The National tribune., 1899-05-25

the STRIPPING throw himself manfully be-
fore the door of the apartment, entirely
disconcerted him for a moment. Before
he could find words to express his anger
or perhaps derisiOn, the page, with "A
sudden revulsion of feeling, ran from the
door, and flinging himself at his patron S
feet, embraced his knees, weeping and
exclaiming, with much passion:
30, my dear master! be not incenSed
with me; for | am but weak and silly, and
have no friends but my father and thee.
If thou takest me from my father, then
snail ne be left childlesS, to live and TO
die alone; if thou gOest without us, we
shall be deserted to perish without a
friend for no one has smiled on us but
my lord; and if thou goest while my
father is absent, he will curse me, and /
will curse myself,-for thou must needs
die in the streetsl"
The novice was touched, not so much
by the last and undeniable assurance, as
by the pathetic appeal of the Morisco.
"Be comforted, Jacinto," he cried; "for
now, indeed, it appears to me that,
whether / had passed my gage or not, !
could not take advantage of the weak
ness of such TAILOR, and fly, without the
greatest shame. And, in addition, it
seems to me inhuman and unjust, that |
should think Of escaping, without doing
my best to snatch thee and tiny father
also whose sinfulness does, in this case,
at least, spring from affectionl out Of
thraldom. Be thou therefore content: ]
will remain thy patient prisoner, until
such time as Abdalla returns; hoping
that / can, then, advance such remon-
STRANGE and argument as shall convert
him from his purpose, and cause him to
repent what wrongs he has already done
Don fernando, and to accept his mercy,
which do again avOw myself ready to
secure with my life, and even with my
honor. But l warn thee, that can by no
means remain a captive, while my friends
are given up to destruction"
"Senor" said .JacintO, rising, "there is
a hope they will be spared, if the king
should recover; for greatly have the Mexi-
cans mOurned the rage which wounded
their monarch. If he live, and again
command peace, there will be peace; and
all Of us may yet be happy"
God grant that this may be so,' said
the cavalier, catching at the hope. 81
will therefore remain with thee little;
for if my friends be not starved outright, /
have no fear but that they can easily
maintain themselves week in the pal
ace"
"And, besides, senor," said the page,
returning to his playful manner, 'if you
were 10 leave me, how should you hear
more OF the maid Of Almeria'"
"Of LcilaF cried the cavalier, forgetting
at once his honor and his friends; now
do | remember me, that you have not vet
told me how you acquired your most
blessed and blissful Knowledge. Heaven
but, believe | had entirely forgotten her!
How comest thou TO know aught of herr
Answer me quickly, and be still more
quick TO tell me all you know"
"But how know l." said the page, again
hesitating, chat she of whom | speak is
the Leila after whom it pleases my lord to
inquire'-And why, indeed, now that |
nf Sh m AT al
after one Of a persecued and despised
race"
"Wilt thou still torment me- Have /
not told thee that l forgot her origin,
and loved herr"
"And did she love my lord back AGAIN."
"Thou askest me what | cannot with
certainty answer" replied the cavalier,
"for she was snatched away from me, be
fore | had yet overcome the natural
scrupies of my pride to discourse of love
to one who seemed so much beneath the
dignity OF my birth and fortunes"
"And my lord gave her no cause to
think she had obtained favor in his
eyes7"
"In this thou dOst not err; for, saving
some gifts, which were, indeed, more the
boOns of "A patron than the tribute of u
lover, did nothing to address me to her
affections. In all things, as | may say,
| did rather assume the character of one
who would befriend and protect her from
wrong, than of a man seeking after her
love"
"But, if she accepted my lords gifts,
she must have loved him." said Jacinto.
"They were very trifles," rejOined the
cavalier, Saving only one, indeed, which,
as she must have perceived, could not
have been more properly bestowed than
upon one so innocen. and friendless as
herself. This was a very antique and
blessed jewell "a cross of rubies fetched
by mine ancestor, Don Rodrigo Of ARA
gOn, more than 300 years ago, from the
Holy Land, after having been con-
secrated upon the Sepulcher itself. JtI
was thought TO be talisman of such
heavenly efficacy, in the hands of an un-
spotted virgin, that no harm could ever
come to her who wore it upon her neck.
For mine own part, though | could tell
thee divers stories Of its virtue, recorded
IN our house, yet was l ever inclined to
think that a natural purity of heart was,
in all cases, u much better protection of
innocence than even holy talisman.
Nevertheless, when | beheld this orphan
Moor, / bethought me of the imputed
virtues Of those rubies; and l put them