, whose heart soon went out to the handsome youth.
At service in the same palace, the two saw much of each other, and soon
Pierre had no eyes for any maid but this one.

The little coquette did not fail to make Pierre quite miserable by
repelling his attentions for a time, when she saw that she had won him;
but at length, one day, while not in waiting on her mistress, she was
captured by the little page, and made to listen to the story of his
love.

"I am going to make myself a great knight some day," he declared with
the pride and faith of youth, "and then I am coming back for thee, and
we shall be married."

"Alas," cried the damsel, now quite as earnest as he, "thou art of an
illustrious house, and canst marry some great lady who can advance thee
in the world. I am but a poor maid, and if I accept thy love, I destroy
thy hopes."

"What care I for that?" cried the impatient lover. "The question is,
dost thou _love_ me."

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then I shall not give thee up," he declared, "and I shall tell the
duchess all about it."

The maid was more worldly wise than he, however, and insisted that for
the time they should be only friends. Shortly after this a change took
place in Pierre's affairs,--a change which was to separate him for years
from the maid he loved.

The young page had been with the house of Savoy only six months when it
pleased the duke to pay a visit to King Charles VIII. of France. The
king had moved his court to Lyons--a beautiful city in southeastern
France--and was holding high revel there. When Charles heard of the
approach of his friend and ally, the Duke of Savoy, he sent the Count of
Ligny with a number of attendants to meet him. These met the duke at a
place about two leagues from Lyons, and welcomed him heartily in the
name of the King of France.

Now Pierre was in close attendance on his master, and the Count of Ligny
at once noticed him and remarked to the duke on his good horsemanship.

The duke, much pleased, explained who the boy was, and then called out
to him,--

"Spur, Bayard, spur!"

Without waiting for explanations, Bayard obeyed his master, returning
from his run with his horse completely under control. Afterwards,
Pierre's fine horsemanship won for him the nickname "Piquet"--a spur.

The count was surprised and charmed, and told the duke that the King of
France would be glad to have the boy in his service.

Through the influence of Ligny, the youth was brou