The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-08

the little French firti Oh, | remember that" said Captain Tudor eagerly; ..he saw her at ball in Paris"
 Why, you are becoming brilliant, cried Hester. T would think he would have escaped many troubles if he had married the Infanta. Henrietta was not a good influence"
 Perhaps the Infanta might have been worse. After the troubles you mention wish Spanish Queen and a Spanish King, he was wise to give the Spanish match the go-by. I sayl what learned talk we are having! How did we start?"
 with spain." said Hester. i've al- ways been interested in Spain.
 "oh, have you?-and built a castle in the country. I'll lay odds!"
 Hester blushed faintly as she an swered, T believe we all do that. Here we are--this. must be the Cathed- ral." she exclaimed. as a high embat- tied wall came Into sight. And in a few moments they were standing be- fore an immense C-te covered with cop per plates inscribed in Arabic. and sur mounted by a horseshoe arch.
 This is the Puerta de Las Palmas," exclaimed the courier, bustling for ward. The inscription means The Lordship belongs to Allah, and his pro- tection.' once there were, ,.twenty-two
 
 -as they -asse through a dim en- trance into blazing sunshine-"is the celebrated court of .oranges"--a large paved enclosure with fountains and rows of trees in mower. overhung on one side by the Cathedral and ils tower. at
 'I say, this is awfully jolly, isn't it?" said Captain Tudor. who secretly hated sightseeing: still. ten thousand a year was 2 consideration.
 "Jollyr' she replied; it does not strike me as that. It is grandT
 To Hester 1t was the embodiment of a dream. and the strangeness and the thrill of 1t seemed to have passed into her being. There was an unexpected scene of space and sunshine and re- pose--despites 2 few tourists armed with guide books, and not a few beg gars assembled round the gate of Par don ,(the chief entrance to the Mosque itself). Half a dozen ragged but gem tlemanly old men exended. their empty hands to Hester, and in one she placed five peseta piece. The recipient made no attempt at thanks. but instantly hurried away at shufiing run. in or der, 1t transpired, to get change, whilst the remaining i've poured on the char itAbIe lady their sonorous promises: ''Dios 10 pagara" ("God will repay 'you.)
 AIl6T a .SHOTL uelay, E1dSLSE anu EcE companions entered the great Mosque. How dim it seemed after the outside glare. and what q forest of columns As the girl stood breathless and overawed. Captain Tndor exciaimed-
 Isn't 1t ripping: What q place for hide-ahd-seeki'.'a
 The largest mosque in the world. the ,Caaba at Mecca The third Mirab or holy place Is the chief thing to see. the ceiling Is of one piece of marble, shaped like a shell. and the floor is worn hollow by the knees of pilgrims"
 Hester greatly preferred to see and search for herself; but she was in awe of the courier, who held her Baedeker tightly under his arm, and desired to expound his own information. By-and- by the sightseers came to the great choir, built b., Charles ", Christian Cathedral surrounded by a Mosque The carvings of the stalls were won derful (the finest example og wood- work in Spainl. Here were splendid ! old choir -booi.s and an enormous sil visited, and its costly contents dis played-processional crosses, reliquar- les, paxes. priestly robes and mag nificent jewels worn by the Virgin on great festivals.
 They passed through the maze of pil- lars in jasper. porphyry, and marble. brought, 1t was said, from the ruins of Carthage. On their way back to the Court of Oranges they were detained to see the cross scratched on a column by Christian captive with his nail also the column by which he was sub sequently garotted. Marietta found these two items more to her taste than all the rest, and absorbed the anec- dote with. greedy satisfaction. (COntinued TOmOrrOw.)