Alfonzo, thus solemnly anointed leader
of the Christians, in this incipient
movement to overturn the Moorish power,
rose to his feet, looking both surprised
and serious. The consecration
had made a deep impression upon his
mind, as well as upon the minds of those
who had witnessed it. He was diffident
of his influence over others, but still feeling
that some one should rise in behalf of
Spain, humble as he was, he was willing
to give himself, his life, all that he was,
to her.

The hermit now took from its sheath
the dagger of the young chieftain, and
going to a helm tree near at hand, he
struck from it two branches, one shorter
than the other, and stripping them of their
bark, he bound them together in the middle
with a withe of the bark, thus constructing
a rude cross.

This he placed in the hands of Alfonzo,
and said,

`Behold the symbol of salvation. By
this, conquer its enemies!'

`I will do it, if Heaven give me help,'
answered the young chief firmly, as he
kissed the cross.

`Now give it back to me, my son! I
take it from thy hand and bearing it aloft
in my own, I go forth to call the mountains
and valleys beyond to its defence.
I will tell every man that Alfonzo the
Destroyer, the Saviour of Spain, hath
sent this cross to all who love Christ
Jesus, and calls upon them to come to
his standard, for the freedom of Spain!'

`And I, too, will go forth and rouse
the land!' cried Gaspar.

`Nay, father, I need thy council and
experience,' said Alfonzo. `Keep thou
at hand and aid me in bringing to a head
this great revolution that has been put
upon me. Thou shalt get together at
once our friends of the mountains and be
their chief until I am ready to lead them.
I have work to do, also; for there are
men to stir up whom I must see in person!
There are men, now slaves, in
Cordova who must be told of this, and
Spaniards who purchase their homes
from spoil with large tribute. These
must be told what is at work for Spain.
Be thou at the hamlet there to receive
and martial all who come to thee. Let
each one here who loves Spain give himself
to the work. Let them go in every
path and defile of the mountains, let them
penetrate the gorges of the hills and
every nook of the plain. Let others, in
such disguises as can best secure their
safety, visit the valleys, and the towns in
them; and let the good news go from lip
to lip to all parts of the land! Within
thirty days, if we are true to ourselves,
Spain will be free and the Holy Cross
take the place of the fallen crescent.'

This address was received with deep
feeling by the three score hardy mountaineers
who heard it, and after some
further particular directions, and some
cautions to move with secrecy and let
not a Moor's ear get the news of the revolt
till the day of action arrived.

`We must see first my friends,' said
Alfonzo, as they were about separating,
each on his own mission to his countrymen,
`we must first see how many men
there are in Spain that wish to throw off
the Moslem yoke. We must not move
without being sure of conquest. In ten
days we can tell how large a force can
be depended on when the standard of the
Cross shall be lifted up. Each of you
will return to me within that time, and
you will find me at the rock of St. Paul's.

[figure description] Page 035.[end figure description]

There shall I lift the Holy Sign of our
salvation when the day for its display
shall arrive. Till then let us advance
cautiously; for the Moor must be taken
in a snare, and unprepared to resist his
fate. You will each let me know how
many can be looked to to join us. Say
to all that by the day of St. James, the
cross will be lifted up and the blow
which is to break or rivet forever the
Moorish chains upon us, will be struck;
for my friends, few or many, to rally
around me, I shall raise the standard and
trust in God.'

The mountaineers now separated each
to the important duty assigned him by
their young chief. These men had all
been with Alfonzo on his gallant expeditions
against the banditti of the Sierras,
and loved and honored him. They felt
that he was the only man to lead them
against their haughty couquerors. Their
spirit they resolved to infuse into the
souls of all who had not seen and known
their chief. The solemn consecration he
had received at the hands of the Christian
hermit had its impression upon them.

[figure description] Page 036.[end figure description]

After the ceremony, Gaspar had informed
them that the cruse used and the oil
were the very same with which the last
King (for he had seen that ceremony)
had been consecrated by the archbishop,
for he knew the cruse again and recognised
the fragrance of the ointment.

