brave defender. Rollo feebly returned her endearments, he was wounded in many places; Teresa feared he would never leave the cave alive, and then, she thought. "If the bear should recover, how dreadful still their fate might be." The poor bear had however, received a mortal wound, a dull film was over her eyes, her huge limbs fluttered, and she fell dead upon her cubs. Fain would Teresa have left the grim trio in possesion of their rocky sepulchre, but the awful raging of the storm kept her prisoner, and she sat between Carlos and poor Rollo, audibly praying for help yet fearing that her trials would never have an end. Gradually the tempest subsided, the clouds rolled away, and the beams of the sun, again gilded the magnificent mountain scenery, and the distant barking of the dogs, told the Spanish girl, that her father was searching for his lost children among these wild solitudes. She knew the instinct of the animals would lead them to the cave, which she did not intend to leave for fear of losing the skins of the

she-bear and her cubs. In a little while, her father, attended by his dogs, and another shepherd, entered the cavern and beheld with wonder, the scene its arena displayed. With hearts full of gratitude and love the whole party quitted the den. Teresa and Carlos bearing the dead cubs, Diego carrying the faithful Rollo on his shoulders, and the stranger dragging the bear. Thus loaded, their progress was extremely slow, and it was night before they reached the hut of Blanca, whom they found in an agony of doubt and anxiety. The tender mother clasped her children to her bosom, unconscious that any other peril had assailed them beside the storm, what were her feelings, when she learned their fearful jeopardy. "Ah my children, my children," said she,

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never forget Him who hath delivered ye from the paw of the bear. He, who hath had mercy on you now, will preserve ye in all future dangers. Put your trust in Him."

The children never forgot the words of their pious mother, they often had occasion to remember them in days of deeper peril.

It was some weeks before Rollo could crawl about, but Blanca dressed his wounds with her

own hands, and fed him on broth, made of his enemy the bear. The flesh of the ursine family proved delicious, and their skins made warm coverlids for the beds. Teresa gaining experience by her late adventure, discontinued her wanderings, and applied herself to domestic employments, till she was old enough to take care of her father's goats, which were his own property; the flocks he tended belonging to the superior of a neighbouring convent. She was now near twelve years of age, and possessed a fine healthy constitution, united to an excellent understanding. The strong mind of her mother was tempered with the patience and gentleness of her father. The Catalonian girl was tall of her age, and very comely; nor did the sun look upon a merrier lighter-hearted maiden.

The struggle for Spanish liberty continued, and still the boundless ambition of the French Emperor, sent forth new armies to deluge the pa

triot land with human blood. Pedro and his family often watched the march of these foreign myrmidons, and when a prayer was uttered by Blanca, or sorrowful words that bespoke her sympathy with her countrymen, "Ah! woe, woe, to poor Spain," he would still embrace her, saying as he did so, "But thou art safe my beloved, safe with me, in the wild fastnesses of these impregnable hills."

Blanca sighed as she felt that Pedro's arm was wanted for Spain at this crisis; but she feared the mildness of his temper, would not suit the life of a guerrilla. She loved him, and she did not urge him to leave her, and the children.

The ambition of Napoleon as we have seen, had found a new object, he was about to attempt the conquest of Russia; and the conscription was raised in every province he had subjugated, to furnish troops for the expedition.

Pedro, who took care of the flocks belonging to the monastery of Lerida, ventured thither in search of hands, to assist him in shearing the sheep, as well as to obtain from his employers,

some money to furnish his family with food and clothing. On his way he unfortunately fell in with a French detachment, by which he was immediately captured.

Pedro pleaded that he had never borne arms against the French, entreating the commander of the troop, to permit him to return to his wife and children, and peaceful occupations in the mountains."

"I cannot do so," replied tho Captain, "because our great Emperor wants soldiers to serve in the army. Indeed I cannot be so much your enemy as to comply with your request, for your fortune is as good as made. You are a fine-looking fellow, and in the hot war, the imperial army will shortly be engaged in, you are just as likely to get a marshal's baton as a bullet."

The bitter tears that rolled down the cheek of the Catalonian shepherd, excited the indignation of the soldiers." Captain, you will never be able to make a soldier of this poor coward” cried the serjeant, contemptuously.