first in the saddle; but an angry gesture made him spring into
his seat, urge his charger forward, and hold the bridle till his master
was mounted, pressed his horse's sides, and then reined up shortly in
the great entry of the inn, level with the door at which the hostess was
standing, pale and troubled, and backed up by the servants of the place.

"Here, woman," cried the King, drawing his hand from his pouch; "hold
out your apron. Quick! Don't stand staring there."

The words were uttered in so imperious a tone that the woman
involuntarily obeyed, and half-a-dozen gold pieces fell into her stiff
white garment with a pleasant chink.

The next minute, in answer to a touch of the spur, the horses went
clattering through the entry out into the main street, the noise they
made arousing the two hostlers from their sleep to come yawning and
staring to the open stable-door, while the hostess stepped out into the
entry and hurried to the front with hand clasped in hand.

"Oh, that gallant boy," she muttered, with her face all drawn. "If I
had only dared to tell them more plainly! But they would have marked me
if I had, and it is as much as my life is worth to speak. Why does not
our King put an end to these roving bands who keep us all in a state of
terror and make us slaves?"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

AN UNKNOWN LAND.

The ride out from the town was uneventful, save that the people hurried
to their windows and doors to see them pass, and admire the beauty of
their steeds. Then as the city gate was passed and they rode out into
the open country, with the way before them seeming perfectly clear, the
King cried cheerily:

"Hah! I can breathe freely now. I must tell my brother Henry that the
road to his Court is a disgrace, and travellers' lives not safe. Now,
in my kingdom of beautiful France every road to the capital from the
seaports is--Why are you looking at me like that, Saint Simon?"

"Well, sir," said the young man bluntly, "I was thinking about two or
three cases where people have been waylaid and plundered and--"

"Yes, yes, yes," said the King impatiently; "I think that there was a
case or two, but surely we are better than this. Well, Denis, boy;
how's the bad arm?"

"Very stiff, sir, and aches; but I don't mind now."

"Not you, boy! Too brave a soldier! Ha, ha, ha! I almost think that I
can see it all. My faith! I would I had been there to have seen you,
you stripling, standing sword in h