The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-26

were known TO THIS people, but now
they were promised an unfamilia,
sight, that Of Frankish knights staying
each other in single combat beneath
the silent moon. So they were happy.
for to them this was a night Of fes,
tival' to be followed by morrow of
still greater festival. when their sui
tan and their god took to himself this
stranger beauty as a wife.
Now the brethren were come to the
open space In front Of the harrow
bridge. where tier On tiGSs.s multitud.
were ranged. kept bast iron Its cen
ter by iInes Of guards. On the nat
rooted houses also they were crowded
thick as swarming bees, on the cir
cling walls and on the battiement2 Cat
protected the far end of the bridge ssk
the houses Of the outer city. Before
the bridge was q low gateway, and
Upon it's roof sat the Afje-bal. clad in
his scarlet robe of festival. and by his
side. the moonlight cleaning ON her
jewels. Rosamund. In front, draped In
rich garment. a dagger Of gems In
her dark hair, stood the interpreter or
mouth" Masouda, and behind were
dais and guards.
The brethren rode to the space be-
fore the arch and halted, saluting with
their pennoned spears. Then from the
farther side advanced another process
sion, which, opening, revealed the
knight Lozelle riding on his great
black horse. aud huge man and fierce
he seemed In his armor.
WHAT he shouted. glowering at
them. Am I to fight one against twof
Is this your chivalryf'
"Nay. nay, Sir Traitor" answered
Wulf. NAY, nay, betrayer Of Chris
tan maids to the power of the heath
en- dog. You have fought Goodwin.
Now 1t is the turn OF Wulf XIII Wulf
and Goodwin remains. XIII Goodwin
and God remains"
Isozelle heard and seemed to. 60 mad
with rage or fear, or both.
Lord Sinan," he shouted In Arabic.
"this is murder Am I, who have
done you SO much service, to be butch
cred for your pleasure by the lovers
Of that woman whom you would honor
with the name OF wifey
Sinan heard and stared at him with
dull, angry eyes.
AYE, you may stare" went on the
are her lovers. not her brothers. Would
men take SO much pains for sisters
sake, think you? Would they swim
into this net Of yours for sisters
sake?"
Sinan held up his hand for silence.
LET the lots be cast" he said, "for
whatever these men are. this fight
must 60 on, and 1t shall be fair
So a dai. standing by himself. cast
lots upon the ground and. having read
them, announced that -.oxelle must run
the first course from the farther side
Of the bridge. Then one took his bride
to lead him across. As he passed the
brethren he grinned In their faces and
said:
AT least this Is sure. you also look
your last upon the moon. am
avenged already. He will kill you
both before her eyes to whet his appe-
tite"
But the brethren answered nothing.
The black horse Of Lozelle grew dim
In the distance OF the moonlit bridge
and vanished beneath the farther arch
way that led to the outer city. Then q
herald cried, Masouda translating his
words, which another herald echoed
from beyond the gulf:
Thrice win the trumpets blow. At
the third blast OF the trumpets the
knights shall charge and meet In the
center Of the bridge. Thenceforwartl
they may fight as 1t pieases them.
ahorse or afeot, with lance. with sword
or with dagger, but to the vanquished
no mercy wifi be shown. II he be
| brought living from the bridge, living
he shall be cast into the gulf. Hear the
decree Of the Alje-baiw
Then Wulfs horse was led forward
to the entrance OF the bridge. and from
the farther side was led forward the
horse OF Lozeile.
Now from some neighboring tower
| pealed out the first long blast of trum-
| pets, and dead silence fell on all the
multitude.
The second blast blew, and Wuif
loosened the great sword in its scab-
bard
For the third time the trumpets blew,
and from either end OF that bridge, two
hundred PAGES long, the knights flashed
toward each other like living bolts of
| steel. Hollow rang the hoofs Of the
horses upon the stonework, swiftei
and swifter they few, lower and low.
| er bent the knights upon their sad
dies. Now they were near, and now
they met. The spears seemed to shiver,
the horses to hustle together on the
| narrow way and oyerhang its edge.
then on came the black horse toward
the inner city. and on sped Smoke to-
ward the farther gulf.
| They have passed! They have pass
cdr roared the multitude
! Look. Lozelle approached, reeIing In
his saddle, as well be might, for the
helm was torn from his head and blood
ran from his skull where the lance had
1 grazed it.
/ Soldiers caught the horse and turned
/ It
| Another heimi" cried Lozeile
Nay" answered Sinan; "yondei
knight has lost his shield. New Iances
that is all"
So they gave him fresh lance and
presently. at the blast of the trumpets
-. ~ a