nce, for
your lance would be more than ever useful to-day to His Majesty."

"Pshaw!" replied the man, "I have no fears about the result. The
Guelphs never can stand before Count Otho and his brave lances.
Besides, Barbarossa leads them, and I never saw his eye flash so
fiercely as when he bade me stay with you."

Rinaldo mounted his horse and, accompanied by the soldier, rode swiftly
towards the north.

Meanwhile the Emperor pushed forward. His knights rode behind him in
stern silence, but with a look of grim determination upon their bronzed
faces, and naught was heard, save the clatter of their horses' hoofs,
and the rattle and clank of their armor. Barbarossa was carefully
examining the distant limits of the plain, where could be seen what at
first seemed only dark moving shadows; soon, however, the gleam of
helmets and lances was distinctly visible, and even the heavy step of
troops on the march could be distinctly heard. Barbarossa hesitated for
a moment, as if in doubt what course to pursue, when Count Otho
approached.

"I think I know those troops," said he. "As we were leaving the ruins,
I saw several horsemen, on yonder hills, riding towards Milan. They are
doubtless the enemy's videttes, who are carrying to the conquerors of
Cinola the tidings of our advance."

"Gero," said the Emperor, "you are the least heavily armed. Ride
forward and see what is the strength of that detachment; I want to know
if they have any infantry in the rear, and whether there are any
lancers posted in the wood, to take us in flank."

The trooper galloped off. The other soldiers at once dismounted to draw
their saddle-girths and prepare for the fight, and the drinking-cup,
which passed freely from hand to hand, contributed greatly to increase
their courage.

Barbarossa took no refreshment, but he carefully reconnoitred the
ground. Not an inequality of its surface, not a stream or marsh escaped
his eye. On the right was a little wood, which might serve the enemy to
mask his movements, and as the ground on which he stood was slightly
elevated, he determined to await the enemy there, in order to give
greater impetus to the charge of his own troopers.

Gero soon returned, followed at a distance by several of the enemy's
horsemen, thrown out as scouts.

"The Guelphs are moving in three columns--in the centre is about two
hundred Infantry. The wings are much weaker. I could see nothing in the
woods."

"The Milanese seem very con