and in that lane to meet that
ruffian's charge with three horses abreast. And you wounded him too,
and saved the beasts. I should like to see the young Englishman who
would do a deed like that! Why, Saint Simon, you and I must look after
our laurels. We ought to be proud of our companion, eh?"

"Oh, sir," shouted Denis, giving a cry of pain, for as he spoke the King
had clapped him heartily upon the shoulder that was nearest to him--
unfortunately the right.

"Tut, tut, tut!" cried the King, leaning towards him, for the lad turned
ghastly white. "There, hold up, boy. I wanted to show you how pleased
I was with the bravery of your deed, and I have only given pain."

"Not only, sir," said the lad quickly. "Your hand hurt me for the
moment, but my K--lord's words of praise are thrilling still."

"Just saved yourself, boy," cried Francis; "for if you dare to say you
know what till we are back again in my own fair France your punishment
will be short and sharp." He gave Saint Simon a merry look as he spoke,
and then rode gently on, sweeping the landscape with his eye and making
comments from time to time. "Better and better," he said pleasantly.
"My brother Henry has a goodly land. All this woodland landscape forms
a pleasant place. Hah! but he should see my hills and forests about
Rouen, with the silver river winding through the vale. But that is far
away, and this is near, and it will pass if we do not meet the dangers
that woman prophesied upon our road."

They rode on in silence for a time, just at a gentle amble, the King
giving a shrewd look now and again at his young companion to see how he
bore the motion of the horse.

It was a glorious evening, and they saw the sun sink like a huge orange
globe; the soft, warm, summer evening glow seeming to rise and spread
around them from the west.

There was a sweet delicious fragrance in the air, and the soft English
landscape began gradually to darken from green to purple, and then to
deeper shades, while as the glow in the west disappeared the eastern sky
grew more pearly; but the indications of the rising moon were not as
yet.

"Hah!" cried the King at last, speaking as if to two companions of his
own rank enjoying with him a summer evening ride. "Here have I been so
taken up with our late adventures that I have had no thought of what is
to come. Our saddles are comfortable, and after that pleasant dinner
and my nap I feel ready for anything. But ther