for which there was no outside inspira- | him, and at last had turned about on her tion. The remembrance of her passion- lonely homeward road. And yet he was ate words to Brooke, so lately uttered, so blameless then. As far as that was conardently answered, was strong within her. cerned he could excuse himself; he could And yet here was one who held her prom- explain all. He felt so guilty in some ise, who could claim her as his own, | things that he was anxious to show his inwho could take her away from Brooke; nocence in other things where he had not and what could she do? been to blame; and so he hastened most eagerly to give a long and an eloquent vindication of himself by explaining all about his journey to England, and his return to Barcelona, and his search after her, which had led him to this. Harry, on the other hand, had dared death for Katie; for her he had tried to fling away his life. This had been done in the presence of his Sydney. Had she understood that? She could not have understood it. Could he explain? Impossible! Could he tell the story of his falsity to this noble lady, whom he had professed to love, whom he had come also to revere? And this proud, this delicately nurtured girl had come from her home for his sake, to suffer, to risk her life, to become a miserable captive! Was there not in this a stronger reason than ever why he should be true to her? And yet, if he loved another better, would it not be wrong to marry Sydney? All the tenderness of his heart rose up within him in one strong, yearning thought of-Oh, Katie! But all his honor, his pride, his manliness, all his pity, too, and his sympathy, made themselves felt in a deep under-tone of feeling-oh, Sydney! true and faithful! At last he was able to speak. "Oh, Sydney," said he, "what bitter, bitter fortune has brought you here to this horrible place-to so much misery?" Talbot looked down. She could not look in his face. She felt unworthy of him. He seemed faithful still. She had seen the act of his in attacking Lopez, but had not understood it. She thought him faithful in spite of all. "Bitter," said she, slowly. "Bitter; yes, bitter indeed-bitter was the fortune that brought me here!" She could say no more. She was thinking only of that bitter fortune which had brought her to a place where she might be forever torn from Brooke; where Brooke, too, had found one who might tear him from her. But Harry understood this differently. He detected in these words a reflection upon himself. He thought she alluded to her long journey to him, when she had come so far, and had reached her destination only to find him absent; when she had waited for days without finding any trace of him or hearing any word from And in all this Talbot found only proofs of Harry's unalterable fidelity. He had been true! She had been false! What now was there for her to do? To sacrifice this man? What! after such love and loyalty? Or, on the other hand, to give up Brooke! Brooke!-give up Brooke! Oh, heavens! How was that possible? Would she not rather die than give up Brooke? When her own words to him were fresh in her memory, and when his words of love to her were still ringing in her ears-at such a moment as this could she think of giving up Brooke? Such were the thoughts and feelings of these two. Meanwhile Ashby, finding himself left alone by Dolores, stood for a while wondering who her friend might be; until at length, finding that she was beginning to give him a detailed history of her life, he looked around in despair. And he saw Katie standing alone, where she had been left by Harry, near the foot of the stairway; and as all the others were engaged in their own affairs, and, moreover, as his relations with Katie were of the most intimate kind, he saw no other course open to him than to approach her and converse with her. And at that moment he remembered that Katie had in her possession-perhaps in her pocket--a certain letter which he had written to her only a few days before, full of protestations of love, in which he informed her that he was going to travel with her in the same train, in the hope of seeing her at Burgos or Bayonne; in which he urged her to come to him, to be his wife; to set at defiance her hostile guardian, and to unite herself with him. This seemed strange to him now, when his mind was filled with thoughts of Dolores, and his heart was full of the love of Dolores. Even his resentment against her had passed away. She had allowed herself to in (Dolores was still giving an account of herself. It was unworthy of her!) "Oh no," said Katie, "not at all." She heard Harry speak in an apologetic manner. It was very hard to bear. Would he leave her for this lady? There was now a pause. dulge in a flirtation with his friend Riv- | afraid that this excitement might have an ers. Was that a crime? He, on the oth- injurious effect." er hand, had lost all love for her, and had given all his heart to Dolores. Katie seemed to him