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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； runaways； we have found you；〃 cried one of them； as he
recognized the children。 〃Come； Theresa； what means this folly？
Whither are you and Pedro bound？〃
〃We were even starting for a crusade against the Moor； Brother
Jago；〃 said Theresa； timidly； 〃but our Infidel friend herewhy；
where hath he gone？says that there are neither Infidel castles
nor Moorish armies now； and that therefore we may not be
crusaders。〃
〃But I know that he doth lie； Brother Jago；〃 cried little Pedro；
more valiant still when he saw to what his Moorish cavalry was
reduced。 〃He is the King of Cordova； come here to spy out the
land； and I was about to cut off his head when you did disturb
us。〃
Big brother Jago de Cepeda and the two servants of his father's
house laughed long and loudly。
〃Crusaders and kings；〃 he cried； 〃why； we shall have the Cid
himself here； if we do but wait long enough。〃
〃Hush； brother；〃 said young Pedro； confidentially； 〃say it not so
loudly。 I did tell the Infidel that I was Ruy Diaz of Bivar； the
Cid Campeadorand he did believe me。〃
And then the cavalry laughed louder than ever； and swooping down
captured the young crusaders and set the truants before them on
their uncomfortable Cordova saddles。 Then； turning around； they
rode swiftly back to Avila with the runaways； while the old Moor；
glad to have escaped rough handling from the Christian riders；
grasped his staff and plodded on toward Avila and Valladolid。
So the expedition for martyrdom and crusade came to an
ignominious end。 But the pious desires of little Theresa did not。
For； finding that martyrdom was out of the question； she proposed
to her ever…ready brother that they should become hermits； and
for days the two children worked away trying to build a hermitage
near their father's house。
But the rough and heavy pieces of granite with which they sought
to build their hermitage proved more than they could handle； and
their knowledge of mason…work was about as imperfect as had been
their familiarity with crusading and the country of the Moors。
〃The stones that we piled one upon another；〃 wrote Theresa
herself in later years； 〃immediately fell down； and so it came to
pass that we found no means of accomplishing our wish。〃
The pluck and piety； however； that set this conscientious and
sympathetic little girl to such impossible tasks were certain to
blossom into something equally hard and unselfish when she grew
to womanhood。 And so it proved。 Her much…loved but
romance…reading mother died when she was twelve years old； and
Theresa felt her loss keenly。
She was a very clever and ambitious girl； and with a mother's
guiding hand removed she became impatient under the restraints
which her stern old father； Don Alphonso； placed upon her。 At
sixteen she was an impetuous； worldly…minded； and very vain
though very dignified young lady。 Then her father； fearful as to
her future； sent her to a convent； with orders that she should be
kept in strict seclusion。
Such a punishment awoke all the feelings of conscientiousness and
self…conviction that had so influenced her when she was a little
girl； and Theresa； left to her own thoughts； first grew morbid；
and then fell sick。
During her sickness she resolved to become a nun； persuaded her
ever…faithful brother； Pedro； to become a friar； and when Don
Alphonso； their father； refused his consent； the brother and
sister； repeating the folly of their childhood； again ran away
from home。
Then their father； seeing the uselessness of resistance；
consented； and Theresa； at the age of twenty； entered a convent
in Avila； and became a nun in what was known as the Order of the
Carmelites。
The life of these nuns was strict； secluded； and silent； but the
conscientious nature of Theresa found even the severities of this
lonely life not sufficiently hard； and attaining to a position of
influence in the order she obtained permission from the Pope in
1562 to found a new order which should be even more strict in its
rules； and therefore； so she believed； more helpful。 Thus was
founded the Order of Barefooted Carmelites； a body of priests and
nuns； who have in their peculiar way accomplished very much for
charity； gentleness； and self…help in the world； and whose
schools and convents have been instituted in all parts of the
earth。
Theresa de Cepeda died in 1582； greatly beloved and revered for
her strict but gentle life； her great and helpful charities； and
her sincere desire to benefit her fellow…men。 After her death； so
great was the respect paid her that she was canonized； as it is
called： that is； lifted up as an example of great goodness to the
world； and she is to…day known and honored among devout Roman
Catholics as St。 Theresa of Avila。
Whatever we may think of the peculiar way in which her life was
spent；