find a hotter field. Suddenly her eyes
widened, and she pressed a hand hard against her breast.

"The coincidence!" she gasped, trembling from head to foot. "It is the
coincidence!"

Her nose flattened against the wet pane. She remembered how that general
of the Missourians had told Charlotte about this man, for the Empress
had asked. And the general had related how the troop had dubbed him the
Storm Centre.

"And no wonder!" she breathed. "Mon Dieu, how he _enjoys_ it!--But,
oh--he will be killed--oh!"

Yet nothing of the kind happened. When she uncovered her eyes, his
assailants were in flight. Every Cossack survivor was in flight. The
Storm Centre wheeled and confronted Don Rodrigo, who raised his sombrero
effusively.

"Rebellion makes strange comrades," thought Jacqueline. "But no,
my--the--chevalier--does not take his hand."

Indeed Driscoll was looking the guerrilla over with little favor. "So,"
he exclaimed, "it was you I was to help here!"

"And what better patriot, senor----"

"Never mind that. Why didn't you wait till dark to attack? Weren't those
the orders, or--that is, the suggestion?"

"But whose suggestion? Perhaps, senor, _you_ know who El Chaparrito
is?"

"Haven't the least idea, nor anyone else. But it's certain, Rod, that
this is your first experience of Shorty. Another time, and you'll have
sense enough to take his hints. Now then, where's the emperor we were to
catch?"

Fra Diavolo's smile was Satanic. "Your Chaparrito was either mistaken
about the Emperor, or," and he glanced toward the window, "or he
deceived you into helping me capture a beautiful young woman."

"How? What----"

"I mean that His Cautious Majesty did not come, however much El
Chaparrito seems to want him. But--" and Rodrigo's tone lowered heavily,
"but his August Spouse came instead. She is in that cabin now. It is
well, senor, for vengeance in kind is just. It is righteous, it is
biblical. Since fate has thrown----"

"E-a-s-y! Eas-y, boy. Of course, if we've gone and netted an empress,
we'll ask 'em to please take her back. This ain't a woman's game."

"Give up a queen's ransom?"

Driscoll nodded cheerfully.

"I believe, caballero," said the brigand with awful dignity, "that I
command here."

Driscoll looked at his Missourians returning from the chase. "Well," he
laughed, "you might try it on, and see how they take it."

Behind Jacqueline the door opened. She almost jumped. Of the hundreds
likely to ent