The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-12-08
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.


nobleman, AmaGoT dc LeSte. arrives II
Vera Cruz, looking for his kIESman,
knight CaaNar, a melancholy man VINO
left Spain and Joined the Knights HoSpl-
taller in Rhodes. la; is row reported to he iii
Mexico Amador interviews the Admiral.
who tells him Row the triumrhS Of Cortez
have fired with jealousy the heart OF
Nelasquez, Governor OF Cuba. who sent
him 10 conquer Mexico, and now the
armies of CorteZ and NarVaeZ sent by
Nelasquez, arc about to fight. 4 mys-
ferrous Moor taken prisoner by the Span
iards, is sent with what is understood to
be his hoy to Gen. Narvaez. Amador sets
out to find his kinsman, and is joined by
a Secretary sent by the Admiral to guide
him. The Secretary and Amador overtake
a cavalcade on the way 10 NarvacZ. Anna
dor, IN the course Ct the journey, takes
strong exception to the uelty of the
leader, SalXatierra, toward the Moor and
his child, and they are about To fight,
when Salyatierra acknowledges tlla. he Is
wrong.
Two or three hours before sunset horses
were sa6dled ard armor buc:led, and
Don Amador de Leslie mounted his Steed
with great satisfaction at the thought Oi
still further diminishing the distance that
separated iin from his knight.
AS they advanced, ard s he day de
clined the country assumed "a more
agreeable aspect; the woods were thicker
and more luGuriant; the mountains Gp-
preached nearer to the sea, and tie
streams gamboled among piles OF rocks,
instead OF creeping sluggiShly through The
sands; tire flowers were more abundant,
ard the birds, resunaing their songs, pre-
pared their vespers Tor the sinking lumi-
mary.
The moon rose from the sea; and her
mellow radiance Streamed over the tree
tops, or sheeted itself on the sands, and
"A thousand delicious scents came 10 the
nostrils of the soldier. Fly the nGrmUrs
.of satisfaction and curiosity which were
breathed about him, the cavalier knew
he was approaching the Indian city ZEN
poala.
The party issued from the wood upon
what seemed a fair. waving plain, dotted
in certain places, with ciumpS of trees
and, doubtless, in ether spots. enriched
with plantations OF maize and bananas.
In the distance, from dark and shadowy
mass, which might have been lofty
grove or a low hillock, and whose gloom
was alike broken by the glare of insects
and the flash of many tlambeaux, arose
three lofty towers, square and white, and
glittering in the moonbeams as if covered
over with plates OF silver.
"Zempoalar' whispered hundred
voices, as these cleaning fabrics cane
fairly into view. The languid horsema
raised himself in his saddle the foot sol
dier strobe EDWARDS with a firmer and
quicker step; and in each moment, as the
three towers reflected the IN oonheams
with increasing brilliancy, more torches
1iickeTed and more structures were seen
shining among the trees; and il was evil
dent TO Don Amador that he was approach
ing city or town OF no little magnitude
The secretary he'd pressed to his side,
and overhearing his exclamatons of sur
prise, took the liberty of addressing him (
-Sencr," lle cried, ''ihey say this pagan
city is bigger and iovelier than Seville j.
have often before heard Of the Silver
Towers; for truly, when the men Of C6rteZ
first saw them, they thought they were
built of blocks of plate, and rode forward
10 hack away some samples with their /
swords; Whereupon, 10 their great shame /
and disappointment, they discovered the +
briHiance 10 be owing TO a certain white /
nd polished plaster. With which these