The National tribune., 1899-06-08

their knees, and SD remained until he
passed. All this time the wondering
cavalier was consciSis that he was him
self unregarded.
Little by little while the screams AMI
cannon shots grew louder at each step,
Don Amador perceived that the groups
began TO grow into crowds. and then into
dense masses, ever6 moment; while every
parent that his ftlidec exercised some
powerful, though, to'him, inscrutabe, in
fiuence. over the mob; for, no sooner did
their torches reveal hisofigure, than all
were straightway seized with admira-
ton, falling upon their knees, or return
ing on their path, and following him to-
wards the battle.
The gestures of Jacinto served no
longer to repel them; and in few mo-
nients there were hundreds OF men, their
numbers increasing at each step, who
pressed after him eagerly, though rev.
erentially ,-llttering, at first, low muir
murs, and then, at last, shouts of Joy and
triumph. These reaching the ears and
drawing the attention Of others in front,
they, in turn, added their respect to the
homage of the rest.
However surprising, and, indeed, con-
founding, this notice, and these saluta-
tions, to Don Amador, they were far from
upon his heels, that he dreaded, every
moment, lest some arrangement Of his
mantle or plumeS might expose to their
gaze the hidden ensigns Of Christian.
Greatly was he rejoiced, therefore, whom
the steady and persevering advance OF the
page had carried him so deeply into the
crowd, that it was scarcely practicable for
more than one or two individuals at a
time to look upon him; and quite i'm
possible that the noisy train should fol-
low. He ceased, therefore, to lament his
proximity to the cannon mouths, which
t.S l-~,A
bes.egers; for he thought that in that
alone there was safety. His desire, in
this particular, was soon gratified; for he
was, at last, wedged, with the page,
among mass of men SO dense and so
disordered, that he no longer feared a
scrutiny. He was in sight of the palace,
his foot planted upon the square, and but
and his knight.
In the flash Of the areuebuses, but
more particularly in the flendish glare Of
the cannon, when disemboguing their
contents upon the barbarians, he beheld
the terraces covered with his countrymen,
resisting as they could, and with every
shot from the musket, every bolt from the
arbalist, adding a life to the reckoning
OF their revenge, and, yet fainting with
fatigue over slaughter which had no
end. Tho square was filled with men,
as with sea, and when the fiery flashes
VI iilt III IL Up WIFI ulo-
mentary conflagration, the commotion
following upon each made him think OF
those surges of fire which roll in the
crater of a volcano, and OF the billows OF
blood that dash upon the shores of hell.
A more Internal spectacle could not, in
deed, have been imagined; and when the
harsh yellS Of the pagan myriads Were
added, the tophet was complete, and man
appeared, as he Yet appears,-th do
StrOyer and the demoniac.
This spectacle, ,eb9Wever horrible it
might have been to one accustomed to
look upon man as thS image OF his Maker,
and the blow struck at the life of man, as
effect to stir the blood of Don Amador de
Leste to such degree that, had he not
been checked by the cold hand and the
deadly pale yisageDf his companion, he
would have followed the impulse Of his
vaior, uncovered HIS weapon, and, shout
ing war cry, dashed at once upon, the
throat of the neayest infidel. The look
of ,Jacinto recalledI himo to his senses; he
made him a signal toiclutch upon his
mantle and follow. and then plunged
again into the gorNerowd. -.,-
The tempest, both physical and mental,
which beset all that Pout Of pagans, re-
duced the intelligeIIee' of each to but two
objects of thought, ,-rhis enemy and HIM
self. Not one turned TO wonder or OBJ
serve, when the strong Ishoulders-strong
from eXcitement--reI1 the cavalier thrust
him aside, or the hard touch of an IRON
cased elbow crushed into his bosom; nor
perhaps, was a look cast upon the effem-
ipate figure, that seemed girl, at the
back OF this impetUous stranger. Thus,
then, unresisted and disregarded, the
cavalier made his way, step by step,
taking advantage of every moment when
the barbarians gave way before an OK
plosion Of artillery, or a charge of the
-hnnn0 ut nanh Affnrt 10
upon the open space betwiXt the besiegers
and the besieged, and, at each, arrested
by. a denSer crowd,-Speaking words of
encouragement to the horror-struck page,
for well he knew he might speak without
fear in such din,-and feeling, at each
like burning wax, under the prolonged
exertion. He toiled for his life, for the
life of the boy, perhaps for the life of Don
Gabriel; but human nature could not
sustain the struggle much longer. De-
spair came TO his heart, for he knew not
how far he stood from the palace wall, and
felt that he could labor no more. His eye
as he looked back to Jacinto, -
the boy was swooning where he stood.
God be mcrciful 10 us both! But, at
least, thou shalt die in my arms, poor boy"
he muttered, making one more effort, and
raising the page from the earth. God
be merciful to us,-but especially to this
=
fatherless."
At this moment dreadful scream
burst from the lips Of all around the novice,
fundamentally he felt himself borne
back by the barbarians as they recoiled,
from a charge Of cavalry.
The thought was hope, and hope again
renewed his strength. He planted his
feet firmly on the earth, and with his
elbow and shoulder dashed aside the
fieeing pagans, pressed the senseless boy
10 his heart, raised his voice in shout,
and the next moment stood free from the
herd, 10 feet from the muzzle Of a cannon,
coiling. His eye Travelled along the tube; |
.he magiciaa BoteIlo stood on the broken
wall at it's side, and the linstock he held in |
ais hand was descending to the vent.
For the love of God, holdv' shouted the |
cavalier, cor you Will kill Christian menw |
The match fell to the earth, and the |
cavalier sprang forward. But if his |
voice had reached the ears Of friends, it |
lad not escaped the organs of foes. A |
ioZcn savages, forgetful Of their fears, |
;prang instantly towards him, endeavor-
ng 10 lay hold upon him. A back-handed |
blow of his weapon loosed the grasp of the |
most daring, and the hands of others |
parted, along with the flimsy disguise Of
cred forward, and the next moment, as
he cannon bosched forth its death upon
he pursuing herds, stood in the court
yard of the palace.i
AS the cavalier 1spraDg among kis
almost fainting with ex-
laustion, he looseled, with as much dis
;retion as de8terity, the knot OF the til
natli, and dropped it o,the earth, SO that