A Random "The Outlaw Of Torn" Cutup

London; one who could not possibly know him or recognize the key retainers forty thousand strong to overwhelm the King's forces. Reining in before them, cried brusquely,

Thought better of whatever action he contemplated and, with a haughty de Vac resumed his place in the skiff, and again drew it far beneath that lovely face?

"Seest thou this poniard?" she asked. "When that door falls, this point final moment staggered his comprehension.

With the King, her uncle, Norman of Torn had fought otherwise than house of a gentleman.

May a knowledge of Latin be to one whose doom looms large before him. It of Father Claude's cottage.

To her palfrey and escaped. Calling to his companions he set out at a with a muttered oath, the imprisoned man turned to hurl himself against he could afford to wait for his opportunity if, by waiting, he could as De Vac drew his sword from the heart of the Lady Maud, he winced, herself befouled and dishonored?"

Enters my heart. There is nothing beyond that door, with thou, poltroon, sign, NT, scratched there with a dagger's point.

Five knights in armor were now engaged in furious battle with a party of treachery of his false advisers,' that they called upon a cutthroat what thinkest thou old 'waxen heart' replied? Why, still trembling, he so saying, he mounted his horse and was turning to retrace their steps upon this fellow, nor did I know he was within two hundred miles of mouthful to that horrid horde of unhung murderers. No, Mary, I shall prey upon those who have naught.

They wound across beautiful parklike meadows and through dark, over his receding chin, indicated the base passions to which his life other impedimenta, and bring back the loot.

The Devil of Torn! How that name froze the hearts of the assembled some of the crowd were armed, and from very force of numbers were waxing "I am Richard de Tany of Essex," said the oldest knight, he who courtyard below shall lead ye, and come not back without that which ye had come.

Naked back to London, who had forced his messenger to eat the King's know, but it was the far faint cry of blood for blood and with it, "I be here, My Lord Earl, to attend to mine own affairs," replied Norman there were no words, for there was no need of words here. The two men montfort urged her mount into a wild run, for she had recognized the strange room, and above her bent an old woman; a repulsive, toothless "Thou hadst better bring twenty fighting men--thou'lt need them all to baron to remain, and nothing fights more fiercely than a cornered rat. Beholden for his defeat and discomfiture. Possibly the barons would as they looked back, they saw the heavens red with the great flames swung and twisted from the grim, gaunt arm. Her figure was racked with toward morning, Norman of Torn fell into a quiet and natural sleep; Of us? Name your price, if it can be paid with honor, it shall be paid; "I know of no treachery," replied the outlaw, "which he hath ever her prisoner, from whom she did not dare move her eyes for a single

Man; Edwild, whose mother was burned for witchcraft by Holy Church. Stretched forth the other with palm out-turned toward her kinsmen as vanquished foe. There was a cruel smile upon his lips as he leaned sword, I should think," said Brus, returning to his work.

Observing, 'What do you fear, now, Sire, the tempest has passed?' And colors, when the spell of the moonlight and adventure be no longer upon the floor above, and the towers; for of a surety they have not come this nameless adventurer who knew not his own father."

Before, he had only feared that Joan de Tany loved him, now he knew it, magnificence of his palace apartments.

Wiping his blade upon the rushes of the floor as he had done upon thus for a time the rupture between De Montfort and his king was and the barons.

Scattering line all the way from London town. Their bent backs, their gallant son, was not so fortunate, for they met a determined resistance the toll of blood which alone can atone for the insult and violence done sword, I should think," said Brus, returning to his work.

Autumn day. Off the main road and far from any habitation, they had and haughty smile that played upon his lips spoke louder than many words "Be ye Norman of Torn?" he asked. And, did he try to conceal the hatred was searching. She sat looking wistfully into space, an expression half passed into the lungs of one of the men-at-arms, scarcely pausing ere it man of Torn stood watching the little party from one of the small towers animals and men. There was squealing, biting, kicking, and cursing as as Joan de Tany turned again to the encounter before her, she saw fully hated all things English and all Englishmen. The dead King John, though grim, gray, old man stepped forward.

Level gaze; his head held high, haughty face marked by an arrogant sneer bat circled wildly with loud fluttering wings in evident remonstrance at concealed by a great lilac bush, which many times before had hid his "You need not fear, My Lady," he said sadly. "You shall be in your the frowning walls towered high against the moonlit sky beyond, and you have engendered in his breast greater than to be hated and feared looking after them in unfeigned astonishment.

His right arm lay across the beast's withers and his right hand drew which he bears you.

The old reprobate who sued for his daughter's hand heard some unsavory "Roger!" shrieked Claudia Leybourn, and swooned.

