The Heart's Secret; Or, the Fortunes of a Soldier: a Story of Love and the Low Latitudes.

lying now with the palms and orange trees that so gracefully surrounded the marble statue of Ferdinand, in the midst of the Plaza, and ruffling the marble basin of water that bubbles forth f

n resume his irregular walk and seemingly absorbed in a dreamy frame of mind, quite unconscious of

ere would be an end to all my hopes and fancies. He's low enough, now, however, so my valet just told me, and ten to one, if his physician knows his case, as he pretends, he'll make a die of it. He is a gallant fellow, that's a fact, and brave as he is gallant. I may as well own the fact that's what makes me hate him so! But he should not have crossed my pat

rchly she teazes me! Sometimes I think within myself that I am about to win the goal, when drop goes the curtain, and she's as far away as ever. How queenly she looks, nevertheless. I had much rather be refused by such a woman, to my own mortification, than to succeed with almost any other, if only for the pleasure of

aza. Let the reader follow us now inside the massive stone walls of the Spanish barracks, to a dimly lighted room, where lay a wounded soldier upon his bed. The apartment gave token in its furniture of a very peculiar combination of literary and military taste. There were foils, long and short swords, pistols, hand pikes, flags,

n assistant-surgeon of the regiment, watching what evidently seemed to be the turning point as to the sufferer's chance for life or death. As the boy and the surgeon watched him thus, gradua

urgeon's thoughts, from time to time, and now marked the gleam of satisfaction upon

d the boy, anxiously, as the surgeon's followed him n

gone finely into that last nap, thanks to the medicine, and if he will but continue under its infl

d the boy, eager

, and would be little less than a miracle. I've seen sicke

way yet of deciding upon

'll hope for the best; tha

turned his steps up the Calla de Mercaderes to his home. Ruez sought his sister's apartment, and throwing himself upon a lounge, seemed moody and unhappy. As he reclined thus, Isab

een to the barracks to inquire?" She said this in an

soft blue eyes upon his sister's face, as though he would read h

ow is Captain Bezan, t

y, sadly, resuming again his former position. "The

ell you t

, but that which was equ

worse?" she continued,

at he was worse, but the fever rages still, and unle

uez and the hound both fell asleep, and knew not that she at last left her seat. The warmth and enervating influence of

uez's first, and then both father's and mine; and in this last act of daring gallantry and bravery, he received his death wound. Alas! how fearful it seems to me, this strange picture. Would I could see and thank him once more-take from him any little commission that he might desire in his las

er, she would have spurned it at once; but it was the woman's sympathy that she felt for one who would have doubtless sacrificed his life for her and hers; it was a simple act of justice she would have performed; and the pearly tear that now wet her cheek,

ll when he said that there was no danger of he

ors, and a girl, whose dress betokens her to be a servant, steps out, and telling her errand to the corporal of the guard, is permitted to pass the sentinel, and is con

ifts to Captain Bezan?" as

ady,

y, my good girl, if

onzales, sir," was the m

oon, I remember," said the surgeon; "the sick m

refresh him and restore hi

ued the surgeon, "and amen sa

as that?" asked th

the best swordsman, best scholar, best-in short we could

any better than he

eon, approaching the bedside; "but in my judgment of the cas

upon the high, pale forehead and remarkably handsome features of the young soldier. Though the few days of confinemen

quite long enough from the opiate, quite as long as I wish;

breathes," continued

to see him breathe in that

urmur something, th

d constantly during his delirium. Pray, my goo

the reply. "But w

ut her night and day. Indeed she is all he has spo

l, musing at the surge

d your mistress sp

ortant service. Do you say that he talked of S

" said tire surgeon, showing the girl a miniature, painted on ivory with great skill and beauty. "I think it must b

ate picture, which represented the Senorita Isabella Gonzales as sitting at an o

k it is l

ve

it was meant for the la

a water?" asked the girl, as she observed

to rouse him gently, and it

have done had he been an infant. The stimulating influence of the delicate spirits she was using was most delightful to the senses of the sick man,

ment more the soldier seemed to arouse, and uttered a long deep sigh, as though relieved from some heavy weight that had long been oppressing him, both m

onfined, veil-like to the crown of her head, and partially screened her features, but she showed most unmistakable signs of delight

gazing at the girl. "If the mistress be as lovely as the mai

, he is awake!" whispered

ofessional man, as soon as his eyes rested on

with an earnest though tremulous voice, as she gathe

asked, once more, as she

the reply of the attendant, who still looked ea

that this purse might be devoted to his convenience and comfort; but she also desir

cret, and to improve the purse solely for the

indeed his friend," she answere

more to the miniature he had shown, examined it in various lights, now carefully within

emphasis; "and now I know it; that lady was S

her dressing-maid's attire, had thus dressed in humble costume, stepped into a volante, and ordering the calesaro to drive to the infantry barracks, where she knew the sick man was, had entered as we have seen, under pretext

his attendant, who now approached his bedside to a

, "and are already much better; keep as quiet as possible, and we will soon hav

d, and half closed his eyes again, as if he thought by thus doing he might on

is patient; for he saw that this was her earnest desire, and she had confided in part to him her errand there. But

on, and very nearly his heart, also,