heads than hers. Fortunately, however, this temptation was withheld from
her: so far from finding the treasure, she and Don Miguel very soon
lost themselves in the desert, and had been wandering about ever since,
dolely uncomfortable, and in no small danger of losing their lives. They
were already at the end of their last resource when they happened to
encounter the other party, as we have seen; and immeasurable was their
joy at the unlooked-for deliverance. So there was another halt, to
enable them to rest and recuperate; and it was not until the evening of
that day that the journey was finally resumed.

Meanwhile, Grace had time to think over all that happened, and to arrive
at certain conclusions. She was at bottom a good girl, though liable
to be led away by her imagination, her vanity, and her temperament. Don
Miguel's best qualities had revealed themselves to her in the desert: he
had always thought of her before himself, had done all that in him lay
to save her from fatigue and suffering, and had stuck to her faithfully
when he might perhaps have increased his own chances of escape by
abandoning her. Did not such a man deserve to be rewarded?--especially
as he was a handsome fellow, of good family, and possessed of quite a
respectable income. Moreover, Harvey Freeman was now beyond her reach:
he was going to marry Miriam, and she had realized that her own brief
infatuation for him had had no very deep root after all. Accordingly,
she smiled encouragingly upon Don Miguel, and before they set out on
their homeward ride she had vouchsafed him the bliss of knowing that he
might call her his.

The general, as her guardian, did not withhold his approval; but when
Grace drew him aside and besought him never to reveal to her intended
the fact that she had once been a shop-girl, the old warrior smiled.

"You can depend upon me to keep your secret, if you wish it, my dear,"
said he; "but I warn you that such concealments between husband and wife
are not wise. He loves you and would only love you the more for your
frankness in confessing what you seem to consider a discreditable
episode: though I for my part am free to tell you that you will be lucky
if your future life affords you the opportunity of doing anything else
so much to your credit. But the chances are that he will find it out
sooner or later; and that may not be so agreeable, either to him or to
you. Better tell him all now."

But Grace pictured to herself t