he first houses
in the village. Oh! my brave lords," cried she, clapping her hands.
"Victory! victory!"

But she stopped suddenly on perceiving a body of the enemy's army
advancing to charge the victors in flank.

"It is nothing, it is nothing," said Douglas; "so long as there is only
cavalry we have nothing much to fear, and besides the Earl of Argyll will
fall in in time to aid them."

"George," said Little William.

"Well?" asked Douglas.

"Don't you see?" the child went on, stretching out his arms towards the
enemy's force, which was coming on at a gallop.

"What?"

"Each horseman carries a footman armed with an arquebuse behind him, so
that the troop is twice as numerous as it appears."

"That's true; upon my soul, the child has good sight. Let someone go at
once full gallop and take news of this to the Earl or Argyll."

"I! I!" cried Little William. "I saw them first; it is my right to bear
the tidings."

"Go, then, my child," said Douglas; "and may God preserve thee!"

The child flew, quick as lightning, not hearing or feigning not to hear
the queen, who was recalling him. He was seen to cross the gorge and
plunge into the hollow road at the moment when Argyll was debouching at
the end and coming to the aid of Seyton and Arbroath. Meanwhile, the
enemy's detachment had dismounted its infantry, which, immediately formed
up, was scattering on the sides of the ravine by paths impracticable for
horses.

"William will come too late!" cried Douglas, "or even, should he arrive
in time, the news is now useless to them. Oh madmen, madmen that we are!
This is how we have always lost all our battles!"

"Is the battle lost, then?" demanded Mary, growing pale.

"No, madam, no," cried Douglas; "Heaven be thanked, not yet; but through
too great haste we have begun badly."

"And William?" said Mary Stuart.

"He is now serving his apprenticeship in arms; for, if I am not mistaken,
he must be at this moment at the very spot where those marksmen are
making such quick firing."

"Poor child!" cried the queen; "if ill should befall him, I shall never
console myself."

"Alas! madam," replied Douglas, "I greatly fear that his first battle is
his last, and that everything is already over for him; for, unless I
mistake, there is his horse returning riderless."

"Oh, my God! my God!" said the queen, weeping, and raising her hands to
heaven, "it is then decreed that I should be fatal to all around me!"

George