now not repugnant as a false one, but merely pitiable as a weak, child-like character. The falsity now seemed rather on his part than on hers. He believed that Harry had gone much farther in treachery than Katie. Katie, he thought, was merely a weak-minded flirt, while Harry had become a traitor in allowing himself to fall in love with her. Even for Harry he could now make some allowances; and since he had found out his own feelings, he had less jealousy, and therefore less resentment against his former friend. As for jealousy, if he now had that feeling, it was all directed elsewhere, namely, toward that stranger whose sudden appearance had so engrossed Dolores. In such a state of mind as this Ashby advanced toward Katie. Now Katie had come down with the express purpose of seeing him, and with her mind full of a very pretty speech which she intended to make to him. But the sudden meeting of Harry with Talbot had raised other thoughts and feelings, which had driven her pretty speech altogether out of her mind. A bitter jealousy afflicted her tender heart. This lady was the Sydney Talbot of whom he had told her, and who had come all the way from England on this perilous journey to marry him. Would she now give him up? Impossible! how could Harry escape her? And As Ashby approached, Katie therefore had but little thought for him. Ashby also thought less of her than of Dolores. Who was this stranger? he thought. Why was he so familiar? Why did Dolores leave him so abruptly? and why was she telling to this stranger the whole story of her life? Thus Ashby and Katie met again. Ashby had to say something, and so, as was natural, he took refuge in conventionalities. "I hope," said he, "that no ill effects have arisen from this recent excitement. "Oh no," said Katie, in an abstracted tone. She was trying to listen to Talbot's words. They did not sound pleasant. Ashby also was trying to listen to Dolores. She seemed to him to be altogether too familiar. Ashby and Katie were both listening. with all their might to hear what was said by Dolores and by Harry respectively. Ashby felt the necessity of saying something. "Very fine weather," said he. At this mention of the moon each thought of those moonbeams which had streamed in through the narrow windows on those past few nights-nights so memorable to each; and each thought of them with the same feelings. Ashby tried to find something new to say. He thought of the position in which they all were-its danger-their liability to recapture-the necessity of flight, and yet the difficulty of doing so-things which he and Dolores had just been considering. "This," said he, "is a very embarrassing position." Katie by this understood him to mean the relations which they bore to one another, and which had become somewhat confused by her affair with Harry. She thought this was Ashby's way of putting it. She sighed. She looked at Harry and Talbot. They seemed coming to an understanding. Harry was certainly making an explanation which seemed unnecessarily long. And here was Ashby hinting at an explanation with herself. She had forgotten all her fine speeches with which she had come down. She knew not what to say. She only felt a jealous fear about Harry, and another fear about an explanation with Ashby. Ashby meanwhile thought nothing about Katie, but was full of eagerness to learn what was going on between Dolores and Brooke. There were three couples involved in this awkward situation, and among them all it is difficult to say which was most embarrassed. It was bad enough to meet "I'm very glad," said Ashby. "I was with the old lover, but it was worse to feel that the eye of the new lover was upon them. Moreover, each new lover felt jealous of the old one; and the mind of each had thus to be distracted between two discordant anxieties. In short, it was, as Ashby had well said, a most embarrassing situation. there was serious danger of an immediate attack by the enemy. At this Brooke said nothing, but merely bowed, and followed Talbot to help her with the wounded men. Dolores, upon this, cast a glance at Ashby and went out. Ashby immediately fol Suddenly, in the midst of all this, a fig-lowed her. ure entered the hall which attracted all eyes. It was a figure of commanding presence; a man rather elderly, in the uniform of a general officer, all ablaze with gold. There was a universal shock at such an apparition. The first thought of every one was that the castle had been captured by some new enemy-that this was the leader, and that they all were prisoners. Upon this Harry approached Katie. Neither said a word, but, acting on one common impulse, they went upstairs together into the upper hall. As they thus went up, Russell came out of the other room, and seeing them ascending the stairs, he followed them. On reaching the top of the stairs Harry and Katie stood, and Russell also stopped a little below. He wasn't proud. He was anxious for information. So he stood and