The Breckenridge news., 1906-08-08

NIGEL cried sir simon Burley, hurry
ing up with CONSERVATION upon his lace.
'Aylward tells me that there are not
ten score arrows ieIt IA all their sheayes.
see! tney are sprlnglng from their horses,
and cutting tneIr sOilerets that they may
rush upon Us. Might We not even now
make retreatI
My soul will retreat from my body
nrst. creu lne htLe knIsnt. Here 4
am, and mere 4 blue, wnue UOd gives me
strength ~ lit sworn.
And 50 say A.. shouted Sir oliver,
throwing his mace hign INTO the air and
catching IL again Uy tne handle.
To your arms, men. cried Sir Nigel.
shoot while you may aud tnen out sword,
dud let US nVe Or ule tOgeIner!
ihen uprOse from Ine nLI al The rugged
CaiaDrian ,"uey a sound Sucu as had not
Oeen heard IA tnose parts before, nor was
again, until the streams Mnlcn rlppled
amid the rocks had been frozen Oy over
,Our hunureu winters aud tnaweu Uy as
many returning springs Deep and full
and strong IL Numbered down the raYine,
the herce battle-call of warrior race, the
last stern welcome to who SO should Join
with them In that world-old game where
the stake Is death. Thrice II swelled forth
and thrice Il sank away echoing and re-
verberating amidst the crags. Then. with
set faces, the Company rose up among the
storm OF stones, and looked down upon the
thousands who sped swiftly up the slope
against them. Horse and spear had been
set aside, hut on foot, with sword and bat
tle-axe, their broad shields slung In front
Of them, the chvalry Of Spain rushed to
the attack.
And now arose struggle so fell. so long.
SO evenly sustained. that even now the
memory OF II is handed down amongst the
Calabrian mountaineers. and the ill-omen-
ed knoll Is still pointed out by fathers to
their children the "Altura de los Ingle-
sos, where the men from across the seas
fought the great fight with the knights
OF the south. The last arrow was quickly
shot nor could the singers hurl their
stones, so close were friend and foe. From
side to side stretched the thin line OF the
English. lightly armed and quick-footed.
while against II stormed and ragged the
pressing throng of fiery Spaniards and OF
gallant Bretons. The clnk OF crossing
sword-blades, the dull thudding OF heavy
blows the painting and gasplng OF weary
aud wounded men, all rose together in
a Wild, long-drawn note, which sweled
upwards TO the ears OF the wondering
peasants who looked down from the edges
Of the cliffs upon the swaying turmoil OF
the battle beneath them. Back and for
ward reeled the leopard banner. now
borne up the slope by the rush and
weight Of the onslaught now pushing
downwards again as Sir Nigel. Burley.
and Black Simon. with their veteran men
alarms, flung themselves madly into the
fray. Alleyne, at his lords right hand
found himself swept hither and thlther in
the desperate struggle, exchanging savage
thrnsts one instant with a Spanish cavs-
lier, and the next torn away by the whirl
OF men and dashed up against some new
antagonist. To the right Sir Oliver. Ayl-
ward, Horde John. and the bowmen OF
the Company fought furiously against the
mOnkish Knights of Santiago. who were
led the hill nv fbpfr of-do
chested man. who wore q brown monastic
habit over his suit Of mail. Three archers
he slew in three giant strokes, but Sir
oliver hung his arms round him. and the
two, staggering and straining. reeled back
wards and fell. locked In each others
grasp. over the edge Of the steep clin
which fianked the hill In vain his knights
stormed and raved against the thin line
which marred their path: the sword Of
Aylward and the great axe OF John gleam-
ed In the forefront of the battle and huge
Jagged pieces OF rock. hurled by the
strong arms OF the howmen crashed and
hurtled amid their ranks Slowly they
gave back down the hill. the archers still
hanging upon their skirts. with long
litter OF writhing and twisted figures 10
mark the course which they had taken.
At the same instant the Welshmen upon
the left, led on by the Scotch earl had
charged out from among the rocks which
sheltered them, and by the fury OF their
outfall had driven the Spanlards I'm front
Of them In headloug flight down the hill
In the centre only things seemed to be
going III with the defenders. Black Simon
was down dying as he would wish to have
died, like grim old wolf I'm it's lair with
a ring Of his slain around him. Twice Sir
Nigel had been overborne. and twice Al
leyne had fought over him until he had
staggered to his feet once more Burey
lay senSelesS, stunned 10y y blow from
mace. and half Of the men-at-arms lay
Uttered upon the ground around him. SIR
Nigel's shield was broken. his crest shorn
his armor cut and smashed. and the vizor
torn from his helmet; yet he sprang hither
and thther with light foot and ready
hand, engaging two Bretons and a Span
lard at the same instant thrusting stoop-
Ing dashing in. sprnging out-while Al
leyne still fought 10y his side. stemmng
with handful Of men the fierce tide
which surged up against them. Yet IL
would have Jared ili with them had not
the archers from either side closed in upon
the danks OF the attackers. and pressed
them very slowly and foot by foot down
the long slope until they were on The
plain once more. where their fellows were
already rallying for fresh assault.
But terrible indeed was the cost al
which the last had been repelled OF the
three hundred aud seventy men who had
held the crest, one hundred and seventy
two were left standing. many OF whom
were sorely wounded and weak from loss
of blood. Sir oliver Buttesthorn. Sir
Richard Causton, Sir Simon Burley. Black
Simon, Johnston. hundred and hfty
archers. and forty-seven men-at-arms had
fallen, while the pitiless hail OF stones
was already whizzing and piping once more
about their ears. threatening every in
slant to further reduce their numbers.
Sir Nigel looked about him at his shat
tered ranks. and his face flushed with a
soldiers pride
by St. Paul. he cried Il have fought
in many a little pickering, but never one
that ] would be more 10th TO have missed
than this. But you are wounded, AlleyneY"
1T is nought' answered his squire.
stanching the blood which dripped from
a sword-cut across his forehead
''These gentlemen OF Spain seem to be
most courteous and worthy people. see
that they are already forming to continue
this debate with us. Form up the bowmen
two deep instead OF four. BY my faith,
some very brave men have gone from
among US. Aylward. you are a trusty sol
der, for all that your shoulder has never
felt accolade, nor your heels worn the
gold spurs Do you take charge OF the
right; / will hold the center, and you my