The Delta independent., 1906-08-17

See, they are sprIugins from their horses,
aud cutting their soierets that they may
rush upon US. Misht We NV e'en ~
make u retreatt
"My soul Will retreat from my body
hrsl crleu Ine nIlie knight. Here
um and here 1 blue, WINE ooo gives ms
streugtn To lit Il sworu.
Anu So say ~ shouted Sir oliver.
throwing his mace hgn into the air anu
catching IL again Uy the handle.
10 your arms, Lnen cried Sir Nigel.
SHOOT while you may and then out sword.
"'" uIe together!
Ihe hIii III the rugged
CalaUriau yai..y sound such rs had MOI
been heard in those parts before. nor Was
again, until the streams which ripped
amid the rocks had been frozen by over
tour hundred winters and thawed by as
many returning springs. Deep and full
and strong II thundered down the raSine.
the fierce Uattlc-calI OF a warrior race. the
last stern welcome to who 50 should Join
with them ia that wOrid-old game where
the stake Is death. Thrice 1t swelled forth
ud thric. Z sank away. echoinE and re-
yerberuting amidst the crags. Then, with
set faces the Company rose up among the
storm Of stones. aud looked down upon the
thousands who sped swiftly up the slope
..u...s lu-u,. Horse and spear had been
set aside, but on foot. with sword aud bat
tle-a1c. their broad shields slung In front
OF them. the chiyulry of Spain rushed to
the attack.
And now arose n struggle so fell ~ long.
60 evraiy sustained. that even now the
memory OF 1t Is handed down amongst the
Calahrian mountaineers, and tn" Ill-om-n.
ed knoll II still pointed out by fathers &c
their children as the "Alturn de los inIl--
sos.' where the men from across tn. sen,
fought the great nght with the knight.
OF the south. The last arrow was quickly
shot. nor could the singers burl th-lr
.s1n ri..pI nd g,,a EfEft
side to side stretched the thin line OF tn,
English. lightly armed and quick-foot.Si.
while against It stormed and ragged III.
pressing throng Of nery Spanards and 81
gallant BTctons. Tn. cllnk OF cros-lu.
sword. blades. the dun thuddIng OF h-a,,
blows. tn. painting aud Sasping Of weary
aud wounded men, all r"-" together ~
a Wild. long drawn note, which .wcil-,i
upwards To tn" ears Of the wondering
peasants who looked down from the adgs-
of the cliffs upon the swaying turmoil nf
the battle beneath them. Back and for
ward re"led tn" leopard banner. now
borne W the slope hy th. rush and
weight OF the onslaught. now pushing
downwnrds again as Sir Nigel. Burlry.
and Black Simon. with their veteran m.n-
Ht-arns. nung themselves mhdiy into the
fray. All"yne, at his lords right hand.
found himself swept hiih"r and thith-r Ia
the desperate struggle. exchanging savage
thTusts on" instant with spanish rars-
licr. and the next torn away by the Nhirl
uf men aud dashed up against some new
antagonist, To III" right Sir oliver. AL
ward. Ilor,ll. John. and IN. howm"u or
the Company fought furi"usy agaInst the
moukish knights of Santiago. who were
led up the bill hy their prior-Hs great deep
ch.st'l man. VIII" wDrr brown moua-tlr
habit over his suit OF m1il. Tht-" irrhrt-
he slew In three Giant strokes. hut Slf
oliver nun. his arms round him. .bd the
two, staggering and straInin. r~-i-d back
wards and fell. ip~E"i In each other.
grnsp, over the c-ig" uf the steep rIir
which rauk.i tn" hIli. Ia vain his knight-
-iortncd and rav.-i against the thin line
which mnrr"d their path. III. sword of
Aylwnrd and III" great ai- Of John CLEAN
81 In the forefront Of the battle aud huge
Jagged pieces Of rock. huri--i nv the
strong arms OF the howm"n. crashed and
hurtl"i amid their rsuks. Slowly the,
gar- back down the hiii tn. srrh-r- -tIiI
hanging upon their skirts. with long
litter "f writhlng aud twisted nsuf.r to
marx tn" course which they hrd taken.
At IA" sam. instant the w.l-hm..n upon
the left. led on 10y IN. Scotch -arI. hsd
charged out from among the rrck- which
sheltered them. and by the fury Of their
"utfall had driven the Spauiari- In front
Of them Ia h"adlouE hlght down the hili.
In tn. centre only things sa"m.-i to 10
going III with tn. defender. Black Simon
was down-dying, a- he would wish to have
died. III" grim Old wolf Ia it, lair with
n ring OF his sinAn around him. Twice Sir
Nigel had been "S"ri,"rn". and twic. Al
l.yn. had fought over hut until he hsd
staggered to his feet once more Burt.
lay scn-"i"ss. stunned by a blow from
mace. and half Of the m.n-s,-arm- Law
Uttered upon TIA" ground arpupd him. sir
Nigcl's shield was broken. his crc-, shorn.
his nrmor cut and smashed. and the ,i1or
torn from his helmet: yet he sprans hith.r
and thlthcr with light foot aud ready
hand engaging two Brrions aud a Span
inrd nt the same instant thrnstinx. s'o"p-
Ing. dashlng In, springing out-wbiI. Al
lrync still fought by his side. .temminx
with n handful Of men the n.rr- It'd.
which snrgei up against them. Yet II
would have fnr"d III with them had not
the nrchers from either siir closed In upon
the nEhks Of the attackers and pressed
them very slowly aud foot by foot down
the long slope. until they were an tn.
plain once more. wher. their fellows wer.
already rnllying for fresh assault.
But terrible indeed was tn. cost at
which the last had been rep.li.d OF the
three hundred and seventy men who had
held the crest. on. hundred aud seventy
TWO w"r" left standing. many OF whom
were sorely wounded aud weak from loss
OF blood. Sir Oliver Bu'trsthorn. Sir
Richard Cnustop. Sir Simon Bnrl.y. Black
Simon. Johnston. n hundred and nfty
nrch"rs. and forty-s.vcn n-at-arins had
fallen. whil. tn. pitiiess hail OF stones
was already whlzzipg and piping one. more
about their ears. threatening every In-
Sthnt TO further reduce their numbers.
Sir Nigel looked nbou, him at his shat
tered rnnks. and his fnc lushcd with =
soldiers pride.
BY st. Paul. he cried. Il have fought
In many litti" pickering. hut never on.
that wonld he NOR" 10th to have missed
than this. hut you are wounded. Aucynvf'
1t IN h"nsht answered his squire
Stanchlnn the blood which drippcd from
rword-cnt across his forehead.
'Thcs" gentlemen OF Spain seen, to b,
most courteous and worthy D,onI. I an.
That they are already forming to con thu.
ms debate with us. Form up the bowmeu
two deep instead Of four. BY my fnItbi
some very bray" men have gone from
among nH. Aylwnrd. you are n trusty sol
ilcr, for all that your shoulder has never
f"lt ncrolnde. nor your heels worn the
goid spurs Do you take charge OF thr
right: ] viii hold the center. and you. my