The young woman did as she was bid, and when she had taken her place england. No published history mentions this little lost prince; only the "An' speaking of the Devil," said the Baron, "how think you he will side give me a hand with some packages I left behind me in the skiff I have today."

In the retelling of it, I have left out most of the history. What that Norman of Torn found him barricaded. When the door was broken down, some inward impulse which he did not attempt to fathom.

Awestricken upon the marvellous swordplay scarcely breathed in the clothed, having not lain down during the whole night. They fairly fell my word upon it, Joan, the bitter humiliation such an alliance must matter of but a moment's work for Spizo to transfer the message from its over which he wore a short leathern jerkin, while his doublet was also uneasiness, which would have been reflected to an exaggerated degree in "Come," said the little, armored man irritably. "I cannot bide here outside these stifling walls? These grimy hateful walls! Black as the young squire who was waiting there, and presently the door was thrown you that she would seek you out and implore you to rescue her from the it had been short shrift for Peter of Colfax that night had not John and life and honor to this fierce, wild cut-throat who had sworn especial my sword remains in its scabbard. The fellow has been amply repaid by rich--and every day of the journey had forced upon his childish mind her face.

Into him; but once they met that master hand, they went more slowly, and then--it has been three weeks since he rode out from Stutevill and no days of usefulness to me be past. Tonight thou serve me best swinging recruited from all ranks of society and from every civilized country of beneath the visored helm, a wave of pain and sorrow surged across "An' that I will truly do, Peter of Colfax," spoke Bertrade, "if you do for the King's son; and in manner, and form, and swordsmanship, and your terror-stricken Baron for an instant, and again he had made for the best swordsman in France. The son had followed closely in the footsteps question to be settled. Thou hast not told me in so many words, but I be at this juncture, a squire entered to say that Shandy's presence was france had ever produced in a futile attempt to rescue his young prince. Montfort, and with him was the third son, Guy, as well as John de "Yes, My Lord!"

As Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, burst into the room from the "Dost recognize the thing?" asked the outlaw. And then she did; but "I am Nor--" and then he stopped. Always before he had answered that of the times.

Thou mean not. The world is better that this man be dead. He was an and held in place by a huge carved buckle of gold, clasped the garment the House of Simon de Montfort, and that should you need my arms, they he bent toward her, and in the darkness, by chance, his lips brushed waving banner to the martial strains of bugle and trumpet.

Unconscious body of Bertrade de Montfort. Gently, he lifted her to the gray, old man, leaning upon his folded arms, his brows drawn together in it was suppressed by one of the Plantagenet kings of England. Later it feed and house them over night. But there was nothing else for it, since difficult than I had thought."

Out of their way to visit a certain royalist stronghold. The troops and with Louis IX of France, for a sufficient force of knights and visit thee, good father, on the fifth day from today."

Near twenty years," he muttered, "if I find not the means to quiet his daughter of the new conqueror of England. The anger of an outraged "How know you my name?" she asked. "Who may you be? I do not recognize "I be your master and ye be my men," said Norman of Torn. "Me ye shall castle. How be it thou so soon has changed thy mind?"

They watched until the castle had burst into flames in a dozen places, the valley and as they passed the cottage of Father Claude, Norman of the eyes of the maid, and then hers closed and with a little sigh that as Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, burst into the room from the with gold about the yoke and at the bottom of the loose-pointed sleeves, in his time it was a real and terrible thing in the hearts of the of good marks of such a quantity that you may ever after wear mantles answered the King as no other man in all England would have dared answer "Guy," said Peter of Colfax, as the man entered, "ye made a rare fizzle when the little, grim, gray man had set the object covered with a cloth many days of marching and fighting, so Norman of Torn went into camp "I had almost forgot a message I have for you, my son. Father Claude fighting the three alternately, in pairs and again all at the same "But, Your Highness," stammered the knight.

"With The Black Wolf dead, and may the devil pull out his eyes with red men, catching the contagion of it, swarmed after him until the whole before either could take another step, Bertrade de Montfort had sprung each, his story of how he came to be of Torn; and thus, with fighting there before her she saw the brave strong face of Roger de Conde. In the little room, but two could engage him at once, but so fiercely "You do not understand," he answered, "and I may not tell you; but I ask taking advantage of every cover, he approached to the very shadows of feed and house them over night. But there was nothing else for it, since "And who thinkest thou, My Lord King, rode by my side to Battel today, "Nay, Your Majesty, I think not," replied Philip, "for he was indeed a mightier one in its stead."

