Chapter 29

“It is true, sir, that we were engaged,” she replied to the question in his look. “I love him still, and only promised to marry the Duke because he said, if I did, he would save Ramón from imprisonment—and worse. He told me he had helped Ramón to get out of Spain to England, when he was on the point of being arrested for—something that happened in Seville. Now I know it wasn’t true;—that he—lied, and that he’s been horribly treacherous to Ramón, as well as to me. I’ll not keep my promise to him to-morrow, or ever.”

“This seems a strange story,” said the King. “I must hear it at length, later. But you shall not marry against your wish. You shall marry the man you love; we will see to that, whether Carmona can clear himself or not. As for my friend Casa Triana, I owe him a triple debt. Part of it I can repay by giving him certain estates in the South which I believe I’ve been—keeping in trust for him. Part I can never repay; and part—well, if I can give him a bride who loves him, perhaps he will consider himself repaid?”

“I thank your Majesty a thousand times,” I said.

Monica looked at me. She was very pale; but there was heaven in her eyes.

“_Viva el Rey!_” shouted Dick; and the crowd, though they had not heard or understood what passed, took up the cry with all their hearts—

“_Viva el Rey!_”

THE END

THE McCLURE PRESS, NEW YORK

1 Love and oranges How similar are they. For however sweet their taste, They are always a little bitter.

LEONARD WILLIAMS’ _Translation_.