He shouted aloud with rage " follow that trail, I tell you," he cried "Where trail ? "

He gripped the bridle prancing horse and searched amidst the grass long and clinging thread fell across his face, grey streamer dropped about his bridle arm, some big, active thing with many legs ran down the back head He looked discover one grey masses anchored as it were above him things and flapping out ends as sail flaps when boat comes about--but noiselessly

He had an impression of many eyes, of dense crew of squat bodies, of long, many-jointed limbs hauling at their mooring ropes to bring the thing down upon him For space he stared up, reining prancing horse instinct born of years of horsemanship Then the flat of sword smote his back, and blade flashed overhead and cut the drifting balloon of spider-web free, whole mass lifted softly and drove clear and away

"Spiders ! " cried the voice gaunt man "The things are full of big spiders ! Look, my lord ! "

The man silver bridle still followed the mass that drove away

"Look, my lord ! "

The master found himself staring down at red smashed thing ground that, of partial obliteration, could still wriggle unavailing legs Then, gaunt man pointed to another mass that bore down upon them, he drew his sword hastily Up the valley now like fog bank torn to rags He tried to grasp the situation

"Ride ! " the little man was shouting "Ride down the valley "

What happened then was like the confusion of battle The man silver bridle saw the little man go past him, slashing furiously at imaginary cobwebs, saw him cannon horse gaunt man and hurl it and its rider to earth His own horse went dozen paces before rein it in Then he looked avoid imaginary dangers, and then back again horse rolling ground, the gaunt man standing and slashing over it at rent and fluttering mass of grey that streamed and wrapped both And thick and fast as thistle-down on waste land on windy day in July the cobweb masses were coming on

The little man had dismounted, but he dared not release his horse endeavouring to lug the struggling brute back strength of one arm, while other he slashed aimlessly The tentacles of second grey mass had entangled themselves struggle, and this second grey mass came to its moorings, and slowly sank

The master set his teeth, gripped his bridle, lowered his head, and spurred his horse forward The horse ground rolled over, blood and moving shapes flanks, gaunt man suddenly leaving it, ran forward towards his master, perhaps ten paces His legs were swathed and encumbered with grey; ineffectual movements sword Grey streamers waved ; thin veil of grey across his face he beat at something body, and suddenly he stumbled and fell He struggled to rise, and fell again, and suddenly, horribly, began to howl, "Oh--ohoo, ohooh ! "

The master the great spiders upon him, and others ground

As he strove to force his horse nearer gesticulating, screaming grey object that struggled up and down, there came clatter of hoofs, little man, in act of mounting, swordless, balanced belly athwart the white horse, and clutching its mane, whirled past And again clinging thread of grey gossamer swept across the master's face All about him, and over him, it seemed this drifting, noiseless cobweb circled and drew nearer him .

day death he never knew just how the event moment happened Did he, indeed, turn his horse, or did it really own accord stampede after its fellow ? Suffice it that in another second galloping full tilt down the valley sword whirling furiously overhead And all about him quickening breeze, the spiders' air-ships, their air bundles and air sheets, seemed to him to hurry in conscious pursuit

Clatter, clatter, thud, thud,--the man silver bridle rode, heedless direction, fearful face looking up now right, now left, sword arm ready to slash And few hundred yards ahead of him, with tail of torn cobweb trailing behind him, rode the little man white horse, still but imperfectly saddle The reeds bent before them, the wind blew fresh and strong, over his shoulder the master the webs hurrying to overtake .

so intent to escape the spiders' webs that only as his horse gathered together for leap did he realise the ravine ahead And then he realised it only to misunderstand and interfere leaning forward horse's neck and sat up and back all too late

But if excitement he had failed to leap, at any rate he forgotten how horseman again in mid-air off clear with mere bruise upon his shoulder, horse rolled, kicking spasmodic legs, and lay still But the master's sword drove its point hard soil, and snapped clean across, Chance refused him any longer as her Knight, splintered end missed his face by an inch or so

feet in moment, breathlessly scanning the on-rushing spider-webs For moment minded to run, and then thought ravine, and turned back He ran aside once to dodge one drifting terror, and then swiftly clambering down the precipitous sides, and touch gale

