When they arrived at the palace, the stranger
knocked at the door, and then taking off his hat, said, —

** Senorita, I am happy that chance has enabled me
to render you a slight service. I shall have the honour
of seeing you again. I have already, for a long time,
followed your steps like your shadow. Q-od, who has
granted me the favour of an opportunity of speaking
with you once, will, I feel assured, grant me a second,
altliough,iii a few days, you are to set out on a long jour-
ney. Permit me then to say not adieu, but au revoir.^*

After bowing humbly and gracefully to the young
Jadj, he departed at a rapid pace.
PSTOHOLOaiCAL. 183

A fortnight after this strange adventure, of which
she did not think fit to speak to her uncle, Dona Luz
quitted Mexico, without having again seen the un-
known. Only, on the eve of her departure, when re-
tiring to her bed-chamher, she found a folded note
upon her pne-dieu. In this note were the following
words, written in an elegant hand : —

"You are going. Dona Luz! Eemember that I
told you I should see you again.
" Your preserver of the CaUe de los Plateros.*^

For a long time this strange meeting strongly occu-
pied the mind of the young girl ; for an instant, she
had even believed that Loyal Heart and her unknown
preserver were the same man ; but this supposition
had soon faded away. What probability was there in
it ? "With that object could Loyal Heart, after having
saved her, so quickly have departed ? That would
have been absurd.
