Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-05-17


One morning the sentinel who was
on duty up in the, watch tower nur-
RED down. to warn the lovers tnah
throughout the mountains, as rat as
the eve could reach, beyond therockss
4 cIond of warriors werefast appro ach-
inc fine fortress, and well might It De
srnnosed that Moordom IN oody
was about to fall upon the castle.
The daughter of the chief on nearing
this turned as pale as death. Inc
knight in a loud voice called LOT ms
arms. and all was astir IN the camp.
The soldiers rushed out in a tumuic
from their quarters. the chiefs glvs
their orders, the portcuilises were ~"
cred, the drawbridge raised ana she
towers were crowded with archers.
A few hours later the assaule
began: the castle with Justice
might well be called lmpreg-
nabIe. Only by storm could the
christians make themselves masters
~ IL. only by storm could 1t be taken
fror them, It's defenders resisted
from one TO ten assaults. The Moors
then changed their tactics. surround
al the fort. and resolved to force the
bes;eged to surrender by famine.
Famine eventually made horrlDie
ravaoes among the Christians, stu.
thew Welded not, and those who had
most bitterly reproved the conduct
OF their leader, knowing that ms ne
and honor were at stake, sWore 70
perish in his defense. The Moors, I'M
patient for success, resolved upon q
midnight attack, which proved TO DC
q furious one. The resistance was
desperate. the shock terrible.
During the fray the Moorish chief,
with brow cleft open by an ak stroke,
fell into the moat below from the
tower heights which he had scaled; AT
the same time the knight, who mao
inst encountered him 10 a hand TO
hand fight, fell mortally wounded.
The Christians wavered and retreat
ed. AS quick as thought the MOORISH
girl rushed to her lover who lay dying
on the ground, and bending over HIM,
seized him in her arms. lmpeiieo oy
a supernatural force which came TO
her with despair and the reaiizatlon
OF danger, she dragged him TO the
court. There she pressed upon a MD
den spring, and through the opening
which was thus disclosed in the rock
she soon disappeared within, carrying
with her her precious charge and pro-
ceeded in her descent until she reach
ed the bottom of the cave.
When the knight returned to his
senses he cast about him a look iuil OF
bewildered surprise, and cried, ~ am
thirsty am burning Dying ano
then fell into that delirum which is so
often the precursor OF death. From
his parched lips, through which
wbeezed his scanty breathing. only
came these words: am THIRSTY!
Waterl waterl water!"
The girl knew that her subterranean
retreat had an exit leading to the val
lev through which flows the river.
This valley and its vicinity were close.
w guarded by the Arabs, who, alter
taking possession OF the fortress, were
on the alert tor the Christian chiei
and his lady love, wishing to Stake IN
their blood their thirst for extermina.
ton.
However, the beautiful Moor hest
tated not moment. Taking the he'll
met of the dying man, she glloed ike
a shadow through the thick shrubbery
which covered the mouth Of the cave
and noiselessly stole down to the
river bank. Already had she taken
the water; already was she Fastening
back to the side OF her lover, when
there resounded whistle, and cry
OF anguish was heard. The Moorish
warriors who were on guard around
the fortress had dispatched their ar.
rows in the direction where the foliage
seemed to move. The beautiful, brave
girl, wounded unto death, dragged
herself to the mouth of the cave; then
soon joined her lord.
He, on seeing her thus bathed in her
own blood, recovered consciousness,
and in that short moment recognized
the hideousness of the sin he was SC
cruelty expiating. Raising his eyes to
heaven, he took the water which his
beloved handed him, and without
carrying it to his lips asked of her;
"Wouldst thou be a Christian? Dost
thou wish to be of my faith, and If ]
be saved, be. saved with me?" The
Moorish girl, who had fallen to the
ground fainting through loss OF blood.
made slightly acquiescent motion
with her shapely head, upon which
the knight poured the regeneratful
waters OF baptism, at the same time
invoking the name ofthe All-powering
On the following day the very
soldiers who had struck the fatal
blow saw traces of blood from the
river bank to the cave wherein they
found the bodies of the Christian
chief and the Moorish girl; and she
it is who still comes in the dead o.
night to wander in loneliness about
the old fortress of Fitero.-Translat
ed from the Spanish OF Gustav Becquer