s as great as his
own, and a bloody battle ensued. The plan of the allies was to destroy
the French army and take King Charles prisoner. So anxious were they to
make the king their captive that they offered a prize of a hundred
thousand ducats to the man who would bring him, dead or alive, to their
camp.

But the annihilation of the French army and the capture of King Charles
were not such light tasks as the allies had expected. The little band
met their all but overwhelming onset with a stubborn resistance that was
wonderful to behold. By charge and counter-charge the field was
contested, and victory still hung in the balance when suddenly out of
the French ranks rode a fair-haired boy knight, calling on his company
to follow him. Instantly his men caught the infection of his wild
daring, and in the face of almost certain death they swept to the charge
with the dashing Bayard.

"A greyhound for attack, and a wild boar in defence," Bayard fell upon
the enemies of his king with such splendid courage that none whom he met
could withstand his prowess.

Two horses were killed under him, but he mounted a third, and, dashing
alone into the thickest of the fight, captured an ensign from fifty
men-at-arms.

Thanks to the valor of such knights as Bayard, the French gained a
signal victory, laying low in the dust full as many men as King Charles
had led to Fornovo.

After several more encounters with the allies, in which Bayard won added
laurels, the king led his much-diminished army back to France.

Shortly after this campaign Charles VIII. died, and was succeeded on the
throne by Louis XII.

The new king busied himself with the internal affairs of state; and
Bayard, whose business was that of a soldier merely, was for awhile left
free to do as he chose. He accordingly occupied the time in visiting
friends in Savoy. The good Duke of Savoy was now dead; but the duchess
received the chevalier at her court with her oldtime friendliness.

Here for a second time Bayard met the love of his boyhood. But alas for
him! she had become the wife of the Lord of Fluxas.

When the two met, the lady received Bayard with every sign of
friendship. She praised him greatly for the noble part he had borne in
the king's service--for all France had heard of the chevalier's great
deeds in Italy--and then they talked over their youthful love-affair.

In the course of his stay, the Lady Fluxas asked Bayard to give a
tournament, for she very