t and coat, and the
extra tinware."

The voice of the negro answered, choked and muffled in a mystifying
way.

"Yassir! Yassir!"

"What are you doing up there? Hurry; we're starting."

"Yassir!"

Jarvis turned and walked toward the window, looking up at the dismal
silhouette of the ancient castle. The moon had risen, on the edge of
the horizon, and already the place was beginning to look ghostlike with
the pale iridescence.

"I wouldn't change places," he soliloquized between efforts to light a
fresh cigarette, "with that darned old spook ... that she thinks is in
that castle ... for all the gold that she thinks is in that cussed old
castle ... and all the rest of the motheaten castles in Spain!"

Rusty came down the stairs, his jaws working, and his cheeks puffing
vigorously.

Jarvis spun around nervously at the sound. He was keyed up this
evening, despite the humorous resolution which had straightened the
lines of that amiable mouth.

"What have you been doing, Rusty? What's in your mouth?" he demanded
impatiently.

"Yassir ... I mean, no, sir! I was jest slippin' a little snack dat
young lady bring up to me. I was so hungry I could jest feel my
stommick slippin' through my suspenders an' climbin' up my backbone on
de other side.... Um, yum--an' some Spanish po'k-chop, at dat!"

He rolled his eyes in ecstasy and licked his lips.

"But it warn't near enough!"

Just then Jarvis heard a scream, from the elevation of the balcony. The
Princess was calling, frantically.

"Mr. ... Warren ... Mr. Warren Jarvis!"

He darted toward the steps, and met her half-way up them, as she ran
down, her face ghastly with fear.

"What is it? Tell me?"

"Oh ... Mr. Warren...."

"Yes, yes!"

"The locket...."

"The locket is gone?"

"Yes," and this was very weak.

"And the memorandum?"

"Gone, too!" she gasped.

Jarvis called to Rusty, interrupting the finish of the running meal.

"Quick, Rusty--the horses!"

"The hosses, boss? whar is dey?"

"Outside! Go get the girths tight. Have you got that extra supply of
cannon?"

"Yassir! I'll go. I got enough to fight de Spanish War over agin. An'
dis time I'm goin' up San Juan Hill myself."

"Shut up, and get out--do what I tell you."

He turned to her nervously, but the battle-light was in the blue eyes
this time.

"Your Highness," and she stopped on the step above, "I've struck the
first trail of the spook that is haunting your castle; he made a
mistak