priest and the condemned man seated and motionless, laid his hand upon his at a game, so strange in their position! shoulder, and uttered one word-only The light rested on the pale and no-one-but in that word was the destrucble countenance of Don Guzman, and tion of a young life, with all its memoell slantingly through the gothic win- ries and all its earthly hopes. That low on the benevolent face of Ruy word was "Come!" Lopez, from which he had often to brush away the tear of irrepressible emotion. What wonder, then, that he played with a distraction which was not usual, and with little of his wonted skill and power. Don Guzman, on the contrary, as if stimulated by the excitement he was laboring under, played with extraordinary address. He seemed wholly engrossed by the game, and as much abstracted from all surrounding and impending circumstances, as if the executioner had already done his work; and the victory would soon have decided in his favor, had not the old passion suddenly revived in Ruy Lopez, on seeing the near prospect of defeat, and roused him into putting forth all his wonted skill, and he was soon as fully absorbed in the game as his friend. And the chessboard was now to both, the universe. Happy illusion, could it but last!

The prisoner started, as though he had trod upon a serpent; then, recov ering himself, said imperiously, "I must finish my game."

"Impossible," replied Calavarez. "Possible, or not possible, I must see my game out. I have all but checkmated him. Unhand me! Come on, Ruy Lopez."

And now the minutes become quarter, the quarters half-hours, and the fatal moment arrives.

A distant sound is heard-it becomes louder and louder-a step approaches -it draws nearer and nearer. The door grates on its hinges, and the executioner, with his grim paraphernalia, enters to arouse them to the stern and terrible reality.

"Impossible," repeated the execu

tioner.

"Are the three hours then out?" "To the very second. The king must be obeyed."

The attendants, who had stood lean. ing on their swords, now advanced.

The duke was seated with his back to the wall, just under the narrow window. The table was between him and Calavarez. He rose, and exclaimed in an imperious tone, "I will have this game, and then my head is yours. Until I have finished it I will not stir. I must have half an hour, and wait you must."

"Duke," replied Calavarez, "I have great respect for you, and would willingly give you all accomodation; but this is out of my power. The delay would be as much as my life is worth."

Don Guzman started up. Then, drawing off his rings, and detaching his diamond clasps, threw them to the exad-ecutioner, saying carelessly.

The assistants of Calavarez, armed with swords and bearing torches, vanced, carrying a block covered with black cloth, the use of which was evident enough from the axe which lay upon it. They placed their torches in their sockets, and strewed sawdust upon the ground. All this took but a few seconds, and they stood awaiting their victim. On the appearance of Calavarez, Ruy Lopez started from his seat, but the duke moved not; he remained with his eyes fixed on the chessboard, paying no attention either to the men or to their fatal preparations.

"To our game, Ruy Lopez."

The jewels rolled along the floor, but none stooped to pick them up. The executioners gazed upon each other in astonishment.

"My orders are precise," cried Cal. avarez determinedly. "Your pardon, noble duke, if we employ force; but I have no choice; the commands of the king and the laws of Spain must be obeyed. Rise, then, and do not waste your last moments in a useless strug gle. Speak to the duke, my lord bishop! Exhort him to submit to his

It was his turn to move.
Calavarez seeing the duke thus fixed fate!"

The answer of Ruy Lopez was tion would only add to his well-known prompt and decisive; for, seizing the prowess. axe that was lying on the block, and whirling it over his head, he exclaimed, "Stand back! for, by heaven, the duke shall finish this game!"

He ended by adopting what appear ed to him the wisest decision; he would wait.

"Will you pledge your word te At this unexpected demonstration of close the game in half an hour?" he the bishop, Calavarez started back, demanded.

duke.

"Agreed, then," said the executioner. "Play away."

and almost fell over his assistants, who, "I pledge you my honor," replied the brandishing their swords, were about to rush upon the prisoner, when Ruy Lopez, who appeared suddenly metamorphosed into a Hercules, threw down his heavy oaken stool upon the floor, exclaiming

The truce thus concluded, the players resumed their places and the game. Calavarez, who was also a chessplayer, became, in spite of himself, in terested in the moves, and the attendants, keeping their eyes upon the duke, seemed to say "You and the game must end together?"

