hem to
enrich themselves and live in comfort and luxury.

Accordingly, one evening the two friends, with a pick-axe, a hoe,
and a shovel, directed their way towards the palace. They approached
the cellar by a small door, and then began to dig in the ground at
the foot of the cellar wall. After a few hours of steady work, they
succeeded in making an excavation leading into the interior. Zaragoza
entered, and gathered up as many bags of money as he and Luis could
carry. During the night they made several trips to the cellar, each
time taking back to their house as much money as they could manage. For
a long time the secret way was not discovered, and the two friends
lost no opportunity of increasing their already great hoard. Zaragoza
gave away freely much of his share to the poor; but his friend was
selfish, and kept constantly admonishing him not to be too liberal.

In time the king observed that the bulk of his treasure was
considerably reduced, and he ordered his soldiers to find out what had
caused the disappearance of so much money. Upon close examination,
the soldiers discovered the secret passage; and the king, enraged,
summoned his counsellors to discuss what should be done to punish
the thief.

In the mean time the two friends were earnestly discussing whether
they should get more bags of money, or should refrain from making
further thefts. Zaragoza suggested that they would better first get
in touch with the secret deliberations of the court before making
another attempt. Luis, however, as if called by fate, insisted that
they should make one more visit to the king's cellar, and then inquire
about the unrest at court. Persuaded against his better judgment,
Zaragoza followed his friend to the palace, and saw that their secret
passage was in the same condition as they had lately left it. Luis
lowered himself into the hole; but lo! the whiz of an arrow was heard,
and then a faint cry from Luis.

"What is the matter? Are you hurt?" asked Zaragoza.

"I am dying! Take care of my son!" These were Luis's last words.

Zaragoza knew not what to do. He tried to pull up the dead body of his
friend; but in vain, for it was firmly caught between two heavy blocks
of wood, and was pierced by many arrows. But Zaragoza was shrewd;
and, fearing the consequences of the discovery of Luis's corpse,
he cut off the dead man's head and hurried home with it, leaving
the body behind. He broke the fatal news to Maria, whose grief w