ival at the convent,
soon endeared her to the abbess, who became confirmed in her resolve to
guard her interesting prisoner from harm. More than once, moved by
Rita's tears and entreaties, she was tempted to set her at liberty, but
was deterred by fear of Baltasar. The action of Mendigorria was
fought--news came to the convent that Colonel Villabuena had been
killed. The abbess hesitated no longer, but at once released Rita, who,
accompanied by her waiting-maid, was escorted by a couple of sturdy and
trustworthy peasants to the nearest town. Thence she safely reached the
French frontier, which was at no great distance. Once in France, she
learned to her unspeakable joy, from Spanish emigrants there resident,
that her father still lived, although a prisoner, and that he was then
at Logrono. At all risks she resolved to rejoin him, and proceeding to a
point of the frontier held by the Christinos, she re-entered Spain, and
arrived at Pampeluna twelve hours after Herrera had left it with the
purpose of rescuing her. She had friends in the town whom she hastened
to visit, and by them she was conducted to her astonished and delighted
father.

When Baltasar reached the convent, and found that Rita was no longer
there, his fury was unbounded, and he loaded the abbess with reproaches
and abuse. He became yet more violent when she refused to tell him the
direction in which Rita had gone. Owing to the disturbed state of the
country, and the recent movements of the Christino army, Dona Carmen
could not be certain that her late prisoner had succeeded in leaving
Spain, and she, therefore, resolutely refused to give Baltasar any
information concerning her. It was then that occurred the scene of which
Paco had overheard a part, when Baltasar struck and ill-treated the
unfortunate nun, who with heroic courage remained firm in her refusal,
submitting meekly to his cruelty, and trusting that her sufferings might
be accepted as a partial expiation of her former offences, which she had
long repented, if she could not atone them. Still, however, Baltasar did
not despair of compelling her to reveal what he so ardently desired to
know; and it was doubtless for that reason that he carried her with him
when he fled from the convent. It has already been seen how care for his
own preservation induced him to abandon her, although too late to save
himself. Within a few hundred yards of the place where he had so
brutally thrown her from his horse, he