The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-05

hand. Silence! Close up the ranks"
With that, mounting little ami.
nence, and shading hiC eyes with hts
hand, the marquis surveyed the PLAIN
below; and, at some distance, he be.
held q horde Of Moorish peasants
driving some cattle into thick copse.
The word was kastily given, the troop
dashed on, every voice was hushed,
and the clatter OF mail end the sound
OF hoofs alone broke the deli
cious silence OF the MONDAY
landscape. Ere they reached the
copse the peasants had disappeared
within it,. The marquis marshaled
his men in q semicircle round the
trees, and sent on q detachment to
the rear to cut of every egress from
the wood. This done, the troop dash.
ed within. For the first few yards
the space WAS more open than they
had anticipated; but the ground soon
grew uneven, rugged, and almost pre-.
cipitous; and the soil and the inter
laced trees alike forbade any rapid
motion to the horse. Don Alouzo de
Paeheco, mounted on a charger whose
agile and docile limbs had besn tutor.
ed to every description OF wareiare,
and himself OF little weight AMI incom-
parable horsemanship, dashed on be-
fore the rest. The trees hid him Tor
moment; when, euddenly, q wild
yell was heard, and, as it ceased, up
rose the solitary voice OF the span.
lard, shouting, Santiago, ycierra,
Espana; st. Jago. and charge, Spainl"
Each cavalier spurred forward, when
suddenly q shower Of darts and ar
rows rattled on their armor; and up
sprung from bush. and reeds, and
rocky cliff, u number OF Moors, and
with wild shouts swarmed around
the Spaniards.
"Back for your livesl' cried Villena;
i've are beset; make for the level
ground" ls-
He turned, spurred from the thicket,
and saw the Paynim foe emerging
through the glen, line after line oil man
and horse, each Moor leading his
slight and fiery steed by the bride.
and leaping on 1t as he issued from
the wood into the plain. Cased In
complete mail, his vizor down, his
lance In rest, ViIlena accompanied
by such OF his knightc as could olsen
taugle themselves from the Moorish
footl charged upon the foe. A mo-
ment OF fierce shock passed; on the
ground Icy many q Moor, pierced
through by the Christian lance; and
on the other side OF the foe was heard
the voice OF Villena--''St. Jago to the
rescued" But the brave marquis
stood almost alone. save his faithful
chamberlain, Solier. Several OF his
knights were dismounted, and swarms
Of Moors, with lifted knives, gathered
around them as they lay, searching
Tor the joints OF the armour which
might admit mortal wound. Grad
ually, one by one. many OF Villena's
comrades joined their leader; and
now the green mantle OF Don Alonzo
de Pacheco was seen waving without
the copse, and Villena congratulated
himself on the safety of his brother.
Just at that moment q Moorish cav
alier spurred from his troop, and met
Pacheco In full career. The Moor was
not clad, as was the common custom
OF the PaynIm nobies, in the heavy
Christian armor. He wore the light
fiex:le mail OF the ancient heroes OF
Araby or Fee. His turban, which was
protected by chains OF the finest steel
interwoven with the folds, was OF the
most dazzling white; white. also, were
his tunic and short mantle; on his left
arm hung q short circular shield; in
his right hand was poised q long and
slender lance. As this Moor, mounted
on q charger in whose raven hue not
a white hair could be detected, dashed
forward against Pacheco, both Chris.
tian and Moor breathed hard and re-
NAMED passive. Either nation felt IL
as scrileCe to thwart the encounter
OF champions so renowned.
"God save my brave orothcrI" NUT.
tered Villena, anxiously. "Amen said
said those around hir1; for all who had
ever beheld the widest yalor in that
war trembled as they recognized the
dazzling robe aud coal.black charger
OF Muza Ben Abil Gazan. Nor was
that renowned infidel mated with an
unworthy foe. pride OF the tourna-
ment and terror OF the war" was the
favorita title which the knights and
ladies Of CASTLE had bestowed on Don
Alonzo de Pacheco.
When the Spaniard saw the re-
uOuDbCh Nn0Ok opRL0&Ihl hu hatbGd
abruptly for moment, and then,
wheeling his horse round, took wider
circuit to give additional impetus TO
his charge, The Moor, aware oil mis-
purpose, halted also, ane awaited the
moment for his rush; when once more
he darted forward, and the combat
ants met with skill which called
forth cry OF involuntary applause
form the tEristians themselves.
Muza received on the small surface OF
his shield the pondarous spear OF
Alonzo. while his own light lance
struck upon the helmet oil the Chris
tian, and, by the exactness OF the Rirn
rather than the weight OF the blow,
made Aionzo reel in his saddle.
The lances were thrown aside; the
long broad faichion Of the Christian,
the curved Damascus scimeter OF the
Moor, cleaned in the air. They reln-
| ed their chargers opposite each otter
in grave and deliberate silence.
"Yield thee, Sir Kpightp' at length
cried the fierce Moor, "for the motto
OF my sciFneter declares that, II
thou meetest its stroke, thy days are
numbered. The sword Of the believer
is the key OF heaven and hell.
nFalse Payniml" answered Alonxo,
in a voice that rune hollow through
his helmet. "a Christian knight is the
equal OF Moorish armyi"
| Muza made no reply, put left the
rein OF his charger on his neck; the
noble animal understood tae signal,
and, with q snort, impatient cry,
rushed forward at full speed. Aionzo
met the charge with his falchion up
raised. and his whole body covered
with his shield; the Moor bent--the
Spaniards raised ashout-- Muza SEEM
cd stricken from his horse. But the
blow OF the heavy falchion bad not
touched him; and. seemingly without
an effort, the curved blade OF his own
scimeter, gliding by that part OF his
antagonists throat where tlie helmet
joins the cuirass, passed unresistingly
ai,d silently through the joints; and
Alonzo fell at oncs and eFithout a
groan from his horse, ~ armor, to
All Appearanco uppeff8tratHd. while