Produced by Al Haines. [Illustration: SUDDENLY THERE WAS A ROAR OF MUSKETS, AND THROUGH THE SMOKE I SAW THE SPANIARDS RUSHING TOWARDS US] A GENTLEMAN-AT-ARMS: BEING PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF SIR CHRISTOPHER RUDD, KNIGHT, AS RELATED BY HIMSELF IN THE YEAR 1641 AND NOW SET FORTH BY HERBERT STRANG WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CYRUS CUNEO AND T. H. ROBINSON LONDON HENRY FROWDE HODDER & STOUGHTON [Illustration: Title page] _First printed in 1914_ *CONTENTS* INTRODUCTORY THE FIRST PART CHRISTOPHER RUDD’S ADVENTURE IN HISPANIOLA, AND THE STRANGE STORY OF CAPTAIN Q THE SECOND PART CHRISTOPHER RUDD’S ADVENTURE IN FRANCE, AND HIS BORROWING OF THE WHITE PLUME OF HENRY OF NAVARRE THE THIRD PART CHRISTOPHER RUDD’S ADVENTURE IN THE LOW COUNTRIES, AND HIS QUAINT DEVICE OF THE SILVER SHOT THE FOURTH PART CHRISTOPHER RUDD’S ADVENTURE IN SPAIN, AND THE FASHION IN WHICH HE PLAYED THE PART OF A PHYSICIAN THE FIFTH PART CHRISTOPHER RUDD’S ADVENTURE IN IRELAND, AND THE MANNER OF HIS WINNING A WIFE POSTSCRIPT *LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS* COLOUR PLATES BY CYRUS CUNEO SUDDENLY THERE WAS A ROAR OF MUSKETS, AND THROUGH THE SMOKE I SAW THE SPANIARDS RUSHING TOWARDS US (see p. 52) . . . _Frontispiece_ I BEHELD THE MAN KNEELING BEFORE AN OPEN CHEST, GLOATING OVER IT, PLUNGING HIS HANDS INTO IT THE SIEUR DE LANGRES GAVE ONE CHOKING SIGH, AND FELL AT THE KING’S FEET RAISING HIS SWORD HIGH ABOVE HIS HEAD, HE BROUGHT IT DOWN WITH A VEHEMENT STROKE PINNING HIM DOWN UPON A CHAIR, I BADE HIM STERNLY GIVE HEED TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS ON WHICH I WOULD SPARE HIS LIFE DOWN HE WENT UPON THE COBBLES, AND I STOOD OVER HIM WHILE HE LAY AND GROANED INSTANTLY RAOUL WAS AT DON YGNACIO’S THROAT I FOUND MY LADY KNEELING BESIDE ME, HOLDING A CUP DRAWINGS BY T. H. ROBINSON I LAY HID UNTIL THE MAN HAD COME FORTH AND GONE HIS WAY HE CAUGHT THE SWIMMER AS HE WAS ON THE POINT OF SINKING THE SPANIARDS LEAPT INTO THE RAVINE AND CLAMBERED UP THE OTHER SIDE THE SWIFTNESS OF OUR ONSET TOOK THE SPANIARDS ALL ABACK WE OPENED THE CHESTS IN HIS PRESENCE I FELT A SHARP PANG IN THE CALF OF MY LEFT LEG A FIGURE SPRANG AT ME OUT OF THE DARK ENTRY I SAW A MAN LYING IN A HUDDLED HEAP WE CREPT SOFTLY AS FOXES TOWARD THE WALL "SIR, YOU COME FROM THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE MAURICE OF NASSAU?" RIGHT MERRY WERE THE CITIZENS AT THE SUCCESS OF OUR ENTERPRISE VOLMAR READ THE LETTER BY THE AID OF A LANTERN I BEHELD THREE MEN AS BLACK BLOTS MOVING IN THE DARKNESS