urteously as
if to a lady, and Russell returned this civility with a most awkward
bow. But Lopez did not notice this. He was in a pleasant frame of
mind, and full of excited hopes.

"I hope," said he, with a polite smile, "your ladyship will not be
put out by this slight delay. Otherwise I am at your service."

Russell understood this to be an offer of assistance, and, feeling
secure in his disguise, he made a bold effort to communicate with the
enemy. And this is the way he did it:

"Me hungry," he said; "d--n hungry!"

"Hungria?" said Lopez. "Ah, a Hungarian lady! Ah, true--I had
forgotten. And so, Rita, your friend is a Hungarian lady?"

"Yes," said Rita, delighted at having her companion's nationality so
conveniently disposed of. "Yes; she's a foreigner, a Hungarian lady,
and no one can understand her language."

"Very good," said Lopez. "It is all the same whether Hungarian or
Spanish. She is a lady, and shall be treated as well as possible. And
now, Rita, you must rest, for you must be strong and active for
tomorrow's work."

With these words Lopez showed them to their resting-place. It was in
the loft, where Brooke and Talbot were confined. Here Rita ascended
nimbly, and Russell followed, not without difficulty; and soon Rita
forgot her fatigue, and Russell his hunger, in a sound sleep.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

IN WHICH RUSSELL MAKES NEW FRIENDS, AND TALBOT SEES NEW PERILS.

Russell and Rita had thus been brought to the loft of the old mill,
in which Brooke and Talbot were prisoners. It was fortunate for these
latter that there had occurred this little episode of the arrival of
new prisoners, for it served to give a diversion to their thoughts,
turning them into a new channel, and relieving them from that intense
excitement of feeling by which they had been overcome. It also gave
them a subject of common interest apart from themselves; and thus
they were once more able to converse with one another, without having
that sense of violent self-restraint which had thus far afflicted
them. Brooke was able to be lively, without any affectation of too
extravagant gayety, and Talbot was no longer crushed into dumbness.

They had seen the arrival of the prisoners from the window, and had
watched them closely. The two fugitives had been captured close by
the mill by the band of Lopez, just as that band was approaching the
spot after a weary and useless day. The examination had been
overheard by the two list