dez, a young Asturian lady of surpassing beauty, and he was the father of three lovely children.

At the time here alluded to, Doña Francisca was absent from her home. About a fortnight previously, she had set out, accompanied by her father, to a distant part of Spain, where her presence was necessary in claiming some property bequeathed to her by a maternal relative. Don Felix felt his solitude wearisome and gloomy. It is true that excepting the charms of natural scenery, the domain of La Vega had few attractions that could console his temporary widowhood. Therefore it was that on the evening in question he sallied forth, as it were mechanically, to take his solitary ride: unluckily it happened that the prayer which he devoutly addressed to his guardian saint, was heard by his evil genius.

Just as Don Felix reached the summit of the hill, a loud clamour of voices in the direction of the chapel roused his attention. Looking round he perceived a young female with an infant in her arms, struggling amidst a group of villagers, who, with furious outcries and gesticulation, were thrusting her from the chapel door." Turn her out! Turn out the Gitana! This sacred place must not be profaned by Gipsies and heretics!"-exclaimed the infuriated rustics, whilst they rudely forced the poor woman from the door. "My brethren," said she, in a tone of gentle remonstrance, "I am neither a Gipsy nor a heretic. True, my husband is a Gitano, but I, nevertheless, am a Spaniard and a Catholic like yourselves; and you cannot refuse to my child the baptism which I have a right to claim for him." "No baptism for heretics!" exclaimed her pitiless assailants. "Begone to your heathen companions, and get your brat baptized by Satan!""

Mortified by these insults, and seeing the uselessness of further contending with the ignorant fanatics, the poor woman was about to retire, and whilst her eyes streamed with tears, she pressed her infant to her bosom. Suddenly a ray of hope seemed to inspire her with energy. An aged priest, alarmed by the shouting of the rude mountaineers, appeared at the threshold of the chapel door. The woman threw herself at his feet, and implored his protection.

Don Felix, whose first impulse had been to turn into a bye-path to avoid the tumult, now felt his interest aroused, and he rode up to the front of the chapel to observe the progress of this strange scene. A few brief inquiries enabled the priest to understand the question at issue. Having rebuked the insolent rustics, and succeeded in restoring order, he turned to the woman, and mildly said, "Tell me, my daughter, who you are, and why these people have so rudely assailed you?"

"My name is Juana Valdez," replied the woman, " and I am the wife of a poor wandering Gitano. My husband, I admit, is not a Catholic, but I am one, and I have always been true to my religion. I came hither to obtain for my infant the sacred rite of baptism!" "Even though you had abandoned your faith," resumed the reverend pastor, "that would be no reason for depriving your innocent child of the blessings of Christianity. All God's creatures are free to approach the holy font." Having once more addressed a few admonitory words to the country people, he told them that the best mode of expiating their misconduct would be to invoke the blessing of salvation on the infant whom they had wished to doom to perdi

tion, "Who among you are willing to be sponsors for this child?” pursued he.

The only effect of this charitable appeal was to give renewed umbrage to the fanatical peasants, who, with one accord, turned from the chapel door, and walked away venting imprecations on the Gitana. "How!" exclaimed the priest indignantly, "is there not one among you who will stay and make the others blush for shame? Is there not even a woman,-a mother,—who will take pity on her sister in Christ? "

Whilst the priest uttered this evangelical appeal, without producing any impression on those to whom it was addressed, a lady, who, seated on her palfrey, and who, like Don Felix, had been an accidental witness of all that had passed, sprang lightly from her saddle, and, advancing to the priest, said," Reverend father, with your leave, I will be Godmother to this poor child."

"And I will be Godfather!" exclaimed Don Felix, hastily dismounting from his horse.

Charity was no doubt the first impulse which prompted Don Felix to this sudden determination; — but another sentiment, of which possibly he was himself scarcely conscious, also had its influence in urging him to follow the lady's good example. He had seen through the folds of an elegant mantilla, two bright dark eyes, whose mild radiance beamed like two stars half veiled by a cloud.

The satisfaction of the priest and the Gitana was equalled only by their surprise; and whilst the one warmly congratulated the strangers on their pious resolve, the other seized their hands, and covered them with grateful tears and kisses. They entered the chapel, where the infant was baptized with all due solemnity. He received the names of Felix Pablo Valdez, which were inscribed in the register of Nuestra Señora de la Vega, together with the names of the Señor Hidalgo Don Felix, and the Señora Doña Pabla de los Montes. Our cavalier could learn no more at that time respecting the fair and mysterious comadre, and to secure an opportunity of ever seeing her again, he was obliged to contrive a little innocent device.

Followed by the Gitana, he was slowly descending the hill, when he overtook some of the villagers who had been most active in the tumult at the chapel door. Determined to put their scruples to the test, Don Felix invited them to assemble at the castle on the following day, when he proposed to entertain them with a feast in honour of the Gipsy's baptism. As might naturally be expected, their love of feasting proved stronger than their hatred of heretics, and the invitation was joyfully accepted. Don Felix then humbly offered his invitation to Doña Pabla, who at that moment rode up, and joined the groupe. She, of course, could not refuse to grace by her presence a festival given in honour of her God-son.

On his return home that night, Don Felix felt less than usually oppressed by the weight of ennui. After having given directions for the morrow's entertainment, he embraced his children, and retired to his chamber, forgetting to answer his wife's last letter.

On the following day, the stillness and solitude which had for the space of a fortnight prevailed throughout the castle, gave place to noisy mirth. Doña Pabla, who was punctual to her engagement, received the homage due to a queen, As to Don Felix, he made two great discoveries, which may be briefly noted here. The

one concerned Doña Pabla de los Montes, respecting whom he had learned all he was desirous of knowing. She was a Castilian lady of rank, and had been a widow for about the space of a year. She was travelling for her health, and in passing through the Asturias, she was induced to render a noveno (nine days' devotion) at the shrine of our Lady de la Vega. Being attended only by her maid and a single valet, she had taken up her temporary abode in a retired country house, at some distance from the village. Both the lady and Don Felix were indebted solely to chance for their mutual rencounter at the chapel. The former congratulated herself on the accident, because it had afforded her the opportunity of doing a good action; the latter also found in it a subject of congratulation, but for a different reason. The other discovery made by Don Felix was one which concerned himself personally. He felt, and with no little alarm, that he was in love with Doña Pabla.

Ojos que no ven, corazon que no llora, is a Spanish proverb which has its analogous axiom in every language; and in English may be rendered by the familiar saying, "out of sight out of mind." The truth of the old proverb was fully understood by Doña Francisca Fernandez. It had been deeply imprinted in her heart, from the moment when she took leave of her husband. Aware of the susceptible and fickle nature of Don Felix, she had departed, not without reluctance, on a journey which family interests rendered indispensable. Whilst love urged her to shorten as much as possible the interval of her absence, jealousy whispered the expediency of pretending to protract it, and by her return at an unexpected moment, to prepare for her noble husband either an agreeable surprise or a salutary lesson. Accordingly, on the very day on which she set out on her homeward journey, she resorted to the stratagem of writing to inform Don Felix that she could not return in less than a month. The consequence was, that on reaching her home the lady herself met with the surprise which she intended for her husband.

Don Felix had left the castle on the preceding evening, and had not returned, he had departed without saying whither he was going, or how long he should be absent, he had gone away without embracing the children whom he so dearly loved, and whom his mysterious absence consigned to the care of hirelings. Even the fact of his departure would have been unknown, had he not enjoined secrecy on the domestics.

The feelings of Doña Francisca may be easily imagined. The latent suspicions which had haunted her mind were now fully confirmed. With the shrewdness of jealousy, she interrogated the servants, who quickly informed her of all the particulars relating to the adventure at the chapel. She lost no time in repairing to the Gipsy's hut, and, in reply to her interrogations, Juana candidly related all she knew of her benefactors. They had frequently visited her. Both had lavished on her the most liberal proofs of generosity, and they had been regular in their visits to her up to the day when the Marquesa had departed for Madrid.

"Has she then departed?" exclaimed Doña Francisca in an agony of suspense.

Yes, señora," answered the Gipsy; "she went the day before yesterday." Then, without perceiving the effect her words pro