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here that we could capture； and so get plenty to eat？〃 he
inquired of his sister。 〃That is what the Cid was always finding。
Don't you remember how nicely he got into Alcacer and slew eleven
Infidel knights； and found ever so much gold and things to eat？
This is what he said； you know：
〃 'On； on； my knights； and smite the foe！
And falter not； I pray；
For by the grace of God； I trow；
The town is ours this day！' 〃
〃O Pedro； dear； why will you think so much of things to eat；〃
groaned Theresa。 〃Do you not know that to be hungry is one way to
be a martyr。 And besides； it is； I doubt not； our just punishment
for having taken any thing to eat without letting mother know。 We
must suffer and be strong； little brother。〃
〃That's just like a girl；〃 cried Pedro； a trifle scornfully。 〃How
can we be strong if we suffer？ I can't； I know。〃
But before Theresa could enter upon an explanation of this most
difficult problemone that has troubled many older heads than
little Pedro's；both the children started in surprise； and then
involuntarily shrunk closer to the dark gray rock in whose shadow
they were resting。 For there； not a hundred yards distant； coming
around a turn in the road； was one of the very Infidels they had
come out to meet and conquer； or be martyred by。
He was a rather imposing…looking but not a formidable old man。
His cloak or mantle of brown stuff was worn and ragged； his
turban was quite as dingy； but the long white beard that fell
upon his breast made his swarthy face look even fiercer than it
really was； and the stout staff； with which he helped himself
over the uneven road； seemed to the little crusaders some
terrible weapon of torture and of martyrdom。
But Pedro was a valiant little fellow after all。 The fighting
spirit of his father the Don burned within him； and few little
folks of seven know what caution is。 He whispered to his sister；
whose hand he had at first clutched in terror； a word of
assurance。
〃Be not afraid； sister mine；〃 he said。 〃Yonder comes the Infidel
we have gone forth to find。 Do you suppose he has a whole great
army following him？ Hold up your crucifix； and I will strike him
with my sword。 The castle can't be far away； and perhaps we can
conquer this old Infidel and find a good dinner in his castle。
That 's just what the Cid would have done。 You know what he said：
〃 'Far from our land； far from Castile
We here are banished；
If with the Moors we battle not；
I wot we get no bread。'
Let us battle with him at once。〃
And before his sister with restraining hand； could hold him back
the plucky young crusader flourished his sword furiously and
charged down upon the old Moor； who now in turn started in
surprise and drew aside from the path of the determined little
warrior。
〃Now yield thee； yield thee； pagan prince。
Or die in crimson gore；
I am Ruy Diaz of Bivar；
The Cid Campeador！〃
shouted the little crusader； charging against his pagan enemy at
a furious rate。
〃O spare him； spare my brother； noble emir。 Let me die in his
stead；〃 cried the terrified Theresa； not quite so confident now
as to the pleasure of martyrdom。
The old man stretched out his staff and stopped the headlong dash
of the boy。 Then laying a hand lightly on his assailant's head he
looked smilingly toward Theresa。
〃Neither prince nor emir am I； Christian maiden；〃 he said； 〃but
the poor Morisco Abd…el…'Aman of Cordova； seeking my son Ali；
who； men say； is servant to a family in Valladolid。 Pray you if
you have aught to eat give some to me； for I am famishing。〃
This was not exactly martyrdom； it was； in fact； quite the
opposite； and the little Theresa was puzzled as to her duty in
the matter。 Pedro； however； was not at all undecided。
〃Give our bread and cake to a nasty old Moor？〃 he cried； 〃I
should say we will not； will we； sister？ We need it for
ourselves。 Besides； what dreadful thing is it that the Holy
Inquisition does to people who succor the infidel Moors？〃
Theresa shuddered。 She knew too well all the stories of the
horrible punishments that the Holy Office； known as the
Inquisition of Spain； visited upon those who harbored Jews or
aided the now degraded Moors。 For so complete had been the
conquest of the once proud possessors of Southern Spain； that
they were usually known only by the contemptuous title of
