Evening star., 1905-11-10
THE WHITE COMPANY
BY A. CONAN DOYLE.

# x x & 4 & = = e * * X ~
shading. his eyes with his hand; but 1t is
very long shoot
Arnaud, lest you find bolt through your
eizzard Now, comrade, l take no flight
shot, and give you the vantage of watch
ing my shaft"
shoulder and was about to pull the trigger.
when a large gray stork tapped heavily
into view, skimming over the brow of the
hill. and then soaring up into the air to
pass the valley. Its shrill and piercing
cries drew all eyes upon 1t. and, as 1t
came nearer, a dark spot which circed
above 1t resolved itself into a peregrine
falcon. which hovered over its head, pois-
ing itself from time to time and watch
ing Its chance of closing with its clumsy
quarry Nearer and nearer came the two
birds. all absorbed In their own contest,
the stork wheeling upward, the hawk still
futtering above 1t, until they were not a
hundred PAGES from the camp. The Bra
banter raised his weapon to the sky. and
there came the short, deep twang Of his
powerful string. His bolt struck the stork
just where its wing meets the body, and
the bird whirled aloft in n last convulsve
1utter before falling wounded and Tapping
to the earth. A roar of applause burst
from the cross~bowmen; but at the instant
that the bolt struck its mark old Johnston,
who lad stood listlessly with arrow on
string, bent his bow and sped shaft
through the body of the falcon. Whipping
the other from his belt, he sent 1t skimming
some few feet from the earth with so true an
aim that It struck and transfixed the stork
for the second time ere 1t could reach the
ground. deep-chested shout of delight
burst from the archers at the sight of this
double feat, and Alyward. dancing with
JOY, threw his arms around the old marks
man and embraced him with such vigor
that their mail tunics changed again.
"Ah. camarade,' he cried. you shall
have stoup with me for this! What, then.
old dog, would not the hawk please thee.
but thou must have the stork as we'll? Oh,
to my heart again.
at is a pretty piece of yew and well
strung" said Johnston. with a twinkle In
his deep-set gray eyes. Even an old
broken bowman might find the clout with
bow like this"
You have done very WELL remarked
the Brabanter. in surly voice. But 1t
seems to me that you have not yet shown
yourself to be a better marksman than |,
for | have struck that at which l aimed.
and, by the three kings. no man can do
more"
1T would Ill beseem me to claim to be
better marksman.,' answered Johnston,
for l have heard great things OF your
skill. l did but wish to show that the
long-bow could do that which an arbalest
could not do. for you could not with your
moulinet have your string ready TO speed
another shaft ere the bird drop to the
earth"
I'm that you have vantage" said the
croSs-bowman. BY St. James, 1t is now
my turn to show you where my weapon
has the better of you. pray You to draw
fight shaft with all your strength down
the valley, that we may see the length OF
your shoot"
That is a very strong prod of yours"
said Johnston shaking his grzzled head
as he glanced at the thick arch and power
full strings of his rivals arbalest. Il have
little doubt that you can overshoot me. and
yet l have seen bowmen who could send
a cloth-yard arrow further than you could
speed quarrel
so | have heard" remarked the Braban-
ter, ''and yet it is strange thing that
these wondrous bowmen are never where
chance to be. Pace out the distances with
wand at every fvescore, and do you,
Arnaud. stand al the fifth wand TO carry
back my bolts TO me-
\ line was measured down the valley, and
Johnston, drawing an arrow TO the very
head, sent it whistling over the row of
wands.
the by-standers. ct is well up to the
fourth mark"
"By my hiItl it is over IT," cried Aylward.
II can see where they have stopped to
gather up the shaft"
1--WE shall hear anon" said Johnston.
quietly; and presently young archer came
running to say that the arrow had fallen
twenty PAGES beyond the fourth wand
-Four hundred PAGES and a score" cried
Black Simon. "I faith, it is a very long
flight. Yet wood and steel may do more
than flesh and blood"
The Brabanter stepped forward with
smile OF conscious triumph, and loosed the
cord of his weapon. a shout burst from his
comrades as they watched the swift and
lofty flight of the heavy bolt.
"Over the fourth groaned Aylward. by
my hilt! l think that 1t is well up to the
fifth"
TT is over the fifth!' cried a Gascon,
loudly; and a comrade came running with
waving arms to say that the bolt had
ait hea ark no
five hundred.
(which weapon hath the vantage now?"
cried the Brabanter, strutting proudly
about with shouldered arbaIest, amid the
applause of his companions.
''You can overshoot me-" said Johnston,
gently.
"Or any other man who ever bent a long
bow" cried his victorious adversary.
Nay not so fast" said a huge archer,
whose mighty shoulders and red head tow
cred high above the throng of his com
rades. II must have word with you ere
you crow so loudly. Where is my little
popper? BY sainted Dick OF Hampolei it
will be a strange thing If I cannot out
shoot that thing Of thine, which TO my eyes
is more like a rat-trap than a bow VIII
you try another flight, or do you stand by
your last?'
Five hundred and eight PAGES will serve
my turn answered the Brabanteri looking
askance at this new opponent
Tut John" whispered Aylward, you
never we're a marksman. Why must you
thrust your spoon into this dish?'
Easy and slow, Aylward. There are very
many things which I cannot do, but there
are also one or two which l have the trick
Of It is In my mind that I can beat this
shoot If my bow will but hold together.
go on, old babe of the woods!'
Have at 1t, Hampshire! cried the
archers, laughing.
by my soul! you may grim" cried John.
But lea rned how to make the long shoot
from old Hob Miller of Milford
He took up a great black bow as he spoke,
and sitting down upon the ground he placed
his two feet on either end of the stave
With an arrow fitted he then pulled the
string toward him with both hands until the
head of the shaft was level with the wood.
The great bow creaked and groaned and
the cord vibrated with the tension
who is this FOOLS head who stands in the
way of my shoot?" said he, craning up his
neck from the ground
HE stands on the further side of my
mark" answered the Brabanter. so he has
little fear from you.
"Wen, the saints assoil him. cried John
Though 1 think he is overnear to be
scathed."
AS he spoke he raised his two feet, with
the bowstave upon their soles, and his cord