he distant sound of pursuit, and beheld a horseman spurring up the
mountain.

Throwing himself again upon his steed, he abandoned the road and galloped
across the rugged heights. The deep dry channel of a torrent checked his
career, and his horse, stumbling upon the margin, rolled with his rider to
the bottom. Pelistes was sorely bruised by the fall, and his whole visage
was bathed in blood. His horse, too, was maimed and unable to stand, so
that there was no hope of escape. The enemy drew near, and proved to be no
other than Magued, the renegado general, who had perceived him as he
issued forth from the city, and had followed singly in pursuit. 'Well met,
senor alcayde!' exclaimed he, 'and overtaken in good time. Surrender
yourself my prisoner.'

Pelistes made no other reply than by drawing his sword, bracing his
shield, and preparing for defence. Magued, though an apostate, and a
fierce warrior, possessed some sparks of knightly magnanimity. Seeing his
adversary dismounted, he disdained to take him at a disadvantage, but
alighting, tied his horse to a tree.

The conflict that ensued was desperate and doubtful, for seldom had two
warriors met so well matched or of equal prowess. Their shields were
hacked to pieces, the ground was strewed with fragments of their armor,
and stained with their blood. They paused repeatedly to take breath;
regarding each other with wonder and admiration. Pelistes, however, had
been previously injured by his fall, and fought to great disadvantage. The
renegado perceived it, and sought not to slay him, but to take him alive.
Shifting his ground continually, he wearied his antagonist, who was
growing weaker and weaker from the loss of blood. At length Pelistes
seemed to summon up all his remaining strength to make a signal blow; it
was skilfully parried and he fell prostrate upon the ground. The renegado
ran up, and, putting his foot upon his sword, and the point of his
scimitar to his throat, called upon him to ask his life; but Pelistes lay
without sense, and as one dead. Magued then unlaced the helmet of his
vanquished enemy and seated himself on a rock beside him, to recover
breath. In this situation the warriors were found by certain Moorish
cavaliers, who marvelled much at the traces of that stern and bloody
combat.

Finding there was yet life in the Christian knight, they laid him upon one
of their horses, and, aiding Magued to remount his steed, proceeded slowly
to the city. As th