There, under the lee dry torrent's steeper banks, he might crouch and watch these strange, grey masses pass and pass in safety till the wind fell, and it became possible to escape And there he crouched, watching the strange, grey, ragged masses trail their streamers across his narrowed sky

Once stray spider fell ravine close beside him--a full foot it measured from leg to leg and its body was half man's hand--and after he had watched its monstrous alacrity of search and escape for little while and tempted it to bite his broken sword, he lifted up his iron-heeled boot and smashed it into pulp He swore as so, and for time sought up and down for another

Then presently, when surer these spider swarms drop ravine, place where sit down, and sat and fell into deep thought and began, after his manner, to gnaw his knuckles and bite his nails And moved coming man white horse

He heard him long before him, as clattering of hoofs, stumbling footsteps, and reassuring voice Then the little man appeared, rueful figure, still with tail of white cobweb trailing behind him They approached without speaking, without salutation The little man was fatigued and shamed pitch of hopeless bitterness, and came to stop at last, seated master The latter winced little under his dependent's eye "Well ? " at last, with no pretence of authority

"You left him ? "

"My horse bolted "

" So did mine "

He laughed at his master mirthlessly

" my horse bolted," said the man who once had silver-studded bridle

"Cowards both," said the little man

The other gnawed his knuckle through some meditative moments, eye inferior

"Don't call me coward,"

" coward, like myself "

"A coward possibly limit beyond which every man must fear That learnt at last But not like yourself where the difference comes in "

"I never dreamt left him He saved your life two minutes before . Why our lord ? "

The master gnawed his knuckles again, countenance was dark

"No man calls me coward," "No . broken sword is better than none . One spavined white horse expected to carry two men four days' journey I hate white horses, but it helped You begin to understand me ? I perceive that minded, strength of what seen and fancy, to taint my reputation men of your sort who unmake kings Besides which--I never liked you "

"My lord ! " said the little man

"No," said the master "_No ! "

He stood up sharply little man moved For minute perhaps they faced one another Overhead the spiders' balls went driving quick movement pebbles; running of feet, cry of despair, gasp and blow .

Towards nightfall the wind fell The sun set in calm serenity, man who had once possessed the silver bridle came at last very cautiously and by an easy slope ravine again; but now he led the white horse that once belonged little man gone back horse his silver-mounted bridle again, but he feared night and quickening breeze might still find him valley, and besides, he disliked greatly he might discover his horse all swathed in cobwebs and perhaps unpleasantly eaten

And as he thought cobwebs, and of all the dangers he through, manner he preserved that day, his hand sought little reliquary that hung about his neck, and he clasped it for moment with heartfelt gratitude As so his eyes went across the valley

" hot with passion," , "and now she has met her reward They also, --"

And behold ! far away wooded slopes across the valley, but clearness sunset, distinct and unmistakable, little spire of smoke

his expression of serene resignation changed to an amazed anger Smoke ? He turned the head white horse about, and hesitated And as so little rustle of air went grass about him Far away upon some reeds swayed tattered sheet of grey He looked cobwebs; he looked smoke

"Perhaps, after all, them," at last

But better

After he had stared smoke for , he mounted the white horse

As he rode, he picked his way amidst stranded masses of web For some reason there were many dead spiders ground, and those that lived feasted guiltily on their fellows sound horse's hoofs they fled

Their time had passed ground, without either wind to carry them or winding-sheet ready, these things, for all their poison, could do him little evil

He flicked belt at those he fancied came too near Once, where number ran together over bare place, minded to dismount and trample them boots, but this impulse he overcame Ever and again he turned saddle, and looked back smoke

"Spiders," he muttered over and over again "Spiders Well, well . The spin web "