Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-08-18

ner which waves over the leftT
1T is the ensign of the Knights of
Calatraya' answered FELTON,.
And the one upon the rightly
1t marks the Knights of Santiago and
| see by the banner tina the grand mas-
ter rides ut their head.
You are right, for i can also see
Them. There is much Spanish Dlazonry
also if / could but read il. Don Diego,
you know the arms OF your own country,
and who are they Ia have done US 80
much honor?'
The Spanish prisoner looked with eAul-
tant eyes upon the deep and serrled ranks
of his countrymen.
BY Saint James he said. ''if We fail
this day. ye fall by no mean hands for
the flower of the army of CASTLE ride
under the banner Of Don Tello, with the
chiyalry of Asturias. Toledo, Leon, Cor
doya, Galicia and Seville aud the knights
of France aud Aragon. If you will take
my rede, you will come to a compost
ton with them, for they will give you
such terms as you have given me
Nay, by Saint Paul, 1t were pity if
so many brave men, were drawn together
and no little deed of arms come of it. Ha!
william, they advance upon us. and by
my soul it is a sight worth coming over
the seas to witness.
As he spoke the two wings of the Span
ish host, consisting of the Knights Of
Calatrava on the one side and of Santiago
on the other came swooping swiftly down
the valley. while the main body followed
more slowly behind. The vanguard halted
Il long bow-shot from the hill, and with
waving spears and yaunting shouts chal-
lenged their enemies To come forth, while
two cavaliers. p|ricking forward from the
glittering ranks, walked their horses slow
ly between the tive arrays with targets
braced and lances In rest like the chal-
lengerS IN Il tourney,
by Saint Paul. cried Sir Nigel. with
his eye glowing like an ember. these
appear to be two very worthy and debo-
nair gentlemen. do not call to mind
when | have seen any people who seemed
of so great a heart and so high of enter
| prise. We have our horses. Sir William :
shall be not relieve them of any VOW which
they may have upon their souls?'
Felton's reply was TO bound upon his
charger, and To urge it down the slope.
while Sir Nigel followed not three spears
lengths behind him. 1t was Il rugged
course, rocky and uneven. yet the two
knights, choosing their men, dashed on
wards Mt the top of their speed. while
the gallant Spaniards flew as swiftly 10
meet them. The one To whom FELTON,
found himself opposed was a tall STRIPPING
with a stays head upon his shield, while
Sir Nigel's man was broad and squat, with
plain steel harness, and a pink aud white
Torso bound round his helmet. The first
struck FELTON, on the target with such
force as to split it FROM side TO side, but
Sir Williams lance crashed through the
canal which shielded the Spaniard' :
throat, and he fell, screaming b%oarsely, to
the ground. Carried away by the heat and
madness of fight. the English knight never
drew rein. but charged straight on into the
array of the knights of Calatrava. Long
time the silent ranks upon the hin could
see a Swir .and eddy deep down in the
heart of the Spanish column. with n
circle OF rearing chargers and flashing
blades. Here and there tossed the white
plume Of the English helmet, rising and
falling like the foam upon Il wave. with
the fierce CLEAN and sparkle ever cirellng
round 1t. until at last it had sunk from
view, and another brave man had turned
war TO peace.
Sir Nigel, meanwhile, had found a foe
man worthy of his steel, for his opponent
was none other than Sebastian Gomez. the
picked lance OF the monkish knights of
Santiago. who had Won fame in a hun
dred bloody combats with the MoorS OF
Andalusia. So fierce was their meeting
that their spears shivered up 10 the very
grasp, and the horses reared backwards
until 1t seemed that they must crash down
upon their riders. Yet with consummate
horsemanship they both swung round in
a long curvet. and then %plucking out their
swords they dashed at each other like two
lusty smiths hammering upon their anvil.
The chargers spun round each others. bit
ing and striking, while the two blades
wheeled and whizzed and circled in CLEANS
of dazzling light. Cut, parry, and thrust
followed 50 swiftly upon each others that
the eye could not follow them. until at
last coming thigh to thigh, they east their
arms around each other and rolled off
their saddles 10 the ground. The heavier
Spauiard threw himself upon his enemy.
and piuuing him down beneath him raised
his sword 10 Stay him, while a shout of
triumph rose from the ranks of his count
rymen. But the fatal blow never fell, for
even as his arm quiYered before descend
ing. the Spaniard gaye a Shudder. and
stiffening himself, rolled heavily over upon
his side, with the blood gushing from his
arm-pit and from the slit of his vizor. Sir
Nigel Sprang To his feet with his bloody
dagger in his left hand and gazed down
upon his adversary. but the fatal and
sudden stab in the vital spot, which the
Spaniard had exposed by raising his arm,
had proved instantly mortal. The Eng
lishman leaped upon his horse and made
for. the hill, ut the very instant that a yell
of rage from "A thousand voices and the
clang of a score of bugles announced the
Spanish onset.
CHAPTER NNlI.
But the islanders were ready and eager
for the encounter. With feet firmly
planted, their sleeves rolled back to give
free play 10 their muscles. their long
yellow how-stHVeS In their left hands. and
their quiyers siung To the front, they had
waited in the four-deep harrow formation
which gave strength to their array. and
yet permitted every man to draw his arrow
freely without harm 10 those in front.
on swept the Spaniards, over the level
aud up To the slope. ere they met the
binding storm of the English arrows.
Down went the whole ranks in n whirl
of mad confusion, horses pluuging and
kicking. bewildered men falling, rising,
staggering ON or back, while ever new
lines of horsemen came squirting through
the gaps aud urged their chargers up the
fatal slope, All around him, AlleNne could
hear the stern, short orders of the master
bowmeu. while the air WAS filled with
the keen twanging of the strings and the
swish and patter Of the shafts. Right
across the foot of the hill there had
sprung up a long wall of struggling horses
aud stricken men. which ever grew and