Charlevoix county herald., 1906-08-11

BuD my rair lord, how can we hope TO
reach the Gorses?" asked Norbury.
Ne calfnnt 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 clin?''
Had we but n rope"
4 "There Is one here. IL Is but one hun
dred, feet long, and for the rest ye must
trust to God and To your fingers. Can
You try 1t, Alleyne?'
with all my heart, my dear lord. but
how can 1 leave you in such a straitf'
NAY, 1t is to serve me that ye 40. And
sou, Norbury?'
The silent squire said nothing but he
took up the rope, and, having examined
It. he tied one end firmly round project
ing rock. Then he cast off 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
We, for We are brave and worthy men"
1t was, indeed, task which might make
the heart OF the brayest sink within him.
The thin cord dangling down the face
OF the brown cliff seemed from above to
reach little more than halfway down 1t.
Beyond stretched the rugged rock, wet and
shining, with n green tuft here and there
thrusting out from it, but little sign of
ridge or foothod. Far below the jagged
points OF the bouldcrs bristled up, dark
and menacing. Norbury tugged thrice
with all his strength upon the cord, and
then lowered himself over the edge, while
n hundred anxious faces pecrcd over at
him as he slowly cambcred downwards to
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 as
he swung himself for third effort Il stone
from a sling buzzed like wasp from
amid the rocks and struck him full upon
1t e If 81, Il
his feet slipped, and in an instant he was
"a crushed and mangled corpse upon the
sharp ridges beneath him.
IF l 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
10 her that l was ever her truc servant
and most unworthy cavalier"
The old knight said no word, but he put
q 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
ing, but now, when swinging n hundred feet
down, the squire found that he could scarce
reach the face of the rock with his foot,
and that Ii 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
if he would save not only his own poor
life, but that of the eight-score men above
him. Yet ii were madness to spring Tor
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 clip
from the face of the cliff. Up he clambered
n few feet, drew up the loose end after
him, ensuing his belt. held on with knee
and with elbow while he spiced the long
touch eathern belt to the end of the cord:
Then lowering himself as far rs he could
go, he swung backwards and forwards un-
til his hand reached the crack, thon he
left the rope and clung to the face OF the
cliff Another stone struck him ON IN"
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 his hand shuffling down
the long sloping crack, sometimes bearing
all 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' ms
face TO the cliff, his fingers clutching, his
feet scraping and feeling for a support
face of rock remained forever stamped
upon his memory. At last, however, his
foot came upon a broad restng-place and
he ventured to east u glance downwards
Thank God! 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
were on the ground and he had his hand
stretched out for the horses rein, when
n sllng-stone struck him on the head, and
he dropped senseless upon the ground
An evil blow it was for Alleyne, but a
worse one still for him who struck IT.
81 The Spanish singer, seeing the youth lie
slAln, and judging from his dress that he
was no common man, rushed forward to
piunder him, knowing well that the bow
men above him had expended their last
shaft. He was still three PAGES, however
from his victims side when john upon
the cliff above pluckcd up huge boulder,
and, poising 1t for an instant, dropped IL
with fatal aim upon the Singer beneath
him. 1t stuck upon his shoulder, ana
hurled him, crushing ands screaming, 10
the ground, while Aleyne recalled 10 MS
senses by these shrill cries in MS very
ear, staggered on to his fcet' ana EaHeu
wildly about him. His eyes fell upon the
horses, grazing upon the scahty pasture
and in an instant all had come back 10
him-his mission, his comrades, the need
for haste. He was dizzy, sick, falht' put
he must not die. and he must not tarrE'
for his life meant many lives that day.
In an instant he was In his saddle anu
sprung down the valley. Loud rang the
swift chargers hoofs over rock ana reel'
while the fire flew from the stroke OF IRON,
and the loose stones showered up behlhd
him. But his head was whirling round
the blood was gushing from his broW' ms
temple, his mouth. Ever keGhcr anu anu
sharper was the deadly pain which shot
like red-hot arrow through his sac. ne
felt that his eye was glazing, his senses
klpping from him, his grasp upon the rcl,lS
relaxing. Then with one mighty ehort' ne
called up all his strength for a single
minute. STOPPING down, he looseheI 'i.e
stirrup-straps, bound his knees tlghtlF 10
his saddle flaps, twisted his hands III inc
bride, and then, putting the gallaht
horses head for the mountain pain ne
dashed the spurs Se~ahd fell forward falht-
ing with his face buried in the COARSE
black name.
Little could be ever remember or tnat
wild ride. Half conscious, but ever WIN
the one thought beating in his mind' nc
roaded the horse onwards, rushing swift
lv down steep ravines, over huge poulueis,