f her mother's easy tolerance of differences, and all her sweet
affability to those beneath her.

"Ah, my damsel, true love regards the heart rather than the face,
methinks. I cannot see into my damsel's heart in one minute, but I
should think it was not at all difficult to love her."

"I want every body to love me," said Margaret. "And I love every body."

"If my damsel would permit me to counsel her,--love every body by all
means: but do not let her want every body to love her."

"Why not?"

"Because I fear my damsel will meet with disappointment."

"Oh, I hate to be disappointed. Hast thou brought thine image with
thee?"

To Margaret this question sounded most natural. In the first place, she
could not conceive the idea of prayer without something visible to pray
to: and in the second, she had been taught that all Jews and Saracens
were idolaters. She was surprised to see the blood rush to Belasez's
dark cheek, and the fire flash from her eyes.

"Will my damsel allow me to ask what she means? I do not understand."

"Wilt thou not want to say thy prayers whilst thou art here?" responded
Margaret, who was at least as much puzzled as Belasez.

"Most certainly! but not to an image!"

"Oh, do you Jews sometimes pray without images?"

"Does my damsel take us for idolaters?"

"Yes, I was always told so," said Margaret, looking astonished.

The fire died out of Belasez's eyes. She saw that Margaret had simply
made an innocent mistake from sheer ignorance of the question.

"My damsel has been misinformed. We Israelites hold all images to be
wicked, and abhorrent to the holy law."

"Then thou wilt not want to set up an idol for thyself anywhere?"

"Most assuredly not."

"I hope I have not vexed thee," said Margaret, ingenuously. "I did not
know."

"My damsel did not vex me, as soon as I saw that she did not know."

"And wouldst thou not like better to be a Christian than a Jew?"
demanded Margaret, who could not imagine the possibility of any feeling
on Belasez's part regarding her nationality except those of regret and
humiliation.

But the answer, though it came in a single syllable, was unmistakable.
Intense pride, passionate devotion to her own creed and people, the
deepest scorn and loathing for all others, combined to make up the tone
of Belasez's "No!"

"How very odd!" exclaimed Margaret, looking at her, with an expression
of great astonishment upon her own fair, open features.

"Is