The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-23

-Ax-arI
 tian knight tried to execute flank move ment upon the Crusaders, but was eheeked and finally put to rout by Rim aldo at the head of the Adventures AS Rlhaido was charging after the re- treating foe he passed Armida. who stood | in her magic chariot overlooking inc war. At the sight of the knight her bosom was torn with conflicting emotions The | hatred of the woman scorned, began to melt away and her great love for ina hero to take possession of her again. Still there are her champions. and had she not promised her hand to whoever would slay Rnaldo? Just then appeared before Rinaldo, who had become separated some- what from his soldiers, Tissaphernes, a celebrated Egyptian soldier. who had de- clared himself Armidas champion and vowed he would have the life of Rinaldo | One of her champions had already been killed by Rinaldo and now from her car Armida watched with varying emotions ] this single combat. On every side now the Egyptian army was giving way. Last ly, surrounded by thousands, Armida | found herself alone in her golden car ear which blazed with rubies She sees her last champion wounded, notes his failing prowess his pierced armor, hir | half helmless head
 She looked around and saw the fleeing army. Should she render herself captive to the man whom she had held captive acknowledge herself Rinaldo's slave? | riderless palfrey came near; she sprang from her car and caught it.. Then, mount l ing, she fled away, attended only by Scorn and unconquered love that in her rear
 | Hung like too eager hounds upon the hunted deer.
 So Cleopatra fled, drawing the heart of | Antony after her. For Rinaldo saw her | fly and all his love returning he would | fain have left the field to follow her But the Egyptian soldier, though sorey wounded and partly inarmored, kept Rnaldo too well employed for an indur- gence in any sort of nonsense like that l Rinaldo was obliged to settle Tissa- phernos's business first and he went at it with redoubled zeal. A few more
 
 Armda lay dead upon the field
 Rinaldo looked around. Victory had perched upon the banner of the Cross there was no more fighting just then for him to do. He thought of Armida's hone less plight and of how he had once vowed to be her knight and champion. He had observed the direction of her flight and now followed the marks of her patfrey's feet, tracking her course across the plain and into the region beyond Meantime Armda had reached a deep secluded glen, dark with solemn cypress. She took her jeweled quiver from her back and threw it with it's golden arrows amid the brake and fern. Lie there," she cried. 1 weapons that return from battle with out shedding blood. But if no hostile hearts you have pierced one of you at least shall spare' not to pierce a woman's breast It is tender enough to the arrows of loye-so shall it prove to thine Show yourselves sharp on me and strong. The wounds of this consentng dart shall heal the wounds of love"
 She drew the best and sharpest ar- row from the quiver and examined the d mad gesture and was about to plunge 1t into her breast when her arm was stayed. Unseen, unheard, Rinaldo had dismounted at the entrance of the dell and from behind a tree had watched Armida's preparation for suicide Q Quick- ly turning she saw Rinaldp. She shrieked and fell In a swoon. But as she fell Rinaldo caught her in sus- taining arm. Tears fell upon her fair face from the eyes of Rinaldo. In a moment Armida opened her eyes and looked into the eyes of RinaIdo. Then she looked away and tried to disengage the arm which held her. Then she blushed and then she did what most women do upon such occasions-she cried. For though a sorceress Armida was very much woman and very human.
 | Next, of course, she broke forth be- tween her sobs with reproaches upon Rinaldo for his desertion Sof her. Ri- naldo soothed her as best he could and made all sorts of explanations and ex- cuses, vowing his undyng love for her In spite of all that mad passed. So at last they made 1t up there in the glen; Armldd promised to pc HIS IaltnIul nelp- mate all her life and give up sorcery and become a Christian. When they got back to Jerusalem they found the citadel as well as the city in complete possession of the Crusaders. The vic- tory of Godfrey had been complete. The Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem was established to last for nearly cen ttury, and Godfrey was its first king. Rinaldo, of course, shared In the honors and the spells which came from the | conauests of the First Crusade. | Next weeks one-page classic will be Cox's Diary by William Makepeaca | Thackeray
 Of Course
 | From Outing.
 1 sr,. c,1<,- rr roilar .uas relating his ax.