The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-10

] that 10th century except among a few of the most noble and distinguished knights. Since he had entered France he had learned much that dismayed him about Louis Xl.-his treaehery. his falsehood and his disposition 10 surround himself with mean eounseIlors Ike Oliver Daln, the barber, and Tristan LHermite, the odious provost marshal. He was regret 1 ting that he had not taken service with i the warlilIe Duke of Burgundy. and more 1 than half determining that he would not join the Scottish Body Guard when de- 1 termination was taken out of his hand. He came suddenly on slight eminenee, crowned by two chestnut trees. Under them stood peasants looking into the ! branches Quentin's gaze followed theirs and he saw the body of a man. convulsed in his last agony, hanging l there. Why do you not cut him down?' I cried the Scotchman He sprang into the l tree with the agility Of a woodsman and 1 cut the rope asunder. To his amazement The peasants fled at the moment as with | one consent.
 Quentin leaped down and saw that the last spark of life had fled from the man l 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 it when there came laundering hoofs. With cry: Spear them like wolves." 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 off cer whom Quentin knew from the title by which he was addressed to be the Kings dreaded provost marshal growled out: "You have seen him interfere with the Kings justice by attempting to save an executed traitor. Dispatch himN
 Two men dismounted at the word and began to uneoil rope. In another mo- ment Quentin Durward would have been hanging in the tree had not half dozen Scottish Archers come riding by in full panoply. At their head rode Le Balafre. His keen eye looked carelessly at the group for summary hangings by L'Her- mite were too common to call for mo- 1 tice But he recognized the central fig | ure and with a shout charged to the spot, l followed by his comrades.
 This is my nephew cried Le Balafre. l
 But no Archer of the Guard,' sneered the provost marshal, and cannot, there fore claim any privileges"
 The Archers looked on each other un- certainly. Le Balafre, with quick pres ence of mind. swore that he had enrolled the youth that morning. Very we'll, said Tristan LHermite, yielding his prey as reluctantly as ever red-eyed beast 1 surrendered his kill You must settle it l with the King" and withdrew, not with l out many malignant backward glances.
 Now" said Le Balafre to his nephew, l we must push to the palace with all | speed, that our commander, Lord Craw | ford, may put down your name in the | rolls. It is enroll or be hanged"
 Thus did Quentin Outward become a | Scottish Archer, to save his neck rather l than from inclination. He had scarcely | been enrolled before he had an opportuni- | ty to render a service to the King that | set him most suddenly forward in for tune. Louis had pressed so hard after a boar that he had outridden his cour- tiers and was quite alone when he brought the furious animal to bay. His horse refused to charge. The King dis mounted and advanced with his boar sword. As he struck his foot slipped. | The boar charged with slavering tusks. | Another moment and France would have | had a new King; but Quentin came head 1 long at the brute, drove his spear true and dropped the beast at the feet of | Louis
 When the party came up Louis was calmly measuring the animal. Quentin, I with ready shrewdness, kept secret his | share in the adventure, fact which l the King soon perceived. His Majesty took occasion to whisper to him: "I like thee and will do thee good. Build on no mans favor but mine"
 That day flourish of trumpets an nounced the arrival of a herald from the Duke of Burgundy-the renowned and un- daunted warrior, Count of Crevecoeur He strode into the hall all clad in mail and delivered defiant message from his master. who had long cast off all vassal- age to the King of France except in form First he demanded in no humble lan- guage that the King cease his secret machinations to induce the Burgundian city of Liege to reyol. against the Dukes ward Isabelle, Countess of Grove and her aunt the Countess HameIine, who had fled from the Burgundian domin- ions to escape match which was about to be forced on Isabelle by the Duke.
 Louis, pretending to remain unruffed by language that made his nobles clutch their swords, objected that he could not well be held responsible for all the Dukes vassals who might be driven away by his heady passion.
 Sire" said Crevecoeur, with ringing voice, ''there is one who beheld these la dies in an inn near your castle and who saw Your Majesty, disguished, receive them"
 Where is that witness who dares main- tain such palpable falsehoods?" said the King calmly.
 Sire" said the Count defiantly, The was executed yesterday by your provost marshal to prevent his testifying herer'
 So saying, Crevecoeur suddenly plucked his great steel gauntlet from his right hand and flung it on the floor of the hall "I do make known to you, Louis. King of France" cried he. that my most