the tottering kingdom of Jerusalem. Louis viewed the appeal of the eloquent prelate as the call of Heaven, and resolved to atone for the terrible destruction of his own subjects, by carrying the sword of vengeance into the camp of the pagans in the east. ΛΌ less penitent than her royal lord, Eleanora, despite all entreaties to the contrary, insisted, for the behoof of her own sovereignty of Aquitaine, to accompany him in his mad expedition. And on it becoming known that the King and his consort had solemnly received the cross of the crusading pilgrim from the well-intentioned but misguided St. Bernard, there hurst forth throughout the land a universal cry of " Crosses ! crosses !" The venerable prelate speedily distributed all he had provided for the occasion. But these proved quite insufficient. Still the people cried aloud " Crosses ! crosses!" and in the hot enthusiasm of the moment, costly garments were, regardless of their value, torn up to be formed into the desired badges of holiness and honour. The amazonian example of the Queen was eagerly followed by the noblest ladies of the land, and soon a bevy of female warriors, armed to the teeth, and who, arrayed in masculine attire, boldly styled thems Ives the Queen's body guard, excited the wonderment of the rude multitude by their womanly attempts at military evolutions, 1- ollowing the course of Conrad the Third of Germany, who, roused by the allpowerful eloquence of St. Bernard, had just set forth with a mighty army. Louis and his heterogeneous band proceeded on their way to the Holy City, but, as may be supposed, the French King's plans were defeated, and his projects utterly ruined by the giddy womanly freaks of his fair amazonians. On Hearing .Laodicea, Eleanora and her female guards were, with a small, but chosen band of soldiers, sent forward with strict injunctions from the king to camp on the uplands, at the valley of Laodicea, so as to command the dangerous defile through which the army had to pass. They proceeded as directed for a short distance, when, lured by the romantic charms of a beautiful valley, Eleanora, in utter disregard to the orders of her royal lord, insisted on proceeding thither ; where, little dreaming what bloodshed her folly would cost, she encamped for the night amidst rippling streams, enchanting groves, and green velvety slopes. Meanwhile the King and hia army, aa they bravely battled with the skirmishing Arabs, hurried onward. Harassed by foes, encumbered by the heavy baggage off the female warriors, and wearied by the fatigue of a long march under a burning sun, they, just as darkness was closing in, entered the fatal defile, when, to their horror, they discovered that the heights above were possessed not by the Queen's army, but by a numerous band of hostile Arabs, and, to add to the consternation, the giddy Eleanora and her guards could not be found till the next morning, when the sun dawned on the lifeless forms of seven thousand of the chivalry of France, whilst all the baggage and provisions had been captured by the wily foe, and the King himself had only by great personal valour escaped with bis life, so hard had he been pursued. Fortunately the encampment of the Queen had escaped the notice of the murderous Arabs, and Antioch being at hand, the dispirited army was, after a few hours' march, safely quartered within the walls of that friendly town, What the feelings of Eleanora were on this occasion no chronicler has recorded, but if the slaughter occasioned by her indiscretion caused her any heartprickings, they certainly were of short duration, as, on entering Antioch in safety, she buried in oblivious forgetfulness the remembrance of the dangers and toils she had but just miraculously passed through, and gave herself up to the full enjoyment of all the pleasures and luxuries of the gorgeous east. The Prince of Antioch, Raymond of Poitou, was her uncle, and, unlike his sainted brother William, he was sprightly, handsome, and still in the bloom of vigorous manhood. To his French allies he paid great attention, providing them with every comfort and luxury within his power, and, by heaping favours and obligations on his fair niece Eleanora, he endeavoured to so