“Zelica!” he shouts, with a horrid yell of astonishment, as he recognized the mounted lady.  “Ha! upon one I can at least take vengeance!” And he is about to transfix her with his hacked and broken weapon, when a powerful arm intercepts his progress, and Conrad’s good sword drinks his life blood, through a cleft in his gorget.

It is the morning after the just punishment of the Knight Templar, before the gates of the castle of Percy Du Bois.  Within a little boudoir which looks out upon the cool shades of the forest of Ardennes, sit four happy beings.  They are Joan and the sable knight, and Conrad D’Amboise with Zelica.  The fair faces of the maidens glow with blushes of pleasure, and the knights shine in the perfection of manly beauty.  The hand of Joan is clasped within the palm of the dark hero-for she is his betrothed-and she gazes into his noble face, with a look of love and trust that would have made St. Anthony forswear his vows.

“Will you renounce crusading henceforth?”

“I must.”

“You must?”

“The magic of your eyes is more potent than the cup of Circe or the song of the Syren.  It would be useless to attempt to evade it, as it would have been for any mortal but the Ithacan hero to escape the Circean wiles.  But trust me, my fair and true Joan, I would never attempt to leave thee, even were it possible.”

Joan hid her blushing face in his bosom.  She was perfectly happy. 
She had waited long, and her fidelity had been rewarded.

[From “The flag of our union.”]

The Australian footman.

By James de Mille.

CHAPTER I.

Showing how low the gold fever may reduce A man.

It was morning in Sydney harbor.  The wharves were crowded with shipping from all parts of the world which were already filled with workmen busily engaged in unloading the cargoes.  The hum of the thousands in the city beginning their daily work, rose into the air and spread far over the country.

It was a beautiful scene.  Before the city spread the noble bay which forms one of the finest harbors in the world, all smooth and unruffled, for scarce a breath of wind disturbed the air.  Encircling the water rose the green shores, here verdant and smiling with fertile meadows, and there wooded and shaded by pleasant groves or orchards.  Ships lay around upon the face of the water, from whose masts floated the flag of many a nation, some slowly borne on by the tide, with the wide spread sails flapping idly against the mast, others swinging slowly, from their fast anchors.  And queen of all this peaceful scene-appeared the metropolis of Australia, with its white houses, lofty spires, and thronged wharves-thus she appeared-sitting in the prime of youth, laying aside her maidenhood to wed the world.