elted to the tale.

"Our orders are to capture her and her mother the Regent," said Rollo,
thoughtfully. "It would therefore serve our purpose but ill if we
permitted these two to be sacrificed to the bloodthirsty fury of a mob
of plunderers!"

"Then the sooner we find ourselves within the gates, the more chance we
shall have of saving them both!" said the Sergeant. "Serve out the
_puchero_, La Giralda!"

Concha had taken no part in the discussion. But she had listened with
all her ears, and now in the pause that followed she declared her
unalterable intention of making one of the party.

"I also am of Andalucia," she said with calm determination, "there are
two others of my country here who will answer for me. You cannot leave
me alone, and La Giralda will be needed as guide when once you reach the
palace precincts. I shall not be in the way, I promise you, and if it
comes to gun and pistol, there I think you will not find me wanting!"

In his heart and though he made several objections, Rollo was glad
enough to give way. For with all the unknown dangers of the night before
them, and the certainty of bloodshed when the gipsies should attack, he
relished still less the thought of leaving Concha alone in that pit on
the chill side of Guadarrama.

"I promise you, Colonel, the maid will be worth her billet," said the
Sergeant, "or else she is no true Andaluse. To such an one in old days I
have often trusted----"

Thus far Cardono had proceeded when suddenly he broke off his
reminiscence, and with a paternal gesture patted Concha's arm as she was
bending over to transfer a second helping of the _puchero_ to his dish.

The party was now in excellent marching order, well-provisioned,
well-fed, rested, and provided with the best and most recent
information. Even John Mortimer's slow English blood developed some
latent Puritanic fire, and he said, "Hang me if I do not fight for the
little girl who was willing to pay for the _whole_ of the goat-milk!"

To fight for a Queen, who at the early age of five was prepared to give
a wholesale order like that, appeared to John Mortimer a worthy and
laudable deed of arms. He was free indeed to assist in taking her
captive, if by so doing he could further the shipping of the Priorato he
himself had paid for. But to make over to a set of thieves and murderers
a girl who had about her the makings of a good customer and a woman of
business habits, stirred every chivalric feeling wit