The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-04

they had left them, the two armed war riors on guard silent and notionless, but gazing upon them with terrifying coun- tenance. They removed two of the great jars filled with gold and precious stones and carried them up, up with great toll and exertion, to the open air The bar Der, the alguazil and the alcalde had hastened there before them. When these two jars were swung on either side of the donkey they were as much as the animal could bear. and at the sight of them the alcalde and his friends fairly trembled with greed.
 Let us be content for the present., said the Moor, with what we have re- moved. We can come back later for what remains" "What!'' cried the alcalde, the barber and the alguazil in a chorus, 'is there still more behind?'' Why" re- piled the Moor. i've have only taken the least of the treasure The greatest of all, an immense iron-bound chest, is still in the vault. It is full of pearls and pre- cious stones. But we have enough here to make us all wealthy for life. wealthy beyond our hearts desire" The words of the Moore had, as he intended they should, excited still more the ravenous and unsuitable cupidity of the alcalde and his adherents, and they demanded that the chest be brought up.
 Let us have the chest by all means" said the alcalde; I've must not leave that" "I will descend for no more" said the Moor determinedly. enough is enough for any reasonable man-and more is superfuous." And IT. said the water carrier, will not break my bacx by brnging up any more treasure tonight. Nor will I break the back of my poor donkey by asking him to carry any great re load" The alcalde threatened, the a. guazi acclaimed and threatened likewise end the barber implored. But neither Fer egil nor the Moor would budge. If you want any more, go and get it." said tie Moor, Ion matter what happens I 7lll not go after more treasure tonight. But il you three want to go down to the chamber and bring up the chest I will hold the candle for you so that y.ra may do safely"
 Finding theats and entreaties alike | useless to move the resolution of Peregil l and the Moor, the alcalde said to the barber and the alguazil: Come, le. US three go and fetch the chest We will divide It's contents between us. These caitiffs shall have none of It." So say ing, he descended the steps. followed by his adherents, though the barber and the alguazil went with fear and reamoiing The Moor and Peregil followed behind l tp hot d treasure chamber
 No sooner did the Moor see the three fairly down Into the cavern than ha blew out the yellow taper There was the usual rumbling and crashing and the floor of the chamber in which Peregil and the l inf1del stood closed above the heads of the treasure seekers in the chamber be- low. AS for the Moor he ran as fast as he could up the flights of stairs leading to the open air, and little. bandy-legged Peregil followed him as fast as his crooked legs would allow. "'Oh, what hast thou done7" cried Peregil, in terror, as soon as he could recover his breath; you have left the alcalde, the alguazil and the barber entombed in the treasure vault.
 The Moor heavcd a sigh and replied, as he folded his hands over his stomach, It is the will of Allah, my friend--the will of Allah" And are you going to realese them?' cried Peregil. Allah forbidw said the Moor fervently. Ut is written in the book of fate that they shall remain enchanted until some future adventurer arrives to break the charm The will of Allah be done." And so saying he threw the end of the yellow candle far down
 into the dense thiclzets which clothed the hillside-far into the glen below, where Ii would have been impossible to recov- CT 1t.
 1 Little Peregil was terrified at this decided action of the Moor but there was no help for it, and, gradually re- covering his composure, he went off down the mountain side with his com panion to the latter's house. where they divided the spells which were con- tained in the two Jars. And all the way down to the city Peregil would stop now and then to hug and kiss his other compapion, his long -eared fell low laborer who had been so miracu- lohsly restored to him from the clutches of the law. In fact, 1t Is doubtful which gave the honest. sim pie fellow the more pleasure at the time-the gaining of the treasure or the restoration of his donkey
 L The two partners in good luck made "a fairly even division of the spells. It is true that the Moor, who seemed to have a taste for trinkets managed to get into his pile the most of the pearls, diamonds rubies and such baubles. But then he, in return, showed over to Peregil's pile to balance them, mag nifcent jewels of massy gold. five times as large as any precious stone he took for himself And Peregil was content even thought the Moor most gener- ous. But there was enough, anyway, to make both the Moor and Peregll rich-richer than they had ever dared dream of being. Quietly Peregil got donkey before day broke over the mountain ranges that shelter the plain of the Vega and the royal city of Gran ada.
 The early beams were just beginning to glance upon the highest towers of | the Generalife and the Alhambra as Peregil entered his house, where his wife, who thought by this time that he must surely have been hanged, began wailing and scolding. as usual. and set oil the children in hubbub likewise. Though 1t had been her own gossiping | tongue that had brought her husband A