Don Guzman gave one glance around him, and then coolly said

"The first of you that passes this boundary fixed by the Church is a dead man, Courage! noble duke. To work again. There are but three of these miscreants. Your lordship's last wish shall be accomplished, were my life to be the forfeit. And you, wretches woe to him who dares to lay his hand upon a bishop of his Church! Accursed be he for ever-cut off from the flock of the faithful in this world, to be a howling demon in the other! Down And he turned to his game with a with your swords and respect the annointed of the Lord!"

"Never before have I played in such noble company-but at least I shall not be without witnesses that once in my life I have beaten Don Lopez."

smile, but it was a smile of bitter sadness, as though he despised the triumph Ruy Lopez continued, in a jargon he had gained. As to the bishop, he of Spanish and Latin, to fulminate an- kept firm hold of the handle of the athemas, maledictions, and threats of axe, muttering, "If I were sure that excommunication, which, at that time, the duke and I could get out of this had such influence upon the mass of the den of tigers, I would not be long people. breaking the heads of all three."

The effect of this interposition was immediate; for the assistants stood motionless, and Calavarez began to think that to kill a bishop without a special order from the king might expose him to great peril in this world, to say nothing of the next.

"I will go to his Majesty," said he. "Go to the devil!" replied the bishop, still standing on the defensive.

The executioner did not know what to do. Did he go to announce this news to Philip, who was expecting the head of the traitor, he only exposed himself to the consequences of his fury. The odds were not enough in his favor to make him certain of the result of an attempt at force, for the strength of Ruy Lopez was by no means to be despised-and as to the duke, despera

A DISCOVERY.

If the three hours had passed but slowly in the prisoner's cell, their flight had not been more rapid at the court of king Philip. The monarch had continued to play with his favorite, Don Ramirez de Biscay, and the nobles obliged by the rules of etiquette to remain standing, and unable to leave under any pretext, appeared sinking under the fatigue, rendered still greater by the weight of their armour.

Don Tarrasez, with half-closed eyes, stood motionless, resembling one of those statues cased in iron ornamenting gothic halls. The young D'Ossuna, almost worn out with weariness and sor. row, was leaning against the marble pillar. And king Philip, pacing up and down with hasty steps, paused oc

The king continued:

casionally to listen for some distant coughed, and as D'Ossuna's gauntletnoise. At one time he stopped to ex-ed hand sought the hilt of his sword, amine the hour-glass, at another, with he mentally ejaculated-"Before this that mingling of superstitious feeling man calls Donna Estella his, I will apparently as inconsistent with some follow my noble cousin to the grave. points in his character as it was with Let me see to-morrow' dawn and I will Louis the Eleventh, he knelt before an avenge him." image of the Virgin, placed on a pedestal of porphyry brought from the ruins of the Alhambra, and implored her to pardon him for the bloody deed that was now accomplishing. All was as silent as in the palace of Azrael, the Angel of Death; for no one, how ever high and exalted his rank, dared to speak without the permission of his sovereign. No sooner had the last grain of sand announced that the fatal hour had arrived, than the king joyfully exclaimed:

"The traitor's hour has come!"

A low murmur ran through the assembly.

"Your zeal and devotedness, Don Ramirez, shall be rewarded. The savior of our throne, and perhaps of our dynasty, merits no insignificant reward. This morning we commanded you to prepare with our high chancellor the letters patent which will give you the rank of Duke and Governor of Valencia. Are these papers ready to be signed.

Was it remorse that made Don Rami. rez tremble for the moment, and draw back involuntarily? The king made a movement of impatience, and the count drew with some precipitation a roll of "The time has expired," replied parchment from his bosom, and kneelPhilip; "and with it, Count de Bis-ing, presented it to the king, who recay, your enemy is no more. He has ceived it; saying: fallen like the leaves of the olive tree before the blast."

"My enemy, sire?" exclaimed Don Ramirez, affecting surprise.

"To sign these letters patent shall be our first public act to-day. Treason has been already punished by the executioner-it is time for the monarch to reward his faithful servant."

"Yes count, replied Philip. "Why repeat our words? Were you not the As the king unrolled the parchment, rival of Don Guzman in the affection, a scroll fell from it on the ground. of Donna Estella, and can rivals be With an involuntary cry, Don Ramirez friends? In truth, though we have not sprang forward to seize it, but at a sign spoken of that at our council, our roy. from the king, a page picked it up, and al word is pledged; Donna Estella it was already in the hands of the shall be yours! Yours are her beauty king. Another moment, and the monand her vast domains. Thus, count, arch's face gloomed wrathfully, his eye when you hear tell of the ingratitude of flashed fire, and he furiously exclaimsovereigns, you can say, we at least have not forgotten the true friend of the king and of Spain, who discovered the conspiracy and correspondence of Don Guzman with France."

