ry, upon his return, Rollo made his
request.

"Tell her Majesty that those gentlemen who last night defended the
palace, wish to be admitted into her presence in order that they may
represent to her the danger of remaining longer in a house exposed alike
to the attacks of bloodthirsty villains and to the ravages of the
plague."

"Her Majesty, being otherwise engaged, is not at present able to receive
the gentlemen," was the civil but unsatisfactory answer brought back.

Rollo stood a moment fuming, biting his thumb-nail as he had a fashion
of doing when thinking deeply. Then he asked a sudden question--

"Where is El Sarria?"

"Without on the terrace--doing a little sentry duty on his own
account," said the Sergeant. "I told him that the gipsies, being walkers
in darkness, had gone off for at least twelve hours, and that there was
no use in any further vigilance till nightfall, should it be our
ill-fortune to spend another night in this place. But" (here the
Sergeant shrugged his shoulders very slightly, as only an Andalucian or
a Frenchman can), "well--our excellent Don Ramon is the best and bravest
of men. But it is a pity that he has not room here for more than one
idea at a time!"

And Sergeant Cardono tapped his brow with his forefinger.

"I do not know," said Rollo, smiling, "if the one idea is a good one, it
may carry a man far! But that matters nothing now. Let these two friends
of mine, Don Juan and M. de Saint Pierre, take his place on the terrace.
We have a difficult part to play upstairs, and we want only men of your
nation or mine--men neither easily excited nor yet too over-scrupulous!"

He added the last words under his breath.

And so, on pretext that it was time El Sarria should be relieved, a few
minutes thereafter John Mortimer and Etienne found themselves pleasantly
situated on the broad terrace looking out on the dry fountains and the
glittering waterfalls of La Granja, while El Sarria solemnly mounted the
stairs to hold audience with his young leader.

No great talker was El Sarria at any time, and now he had nothing to say
till Rollo informed him why he wanted his help. Then he was ready to do
everything but talk--go to the world's end, fight to the death, give up
all except Dolores (and risk even her!) that he might do the will of his
chief. El Sarria was not good at fine ethical distinctions, but he
understood obedience prompt and unquestioning, through and through and
up and down.