or. Observe this heavenly sight, you benevolent saints!"
he waved his cigar upward, inviting the attention of all attendant
spirits. "Consider this lovely child, awakened to the holiness of
womanhood! and the General will destroy all this to-morrow, from respect
for worldly conventions! He is without doubt right; yet, what a pity!"

CHAPTER VII.

CAMP SCENE.

"If I must, dear Senor General--I will be good, I will, indeed; but my
heart will break to leave Carlos, and the camp, and you, Senor General."

"My dear child,--my dear young lady, what pleasure for me to keep you
here! the first sunshine of the war, it came with you, Senorita
Margarita. Nevertheless, duty is duty; I should be wanting in mine, most
wofully and wickedly wanting, if I allowed you to remain here, in hourly
danger, when a few hours could place you in comparative safety. Perfect
safety, I do not promise. Where shall we find it, even for our nearest
and dearest, in this poor distracted country? But with Don Annunzio and
his family you will be safe at least for a time; whereas here--" The
General looked around, and shrugged his shoulders, spreading his hands
out with a dramatic gesture. "The Gringos have learned the way to our
mountain camp; they will not forget it. Another attack may come any
night; our camp is an outpost, placed of purpose to guard this position,
which must of necessity be one of danger. To have women with us--it is
not only exposing them to the terrible possibilities of war, but--"

He paused. "I see!" cried Rita. "I see! you are too kind to say it, but
we are a burden upon you. We make harder the work; we are an
encumbrance. Dear Senor General, I go! I fly! Give me half, a quarter of
an hour, and I am gone. Never, never, will I be in the way of my
country's defenders; never! Too long we have stayed already; Manuela
shall make on the instant our packets, and in a little hour you shall
forget that we were here at all."

The good General cried out, "No! no! my dear child, my dear senorita;
cease these words, I implore you. You cut me to the heart. Consider the
help that you have brought to us; consider the nursing, the tender care
that you and the wife of Valdez have given to our sufferers, in the
rancho there. Never will this be forgotten, rest assured of that.
But--it is true that you must go; yet not too soon. This evening, when
the coolness falls, Don Carlos, with a chosen escort, will conduct you
to the residence of D