The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-08-17


reach the horses? asked Norbury.
re cannot go round to them, for IN,
woulq pc upon ye ere ye could could cor
to them. Think 70 that We have hen
enough to Chamber down this clip,
Had we but rope
There ID one here. It "a but ono nm,
dred feet long, and for the rest va mn
trust to God and to your fingers. "a
you try It, AlleyneY'
With all my heart. my dear lord. b,
how can I leave you In such straitY'
Nay Il y % serve me that We 90. An
The silent squire said nothing, but b
tdSk up the rope, and, having examine
It, he tled one end firmly round a project
ing rock. Then he cast or his breast
blate. thigh pieces, and greayes. while N
leyne followed his example.
"Ten Chandos, or Calverley. or Knolles
should the prince have gone forward.
cried Sir Nigel. NOW may God spee
}, We, Tor We are brave and worthy men,
1t was, Indeed, task which might max
the heart Of the bravcst sink within him
The thin cord dangling down the fac
OF the brown cliff seemed from above I,
reach little more than halfway down III
Beyond stretched the rugged rock, wet ant
shining, with green tuft here and Their,
thrusttng out from 1t, but little sign q
ridge Or foothold. Far below the tagged
points OF the boulders bristled up. darl
and menacing. Norbury tugged thrice
with all his strength upon the cord, and
then lowered himself over the edge, while
g hundred anxious faces peered over al
him AZ he slowly clambered downwards ID
the end Of the rope. Twice he stretched
out his foot. and twice he failed to reach
the point at which he aimed, but even IA
he swung himself for third effort stone
from sling buzxed 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
crushed and mangled corpse upon the
sharp ridges beneath him.
III / have no better fortune,n said Al
leyne, leading Sir Nigel aside. II pray
you. my dear lord. that you will give my
humble service to the Lady Maude, and say
to her that was ever her true servant
and most unworthy cavalier
The old knight said no word, but be put
hand on either shoulder, and kissed his
squire. with the tears shining In his eyes.
Alleyne sprang to the rope, and sliding
swiftly down. soon found himself at its
extremity. From above 1t seemed as
though rope and cliff were well-nigh touch
itg, but now, when swinging hundred feet
down, the squire found that he could scarce
reach the face Of the rock with his foot,
and that 1t was as smooth as glass, with
no resting-place where "a mouse could
stand. Some three feet lower, however
his eye lit upon long jagged crack which
slanted downwards, and this he must reach
If he would save not only his own poor
life, but that of the eight-score men above
him. Yet 1t were madness to spring for
that narrow slit with nought but the wet,
smooth rock to cling to. He swung for a
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 clambered
a 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 leathern belt to the end Of the cord: |
then lowering himself as far as he could |
60, he swung backwards and forwards un-
til his hand reached the crack, then he
left th6ArOpe and chung to the face Of the
cliff. Another stone struck him on the
side, and he heard q sound like a breaking
Stick, with keen stabbing pain which shot
through his chest. Yet 1t 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
ue cldmucIeu, WAIu HlS uuuu SnulIuHS uOWA
the long sloping crack, sometimes bearing
i'll his weight upon his arms, at others
finding some small shelf or tuft on which
to rest his foot. Would he never pass over
that fifty feet? He dared not look down,
indy GOULD but grope slowly EDWARDS, his
ace fH the elf, his fingers clutching, his
'eet scrapfng and feeling for support.
Every vein and crack and nothing Of that
ace Of rock remained forever stamped
lpon his memory. At last, however, his
DOT came upon broad resting-place and
lie ventured to cast glance downwards.
Thank God! he had reached the highest
Il those fatal pinnacles upon which his
had fallen. Quickly now he
prank from rock to rock until his feet
we're on the ground, and he had his hand
tretched out for the horses rein. when
sling-stone struck him on the head, and
q dropped senseless upon the ground.
An evil blow It was for Alleyne, but a
7orse one still for him who struck It.
Me Spanish singer, seeing the youth lie
lain, and judging from his dress that he
yas no common man, rushed forward to
lundeN khim, knowing well that the bow
len above him had expended their last
haft. He was still three PAGES, however,
.om his victims side when John upon
ne cliff above plucked up huge boulder,
nd, posing It for an instant, dropped It
18th fatal aim upon the singer beneath
i'm. It stuck upon his shoulder, and
urled him, crushing ands screaming, to
le ground, while Alleyne, recalled to his
,nses by these shrill cries in his very
If, staggered on to his feet, and gazed A
Idly about him. His eyes fell upon the
orses, grazing upon the scanty pasture, n
I'd In an instant all had come back to Il
m-his mission, his comrades, the need t.
r haste. He was dizzy, sick, faint, but
} must not die, and he must not tarry, W
r his life meant many lives that day.
an instant he was In his saddle ana d
rung down the valley. Loud rang tne Ia
vift chargers hoofs over rock and reef, ~
bile the fre few from the stroke OF Iron,
ID the loose stones sh0wered up behind "a
m. But his head was whirling round,
9 blood was gushing from his brow, his b.
mple, his mouth. Ever keener ana 10
arper was the deadly pain which shot fl
e red-hot arrow through his side. He
It TIT his eye was glazing. bis senses aa
piping from him, his grasp upon the reins
iaxing. Then with one mighty effort, ne
lied up all his strength for single
mute. STOPPING down, he loosened the ar
rrup-straps, bound his knees tightly TO re-
] saddle faps, twisted his hands ia tne en-
idle, ana then, putting the gallant sh
rse's head for the mountain path, ne "a
shed the spurs Ia ana fell forward faint Id
! with his face buried in the COARSE lol
lex name. av