shing upon a piece of wash-leather the silver spoon which he
habitually carried.

"You will aid me in carrying it out if I have?" Thus with equal
swiftness came Rollo's cross-question.

A curious smile slowly overspread the gipsy's leathern visage.

"I think," he said slowly, "that all of us here have most to gain by
keeping the two queens alive. But I confess I would not be sorry to make
the General a present of my gentleman of the dressing-gown!"

Then Rollo, reassured by the Sergeant's words, went on to develop his
plans.

"We must obtain sufficient horses to mount the royal party, and one of
us must guide the Queen and the others on their way to General Elio's
camp. For the horses we will look to you, Sergeant."

"I have done as much under the eyes of an army in broad daylight, let
alone at night and on a mountain-side," replied the man of Ronda,
calmly, lighting another of his eternal cigarettes.

"Then," continued the young leader, "next we must secure some means of
communicating with the prisoners within the house. La Giralda will
afford us that. The sentries must first be drawn off, then secured, and
with one of us to accompany and guide the party, we must start off the
great folk for the camp of General Elio at Vera, where, at least, their
persons will be safe, and they will be treated honourably as prisoners
of war."

"And who is to accompany them?" inquired the Sergeant, his face like a
mask. For he hated the thought that Munoz should escape a half-dozen
Carlist bullets. Jose Maria the brigand, El Sarria the outlaw--even
Cabrera the butcher of Tortosa were in the scheme of things, but this
Munoz--pah!

"This is what I propose," said Rollo. "Let no more than three horses be
brought. So many can easily be hidden in the side gullies of the
barranco. That will allow one for the Queen, one for Munoz, and
whichever of us is chosen to accompany them can carry the little
Princess before him as a guarantee for the good behaviour of the other
two."

"But which may that be?" persisted the Sergeant, with his usual
determination to have his question answered.

Rollo made a little sign with his hand as if he would say, "All in good
time, my friend!"

"Those of us who stay behind," he went on, "will take up such a position
that we may stay the pursuit till the fugitives are out of reach. One
thing is in our favour. You have heard the silly cackle of the camp
about the escape of Concha. If I know her, she is