Awe-struck, chilled to the heart, did the noble friends of the departed gather round him.

On the first removal of the mantle, an irresistible yell of curses on the murderer burst forth from the soldiery, wrought into fury at thus beholding their almost idolized commander; but the stern woe on the Sovereign's face hushed them into silence; and the groan of grief and horror which escaped involuntarily from Ferdinand's lips, was heard throughout the hall.
"The murderer ?" at length demanded many of the nobles at the same moment.

"Who has dared do this awful deed?
Don Alonzo, is there no clue to his person--no trace of his path ?" "There is trace and clue enough," was the brief and stern reply.

"The murderer is secured!" "Ha!" exclaimed the King, roused at once; "secured, sayest thou?
In our bitter grief we had well-nigh forgotten justice.

Bring forth the dastardly craven; we would demand the reason of this cowardly blow ere we condemn him to the death of torture which his crime demands.