airs in his own house. He was a man with an iron will,
with the ability to focus whatever energy remained within him upon a
single objective. Through this Wilson gained a ray of hope; even if he
found it impossible to locate him before, he knew that Sorez would
press on to the lake of Guadiva. No power, no force less than death
would serve to prevent him. Sooner or later Wilson would meet his man
there. The present pity of it was that with the information he
possessed, the secret of the parchment, he might possibly have
prevented this journey and saved the girl much hardship.

So his brain reasoned, but back of this was the throbbing ache that
would not listen to reason. He wanted her again within his arms; he
wanted again to look into her dark eyes, to feel again the warmth of
her breath against his neck. He wanted, too, the sense of protecting
and caring for her. He had meant to do so much; to find a comfortable
lodging place for her until he could take her back; to forage food and
clothing for her. A hundred things unsaid whirled about in his brain;
a hundred plans unfulfilled mocked him; a hundred needs unsatisfied.
For a few precious moments he had held her in his arms,--a few moments
when he craved years, and then he had lost her. Perhaps there was
still a chance. His own head was too confused to form a plan at
present. He determined to return to the palace and seek Stubbs.

With the aid of two of Otaballo's lieutenants he was able to locate
Stubbs, who was assisting the General in an attempt to bring the
mercenaries into some sort of order. These men finally worn out, he
had succeeded in enticing into one of the big rooms where he had
calmly turned the lock upon them. Wilson greeted Stubbs with the
single exclamation:

"They've gone again."

"What--the girl?"

"Gone," groaned Wilson. "But within the hour. I want you to help me
find them."

"Like huntin' fer a loose dory in th' dark, ain't it?"

"Yes, but you'd hunt even for your dory, wouldn't you?"

"Right, m' boy, an' I ain't suggestin' thet yer change yer course,
only--these seas are uncharted fer me. But how'd she git outern yer
hands once yer had her?"

"Oh, I was a fool, Stubbs. I thought she would sleep until night, and
so came over here to let you know where I was. That would have been
all right if I hadn't stayed, but the Queen came and--she told you
about Danbury?"

"Yes," nodded Stubbs, "an' I can't figger out whether it's right er
wrong.