Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 158: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

136 The little king, more splendid than ever with his gilded armor flashing on men squalid with the dirt of battle, with his black charger prancing and _ curvetting among weary horses and wearier men, came riding beside the Marshal d’Esquerdes to take the cheers of his army. But it was Bayard the marshal sought and Bayard was halted under the hillside, ‘rallying a company many of whom were down, whose horses could hardly move for wounds and fierce riding. “Here is the king to thank you, Bayard!” the marshal cried. “You have ridden well, sir,” the little king said graciously. ‘I have always had honor for Pierre de Bayard. You have proved worthy. I give you my hand.” And so he did while Bayard bowed low. “Sir, he is the best knight that ever fought for France,” the marshal cried. ‘“‘Name of God, Bayard, that was a grand stroke. You have the eye of a great cap- tain. You took your moment, by ——! That was the finest charge that ever a man rode.”’ “Oh, sir, this praise is not mine,” Bayard said. “It was not I who led the onset but Silvain de St. Lo. I pray you do him honor, for he has won this battle.” The marshal frowned, the marshal stared. The king tossed his big head and cried out: ‘‘Who leads this army then? It seems I do not know. I thought it was the king of France.” “Silvain de St. Lo?” the marshal growled. “Are you mad? That is the knave who brought us into this Italian trap. Why Adventure man, he is false as ——-. It was he who set the baggage train in flight, telling the fools to save themselves for all was lost. Body of God, if we are not betrayed, no fault of his for he has worked hard enough.” “TI do not know that, my lord. But this I know, he rode to me and bade me charge and charged himself before us all.” ‘“‘Why man, because he meant to betray you too. He thought the army was worn out and you would fail and break and give the Italians a chance to come down on us and make anend. Charge first? I warrant he did. He was in haste to get over to them before I caught him.” The marshal laughed. ‘The —— give them joy of him? I think they will not be quick to pay him for this day’s work. The knave had not told them how Frenchmen fight.” Bayard hung his head. “Tt am sorry,” he said. was a true knight once.”’ Away behind him by the stream a man who sat beside a dead horse muttered “You too, brother?” and scrambled to his feet and trudged off up the hillside and after him another followed wearily. ‘“‘Where now, lord?” Thibaut groaned. But Silvain was murmuring to himself— “An offering of a free heart will I give thee and praise thy name O Lord,” and he laughed. “I have ridden under the lilies this day.” ‘What is for us now?” Thibaut groaned. “The more we do the worse we fare. Naked we end as we began. And no man is our friend.” ‘‘We go to win honor, brother,’ Silvain said and strode on in the gathering dark. “Tam sorry. He Comicbool A) (© =