what do you here?"

"The fault is mine," said Alvarado, stepping between the woman he loved
and her infuriated father. "I found Donna Mercedes in the cabinet when I
came in. She strove to fly. I detained her--by force. I poured into her
ear a tale of my guilty passion. Mine is the fault. She repulsed me. She
drove me off."

"The dagger at your feet?"

"She snatched it from me and swore to bury it in her heart unless I left
her. I alone am guilty."

He lied instantly and nobly to save the woman's honor.

"Thou villain, thou false friend!" shouted the Viceroy, whipping out his
sword.

He was beside himself with fury, but there was a characteristic touch of
magnanimity about his next action; so handsome, so splendid, so noble,
in spite of his degrading confession, did the young man look, that he
gave him a chance.

"Draw your sword, Captain Alvarado, for as I live I shall run you
through!"

Alvarado's hand went to his belt, he unclasped it and threw it aside.

"There lies my sword. I am dishonored," he cried. "Strike, and end it
all."

"Not so, for Christ's sake!" screamed Mercedes, who had heard as if in a
daze. "He hath not told the truth. He hath lied for me. I alone am
guilty. I heard him praying here in the still night and I came in, not
he. I threw myself into his arms. I begged him to take me away. He spoke
of his love and friendship for you, for Don Felipe, his honor, his duty.
I did indeed seize the dagger, but because though he loved me he would
still be true. On my head be the shame. Honor this gentleman, my father,
as I--love him."

She flung herself at her father's feet and caught his hand.

"I love him," she sobbed, "I love him. With all the power, all the
intensity, all the pride of the greatest of the de Laras I love him."

"Is this true, Captain Alvarado?"

"Would God she had not said so," answered the young man gloomily.

"Is it true?"

"I can not deny it, my lord, and yet I am the guilty one. I was on the
point of yielding. Had you not come in we should have gone away."

"Yet you had refused?"

"I--I--hesitated."

"Refused my daughter! My God!" whispered the old man. "And you,
shameless girl, you forced yourself upon him? Threw yourself into his
arms?"

"Yes. I loved him. Did'st never love in thine own day, my father? Did'st
never feel that life itself were as nothing compared to what beats and
throbs here?"

"But Don Felipe?"

"He is a gallant gentleman. I love him not. Oh