The National tribune., 1899-07-27

that, dead or alixe-a specter or creature
of flesh and blood.-the Steed, bestridden
by the sable phantom and urged with
such fury against the footmen, was neither
less nor more than his own good beast,
Fogoso; and. he declared, with even more
impetuoSity, as Don Pedro had related, !,
that the figure descending the opposite hill
was the knight of Ca!avar, on his ancient
war-hoTse,-an apparition, perhaps, but
no St JameS,-uneSs this heavenly patron
had condeSeended to appear in the likeness
of a knight so valiant and so plouS. Strange
fancies beSet him, and so great was fls I'M
patience to resolve the marvel, that he
scarce waited to behold the General bai-.
ance his good spear, before he turned his
horse, and spurred furiOGsly backward
Meanwhile, the black horSeman- de-
scended with such, violence upon the foot
men, as threatened their instant destruc-
thought. cleaning with the fires of hell; SO
that, Notwithstanding the sudden rehel
coming in the person of the supposed saint,
they were seized with horror, and gave
way before him.. At the moment when he
rushed among them, utterlng what seemed
the Lelilee Of another land, he was en-
countered by his celestial opponent, whose
STRONG voice shouted out: God, and st.
John! and down with thee. paynim demon!"
The shock of two such SteedS, both OF
great weight, each bearing man cased
in thick armor, each urged on by the I'M
petus of descent from the hills, and meeting
midway, in a narrow valley, was tremen-
dous At the moment of encounter, the
sable rider perceived, for the first time, his
opponent;-he checked his steed suddenly,
and flung up his lance, as if to avoid q
contest. But the precaution came too
late,-his rising lance struck the casque
of his adversary, tearing it off, and reveal
ing the grim visage and grizzly locks OF the
knight of Galapar; while, at the same mo-
ment. the spear of Don Gabriel, aimed with
as much skill as determination, smote
the enemy on the lower part of the corSlet,
and piercing it as buckler Of ice, pene-
trated, at once, to the bowels and spine.
The shock that unSeated the riders was
shared by the steedS, and horse and man
rolled together On the earth.
The loud cry of "Calavari the Penitent
Knight the valiant Don Gabrielp set up
by the bewildered and awestruck infantry,
reached the ears of the novice. He spurred
on with new ardor. and reaching the foot
men Just as they divided in pursuit of the
fiying barbarians, he sprung from his
horse. and beheld his kinSman lying sense
less, and as it appeared to him, lifeless, in
the arms of the wounded Baltasar.
an the name of heaven, and Amen!
what is this? and what do | see?" he cried.
10 heaven, is this my knight?-and doth
aHe lives, said Baltasar, "and he feels
as of flesh and blood; and yet did he die on
the lakeside. God forgive us our sins!
dead"
Inst at that moment the knight opened
his ewes and rolled them on his kinsman,-|
but his kinsman regarded him not A low
moaning voice of one never to be forgotten,
fen on the ear of the novice, as he gazed
on his friend; and starting up, he beheld,
hard by the page Jacinto, lying on the
body of Abdalla, from whose head he had
torn the helm, and now stroye, with feeble
i l111l
stained corslet.
Jacintol-Leilal" cried Amador, with a
voice of rapture, flinging himself at her
side (for now, though the garments OF
escaupil still concealed the figure OF the
Moorish maid, the disguise could be con-
tinued no longer. The joy of the cavalier
vanished, for the maiden replied only with
lamentations; while the Zegri fixed upon
him an eye, in which the stony hardness OF
death was mingled with the fires OF human
passion.
"Place my head upon thine arm, eava-
iier!" said Abdalla, family, "and let me
look upon him who has slain me-"
20, my father! my father!" cried the Moor
ish girl.
for the sake of the maiden love, exclaimed
Amador, eagerly, supporting his head.
fsTThou art Wall, Christian, and the
father of her that dwells in my heart. Live,
therefore; for though thou have neither
neither brother nor champion, yet am al!
to thee; for crave the love Of thy daughter"
The maiden sobbed, and heard not the
words OF the cavalier; but the dying Moor
eyed her with a look of JOY, and then turn
ing his gaze upon Amador, said:
God be thy Judge, as thou dealest truly
with her, who, although the offspring Of
kings IS yet an orphan, landleSs, home
less, and friendiess on the earth"
q swear TO thee" said the novice,-"and
aProtest me nothing: hearken to my
words, for they are few; the angel of death
calls TO me to come, and my moments fly from
me like the bloo1-drOps," said the Zegri.
Until the day, when dreamed thou vert
siurnbering in the lake, ! knew not of this
that hath passed between ye. Had it been
known 10 me, perhaps this death that comes
tome, might not have come; for, what did,
/ did for the honor and veal of my child,
knowing that, in the hands OF Spanlards,
she was in the power Of oDpreSSorS and
villains. That have struck for revenge,
is true; have shed the blood of CaStilIans
and re ioicei, for therein / reckOned me the
vengeance Of Granada. Yet, had it been
apparent TO me, that the feeble maid, who,
basidaS myself knew no other protector Of
inrorgnca in the world, could have claimed
the love of an honorable cavalier. and en-
loved It without the shame Of disguise and
menial occupation, then had / submitted
to my fate, and locked up in the darkness Of
tWho speaks of the Apujarras?" cried
the knight Of Rhodes, staring wildly
around; who speaks of the Alpujauas?"
aI!' said the Moor. with a firm voice,
bending his eye on Don Gabriel, and striv-
ing. though in vain, for his neither limbs
were paralyzed, to turn his body likewise;
aT. Gabriel Of Caiavar, / speak of the Alpu-
iarras; and good reason have ] to speak,
and thou TO listen; for | was Of the mourn
ing and thou OF the destroyers."
@Pity me, heaveni" cried the knight,
staring on the Moor, in the greatest dis
order. Il have seen thee, and yet know
thee not.
"Rememberest thou not the field OF
Zugar, and the oath sworn on the cross Of d
blooi-stained sword, by the riverside?"
"Hah!" cried Don Gabriel; "dost thou
speak OF mine oath!-mine oath TO Al
haref?"
"And the town of Bucares, among the
hiIls?" continued the Zegri, loudly, aud with
a frown made still more ghastly by ap
proaching death; "dost thou remember
the false and felon blow that smote the
friend Of Zugar,-and that, still falser and
fouler, which shed the blood of Zayda, the
beloved of the Alpujarras"
AS the Wall spoke, the knight, as if up
lifted by supernatural power, rose TO his
feet, and approache the speaker. staring
at him with eyes OF horror. At the name
Zayda, he dropped on his knees crying:
"Miserere mel, Deus. slew her. and thou