had listened to her, "that is well
thought on. La Giralda and I have a little business of our own to attend
to which may occupy us a few minutes. With your leave, Colonel, we will
go on ahead and arrange matters for the Queen's reception. From what La
Giralda tells me, it may be as well to avoid entering the house."

So when the Queen-Regent, with Concha in attendance and the little
Isabel riding demurely alongside on her diminutive donkey, delighting in
the unexpected excursion, arrived at the farm, they found that a large
barn and granary, cool, airy, and with a roof of stone arched like the
vaults of a fortress, had been prepared for them. The horses of the
party had been fed and watered. Cloaks had been unstrapped and laid on
piles of straw for the ladies to rest upon--that is, for her Majesty the
Queen Maria Cristina--Concha being one of the comity, and little Isabel
dancing everywhere after her as her inseparable tyrant and slave. For
with the easy and fortunate memory of childhood, Isabel had ceased even
to mention the nurse who had been with her ever since her birth, or at
most remembered her only when she happened to be tired or hurt or
sleepy. Indeed, she learned in a wondrously short space to run to Concha
with all her troubles. So constant was the companionship of these two
that it was with the utmost difficulty, and after several failures, that
Rollo managed to exchange even a word with his sweetheart.

"You have been very brave," he whispered. "I should have failed but for
you!"

Concha blushed hot with swift pleasure, but on this occasion her usual
readiness of speech seemed to have deserted her, and she stood silent
like a tongue-tied maid, greedy for the first time in her life of her
own praise.

Before either could speak again, the Sergeant was back to report that La
Giralda and he had dinner ready for the party.

"You must not expect much," he said; "there is little available for the
pot which may with safety be cooked."

But indeed in such weather there was need for nothing better than the
_arroz con pollo_--the chicken with rice, together with the abundant
_gazpacho_, for the first of which he had found the materials in the
store-chamber and barn-yard of the deserted farmhouse.

"Also there is an abundance of vegetables in the garden--when you get
them separated from the weeds, that is," he explained; "the clear air of
these heights has enabled them to keep their flavour to perfection."

He