American had been eavesdropping, for thus
he might be encouraged to presumption--and the Duke was certain that of
all women in the world the least susceptible to presumption was his
haughty kinswoman.

"Well, Maria, you are sending him to his death--and as for you, Mr.
Ghost Breaker, I wish you success, when you beard the specter in his
den!"

With mock dignity at first, Jarvis's voice grew more menacing as he
completed the words of retort:

"Thanks, your Gracious Excellency!... I'll do my best to tie a can to
the specter's tail--and the can will be loaded with fireworks!"

As he left, Warren turned with a cheery grin, to face Maria.

"We must start at once, Mr. Warren," she urged, "for any moment may be
my brother's last."

"Courage! If your brother is there, I'll find him. You must be patient
and remain here, where you are safe,--try to rest up from that
blood-curdling trip from Paris."

"But, Mr. Warren, I cannot rest or even sit still until I know what has
become of him. I shall go mad if I am left alone!"

The womanly tears began to stream down her face. They melted a hitherto
calm portion of Warren Jarvis' heart.

"Now, my dear child," and he paused timidly, as though to learn whether
or not the familiarity had offended her. Instead, she looked up through
the long wet lashes with anything but an angry glance. "My dear child,
I must insist on one condition."

"What's that?"

"Let me go ahead and look over the ground. I will signal when it is
safe to follow. I have reasons of my own for wanting to get there
without losing a minute; otherwise, I would wait until to-morrow, to
look it over by daylight and lay my own trap. But I will surely let you
know if I have found him."

"How can you signal, Mr. Warren Jarvis? We have no telephones in
Seguro." Jarvis walked over toward the old paneled window.

"With a light. See over here--there is the castle; you can of course
see it through the window. I was asking all sorts of questions of old
Pedro when he was in my room. He knows every foot of that land, even if
he has been afraid to go near it for fifteen years or so."

"Well, what will you do?"

"Just as Paul Revere's friend did in the early days in my country: I'll
put a light somewhere in one of those towers, and you can see it from
this room or through one of the windows upstairs here. It will shine in
an hour at the most. You won't have long to wait!"

"But if it does not shine?" and she paled at th