Ere Villeroy could repair the mischief and summon his men from
Anderkirk, Marlborough had sent down upon the French centre a great
body of cavalry under the command of Auerkerke, the Dutch general.
English and Dutch horse combined in this assault, and George Fairburn
found himself one of a host dashing upon the village of Ramillies.
There was a terrific shock, a few moments of fierce onslaught, and the
first line of the enemy gave way. Through the broken and disorganized
line the cavalry swept, to charge the second.

Another shock, even greater than the first. The Frenchmen of the
second line stood firm, for were they not the famous Household
Regiment--the Maison du Roi--of Louis, and probably the finest troops
in Europe. The advance of the Allies was instantly checked. In vain
Auerkerke urged on his men; in vain those men renewed the attack. The
enemy stood steadfast; they began to drive back their antagonists; the
position of the Allies was becoming critical.

"Go and inform the Duke! Quick, quick!" the Dutchman called out to a
young officer whom he had observed fighting with the utmost
determination near by, but who had stopped for a moment to recover his
breath.

It happened to be Lieutenant Fairburn, and George once more found
himself face to face with the Duke, for the first time since he had
met him after the rush of the French defence line near Tirlemont last
year. Marlborough, the youth could see by his quick glance, knew him
again. In a word or two George delivered his startling message.

"By Jove, sir," declared the subaltern, when telling his story to his
colonel afterwards, "never did I see so spry a bit of work as I did
when I had said my little say. The Duke was ten men rolled into one,
sir. Orders here, there, and everywhere; fellows sent darting about like
hares. In a few minutes--minutes! I was going to say seconds--every
sabre had been got together, and we were all tumbling over each other
in our hurry to get along to the fight. It was a fine thing, sir."

The commander, sword in hand, led his reinforcement to the fatal spot
with the speed of the whirlwind. He had almost reached it when he was
suddenly set upon by a company of young bloods belonging to the Maison
du Roi. They were nobles for the most part, and utterly reckless of
their lives. Recognizing the Duke, they made a desperate attempt to
secure him, closing round him with a dash.

"Great Heaven!" ejaculated George Fairburn, as his eye