Read Under the Flag of France: A Tale of Bertrand du Guesclin Page 1

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  Transcriber's Notes

  When italics were used in the original book, the corresponding text hasbeen surrounded by _underscores_.

  Some presumed punctuation errors have been corrected.

  Under the Flag of France

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  BERTRAND DEFENDS THE JESTER]

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  Under the Flag of France

  A Tale of Bertrand du Guesclin

  BY

  DAVID KER

  Author of "Among the Dark Mountains," etc.

  _ILLUSTRATED BY STANLEY L. WOOD_

  BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON GLASGOW DUBLIN BOMBAY 1908

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  TO MY NIECES MARGARET AND MARY KER THIS TALE IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

  PREFACE

  I must plead guilty to having, for the purposes of the story, placed myhero's castle (which unhappily no longer exists) much nearer to Rennesthan it actually was; but the chief events of his life are given herevery much as I found them in the old French chronicles.

  DAVID KER.

  CONTENTS

  CHAP. Page

  I. THE BROKEN BOUGH 1

  II. FACING A MONSTER 7

  III. A MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE 16

  IV. BERTRAND'S DREAM 29

  V. A TIMELY RESCUE 37

  VI. MIGHTY TO STRIKE 51

  VII. A STRANGE TALE 67

  VIII. LANCE TO LANCE 79

  IX. INTO THE DRAGON'S JAWS 93

  X. THE WAGES OF JUDAS 103

  XI. A MIDNIGHT BATTLE 110

  XII. CROWNING AN ENEMY 126

  XIII. A RED STAIN 133

  XIV. THE BLACK DEATH 140

  XV. A NIGHT ALARM 148

  XVI. THE BOLDEST DEED OF ALL 161

  XVII. THE HAUNTED CIRCLE 168

  XVIII. A PHANTOM WARRIOR 177

  XIX. IN A ROBBER CAMP 189

  XX. DOOMED 194

  XXI. THE BLACK WOLF 206

  XXII. A CLEVER STRATAGEM 215

  XXIII. POSSESSED SWINE 222

  XXIV. THROUGH THE DARKNESS 235

  XXV. A CASE OF CONSCIENCE 246

  XXVI. CRESCENT AND CROSS 259

  XXVII. AN ASTOUNDING REVELATION 268

  XXVIII. PLOT AND COUNTER-PLOT 276

  XXIX. TREACHERY 283

  XXX. A VILLAGE FESTIVAL 299

  XXXI. A STRANGE MEETING 313

  XXXII. NEWS OF AN OLD FRIEND 326

  XXXIII. THE LAST SUNSET 337

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  Page

  BERTRAND DEFENDS THE JESTER _Frontispiece_ 61

  BERTRAND GRAPPLES WITH THE WOLF 9

  THE BLACK CHAMPION CONQUERS 88

  "THE BLACK KNIGHT TURNED LIKE A HUNTED LION" 163

  "THE SHOUTING ASSAILANTS BURST IN" 220

  "HE STARED AT HIS FOE'S REVEALED FACE" 266