The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-12
CHAPTER II.-Continued.

knight Villena, with bitter resignation.
Nothing is lett for US, my friends,
but to give up our lives-an exam.
pie how Spanish warriors should
live and die. May God and the
Holy Mother forgive us our sins, and
shorten our purgatory!'
Just as he spoke aclsrion was heard
at a distance, and the sharpened sens-
es OF the knights caught the ring OF q d
vancing hoofs.
1--WE are sayed!" cried Estevon de
suzon. rising on his stirrups. While
ne spoke the dashing stream OF the
Spanish morse broke over the little
pand: and Estevon beheld. bent upon
himself, the dark eyes and quiverlng
lip of Muza Ben .Abil Gaxan. That
noble knight had never, perhaps, till
then, known fear; but he felt his heart
stand still as he now stood opposed
to that irresistible foe.
"The dark fiend guides his blade"
thought De Suzon: "but Twas shriven
but yester. MORN" The thought re-
stored his wonted courage, and he
spurred on to meet the scimeter OF the
Moor.
His assault took Muza by surprise.
The Moor's horse stumbled over the
ground, numbered with the dead and
slippery with blood, and his uplifted
scimeter could not do more than
break the force OF the gigantic arm Of
De Suzon, as the knights falchiop,
bearing down the scimeter and alight-
ing on the turban OF the Mohamme-
dan, cleft midway through its folds,
arrested only by the admirable tenn.
per OF the links Of steel which protect
cd it. The shock hurled the Moor to
the ground. He rolled under the sad
dle-Rirths OF his antagonist.
Victory and st. Jago' cried the
knight; "Muza is"
The sentence was left eternaily un.
finished. The blade OF the fallen Moor
had already pierced De Suzon's horse
through q mortal but undefended
part. 1t fell, bearing his rider with
him. A moment, and the two champi.
ons lay together graphing in the dust;
in the next, the short knife which the
Moor wore in his girdle had penetrat-
cd the Christian's vizor, passing
through the brain.
To remounr his steed. that remain.
ed at hand humbled and motionless,
to appear again among the thickest
OF the fray. was work no less rapid
ly accomplished tran had been the
slaughter of the unhappy Estevon de
Suzon. But now the fortune OF the
day was stopped in progress hither.
to so triumphant to the Moors.
Pricking fast over the plain were
seen the glittering horssmsn- Of ths
Christian Ie-enforcemsnts: and, at the
remoter distance, the royal banner OF
SPAN, indistinctly deserted through
volumes OF dust, denoted that Ferdi-
nand himself was advancing to the
support Of his cavaliers.
The Moors, however, who had them
selves received many and mysterious
re-enioreements, which seemed to
spring up like magic from the bosom
OF the earth, so suddenly and unex-
pectedly had they emerged fl Iom copse
and cleft in that mounta nous and
entangled neighborhood, were not
prepared for q fresh foe. At the COM
mand OF the vigilant Muza they drew
off, fell into order, and seizing. while
yet there was slime, the vantage
ground which the inequalities OF the
soil and the shelter OF the trees gave
to their darts and agile horse, they
presented an array which Ponce de
Leon himself, who now arrived, deem.
ed it more prudent not to assault.
While Viliena, in accents almost mar.
ticulats with rage, was urging the
Marquis of Cadiz to advance, Ferdi-
nand, surrounded by the flower OF
his court, arrived at the rear OF the
troops; and, atte- q few words inter
changed with Ponce de Leon, gave the
signal OF retreat.
When the Moors beheld that noble
soldiery slowly breaking ground and
retiring toward the camp, even Muza
could not control their ardor. They
rushed forward, harassing the retreat
oil the Christians, and delaying the
battle by various skirmishes.
1t wSs &C this time that the head
long valor OF fernando del Pulgar,
who had arrived with Ponce de Leon,
distinguished itself in feats which yet
live In tire songs of Spain. Mounted
upon an Immense steed, and himself
OF colossal strength, he was seen
charging alone upon the assailants,
and scattering numbers to the ground
with the sweep OF his enormous and
two-handed faIchion. With q loud
voice he called on Muza to oppose
him; but the Moor, fatiRued with
slaughter. and scarcely recovered from
the shock OF his encounter with De
Suzon, rSserved so formidable q foe
for iuture contest.
IL was at this jurcture, while the
fed was covered wiCh straeglin2 skirm.
ishers, that q 6 Il AL pSrty of Spaniards,
In cutr tng re r way to the main body
OF their country through one OF the
numerocs copses held by the enemy,
fell In at the outskirts with an equal
number o. Moors. and engaged them n
q desperate eona:ct, hand to hand.
Amidst TIE infidels was one man who
took no part in tue ARRAY; at little
distance he gazed for O few moments
upon the fierce aud relentless slaughter
OF Moor and Christian with smile ol
stern and complacant delight; and
then, taking advantage OF the genera
confusion, rode gently, and, as he
hoped, unobserved away from the
scene. But he was not destined &C
quiteiy to escape. A Snaniard per
ceived him. and, for connecting strange
and unusual in bis Rarb, judged him
one OF the Moorish leaders; and pres
emily Almamen--for it was he---beheld
before him the uplifted falchion OF q
foe neither disposed to give quarter
nor to hear parley. Brave though
the Israeiite was, many reasons con
Cured TO prevent 1him taking per
sonal part against the soldier o
Spain, and, seeing he woull have nc
chance OF explanation, he fairly put
spurs to his horse and Ralloped acros,
the plain. The spaniard followed
gained upon him, aud Almamen a,
length turned. in despair aud th,
wrath OF his naughty nature.
"Have thy win, iooil'' said he
between his grinded teeth, as he grip
ed his dagger and prepared for the con
fiict IL Waa long and ohskinata. 10