Evening journal., 1891-09-17
THE MOOR'S CAVE.

Ff7nting the bathing establishment o
Fitero, on a peaked rock, upon which Hog
the winters Of the Albania, the traveller cal
still find the forsaken ruins Of an Arabian
castle.
This castle, in the palmy days Of the re
conquest was famous as haviHR been th,
| scene Of great and memorable exploits. a.
much on the part Of those who defended il
as on the part Of those who vnliantly planted
upon its tnrrets the standard of the cross.
Of its walls a few fragments alone remain.
The stones which had once shaped the watch
tower have fallen into the moat, one heaped
ON the other, forming, as it were complete
ford
In the court Of arms grow briars and mat
ted vines; on all sides naught can be seen but
broken arches, grim and moldering stone
benches here a sheet Of wall, between the
crevices Of which the ivy struggles in its
growth; there dilipidated tower standing
as II by miracle, and further on pillars Of
cement, still encircled by the iron hoops
which once upheld the drawbridge
During my stay at the baths much exercise
was recommended me as being conducive to
my physical Improvement lmpelled by this
motive, or perhaps by one Of curiosity,
often followed the rugged path which led to
the ruins of the Arabian fortress, and there
spent hours carefully examining the soil, in
hopes Of finding some old armor sounding
the walls to ascertain whether they were
hollow, or 10 discover the hiding place Of
some forgotten treasure; searching in every
corner with the anticipation Of seeing the
entrance Of some Of those famous subterra-
mean dungeons which, as tradition has it, are
to DO found in Moorish castles.
My diligent perqnisitions were fruitless.
At last, one evening, feeling disheartened at
not discovering something curious or new on
the rocky heights upon which rests the castle,
forsook my plans and limited my walk to
the banks Of the river which flows near by. I
Following the drift of the river, | saw a gap
in the rock, half hidden by a luxuriant
growth OF briars 1t was not without some
emotion that parted the tangled shrubbery
that covered the opening Of what seemed to
me cave dug by the hand Of nature, and
which | later found to be a subterranean
vault cut through the rock.
dared not penetrate into its depth, which
was lost TO sight in shadowy darkness Il
suited me 70 observe the peculiarities Of
the dome and OF its arches. which rose seem
ingly as a gigantic stairway, stretching to-
ward the castle, in among the ruins OF which
/ remembered having encountered a blind
postern. Without a. doubt I had at last
found one OF those secret paths which are by
no means uncommon in the military CON
structions OF that day, and which must have
served either as an exit or as means TO fa-
cilitate the carrying Of water from the river
wlnch flows near by.
In order to verify my suggestions / left
the vault, and addressing workman who
was busy trimming one Of the vines growing
on the roadside, | approached him under the
plea Of asking a light for my cigarette.
At first we spoke Of indifferent subjects
Of the medicinal properties Of the waters,
Of the past harvest and Of the one to come,
Of the women Of Navarro, OF wine culture in
that province, etc, and, IN short, discussed
all the topics which occurred to the good
man, including the cave, the object OF my
curiosity.
When at last the conversation fell upon
this point l asked il any one had ever de
seconded into the cave
Penetrate into the Moots caver ex-
claimed he, terrified at my question. "Who
would dare venture within itl Do You not
know that from this cavern there comes a
soul every nightN
"A soulrn said I, smiling. "whose soulF
THE soul Of the daughter Of a Moorish
chief, who even to this day wanders about in
the still hours Of night, ROBBED in white, gen
orally going in the direction Of the river to
eli jar with water
Through the information given by this
good man came to the knowledge that con-
corning the Arabian castle and the cnve
communicating with it there was history,
and as ! am partial 10 traditions, especially
when coming from the lips Of the natives, /
begged thu be relate the story Of the Moor's
cave, which he did ia words very similar to
thosewhich i will use In telling it TO my
readers
When the castle, Of which now only re-
mains a mass Of shapcless ruins was vel held
by the Moorish Kings, and its towers, which
overhung the valley made fertile by the
waters Of the Albania, there occurred In the
vicinity OF the city of Fitero bloody battle.
in which fell wounded and prisoner OF the
Abrahs famous Christian cavalier, equally
as worthy Of renown for his piety as for his
military vslor He was led TO the fortress
laden with chains, and remained for several
/ days in dungeon, struggling between life
and death, wnen, miraculously as it were.
bis kindred redeemed him by force OF gold.
The captive returned 60 his hearth; returned
TO press in tender embrace those who had
Il given him lie. Ills comrades in arms and
bis soldiers were heartily rejoiced at seeing
him, taking his return as an omen that the
hour for new comhats had come But the
soul Of the knight was filed with profound
melancholy, and neither the affection mol
the kindly efforts Of his friends had power L
dispel the strange sadness which had taker
possession Of him 1t happened that during
his captivity he CHANGED 20 see the daughter
Of the Moorish chief, the fame Of whose ex
traordinary beauty had reached him Ions
ere his eyes had fallen upon her. When the,
had met, and he found her superior 70 hi
expectations, he could not resist the seduction
Of her charms, ana fell lnRdly in love viii
her, whom be knew could never be his.
/ For months and months the knight non
dered over schemes most daring and wild
At times he imagined means by which {,
! break the barriers which separated them. a
. others he strove as earnestly to forget her
| now be decided in favor OF one plan. an,
then for another entirely different, until on
DAY, assembling his brothers in arms an,
: soldiers, he sent for his warriors. and witt
, the greatest secrecy made all the necessar'
. Preparations for an unexpected attack upol
Z the fortress whore was kept his beauteou
: one, the object Of his insane love.
From the outset of the expedition all be
heved the only motive which inspired th