fear, more especially when one of them, stepping forward, announced his party as shipwrecked men, who begged for food and shelter until the morning. Alvarez would have bid them welcome, but his attention was called to Zulema, who uttering a faint cry, fell to the ground in a swoon. The stranger, whose handsome face and courteous manners were not calculated to excite so strong a degree of apprehension, ran to assist her; but gazing with astonishment on her countenance, he uttered her name in strong confusion. Alvarez at once guessed this mystery, and a strange passion of indignation, disquietude, and jealousy, shook his frame. But the lady soon recovering, leant her head on his bosom, and covered her eyes to shut out the sight of the perfidious Velasquez. He, stung with her manner, eager and desirous after that which he had cast away though prized but slightly when possessed, now fell at her feet and implored for pardon; pleaded the urgency of his situation when they last parted; proudly declared that he was now above control, and boasted that their voyages had been so successful, as to enable him to support her in the splendour and dignity of a queen.

Observing that she still kept silence, he believed that her kind heart was relenting, and that only a little womanly pride remained to be appeased. "Yield, dearest Zulema," he exclaimed; "be equally generous and forgiving; my wealth will procure my pardon at Court, and the Church will at once make you a Christian and a wife. Hang not thus fondly upon yon

man; whatever claims he may have on your gratitude, mine are prior rights. Zulema, will you not answer?" and he grasped her down-hanging hand. She shrunk from his touch and clung still closer to Alvarez; who, breathless with anxiety for the result of her determination, had hitherto remained silent. "Dearest lady," he at length said, "be not alarmed; I am but one against an armed odds; but courage and your good cause will never allow me to remain passive whilst your free-will is disputed. While I have life, force alone shall take you hence, unless with your own consent." "You have nothing to fear from violence," replied Velasquez, haughtily rising; "I entered your doors a suppliant, and shall not stain the threshold with outrage. Zulema must be mine from choice, or not at all; let her make her election." Thus urged, she looked up; an evident shudder convulsed her, as her eyes met the unkind deceiver's, and a tearful emotion made her speech faulter as she pronounced, "Velasquez, that I would have followed you through weal or woe, my former conduct has proved; for then, I believed you noble and sincere. But you have proved cruel and heartless; abandoning your infant and your love, for the poor ambition of ruling wicked men. Can confiding affection ever dwell with such recollections? with rapine, bloodshed, and licentiousness? Oh! no, no; impossible : from Alvarez I have experienced nothing but goodness and honour, without heeding if I were heretick or sinner; with him therefore I remain; and, if he

will, his humble and affectionate wife." Alvarez caught her to his breast, grateful and delighted; and felt that now he could face a legion; while Velasquez, sullen and confounded, turned to depart. "Come, comrades," he cried; "this house must not contain us; yet,” (and his voice lowered) “ should I again revisit this shore, my hour of triumph may arrive."

But few days elapsed, before Alvarez summoned a Holy Friar from a neighbouring convent, to join their hands in marriage. During which interval, he had so well employed his sweet persuasion on her docile understanding, that she became a thorough convert to the doctrines of Christianity; insomuch, that the Reverend Father could not but wonder, that one so meek and pious should have been out of the bosom of Holy Mother Church: his benediction was given with fervent devotion, for he was really a pure and simple-hearted Christian; and it joyed his kindly feelings to minister to the happiness of two young and loving hearts. If, by chance, a slight shade of melancholy sat on the brow of Zulema, when she thought of Velasquez debased and altered, the fond attentions of her husband soothed and enlivened her. Their mode of living continued the same as before; the same respectful kindness on his part, heightened by the endearments of affection; the same tender sweetness in her manner, increased by confiding fondness. She had for some time past assumed the Spanish garb, dismissed the turban, and amidst her long luxuriant hair delighted to twist the early spring flowers

which now began to peep above ground. Calm and happy, all her sensibilities appreciated and understood, her graceful tastes and enthusiasms daily unfolded. If her early mistake had somewhat clouded her gaiety, yet, when it broke forth, her artless playfulness had a charm that was altogether irresistible; and her fine qualities seemed rather improved by having assumed a cast of deeper thought. The chill and fickle breezes of spring passed away. Again, the face of nature exhibited the bright and sunny aspect, as at the opening of my tale. But how different were the feelings and prospects of Alvarez, how altered the appearance of his former desolate abode! Disgust at the hollow friendships of men, and at the cold vanity of women, had made him a voluntary exile from the busy world, contemplative and unsocial, careless of splendour, luxury, and renown. But in a little twelvemonth, he had found and attached a sincere and loving heart, at once a friend and mistress; and these dear ties, recalling all the wants and pleasures of society, made toil and perseverance sweet and willing. His garden glowed with varied beauties, and Zulema's favourite flower, the rose, clustered thickly. around the porch and windows of their cottage. Alvarez continued his visits to the neighbouring town, but apparently more with a view of supplying their wants, than to dispose of the produce of his labour, (if such it might be called) which seemed rather followed as an ostensible employment than as a means of profit. In one of these excursions, he was accom

panied by Zulema's little boy, whose endearing prattle made him now a most interesting companion. The mother watched them from the garden, answering the fond eye and infantine salute with similar action, until the little bark danced gaily out of sight. A slight trembling of apprehension crossed her as she turned homeward; but resolving to conquer this weakness, she occupied herself with domestic arrangements, in preparing for their return, and calculating how long that period might probably be prolonged. Thus wore away the time until the hour was long passed at which Alvarez usually returned; still she thought some show, or toy, to gratify the child, might have detained them, and she dressed the table beneath the trees, that they might enjoy the cool of evening in the open air, as the sun was now fast declining-in vain she saw the glorious orb rest, as it were, on the ocean for a few minutes, round and flaming; sink slowly to a crescent; then suddenly vanish, and the fresh wind which sprung up came not more chilly to her outward sense, than did the appaling certainty press heavily upon her mind, that some fatal accident had befallen her beloved ones. At one time, she resolved to go in search of them; then recollecting her ignorance of the road and the near approach of night, she abandoned her design, and yielded to conjecture and alarm. The faithful spaniel, who seemed to share her uneasiness and apprehensions, whined low and piteously, keeping up a restless wandering; now stretching his neck out wistfully over the sea, then re