At the intelligence thus unexpectedly
conveyed to him, Athir manifested his
surprise and pleasure.

`Allah be praised!' he cried: `I will
aid my lord in recovering her.'

`And, perhaps, you can aid me, Athir,'
answered Alfonzo, after a moment's reflection.

He then briefly stated how he had discovered
her, and his fears that if she
were suffered to remain longer in the
power and presence of Abdelasis she
might return his love for her.

`Are you confident in your disguise?'
asked Alfonzo.

`It has saved me from detection in the
Seraglio itself, my lord. But I have here
a talisman.'

`What is this?' asked Alfonzo, as he
took from his hand a large signet.

`It is what I have seen often,' interposed
Senor Velez: `it is the Caliph's
private seal.'

`It is, my lord,' answered Athir, as
Alfonzo fastened on him a glance of surprise
and inquiry. `I took it from his
own chamber, for he was absent—doubtless
at the palace of his captive. I saw
it there, and took it without much reflection
about it—but believing that it might
be of service to thee.'

`It was a bold act, and may be useful.
Can you gain admittance into the palace
with it?'

`Without doubt, my lord.'

`Then go and see Xariffa, and say to
her from whom you come, and urge her
to fly with you to the Sierras. Will you
not accompany her?'

`Wherever my noble benefactor commands.
I will do all I can to save her;
if she will not come with me, I will re
turn to you. What token shall I give her
to prove that you sent me?'

`Take this key—it is known to her.'

The youthful Moor was going out upon
his mission, when Senor Velez said to
him,—

`When thou returnest, come by the
way of the gardens; yonder gate on the
other side of the court will let thee in
and shall be left unhasped for thee.—
The gardens are the Caliph's, who, when
Emir, let those who dwelt around them
walk in them at certain hours daily.'

Athir was then let out by the street
door, and was departing, when a troop of
the mounted city guard came galloping
by. He quickly drew within the gate
and when their retiring hoofs were heard
at a distance, he again sallied forth.

Leaving Alfonzo to discuss farther the
details of the contemplated revolution
which was to place Spain once more under
the Christian rule, we will follow the
disguised page to the gate of the palace
where Alfonzo had seen the four guards
stationed. He presented his signet boldly,
and was at once admitted with great
respect. A slave was called, who conducted
him to the corridor of the palace
where the chief eunuch received him and
led him through a suite of magnificent
halls towards the apartments occupied by
Xariffa. Athir had adroitly ascertained
at the gate that the Caliph had a long
time before departed to his royal palace
on the great square.

Upon reaching the ante-room to her
apartments, the eunuch said, bowing his
head to the ground in the presence of the
Caliph's messenger:

`Does my lord Effendi wish to see the
Christian slave in person, or speak with
one of her attendants, and through he
convey his Highness' message to the
maiden.'

`I will see her—go and announce me.

The eunuch advanced, and lifting a
massive curtain of gold and silk, heavily
woven in gorgeous figures, he revealed
a columed chamber, with alabaster panel
exquisitely painted with birds of the richest
plumage. The floor was mosaic, and
the roof frescoed in the highest style of
Moorish art, blue and gold contrasting
with white being the prevailing colors.
At the extremity of this beautiful apartment,
upon a raised dais overlaid with the

[figure description] Page 078.[end figure description]

most costly and brilliant colors, sat Xariffa,
the half-willing, half-trembling captive
of the powerful Abdelasis.

At her feet, a little removed, crouched
in an attitude of natural grace, sat the
beautiful Arabian maid her attendant,
whom Alfonzo had seen appear at the
casement, and warn her of the approach
of the Prince after his serenade. She
had a roquelin, or Moorish guitar, in her
hands, upon the strings of which her taper
fingers were arrested by the appearance
of the eunuch, towards whom she
turned her large black eyes enquiringly.
Xariffa had been listening to the sweet
voice of the young girl, who was singing,
or rather improvising, a tale of love in
her own experience, accompanying the
romantic and touching narrative with a
thrilling touch now and then upon the
strings of her guitar.

`Christian, a message from the Caliph,'
said the eunuch, speaking with the machine-like
action of an automaton.

`I do not wish any message of the
Prince but one, to tell me that I am free,'
answered Xariffa with spirit. `He must
not come in unless he brings such.—
Come, maiden, go on with thy sad story:
tell me if thy father, the chief, never relented
when he found thou didst so mourn
the handsome youth, whom love for thee
compelled to flee.'

`No, lady—he was austere and cruel
after this, and made me a prisoner in his
own mountain hold. But true love has
its own power. I escaped, and in disguise
of a youth reached, after many hapless
wanderings, these shores of Spain.
Here I hoped I might find him who was
dearer to me than the sun is to the green
earth.'

`And has thou ne'er met him?'

`No, lady, but I have heard that he
was a page to the Emir Algezir and afterwards
became a wanderer in the Sierras!
I know not where he is now!'

`And how is it thou art the slave of
Abdelasis?'

