safe-deposit vault. It's a greater cinch that if we go out
he'll come back. I want to have you stand up there where the other
battleship was, and watch. You'll be as safe as a church in this. No
one would think of looking for one of us in this armor--so when he
starts to work, whoever he is, you just yell and yell your best."

"Gawd, Marse Warren, I could yell loud 'nuff for 'em to hear me back in
Kaintucky."

"You give me your best yell, and I'll nail him."

"Ef you don't nail him, he'll nail me."

"Keep cool--that's all."

"I'm cool now--I'm ketchin' cold." And he sneezed.

"If you sneeze again, I'm going to use a gun on you. Here, give me one
of those two guns you have. And whatever you do, don't sneeze. I'm
catching cold myself here--anyone would in this musty old hole."

He pocketed the weapon and ordered Rusty to his place.

There came another sound--a repetition of the earlier faint sound. He
turned quickly, and Princess Maria Theresa of Aragon rushed into the
room, followed by Dolores.

"Thank God you are safe, Mr. Warren! I heard the shooting, down in the
other court of the castle."

"Where have you been? Why didn't you wait for my signal? The hour is
not over yet."

"We've been wandering through this dreadful place an eternity--trying
to find you, calling everywhere, so that we could reach you before it
was too late--before something happened that had always happened
before!"

Dolores had seated herself at the side table, and her face was buried
in her hands. She was sobbing.

"Too late? What do you mean? This is madness for you to take this
risk."

The girl, forgetting royalty and convention, caught his hand in both of
hers, and a light of joy came into her eyes.

"My brother is safe, thank God! He is on his way to the King to get
soldiers to search the castle."

"Where has he been? How do you know?"

"He was imprisoned in this castle--since the day he entered. To-night
he tried to signal, but could not. Your bullet went straight home, Mr.
Warren, and Robledo is dying. He has confessed all to the holy father.
I must go back, for I promised to be with him at the end."

"The end ..." and Jarvis' voice grew husky, he understood by now the
tears of Dolores. He turned toward her gently. "I'm so sorry--you and
he--I might have--oh, what a terrible shame!"

The girl crossed herself, with the stoic calmness of her religion, as
she rose to face him.

"It is better so. He sinned--grievously,