"What demon brings you here, when you are not wanted?" cried the robber, turning on him fiercely, while his companions still held Luis, who in vain endeavoured to break from them. "Don Luis's good demon, I suppose," answered the Friar. "You forget that your figures can be clearly seen from the street; so, as I chanced to be passing, and observed some fighting going forward, I came to see what it was about. Ah! as I live, that is the very lady who gave us so much trouble in the forest! Hark you, Rodrigo--" Saying which, the Friar drew the robber aside. Their conference was but of short duration, yet it seemed perfectly satisfactory to both; when the Friar addressed Luis, who still remained completely in the power of the other two: "I regret to say, senhor, that though I have been the means of saving your life, I can do nothing further for you; and you must consent to this gentleman's terms, though you may think them rather hard." "Gladly. Any sum he fixes on I will endeavour to pay," answered Luis; "and you, senhor, who have already done me so great a service, will, I trust, aid me in conveying this lady to a place of safety." "You are mistaken, senhor," interrupted the miscreant, with a laugh of derision. "I give the Padre your life; but I am to have the lady for my share; so yield her up without further delay." "Never! I will die first!" exclaimed Luis; but, at that instant, by a signal from Rodrigo, one of the men who held him threw a handkerchief over his head, and dragged him backwards, while the principal ruffian forced Clara from his arms. She was by this time sufficiently recovered to comprehend fully all the horrors of her situation; but the wretch heeded not her cries for mercy as he bore her away, while Luis exerted all his energies to free himself from the others; but they, throwing themselves on him, held him down securely, though with considerable difficulty. His struggles exhausted their patience. "Give him a taste of the steel!" muttered Miguel; "that will keep him quiet enough." "Hold!" said the Friar, who stood by, a quiet spectator, without attempting to interfere; "Rodrigo will soon be at a sufficient distance, and then you may set the young fidalgo at liberty. In the mean time, senhor," he added, turning to Luis, "I would advise you to be quiet; your exertions only fatigue, without benefitting yourself in the slightest degree." "Either destroy me at once, or let me fly to save that lady," exclaimed Luis, in a tone of agony. "It is not wise to seek death before your time," returned the Friar; "and as for saving the lady, who is already a long way from this, I have not the power to do it. Had I not arrived at the moment I did, the lady would have been in the same condition she now is, and you would have been dead; so you, at all events, have to thank me for your life."