time was
her duty to her love and (she acknowledged it), her master.

Apart from these details of his feeling for Concha, however (which gave
him little concern), Rollo was far from satisfied with the condition of
affairs. He would rather (so he confided to the Sergeant) have defended
a sheepfold or a simple cottage than this many-chambered, many-passaged,
mongrel chateau. His force was scattered out of sight, though for the
most part not out of hearing of each other. It was indeed true that,
owing to his excellent dispositions, and the fortunate situation of the
balconies, he was able to command every part of the castle enclosure,
and especially the doors by which it was most likely that the chief
attempt would be made.

So occupied had Rollo been with his affairs, both private and of a
military character, that he had actually wholly forgotten the presence
of the Queen-Regent, her daughter and husband, within the palace of La
Granja. And this though he had come all that way across two of the
wildest provinces of Spain for the sole purpose of securing their
persons and transporting mother and daughter to the camp of Don Carlos.
Nevertheless so instant was the danger which now overhung every one,
that their intended captor had ceased to think of anything but how to
preserve these royal lives and to keep them from the hands of the
ruthless gipsies of the hills.

But circumstances quickly recalled the young man to his primary
purpose, and taught him that he must not trust too much to those whose
interests were opposed to his own.

Rollo, as we have said, had reserved no station for himself, but
constantly circulated round all the posts of his little army, ready at
any time to add himself to the effective forces of the garrison at any
threatened point. It was while he was thus passing from balcony to
balcony on the second or defending storey that his quick ear caught the
sound of a door opening and shutting on the floor beneath.

"Ah," thought Rollo to himself, suspiciously, "the Queen and her people
are safe in their chambers on this floor. No person connected with the
defence ought to be down there. This is either treachery or the enemy
have gained admission by some secret passage!"

With Rollo Blair to think was to act. So in another moment he had
slipped off his shoes, and treading noiselessly on his stocking soles
and with a naked sword in his hand he made his way swiftly and carefully
down towards the place whe