Belle Rose: A Romance of the Cloak and Sword — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A STEP IN LIFE. 27 sighed; then at the recollection of the good people whom he had encountered flying like hares, he smiled. Undoubt- edly he was going to think of many other things still, when he went to sleep. Jacques only wished to rest, but youth proposes and the fresh grass disposes. He was sleeping then as one sleeps at eighteen, when a great noise of horses neighing and prancing awoke him in surprise. Seven or eight cavaliers — were circling around him, while two others were unstrap- ping his haversack, after having leaped from the saddle. Jacques rose at a bound, and at the first blow of his fist felled one of the pillagers. He was going to take the other by the throat when three or four cavaliers pounced upon him and overthrew him. Before he could rise again a vio- lent blow stunned him, and he remained stretched at the feet cf the horses. Only three minutes had been needed for the cavalier to unstrap his valise; it did not take them two to pillage the money and the effects, to despoil Jacques of his coat, and fo disappear ata gallop. Jacques remained immovable for some moments, extended upon his back. The large brim of his felt hat having softened the force of the blow which was intended for him, Jacques was only stunned. When he raised himself again, half naked and moneyless, he ran to an elevation to reconnoiter the road which the pillagers had taken. A whirlwind of smoke, lashed by the wind, undulated in the plain; two villages were burn- ing; between the crackling roofs of thatch passed the frightened animals. A dull cloud pitted with sparks was expanding in the distance. When the fire gained a straw- stack or some barn filled with hay a jet of flame divided the somber curtain with its red and forked lightnings. A body of cavalry was ranged in line of battle on the border of astream. Jacques had never seen a similar uniform, which was composed of a white coat with yellow facings and black pants. Atthe head of it, going and coming from one end of the squadron to the other, rode a cavalier whose countenance indicated that he was the chief. He had no doubt but what he had to do with marauders be- longing to the enemy, but in his naive sentiment of equity, he fully believed that the chief would cause to be re- turned to him what had been stolenfrom him. If the King of Spain and the Emperor of Germany made war on the King of France, they ought not to make it on travelers. At the sight of a young man advancing toward them, -bare-headed and coatless, the captain drew up. COPMNEooOokS (EO) im