d the lady," cried the major. "Sit down, madam, and
tell us what this means."

A bench was handy, and the sufferer dropped heavily upon it. The
regulars looked as if they wished themselves anywhere but in their
present situation, yet they did not dare to budge, for Major Morris
still held "the drop" upon them, and the commander of the first
battalion looked as if he would stand no nonsense.

"These men came here to rob me," said the woman, slowly. "They are of
your kind, but they are not honest."

"Then they are not of our kind," answered Ben, promptly. "We do not
allow our soldiers to rob anybody."

"We didn't come to steal--" began the older regular, when Major Morris
stopped him.

"Silence! Not another word until the lady has finished her story."

There was a second of painful silence, and the lady continued: "I am
staying at the mill alone, for my husband has gone to the Laguna de
Bay on business. Several hours ago, these two soldiers came in and
demanded that I serve them with a hot supper. Not wishing to have
trouble I gave them the best I had. But they were not satisfied, and
broke into my husband's wine closet and drank two bottles of his
choicest wine, and smoked his best cigarettes, package after package.
Then, after drinking much wine, they demanded that I give them money,
and that man," pointing to the older prisoner, "told his companion
that I must have money hidden somewhere, as all the Spanish
mill-owners in Luzon were rich, while the truth is, we are very poor,
as the war has taken away everything. Then the men drank more, and at
last they caught hold of me and threatened me with great violence if I
did not give up what I had hidden away. I gave them the little silver
I had, but they were not satisfied, and when I tried to run away, one
hit me over the head with this bench. Then they plotted to get me out
of the way entirely and go on a hunt for money themselves. I cried
louder than ever, and then you started to come in. One of the men had
opened that trap leading to the river, and as you came up the outer
stairs both dropped me down, no doubt to drown me. I was swept down to
the rocks at the falls, and there the _capitan_ saved me, God bless
him for it."

CHAPTER XIX

NEWS OF LARRY

For a minute after the Spanish woman finished, nobody in the
mill-house spoke. Her tale had impressed both Ben and the major
deeply, and they looked with cold contempt at the two regulars who had
so disg