The Breckenridge news., 1906-08-08

dMonk lutm. W nat 10 lulb kOiueu odu-
ner which waves over the lettr
1T is the ensign OF the knights OF
Calatraya" answered teltOn.
And the one upon the rightT
1t marks the Knights of Santiago and
1 see by the banner that the grand mas
ter rides at their head.
You are right, Tor can also see
them. There is much Spanish blazOnry
also II l could but read 1t. Don Diego,
you know the arms OF your own country 4.
aud who are they VINO have done Us so
much honOrf
The Spanish prisoner looked with eIul-
tant eyes upon the deep and Serried ranks
Of his countrymen.
by Saint James he said. ''if We fail
this day. We fall by no mean hands for
the flower of the army of CASTLE ride
under the banner Of Don Tello. with the
/ chivalry of Asturias. Toledo. Leon. Cor
dova Galicia and Seville and the knights
Of France and Aragon II you will take
my rede. you will come to a compost
tiOn with them, for they will give you
such terms as you have given me-
| Nay, by Saint Paul, II were pity II
so many brave men, were drawn together
and no little deed Of arms come Of It. Hal
/ William they advance upon us and by
my soul it is 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
a long bow-shot from the hill and with
| waving spears and vaunting shouts chal-
| lenged their enemies to come forth. while
two cavaliers, pricking forward from the
glittering ranks. walked their horses slow
| ly between the two arrays with targets
braced and lances in rest like the chal-
/ lengers In 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 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?''
| Feltons reply was to bound upon his
| charger, and to urge IL down the slope.
while Sir Nigel followed not three spears
lengths behind him. II was rugged
course, rocky and uneven, yet the two
knights, choosing their men, dashed on
wards AT the top Of their speed. while
| the gallant Spaniards flew as swiftly 20
/ meet them. The one to whom FELTON,
| found himself opposed WAS a tall STRIPPING
with a stays head upon his shield. while
Sir Nige's man was broad and squat, with
torse bound round his helmet. The first
struck FELTON, on the target with such
force as TO split IL from side to side hut
Sir Williams lance crashed through the
canal which shielded the Spaniard' 5
throat, and he fell. screaming hoarsely 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 hill could
see swirl .and eddy deep down In the
heart Of the Spanish column. with
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 wave with
the fierce CLEAN and sparkle ever circling
round II. until at last II had sunk from
view, and another brave man had turned
war 10 peace
Sir Nigel. meanwhile. had found FOE
man worthy OF his steel. for his opponent
was none other than Sebast Gomez the
picked lance Of the monkish knights Of
Santiago who had won fame In hun
dred bloody cOmbatS with the MoorS Of
Audalusa So fierce was their meeting
that their spears shivered mp to the very
grasp, and the horses reared backwards
until II seemed that they must crash down
upon their riders. Yet with consummate
hOrSemanship they both swung round IN
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 whlzzed and circled In CLEANS
Of dazzling light. Cut. parry. and thrust
followed so swiftly upon each others that
the eve could not follow them, until at
last coming thigh to thigh. they east their
arms around each other and rolled on
their saddles to The ground. The heavier
Ii
and plnning him down beneath him raised
his sword To slay him. while shout Of
triumph rose from the ranks OF his count
rymen. But the fatal blow never fell, for
even as his arm quivered before descend
ing the Spaniard gave shudder, and
stffening himself. rolled heavily over upon
his side with the blood gushing from his
arm-pit aud 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 10y raising his arm.
had proved instantly mortal. The Eng
lishman leaped upon his horse and made
for the hill. at ne very instant that yell
Of rage from thousand voices and the
clang Of a score of bugles announced the
Spanish onset
CHAPTER xvii
for the encounter. With feet. firmly
planted their sleeves rolled back to give
free play to their muscles, their long
yellow bow-staves in their left hands, and
their quivers slung to the front. they had
waited IN the four-deep harrow formation
which gave strength to their array, and
vet permitted every man to draw his arrow
freely without harm TO those in front
On swept the Spanards. over the level
and up to the slope, ere they met the
binding storm of the English arrows.
Down went the whole ranks In whirl
OF mad confusion, horses plunging and
kicking, hewildered men falling, rising.
staggering on or back, while ever new
lines OF horsemen came squirting through
the gaps and urged their chargers mp the
fatal slope All around him, Aleyne could
hear the stern. short orders OF the master
bowmen. 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 long wall of struggling horses
and stricken men, which ever grew and
heightened as fresh squadrons poured on
the attack. SO for five long minutes the
gallant horsemen Of Spain and OF France
strove ever and again to force passage,
until the low wailing note OF bugle called
,hav, hacE and thpV rode slowly out of