o march with all speed to meet the foe, and to
recruit his forces on the way with the troops of Theodomir.

In the mean time, Taric el Tuerto had received large re-inforcements from
Africa, and the adherents of Count Julian, and all those discontented with
the sway of Don Roderick, had flocked to his standard; for many were
deceived by the representations of Count Julian, and thought that the
Arabs had come to aid him in placing the sons of Witiza upon the throne.
Guided by the count, the troops of Taric penetrated into various parts of
the country, and laid waste the land; bringing back loads of spoil to
their stronghold at the rock of Calpe.

The prince Ataulpho marched with his army through Andalusia, and was
joined by Theodomir with his troops; he met with various detachments of
the enemy foraging the country, and had several bloody skirmishes; but he
succeeded in driving them before him, and they retreated to the rock of
Calpe, where Taric lay gathered up with the main body of his army.

The prince encamped not far from the bay which spreads itself out before
the promontory. In the evening he despatched the veteran Theodomir, with a
trumpet, to demand a parley of the Arab chieftain, who received the envoy
in his tent, surrounded by his captains. Theodomir was frank and abrupt in
speech, for the most of his life had been passed far from courts. He
delivered, in round terms, the message of the Prince Ataulpho; upbraiding
the Arab general with his wanton invasion of the land, and summoning him
to surrender his army, or to expect no mercy.

The single eye of Taric el Tuerto glowed like a coal of fire at this
message. 'Tell your commander,' replied he, 'that I have crossed the
strait to conquer Spain, nor will I return until I have accomplished my
purpose. Tell him I have men skilled in war, and armed in proof, with
whose aid I trust soon to give a good account of his rabble host.'

A murmur of applause passed through the assemblage of Moslem captains.
Theodomir glanced on them a look of defiance, but his eye rested on a
renegado Christian, one of his own ancient comrades, and a relation of
Count Julian. 'As to you, Don Greybeard,' said he, 'you who turn apostate
in your declining age, I here pronounce you a traitor to your God, your
king, and country; and stand ready to prove it this instant upon your
body, if field be granted me.'

The traitor knight was stung with rage at these words, for truth rendered
them pie