lem of the faith they cherished, the most
marvelous diadem in the heavens. There below them twinkled the lights of
La Guayra. The road grew broader and smoother now. It was almost at the
level of the beach. They would have to pass through the town presently,
and thence up a steep rocky road which wound around the mountain until
they surmounted the cliff back of the city and arrived at the palace of
the Governor upon the hillside, where Mercedes was to lodge. An hour, at
least, would bring them to their destination now. There was nothing to
apprehend. The brigands in the fastnesses of the mountains or the
savages, who sometimes strayed along the road, never ventured so near
the town.

Fadrique, by Alvarado's orders, had fallen back nearer the main body so
as to be within call.

"We shall be there in a little while. See yonder, the lights of the
town," said the captain.

"While thou art with me," said the girl, "it matters little where we
are. There are but two places in the world now----"

"And those are----?"

"Where thou art and where thou art not. If I may only be with thee, if
we may be together, I want nothing else."

She had scarcely spoken before the sound of a cry followed by a shot
broke on the night.

BOOK IV

IN WHICH IS RELATED AN ACCOUNT OF THE TAKING OF LA GUAYRA BY THE
BUCCANEERS AND THE DREADFUL PERILS OF DONNA MERCEDES DE LARA AND CAPTAIN
ALVARADO IN THAT CITY

CHAPTER XIV

WHEREIN THE CREW OF THE GALLEON INTERCEPTS THE TWO LOVERS BY THE WAY

The terrific impact of the huge ship on the sand among the breakers
which thundered and beat upon her sides with overwhelming force came
just in the nick of time for Morgan. Had the disaster been delayed a
second longer the furious buccaneers would have cut him down where he
stood. Even the officers were angered beyond measure at him for their
present situation, which threatened the loss of the vast treasure
already gained in the ship, although they had consented to Morgan's
proposition to attack La Guayra and Caracas, and the captain was in no
way responsible for the storm and the wreck which jeoparded their booty
and their future. Therefore it is probable that none of them, unless it
were Teach, would have interfered to save Morgan, and he would have been
swept from his feet by the savage men and instantly killed, in spite of
all that he, or Carib, or any one else could have done. But the
violence of the shock when the ship took ground