Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1908-06-10

TITLE Alain looked up for a moment from
the goTget Upon which he busiy at
work The noise OF merry crowd coming
down the Street OF the Armorers had at
tracted his attention.
There mighty merrymaking in the
ancient city OF Bruges and for that matter through
the length and breadth OF Flanders. The highways
and byways filed with people Gallant clevalers
afoot or in the saddle sturdy town rrlen, rollckng
pages grave priests and richly clad maids and matrons
swelled the eager throng For was not Charles the
Bold the great Duke Of Burgundy and Count of
Flanders about his capital city, at the head Of
a goodly train and did it behoove the people Of
Bruges TO hold high holiday in honor of the young
sovereign so lately come TO his crown!
Little wonder in view OF this great OCCASION that
the wits of lad like Alain should sometimes go a-woo
gathering. 1t well for the armorers apprentice,
however, that his master old Jehane, happened to be
abroad. Jehane Duplessis Master Armorer of Bruges
veritable tyrant, who ruled Alain hardly, and
allowed little time for watching gay crowds or listen
ing the music OF festivals Just old Jehane
bound business urgent that he had left Alain
in sole charge To be brief he had gone to the Town
Hail. there TO enter his among the host OF COM
petitors for the IGNORED post of armorer-n-chie to
the new Duke =
Now, each and every person entered for this contest
must needs submit for examination, evidence OF
his skill, helmet of design and Workmanship
During the afternoon the Duke himself was to choose
from all the helmets laid before him the he liked
The best. Old Jeiane had carried under his cloak
helmet which he felt almost certain destined to be
the prize-wnner 1t assuredly the most beautiful
of its kind in all Fanders-of solid silver, exquistey
inlaid, and worth thousands of crowns.
As Jehane placed this treasure among the many less
splendid helmets in the crowded Town Hall, his heart
felt glow of exultaton e.
Instead of exultation Jehanes heart ought to have
known 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 well the brain which had planned it
those of Alain, the Master Armorer's young ap
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
Alan. But Jehane, If not genius crafty, and he
kept this fact TO himself, and traded upon it. The
young fellow was merely his apprentice; and appren-
tees had to dread their masters in those days.
Had he not adopted him, penniess orphan? Had
he not taught him his art Surely when all is told"
ar; argued : Jehs5 s e hGne conscience f q own
So the citizens of ABruges and the Armorers Guild
knew naught of Asin while they looked upon Master
Duplessis as most sklful artist.
Aain sat somewhat awistfuly on bench in the
gloomy workshop han1n1ering at broken gorget and
at rare intervals vehturing to rest long enough for
look into the noisy street He felt the appropriation
Of his helmet bitterly; for he had labored upon it
zeaiously for a whole .twevemonth, and it seemed
unjust indeed that ellane sIould show such master
piece his own. Bit Alain realized that he had no
redress. Who would believe apprentices story
against tire mastefs1
Alan bending over the rvets of his goreet
when there entered buriy ruddy-faced knight whom
the lad knew offis masters best patrons The
newcomer a foreigner-a1 Englishman as indeed
his speech betrayed but Alain liked him for his bluff
hearty manner, and had picked Up some little of the
hard English tongue in occasional conversations with
him. a. ~. 5t.+-
"HolaT exclaimed the Sire Richard (such being
the style accorded TO the Englisl1nan in.
view of the rest of his being difficult of pro-
nuneiation). weeping, eh? If not, parlous near it.
III swear tears in your eyes Surely on the
Dukes festival you should not look so gunn Come
let us hear what the trouble is
AT first Alain, cowed by fear of his master, would
not unhosom himself but after great deal of coaxng
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 shame exclaimed
the tall knight, when he had heard all about old
Jehane's dupcity. He had seen much of Alains work
and believed the boys story without difficulty But for
the Master Armorer he had only hard words which
sounded mue, worse to Alain because thew were Mt
tered in English But soon quite abruptly he sooped
in his TRADE against Jehane and, looking straight at
tie apprentice, exclaimed