When at length he returned she did not wait to ask questions, but left
him and ran up-stairs.

In Marcos' room she found Sarrion lighting a lamp. Marcos had been laid
on the bed. She glanced at him, holding her lower lip between her teeth.
His face was covered with dust and blood. One blood-stained hand lay
across his chest, the other was stretched by his side, unnaturally
straight.

Sarrion looked up at her and was about to speak when she forestalled him.

"It is no good telling me to go away," she said, "because I won't."

Then she turned to get a sponge and water. Sarrion was already busy at
Marcos' collar, which he had unbuttoned. Suddenly he changed his mind and
turned away.

"Undo his collar," he said. "I will go down-stairs and get some warm
water."

He took the candle and left Juanita alone with Marcos. She did as she was
told and bent over him. Her fingers had caught in a string fastened round
Marcos' neck. She brought the lamp nearer. It was her own wedding ring,
which she had returned to him after so brief a use of it through the bars
of the little window looking on to the Calle de la Dormitaleria at
Pampeluna.

She tried to undo the knot, but failed to do so. She turned quickly, and
took the scissors from the dressing-table and cut the cord, which was a
piece of old fishing-line, frayed and worn by friction against the rocks
of the river. Juanita hastily thrust the cord into her pocket and drew
the ring less quickly on to that finger for which it had been destined.

When Sarrion returned to the room a minute later she was carefully and
slowly cutting the sleeve of the injured arm.

"Do you know, Uncle Ramon," she said cheerfully, "I am sure--I am
positively certain he will recover, poor old Marcos."

Sarrion glanced at her sharply, as if he had detected a new note in her
voice. And his eye fell on her left hand. He made no answer.

CHAPTER XXII

AN ACCIDENT
Marcos recovered consciousness at daybreak. It was a sign of his great
strength and perfect health that he regained all his faculties at once.
He moved, opened his eyes, and was fully conscious, like a child
awakening from sleep. As soon as his eyes were open they showed surprise;
for Juanita was sitting beside him, watching him.

"Ah!" she said, and rose at once to give him some medicine that stood
ready in a glass. She glanced at the clock as she did so. The room had
been rearranged. It was orderly and simple like a hospital war