t your happiness?"

We stayed awhile with him, and before leaving found the forlorn
attitude, the despairing droop had departed. As we said good-bye we
quietly placed money in his hand.

"To buy flowers," we explained. "Place them gently in her coffin. The
fairest flowers you can find. They will still be less fair than she."

"Ah, senor," he returned, "it is a long farewell. I shall look upon your
face no more. But when I meet her again we will talk of you. And do not
think that you leave me to utter solitude. I have many friends about me,
and though humble they are good. For my few remaining days I need have
no thought, and I have no fear."

We departed. The little episode was over. But it would be ever
associated in our mind with Lerida, enshrouding the town in a peculiarly
sacred atmosphere.

CHAPTER XXII.

A SAD HISTORY.

Broad plains of Aragon--Wonderful tones--Approaching
Zaragoza--Celestial vision--Distance lends enchantment--Commonplace
people--The ancient modernised--Disillusion followed by
delight--Almost a small Paris--Cafes and their merits--Not socially
attractive--Friendly equality--Mixture of classes--Inheritance of
the past--Interesting streets--Arcades and gables--Lively
scenes--People in costume--Picture of Old Spain--Ancient
palaces--One especially romantic--The world well lost--Fair
Lucia--Where love might reign for ever--Paradise not for this
world--Doomed--The last dawn--Inconsolable--Seeking death--Found on
the battlefield--A day vision--Few rivals--In the new
cathedral--Startling episode--Asking alms--Young and
fair--Uncomfortable moment--Terrible story--Fatal chains--"And
after?"--How minister to a mind diseased?--Sunshine clouded--Burden
of life--Any way of escape?--Suggestions of past centuries--The
mighty fallen.

The sun was still high in the heavens when our train steamed out of the
station towards Zaragoza and the ancient kingdom of Aragon. Much of the
journey lay through broad plains that had no specially redeeming feature
about them. Even fertility seemed denied, for they were often destitute
of trees and vegetation. Yet were they sometimes covered with a lovely
heather possessing a wonderful tone and beauty of its own.

Most to be remembered in the journey was the sunset. Towards evening as
we approached Zaragoza, the sun dipped across the vast plains and went
down in a blood-red ball. Im