of the city, sat upon the bench, with the other judges, to hear the case. The various witnesses who appeared related the story of Estela's disappearance; her letter, announcing her proposed flight with Don Carlos, was produced; the servants who had been cognizant of the clandestine meetings of the lovers related in detail all they knew about the frequent interviews Don Carlos had had with Estela, without the knowledge of her parents; to all of which the accused could oppose nothing but a simple denial of his guilt.
The disguised Estela, in her character of governor, said, with a frown, and with pretended severity, that, had she known there was such a weight of evidence against Don Carlos, she could never have given him her protection, or have continued him in his office of secretary. The only way in which his innocence could be proved, in the face of such testimony, was by the appearance of Estela, but that, if she could not be produced, it would be necessary to pronounce condemnation.
The miserable man now threw himself at the feet of the governor, and besought him to remember how, long before either of them had any reason to believe they would be called upon to appear before each other in the character of accused and judge, he had told his whole story, and had confessed his love for Estela, despite the reason he had for believing that she had acted basely to him, and how, but a brief time be fore, he had not only acknowledged his unaltered affection, but his faith in Estela's honor, and besought that true justice might be done, despite what seemed to be an accumulation of evidence against him.
Estela, moved by these entreaties, and overcome by the confession of enduring love and of faith in her honor, made in the presence of a great assembly, was unable longer to restrain herself, and she therefore proclaimed that, notwithstanding the evidence, as she knew Don Carlos to be innocent, she would order his release. This excited a loud murmur of discontent; whereupon the governor, commanding silence, revealed herself to the marvelling crowd as the lost Estela, and, throwing herself in the arms of Don Carlos, asked his pardon for the severe tests she had put him to for the purpose of proving that his affection for her was the same as ever.
The lovers were married without delay, and, as the hero and heroine of a novel ought to be, they were happy ever afterwards, the emperor giving to Don Carlos the governor-
