h of a sharp-pointed
blade which was driven into the shoulder of the boar and disappeared up
to its guard, while a hand gloved in steel turned aside the head already
poked under his clothes.

As the horse had risen, Charles had succeeded in freeing his leg, and
now raising himself heavily, he saw that he was dripping with blood,
whereupon he became as pale as a corpse.

"Sire," said Henry, who still knelt holding the boar pierced to the
heart, "sire, it is nothing, I turned aside the teeth, and your Majesty
is not hurt."

Then he rose, let go the knife, and the boar fell back pouring forth
more blood from its mouth than from its wound.

Charles, surrounded by a breathless crowd, assailed by cries of terror
which would have dashed the greatest courage, was for a moment ready to
fall on the dying animal. But he recovered himself and, turning toward
the King of Navarre, he pressed his hand with a look in which shone the
first spark of feeling that had been roused in his heart for twenty-four
years.

"Thank you, Henriot!" said he.

"My poor brother!" cried D'Alencon, approaching Charles.

"Ah! it is you, D'Alencon, is it?" said the King. "Well, famous marksman
that you are, what became of your ball?"

"It must have flattened itself against the boar," said the duke.

"Well! my God!" exclaimed Henry, with admirably assumed surprise; "you
see, Francois, your bullet has broken the leg of his Majesty's horse.
That is strange!"

"What!" said the King; "is that true?"

"It is possible," said the duke terrified; "my hand shook so!"

"The fact is that for a clever marksman that was a strange thing to do,
Francois!" said Charles frowning. "A second time, Henriot, I thank you!"

"Gentlemen," continued the King, "let us return to Paris; I have had
enough of this."

Marguerite came up to congratulate Henry.

"Yes, indeed, Margot," said Charles, "congratulate him, and sincerely
too, for without him the King of France would be Henry III."

"Alas, madame," said the Bearnais, "Monsieur le Duc d'Anjou, who is
already my enemy, will be angrier than ever at me. But what can you
expect? One does what one can. Ask Monsieur d'Alencon."

And bowing, he drew his knife from the wild boar's body and dug it two
or three times into the earth to wipe off the blood.

PART II.

CHAPTER XXXII.

FRATERNITY.

In saving the life of Charles, Henry had done more than save the life of
a man,--he had prevented three kingd