velvet eyes cast gleams of fire at Victor, as if to rouse in the
heart of Juanito his hatred of the French.

"Have courage," said his brother Felipe; "otherwise our race, our almost
royal race, must die extinct."

Suddenly Clara rose, the group that had formed about Juanito separated,
and the son, rebellious with good reason, saw before him his old father
standing erect, who said in solemn tones,--

"Juanito, I command you to obey."

The young count remained immovable. Then his father knelt at his feet.
Involuntarily Clara, Felipe, and Manuelo imitated his action. They
all stretched out their hands to him, who was to save the family from
extinction, and each seemed to echo the words of the father.

"My son, can it be that you would fail in Spanish energy and true
feeling? Will you leave me longer on my knees? Why do you consider
_your_ life, _your_ sufferings only? Is this my son?" he added, turning
to his wife.

"He consents!" cried the mother, in despair, seeing a motion of
Juanito's eyelids, the meaning of which was known to her alone.

Mariquita, the second daughter, was on her knees pressing her mother in
her feeble arms, and as she wept hot tears her little brother scolded
her.

At this moment the chaplain of the chateau entered the hall; the family
instantly surrounded him and led him to Juanito. Victor, unable to
endure the scene any longer, made a sign to Clara, and went away,
determined to make one more attempt upon the general.

He found him in fine good-humour, in the midst of a banquet, drinking
with his officers, who were growing hilarious.

* * * * *

An hour later, one hundred of the leading inhabitants of Menda assembled
on the terrace, according to the orders of the general, to witness the
execution of the Leganes family. A detachment of soldiers were posted
to restrain the Spaniards, stationed beneath the gallows on which the
servants had been hanged. The heads of the burghers almost touched the
feet of these martyrs. Thirty feet from this group was a block, and
on it glittered a scimitar. An executioner was present in case Juanito
refused his obedience at the last moment.

Soon the Spaniards heard, in the midst of the deepest silence, the steps
of many persons, the measured sound of the march of soldiers, and the
slight rattle of their accoutrements. These noises mingled with the gay
laughter of the officers, as a few nights earlier the dances of a ball
ha