as light, they went into the wood, and lay down to sleep beside a
fountain among the trees.

They had scarcely gone when Hacco, who had been out all night looking
for people to rob, came home. When he heard about the strangers who
had just left, he flew into a terrible rage, and went to look for
them. He soon found them fast asleep in the wood, and killed them.
Then he tore off their clothes, and left their bodies lying on the
ground.

After a little time some huntsmen found the dead pilgrims, and dug a
grave for them. But these people, noticing that the face of one dead
man shone brightly, and feeling sure that he must be some very holy
person, buried him in a grave by himself. This was St. Evermaire.

The wood was many years later cut down, and a village called Russon
was built near the place where Hacco murdered the pilgrims. The first
priest of this village discovered the grave of St. Evermaire, whose
bones were placed in a tomb in the church of Russon; but they were
afterwards laid to rest in a chapel which was built on purpose to
receive them. This chapel stands in a grove of beech-trees, on a
meadow surrounded by a hedge, in one corner of which there is a
fountain whose water is said to be a cure for ague. It is supposed to
be on the very spot where the pilgrims were killed. Over the altar in
the chapel is a painting of the murder. There are also statues of the
Virgin Mary and of St. Evermaire, and a gilded case, which contains
the bones of the saint.

[Illustration: A CHATEAU IN THE LESSE VALLEY.]

On May Day there is a procession from Russon to this chapel. First two
vergers come out of the village church, dressed in "tights," and
covered from their ankles to their necks with ivy-leaves. They wear
pointed caps on their heads, and brandish huge clubs, with which
they threaten the country people, who roar with laughter at the faces
they make. Seven men are dressed up to represent St. Evermaire and his
companions. The saint himself wears a tunic of coarse brown cloth,
girt about with a leather belt, from which hang a string of beads and
a pilgrim's bottle, a short cloak of ox-hide, and a round hat; but the
other pilgrims have just black coats and breeches, with white
stockings. They are followed by about fifty men on horseback, dressed
up as Hacco and his band of robbers.

This strange-looking procession goes to the chapel, where there is
service, the vergers in their ivy-leaves assisting at the altar; and