Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-08-18

we cannot 90 round TO them, Tor they
would be upon ye ere We could could come
n them. Think We that We nave heart
enough to Chamber down this cliff
Had we but a rope.
.oThere is one here. 1t is but one hun
dred feet long, and for the rest We must
trust TO God and to your fingers. Can
you try it, Alleyne?'
.tWith all my heart. my dear lord, but
how can l leave you in such "A straitY'
NAY, 1t is to serve me that We go. And
YOU. Norbury?'
The silent squire said nothing, but he
fnok I'D the rope, and, having examined
il. he tied one end firmly round a project
ing rock. Then he east off his breast
Mate. thigh pieces. and greaves. while Al
ieyne followed his example.
Tell Chandos. or Calyerley, or Knolles,
should the prince have gone forward,
rried Sir Nigel. Now may God speed
qe, for We are brave aud worthy men,
h 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 it.
Beyond stretched the rugged rock, wet and
shining, with a green tuft here and there
thrusting out from 1t, but little sign of
ridge or foothold. Far below the jagged
points of the boulders bristled up, dark
aud 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
cut his foot, and twice he failed to reach
the point at which he aimed, but even as
he swung himself for a third effort a stone
from a 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 al instant be was
r,tGIaI and mo ln1 nnrnSR Innn the
sharp ridges beneath him.
IF / have no better fortune said AL
LEVINE, leading Sir Nigel aside. IL pray
You. my dear lord, that you will give my
humble service to the Lady Maude, and say
10 her that | was ever her true servant
aud 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 in his eyes.
Alleyne sprang To the rope, and sliding
swiftly down. soon found himself at its
extremity. From above il seemed as
though rope and cliff 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 ii was as smooth as glass, with
no resting-place where a mouse could
stand. Some three feet lower. however,
his eye lit upon a 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 it 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 rs he
hung there another of the hellish stones
sang through his curls, and struck n 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
t,,rl lat h,pn holt 70 tho end Of fn1 cord.
then lowering himself as far as he could
go, he swung backwards and forwards UNI
til his hand reached the crack, then ne
left the rope and chung to the face OF the
cliff. Another stone struck him on the
side, and he heard a sound like a breaking
stick, with a keen stahhing 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 clambercd, with his hand shuffling down
the long sloping crack, sometimes bearing
al 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 EDWARDS, his
face to the cliff, his fingers elntehing. his
feet scraping and feeling for a support.
Every vein and crack and nothing Of that
face of rock remained forever stamped
upon his memory, At last, however, his
foot came upon n broad resting place and
he ventured TO east a 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 sling-stone struck him ON the head, and
he dropped senseless upon the ground.
An evil blow ii was for Alleyne, but a
a.41 - IT. - % me- IL
The Spanish singer, seeing the youth lie
slain, and judging from his dress that he
was no common man, rushed forward TO
plumber him., knowing we'll 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 plucked mp n huge boulder,
and. posing 1t for an instant, dropped 1t
with fatal aim upon the singer beneath
him. 1t stuck upon his shoulder, anu
hurled him. crushing and screaming, 10
the ground. while Alleyne, recalled TO ms
senses by these Shrill cries IN ms very
ear. 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
im-his mission. his comrades, the need
for haste. He was dizzy, sick, rant, put
he must not die, and he must not larry
for his life meant many lives that day.
In an instant he was in his saddle and
sprung down the valley. Loud rang the
swift chargers hoofs over rock and reef.
while the fire flew from the stroke of iron,
and the loose stones showered up behind
MN. 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
Ike red-hot arrow through his side. He
felt that his eye was glazing, his senses
slipping from him, his grasp upon the relns
relaxing. Then with one mighty effort, he
ralled up all his strength for n single
minute. STOPPING down, he loosened the
stirrup-straps, bound his knees tightly to
his saddle flaps. twisted his hands in the
bride, and then, putting the gallant
horse's 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
coadcd the horse UPWARDS, rushing swift
ly down steep ravines. over huge boulders'