Year: 1873

others into the room, and from the smok,
of fseyeral pistols discharged simultaneous
| ly, seized the end of the ladder and was
on terra firma and flying down the narrow
ravine between Charlie and the Zingara
before the inmates of the posada wert
aware Of my escape.


The girl was as swift-tooted as deer
and sped on rapidly before us, until we
plunged into what seemed to me prime
val forest, and in whose friendly shades
we knew that we We're safe.


Then the girl opened her lips and told
us that she had heard of the plot to mur-
der the 1.-TWO young English travellers
three days before; that our guide was
one of the gang of rutlians, and was
pledged to bring us to that posada, instead
OF the one q few leagues further on,
where respectable travellers always
stopped, and to which she was guiding us
now The placing the piece of furniture
as a barricade against the door had been
anticipated and provided for by loosening
the pannels Of the door, which had been
removed SO noiselessly that even Charlie,
wide awake as he was at the time, had
not heard it; and then when the secretary
had been pushed sufficiently forward, the
live rut1ians hoped to crawl in on their
hands and knees and murder us i'll our
sleep.


And could not come sooner to your
rescue, Seniors, continued she, 'because
| was suspected and so closely watched
but the instant | saw them all at the top
Of the ladder which led to your room, [
rushed round to the window to give YOU
the chance of escape. And You are safe,
the Virgin Mary and all the blessed saints
be praised. Marichita has done one good
action more" and she raised her large
eyes to heaven with a glance more mourn
fully penitcnt than that Of Guido's Mag
dalen


We had been walking now ior nearly
two hours, and the purple light of morn
ing began to tinge the tops Of the distant
hills Then the heavens Were sutfused
with rich crimson hue which shot up
ward in brilliant rays to the very zenith
and deepened in fire and intensity as it
touched the horizon.


Eve part here, senors,0 said Marchita,
As she stood in the pomp and glory OF the
sunrise, her delicate features standing out
in clear relief against the eastern sky, and
the golden masses of her hair shining and
sAimmering in the suns first rays. Yon-
der is the inn where you will find fresh
horses and more trusty guide May the
Virgin and all the saints protect your


''Stay, Marichita. ;" cried Charlie, spring
inc forward and seizing her by the hand !;
''you Shall not SO back into that den of
thieves Go with US to Granada Let us,
at least leave you in safety there; and, if
the devotion of my live will prove my
gratitude for this nights service, Marichita,
| offer il to you now


He was going to lay his hand and all
his worldly possessions at her feet; but
she drew herself up and waved him gently
back.


'Senor it cannot be-" she said
"Marchita thanks You for your noble offer,
but she would be out of place in your far
off English home One little souvenir is
all she asks, and then placing her hands
upon Charle's shoulders, She motioned
him to kneel before her, and, taking u
small dagger from her girdle, she severed
one Of the short fair curls that lay so thick
upon his head Thrusting it hastily into
herbosom, she turned, and with an "Adios,
Seniors, disappeared in the mazes Of the
forest


We never saw her again; but we heard
at Granada that Mar'chitl, s.the gypsy of
Malaga" us she was called, was well
known for her deeds of love and mercy in
all the country round. OF her origin or
early life, we could learn nothing, and
the Spaniartl> shrugged their shoulders
when asked where and when we could
hope to see her again. She was Of Zingara
blood they said, though She was seldom
with her tribe, anG no one knew where
she lived only occasionally she was heard
of in connection With some brave and
kindly action


1t took my friend Charlie a long time
to recover his tone and spirits after this
little adventure, and am inclined to think
the wound made by the fair Andalusian was
deeper than seemed at the time possible
to my more phlegmatic nature. At any
rate he never married, and when | ask
him when he means to choose a mistress
for his ancestral halls, his answer is:


"When ! can find another Marichlta
not before English Paper