u that there are
two Governors in San Augustin--I divide the honours with Melinza; but I
plead with him for naught."

I turned away to hide the quivering of my lip.

"Listen to me," she added more kindly. "Between Pedro Melinza and Orosia
de Colis there is at present an armed peace; since each holds a
hostage. Not that I care anything for the Englishman, but my husband is
undesirous of defying the commands of the Council. Although he bears no
love to your nation, he maintains that it is not the policy of our
government, at present, to ignore openly the friendly relations that are
supposed to exist between the Crowns of England and of Spain. It seems
that the duplicate of the Council's orders has been sent to the Governor
of your new settlement on this coast; and if he sends hither to demand
the delivery of the prisoners, Senor de Colis would rather choose to
yield up all, than to risk a reprimand from the authorities at home.

"Dost thou understand all this? Well, let us now see the reverse of the
picture.

"Melinza sets his own desires in the scale, and they outweigh all
politic scruples. He has sworn that so long as I stand between him and
you, so long will Senor Rivers remain in the castle dungeon,--unless
Death steps kindly in to set your lover free."

A little sob broke in my throat at these cruel words. Dona Orosia laid
her hand on mine.

"Poor little one!" she said.

"You pity me, senora! What is your pity worth?" I demanded, forcing back
the tears.

"I have a way of escape to offer," she answered softly.

"Escape for him? Or for me?"

"For both. Now listen! There is but one way to relax Melinza's hold on
Senor Rivers. He would exchange him willingly for you."

"Better for us both to die!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"I would sooner kill you with my own hands than give you up to him,"
said Dona Orosia, with a cold smile.

"Then what do you mean, senora?"

"I mean, Margarita mia, that you should feign a tenderness for him and
let him think that it is I who would keep two loving souls apart."

"What! when I have shown him naught but dislike in all these months? He
could never be so witless as to believe in such a sudden
transformation."

"Such is the vanity of man," said Dona Orosia, "that he would find it
easier to believe that you had feigned hatred all this while from fear
of me, than to doubt that you had eventually fallen a victim to his
fascinations."

"What would it advantage me if I did