Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

Under the Fleur-de-Lis but they held their ground and the fire did them little harm for it was not in the art of gunnery to foresee what any gun would do and most of the balls hit the ground be- fore they hit the enemy and others went wide and others high. But the din was great and the smoke. “Pity me, this is dread,” quoth Thibaut sneezing. ‘Yet a merciful waytofight. I have seen an oak staff shed more blood.” “You will see blood enough, brother,” Silvain said. The marshal having shattered his enemy’s line by gun fire according to the rules of art, sent his best horsemen to charge and break through. They charged well, but they found a stubborn fence of pikes and were checked and thrown back and Italian horsemen fell upon their flank and scattered them. So the fight went with charge and counter- charge; for the guns had fired off all their powder and shot in vain, and the French horsemen rode furiously but could not break the steady Italian line and the ground was strewn with their dead. Francesco of Mantua was content to beat them back. He ventured no advance. He kept his men in hand. He would not move his main strength from the ground he had chosen. “THIS day is a long day, friend,” Thibaut said. Silvain was out of the saddle pacing to and fro wearily, turning with a toss of the head to look at the fight, tramping on again bent over the ground. Thibaut saw his face white and: his sunken fierce eyes. About them with the baggage were more than the muleteers, lacqueys and men who had slunk out of the fight and there was a din of gloomy chatter. Suddenly Silvain checked. “They have a captain there, brother,” he said loudly. ‘He will hold us here till we have worn out our strength. And then we are meat for his supper. Here we stay waiting till he is ready to eat us and there is the road to France.” He pointed to the other fork of the valley across the Italian front. After a first grimace of horror Messire Thibaut took his cue. “By my bones, it is time to go,” he grinned. ‘We should be off with the baggage and leave the noble knights to fight it out behind us.”’ 135 That noble counsel went to the heart of ‘the cowards and camp followers with the baggage. They began to slink off. Some of them started the pack horses. Ina little whil> all the baggage train was in motion making off behind the army to the open valley on the flank. Then Silvain flung himself on his horse and galloped to the fight. “God deliver him, he is mad,’ Thibaut gasped, but he mounted and followed after. The Italians saw the long line of laden beasts laboring away, saw the plunder of their land being borne off and roared out rage and threats. The Marshal d’Esquerdes saw his men leaking away in retreat and cursed and sent a troop to head them off. Silvain rode to the front line and found Bayard’s company, worn by many a charge, drawn up under the silent guns. “Forward, brother, forward for God’s honor,” he cried. ‘Look, they waver, they will not stand.” Bayard stood in dinted and_ bloody armor beside a weary horse. He wiped the sweat from his eyes. “You come late to the battle, Sir Silvain,” he said. ‘TI have no place for you.” “This is your hour, Bayard, God gives you glory,” Silvain rode out to the front and he shouted. “In the king’s name, charge! France! France!’’ and he drew his sword and galloped on. “Forward for France!” “‘Great God, is he to shame us?” Bayard muttered. ‘By St. Denis, he is in the right! Sound trumpets! Advance banner! Charge!” For the thing was going as Silvain fore- told. The Italian line shook and shifted. To watch all the French train of plunder -- escaping them was too hard a trial for the old hired soldiers of fortune who made half Francesco’s army, and the other half, young levies, saw a retreat begun and thought the French were beaten and the time come for pursuit. Here and there men broke from the ranks and surged forward. So upon a shaking, ragged line Bayard’s company charged and clove deep and fought their way through and when the golden lilies tossed in the gap they had made came the rest of the French horse- men by troops and squadrons till the army of Francesco was shattered and swept away, a rabble of fugitives. ) Comiclbook C© 5}