nking at
the heart, and a sudden anger against her dear old friend? And again,
why, on stealing a glance at Delmonte, and seeing the trouble reflected
in his face, should her heart as suddenly spring up again, and dance
within her? What had happened?

They had ridden some miles, when Jim Montfort, on his big gray horse,
ranged alongside of Delmonte.

"It appears to me," he said, "that something is going on in these woods
here. I've seen two or three bits of brown that weren't bark, and if I
didn't catch the shine of a gun-barrel just now, you may call me a
Dutchman. I think I'll fire, and see what happens."

"No, don't do that!" said Delmonte, quietly. "It's only my fellows.
They've been keeping alongside for the last half-mile, waiting for a
signal. They might as well come out now."

He gave a low call in two notes; the call Rita had heard--was it only
the night before? it seemed as if a week had passed since then.

The call was answered from the wood; and as if by magic, from every
tree, from every clump of bushes, came stealing lean brown figures,
leading equally lean horses, all armed and on the alert. They saluted,
and, at a word from the burly Juan, fell into order with the precision
of a troop on drill.

"What's all this, Juan?" asked Delmonte. "No order was given."

Juan replied with submission that a negro boy had brought news an hour
ago that Don Annunzio's house had been burned, he and his whole
household murdered, and their captain taken prisoner; and that the
latter was being brought in irons along the road to Santiago. They, Juan
and the rest, had planned a rescue, and disposed themselves to that end
in the most advantageous manner. That they were about to fire, when they
recognised their captain's escort as Americans; and that they then
resolved to accompany the party as quietly as might be till they came
near the camp, and then make their presence known to all, as they had at
once made it known to Delmonte himself by a low call which only he had
noticed.

"Not wishing to intrude," Juan concluded, with a superb salute.

Delmonte turned to his companions. "Miss Montfort," he said, "Captain
Montfort--you'll all come up to my place, of course, and rest, for
to-day, at least. It isn't much of a place to ask you to, but--it's
quiet, at least, and--you can rest; and you must be half-starved. I know
I am."

His face was eager as a boy's. Rita's was not less so, as she gazed at
the big cousin, who st