Alfonzo, Gaspar, the hermit, Guiseppo
and Luis were left standing together
beneath the tree, Guiseppo holding by
the bridle his Arabian; they remained
silently watching the retiring figures of
their friends, as they went away in various
paths, till all disappeared.

Now may Heaven send its blessing
with each one of those honest and brave
men,' said the hermit. `I foresee the
redemption of Spain, my children. The
voice which these patriots of the cross
will utter shall find an echo in every Spanish
heart. The people only want a
leader, and they have one of themselves,
and one whom nobles will not disdain to
follow; for whose name in Spain is wider
known for valor than thine, my son.'

`I know that father,' cried Gaspar.—
`But the boy is so modest he blushes at
praise, and I believe thinks no better of
himself than as if he had never done
anything but tending gazelles all his life.
Why, there is not a child in the land that
will not answer when asked who cut off
the head of El Zegris. It was Alfonzo
the Destroyer. What I have heard and
seen this day, father, has made me young
again. I forget my child in thinking of
what has followed her capture. She has
become a sacrifice to the freedom of
Spain.'

`Speak not thus, father! Xariffa is in
the hands of the Moor, and nothing can
lessen my grief at this reflection. Though
I should take Cordova at the head of my
countrymen, I should weep my sister
lost.'

`Thou shoulds think more of thy country
than of the maiden, my son. Provi
dence hath ordered this, to bring good
out of evil. Thou mayest yet recover
her in safety. We all loved her. To
me she was very dear, and thou seest
tears are in my eyes, as well as thine,
while I speak of her. But it is not wise
to give way to useless grief. To recover
her is impossible, till thou shalt take
her with thine own hand from the Moslem
Harem, which doubtless will become
her prison. Give her to the care of the
good Saint, and give thy thoughts to thy
country.'

`I will do so, father. I should not have
waited till Xariffa was taken, ere I moved.
But I did not feel confidence in myself.
I now feel not confidence in myself, but
in the justice of the great cause to which
I am committed. I will forget Xariffa
till the hour comes when I can recover
or avenge her.'

`Which way now, my son?'

`I am going to Cordova.'

`It is madness; you will be slain.'

`I must do my work. I must not
shrink in the outset from danger. I must
stir up conspirators within its walls as
well as without.'

`Thou hast spoken wisely. How do
you go?'

`I shall go in the disguise of our foes.
I must use caution and subtlety. My
father has two or three Moorish costumes
in the hamlet, and one of these I'll put
on. Let us go thither.'

`Noble Alfonzo,' said Guesippo, `thou
art our chief. This horse becomes thee,
not me. I give him to thee.'

`Nay, I need him not.'

`But thou shalt take him, boy,' cried
Gaspar. `If thou art to disguise thyself
as a Moor, thou wilt carry it better in the
saddle than on foot. Guesippo, the sturdy
rogue, needs no such luxury. Mount
him?'

`Thou, holy father,' said Alfonzo.

`No. It is thy place, my son. It is

[figure description] Page 037.[end figure description]

not far to the hamlet, and I will walk
thither with Gaspar, and Luis, and Guesippo.
'

Unable to resist, Alfonzo leaped into
the saddle, and sat the noble charger like
a prince.

`I go with you to Cordova,' said Luis,
coming to his stirrup, and speaking earnestly,
in a low tone. `I must see and
know where my Agata is.'

`Thou art needed to get together thy
friends, Luis. Thy presence, and sad
tale of wrong, will carry with it fire to all
who hear thee.'

`Wilt thou then seek her out, and learn
her fate?'

