The Breckenridge news., 1906-08-08


reach the horses1" asked Norbury.
"Ye cannot go round to them, for they
would be upon ye ere ye could could come
TO them. Think ye that ye have heart
enough to chamber down this clinT'
Had we but a rope"
''There ls one here. IL is but one hum
dred feet long, and for the rest ye must
trust to God and to your fingers. Can
you try 1t. Alleyne7'
'Wth all my heart, my dear lord, but
how can leave you In such a straitT'
Nay, it is to serve me that We go. And
you. Norburyr'
The silent squire said nothing, but he
took up the rope. and. having examined
IL. he tied one end firmly round project
ing rock. Then he cast of his breast
plate, thigh pieces, and greaves, while AL
leyne followed his example
Tell Chandos, or Calverley. or Knolles,
should the prince have gone forward, -
cried Sir Nigel. Now may God speed
ye. for We are brave and worthy men,"
Il was, indeed. a task which might make
the heart Of the bravest sink within him.
The thin cord dangling down the face
of the brown cliff seemed from above to
reach little more than halfway down t..
Beyond stretched the rugged rock, wet and
shining, with a green tuft here and there
thrusting out from II, hut little sign OF
ridge or foothold. Far below the jagged
points Of the boulders bristled up, dark
and menacing. Norbury tugged thrice
with all his strength upon the cord, and
then lowered himself over the edge, while
a hundred anxious faces peered over at
him as he slowly clambered downwards to
the end OF the rope. Twice he stretched
ont his foot, and twice he failed to reach
the point at which he aimed, but even as
he swung himself for third effort a stone
from n sling buzzed like a wasp from
amid the rocks and struck him full upon
the side of his head. His grasp relaxed,
his feet slipped. and In an instant be was
a crushed and mangled corpse upon the
sharp ridges beneath him.
'If have no better fortune" said AL
leyne. leading Sir Nigel aside. 81 pray
you. my dear lord, that you will give my
humble service to the Lady Maude, and say
to her that l was ever her true servant
and most unworthy cavalier
The old knight said no word. but he put
a hand on either shoulder, and kissed his
squire, with the tears shining I'm his eyes.
Alleyne sprang to the rope. and sliding
swiftly down, soon found himself at It's
extremity. From above 1t seemed as
though rope and clin were well-nigh touch
ing. but now, when swinging a hundred feet
down, the squire found that he could scarce
reach the face OF the rock with his foot.
and that Il was as smooth as glass, with
no resting place where mouse could
stand Some three feet lower, however,
his eye lit upon n long jagged crack which
slanted downwards, and this he must reach
IL he would save not only his own poor
life, but that OF the eight-score men above
him. Yet II were madness to spring for
that narrow slit with nought but the wet,
smooth rock to cling to. He swung for
moment, full Of thought, and even as he
hung there another OF the hellish stones
sang through his curls. and struck a clip
from the face OF the cliff. Up he clambercd
lppgp
him, ensuing his belt, held on with knee
and with elbow while he spliced the long
tough leathern belt to the end Of the cord;
then lowering himself as far as he could
20, he swung backwards and forwards un-
til his hand reached the crack then he
left the rope and clung to the face Of the
cliff. Another stone struck him on the
side, and he heard a sound like breaking
stick, with keen stabbing pain which shot
through his chest. Yet II was no time now
to think of pain or ache. There was his
lord and his eight-score comrades and they
must be plucked from the jaws OF death. on
he clambered, with bis hand shuffling down
the long sloping crack. sometimes bearing
III his weight upon his arms. at others
finding some small shelf or tuft on which
10 rest his foot. Would he never pass over
that fifty feet? He dared not look down,
and could but grope slowly onwards, his
face to the cliff, his fingers clutching, his
Every vein and crack and nothing of that
face Of rock remained forever stamped
upon his memory. At last, however. his
foot came upon a broad resting-place ana
he ventured to cast a glance downwnrds
Thank Godl he had reached the highest
Of those fatal pinnacles upon which his
comrade had fallen. Quickly now he
sprank from rock to rock until his feet
we're on the ground, and he had nis hand
stretched out for the horses rein, when
a sling-stOne struck him ON the head, ana
he dropped senseless upon the ground.
An evil blow II was for Alleyne. but
worse one still for him who struck IL.
The Spanish singer, seeing the youth lie
slain, and judging from his dress that he
was no common man, rushed forward 10
plunder him, knowing well that the bow
men above him had expended their last
shaft lie was stll three paces. however
from his victims side when John upon
the cliff above plucked up huge boulder,
and. poising II for an instant, dropped II
with fatal aim upon the singer beneath
him. II stuck upon his shoulder ana
hurled him, crushing and screaming, I"
the ground, while Alleyne. recalled to his
senses by these. shrll cries in his very
car. staggered on to his feet, and gazed
wildly about him. His eyes fell upon the
horses, grazing upon the scanty pasture
and In an instant all had come back 10
lim-liS mission, MS follTdhtHf Ahf hf'N
for haste He was dizzy, sick, faint, nut
he must not die, and he must not tarry'
for his life meant many lives that day.
In an instant he was in his saddle ana
sprung down the valley. Loud rang the
swift chargers hoofs over rock and reef,
while the fire few from the stroke OF iron,
and the loose stones showered up behind
him. But his head was whirling round
the blood was gushing from his brow his
temple his. mouth. Ever keener and
sharper was the deadly pain which shot
like red-hot arrow through his side. He
felt that his eye was glazing. his senses
slipping from him, his grasp upon the reins
relaxing. Then with one mighty effort. he
called up all his strength for single
minute. STOPPING down, he loosened the
stirrup-straps, bound his knees tightly to
his saddle flaps, twisted his hands In the
bridle, and then, putting the gallant
horses head for the mountain path, he
dashed the spurs In and fell forward faint
ing with his face buried In the coarse
black name.
Little could he ever remember OF that
wild ride Half conscious, but ever with
the one thought beating in his mind, he
goadcd the horse onwards, rushing swift
iy down steep ravlnes, over huge boulders'
along the edges of black abysses. Dim
memories he had of beetling cliffs, OF
group OF huts with wondering faces at the