come,
until it was useless to hope longer, and as we drank black coffee, in the
_patio_, Colonel O'Donnel asked a waiter where were the people who had
lunched with us. "They have taken a private sitting-room," replied the
man, which was a relief, as I began to be haunted by black fear that
Carmona had flitted by night.

By and by Pilar's long lashes drooped, and the Cherub, catching her in the
act of stifling a yawn, laughingly ordered her off to bed. "You haven't
had enough sleep these last few nights to keep a _cigarron_ alive," said
he. Soon afterwards his own eyes began to look like those of a sleepy
child, and he excused himself with all the ceremony of Spanish
leave-takings. Dick and I were left alone together, and were discussing
what the morrow might bring forth, when a waiter hovered near us, bowing.

"The Excelentisima Senora Duquesa de Carmona would consider it a favour if
Senor Waring and Teniente O'Donnel would visit her in her sitting-room,"
he announced.

Were the heavens about to fall? My lifted eyebrows and Dick's questioned
each other in bewilderment. But our lips were silent as we followed the
servant.

The sitting-room of the "Excelentisima Senora" was on the first floor,
perhaps a big bedroom hastily transformed. What we expected to see as the
waiter opened the door I hardly know; but we assuredly did not expect to
see the Duchess sitting alone.

The table where the party had dined was covered now by a piece of gaudy,
pseudo-Moorish embroidery, and adorned with flowers. A few guide-books and
novels were scattered about, and in her hand the Duchess held a
paper-covered volume, as if she had been reading. But the expression of
the dark, heavy face contradicted her pose. We could see that she was
excited.

"Forgive my not rising, as I am tired," she said, as we came in. "It is
kind of you to be so prompt, and I thank you." Then she paused, and we
waited.

"I beg you to sit down. I want the pleasure of a talk."

We obeyed. And still waited.

"I am a little embarrassed," went on the Duchess. "You must be patient.
What I wish to say is difficult. And yet the Senor Teniente, being himself
Spanish, will understand. We are in Spain, the land of formality and rigid
etiquette, among people of our class. That an automobile with two young
unmarried men in it (and even Colonel O'Donnel is a widower, not old)--that
such an automobile should be closely following ours which contains a
beautiful girl, is