e Italian's eyes sparkled in the twilight and his voice was full of
eloquent persuasion. He fell upon his knees at Zuleika's feet, and,
seizing her hand, kissed it passionately again and again. The trembling
young girl was deeply touched by his love and entreaties. For a moment
she wavered, but for a moment only; then reason asserted its sway and
cooler reflection came to her aid.

"Rise, Giovanni," she said, with comparative calmness, "rise and be a
man. This proposition is altogether unworthy of you, and, should I
accept it, we would both be disgraced. I am yours, my heart is in your
keeping, and I will be your wife at the proper time with my father's
full consent. But I cannot fly with you, I will not!"

The young man sprang to his feet as if an electric bat had struck him.

"You have no confidence in me, then!" he cried, impulsively. "You do not
love me!"

"Do not love you!" exclaimed the girl, winding her shapely arms about
his neck, as her lovely head sank upon his bosom. "I love you with all
my heart, with all my soul, and it is because I love you that I will not
fly with you!"

Giovanni kissed her hair rapturously, excitedly, and the beautiful girl,
looking ten times more beautiful in her pleading earnestness, added,
sweetly, persuasively:

"Leave me now, darling. The bell for the pupils to return to the convent
will soon ring and I must not be missed from among them. Leave me, but
remember the maxim, 'Wait and hope!'"

The lover was about to reply when the sound of footsteps suddenly broke
upon their ears. They glanced at each other, startled, uncertain what to
do. Giovanni was the first to recover self-possession. He noiselessly
parted the boughs of the elm and peered cautiously in the direction of
the sound.

"Three men are rapidly approaching," he said, hastily, in a whisper.
"They are almost here!"

Zuleika looked, in her turn, through the branches.

"The gardener and his assistants," she whispered, nearly petrified by
consternation. "They have evidently learned that you scaled the wall and
are in quest of you!"

"See," said Giovanni, breathlessly, pointing to a group behind the men.
"A number of nuns are also coming!"

"They are searching for me! Oh! Giovanni, fly, fly instantly!"

"And leave you to suffer, to bear the weight of my imprudence! Never! I
will stay and protect you!"

"You will not protect me by remaining. You will only compromise us both
the more. Go, I beseech you, go, whil