many times, senor. My Prince
is safe ... my Princess is safe. And you are safe--you, the bravest man
in Seguro."

Maria Theresa turned toward the door, where stood a man whom Jarvis had
not espied before. "Take her back to the inn, Maximo, as quietly as
possible. Then send the chauffeur for me again as soon as he can come
up the rough road."

"But, your Highness, you must go back as well--it is dangerous for you
to remain here. I have found the clews for which you went to America.
Let me finish the job."

"No, I will stay with you."

He caught her hands, and looked down into the dark eyes, so wondrously
upturned to his.

"You must come by the fire, and get warm.... Here, sit in this chair.
You have been frightened to death, prowling through this horrid
place.... Your hands are icy.... There, there! Go on and cry--forget
that you're a Princess and be a real girl. Cry all you want! That's
fine!"

He took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders as she sat by
the flaming remnants of the old table.

He turned about and beckoned to Rusty, who with a revolver in hand, his
courage restored in a way by the turn of events, disappeared from view.
Jarvis gently placed a hand upon the heaving shoulder.

"I'll round up this spook to-night for good and all. Then the vassal's
task is done. His fate is in your hands, Highness; what's to become of
him?... Don't send me away. I loved you from the first--not like a
vassal either--and will always love you.

"I know I'm just a plain American citizen ... and a _man_. All the man
in me cries out, 'I love you!' Don't send me away."

"You must go. You must leave Spain, for your life would never be safe
here: you know what feuds are, and you have started one."

Just then an audible, unmistakable, common-place sneeze interrupted
this most wonderful of all conversations.

Jarvis looked about. The sneeze was in the room.

"Rusty, are you outside?"

"Yassir. But don't keep me here long, 'kase I'ze freezing to death."

"Did you sneeze?"

"No, sir; but I calc'late I'll have to befoh long."

"Don't move, your Highness--I've found the Ghost at last!"

He walked toward the suspicious picture, and pointed the revolver at
it.

"There is somebody in that picture. Come out or I'll shoot. Quick now!"

There was no response.

He sent a bullet, carefully aimed at the upper lefthand corner, where
he planned that it would do no harm.

There was a response.

"Don't shoot!"