THE OUTLAW: 



Being the indisputable (journalese) truth about the peregrine 

 fakon that came to S/. TauPs Cathedral in 1920. 



THE beechwood was ten miles from London. 

 One morning in late September a strange 

 visitor came to it, and perched upon a 

 low branch. A blackbird, feeding below 

 among the dried moss and brown leaves, 

 shrilled a sudden alarm. The blackbird 

 had never seen such an apparition before, 

 but he recognised the family. 



The newcomer remained still. He was 

 tired and exhausted after a long journey. 

 Since dawn he had flown high up, his 

 pinions urged on and on by a fierce despair. 

 For his mate had been shot upon Lundy 

 Island, and he had flown straight into the 

 sun's face as though to find her spirit taken 

 back into its flame that gave all the wild 

 ones life. Swift had he flown, never pausing 



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