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

~ ..Nieeli'' cried Sir Simon Burley, hurry
ing uD with consternation upon his face
n ..Aylward tells me that there are no
ten score arrows left In all their sheaveg
see! they are springlng from their horses
d and cutting their solleretB that they ma,
, rush upon rs. Might We not even now
make o retreatT
Q my soul will retreat from my body
y drsI!' cr.ed the little knight. Here
!, am, and here i bide, while God gives me
, strength to Lift q sword"
Q And 30 say IT. shouted Sir Oliver,
throwing his mace high into the air and
: catching 1t again by the handle.
ITO your arms, men!' cried Sir Nigel.
Shoot while you may and then out sword.
land let us live or die t0getherl' rs
| Then uprose from the hill In the rugged
( Calabrian valley sound such a. had not
. Deen heard In those parts before, nor was
} again. until the streams which rippled
|amid the rocks had been frozen by over
four hundred winters and thawed by as
many returning springs. Deep and full
and strong 1t Numbered down the ravine,
the fierce battle-call Of q warrior race, the
il last stern welcome to who 80 should Join
with them In that world-old game where
the stake is death. Thrice 1t swelled forth
and thrice 1T 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, but on foot, with sword and bat
! tle-axe, their broad shields slung In front
Of them, the chivalry Of Spain rushed to-
the attack.
/ And now arose struggle 30 fell, 80 long,
60 evenly sustained, that even now the
memory Of It is handed down amongst the
Calabrtan mOuntaineers, and the ill-omen-
ed Knoll is still pointed out by fathers to
| their children as the .'Altura dc 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, 80 close were friend and foe. From
side TO side stretched the thin line OF the
English. lightly armed and quick-footed,
while against 1t stormed and ragged the
pressing throng Of fiery Spaniards and Of
gallant Bretons The clink Of crossing
sWord-blades. the dull thudding Of heavy
Dlows, the painting and gasping Of weary
and wounded men; all rose together In
q Wild, long-drawn note, which swelled
upwards to the ears Of the wondering y
peasants who looked down from the edges
q the ellis upon the swaying turmoil Of
the battle beneath them. Back and for
borne up the slope by the rush ana
weight OF the onslaught, now pushing
downWards again as Sir Nigel, Burley,
ana Black Simon, with their veteran mem
alarms, fung themselves madly into the
ray. Alleyne, at his lords right hand.
found himself swept hither and thither il
the desperate struggle, exchanging savage
lnrnsts one instant with Spanish caya-
iler, ana the next torn away BY the whirI
81 men and dashed up against some new
antasonist TO the right Sir Oliver, AyI-
s ware, Hordie John, and the bowmen Of
the Company fought furiously against the
monkish knights Of Santiago. who were
lea up the hill by their prior-a great-deep-
cnested man, who wore brown monastic
habit over his suit Of mail. Three archers
le slew In three giant strokes, but Sir
OHver hung his arms round him. and the
TWO, staggering and straining. reeled back
wards and fell, locked In each others
srasp, over the edge OF the steep cliff
Rnicn nanked the hill. In vain his knights
horned and raved against the thin line
vnicn married their path; the sword Of
ayiward ana the great axe Of John gleam-
-. ~ tne forefront OF the battle and huge
aged pieces Of rock, hurled by The
trong arms Of the bowmen. crashed and
Iurtied amid their ranks. Slowly thew
ave back down the hill, the archers still
singing upon their skirts, with long
tter q writing and twisted figures to
iark the course which they had taken.
y the same instant the Welshmen upon
IS iert LED on by the Scotch earl. had
narged OUT from among the rocks which
aeltered them. and by the fury Of their
! tIal nad driven the Spaniards In front
.nem IN neadlong fight down the hill.
the centre only things seemed to ha
ping III with the defenders. Black simon
az down-dying, as he would wish to have
ea. ike q grim old wolf in Its lair with
ring 81 MS slain around him. Twice Sir
ikei naQ Deen overborne, and twice AL
yne nad fought over him until be had
aggered to his feet once more. hurley
senseless. stunned by q blow from
VS., ana half Of the men-at-arms Law
tered upon the ground around him. Sir
lseI shield was broken, his crest shorn.
asMor cut ana smashed. and the vizor
- i,om ms helmet; vet he sprang hither
a thither with light foot and raadu
ND, engaging two Bretons and : snan,
q az the same instant thrusting. stoon-
3, dashing In, springing out-while Al
me sun Fought BY his side, stemminp
~ nandful OF men the fierce tide
licn surged up against them. Yet n
'nid have Jared III with them had NOT
arcners from either side closed IN upon
hanks Of the attackers, and pressed
en- very slowly and foot by foot down
long slope. until they were on tho
I'm once more, where their fellows wera
eady rallying for fresh assault.
sui terrible indeed was the cost AT
lich the last had been repealed. ar the
zee hundred and seventy men who had
q the crest. one hundred and seventy
We're left standing, many Of whom
re sorely wounded and weak from loss
blood. Sir Oliver Buttesthorn. Sir
cnard Causton. Sir Simon Burley. Black
non, Johnston, hundred ana fiftv
ners ana forty-seven men-at-arms had
zen. while the pitiless hail Of stones
already whizzing and piping once more
ut their ears, threatening every -.
nt % further reduce their numbers.
II Nigel looked about him at I'M shst.
e ranks. and his face flushed with Z
Tiers pride.
~ st. Paul. he cried, II have youeh&
many little pickering. but nevar ors
: would % more 10th to have missed
2 this But you are wounded. AllavnsT;
nought." answered Nh srnirs
the blood which drlnped frcrn
Mord-cut across his forehead.
fnese gentlemen Of Spain seon y II
Y courteous and worthy people I soo
tney are already forming to continna