oad and his sword-arm outstretched in a peculiar way above his
head, with the keen blade pointing in the direction taken by the steeds.

He lay perfectly motionless for some moments as if dead, while the
horses tore on with the rider bending forward over his mount's neck till
they had gone about a couple of hundred yards, when the man suddenly
began to sway in his saddle to right, then to left, recovered himself,
to sit upright for a few moments, and then with a sudden lurch went
headlong down, to fall with a thud in the grassy track, roll over once
or twice, and then begin to crawl to the hedge on his left, creep
painfully through a gap, and disappear; while the horse he had ridden
stopped short, like the well-trained beast he was, and turned to follow
his late rider towards the hedge, snuffling and snorting in alarm.

The others continued their gallop for some seventy or eighty yards
before, missing the guidance and companionship of their fellow, they too
stopped short, to utter a low whinnying neigh, which was answered from
behind and drew them trotting back to the halted beast.

By this time the marauder had disappeared, and the three chargers seemed
to hold a consultation, uttering low whinnying neighs, and then, as if
moved by one impulse, they trotted back slowly to where Denis lay with
his head towards them, apparently dead. As they stopped short the
youth's charger lowered its muzzle to begin to snuff at his face, when
all at once the lad made a sudden movement to jerk back his outstretched
arm into a more natural position, making his bright rapier describe an
arc in the air, giving forth a bright flash in the afternoon sunshine
and making a whistling sound like the lash of a whip. The consequence
was that all three chargers started violently, to move off for a short
distance; but as the lad was motionless again they stopped short and
began to return, led by their companion, which seemed drawn to its
fallen master. But before it could reach him there was the sound of
feet, and Saint Simon came panting up to the group.

"Hah!" he ejaculated breathlessly, as he dropped on one knee by Denis's
side. "Don't say you are hurt, lad! Not wounded, are you? Ah!
There's blood upon his sword! Denis, lad, where are you wounded? For
Heaven's sake speak! Oh, my poor brave lad! He's dead--he's dead!"

The drops that started to his eyes were a brave man's tears, blinding
him for the time being as they fell fast, whi