nother matter.

"The next thing that we have to consider is the safety of the ladies,"
said I. "What is to be done with them during the fight?"

Don Luis looked at me rather blankly.

"The ladies!" he ejaculated. "But surely, my dear Don Ricardo, they
will be more safe in this house than anywhere else, will they not?"

"It all depends," I answered. "If you think it would be safe for them
to start on horseback for the nearest town, either alone or escorted by
a few of the most trusty of your negroes--"

"Oh no, no!" exclaimed Dona Inez and Dona Christina in the same breath;
"you must not propose anything of that kind, Don Ricardo. We will not
be separated from our husbands. If they are to face danger, we will
face danger with them."

Then Don Luis broke in. "I do not altogether like your suggestion that
the ladies should attempt to make their way to the nearest town," he
said. "For, you see, we have no means of knowing what is the state of
the intervening country. An hour ago I might have deemed the suggestion
an excellent one, but now, after the shameless desertion of half my own
`boys,' I know not what to think."

"I suppose there is no snug, secret place of concealment, such as a
cave, or something of that sort, the existence of which is known only to
yourselves?" I suggested.

"The very thing!" exclaimed Don Luis enthusiastically. "There _is_ such
a place, and its existence and locality are known to absolutely no one
but Dona Inez and myself--"

"It is useless to speak of it," interrupted Dona Inez in a tone of
finality. "I will not go there, or anywhere else; I remain here with
you, Luis. If Dona Christina, or Dona Eugenia would like to go, let
them do so by all means."

But Dona Christina and Dona Eugenia were quite as emphatic as their
hostess in their determination not to be separated from their men-folk;
so that question was very soon settled. After that there was nothing to
be done but to call up our black auxiliaries, and put the house in as
efficient a state of defence as the means at our disposal permitted; and
this we at once proceeded to do.

Don Luis seemed naturally to look to me to take the lead in our warlike
preparations; and this I as naturally did, finding that he had only very
hazy notions of how to set to work. In the first place, the house
itself was excellently adapted for defence, the outside walls being
built of stone, and about two feet thick, to keep out the heat,