〃Moriscoes；〃 and were despised and hated by their 〃chivalrous〃
Christian conquerors。
But little Theresa de Cepeda was of so loving and generous a
nature that even the plea of an outcast and despised Morisco
moved her to pity。 From her earliest childhood she had delighted
in helpful and generous deeds。 She repeatedly gave away； so we
are told； all her pocket…money in charity； and any sign of
trouble or distress found her ready and anxious to extend relief。
There was really a good deal of the angelic in little Theresa；
and even the risk of arousing the wrath of the Inquisition； the
walls of whose gloomy dungeon in Avila she had； so often looked
upon with awe； could not withhold her from wishing to help this
poor old man who was hunting for his lost son。
〃Nay； brother；〃 she said to little Pedro； 〃it can be not so very
great a crime to give food to a starving man〃； and much to
Pedro's disgust； she opened the wallet and emptied their little
store of provisions into the old beggar's hand。
〃And wither are ye bound； little ones？〃 asked this 〃tramp〃 of the
long ago； as the children watched their precious dinner disappear
behind his snowy beard。
〃We are on a crusade； don Infidel；〃 replied Pedro； boldly。 〃A
crusade against your armies and castles； perhaps to capture them；
and thus gain the crown of martyrdom。〃
The old Moor looked at them sadly。 〃There is scarce need for
that； my children；〃 he said。 〃My people are but slaves； their
armies and their castles are lost； their beautiful cities are
ruined； and there is neither conquest nor martyrdom for Christian
youths and maidens to gain among them。 Go home； my little ones；
and pray to Allah that you and yours may never know so much of
sorrow and of trouble as do the poor Moriscoes of Spain this
day。〃
This was news to Theresa。 No martyrdom to be obtained among the
Moors？ Where then was all the truth of her mother's
romances；where was all the wisdom of her father's savage faith？
She had always supposed that the Moors were monsters and djins；
waiting with great fires and racks and sharpest cimeters to put
to horrible death all young Christians who came amongst them； and
now here was one who begged for bread and pleaded for pity like
any common beggar of Avila。 Evidently something was wrong in the
home stories。
As for little Pedro； he waxed more valiant as the danger
lessened。 He whetted his toy sword against the granite rocks and
looked savagely at the old man。
〃You have eaten all my bread； don Infidel；〃 he said； 〃and now you
would lie about your people and your castles。 You are no beggar；
you are the King of Cordova come here in this disguise to spy out
the Christian's land。 I know all about you from my mother's
stories。 So you must die。 I shall send your head to our Emperor
by my sister here； and when he shall ask her who has done this
noble deed she will say； just as did Alvar Fanez to King Alfonso：
'My Cid Campeador； O king； it was who girded brand：
The Paynim king he hath o'ercome； the mightiest in the land
Plenteous and sovereign is the spoil he from the Moor hath
won；
This portion； honored king and lord； he sendeth to your
throne。'
〃So； King of Cordova； bend down and let me cut off your head。〃
The 〃King of Cordova〃 made no movement of compliance to this
gentle invitation； and the head…strong Pedro； springing toward
him； would have caught him by the beard； had not his gentle
sister restrained him。
〃I do believe he is no king； my Pedro；〃 she said； 〃but only； as
he says； a poor Morisco beggar。 Let us rather try to help him。 He
hath no castles I am sure； and as for his armies〃
〃His armies！ there they come； look； sister！〃 cried little Pedro；
breaking into his sister's words； 〃now will you believe me？〃 and
following his gaze； Theresa herself started as she saw dashing
down the mountain highway what looked to her unpractised eye like
a whole band of Moorish cavalry with glimmering lances and
streaming pennons。
Pedro faced the charge with drawn sword。 Theresa knelt on the
ground with silver crucifix upraised； expecting instant
martyrdom； while the old Moorish tramp； Abd…el…'Aman； believing
discretion to be the better part of valor； quietly dropped down
by the side of the rocky roadway； for well he understood who were
these latest comers。
The Moorish cavalry； which proved to be three Spaniards on
horseback； drew up before the young crusaders。
〃So； runaw