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The King and his attendants had shaken off the croho had followed theri beaten off the more persistent of the spectators, they rode at their ease in a long, straggling, glittering train over the dark undulating plain of heather

In the van was the King himself, for his haith him and he had soorous man in the very priallant and a chivalrous soldier He was a scholar too, speaking Latin, French, Ger been patent to the world, but only of recent years had he shown other and more formidable characteristics: a restless ahbor's throne, and a wise foresight inFle the seeds of what for land Each of these varied qualities ht have been read upon his face The brow, shaded by a crie brown eyes were ardent and bold His chin was clean-shaven, and the close-cropped darkht in merciless ferocity His complexion was tanned to copper by a life spent in field sports or in war, and he rode his nificent black horse carelessly and easily, as one who has grown up in the saddle His own color was black also, for his active; sinewy figure was set off by close-fitting velvet of that hue, broken only by a belt of gold, and by a golden border of open pods of the broo, his simple yet rich attire and his splendid allant allant horse was co so on," as it was terht arise The second bird of the cast was borne upon the gauntleted wrist of Raoul the chief falconer in the rear

At the right side of the monarch and a little behind hie, tall, sli eyes which sparkled with vivacity and affection as he answered the reold, and the trappings of his white palfrey were of a nificence which proclaimed the rank of its rider On his face, still free froravity and reat affairs had been in his keeping and that his thoughts and interests were those of the statesreat day when, little more than a school-boy, he had led the van of the victorious army which had crushed the power of France and Crecy, had left this stamp upon his features; but stern as they were they had not assue of fierceness which in after years was to make "The Black Prince" a name of terror on the marches of France Not yet had the first shadow of fell disease come to poison his nature ere it struck at his life, as he rode that spring day, light and debonair, upon the heath of Crooksbury