to your roof."

He now had time to scan the persons of his hosts. The elder, Isaac,
the Jew, was, as we described him on his appearance in the plaza, a
man of venerable appearance, with a mild and noble countenance,
wearing the long beard and flowing robes of his race. His daughter,
Miriam, had the commanding beauty, the dark eyes, the flowing hair,
and the bold features of the daughters of Israel. She was richly clad
in robes of silk, and many a jewel of price gleamed in the raven
tresses of her hair.

"Thou art safe beneath this roof," said the Hebrew, "for Donna
Florinda, though the daughter of the man of tiger blood, hath yet
befriended us and ours, and for her sake as well as for thine, thou
art welcome."

Landon thanked his new friends for their hospitable pledges.

"I would fain," said the old Hebrew, "give thee garments more fitting
than the accursed robe that wraps thy youthful limbs. But of a truth I
have none of Spanish fashion, and the Jewish gabardine is almost as
fatal to the wearer as the robe of the _san benito_."

"Here comes Reuben," said Miriam. "Welcome home, dear brother."

A handsome youth of sixteen entered at this moment, and saluted his
father, his sister, and the stranger. He bore a bundle in his arms.

"I was charged," he said, "by the lady Florinda, to bear this packet
to the stranger I should find here. It contains a Spanish dress. She
bid me say," he continued, addressing Landon, "that when you have put
on these habiliments, you can repair with me to the governor's garden
at midnight. The waiting maid and confidant will conduct you through
the house to the street, and once there you can make your way to the
English ambassador's."

After thanking the youthful messenger, Landon was shown to an
apartment, where he was left alone to change his dress. Donna Florinda
had supplied him with a plain but handsome cavalier's suit, including
mantle, hat, and plume, and in addition to these, a good sword. Landon
hailed this latter gift with joy, and buckled the belt with trembling
eagerness. He drew the weapon, and found it to be a Toledo blade of
the best temper. He kissed the sword with ecstasy.

"Welcome!" he cried, "old friend! With you I can cut through odds, and
at least sell my life dearly, if I fall again into the hands of the
Philistines."

Returning to his new friends, he sat down to a hearty meal which they
had prepared for him, and to which he did an Englishman's justice. At
the