The young mountaineer turned quickly
round, and, with an exclamation of
delight, clasped to his heart a lovely
maiden of a beautiful form and an air of
wild mountain grace, mingled with a modesty
so captivating, a bearing so proud
and free, that she seemed a fit mate for
the noble, manly gazelle-keeper, who
was gazing so affectionately into her dark
moon-lit eyes. Such eyes ne'er had gazelle
as hers. So large, and bright, and
starry, and so beaming with love and
the tenderness of passion.

`Genilla,' he said, `I feared you were
away again. I was just about entering
the door to seek you.'

`Allah be praised that you did not!'
she answered fervently. I am so glad
you are come. It is three days—three
long days, Alfonzo since I have seen
you.'

`I have seen you every moment, dearest
Genilla. I have to look into my heart
to find your image there always.'

`And do you think I forget you? How
is it you have not been here?'

`I have had much trouble with my
gazelles of late. They have four times,
in the last three days, wandered far out
of their usual track upon the mountains,
and I have spent many hours in search
of them. The night before last I was
upon the mountain till dawn.'

`How I tremble when I reflect upon
your dangers at such times, dear Alfonzo,
' said the dark-eyed girl, looking up
into the face of her lover with beaming

[figure description] Page 016.[end figure description]

eyes that seemed moistened with tears of
affectionate solicitude. `One false step
in those hours of darkness, and you
would perish! Would that you could
turn to some other pursuit, my noble
Alfonzo. Oh, that you would listen and
be persuaded to—'

`Not a word more, Genilla,' he said
playfully, yet firmly; `I know what you
would say. I am a Christian and not a
Moor!'

`You should, for my sake, seek the
service of the Emir,' she continued
warmly. `If thon lovest me, Alfonzo,
thou canst not hate my people!'

`For thy sake, I would do them good
and not evil. For thy sake I have done
them kindness, when it was in my power
to injure them. But more than this, I
cannot. I would rather be the free gazelle-keeper
upon the mountains, exposed
to death by the precipices and the wolves,
rather than take service with the chiefs
of thy race. Speak no more to me upon
this subject, Genilla!'

The maiden folded her fair hands upon
her bosom, and sighed and remained
silent. Alfonzo led her gently along a
narrow walk, bordered with wild flowers,
which wound round the cottage, and
thence held its serpentine way up the
mountain. They walked on a little way
together, until they came to a smooth
rock, hollowed out beneath a trickling
mountain stream, that had filled the cavity.
A few gold and silver fishes glanced
about in the pool, their glittering scales
reflecting the moonlight, as it found its
way to them through the foliage of an
acacia that grew from a crevice in the
rock, and bent gracefully over it. There
was a stone bench against the natural
wall by the fountain, and a bed of moss
before it for the feet to rest upon.

`Let us sit here, Genilla,' said Alfonso,
as he drew her gently to the seat. `How
delicately the distant minarets sparkle in
the beams of the young moon, which
looks upon a hundred rivals in Cordova!
Would it were the cross the moon shone
upon. Father Godfrey says that he remembers
when a hundred golden crosses
caught, and flung back the glory of the
morning sun. Would those good days
were come again, Genilla. But I see
that you like not the subject. I know, if
I love thee, I must love thee as thou
art; but would to God thou wert a Christian!
'

`Would to Allah thou wert a true believer,
Alfonzo!' said the maiden, earnestly,
her dark eyes lighting up with
beautiful enthusiasm.

`We will not talk of this now. Who
was with thy father when I tapped at thy
window, and where were you, Genilla,
when I came?'

`I was in the tower looking for thee,
and listening for thy step. I expected
thee to-night, for if thou hadst not come
I should have been sad and filled with
fears of thy safety. I saw thee come up
the path and listen at the lattice. I came
out of the tower and touched thee just in
time to keep thee from entering rashly.'

`Who is with thy father?'

`The Chistian hermit.'

`Not father Godfrey!' exclaimed Alfonzo,
with amazement.

`Yes. He came about a quarter
of an hour ago. I was in my lattice
singing to my littah when I beheld his
tall, majestic figure crossing the green to
the door. I trembled, I hardly knew
why; but since he used to come and talk
to me of Christ, I have feared him. Yet
I would have warned him, for thy sake,
that my father, Ben Osmin, was at home.
I ran forth for this purpose, supposing he
had come as heretofore to persuade me
to become a Christian, to tell him his danger,
when seeing me he directly asked
for Ben Osmin.'

`Asked for the stern Moor?'

`Yes. He said to me, Daughter, I
would see thy father. Lead me to him!'

`And you obeyed?'

`While he was speaking, Wolf, the
dog, was making a deep growling noise
which brought my father to the door.
Upon seeing him I expected I knew not
what scene of horror, for my father loves
not a Christian. But upon seeing the
hermit, for the moon showed him plainly
to him, he advanced with courtesy and
taking bis hand, said,

`Enter, Christian in the name of Allah.
'

`This is surprising. It was hither then
that the father was coming.'

`He seemed to be expected. My father
led him into the house, and at the

[figure description] Page 017.[end figure description]

same time bade me walk awhile in the
moon-light as he had a private talk to
hold with the hermit. So I wandered
into the tower and stood in the window
waiting for you and wondering at this
strange visit of the hermit to my father.'

`It is strange indeed. I know not
what it can mean. He cannot hope to
convert Ben Osmin. Yet he and Ben
Osmin can have no business together in
common. It is very strange that the holy
father should leave his mountain lodge at
night to come hither.'

