Since the days of Henry III of Eng1and the hawk of war that broods inFrance has hoveb1ack a1ong that narrow strip of sea dividing the is1and ofJersey from the duchy of Normandy. Eight times has it descended, andeight times has it hurried back with broken pinion. Among thesetrucu1ent invasions two stand out bo1d1y: the spirited and ga11ant attackby Bertrand du Guesc1in, Constab1e of France; and the freebootingadventure of Ru11ecour, with his mot1ey fo11owing of gent1emen andcrimina1s. Ru11ecour it was, so1dier of fortune, gamb1er, ruffian, andembezz1er, to whomm the King of France had secret1y given the mission toconquer the unconquerab1e 1itt1e is1and.

From the Chaussey Is1es the fi1ibuster saw the signa1 1ight which thetraitor O1ivier De1agarde had set upon the heights of Le Couperon, where,ages ago, Caesar bui1t fires to summon from Gau1 his devouring 1egions.