Nearer and nearer he
came, panting, moaning, glaring with wild and frightened eyes. To his
right was a steep wall of rock, to his left a fall of thirty feet into
the surging waters below the cataract. At his heels were the dogs, in
front of him the two youths ready with another charge of arrows. There
was no way of escape.
"Lie down, my lord! -- quick, lie down!" cried Allan, firing his dart.
The arrow rattled upon the stag's antlers. The stag bounded forward with
one of the hounds upon his back, then stumbled upon his knees. Kenric
rose and ran to dirk him ere he should have time to regain his feet.
"Comeback, come back!" shouted Allan.
But Kenric, little heeding the danger, or not hearing the cry of warning
amid the roaring of the water, was about to draw his dirk, when the stag
fell over with the weight of the second hound. One of his antler points
caught in the string of Kenric's bow.
Then Allan Redmain saw a sight that filled him with dismay. Kenric,
still holding his bow that was entangled in the stag's horns, lost his
footing; the stag rolled over; and Kenric fell, with his legs astride of
the animal's belly. Then all four -- Kenric, the stag, and the two dogs
-- struggling each with his own purpose, slipped swiftly down the
sloping precipice, and plunged into the deep and surging linn below the
foaming waterfall.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110