Straight toward the west by the middle road," lied Joan de Tany. And, "Not once did he raise his visor while he was among us," replied the a moment later, My Lady of Leybourn looked up from her plate upon the to Norman of Torn, from his friend always, Bertrade de Montfort. She had entered, there was but one other door leading from the hall. Into her palm. Their eyes met, and the man saw, in that brief instant, gladly have your friendship, but I wish it for the man, Norman of calumnies may be heaped upon him, you shall yet ever be his friend, and babe, and all was quiet as the tomb, while those above stood listening must be removed as had the Lady Maud; but in this instance there was "'Tis to transcend even my dearest dreams," he muttered. "'S death, to the aid of their master.

Trip south, the gibbet shall have its own, and a Plantagenet dog shall the feet of De Montfort, and would have put him to death had not the the five, and mounting, rode rapidly toward Torn.

Caress upon his cheek, and the pressure of her body as she leaned him be above his station, and the hopes and ambitions they inspire will torn surged in his aching head, for the face he saw was that of Joan de against them. Thou be too strong a man to so throw thy life uselessly if Bertrade de Montfort loved this handsome French prince, then Norman the brilliant sunlight, or, half shaded by an overhanging bush, took thanks for the service you have rendered the house of Montfort, and ever anger.

Of painful wounds but barely healed, while the host himself still wore knight was quickly ushered into the great hall of the castle. Guests.

"A strange man," said Simon de Montfort, "both good and bad, but from he let me pry about among a quantity of mildewed and musty manuscripts tore off the shirt of mail, and with trembling fingers ripped wide the will be gone but a moment. If the footsteps I hear approach this door," The brilliant sunlight, or, half shaded by an overhanging bush, took knees wabbling beneath his fat carcass; while his lips were drawn apart master of Leybourn; shrieking in a high, awe-emasculated falsetto: Chairs which completed the rough furnishings of this rough room, and "If I had not before known it, My Lord," she replied haughtily, "it chairs which completed the rough furnishings of this rough room, and or house. More powerful and richer than many nobles of the court, he was scorn. "The same that it shall always be. I will be neither wife nor handsome boy and the beautiful black--gazing with startled eyes, like the Outlaw of Torn raised the little circlet to his lips, and then every room, though that the object was not rich plunder was evidenced by dubbed him, was known by reputation throughout all England, though no peter of Colfax, the arms of the De Montforts are open to you. Sable-clad warriors, but all within knew that the mighty Outlaw of Torn different Torn from that which he had approached sixteen years before, "What do we here, Sir Jules?" he asked. "Take me back to the King's, my make the torture long, drawn out, and wreak as terrible a punishment long years that saw thousands pass the barbicans of Torn to crave a shandy rode ahead with a flag of truce, and when he was beneath the his feet he saw the girl turn her head from him to hide the laughter on for a few minutes the horse fought and kicked to gain his liberty, but at the hands of Henry de Montfort.

Discharge of his duties as he had been in his unswerving hatred and place.

Eat with me, and I will talk to your heart's content, for be there one the boy, "and as for doing as you bid, I take orders from no man other court to stone, for there beside the open postern gate lay the dead reference to a promise I made her two years since and which I now, for broad and lovely meadowland through which wound a sparkling tributary of hand in your left, and then I will lead you through that doorway, which with happiness and love.

Beauty. A short stretch of barren downs in the foreground only sparsely issued, and that that same night, the ten companies rode south toward norman of Torn, he was without knowledge or experience in the ways of your candor, but while you continue the Outlaw of Torn, you may not herself: "It cannot be; it cannot be."

The utter contempt in which he held the sword of his adversary. And as hurled his weapon across the room, so quickly did the outlaw disarm him. "No, my son, there is another way, an honorable way," replied the good so that his royal master and mistress might find pleasure in the shaded down her pale cheeks.

Instantly Peter of Colfax ran his arm through the tiny opening in the "Are you safe and unhurt, my Lady Bertrade?" asked a grave English voice through this seeming jungle ran tortuous paths, and the carved stone it is that he may have speech with you, alone, in the castle of Battel "Keep the fellow here till last, Shandy," said the outlaw, "till all mounted to her tower chamber in the ancient Saxon stronghold of Colfax. "Norman of Torn!" she whispered. "May God have mercy on my soul!" Terror-stricken Baron for an instant, and again he had made for the the question I would ask, is, dost wholly trust the old man whom thou mighty arm. Before De Montfort could urge them on to renew the attack, a learned that Roger de Conde was Norman of Torn.

Iron neck slowly to the right--the beast fighting and squealing as articles De Vac had purchased for the room against the time when he tell from outward appearance the depth of the suffering which the sad him, "and wear it ever, for my sake. We may never meet again, for the through all the winter, Father Claude had been expecting to hear from "Are you Englishmen?" asked the boy without making a move to comply with de Conde, and it filled her heart with pride and courage as she saw and her rescuer's opponents by at least one, she had now forced the cowardly for three weeks after his meeting with Bertrade de Montfort and his he knew aught of the whereabouts of Norman of Torn.

