"OH, WAS EVER THERE A GIRL SO WRETCHED AS I?"
The cry of the Spanish officer, ringing through the quiet side street
of Santiago, would ordinarily have attracted but little attention. But
now the place was filled with soldiery, and in a trice four of the
captain's own men appeared, and rushed upon fair Estella and Howard.
"Secure the two!" bawled the captain, who had not yet recovered from
the well-deserved blow the young war correspondent had administered.
"The man is a spy, and the woman is here to give him information!"
"You are mistaken; I am an American citizen, and will resist any
indignity to the last," exclaimed Howard. "This brute deserves what he
got, for he was treating the lady as no gentleman would."
At this the Spanish captain muttered a long oath. Then he gave rapid
directions to his men in their native tongue, and the four made toward
Estella and Howard.
"Fly, Estella!" whispered the young war correspondent. "Don't waste a
moment. I will keep them at bay!"
"But you--the letters!" panted Estella, her breast heaving violently.
She recognized only too well the grave peril which confronted the noble
young man.
"Keep the letters, or throw them where they may be found!" he
rejoined. "Now fly, for the sake of Heaven--for my sake!"
At those last words, even in the intense excitement, her cheeks
flushed, and her eyes took on a light he had never before seen in them.
Like a beautiful vision she turned and sped along an alley leading to a
deserted dancing-garden. She had hardly taken a dozen steps, when her
maid, who had accompanied her to the plaza, joined her. The maid was
stopping at Santiago, having been sent thither by General Corona to
meet Estella on the arrival of the steamer, and conduct her safely home.
"Oh, Miss Estella!" she cried, in her Cuban patois. "The soldiers--that
young man----"
"Come, Cara; this is no place in which to talk," responded the
frightened young mistress. "You say you know the streets about here.
Lead me back to your friend's house. I will not dare to return to the
hotel."
The maid said no more, but took the lead and plunged through the
dancing garden, now silent and empty, and into a labyrinth of back
streets until they reached a small and plain house at the upper end of
the town.
The maid knocked on the door, and they were admitted, and for the time
being at least Estella was safe. But she still carried the letters, the
very things for which she had risked so much.
A cup of strong coffee, made by Cara's friend, soon tranquilized the
beautiful girl's nerves. Yet she was much disturbed on Howard's account.
"Oh, I hope he has escaped!" she murmured, as she paced the floor,
although urged by her maid to retire. "And he told me to fly--for his
sake! Ah, me, if he only knew! If he only knew!"
And two big and bitter tears coursed down her dark cheeks, in the
centre of each of which glowed a bright red spot, as in her imagination
she saw his handsome face still, as he looked when he was holding back
the soldiers who sought to follow her.
"Cara," she continued, after a long pause, as she drew her maid to one
side, "you did not tell me all the news from home."
"You did not give me time," smiled the maid. "I told you about your
dear father--that he intends to join the royal army should matters grow
worse. He is inflexibly opposed to the rebels."
"I suppose so!" sighed Estella. "But the men on the place--what of
them, Cara?"
The maid smiled, showing two rows of strong, white teeth.
"Oh, they--perhaps you had better not ask me, Miss Estella."
"They are with the rebels, of course. And why not? Cuba should be free!"
"Oh, my darling!" cried the servant. "Blessed be your tongue for that!
Yes, Cuba libre! That is the cry! But, oh, do not let your father hear
you say it! Tomasso said that three days ago and your father had him
flogged!"
"He did!" Estella's eyes blazed. "And papa always thought Tomasso the
best man in the cane brakes! But he was induced to act so only on
account of his position in the old guard and his duty to the kingdom!"
"It is Lieutenant Mazenas who has inspired your father with loyalty
to Spain, Miss Estella. He calls nearly every day with stories of the
insurgents' wrong-doings. He tells your father that the men are only
watching for the chance to loot the plantation and join the rebel army."
Estella's eyes begin to blaze. If her father was of a strong mind, his
daughter was not much unlike him.
"Why is not the lieutenant with the main body of the Spanish army?" she
asked.
"He is stationed near Marambo, guarding a section of the railroad, Miss
Estella. He had himself stationed there on purpose, so Tomasso told me,
that he might be convenient when you came home."
The beautiful young mistress began to shiver. How she dreaded the
coming meeting with this bony, dark-skinned Spanish officer, even
though he was connected with the finest families in the island. She
turned away to hide her agitation, but Cara came quickly to her side.
She was Estella's firm friend, and would have laid down her very life
for her mistress had it been necessary.
"A fearful ordeal awaits you, my darling," she said, softly. "I wanted
to tell you before, but I could not, and now it is harder to tell than
ever."
Estella started and stared at the maid. "More bad news? Tell me at
once."
"The lieutenant called on your father just before I was sent to
Santiago to meet you, and they had a long talk. I should not have
listened, but I heard your name mentioned so often I could not resist.
The lieutenant said he was afraid he might be shifted to the vicinity
of Havana, and wanted to know if the marriage could not take place as
soon as you came home----"
"Oh, Cara! And my father?"
"Be calm, my darling! Your father may listen to reason when you meet
him," said the maid, soothingly.
"Then he consented!" moaned Estella. "He promised that I should marry
Lieutenant Mazenas speedily!"
"He promised that the marriage should take place within a week of your
arrival. But, oh, Miss Estella, say not that I listened! He would kill
me!"
"You are safe, Cara--have no fear." Estella clutched her forehead in
her hands while an icy shiver swept over her. "To marry him in a week!
Oh, merciful Heaven! No, no, no! anything but that! I cannot, cannot be
his wife! I would rather die!"
"Do not go on so, sweet mistress!" cried Cara. "The lieutenant may
grant you time when you go to him, and then----"
Estella drew herself up haughtily. "I will ask no favor at his hands.
I never consented to be his wife. My father has arranged all, and
he--he." She faltered, and could not go on, her agitation overmastering
her. She tottered toward a chair, but, ere she could reach it, fell
forward, temporarily helpless.
Badly frightened, Cara rushed to her assistance, at the same time
calling to her friend, the owner of the house, to bring a glass of
light wine. The maid raised Estella, who in a few seconds opened her
tear-stained eyes.
"It--it is nothing--I will be stronger in a moment!" gasped the
beautiful girl. "The news was so sudden--and the room is so close. Open
a window, Cara."
"I closed them, fearing to be overheard," responded the maid. "I will
open them wide, and fan you, and you must try to forget what I told
you." And the maid started to do as she had said.
"Try to forget!" murmured Estella. "Would to Heaven that I could! But,
no, it is impossible! If papa has given him his word, no power on earth
can make him break it! If the marriage has been arranged, it will have
to take place on the day, the hour, the minute! Oh, was ever there a
girl so wretched as I?"
Again she began to sob; but only for a second. Cara, who had started to
open a near window, drew back, and held up her hand warningly.
"Hush!"
A tramping of many feet was heard, coming up the narrow street. The
footsteps seemed to pause at the door. Then came a loud knocking on the
door-post.
"What's wanted?" asked the woman of the house, as she shook with fear.
"Open, in the name of the King of Spain!"