V. TO MARGARET 77
VI. IN THE NIGHT 93
VII. CAMP SCENE 110
VIII. THE PACIFICOS 130
IX. IN HIDING 142
X. MANUELA'S OPPORTUNITY 163
XI. CAPTAIN JACK 176
XII. FOR LIFE 190
XIII. MEETINGS AND GREETINGS 200
XIV. ANOTHER CAMP 216
XV. A FOREGONE CONCLUSION 233

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

"RITA MONTFORT DREW HER DAGGER AND WAITED" _Frontispiece_

IN THE GARDEN 21

"THE FAMISHED CHILD LOOKED FROM THE BISCUIT TO
THE GLOWING FACE" 43

"'HUSH!' SAID THE YOUNG GIRL. 'SIT STILL'" 104

"'WAS SUCH A HAT EVER SEEN IN PARIS?'" 147

"'I THROW OPEN THE DOOR AND STEP BACK, MY HEART
IN MY MOUTH'" 172

"NOW AGAIN IT WAS A RIDE FOR LIFE" 205

"THE PATIENTS IDOLISE HER" 237

RITA.

CHAPTER I.

THREATENING WEATHER.

TO SENOR,

_Senor the illustrious Don John Montfort._

_Honoured Senor and Brother:_--There are several months that I wrote to
inform you of the deeply deplored death of my lamented husband, Senor
Don Richard Montfort. Your letter of condolation and advice was balm
poured upon my bleeding wounds, received before yesterday at the hands
of my banker, Don Miguel Pietoso. You are the brother of my adored
husband, your words are as if spoken from his casket. You tell me, stay
at home, remain in quietness, till these alarms of war are over. Alas!
respectable senor, to accomplish this? Havana is since the shocking
affair of the _Maine_ in uproar; on each side are threats, are cries,
"Death to the Americanos!" My bewept angel, Don Richard, was in his
heart Spanish, by birth American; I see brows black upon me--me, a
Castilian!--when I go from my house. Already they speak of to burn the
houses of wealthy Americans, to drive forth those dwelling in.

Again, senor, my daughter, your niece Margarita--what to do, I ask you,
of this young person? She is Cuban, she is fanatic, she is impossible. I
apply myself to instruct her as her station and fortune demand, as
befits a Spanish la