Evening star., 1925-12-13

ed t. give her the blessing Of his
people. Even then, having started. he
went ok to her.
If there is something YOU wish
lttle maid. and | can secure 1t for
Il wish but two things" she said
Il wish TO be d boy. only ! fear II is
too lat" tor that. The bishop thinks SO.
And ! wish to see my mother
And these being beyond his gift. he
only shook his head and took his eau
tiOus way toward freedom.
Ha wing tried song and q good deed,
CloulIe went back again IL her room.
Nov, q Lord" she said II have
tried song and have tried a good
deed. | wish to see my mother"
\ =
Now. it was the custom on the
morning OF the holy day for the
setgneur to ride TO the top of the hill,
whore led Z steep road down into the
town. There he dismounted, surround
ell by his people, guests and soldiers.
smaller visiting nobility. the house
hold OF the castle. And the stage
being set it vas his pleasure 10 give
his charger a cut with the whip and
send him Ealloping. unridden. down
the hill. The horse was his who caught
-
waited the castle folk. II was an
lmusing game for those who stood
safely along the parapet and watched.
This yea" il was 4 great gray that
carried Charles. Behind him on q
donkey, reminder Of the humble beast
that had borne the Christ into Jeru-
salem. rode the bishop.
The men at arms were drawn up in
a double line weapons at rest. From
the square below rose a thin gray
smoke where the fire kindled for the
steer. But the crowd had deserted II,
and now stood, eyes upraised to the
castle: boys and men ready for their
desperate enterprise.
Two people stood by the steer-an
aged man. almost blind, who tended
the fire, and the girl Joan. whom
iuillem loved.
The seigneur has ridden out OF the
gates, father she said. Her color
mounted TO her dark cheeks. She was
tall and slender. unlike the peasant
girls OF the town, almost noble in her
bearing, a rare flower that Charles in
his rage and disappointment would
pick for himself.
The overiord surveyed the plain be-
low. AS far as he could see and as far
again in every direction was his
domain. paying him 1.-THE OF fat cattle
and heaping granaries.' AS far as he
could see and as far again was the
domain that. lacking d man child,
would go TO Philip. HIS cousin.
The bishop, who rode his donkey
without saddle. slipped off and stood
beside the little beast on the road.
idiots snarled the overlord, out
of his distemper as he looked down
into the faces of his faithful ones be
low.
He struck the gray heavy blow.
So massive was the beast. SO terrific
The pace at which 1t charged down
.hc hill. that the villagers scattered.
He watched them with his lip curling
Sec" he said. brave men and
true Watch, father, how they rally
70 the charge And when the crea-
.ure was caught and a swaying figure
chung TO the bride:
The fool has him." cried Charles.
"A fine heritage for my Cousin Philip,
village with its bravest man a sim
pleton"'
The fool held on. Many things went
through his mind. The horse was his
He would go adventuring along the
winter roads, adventuring and sing
ing. From dolt he had become a
hero.
The denouement suited the grim
mood OF the overload. 1t pleased him
to see the SNUG villagers stand by
while the fool mounted his steed. Side
by side from the parapet he and the
bishop looked down into the town.
Now, il had been In the mind of the
bishop that the day would soften
Charles grim humor and that he