The Greeley tribune., 1906-08-16

vnnd Then on ~,
him how W foIr lord, how cnn We hope to
But IVY ,orscsY'' asked Norbury.
rraSh ry. nnpnot 20 round to them. TOT they
,,ould be upon ye ere ye 'ou'u ,,uvn e hcnrt
W""'" ,,om Think yc that ye nave hc"r'
10 them, ciomber down this ci1f'
.'Iind we but rope, l., ,,, an. hrr.
,..j toct long, and for the rest ye mus
.',, ,ans, TO God and to your h"se''' '
YOU try it, Allcynes NV deor lard but
nm I,ny. you in such strnltf'
MY ,,Nay. II is to serve me that !e so' Anu
!"who silent squire said nothing Dut ne
took up the rope; d", nrmiv nnui % round project
u, ~ %rork Then he cast on MS breast
ms nigh pieces, and greaves, while AL
rnnc followed his example.
e!mr e!T,Ii Chnudos, or Cnlverley. or knoiies.
.nculd the prince have gone ,ol"atu.
saI cir Nigel. Now may God speed
't'u 20 are brave and worthy men.
!v, ~, Indeed, n task which might make
II Vat m" Of the bravest sink within him.
,rMo . tbn cord dangling down the race
=, tho brown cllT seemed from above 70
:" W. ,'' lIttJr more than halfway down It,
[,"," ,,",a,d stretched the rugged rock. wet nnd
nNy with n green tuft here and there
'nnn",I,r ont from It, but little sign OF
I'M ,,,rc or foothold. Far below the jagged
,,iI,,s Of the boulders bristled up, dnrR
,ncpnrinC. Norbury tugged thrice
1I" , oiI mis- strength upon the cord. and
,hcn lowered himself over the edge, while
hrrIred anxious fnccs peercd over ut
Kin, az he slowly clambercd downwards 10
'no and OF the rope. Twice he stretched
.,, nis foot. aud twice he failed to reach
,So nnnt nj which he aimed. but even as
Wv Wv surnr himself for third effort stone
g,or sling bnzzcd like wasp from
.,i5 ,OI tn, rocks and struck him full upon
,so s,,e Of his head. His grasp relaxed.
tIs foot slipped. and In nn instant be was
+, crushed and manglcd corpse upon the
sharp ridges beneath MN.
III have no better fortune. said AL
,crnc. leading Sir Nigel aside. pray
ron INV dear lord, that you will give my
humble service 10 the Lady Maude, anu say
Ia her that | was ever her true servant
ard most unworthy cavalier.
rhc old knight said no word but he put
hand on either shoulder. and kissed his
SQUIRE with the tears shining In his eyes.
Aileyuc sprans to the rope, anu siiuing
swiftly down. soon found himself Mt Its
extremity. From above 1t seemed as
though rope and clin were well-nigh touch
ing but now. when swinging II hundred fect
down, the squire found that he could scarce
roach the face Of the rock with his foot.
and that it was ns smooth as glass. with
M resting place where mouse could
stand Some three feet lower. however.
his eye lit upon long Jagged crack which
slanted iownwards, md this he must reach
II he would save not only his own poor
llrc hut that of the cight-score men above
him. Yet 1t were madness 10 spring Tor
that narrow slit with nought but the wet,
smooth rock To cling to. He swung for
moment. full of thought. and even MS he
hung there another OF the hellish stones
sang through his curls. and struck clip
from the face of the cliff. Up he clumbered
few feet. drew up the loose end after
him, ensuing his belt. held on with knee
and with elbow while he spliced the long
tough lea theru belt 10 the end OF the cord:
then lowering himself ns far as he could
70 he swung backwards and forwards un-
III his hand reached the crack, then he
left the rope and clung to the face OF the
clif mother stone struck him on the
side, and he heard sound like breaking
stick. with keen stnbbing pain which shot
through his chest. Yet 1t WINS no time now
TO think NJ pain or ache. There was MS
lord aud his cight-scorc comrades, and they
must be plucked from the jaws of death. On
he clamhcred, with his hand shuffling down
the long sloping crack. sometimes bearing
all his weight upon his arms. at others
Andug some small shelf or tuft on which
10 rest his foot. Would he never pass over
ha, fifty fceti He dared not look down,
and could hut gropc slowly onwnrds, MS
face To the riin his fingers clutching, his
feet scraPtns and feeling for support.
Every vein aud crack and nothing OF thnt
face Of rock remained forever stamped
upon his memory. At last. however. his
foot came upon broad rcsting-plncc and
he renurcd TO cast glance downwards.
Thank God, he had reached the highest
OF those fatal plnnacles upon which MS
comradc had fallen. Quickly now he
sprank from rock to rock until his feet
were on the ground and he had HIS hand
stretched out for the horse's rein, when
sltnc-ston struck him on the head. and
he dropped srnseiess upon the ground.
An evil blow it was for Alleyne. but n
worse one still for him who struck 1t.
The Spanish Singer. seeing the youth lie
aln, and Judging from his dress TINT he
"as no common man. rushed forward to
p'undcr him. knowing well that the bow
'nen above him had expended their last
Ehaft He was still three pnces. however,
rom his victims side when John upon
me GIN above plucked up n huge boulder,
ma. roiSinc 1t for an instant. dropped II
wuh fatal aim upon the singer beneath
nun. 1t stuck upon his shoulder. and
urled him, crushing and, screaming, to
ne ground, while Allcyne. recalled to his
ehscs hy these shrlll cries In his very
W., staggered to his feet. and gazed
'uuF about him. His eyes fell upon the
u5ses , grazing upon the scanty pasture,
nu In an instant all had come back to
h-hiS mission, his comrades. the need
VI has," He was dizzy, sick. faint. but
must not die. and he must not tnrry.
VI MS iIie meant many lives that day.
an Instant he In Ills saddle and
plnhe down the valley. Loud rang the
,n Nl, chargers hoofs over rock and reef.
'uhe the fire flew from the stroke OF iron,
Nv Nv 'he loose stones showercd up behind
I'm h,n' But his head was whirllne round.
.., r nI""d was gushing from his brow, his
nlp'' his mouth. Ever keencr md
Iap uaFper was the deadly pain which shot
Nv. r'u-hoi arrow through his side. He
M a hht his eve was glazing. his senses
slsrs lnrIns rom hm his grasp upon the rcins
I'. u UP all his strength for n single
t;.. Si"opinr down, he looscncd the
W. 'up,S,fnps bound his knees tightly to
,rI,,Sc S'ndc haps. twisted his hands In the
oa, hnn then. putting the gallant
"rs'S head for the maintain pnth. he
."'u % me spurs in and fell forward faint
iso, WIN his face buried In the coarse.