west not the load that thou hast
taken from my heart. What, oh what could I do without the aid of thy
clear insight into the motives and the thoughts of all men?"

"Nay, nay, flatter me not," he replied, with a depreciating smile;
"thou hast the same, if not a better, judgment, if thou wouldst but be
calm and use it."

"Jist wait till to-morrow, and Master Catesby 'll fale the weight o'
moy hand," growled Michael, whose features still wore their look of
grim determination.

Lord Stanley received me most cordially, and expressed his regret at my
great misfortune in falling into the trap set with such prodigious
skill by Catesby.

"Do but be patient, Sir Walter," said he, in that kindly voice of his,
"to-morrow's work shall tell a different tale. Richard doth despise
his foe, and his great conceit doth cause him to underestimate the
hatred his subjects have for him.

"I have a scar upon my head, the which must be revenged. Besides, he
hath taken my son, George Stanley, to keep as an hostage for my
loyalty. That I may save my son's life it shall be necessary for me to
hold back my forces from taking part against the boar, until such time
as he doth engage with Richmond. Then shall the tide of battle change,
and England shall be freed of tyranny."

That night, Harleston, Michael, and I, all occupied the one tent, and
again was the tournament brought afresh to my mind, and with it an even
more intense hatred of my powerful foe, which I now felt I would soon
have within my power to crush. With the sweet thoughts of a speedy
vengeance for all my wrongs, I at length fell into a restless sleep,
from which I was awakened by the shrill blast of the startling trumpet.

The day was just dawning; but with no great cheer of brightness. The
great hollow plain of Redmoor looked dark and misty, as though it did
dislike and dreaded the shock of battle that soon was to disturb its
gloomy, brooding stillness.

When we had breakfasted and armed, the sun had risen sufficiently
high--though still did he remain behind a thick and dreary covering--to
enable us to watch the movements of the two opposing armies.

The shape of this battle-field--as ye all do know--is that of a shallow
saucer, with one side chipped out, or flattened.

From the right of us Richmond's army, numbering some six thousand men,
all told, advanced slowly down the gentle slope to meet the tyrant and
his force of some twelve thousand, or thereabouts, approa