m, as had grown to be their easy custom. Concha needed no
chaperon, and if the straiter _convenances_ required one, was there not
La Giralda with her myriad wrinkles busied about the pots in the little
adjacent kitchen or seated with her knitting in the window-seat like a
favoured guest? For it was in this simple fashion that these six people
had come to dwell together. And as he entered, the heart of the young
man smote him sore.

Alas! that he, Rollo Blair, whom these had followed loyally,
questionless, as clansmen follow their chief through mirk midnight and
the brazen glare of noon, should now come among these faithful hearts
like a mute with the bowstring, to put an end to all this comradeship
and true comity!

All knew in a moment that there was something in the air, for though
Concha offered to prepare a cigarette with her own fingers, Rollo
declined it and sat down among them heavy and sad. It was some time
before he could bring himself to speak.

"You who are all my friends," he said, "my best and only friends--listen
to me. I will hide nothing from you. I have come directly from the
Queen. She and Mendizabal have offered me a high position, and one in
which we might all have kept together in great content, if such had been
your desire. Yet for the present I cannot accept it. I am not a free
man. For it lies on my soul that the Abbot of Montblanch trusted us
three when we had neither aim nor end in life. He gave us both of these.
He fitted us out for our mission. For me he did much more. He made me an
officer in the army of Don Carlos, though Heaven knows Don Carlos was
no more to me than any other stupid fool--I crave your pardon, Etienne!
I forgot your relationship."

"Say on," cried Etienne, gaily, flipping his cigarette ash with his
little finger, "do not consider my feelings. All my cousins are stupid
fools! I have always said so."

"Well, then," said Rollo, "to this man, who among other things gave us
each other's friendship, and" (here he reached out his hand to take
Concha's) "who gave me this----"

He was silent for some moments, still holding the girl's hand, while her
eyes were doubtless lovely as moonlit waters, could any man have seen
them. But no man did, for the fringed lashes remained resolutely, if
somewhat tremulously, downcast.

"Well, then, I cannot leave this man to think me a mere common traitor.
No, not if it loses me life and--all. I have failed in my mission. Not
only so, but b