me."

"That is why we won," said Sarrion, stoutly.

"And you did not heed the risks."

"What risks?"

Juanita turned and looked at him with a little laugh of scorn.

"Oh, you do not understand. Neither does Marcos. I suppose men don't. You
might have ruined several lives."

"So might Evasio Mon," returned Sarrion sharply. And Juanita rather drew
back as a fencer may flinch who has been touched.

Sarrion leant back in his chair and threw away the cigarette which he had
not smoked. Juanita had chosen her own ground and he had met her on it.
He had answered the question which she was too proud to ask.

And as he had anticipated, Evasio Mon came to Torre Garda. It was almost
dusk when he arrived. Whether he knew that Marcos was not in his room,
remained an open question. He did not ask after him. He was brought by
the servant to the terrace where he found Cousin Peligros and Juanita.
Sarrion was in his study and came out when Mon passed the open window.

"So we are all besieged," said the visitor, with his tolerant smile as he
took a chair offered to him in the grand manner by Cousin Peligros, who
belonged to the school of etiquette that holds it wrong for any lady to
be natural in the presence of men other than of her own family.

Cousin Peligros smiled in rather a pinched way, and with a gesture of her
outspread hands morally wiped the besiegers out. No female Sarrion, she
seemed to imply, need ever fear inconvenience from a person in uniform.

"You and I, Senorita," said Mon, with his bland and easy sympathy of
manner, "have no business here. We are persons of peace."

Cousin Peligros made a condescending and yet decisive gesture, patting
the empty air.

"I have my charge. I shall fulfil it," she said--determined, and not
without a suggestion of coyness withal.

Juanita was lying in wait for a glance from Sarrion and when she received
it she made a little movement of the eyelids, telling him to take Cousin
Peligros away.

"You will stay the night," said Sarrion to Evasio Mon.

"No, my friend. Thank you very much. I cherish a hope of getting through
the lines to-night to Pampeluna. I came indeed to offer my poor services
as escort to these ladies who will surely be safer at Pampeluna."

"Then you think that they will besiege Torre Garda," asked Sarrion,
innocently. "One never knows, my friend--one never knows. It seems to me
that the firing is nearer this afternoon."

Sarrion laughed.

"You are alwa