exonerated her from all blame; yet there was the baby, screaming lustily, and no other valuables were found in the chest.
"'Forgive me, if I have wronged you,' he said, penitently, 'I judged too quickly; but then I took those gaudy robes from yonder chest, and—who owns the baby?'
"'I see how it is,' said Donna Leonora composedly, turning toward the door, 'you have adopted this plan to rob me of the little fortune I possessed. I would willingly incur a much greater loss to escape from such a monster. Keep my gold, Don Bobadil, and say you become a better man.'
"Our hero stood motionless, involved in a maze of doubts and fears; and the lady was about departing, when Lisette suddenly sprang forward, and prevented her.
"'Stop, lady!' she exclaimed, 'the trick has gone far enough—I own the baby!'
"'Lisette speaks truly, and I am the baby's father!' said Don Philip, grasping the hand of our perplexed hero.
"'Villain!' exclaimed Bobadil, feeling for his sword.
"'Wretch!' screamed Leonora, feeling for her handkerchief.
"'I humbly crave your mercy, until you have heard my story,' replied Don Philip, coolly placing his arm about the waist of his Lisette. 'This lady,' he continued, 'is my wife, and has been such for two years. I have kept my secret thus rigidly, that it should not reach the ears of my family until I had arrived
at man's estate; but when you determined to take a wife I resolved to make you my confidant. While you were at the house of Miguel to-night, I brought my wife and baby hither, wishing to surprise you at your return. I found your chest filled with the riches I afterwards showed you as the property of an actress, and prompted by a spirit of mirth, I exchanged its contents for those of our own. Knowing your hostility to babies, I placed the young Bobadil in your casket also, and had you taken notice of small things, you would have observed that I left the lid partly open. It's only a reminiscence of college trickery, my dear Bobadil, and if it has given offence, behold the culprit at your feet.'