been roughly clutched and hauled across the
camp, for his hair was full of leaves and grass, and he was rubbing his
eyes and swearing softly under his breath, vowing vengeance on his
captor.

"Silence, animal!" said Pepe, admonishing him by a kick of the presence
of ladies; "Behold the illustrious senorita, who does you the honour to
look at you. Attention, Swine of the Antilles!"

Thus adjured, poor Pedro straightened himself, made the best bow he
could, and stood sheepishly before Rita, trying furtively to brush a few
of the sticks and straws off his ragged clothing.

"You are Pedro Valdez?" asked Rita.

At the service of the illustrious senorita. Yes, he was Pedro Valdez; in
no condition to appear in such company, but nevertheless her slave and
her beast of burden.

"Oh, listen!" cried Rita, her eyes softening with compassion and
anxiety. "You have a wife, Pedro Valdez,--a wife and a dear little
child, is it not so? and your mother--she is old and weak. When have you
seen them all, Valdez? Where did you leave them?"

The man looked bewildered. "Leave them, senorita? I left them at home,
in our village. They were well, all was well, when I came away. Has
anything befallen them?"

"They are safe! All is well with them now, or will be well, when you go
to them. They are near here, Valdez. The Spaniards broke up the village,
do you see? Dolores and your mother fled with the little one. The
village was burned, and many souls perished; but Dolores was so strong,
so brave, that she got the old mother away alive and safe, and the child
as well. They have suffered terribly, my poor man; you must look to find
them pale and thin, but they are alive, and all will be well when once
they have found you."

Seeing Valdez overcome for the moment, Rita hastened to the General's
tent and told her story, begging that the husband and father might be
allowed to go at once to the relief of his suffering family.

"And he shall bring them here, shall he not?" she cried, eagerly. "They
cannot be separated again, can they, dear Senor General? you will make
room for Dolores--that is the wife; oh, such a brave woman! and the old
mother, and the dear little child!"

The General looked puzzled; a look half quizzical, half sad, stole over
his fine face; while he hesitated, Carlos broke out hastily: "Rita! you
are too unreasonable! Do you think we are in a city here? do you think
the General has everything at his command, to maintain an