Transcriber's Notes: 1. Page scan source: https://books.google.com/books?id=vapMAAAAMAAJ The Quiver, Annual Volume, 1905; Published by Cassell and Company, Limited; _London, Paris, New York & Melbourne_: which includes THE SWORD OF GIDEON, a Serial Story By J. Bloundelle-Burton pp. 1, 114, 317, 363, 502, 552, 698, 744, 840, 993, 1031, 1175, 1226. Copyright, 1904, by John Bloundelle-Burton in the United States of America. All rights reserved. 2. The diphthong oe is represented by [oe]. [Illustration: VOLUNTEERS. From the Painting by Arthur J. Black. Exhibited in the Royal Academy, 1904.] THE QUIVER ANNUAL VOLUME, 1905 Principal Contributors Elizabeth Banks Katharine Tynan The Rev. John Watson, D.D. ("Ian Maclaren") The Rev. R. F. Horton, D.D. D. L. Wookmer The Rev. Principal Forsyth, M.A., D.D. The Duke of Argyll The Rev. High Black, M.A. The Dean of Worcester The Bishop of Derry The Rev. J. H. Jowett, M.A. Raymond Blathwayt Fred E. Weatherly J. Bloundelle-Burton Richard Mudie-Smith, F.S.S. The Rev. F. B. Meyer, B.A. The Rev. Arthur Finlayson Guy Thorne Pastor Thomas Spurgeon Morice Gerard Dr. T. J. Macnamara, M.P. The Rev. H. B. Freeman, M.A. The Rev. R. J. Campbell, M.A. Ethel F. Heddle Sir Robert Anderson, K.C.B. The Rev. Mark Guy Pearse May Crommelin The Lord Bishop of Manchester Scott Graham Amy Le Feuvre The Venerable Archdeacon Sinclair, etc. etc. CASSELL AND COMPANY, LIMITED _London, Paris, New York & Melbourne_ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Exerpt: SWORD OF GIDEON. THE Serial Story By J. Bloundelle-Burton pp. 1, 114, 317, 363, 502, 552, 698, 744, 840, 993, 1031, 1175, 1223. _Illustrated by W. H. Margetson_. Copyright, 1904, by John Bloundelle-Burton in the United States. _All rights reserved_. THE SWORD OF GIDEON CHAPTER I. To north and south and east and west horsemen were spurring fast on the evening of May 15th, 1702 (N.S.), while, as they rode through hamlets and villages, they heard behind them the bells of the churches beginning to ring many a joyous peal. Also, on looking back over their shoulders, they saw that already bonfires were being lit, and observed the smoke from them curling up into the soft evening air of the springtime. For these splashed and muddy couriers had called out as they passed through the main streets of the villages that the long expected war with France was declared at last by England, by Austria--or Germany, as Austria was then called--and the States-General of the United Netherlands.