`As faithfully as I will do that of Xariffa.
'

The young man pressed his hand with
gratitude. The whole party now proceeded
towards the mountain gorge, in
the entrance to which the hamlet was
situated. Alfonzo rode on in advance,
with the hermit at his side; leaving Gaspar
to collect and drive back half a score
of scattered kids which were wandering
away. When at length, Gaspar reached
his door with his companions, they were
not a little startled to behold what seemed
to the eyes a Moor, come forth and
leap into the saddle of the Arabian, which
was standing at the door. A smile and
wave of the hand from him, to them,
caused Gaspar to exclaim,

`I had never supposed a Christian
would look so much like a Moor. By
the mass, boy, thou hadst like to have
had my boar-spear flying through the air
at your breast.'

`Is it a fair disguise friend?' asked
Alfonzo, as he rode up to them. `It is
needful that I should be wholly free from
suspicion. Look at me well.'

`Thou art a thorough Saracen,' cried
Guesippo.

`It is with much ado I could keep my
spear's point quiet,' said Gaspar. `If I
did not know thee I should swear thou
wert a son of the Prophet, like the rest
of them.'

`Then I will venture on my nightly
mission in this disguise,' answered Alfonzo,
with that serious, sad air which had
not divested his face for a moment, since
the capture of Xariffa. `In three days,
Gaspar, I will return hither, and tell thee
all how the hearts of men beat in Cordova;
for there are three thousand artizans
in the city, besides five thousand slaves,
and many rich Spaniards, who live only
at the will of the Moslem, by paying
heavy sums every month—a state worse
than bondage. I shall move among all
these, and know how they will receive
the news of a revolution for the over-throw
of the power of their masters.'

`In the meanwhile,' said Gaspar, `I
will be in your place here, to receive all
who come with arms to rally around
thee!'

`Farewell, my son,' said the hermit,
coming forth from the hut where he had
been with Alfonzo while he dressed; `I
go to carry this cross from hamlet to
hamlet, and call on every Christian to
flock to the standard of Liberty, for the
freedom of Spain from the curse of the
Crescent! But first I will walk a little
way by thy stirrup, for I have a few
words to say to thee touching Cordova
and thy visit thither!'

Luis now came up, and Guiseppo also,
and taking an affectionate leave of their
young chief, departed on their mission.
Gaspar embraced his son with emotion,
and commanding him to the grace and
protection of all good angels, retired abruptly
into the cabin.

Alfonzo, dismounting, led his horse
down the path, while father Godfrey,
walking by his side, said,

`Before thou leavest me, my son, I
would commend thee to one in Cordova
whom thou wilt find ready to receive

[figure description] Page 038.[end figure description]

thee, and to give his gold and his life for
Spain! It is the Signor Velez, once
high in authority when our old Spanish
Kings reigned; but who now lives in outward
obscurity. Thou wilt find his house
the fourth door from the Mosque of
Omar, on the left hand. The outside of
the house is mean, but thou wilt find hospitality
within. When thou appliest at
the door, place this little cross in the hand
of the master, and he will receive thee
without further question!'

As the hermit spoke he placed in the
hands of Alfonzo a small silver cross, on
which was graven in Hebrew the word
`Jehovah.'

`Thanks, kind father!' answered Alfonzo.
`I needed some place like this
to go to! Can I trust him fully with all
our plans?'

`Yes; thou wilt find him wearing, as
thou dost now, a Moorish dress—for outwardly
he professes to be a Moslem, but
it is only a garb that he may be a spy
upon his foes. When shall we see thee
again?'

`In three days at the farthest, father,'
answered Alfonzo; `I shall see who will
be with us there, and then return to learn
how the people of the Sierras look upon
the effort about to be made to throw off
the yoke of the Moor.'

`I will soon after that be with thee.—
Fear not—doubt not, my son! Spain
only wants a leader, and thou art he
whom God has given to it. Now fare
thee well, and the blessing of Heaven go
with thee and prosper thee, my son!'

The hermit now pressed the hand of
his young friend, turned silently away,
and with his staff in his hand walked rapidly
into the forest northward. Alfonzo
looked after him for a moment with a
longing farewell glance; and then said
with a kindling eye, as he pressed his
horse forward,—

`Now for Cordova, to plot its down
fall! Xariffa, thou shalt be avenged!
Spain, thou shalt yet be free!'