ndant, and
darted on him a withering look of displeasure. But Roque, who had now
acquired a strength of mind and courage, of which his nature till then
had seemed wholly destitute, in a bold tone began--

"Shame to the man who calls himself noble, and can behave in this manner
towards a helpless woman! Don Lope, this is a fearful deed, and, mark me
well, the time will come at last, the time of terrible retribution."

The brow of Gomez Arias grew black as a storm, and every suggestion of
pity at once vanished.

"Villain!" he cried, in a voice choaked with rage, "is it a base born
varlet like thee, that dare utter such threats to me! Moor--" he added,
turning to the renegade, "take this fellow into your charge, and see
that he does not return to Granada; I will reward thee well."

The renegade gave a token of assent, and made a sign to his companions
to secure him.

"And what right," said Roque, indignantly, "have you to sell me thus? I
am a free born man, and a true Christian."

"Roque," replied Gomez Arias, somewhat more composedly, "I have often
warned thee that thy indiscretion would at length bring thee into
trouble and disgrace. Thy offence merits even a more exemplary
punishment, which I will spare in consideration of thy former services.
Away with him, Moors," he added, "and take him to the distant country
whither you are going, for here he may prove dangerous to me."

"Aye," returned Bermudo, in a voice of import, "we will take him in
charge, for as you say, Don Lope, he may indeed be dangerous to you."

These words, though nothing in themselves, were uttered with a
mysterious meaning that sounded ominous to Gomez Arias. He felt as
though a cloud was darkening over the ambitious prospects which had
seduced his mind and perverted his heart; the voice that spoke rung in
his ear like an awful warning of which he had some strange
recollection. Again he attempted to escape from the scene. One sudden
powerful effort, and he loosened himself from the grasp of Theodora: the
despairing girl fell to the ground, and raved aloud, and pronounced a
curse on her betrayer. Then in the furious impulse of madness, she
snatched at the dagger that glittered in the girdle of Caneri, with the
determination of closing her wretched existence; but her deadly
intention was thwarted by the renegade, who arrested her arm in time to
prevent the fatal deed.

Gomez Arias now sprung upon his horse, and Caneri took the hand of
Theodor