dance of perfectly white hair which surrounded a very
good-humoured, wrinkled face, almost as brown as a berry. It was the
face of an aristocrat, but of an aristocrat who lived in the open air,
and a good deal under the burning sun of an Aquazilian summer.

He came forward with a very loving smile on his old face and took his
little daughter in his arms.

Their greeting was in Spanish and therefore most of it was lost to me,
but I took it to be a very affectionate one. This over, the
conversation turned in my direction and broke into English.

"This is the gentleman who saved me from the robbers, father,"
exclaimed Dolores; "this is Mr. William Anstruther."

The old man turned towards me with extended hands, his face beaming.

"Mr. Anstruther," he said, speaking in very fair English, which I found
most of the gentry spoke there, "let me take your hands and thank you
from my heart for your heroic conduct to my daughter. The news of the
outrage and your gallant escape reached us together by telegraph the
first thing this morning. Indeed, I think they had the news at the
club last night."

When he had at last let my hand go, I got in a word of my own.

"Naturally," I began, "you will like to spend some time with your
daughter, but when you are at liberty I have an important message to
deliver to you."

"Indeed!" he said, looking rather surprised. "From whom?"

"From an old lady who formerly lived at Bath, in England," I replied,
"but who now, I fear, is dead--murdered!"

"Good heavens!" he cried; "who can it be?"

"It was a lady known by the name of Carlotta Altenberg," I answered.

"Good God!" he cried, throwing up his hands excitedly; "poor old
d'Altenberg murdered!"

I was rather disappointed at his tone. It was very certain that the
old lady was a person of little importance, or he would never have
spoken of her like that.

In a moment or two he turned to me again.

"I have taken the liberty," he said, "of having your luggage and that
of your friends with whom you are travelling--and whom Dolores tells me
are your cousins--brought up here. I could not think of allowing you
to stay anywhere else in Valoro than under my roof, and I am vain
enough to think that we can keep you amused during your stay."

I made suitable acknowledgments for his kindness, and was wondering all
the while, in my heart, under what lucky star I had been born to be
located beneath the very roof with my Dolores, and that