w he should treat Morton himself.
He had just rendered him a great service, and the very man whom he had
once favoured as the suitor of his daughter, and who had promised to
come and claim her when circumstances would allow him, he had seen in
the ranks of the enemy, and he now learned had also attempted to carry
off his daughter. These thoughts occupied his mind as the carriage
moved on in the centre of the party. Ronald had too correct notions of
generalship not to march in true military order. He sent forward an
advanced guard, and kept a rear guard at some distance to give timely
notice of the approach of an enemy, should they be pursued. He himself
was everywhere, seeing that his newly-raised band of guerillas were
attending to their duty, though he did not fail, whenever he passed, to
make inquiries at the carriage-window as to how Colonel Armytage was
bearing his journey.

It was dark when the country-house of Don Josef was reached. He
literally made his house the home of the foreigners, for he made them
occupy all the best rooms, and retired himself to a small chamber remote
from all the rest. It was one of those glorious nights which in no part
of Europe are seen to greater advantage than in the clear atmosphere of
Spain. The moon, in full lustre, shone out from a sky undimmed by a
single cloud, and every object on which its light fell stood out clear
and defined, casting the darkest of shadows behind it.

When the guerilla band had been refreshed they assembled in the patio,
or yard in front of the house, and gave vent to their satisfaction at
their victory in patriotic songs. It was great enjoyment to Morton to
find himself again by the side of Edda, and to feel that he had just
conferred so great a benefit on her father that he could scarcely refuse
his consent to their union. He little knew the unyielding nature of the
man with whom he had to deal. Both Edda and Ronald referred to the
threats they had heard uttered by Alfonse Gerardin.

"I cannot understand him," she said, "who he is, nor what he is. My
father certainly favoured his suit in a way I could not fancy he would
do that of a person of whom he knew nothing, while he treats you, whom
he does know, with evident dislike. I cannot conceal it from myself.
You know the pain it must give me. Nor can I help owning that my father
is acting a cruel and wrong part."

Ronald knew how near the enemy were, and would have been anxious for the
sa