Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

Under the Fleur-de-Lis covered it with a cloud of smoke that hid the mountain peaks. Bayard was riding round his outposts and Silvain called to him from far off and galloped on without a challenge. “Good fortune! I have found you soon. You have marched well, Bayard. I did not think you would have come so far.”’ “You do not think well of us. I know it,’ Bayard said. “T think you are the finest troops in the world. But by my faith, this is far enough.”’ He lowered his voice. ‘For you come the wrong way, Bayard. I have found the army of the League and they hold this road against you with all their strength.” “God be thanked,” Bayard cried. “God is with us, by my faith. I have found you in time. We must turn aside and take the road by Fornovo. They have no guard there. If we press on fast we shall win through and be safe in the plain. Bring me to the king, brother.” Bayard stared at him. ‘Turn aside, flinch from the enemy, shun battle—is this what you come to tell hime” “Tf you go down to battle in the Parma valley they will hold you against the mountains and crush you to dust. They are five to one and all the good ground they hold. I have seen them. Why man, it is no shame to march another road. You would not break your lance against a castle wall.” ‘“‘Name of God, I have not learnt to shun battle because the enemy are strong. When did you learn, Silvain? What has changed you? You do not speak with your own voice. This is craven.” Silvain drew in his breath. “It is Bayard who says that tome! You have known me long, brother.” “T do not know you now. You are all cunning and fears.” “God help me, I must do as I can,” Silvain said and turned his horse and rode on through the bivouac. To the king’s tent he came and there begged to speak with the Marshal d’Esquer- des. That bustling man, when he heard there was news, would have brought him in to the king. “T pray you walk apart with me, my lord. It is your head leads this army. Hear me and judge what you will do.” The marshal, well pleased with that, linked arms with him and they paced to 131 and fro in the dark and Silvain told his tale. There was none of Bayard’s chivalry in the Marshal d’Esquerdes. He was a soldier who made war for gain and having gained. all he could in Italy was intent on getting safe home with it. He had no notion of fighting a battle unless he could win. He had no zeal to fight any battle. He grasped at the chance of evading the army of the League. One doubt only troubled him, whether the road by Fornovo was a good road, and when Silvain promised him that they would march as well that way as the other, he chuckled and swore that Silvain was a godsend. “Fornovo for us, lad. We will be off with the dawn and march round them and they shall never see any of us but our dust. The speed them, we can outmarch all Italy once we are down in the plain.” He bustled off into the king’s tent again. Silvain turned to find Thibaut at his elbow. “How is it with him, lord?” Thibaut croaked. “He trusts me, brother. He is for Fornovo. He has gone now to the King. He will have his way. He knows what he wants, and that is to save himself.” “Pity me, so do I. We are not all Bayards, lord. That is a mad knight. But I know one who is madder.”’ “IT?” Silvain laughed. ‘‘God help me, I am cold and cunning enough.” “Ves, lord, when you think for others. But when you think for your own fortune, mad, mad as the saints inheaven.” He shook his head sagely and sighed. ‘What must be, must. But here is a knuckle of ham.” wallet kissing the neck of a bottle. ‘Do not thank me, lord. Thank the good God who made me a thief.” In the lee of a rock they ate that stolen supper and Thibaut lay down and snored to the stars. But Silvain was wakeful. He watched the king’s tent whence no man had come since the marshal went in. The marshal came out at last with half a dozen more and he was talking so fast and loud that none of them could put a word in, and the burden of his speech was that the Marshal d’Esquerdes was a great captain, and they would march by Fornovo and he would bring them safe off and a great captain was he. They vanished into the COmiclbook He made it peep coyly from his. (© 5}