ce been taken to clean it out. Morton asked the girl if
his surmise was not correct.

"Yes, the demons! they have been here, and Heaven's curse go with them!"
she answered, with startling fierceness. "It was dark when you rode in,
or you would have seen the number of houses burnt down, vineyards and
orange-groves rooted up for firewood; but that was not all the harm they
did. Woe, unutterable woe, they inflicted on thousands. I had a lover,
to whom I was betrothed; they slew him, and me they rendered wretched.
But I need not tell my own griefs. Thousands have suffered as much as I
have. There, senor, that corner you will find the freest from
inconvenience. Place your valise and saddle-bags there--they will be
safe. We are honest, though our accursed foes have made us poor
indeed."

The poor girl's dark eyes flashed fire as she spoke. Ronald felt sure
that he might trust her entirely. He ordered Bob and Job, therefore, to
deposit his scanty baggage in the corner indicated, and to follow him
below.

"What! does the lieutenant think he'll ever see them again if we does?"
observed Bob.

"Orders is orders," answered Job; "but just you keep a bright look out
on the stair while we're below, and as soon as we've stowed away some
grub, we'll take it watch and watch, and go up and sit on 'em. The Dons
will find it a hard job to carry them off then, I'll allow."

Satisfied with their arrangements, the two seamen followed their
officer. He took his seat at one end of the table, and, as he did so,
he fancied the other guests seemed to regard him with more friendly
glances than before. Not a minute had elapsed before Maria placed
before him a smoking puchero (a dish to be found from one end of Spain
to the other, composed of various sorts of meats minced with spices).
There was a soup also, of a reddish tinge, from being coloured with
saffron, and sausages rather too strong of garlic, and very white bread,
and two dishes of vegetables, one of which was of garbanzos, a sort of
haricot beans. There was wine also, and brandy; indeed, the inhabitants
must have managed cleverly to hide their stores from their invaders to
enable them to produce so good a supply. Job and Bob did not conceal
their astonishment; the viands suited their taste, and they did ample
justice to them.

Though Ronald was in love, and had just cause to be anxious as to its
result, and though he had only just parted from his mistress, yet he was