Evening star., 1901-08-31
fer second helping of puchero to his

| slow English blood developed some latent
Puritanic fire. and he said. Hang me If
! l do not fight for the little girl who was
willing to pay for the whole of the goat
milkr'
The night was dark that it was re-
| solved that the party should leave their
horses behind them in the stables of the
deserted farm. They could then proceed
| the rest of the way on foot more softly and
with more safety to themselves.
So it came to pass that once more horse
shce iron clattered, and there was a flash
ing of lights and noise of voices about
| the lonely and stricken farmhouse.
Now as Sergt Cardono returned
| he placed himself completely as former
| ly under the orders of Rollo. He was no
more Jose Maria, the famous gypsy, but
| Sergt. Cardono of the army of II. NJ. Carlos
| Qulnto, and Senior Rollo was his colonel.
Like a good scout he was ready to advise,
| but to the full ready to hold his tongue
and obey.
But Rollo, though new to his position,
| was not above benetiting continually by
his wisdom, and matter of fact it was
| the sergeant, who, in conjunction with
| La Giralda, led the little expedition down
| the perilous goat track, by which the old
| gypsy had followed her flock in the morn
! ing. AS usual, Concha kept her place be-
| side Rollo, with Mortimer and Etienne
| little behind while Ell Sarra, taciturn and
| alert, brought up the rear.
| They now drew near to the palace which,
as one deScendS the mountains, is ap-
preached first The town of San Ildefenso
|
able mass of heaped roofs and turrets,
without a light the vestige of street
| apparent in the gloom
The briefest look around convinced
| Rollo that it would be impossible for
small a party to hold the long range of
| iron palisades which surrounded the palace.
| Then must hold La Granja itself, that was
clear. There remained, therefore, only
| the problem of finding entrance for them
selves.
Between the porter's lodge and the great
| gates near the collegiate they discovered
| ladder left somewhat carelessly against
wall where whitewaShing had been going
on during the day.
| This they at once appropriated, and Rollo
| and the sergeant being the two most agile
| of the company, prepared to mount
If the time had been less critical and
| a disinterested observer had been avail
| able, it would at this moment have been
| interesting to observe the demeanor of
Concha. Feeling that in a manner she
| was present on sufferance, she could not,
| of course, make any objection to the plan
| of eScalade, nor could she offer to accom-
pany Rollo and the sergeant, but with
| slasped hands and tightly compressed lips
she stood beneath, repeating under her
| breath quick succeeding prayers for the
| safety of one (or both of the adventurers.
The ladder was reared against the gilt
| iron railing and Rollo mounted. immediate-
| ly dropping lightly down the further
| side. The sergeant followed and presently
| both were on the ground. AT a word from
|
| and the two received it and laid it along
| the parapet, in place where it would re-
main completely hidden till wanted.
| Then the two moved off togetherSin the
direction of the porter lodge, at the door
| of which the sergeant knocked lightly
| and then. obtaining no answer, with more
| vehemence. A window was lifted and
| frightened voice asked who came there at
| that time of night.
The sergeant answered with some sharp
| ness that they wished for the key of the
| great gate.
Upon this the same old woman who had
| ushered out La Giralda appeared trembling
| at the lattice, and was but little relieved
| when the sergeant, putting on his most
+, rious air. informed her that her life in
the utmost danger and that she must in
Stantly come downstairs, open the gate and
| accompany them to the palace.
Il knew it, quavered the old woman, Il
knew it since ever my husband went away
with the soldiers and left me here alone.
| shall be murdered among you-and my
| blood shall be on his hands"
Come down Immediately and let us in.
my good woman said the sergeant Sooth-
ingly.
But how am 1 to know that you are not
| the very rogues and thieves of whom you
| tell?" persisted the old lady, with some
| show of reason.
Well said the sergeant, forbearngly,
| 'as to that you must trust u.s. mother 1t
is the best you can do: But fear nothing,
We will treat you gently cat her kit
| ten, and you will come up to the palace
| with to show us in what part of it dwells
| the queen and her daughter"
NAY, not if it be to do harm to my
| lady and the sweet little maid who this
| very day brought a pail of milk to poor,
| old Rebecca, the FORTRESS, whose husband
had forsaken her for a pork shop trull. l
would die rather
In a few moments the woman could be
heard stify and grumblingly descending
! the stairs, the door opened and Re-
becca appeared with the key in her hand.
there
| asked her poor hand shaking so that she
could scarcely fit the key in the lock, and
| her voice sank to quavering whisper.
There are five men of us and two Wo-
| men," said the sergeant quickly. Now
| we are all within, pray give me the key
| and show us the road to the queens apart
ments."
1.-TWO women" grumbled the good crea-
| ture, whose mind appeared to be some
| what unhinged; that will never suit her
| royal Enthusiastically if they are young
| and well looking. She loves not such any
| more than 1 love the hussy of the pork
| shop. And, indeed. my man had not the
| rowing eye in his head as her Senor Munoz
| hath-ah, the saints have mercy on all
| poor, deserted women! But what L
| saying? If the Lady Christina heard me
| speak ill of him, she would set my poor old
neck in the garotte. Then-crack-all would
| be over"
| The party now advanced toward the pal
| ace, which in the gloom of a starless night
was still entirely hidden from their sight,
save as a darker mass set square and
squat against the black vault of heaven.
BY this time Concha and La Giralda had
| taken the trembling FORTRESS by the arms
and were bringing her along in the van,
whispering comfort in her ears all the way.
The sergeant and Rollo came next with
Mortimer and Etienne behind, a naked
blade in the hand of each, for Rollo had
whispered the word to draw swords. This,
however, Ell Sarria interpreted to mean his
faithful Manchegan knife, to which he
| trusted more than to any sword of Toledo
| that ever was forged.
They went swiftly round the angle of the
palace their feet making no sound on the
| clean, delicious sward of the lawns, which
| make the place such marvel in the midst
| of tawny, dusty, burned-up Spain. In
| brief space the party arrived unnoted and
| unchecked under the wall of the northern
| part.
Lights still burned in two or three WIN
| dows on the second floor, though all was
| dark on the face which the palace turned
| toward the south and the town of San
IldefonsO
"These are the windows of the rooms
occupied by my lady the queen regent"
whispered the FORTRESS Rebecca, pointing
upward 'but promise me to commit no
murder nor do any hurt to the little maid"
BE quiet, woman, muttered Rollo