d Lopez, "he can do nothing. He can't get in here. This castle
is impregnable to anything less than an army."

"But you got in."

"But I've guarded that passage so that others cannot," said he.

"Do you think," said she, "that there are no other secret passages than
that?"

Katie had drawn a bow at a venture. She knew from the statements of
Dolores that there were secret passages all about; but whether there were
any others that ran out into the country outside she did not know. Still,
she thought she would try the effect of this on Lopez. She was fully
satisfied with the result of her experiment.

Lopez started and stared.

"Other secret passages!" he said. "Do you know of any?"

"If I did I would not tell," said Katie.

Lopez was much disturbed. He did not know but that there really were
other secret passages. The escape of "His Majesty" seemed to point to
this. He determined to institute a thorough search.

"I'll find out every passage in the castle before evening," said he.

Katie smiled. She did not believe that he would find one. Lopez felt
nettled at her smile.

"You don't believe I shall find them," said he. "If I don't find them I
shall conclude that they are not there."

"A very safe conclusion!" said Katie.

Lopez felt angry. He had come hoping to make an impression on Katie by
telling her of his love and devotion. In this he had been miserably
disappointed. He had become angry and excited. He was no longer in a fit
mood to appeal to her feelings, and he felt it. He therefore concluded
that it would be best to retire for the present, and come again after he
had grown calmer.

CHAPTER XLIV.

HOW LOPEZ HAS ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH KATIE, AND FEELS PUZZLED.

It was not much more than an hour afterward when Lopez paid Katie a
second visit. By that time he had overcome all his excitement, and had
settled upon a plan of action of a different kind. It was of no use, he
saw, to appeal to Katie's feelings, and so he thought that he would try
the effect of a little pressure of a moral character.

"I hope you will pardon me," said he, "for troubling you again, but it is
necessary for us to understand one another, and I think you do not see
exactly how I am situated."

At this Katie made no observation, but drew a long breath, and leaned
back with the air of a martyr. This was excessively aggravating to Lopez,
but he managed to smother his irritation, and proceeded:

"Pardon me, senorit