The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-05-31

hfmed-as he derned them to he-by the eyi-
dence OF hls sen,rs-wheu lie met hsr 80 unex
Peetediy travelling under the eacoit vi Pedro Sc
Sc.
but short space was left to Nuna for these az
oniZnS thoughts. Death "A shameful death, was
the punishment Of the adulteress; but Samcho,
more mrrcliul than she had dared to hope, had
granted her one loop-hule for escape-onc slen.
der chance OF proving her innocence. Tie lists
Were to 10 open TO any champion believing ii the
hdy's gblt.essuess, N,o soud adventure his life
IN her defence II any such should prefer lis
services, he night do battle in single combat with
her sccuser. God--according to the belief Of
those days-wOuld give victory to llm " ho main
tanned the truth
The fatal day approached, arrived, and had
weIl-nigh passed Garcia unopposed, bestrodc
his war-.teed, the redOubtAble black Ildeiim
whose possession he had So eagerly coveted and
purchased at 80 fearTu, price. The discruwncd
queen, N conformity with custom, was placed
within SIGHT OF the arena, tied to a stake, sur
mounting what would prove her funeral pile, if
no champion appeared On her behalf, or il her de.
fender should suffer defeat
Who can paint the agitation Of Dona Nuuna,
thus placed within view of the lists, when the
precious hours passed, one by one, and no cham.
plon stood forth in defence of her purity and
ruth She was about to resign herself hopeless.
ly To her lnexorab!e fate, when the souud Of n
horse ) tramp WIS heard, approaching at rapid
pace and knight in complete armour, mounted
on II charger, whose foamIng mouth and reeking
sides told that hc had been ridden at a fearful
pace, dashed into the lists, flung down lis gauntlet
Of defiance, and announced that he was come to
do battle IN behalf of the false y-accused, but
stainless and gultless queen
There was an Involuntary movement among
the assembled multitude, when Garcia prepared
Tor the luvltable encounter None knew, or could
guess, who the knight might be. No device or
emblem by which his identity would be dscoy.
cred, could be traced on his helmet or ON his
shield but the ease with which he suTmounied
his steed, and his graceful and gallant bearing,
eYlnced that he was an accomplished warrior.
Ia lew moments the preliminary arrange
ments were complete; and, with lnoes in rest,
The opponents approached. In the fir. encoun-
ter, 10 lie amazomcnt ofall Garcia was unhorsed,
and fell heavily to the ground.
she /, innocent She Is innocent" shouted the
multitude.
God be praised though have los. son"
was the subIued ejaculation OF the king
81 an prepared, IN defence Ut the much hinjured
lady. to do combat to the death" said the stran.
ger knight; Base and dastardy villainl confess
thy unnatural crime, or pre- pare to meet me once
more, when swear Will not let thee escape 50
lightly
Garcia lestated he was evidently torn by
conflicting emotions. Conscious guit--f.ar Of
the Just retrIbutlon Of heaven, executed by the
strangers avenying sword-urged him to confess
his vldny. On the other hand apprehension of
the execrItons of the rulitu, c, and the indigna-
tion Of his injured parents restrained him from
masking - frank ayowal ofhs crime.
'R,mount miscIeaut and make ready for an.
other encounter, or confess that you have lied in
your throat exclaimed the stranger. sturnly.
Before Garcia could reply, an aged aud vener.
able eccesiastc threw himself between the opp5.
u.ntg
In the name Of heaven I command We to
withhold from this unnatural strife, he exclaimed
addressing them, brothers are ye the blood OF
common father flows IN your veins. kamirO--
forbcar. Garca-tho combat this day has tes
tilted your guilt; make your only atoneHent-
full confession!
CALCULATIONS Of establishment and pity burst
from all the spectators. Long live the noble bas,
trd, the ba,c.boru has made base the well born
Tie step-sun has proved the true son Praise be
To the Nirgn--the mother Of the people has not
been left without godson to fight for her p And
all The matrons, and many even Of the hardened
warriors among tho multitude, wept with tender.
ness and iny.
In few moments tie asitatei queen found
herself IN her husbands aims. He Impiored hvr
forgiveness for the sorrow she had endured, MOI
could she withhold it for moment. when she
listened to the ayownls Of the degraded Garcia
who confessed how, step by step, ho had poison
ed lis fathers mind by tales Of her iufidelity, in
revenge fur her refusal, and that of Pedro Sesp to
en,rust him with Sanchos fAyorite charger, blacl;
lldclim
Nuna turned from her ahjeot son, and u,otoned
her young champion to approach. lie kaeli at
her feet
'Ramiro she softly said, as -he unclasred the
helmet aud visor which concealed the handsome
features oi Sanchus illegiimate son; child uf my
affections, for whom | have ever felt a mother )
love, though have not borne for thee mother :
pains how shall thank .heci Thou hast this
day more than repaid the tenderness layished
On thy infant years. Thou hast made clear my
fair fame tn ali men, even at the risk Uf Thy own
young he
Il would lay down liio itsplffor such friend
rs you have been and esteem the sacrifice hpht.
re,uined Ramiro with G.ep emotion. i rem.rI.
Der my childish dtys--befure you came to NA.
varre, a bright, happy, innocent brile--whcu |
wandered through my fathers palace, an unlovrd
aud neglected boy and | can recall ylyidiy the
moment when you first encountered me, and,
struck by the resemblance bore to tle king, sur.
missed the truth. Instead cfhating me with the
unjust aversion of an ungenerous nature youtook
the do,plscd child to your heart, and for the love
you bore your lord, you loved aud cherished his
base born son. For the genial atmosphere yuu
created around me- aud n which my affections cy.
pandcd, aul for the care YOU have bestowed on
my education, | owe YOU u debt Of gratitude far
deeper than ever child bore his own mother Ma.
ture dictates maternal love, in the one instance
but 1t i to the suggestions Of noble and gcncr.
ou' heart that have been indebted for the hap.
plue,s oG my life. You owe me no thanks-lor
for such friend, no sacrifice can be too great
Nuua tgrncd to the king and, taking his hnnd
IN hers, placed It On the head Of her Young cham
pion. lhave brought youE,ngloms as my dow
or She sad, but have not alas brought YOU
u son so worthy as Ramiro Of becoming their III,
ler. freely forgive the lnflutc the suffering
hc has caused me, and hope that, with advancing
years he will cultivate the virtues in which ht
has shown himself TO be deficient But Ramir1
has already given evidence Of the pos.c,,'on Of
those exalted qualities which ensure the happi'
ness Of u people when possessed by their rulers
Invest him. then, ut my entreaty, with the crown
Of Arragon; receive back to your confidence our
faithful Pedro Spsc and sutler me- to forget my
past grefs in the anticipation Of q love which