Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-17
detailed by his general for this new and


With single salute he fell out and in
| stantly attached himself to Rollo, whom
he relieved Of his knapsack and water bot
tie on the spot Sergeant Cardono paid no
attention whatever to the other three,
whom he evidently regarded as very subor-
dinate members Of the expedition.
As soon as they arrived at the village
where they Were to part from the COM
mand OF Cabrera, Sergeant Cardono
promptly disappeared. He was not seen
for several hours, during which Rollo and
Ell Sarria wandered here and there, endeav-
! oring in that poor place to pick up some
sustenance which would serve them In lieu
OF dinner. They had but poor success.
round Of black bread, fowl of amazing
age, vitality and muscular development
and a few snails were all they could OBJ
tain by their best persuasions, aided by
the money with which Rollo was plenti-
fully supplied
Rollo and Ell Sarria were carrying their
scanty prey to a house, where a decent
looking woman had agreed to cook 1t for
| them. when their gloomy reveries were In
terrupted by sudden apparitfon which
burst upon them as they stood on the crest
| of deep hollow.
The limestone hills had been rent asunder
| the rocks the neighboring farmers and
villagers had quarried and carried away
| such of the overhanging blocks as could
| easily be trimmed to suit their purposes.
Part of what remained had been shaped
into hornito, or stone oven. under which
| a fire had been kndled. and strange fig
ure moved about. stirring the glowing char
coal with long bar Of iron. On
| smaller hearth nearer at hand a second
| fire blazed. and the smell Of fragrant cook
| cry rose to the expectant and envious nos
| trils Of the four.
1t was Sergeant .Cardono. who moved
about whistling softly, now attending to
| the steaming ola, now watching the rising
bread in the bornito.
Perceiving Rollo he saluted gravely and
/ remarked: Dinner will be served In half
an hour" The others. as before, he SIM
ply ignored. But in Difference to his new
commander he stopped whistling and
moved about with his lean shoulders
squared, as II on parade.
When the dinner was ready Sergt. Car
dono announced it to Rollo us If he had
| been serving prince. And what was the
young mans establishment to find table.
covered with decent white cloth, spread
| under the shelter Of a limestone rock.
spread for three and complete, even to
table napkins, which the sergeant had tied
into various curious shapes.
AS they filed down the slope the sergeant
stood at attention. but when Ell Sarria
passed he quickly beckoned him aside with
q private gesture.
you and will cat after the foreigners"
he explained.
Ell Sarria drew himself up somewhat
proudly, but Sergt. Cardono whispered in
his ear two or three words which appeared
to astonish him so much that he did as he
was bid and stood aside while John Nor
timer and Etienne de Saint Pierre seated
themselves.
Ell Sarria helped the sergeant to serve
the meal, which was at once the proof of
his foraging ability and his consummate
genius as cook. For though the day was
Friday the soup was very far from meager.
The stew contained both lamb and fresh
pork. cut into generous cubes, with suffi-
cheney of savory lat included. A sausage
had been sliced small for seasoning, and
the whole had been smothered in gar
banzos, haricot beans, rice and mixed with
strips Of toothsome salt fish that John Nor
timer bent and said a well-deserved bless
ing over the viands
Il don't usually in this country" he ex-
planned, but really this is what my good
old father would call manifest Provi-
dence. That fellow Of ours will prove
treasure
1T seems So" said Rollo, little grimly:
that is, If he can scout and fight as well
as he can cater and cook"
1t was indeed with feeling of intense
relief that the little company Of five men
separated from the white and red boinas
of the butcher generals cavalcade. Well
affected to them Cabrera might be for
the time being, his favor was so brief and
uncertain, his affection so tigerlike, that
even Sergt. Cardono sighed sigh of salts
faction when they turned their horses
heads toward the taraway Guadarama, be-
yond which lay the goal Of their adventur-
ing.
Rollo rode gloomily apart. He was turn
ing over the terms of his commission in
his mind, and the more he thought the
less he was satisfied: 1t was not alone
| the desperateness of the venture that
daunted Rollo, but the difficulty of pro-
| viding for the queen regent and little prin-
| cess when captured. There were a couple
Of hundred miles to ride back to those
northern Businesses where they would be
safe, and for the most part without cover
I and through country swarming with ma
tionals and Christine rartisans.
Riding thus in Geep meditation, Rollo,
whose gaze was usually alert, did not
observe away to the right a couple Of
horses ridden at speed and rapidly overtak-
ing their more tired beasts.
FL Sarria, however, did not fail to note
them, but, fearing a belated message of
recall from Gen. Cabrera, did not COM
municate his discovery to his companions,
but contended himself with keeping his
eye upon the approaching riders.
Rolo was, therefore, still advancing, his
reins flung loosely upon his beasts neck
and his whole attitude betokening mel
ancholy resigna ton, couple of lengths be-
fore his companions, when a sudden clat-
tering Of hoofs startled him. He looked
up, and there on her white mare, we'll
lathered at girth and bride, was little
Concha Cabezos. sitting her painting beast
with the grace of the true Andaluce.
Her hair was a little ruff1ed by the wind.
Her cheeks and lips were adorably red.
There was a new and brilliant light in her
eye, and after one curiously comprehen-
about to look for her companion, La Gil
ralda, who presently cantered up on a
numbering EStramen1an geldlng. La Gil
ralda sat astride as before, her lower
limbs so far as these were apparent, being
closely clad in leather, loose skirt over
them preserving in part the appearance
of sex.
Rollo was dumb with sheer astonish-
ment. He could only gaze at the flushed
cheek, the tinglng electric glances. the
air. completely unconscious and innocent.
of the girl before him.
"Concha!' he cried aloud, "Concha-
what do you here? Thought imagined
you were safe at the convent Of the Holy
Innocents!'
CHAPTER XIV.
The Mission of the SenOrita COncha.
II, too have mission, would have you
know" said Concha, dangerous coquctry
showing through her grave demeanor, "a
secret mission from the mother superior
Of the convent Of the Holy Innocents. Do
not attempt to penetrate the secret. 1
assure you it will be quite useless. And
pray do not suppose that only you can
adventure forth on perilous quests
"I assure you." began Rollo. eagerly,
that I suppose such thing. At the
moment when you came up l was wishing
with all my heart that the responsibility
of the present undertaking had been laid