The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-30
Fair Margaret Castell
BIT n. RIDER HAGGARD.
Copyright, 1907. by n. Rider HagOdrd.
Continued,

Continued.
Some days afterward, when Peter was we'll
on the road to convalescence. his beautiful
nurse came and sat by him, a look Of pity in
her tender, Eastern eyes.
what is it now, Inez?" he asked, noting
her changed face.
sSehor Pedro, you spoke to me a while
ago, when you woke up from your long
sleep, OF a certain Margaret, did you not?
Well, I have been inquiring Of this Doha
Margaret and have no good news TO tell
OF her"
Peter set his teeth and said:
Go on, tell me the worst"
This Margaret was travelling with the
Marquis OF Morella, was she not?'
"She had been stolen by him. answered
Peter.
Alas! II may be so; but here in Spain, and
especially here in Granada, that will
scarcely screen the name Of one who has been
known TO travel with the Marquis Of Mo-
rella."
so much the worse for the Marquis Of
Morella when l meet him again answered
Peter sternly. What is your story, Nurse
Inez?"
She looked with interest at his grim, thin
face, but, as IL seemed to him, with no dis
pleasure.
"A sad one. As l have told you, a sad one.
Il seems that the other day this sehora was
found lead at the foot Of the tallest tower Of
the Marquis's palace, though whether she
fell from it or was thrown from it none
know"
Peter gasped and was silent for a while,
then asked:
Did you see her dead2"
mo, Senior; others saw her.
And told you to tell me? Nurse Ihez, l
do not believe your tale. II the Doha Mar
,garet, my b%etrothed, we're dead should
know it; but my heart tells me that she is
alive
You have great faith, Sehor,' said the
woman, with a note OF admiration in her
voice which she could not suppress, but, as
he observed, without contradicting him.
Il nave faith, he answered. Nothing
else is left; but so far it has been a good
crutch."
Peter made no further ~allusion to the sub
.iect, only presently he asked;
Tell me, where an II"
In a prison, Senor.'
oh! a prison, with a beautiful woman for
jailer, and other beautiful womenT-and he
pointed to a fair creature who had brought
something into the room-+as servants. A
very fine prison also, and he looked about
him at the marbles and arches and lovely
carving.
There are men without the gate, not
women, y she replied, smiling.
Il dare say; captives can be tied with
ropes OF silk, can they not? Well, whose
is this PRISON."
She shook her head.
Il do not know, Sehor. The Moorish
Kings perhape-you yourself have said that
| am only a %jailer."
Then who pays your
Perhaps | am not paid, Senior; perhaps 1
work for love" and she glanced at him
swiftly, -or hate" and her face changed.
Not hate of me, | think, said Peter.
NO, Senior, not hate Of you. Why should
hate you who have been so helpless n 80
courteous to me?" and she bent the knee to
him a little.
why indeed? especially as am also
grateful to you who have nursed me back
10 life. But then, why hide the truth from
a helpless man?"
Ihez glanced abou her; the room was
simply now. She bent over him and VIII g.
pered:
Have you never been forced to hide the
truth? No, l read it in o face, and you
are not a erring roman
They looked into each others eyes a VIII lie,
then Peter asked:
SIS the Dona Margaret really dead?"
Il do not know she answered; Il was
told So" And as though she feared lest
she should betray herself, Ihez turned and
left him quickly.
The days went by, and through the slow
degrees of convalescence Peter grew strong
again. But they brought him no added
knowledge. He did not know where he
dwelt, or why he was there.
All be knew was that he lived a prisoner
in q sumptuous palace, OF, as he suspected, |
for Of this he could not be sure, since the
0rched windows of one side OF the building
were walled up, in the wing Of a palace.
Nobody came near 10 him except the fair
Ihez, and a Moor who either was deaf or
could understand nothing that he said to
him in Spanish.
There were other women about, it is true,
very pretty women all of them, who acted
rs servants, but none of these was allowed
TO approach him; he only saw them a: a
distance. Therefore Inez was his sole
companion, and with her he grew intimate
TO a certain extent, but no further.
On the occasion that has been described
she had lifted a corner of the veil which
hid her true self, but a long while passed
before she enlarged her confidence. The
vol was kept down very close indeed.
Day by day he questioned her, and day
by day, without the slightest show OF irri-
tation, or even annoyance, she parried his
questions. They knew perfectly well that
they we're matching their wits against each
other; but as yet lhez had the best OF the
game, which, indeed, she seemed to enjoy.
He would talk to her also of ell sorts OF
things-the state Of Spain. the Moorish
court, the danger that threatened Granada, !
whereof the great siege now drew near,
ard so forth-and Of these matters she would
discourse most intelligently, with the result i
that he learned much Of the state Of politics /
in CASTLE and Granada, and greatly i'm
proved his knowledge of the Spanish
tongue.
But when Of a sudden. as he did again
and again, he sprang some question on her