BROIEFORT, THE BLACK ARABIAN 1 55 



the domains of the Lombard king. No sooner 

 did he hear that Didier had befriended the ex- 

 iled Dane than he sent a messenger into Lom- 

 bardy, demanding that Ogier should be returned 

 to France, chained like a greyhound. 



" Never will I do so base a thing ! " cried 

 Didier. " Sooner than desert the friend who has 

 sworn fealty to me, I will see all Lombardy over- 

 run by my foes, my own palace in ashes, and my- 

 self laid low with the thrusts of Charlemagne's 

 spears ! " 



The messenger returned to France with this 

 answer, and Didier and Ogier made ready for 

 war; for well they knew that Charlemagne was 

 not a man to be trifled with. 



Early the next spring a mighty army, led by 

 Charlemagne himself, crossed the Alps for the 

 purpose of overrunning Lombardy and capturing 

 the exiled Dane. A bloody battle was fought on 

 the plains of St. Ajossa — such a battle as neither 

 Lombard nor Frank had ever seen before. For 

 hours the conflict raged; and everywhere Ogier 

 and the steed Broiefort were in the thickest of 

 the fray. Never did man and horse fight more 

 bravely. The old knight's shield was pierced in 

 thirty places, his helmet was split in twain, he was 

 wounded with seven spears; and yet, even after 