There was more of uneasiness in the countenance and manner of Don Ramirez than such gracious words from the lips of royalty seemed calculated to excite, and it was with do wncast eyes, as if shrinking from such public approval, he answered:

ed:

"Holy Virgin, what is this?"

MORE THAN ONE CHECKMATEd.

The game of chess was now over, Don Guzman had beaten Ruy Lopez-his triumph was complete, and he rose, saying to Calavarez

"I am ready to meet the wishes of my king, as becomes one who has never swerved from his allegiance to him. "Sire, it was with much repugnance My God, may this deed of foul injus Ifulfilled a painful duty. tice fall only upon him who has been He could say no more, his embarrass the instigator of it, but may my blood ment seemed to increase. Tarrassez never call down vengeance upon my

king. I blame him not for my untime-bitious hopes, drawn from his bosom a ly fate." document, fatal alike to those hopes The executioner was now preparing and to himself. That paper contained the block, while Ruy Lopez kneel- indications not only of a plot to ruin ing in a corner, and hiding his face Don Guzman, but of treasonable dein his mantle, recited the Office for the signs against the sovereign, sufficient Dying. to arouse the king's suspicions, and further inquiry soon extorted confession from the lips of the traitor himself. He was instantly committed to the tender mercies of Calaverez, who, this time, was given to understand, that his own head must answer for any delay in executing the royal mandate.

Calavarez laid his hand on the duke's shoulder to remove his ruff. Don Guzman drew back.

"Touch not a Guzman with ought belonging to thee, save this axe!" said he, and tearing off the collar, he placed his head on the block. "Now strike," he added; "I am ready!"

The executioner raised the axe, and all would have been over, when shouts, and the noise of hasty steps, and the confused murmur of voices arrested the arm of Calavarez.

The door was flung open, and D'Os. suna threw himself between the victim and the executioner.

"We are in time!"

Need we say that Don Guzman's deliverance was hailed with joy by the whole court, and even the stern monarch himself condescended to express his satisfaction that his favorite had escaped.

"It is our royal desire," said he," that henceforth, to perpetuate the remembrance of your almost miraculous escape, that you bear in your escutcheon a silver axe on an azure chessboard. It is our royal will and pleasure that Donna Estella shall be your bride, and that your nuptials be solemnized in this our palace of the Escurial."

"Is he alive?" exclaimed Tarrasez. "He is safe!" cried D'Ossuna, "My dearest cousin, I had not hoped ever to see you again. God would not suffer the innocent to perish for the guilty. His holy name be praised!" Then, turning to Ruy Lopez, he ad"God be praised!" exclaimed all pre-ded, "I am sure the Church has found sent, and amongst them all, and a good servant in her new bishop. As above them all, was heard Don Ruy a mark of our royal fovor, we bestow Lopez. upon you a scarlet robe enriched with "You have indeed arrived in time-diamonds, to wear on the day of your dear friend," said Don Guzman to his consecration. You well deserve this cousin, "for, now, I have not strength at my hands, for your game of chess left to die," with Don Guzman."

He fainted on the block-the revulsion was too mighty.

Ruy Lopez sprang to his side, and raising him in his arms, bore him to the royal saloon. The nobles followed, and when Don Guzman was restored to consciousness, he beheld all his friends thronging around him, with congratulations, which the presence of the monarch scarcely restrained. To Don Guzman, it all seemed a dream. One moment with his head on the block, and the next in the royal saloon. He had yet to learn, that Don Ramirez, agita

by secret remorse, and flurried by the impatience of the monarch, had, with the letters patent, the royal signature to which was to crown all his am

"Sire," replied Ruy Lopez, "for the first time in my life, I need no consolation for being checkmated."

The king smiled-so did the court. "Now, my lords," added Philip, "we invite you to our royal banquet. Let covers for Don Guzman and for the Bishop of Segovia be placed at the table with ourself. Your arm Don Guzman."

When one praised a good man liberally before his face, he exclaimed, "Hold! do not strike fire so near my tinder."

It is a waste of time to complain of other people's faults. The best thing we can do is to mend our own.