a sullen silence, attempting not to contradict the
statement of his accuser.

"What answer make you to this charge?" demanded the queen, observing the
pertinacity of his silence.

"Answer!" replied Don Lope, with overpowering indignation; "none! Gomez
Arias will not deign to answer the accusations of a vile rebel, nor will
he afford his Queen and brethren in arms the satisfaction of seeing the
established character of a noble Christian put in competition with the
base assertions of a villain."

Hurt as the queen felt at the arrogance and insolence couched in these
words, she forbore manifesting her displeasure.

"No, Don Lope," she said, "your Queen is grateful, but not more than she
is just. You stand accused of treason, but the mere word of that Moor
will not be sufficient in itself to induce your Queen, or your brethren
in arms, to convict of treason one of the first knights in Spain. We
must have proof--evident, irrefragable proofs of the crime alleged
against you, before a decision is pronounced."

"Proofs!" exclaimed the renegade, with a sarcastic sneer--"such a demand
is too just to be denied; and who would be the presumptuous madman, that
dare impeach Gomez Arias without proofs? In the first place, therefore,
the Queen will perhaps not question the validity of this." And saying
this, he took a ring from his finger, and approaching the throne,
added:--

"Your Highness cannot have forgotten this pledge of your regard for
Gomez Arias, though that nobleman seems totally to have overlooked such
a gift, when he speaks in dubious terms of your Highness's gratitude."

A gloomy joy animated the features of the renegade, as he pronounced
these words; a demoniac triumph was visible on his countenance.

The queen felt an involuntary shudder as she received the ring, whilst
Gomez Arias stood in speechless suspense, a transitory, but deadly
paleness driving the flush of anger from his countenance.

"Moor--how camest thou by this ring?" asked the queen.

"It was," answered Bermudo, "a recompence for the services I rendered
Don Lope Gomez Arias. When this gallant knight wished to part with yon
noble lady, I was the agent in the transaction; I procured him the
interview with Caneri."

"Caneri!" exclaimed several voices in consternation.

"Caneri, aye, Caneri," repeated the renegade, unmoved. "Could the noble
Gomez Arias enter into a treaty with a rebel less than a chief. I was
the individual who introduced these pe