts of the lad had long ago outstrpped those of his master, and the very finest work in Jehanes shop the creation of the modest Alain But Jehane if not genius, was crafty, and he kept this fact to himself, and traded upon it. The young fellow merely his apprentice; and appren- tces had dread their in those days. he m ad he not taught him his art? Surely, when all is told, argued Jehane to his twitching conscience, q own knew naught of Alain while they looked upon Master Duplessis a most sklful artist.
 Alain sat somewhat wistfuly bench in the gloomy workshop, hammering at broken gorge and at rare intervals venuring to rest long enough for of his helmet bitterly; for he had abored upon it zealously for whole twevemonth, and it seemed unjust indeed that Jehane should show such master redress. Who would believe an apprentices story against the masters?
 Alain was bending over the rivets of his gorget, when there entered burly ruddy-f knight, whom the lad knew of his masters best patrons The newcomer was foreigner-an Englishman, as, indeed his speech betrayed but Aain liked him for his bluff hard English tongue in occasional conversations with him.
 the common style accorded to the Englishman in view of the rest of his name being difficult of pro- nuncation), Weeping. eh7 If not, parlous near it I'll I tears in your eyesl Surely the Dukes festival you should not look glum. Come let us hear what the trouble is"
 At first Aain, cowed by. fear of his master, would not unbosom himself but after great deal of coaxing on the part of the Sire Richard, he finally came out with the whole story of his masters deceit.
 By St. Austin, that's sin and shamew exclaimed the tall knight, when he had heard all about old Jehanes duplicity He had much of Alains work, and believed the boys story without difficulty But for sounded much to Alain because they were ut tered in English But soon, quite abruptly he stopped in his tirade against Jehane and looking straight at the apprentice, exclaimed: