r to him, beautiful and beseeching. "My father," she urged,
"you love me." She threw her arms around his neck and laid her head upon
his breast. Upon it her father tenderly pressed his hand. "You loved my
mother, did you not?" she continued. "Think of her. Condemn me not to
the living death of a convent--away from him. If that man be his
father--and I can not believe it, there is some mistake, 'tis impossible
that anything so foul should bring into the world a man so noble--yet I
love him! You know him. You have tried him a thousand times. He has no
qualities of his base ancestry. His mother at least died like a Spanish
gentlewoman. My lords, gentlemen, some of you have known me from my
childhood. You have lived in our house and have followed the fortunes of
my father--you have grown gray in our service. Intercede for me!"

"Your Excellency," said old Don Caesar de Agramonte, a man, who, as
Mercedes had said, had literally grown gray in the service of the
Viceroy, and who was man of birth scarcely inferior to his own, "the
words of the Lady Mercedes move me profoundly. By your grace's leave, I
venture to say that she hath spoken well and nobly, and that the young
Alvarado, whom we have seen in places that try men's souls to the
extreme, hath always comported himself as a Spanish gentleman should.
This may be a lie. But if it is true, his old association with you and
yours, and some humor of courage and fidelity and gentleness that I
doubt not his mother gave him, have washed out the taint. Will you not
reconsider your words? Give the maiden to the man. I am an old soldier,
sir, and have done you some service. I would cheerfully stake my life to
maintain his honor and his gentleness at the sword's point."

"He speaks well, Don Alvaro," cried Captain Gayoso, another veteran
soldier. "I join my plea to that of my comrade, Don Caesar."

"And I add my word, sir."

"And I, mine."

"And I, too," came from the other men of the suite.

"Gentlemen, I thank you," said Alvarado, gratefully looking at the
little group; "this is one sweet use of my adversity. I knew not I was
so befriended----"

"You hear, you hear, my father, what these noble gentlemen say?"
interrupted Mercedes.

"But," continued Alvarado sadly, "it is not meet that the blood of the
princely de Laras should be mingled with mine. Rather the ancient house
should fall with all its honors upon it than be kept alive by
degradation. I thank you, but it can not b