nd to bring them within the
lines of Don Carlos, and till utterly baffled by death or misadventure,
this was what he was going to continue to attempt.

If therefore the little Princess were not in the castle, she must
immediately be sought for outside it. The palace of La Granja was, as he
well knew, surrounded by eager and bloody-minded foes, bent on the
destruction of all within its walls. It was conceivable that Isabel
might already be slain, though in the absence of the daughter of Munoz,
he doubted whether the gipsies would go such lengths. To be held to
ransom was a much more probable fate. At any rate it was clearly the
duty of some one of the party to make an attempt for her recovery.

At the first blush Sergeant Cardono appeared to be the person designated
by experience and qualifications for the task. But, on the other hand,
how could Rollo entrust to the most famous of ex-brigands, a gipsy of
the gipsies, of the blackest blood of Egypt, the search for so great a
prize as the little Queen of Spain? The difficult virtue of self-denial
in such a case could hardly be expected from a man like Jose Maria of
Ronda. Consider--a ransom, a Queen put up to auction! For both sides,
Nationals and Carlists alike, would certainly be eager to treat for her
possession. In short, Rollo concluded that he had no right to put such a
temptation in the way of a man with the record of Sergeant Cardono.

His thoughts turned next to El Sarria. Concerning Ramon Garcia's loyalty
there was no question--still less as to his courage. But--he was hardly
the man to despatch alone on a mission which involved so many delicate
issues. Once outside the palace there would in all probability be no
chance of return, and Rollo was persuaded that the best chance of
recovering the child lay in discovering her in some of the hiding-places
which would doubtless be familiar to her about the grounds. To find the
little maid, to induce her to trust herself completely to a stranger,
and to guide her to a place of safety, these would be tasks difficult
enough for any combination of scout and diplomat. Now El Sarria, upon
meeting with opposition, was accustomed to storm through it with the
rush of a tiger's charge. No, in spite of his assured fidelity and
courage, it would be impossible to send El Sarria.

The others--well, they were good fellows, both of them, John Mortimer
and Etienne. But it was obvious to his mind that the quest was not for
them.

Ro