ven and brighten the darkening sky. Night falls, and
Jerusalem is still in the hands of the unbelievers. Exhausted and
bleeding, the Christians draw back from the walls; but it is not of
their suffering and losses they think. One long wail goes up from those
bursting hearts:--

"Alas! God has not yet thought us worthy to enter His Holy City!"

But those stout hearts are not long cast down. At daybreak the
Christians once more hurl themselves against the battered walls of
Jerusalem--with tenfold fiercer determination than before. Infidels and
Christians know that one or the other will this day be swept from the
face of the earth. The Christian leaders fight as even these knights of
the cross have never fought before. The veteran Raymond is on foot in
the midst of his men. He urges them against the wall where stands the
Emir of Jerusalem, and bids them aim their darts at the Egyptian prince,
whose splendid armor flashes golden in the sunlight. But though the
arrows fall thick about him, Iftikhar stands haughtily erect, and
continues to direct the efforts of his men.

Tancred and the two Roberts exhaust their arrows and at last stand
motionless on the tower, awaiting with fierce impatience the moment,
fast approaching, when they can pierce with lance or cut down with sword
the Saracens on the city wall, now almost within reach.

But the conflict centers about the great tower of Godfrey. If only that
tower reach the wall! On the summit shines a great cross of gold, and
beneath its arms stands Godfrey, his brother Eustace, his cousin,
Baldwin du Bourg, Sigier, and other knights. The sight of the sacred
symbol of Christ throws the followers of Mohammed into a frenzy of
impious rage. They hurl showers of blazing arrows, stones, and balls of
fire against its defenders. Godfrey remains unhurt, but the faithful
Sigier falls beside him. Slowly but surely the tower creeps nearer the
wall. The Saracens redouble their efforts. They throw down between the
wall and the tower, pots of burning oil, blazing wood, and Greek fire.
They fortify the wall with mattresses of lighted straw until it seems
one sheet of flame. The tower approaches this barricade of fire, but
the smoke and flame stifle the Crusaders. They falter and fall back.

The Crusaders on all sides begin to waver, and the infidels shout for
joy. But at this moment a knight in glittering white armor appears on
the Mount of Olives, and waves his fiery shield toward the Holy