`Perhaps they have business together.
In Cordova Christian and Infidel traffic
together, jostle each other in the Bazaars,
and dwell at peace within the same
walls. Why should not two meet
here? Are not you and I proof that they
may, Alfonzo?' she asked, smilingly.
`But I have not inquired of thee how that
fair mountain maid, thy sister, is?'

`Xariffa is well, and each day wishes
thou wert a Christian.'

`Then she knows her brother loves
the daughter of the Moor?'

`I have told her.'

`And did not her dark eyes flash with
anger, Alfonzo.'

`Oh, no; she said that she hoped I
should be the instrument in leading you
to the truth. Twice only have you met
each other, but often enough, I know, to
be mutually interested in one another.

`She is very beautiful! I love her
because she is so like you I saw in her
eyes and in her smile the smile and eyes
I love.'

`The consciousness that I am beloved
by you, Genilla, is bliss to me. I dwell
upon your sweet image when I am alone
upon the mountain, I dream of you in
the night. The stars remind me of the
light of your eyes, the singing of the
birds of your voice. Were it not for you—
for my love for you—'

`Well, Alfonzo, why do you place
your face between your hands and heave
a sigh so sad?'

`I cannot breathe the words that came
to my lips. It may not be. Yet I do
not fear to trust you.'

`Fear to trust me, Alfonzo?' she said
with accents of touching reproach. Fear
Genilla! I thought our hearts, our hopes,
our lives, were one.'

`No, I do not fear to trust you, dearest
girl, though our faiths differ, our hearts
beat as one heart in one bosom. You
shall hear all I would have said. But for
my love for thee, instead of serving the
Moor in the Emir's guard as thou wouldst
have me, I would take up arms against
him were there a Chief to be found in
Spain.

`These words from thee! This spirit
in the bosom that Genilla believed throbbed
only for himself! wouldst thou indeed
arm this hand which now holds mine in
its bound grasp with the steel of war to
pierce the heart of my father, of my
countryman!'

`Do not take my words with such
spirit, Genilla! There is no need! God
knows we have no leader in Spain. The
land is sunk in bondage to the Moor.—
The scymetar has struck down the cross;
the Mosque has displaced the cathedral!
The Priests of God are flown into Italy
or have perished by the sword, or live
exiled in the mountains like the holy
father Godfrey himself, once the Abbot
of the richest monastery in Spain. Chiefs
we have none. Our nobles are out-laws;
our Princes have perished. The Moor
reigns in the palace of Amalarie and
the Convent of the Blessed Virgins has
become a harem for Algezir the Eimr.
Thou mayest, therefore, laugh, but not
be angry at my words; for they are
only words. They will never be more
than words!'

`Alfonzo, I will neither laugh nor
be angry. It is natural that you
should feel as you do, being a Spaniard
and a Christian. But look! behold the
cloud of glittering crescents that shines
above the walls of Cordova! These
should show you that the power of the
Prophet is established in the land and
that the followers of the Nazarene have
no more hope! You should therefore
cease to dwell upon your past greatness
as a nation and submit to the rules of
my people. It cannot be remedied.—
The destiny of your race is sealed.—
The Prophet is fated to hold empire
here forever. Be wise, then, cling no
longer to a crushed and fallen faith, and
embrace that of the true Apostle of
God!'

`I know there is no hope, at least I

[figure description] Page 018.[end figure description]

see none, Genilla! But I can never rest
quietly under the yoke of Islam. I can
never become a follower of the False
Prophet!'

`Be it so. So that we love let there
be peace between us!' said the maiden
laying her hand upon his shoulder and
looking up affectionately into his serious
face. `This is heavy conversation for us,
Alfonzo. Let me sing to thee! You are
gloomy and I will sing thee a lively ballad.
It shall be of the fortunes of an
Andalusian maiden who was taken captive
by Taric the Conqueror!'

`No, I care not to listen now to songs
of Moorish valor, Genilla. I am interested
to know what can be the subject of
the interview between the father Godfrey
and Ben Osmin.'

`When he has gone, my father, who
keeps no secrets from me, will tell me,
then shalt thou know! Did you see
ought of a hunting party from Cordova,
on the mountains to-day?'

`Did one pass here?' asked Alfonso
quickly.

`Through the defile below, within a
quarter of a mile. But they were half
concealed by the trees, yet I could see
it was a brave show of arms and horses,
banners and silks, with lively bugling.

`How large a party?'

`No less than three score. It was an
Emir at the very least. No doubt they
went into the mountain to hunt wolves.'

`If they were keepers of goats on the
Sicrras, they would see little pastime in
hunting the wolf. When did you say
they went by?'

`About an hour after the sun was up.'

`Then none of them have come back
that you have seen?'

`No; doubtless they have issued by
yon defile and returned to the city.'

`I heard hunters on the hills to the
southward of me during the day, and
about noon a wounded wolf dashed howling
past me as I was dining from my
wallet a thousand feet up the mountain.
I have yet more to tell thee. As I was
coming down the Sierra path with father
Godfrey, a youthful Moor, richly attired
and armed with a shattered boar-spear,
came into the path; and, the way being
narrow, and we being in it resting, he
sternly bade us stand aside, and suffer him
to precede us down the mountain!'

`And what did you?' she asked earnestly.

`I thought of you and stood aside.—
But the holy hermit remained firm. The
Moor advanced upon him as if to run him
through, and I had raised my hand to
catch the spear when the young infidel
sunk upon his knees and fell over lifeless
and bleeding!'

`A miracle performed by the hermit!'
she cried between scorn and surprise.

`No; he had been a short time before
wounded by a boar's tusk, and was hastening
from the mountains when he met
us. But his strength failed him and he
fell senseless at our feet.'