`I was his page, also, till a month ago
when, as I slept, my vest opening exposed
my bosom. He made me tell
him my whole story, and when he had
listened attentively to it, he bade me
take courage for if Athir were alive
I should yet behold him; for he said
nothing would give him so much happi
ness as to see me united to him I had so
faithfully loved. I have since been honorably
entreated in the palace where I
served as page; and yesterday when he
brought thee hither he bade me please
him by endeavoring to make thee happy
and to love him!'

`He is nobler than I believed. Thou
has taken off one half my dislike to him
for his kindness to thee. Here comes
the Eunuch again to interrupt us! Sir
Eunuch, it is past midnight; and because
I choose to sit up and watch the moon I
am not compelled to receive at such an
hour the Caliph's messengers.'

`He comes of his own will, Christian,'
answered the Eunuch, standing aside and
letting Athir advance.

`Say to Abdelasis, fair page,' cried
Xariffa, rising, `that this is not fulfilling
his promise given me when he left, that
I should not be intruded upon ere to-morrow!
Ha! what is this? What
has happened, child? How wildly you
stare! Who—'

Her words of surprise were interrupted
by a loud shriek of heart heart breaking
joy from the bosom of the Arabian
girl and a cry of gladness co-mingling
with it from the lips of the noble looking
youth.

`Nube!'

`Athir!'

These two words uttered with accents
of the deepest-toned human, joy told her
the whole story of lovers parted and
and meeting again. Nube made but one
bound to reach the approaching arms of
Athir and her head sunk lifeless upon his
shoulder while her arms clung around
him as if she would never release her
hold again.

`My Nube! My long-lost, found
Nube!' articulated Athir, with tender joy,
as he gazed down upon her face and
folded her again and again to his heart.

Xariffa gazed upon this scene of happiness
with tearful eyes and a smile
sparkling upon her countenance. In a
few minutes Nube slowly raised her face
all smiles and tears, and dishevelled
tresses, and said softly to her, and oh,
what a world to her in those two syllables,

`Athir!' and then she once more
buried her face in his bosom!'

The breathless questioning, the

[figure description] Page 079.[end figure description]

explanations, the thousand expressions of
grateful joy, to all of which Xariffa listened,
that followed this happy re-union
who shall record! The bliss of the
lovers was complete. It seemed to them
that there was no sorrow on earth.

At length Xariffa said to the happy
lover, `You will now hasten and inform
the Caliph of your discovery, that he
may rejoice with you!'

`Alas, lady,' said Nube, `he cannot
rejoice save you smile on him! Be not
cruel! Let an hour so blessed to me
and to Athir be also blessed to the Prince
and to you.'

`Nay, sweet Nube,' interposed Athir,
with a smile; `I cannot have you urge
the lady to favor the Prince! I am not
in the service of Abdelasis!'

`In whose?' asked Xariffa, with surprise.

Athir briefly related his history as it is
already known to the reader, up to the
time of his being ushered into the apartment
by the Eunuch. He spoke freely
and with confidence knowing he was
with those who would not betray him.
When Xariffa heard his message to her
she sighed, and said,

`I cannot go with you! Nor will you
wish to leave Nube to escape with me!'

`She can go with us!'

`No, it is your duty to remain here
with her, and to-morrow let the Prince
learn from her lips who you are. He
will rejoice. I will intercede with him
to pardon you for taking his signet,
which you will now give me; and return
at once to Alfonzo and tell him that I—
I—' Here the Christian maiden hesitated
and blushed.

`I will end the sentence for thee,
lady,' answered Nube, smiling; `tell
him that you love the Prince Abdelasis
and mean to make him happy by sharing
his throne and heart.'

`No—no—'

`Yes! It is so! I see it, lady!' answered
Athir. For Alfonzo's sake only
am I sorry! He will grieve to hear it!'

`Nay, I have not said that I love Abdelasis!
'

`No—words are less eloquent than
thy throbbing bosom and beaming eye
as he is spoken of!'

`Tell my brother that I feel that I can
prevail upon the Caliph to embrace
Christianity!'

`Allah forbid!' ejaculated both the
Arabian girl and her lover.

Xariffa smiled at their earnestness,
and said.

`Go, Athir. To-morrow at noon come
hither, and the Prince will receive thee,
and thou shalt be made happy and Nube
too!'

`What shall I say to Alfonzo?'

`Urge him to caution lest he should
be discovered; and tell him that I know
the Prince will treat me with all honour.
Urge him to return to the mountains
where in two days he will either see or
hear from me!

Athir embraced Nube tenderly, and
then took his leave of Xariffa with a
heavy cloud shadowing his happy heart.
He bore the news to Alfonzo; and the
brow of the brother darkened, and his
vengeance against Abdelasis was awakened
anew. But when Athir told him of
his meeting with Nube, the brow of anger
relaxed, and he shewed by the expression
of his smiling face, that he sympathized
fully in the happiness of his friend.