se than I," Rollo responded, gloomily; "I
ought to have remembered that before. But, as you know, I have had many
things to think of."

"I am glad," she said, more quietly and submissively than ever in her
life, "that even in so small a matter I am permitted to think a little
for you!"

Whereupon, though the connection of idea is not obvious, Rollo
remembered the moment when he had faced the black muzzles of Cabrera's
muskets in the chill of the morning, and the bitter regret which had
then arisen to his mind. Out there in the dark of the palace-garden,
death fronted him as really though not perhaps so immediately. He
resolved quickly that he should not have the same regret again, if the
worst came to the worst. There was no one in the alcove where Concha had
found him. The Queen-Regent had disappeared to her suite of rooms, and
thither after a time Senor Munoz had followed her. The rest were at that
moment being placed in their various posts by the Sergeant according to
Rollo's directions.

So he stooped quickly and kissed Concha upon the mouth.

It was strange. The girl's inevitable instinct on such matters seemed to
have deserted her. In a somewhat wide experience Concha could always
tell to a second when an attempt of this kind was due. Most women can,
and if they are kissed it is because they want to be. (In which, sayeth
the Wise Man, is great wisdom!) A fire-alarm rings in their brain with
absolute certainty, giving them time to evite the conflagration by a
healthy douche of cold water. But Rollo the Firebrand again proved
himself the Masterly Incalculable. Or else--but who could suspect
Concha?

It is, again sayeth the Wise Man, the same with kicking a dog. The brute
sees the kick coming before a muscle is in motion. He watches the eye of
his opponent and is forearmed. He vanisheth into space. But when Rollo
interviewed an animal in this fashion, he kicked first and thought
afterwards. Hence no sign of his intention appeared in his eye, and the
dog's yelp arrived almost as a surprise to himself.

So, with greatly altered circumstance, was it in the present instance.
Rollo kissed first and made up his mind to it some time after.
Consequently Concha was taken absolutely by surprise. She uttered a
little cry and stepped back indignantly into the lighted room where the
spare muskets were piled.

But again Rollo was before her. If he had attempted to make love, she
would have scathed him with the soundest in