Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/151

128

for this day's devotion. But since we are all determined, let us give un answer to the foo, and then resume our place on the walls, De Courtenay will now storm the place et all points, and we must depend on God and our good right arms. As for you, Amy, hie to your chawber and thore offer up prayers for us.”

‘The Baron strove in speaking to assume the sem blance of one in whom some hope. still lingered, but it, was evident that he did not deceive cither his child or iis followers, All knew that the eastle-could not hoki out aguinst another attack, But the Knights were resolved, like brave mon, to die at their poste, while Amy, although she made a second attempt to be heard, ‘saw that her defendera would not lixten to ber proposal. In silence, therefore, they left the great hall; but as the father parted from his daughter, he pressed & last ki on her now trembling tips—those lips which he never expected again to caress in this world.

‘he rofusal of the besieged to accede to the terms offered to them was hailed by a low growl of rage on the part of the assailants, and instantly the foe com- meneod, from all quarters, an attack on the castle. ‘Thrice already had they assailed it, but this time they rushed forward with a fury fourfold greater than on either former occasion, In vain the beleaguered men- atarms met them at every tun—in vain missiles of every sort were hurled down on the heads of the assailants, the forces of De Courtenay soon gained a fooling on the outer wall, and the brave defenders were riven to the Kecp as their Jast resort, Here tho Baron collected hia melancholy band, and made ready for a desperate defence of his last stronghold. Already his little band was terribly thinned, hut its stern resolution was unabated. He glanced around it anxiously as the trumpets sounded to the charge, and his heart died within him when he surveyed ite scanty number, but at this instant, happening to cast his eyes on the opposite horizon, he fancied he saw something glittering far off in the sun, liko a tow of spears.

“Michael,” he said, eagerly, to a stout soldier heside him, look off by yonder wood, just on the brow of the hill, what eee you?”

“They seem like spears glancing in tho sun—pray God they may be friends,”

“ Amen?” said the Baron, and the onset again begun.

Fierce and furious was tho fight, The sasilante were hot for the blood of thrir stubborn opponents—the defenders of the castle fought with the fary of desperate men. The Keep seemed impregnable. Onset. after onset was made on it by the foe, and each onset was repulsed by the desperate defenders.

Meanwhile the Baron had communicated his discovery to no one except to the soldier, and on him he had en- joined silence: for he was unwilling to raise the hopes of his followers without cause. In the intervals of the

fight he turnei his eyes toward the approaching caval- cade, and it was with unbounded joy that he at length fancied he perceived a well known banner. He was not mistaken. Almost at the same instant @ message arrived from his child, who kept watch at the highest loop hole of the Keep, that the approaching cavalcade bote more than one friendly pennon. The news was now communicated to the defenders indiscriminately, and though the conflict did not slacken, each man fought with renewed vigor. The coming wuccor had now become discernible from the enemy's camp, and the foe wavered in hie assault, and preparod to resist this new enemy. But alter » moment's besitation the attack was renewed with even groater vigor, At this moment too the approaching envaleade became hid by an intervening elevation,

“They must know our extremity and will spare no tine in coming up,” said the Baron, exhorting his fol- lowere to withstand this new assault, “end lo! there they come, dashing, over the bill-=the Lord be praised : they are really friends, and there is my kinsman’s banner from Palestine in the van.”

It was oven ao. The young Knight had returned opportunely to his country, end hearing of his uncle's strait had hurried by forced marches to succor him. He saw at ones that he had come at a critical mo ment, and dashing down the hill, ho charged with his squadron into the very heart of the assailante. ‘The combat was short but fierce. The forces of the young Knight were large, and they were buming to avenge a wrong done to the kinsman of their leader; while the assailants were weakened by their losses, and dispirited by the succor thus ailorded to their fora, The forees of De Courtenay soon broko and (led, while he himeelf fell before the hand of the young Knight. ‘The confusion was completed by # rally made by the hesieged.

Gur pen cannot do justice to the meeting of the long separated lovers. We will drop a veil over it, simply saying that Amy never forgot this last day of the Breacuzarn Castex.

SONG.

© xyura! of Fortune's smiles beware, Nor heed the Siren’s flaticring tongue;

She lures thee to the haunts of care, ‘Where sorrow pours @ ceaseless song.

Ah! what are all her piles of yotd? Can those the host of care control?

‘The eplendor which thine eyes behold, Te not the sunshine of the soul.

"To love alone thy homage pay, ‘The queen of tme delight; Her aniiles with joy shall gill thy day And bless the visions of the aight.

