" I bave it in my gypsire," said she, unclasping the bag and unfolding the paper—" Lo ! my brother, what a trans-formation is here," exclaimed the queen, in amazement. "Thy silver has again become ashes." " Grieve not," said the alchemist, with an air of superior wisdom, " Science will achieve new wonders with these dull atoms." He now placed the powder in the crucible as before, and taking from a shelf what seemed a fragment of rock, pul-verized it to a like powder, and mingled both in the cruci-ble, which he placed upon the brazier and subjected it to a most intense heat. " What dost thou now observe ?" said the alchemist. " A melted glowing mass of a ruby color," said Eleano-ra, with great interest. Taking a small rod in his hand he lifted the adhering particles, and drew them into thin, fine hair, like threads of a shining whiteness, which he presented to Agnes, say-ing, with a smile, " I will bestow these frail crystals upon thee, fair one ; perchance thou mayst preserve them in memory of the mad philosopher." Every day the Queen of England became more interested in the society of her lovely ward, whose sprightliness was tempered by a sweetness, and a delicate discrimination, that never gave offence. It was gratifying to observe, in a fancy cultivated by the poetic legends of the South, and stored with the splendid fictions of Arabian romance, an ardent love of truth, and a strict adherence to its dictates ; and Eleanora saw with pleasure that her most playful and en-tertaining sallies, though sometimes pointed at the pecu-liarities of those around her, never betrayed ill-humor, nor degenerated into sarcasm. Her beauty and gayety forci-bly recalled the image of Eva ; but the reliance which the obedient Jewess inspired, was in strong contrast to the anxiety ever awakened by the lovely, but volatile daughter of Clare. The charming Agnes not only amused the queen with her vivacity, but afforded her a sense of repose, by her 428 HEROINES OF THÉ CRUSADES.