m. Rollo was
permitted to rise, but the giant was kept on his back while they
Fastened him up securely with ropes and halters.

Then Luis Fernandez came in, an evil smile on his dark handsome face,
and behind him a little thick-set active man in some military dress of
light material. The uniform was unfamiliar to Rollo, who, for a moment,
was in doubt whether he was in the hands of the Cristinos or in those of
the partisans of Don Carlos.

But a glance about the chamber eased his mind. The white _boinas_ of the
Basque provinces, mingled with the red of Navarra, told him that he had
been captured by the Carlists.

"Well," said a little dark man with the curly hair, black and kinked
like a negro's, "give an account of yourselves and of your proceedings
in this village."

"We are soldiers in the service of His Excellency Don Carlos," said
Rollo, fearlessly; "we are on our way to the camp of General Cabrera on
a mission of importance."

Luis Fernandez looked across at his companion, who had seated himself
carelessly in a large chair by the window.

"Did I not tell you he would say that?" he said. The other nodded. "On a
mission to General Cabrera," repeated the chief of Rollo's captors;
"well, then, doubtless you can prove your statement by papers and
documents. Let me see your credentials."

"I must know, first, to whom I have the honour of speaking," said Rollo,
firmly.

"You shall," said the man in the chair. "I am General Cabrera, in the
service of His Absolute Majesty, Carlos, Fifth of Spain. I shall be glad
to receive your credentials, sir."

Then it flashed upon Rollo that all his papers were in the hands of
Concha Cabezos. He had given them to her that she might show them to the
Lady Superior, and so insure a welcome for poor little Dolores, whom
they had left lying on the bed in the portress's lodge at the Convent of
the Holy Innocents.

"I can indeed give you the message, and that instantly," said Rollo;
"but I am unfortunately prevented from showing you my credentials till
the morning. They are at present at the--in the hands of a friend----"

Here Rollo stammered and came to a full stop. Luis Fernandez laughed
scornfully.

"Of course," he said: "what did I tell you, General? He has no
credentials."

Cabrera struck his clenched fist on the table.

"Sir," he said, "you are a strange messenger. You pretend a mission to
me, and when asked for your credentials you tell us that they are in the
hand