listened to what they had to say. But one by one, to Ashby, Harry, Brooke, to Katie, Talbot, and Dolores, came the recognition of the fact that under this magnificent exterior lay conceal-time, until at length Katie spoke. ed the person of their companion and friend, the venerable and the virtuous Russell. The two stood there in silence for some “I want to look after something," said he; and with these words he went into the room where he had first been confinednamely, the one opposite to that in which the recent ceremony had taken place. CHAPTER LIII. HOW HARRY AND KATIE DISCUSS THE SIT- THE sudden appearance of Russell broke the spell which had rested upon all. Talbot was the first to make a movement. "Excuse me for a few moments," said she. 'There are some wounded men inside who are in my care. I came out to get some water for them. I must make haste." Saying these words, she left Harry, and | went to the corner of the apartment where there was a jar of water. Filling a vessel from this, she returned to the wounded. Harry did not follow her. Upon seeing this movement of Talbot, Katie withdrew from Ashby. Ashby did not seem to notice this, for he was still watching Dolores. Dolores now remarked to Brooke that she was just at that time engaged in looking after the defenses of the castle, for "Isn't this horrible?" said she, with a heavy sigh. Harry gave another sigh responsive to hers. "It's worse," said Katie, "than ever." Harry, with another sigh, allowed that it was. "I can't stay here," said Katie, "in this place, and what's more, I won't stay. I'm free now, and I've made up my mind to go away." "Will you?" said Harry, in an eager voice. "Yes, I will," said Katie, decidedly; "and I'll go all alone. You needn't come; for of course you'll stay." "Stay?" said Harry--" stay? and here? when you've gone away?" "Oh yes," said Katie, "of course you'll stay here with your dear Sydney!" Harry sighed. 66 But I won't stay," continued Katie, after another pause; 'I'm going to leave; and I'll walk back to the railway all alone." "I think that would be a capital idea," said Harry, in a tone of great animation. At this Katie burst into tears. Harry was now quite distracted. He caught her in his arms and kissed her over and over again. "You don't understand," said he. "I mean it would be a good idea to go; but, of course, you shall not go alone." "Yes, I will go alone," said Katie-"all alone. You don't care for me, now that you've got your Sydney. You don't care for me a bit!" "Care for you!" cried Harry; "you're the only one, Katie, in all the world that I do care for." "Yes," said the voice, "fly! That's the ticket. There's a devil here-a she-devil. I'll show you the way out. If you want to Katie struggled away from his encir- get off without Ashby seeing you, I'll show cling arms. "No," said she, "you're not speaking the truth. You'll leave me, and say those same words to your Sydney." 66 Bother Sydney!" cried Harry, in unfeigned vexation. At this Katie, whose head had been for a moment averted, now turned her tearful eyes on him, and Harry once more took her in his arms. "But do you, after all," said she-" do you, after all, care for me just a little bit, Harry?" “Care for you!" cried Harry, with headlong impetuosity. "I swear, Katie, that I love you better than all the world. I will give up everything for you. Will you do as much for me?" "Why-why, how can I help it?" said Katie. At this reply Harry kissed her again. "You-you offered your life for me," said Katie, in tearful agitation, “and didn't I almost give my life for you, you dear old boy? You don't know all yet. You don't know that it was for your sake only, and to save you from death, that I consented to sacrifice myself to that awful man." Katie now told Harry the whole story, and the effect of this narration was only to intensify the ardent love of this volatile youth. While he had been face to face with Talbot he had undergone a severe struggle from conflicting emotions and impulses. But now Katie was before him, Talbot was present no longer; and Katie was so sweet, so tender, so trustful, and, above all, she had such a story to tell, that he could not resist. Talbot's claims on him became less and less perceptible in these new ones which Katie presented; and so the consequence was that he yielded up everything-his honor, his loyalty, and his duty. "Katie," said he, as he pressed her in his arms, "I love you alone. I'll give up all for you. Let us fly from this place-let us fly. Let us not wait here where these other people are." "Fly?" said Katie; "where?" "But how can we get out? go out boldly through the gate?" Shall we you how; I know the way. It's a secret passage. That's how I escaped the last time; and I'll take you to it when it gets dark." It was Russell who had thus interposed. Harry and Katie showed no resentment whatever at his intrusion, but caught at his suggestion. Russell alluded with clumsy and rather vulgar playfulness