his palace
and his riches were made over to the enemy of mankind and I turned into
a cat, than that so great a stain should fall on his family. No sooner
had he finished speaking than he fell dead and his wicked wife also, and
I was turned into a cat; my lover, Haroun, and all my young friends were
turned into stone, and my servants were stricken deaf and dumb. Many a
brave knight has been here to try and deliver me; but they all failed,
because they only trusted in themselves, and were therefore defeated.
But thou, gallant knight, didst trust more on the Cross than on thyself,
and thou hast freed me. I am, therefore, the prize of thy good sword;
deal with me as thou wilt."

The Knight of the Cross assured her that he came from Compostella, where
it was considered a duty to rescue maidens in distress, and that the
highest reward coveted was that of doing their duty. He had in various
parts of the world been fortunate enough in freeing others, and he had
still more work before him. He trusted that the lovely Mizpah might long
be spared to Haroun, and, saluting her, he galloped off.

Then was the wedding held, at which all the people from Ecija attended;
and the bridegroom, rising, wished prosperity to the good knight, St.
James of Compostella, who had been the means of bringing about so much
happiness.

THE CHURCH AUCTIONEER AND CLOWN OF VILLAR.

Down the slopes of the neighbouring mountains were heard the stirring
sounds of the bagpipes and drums, and at short intervals a halfpenny
rocket would explode in mid-air, streaking the blue sky with a wreath of
smoke.

Nearer and nearer came the sounds, and the villagers stood at their
cottage doors waiting for the musicians to pass. Next to the firing of
rockets nothing can be more heart-stirring than the martial sound of the
pipes and drums. The big drum was, on this occasion, played most
masterly by the auctioneer and clown of the parish church, called Jose
Carcunda, or Joseph the Hunchback.

Jose Carcunda was dressed in his gala uniform--cocked hat, scarlet coat
with rich gold lace embroidery, white trousers, and red morocco
slippers. He was a clever man, and could take many parts in the church
plays acted in public for the benefit of the faithful. Sometimes he was
Herod, at others, St. Joseph; again he would appear as Judas, and then
as Solomon; but in this latter capacity he had given some offence to the
vicar by appearing on the stage under the influence