so
much, so _very_ much trouble just to work out and illustrate his pet
theories?"

"By no means," we hastened to assure her. "On the contrary," said I, "I
regard it as an evidence of the thoroughness with which the commandant
carries out all his undertakings."

"Ah, yes!" said she, evidently well pleased, "I see you understand my
father. He is just the same in everything. Heavens, what a flash!
Will the storm _never_ cease!"

"There is no present indication of its ending," said I as I glanced
through the window at the blackness outside illumined only by the
quivering lightning flashes. "However, it surely _cannot_ last very
much longer. Meanwhile you are both wet to the skin, and I fear we are
utterly destitute of means to remedy the disaster. I am afraid you will
be chilled sitting there in your drenched garments; and indeed--if you
will forgive me for saying so--I think that, since you cannot possibly
be made more wet than you now are, you would run less risk of taking
cold if you were to proceed home to the castle at once, even though you
would have to walk through the storm. We would of course accompany you
if you would permit us that honour."

"But," said she with a little shudder indicative of incipient chill,
"you are both of you dry and comfortable."

"That is nothing," said I. "It is evident that we shall have to go
through it sooner or later; so perhaps the sooner the better."

After a little more persuasion on our part and protestations on theirs
our fair companions acceded to our suggestion, and we set out, I leading
the van with the commandant's daughter, and Courtenay following with the
foster-sister.

We stepped out briskly, so as to avert, if possible, any evil
consequences of the drenching already received; and as we picked our way
along the partially submerged footpath, giving the trees as wide a berth
as possible for fear of the lightning which still played vividly about
us, my fair companion informed me that the commandant on returning from
his visit to us that morning had found an urgent summons to Cartagena
awaiting him, and that he had started in obedience thereto within half
an hour of its receipt, mentioning, as he hastily bade her farewell,
that he could not get back in less than a fortnight at the earliest. We
discussed this subject and her father's probable present whereabouts for
a few minutes, and then the young lady asked me to detail to her the
particulars of the mutin