ed, and had Manuela
in her arms. She felt her all over, hurrying question upon question.

"My child, you are not hurt? not wounded? these ruffians--did they dare
to touch you? did they have the audacity to speak to you, Manuela? Oh,
why did I leave you? I could not help it; you saw I could not help it.
You are _sure_ you have no hurt?"

"But, positively, senorita," said Manuela. "See! not a scratch is on me.
They--one fellow--offered to tie my hands; I scratched him so well that
he ran away. I am safe, safe--praise be to all saints, to our Holy Lady,
and the Senor Delmonte. But--poor Cerito, senorita? what of him? he was
with us; he fought like a lion. I saw him fall--"

"Poor Cerito!" said Rita, gravely. "He was a brave, brave lad. A
thousand sons to Cuba like him!"

Donna Prudencia was sitting apart on a stone by the roadside. Rita went
up to her, took her hand, and kissed her cheek. The Yankee woman looked
kindly at her and nodded comprehension, but did not speak. Rita stood
silent for a few minutes, timidly stroking the brown cheek and white
hair. Her cousin Margaret came into her mind. What would Margaret say,
if she were here? She would know the right word, she always did.

"Marm Prudence," she said, presently, "to have the memory of a hero, of
one who dies for his country,--that is something, is it not? some
little comfort?"

Marm Prudence did not answer at once.

"Mebbe so," she said, presently. "Mebbe so, Miss Margaritty. Noonzio was
a good man. Yes'm, I've lost a good husband and a good home! A good
husband and a good home!" she repeated. "That's all there is to it, I
expect." Her rugged face was disturbed for a moment, and she hid it in
her hands; when she looked up, she was her own composed self.

"And what's the next thing?" she asked. "Thank you, Cap'n Delmonty, I'm
feeling first-rate. Don't you fret about me. You done all you could.
I'll never forget what you done. Poor husband's last words before he was
shot was thanking the Lord Miss Margaritty was off safe. We knew we
could trust her with you."

"Indeed," said honest Delmonte, "it is not me you must thank, Donna
Prudencia. I did what I could, but it was Captain Montfort and his men
who saved both her life and mine."

He told the story briefly, and Marm Prudence listened with interest.
"Well," she said, "that was pretty close, wasn't it? Anyway, you done
all you could, Cap'n Jack, and nobody can't do no more. And he's Miss
Margaritty's cousi