to their tender relations, and offered, as guardian, to give Katie away the moment they should find a parson. Meanwhile Dolores had gone out into the court-yard, followed by Ashby. There they stopped, and looked at one another in silence. "Who's that fellow?" said Ashby at last. Dolores explained that he was a friend of hers who had been of great help in Cuba. She did not tell how tender their relations had been. "H'm!" said Ashby. "Never heard of him before. You seemed very intimate." "He saved my life," said Dolores. "Saved your life?" Dolores sighed. Then more of her story escaped her. At last the whole truth came out. "What!" said Ashby; "and so you were engaged! In fact, the fellow is an old lover." Dolores said nothing, but looked at Ashby with mournful inquiry, as though appealing to him to know what she ought to do. "How did he get here?" asked Ashby, calmly. "He has been seeking for me all these years, and traced me here, and was captured." "H'm! that's devotion," said Ashby. "And who's his friend-the girl that was disguised as priest?” Suddenly some one came between them, have known Brooke's feelings toward this and a voice chimed into the conversation. [ "priest" by his devotion to her in saving Then they walked away to inspect the fortifications. her life. But it was not so. Brooke's des- in a rapture of gladness, and Ashby pressed perate act in flinging himself before Lopez | her hands more closely in his. seemed to Ashby merely an accident consequent upon his struggle with his captors. Besides, the attack of Dolores and her six Carlists had followed so closely upon this that all had become confused together. While Ashby had been asking these few questions Dolores remained looking at him with that same mournful inquiry. Ashby noticed it, for he looked at her several times, though each time he looked away elsewhere. He was turning over all this in his mind. CHAPTER LIV. IN WHICH THERE IS A TERRIBLE CALAMITY. RUSSELL'S advent among the embarrassed lovers can easily be explained. Seated at the gate in the uniform of a general, with gorgeous array of blue and gold, with a sword in his manly hand, and At length he looked at her once more, armed warriors around him, his martial and took her hands in his. soul had gradually lost its terrors, and "Dolores," said he, "I have made up his mind was at leisure to think of other my mind.” "What?" said she, in a faint voice, looking up at him in awful suspense. "I will not give you up! That's decided. You must dismiss the idea from your mind." In an instant the shadow of anxiety fled from the face of Dolores, followed by a flash of joy like a sunbeam. She said not a word, but Ashby saw that rush of happiness, and all his own nature responded. "You must come with me," said he. "That fellow may look out for himself." "But-but-" said Dolores. She paused. "What?" things. First among these other things was that precious package which he had concealed. Now was the time for him to look it up and regain possession. None but friends were now in the castle. Those bonds would now be safer in his own possession than anywhere else, and never could he hope for a better chance than this. As for Rita, she must have fled, he thought, with the other fugitives, and with her had fled his worst fear. With such thoughts as these, the martial Russell sheathed his warlike sword and walked back again toward the castle. Here he entered the hall where the others were talking, and passing through, en"That's an old tered the well-remembered room where he had been confined. He looked all around. He was alone. He walked to the chim We-we-are-engaged." "Pooh!" said Ashby. story.' 'But-but-" "Well?" said Ashby, impatiently, as ney. He looked up. Through the broad she paused. opening at the top he saw the sky. In the gloom of the shaft he saw also that opening in which he had placed the precious parcel. All seemed as it had been, and he felt convinced that his papers were safe. Further examination, however, was just now not advisable. He would have to light a torch, and some of his friends might come in just as he was going up or coming down. So he concluded to defer his search until they had gone out of the way a little. until which time the package would be quite safe. In the mean time he thought he would go back and hear what they were all talking about. "Conscience? Duty? Ah!" repeated Ashby. "Well, then, I'll tell you what to think of-think of me! Here was I, engaged to that English maiden. You have won my love. You have made me indifferent to her. You have made my love grow stronger and stronger every moment, until now I'm ready to give up Coming back again, he saw them all everything for you. Your duty, there- going in different directions, and, as a fore, is to be true to me, as I will be true matter of course, he followed those who to you." were nearest and dearest, namely, Katie Dolores looked up again with her face and Harry. He stood and listened with a |