Arnaux 
message was lying undelivered in that nest, 
many a record-bearing plume had fluttered 
away from its fastness. But Arnaux had faced 
them before, and now he came as before—on, 
onward, swift, but not as he had been; the 
deadly gun had sapped his force, had lowered 
his speed. On, on; and the Peregrines, biding 
their time, went forth like two bow-bolts ; strong 
and lightning-swift they went against one weak 
and wearied. 
Why tell of the race that followed? Why 
paint the despair of a brave little heart in sight 
of the home he had craved in vain? Ina 
minute all was over. ‘The Peregrines screeched 
in their triumph. Screeching and sailing, they 
swung to their eyrie, and the prey in their claws 
was the body, the last of the bright little Ar- 
naux. There on the rocks the beaks and claws 
of the bandits were red with the life of the 
hero. ‘Torn asunder were those matchless 
wings, and their records were scattered un- 
noticed. In sun and in storm they lay till the 
killers themselves were killed and their strong- 
hold rifled. And none knew the fate of the 
peerless Bird till deep in the dust and rubbish 
104 
