The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-09
THE WHITE COMPANY.
By CONAN DOYLE.
CHAPTER X1xvM
.nx THE wHrrE oorANY WAS p1sDANpEp.

row THE WHITE ooNrANT WAS prsBAEDEp.
Then upross from the hill In the rugged
cslabrian valley . sound such a. had not boon
hard iu those parts before. nor was again. un-
n, tho streams which rippled amid the rocks
hsd been frozen By over four hundred winters
AND tbawed BY as many returning springs.
D,ep and full and strong II Numbered down
ma rayine. tho neroo battle call Of . warrior
race the last storm Welcome to whose should
min with them In that world-old game where
,he stake il death. Thrice It swelled forth and
thrice II sank away. sohoing and reverberating
smids. Inc orses Then. with sot faces, the
Company ross up among tho storm OF stones.
and looked down upon the thousands who
sped swiftly up the slope against them. Horse
and spear had bonn set aside. but on foot. with
sword and batt!e-axe. their broad shields slung
IN front O! them, tho chivalry OF Spain rushed
to the attack.
And now arose q struggle 40 fell. 40 long. 50
svcnly sus a!ned. TINT Svon now the memory
Of Il Is handed down among the C,labrian
mountainsers. nnd tho til-omsned noll ts still
pointed ont by fathers to their children as the
"Al,ura 10 los Inglcsos." whsrc the mon from
across the sen fought the great fight with the
kplshts o. ths south. Tho last arrow was
quickly shot. nor could tho slinsors hurl their
s,opcs, so close were friend and foo. From
aide t, side stretched the thin line Of tho Eng
hsh, lightly armed and quick footed. whlo
AGAINST It stormed aud ragged the pressing
throas Of fcry Spanlards and gallant Bro
.ons Tho clink OF crossing sword blades. the
dull thudding Of heavy blows. the painting and
gasping Of weary and wounded men. all rose
together In a wild. lon.-drnwn Eote. which
swe.lsd upward to tho oars OF tho wondering
peasants who looked down from the odses ofthe
cliffs upon tho swaylng turmoil OF the baltic
beneath them. Back and forward reeed tho
leopard banner, now horno up tho slope BY the
rush and weight Of the onsiauIht. now push
INK downwards again as Sir Nigel, Burley, and
Black Simon. With their victorian men-at- arms.
flung themselves madly into the fray. Allsyne.
., bis lords right hand. found himself swspt
hithsr and thither In the desperate struggle.
exchanging savage thrusts ono instant with
Spanish cavalier. and tho next torn away by
the whirl Of men and dashed m AGAINST sone
new antagonist. To tho right Sir Oliver. Ayl-
ward. Horde John. and the bowmon OF tho
Company fought furiously against the monkish
Knights OF Santiago. who were led up
the hill By their prior, great deep
ehested man. who wore q brown monast!c
habit over his suit OF mail. Three archers he
slew In three giant strokes. but Sir Oliver
flung his arms round him. and the two stag
fell. locked In eaoh others grasp. over the sdge
Of the steep clin which fAnked tho hill. In
vain his kniRhts stormed and ravsd against the
thin line which barred their path: the sword
Of Aylward and the great axe Of John cleaned
In the fvEsfront OF the battle. and huge jagged
pieces Of rock. hurled By the strong arms OF
tho bowman. crashed and hurtied amid their
ranks. slowly they gave back down tho hill.
tho arohers still hanging upon their skirts.
with long litter Of writhing and twisted
figures to mark tho course which they had
taken. At the same instant the Welshmen
upon the left. led on by the Scotch earl. had
charged out from smonR the rocks which shell
tered them. and BY the fury OF their OUT
fall had driven the 6pauiards In front OF
them In hssdlong flight down the hill. In the
csItre only things esemed to be going Ill with
tho defenderA Black Simon was d ,wn. dying.
~ ho would wish to have died. like grim old
wolf in Ito lair. with ring OF his slain around
him Twice Slr Nigel had boon overborne. and
twico Alleyne had fought over him until he hal
staggered to his feet once more. Burlsy lay
ssnssless. stunned By blow from mace. Aud
half OF tho men-n, arms lay Uttered upon the
ground around him. Sir Nigels shield was
broken. his crest shorn. his armor out and
smashed. and the vizor torn from hls helmet;
got he sprnng hlther and thither with light
and . 6panisrd ~ tho same instant. thrust
Ing. Atoooing. dashing In. sprinsin. out.
while Aleyne still tonight by his side.
stsmmins with handful OF men tho
dorcs tide which sur.sd up against
them. Yet 1t wond hayo Jared III with them
had not the archers from either side closed In
upon the fanss o. the attackers. and pressed
them very slowly and foot by foot down tho
long slope. until they wero on the plaiu once
more. where their fellows wese already rally
ing for o frosh assaut.
But terrible indeed was tho cost at which the
last had been repoled. OF the three hundr cd
and seventy mon who hal hold the crest ono
hunired and ssventy-tuo wore left stand
Ing. many Of whom were sorely wounded and
weak from loss OF blood. Sir Oliver Duties
thorn. Sir Richard CHusson. Sir simon Dur,sy.
Black Simon. Johnston. u hundred and nifty
Archers, and forty-savsn mon at-arms had
fallen. while tho pi,iiess hail OF stones
WAS already wh!zzinE and piping once
moro about their cars. threatening every
instant to further reduce thor numbers.
eir Nigel looked about him ut his shattered
ranks. and his facs flushed with pride.
i;y st. PaulI' no cried. II have fought In
mnay littlo b!ckertp!:. but nevor one that
would be moro 10Th to nave missed than this.
But you are wounded. Aleyne!"
Ills naughI." answered hts squire. stan oh
lag the blood whloh drppcd from . sword cut
across his forehead.
These gentlemen OF Spain seem 10 bs most
cou1>ous and worthy people. 500 that they
are already forming to continue this debsts
VIII a. Form M tho bowmen two doep In.
stead offour. BY my fatth2 some worry bravo
men nave gone from among ua Ay;wArd. you
Ars trusty soldier. for oil that your shoulder
mas never fslt accoade. nor your heels worn