Your enemies until I so direct. The time will come and soon now, I hope, that had cut him off completely from the society of other men, except enough of this; and you love me not now, I shall learn you to love ere his horse, and rode at a rapid gallop after the outlaw's troop. In a few impossible hopes, and vain, torturing regrets, she fought out the long, "fine pickings here indeed. A swine of God fattened upon the sweat of for stealthy entrance there, he crept silently to the rear of the great and after all had passed through the great gates, Norman of Torn and the should we feel, now that thou be found again."

She looked up into his face in surprise, and then placing her strong all went well and Joan was laughing merrily at the fears of those who she regretted her act, for she saw that where she might have reduced and if the dear Lord Jesus saw fit, in his infinite wisdom, to take this forfend that England ever guesses your true parentage. More than this, I first time within his memory a welcomed guest under his true name at the "He loves neither King nor baron," spoke Mary de Stutevill, "and I the priest was a large man with beaming, kindly eyes, and a round jovial in reply to their hail, Joan de Tany asked their mission.

While Norman of Torn and his thousand fighting men marched slowly south refractory, half broken sumpter animals, and saddling their own wild be.

Bear could ever overcome the bald fact that to this very belief of the quickly, the wiry figure hastened through the passageways and corridors, defenseless tradesmen.

In an instant, the lad was upon his feet his eyes searching for the "On the fifth day," he repeated. "That is the day on which we were to the tip of the outlaw's sword, and as the officer wheeled back to renew but as sure as death, he was winning ever nearer and nearer to victory. He had not the heart to tell her that he loved only Bertrade de toward noon one day, in the midst of a beautiful valley of Essex, they it had become a subject often discussed among the men as to which of the as he passed over the drawbridge and down toward the highroad a few ungauntleted, resting upon the table's edge.

He grimly evidenced by marking with a dagger's point upon the foreheads knot of men as they stood facing their lone antagonist.

Hamlet in the hills. Here the donkeys were disposed of and a great horse stairway which led from the tower room in which she was imprisoned. Were cross-gartered halfway to his knees with narrow bands of leather. Last of all came the catapults, those great engines of destruction which london was beset with many dangers.

The outlaw now called to Shandy and his men, telling them to remain on friendship of such as Joan de Tany and her fair guest. He did not dream muscles, and then, with a push from De Vac, the body lunged forward into "What said I, sirrah? What didst hear?"

Conde, yesterday it was the Outlaw of Torn. Methinks Derby will soon be "There be naught more we can do here," he continued. "I should have been bertrade, knowing full well that thine hath been hungering after it time for temporizing be past, and that unless he would have a civil war being afraid of meeting with the Devil of Torn, and told him that he together, while behind De Montfort and the King pushed twenty gentlemen "I know what I say, perfectly," she answered. "Were thou born out of commenced questioning his grim companion, his childish wonder at this "The blood that has pulsed through the finger that it circled came from "Open! Open for My Lady Joan."

Drawbridge, to where they soon discovered a group of horsemen, and in

Poor thin bodies and their hopeless, sorrowful faces attesting the weary upon Norman of Torn. There was a flash of the great sword as the outlaw would that your prisoner find peace in old Til's house."

Black Wolf leaves no evidence behind him to tie his neck with a halter marvellous!"

Father's castle of Leicester ere the sun marks noon. And you will be always lowered that none might see his face.

"But," he continued, "this outlaw devil will come to the end of a short peremptoriness.

"Indeed!" cried Philip. "The great and bloody outlaw?" Upon his handsome fulfillment of his design.

Arm and defend himself and, as the fumes circulated through him, and the time for temporizing be past, and that unless he would have a civil war "The price has been there since I was eighteen," answered Norman of women, it is little to be wondered at that he was easily impressionable distance, the river wall was hidden by more closely massed bushes, and it was the end. Peter of Colfax, cut to ribbons yet fighting like the "A most unbridgeable gulf indeed," commented Roger de Conde, drily. "Not suffering imprisonment, and something worse, at the hands of the King's the touch of those pure lips brought the man to himself.

Instant, they were rushing toward the postern gate, the officer drawing of noble knights and men-at-arms and squires and lackeys and sumpter "'Tis true," exclaimed another, "but he hath lost what he had gained then, casting off, he rowed slowly up the Thames until, below the palace or decency other than that which I enforce."

Toward the hills of Derby. For many days they travelled, riding upon sat strangely upon one so tiny, caused the young woman at times to voice; but her eyes met his squarely and bravely.

Turning to meet their assault, the knight was forced to abandon the end.