CHAPTER XXIX.

"IF EVER I MARRY, MY HUSBAND WILL BE A MAN OF HONOR; NOT A LOW TRICKSTER."

Several days had passed, days fraught with excitement, battles and death. With a daring scarcely conceivable, the Cuban insurgents had driven back the Spanish troops from Bayamo to Jababo. Slowly but surely they were forcing the enemies of liberty to the western end of the island; but the trail was red with blood and hot with the ashes of burning homes, plantations and sugar houses.

The Corona plantations had been laid in utter ruin, and all of the many workmen had left General Corona and joined the rebel army. The women had scattered, too, and only Cara remained by Estella's side. By little short of a miracle General Corona had saved his daughter from harm, and managed, although not without a great deal of trouble, to assist her to the home of a friend, twenty miles distant from the plantation. Here Estella had been joined by Cara, and mistress and maid had been sent, under escort of a guard of four men, to another residence owned by her father at Puerto Principe.

This place was a large stone mansion, and it was shut up and fortified, this being done in case the rebels should gain ground and advance in that direction. At that time no Spaniard dreamed that the Cubans would soon be knocking at the very doors of Havana itself, the conquerors of all the remainder of "The Ever-Faithful Isle."

Estella was allowed the liberty of the house, but was not permitted to go outside, even to walk in the garden, which was full of choice flowers and shrubs. Her father would not listen to her story of how Howard had saved her life and had chided her roundly for all her rebel tendencies.

"The American is what they call smart, but that is all. He is here for adventure and gold--he is not fighting for a principle," said General Corona. "I want you to forget him. As for those accursed rebels, we will soon have them under foot, and then we will make them pay dearly for their doings!"

He rode away without even kissing her, as was his usual habit. Later on Estella learned that he had given strict orders that she must not be allowed outside of the door, nor was she to receive any visitors, unless they were sent by himself. She was virtually a prisoner.

Hard as was her lot, Estella thought nothing of it. She would have been content had she but known that her lover was safe. But she knew absolutely nothing of what had become of Howard, and her mind was in an agony of fear, thinking he had been killed in the battle, or seriously wounded.

In several ways she endeavored to send out some message that might reach him, but each time the endeavor was a failure. The men her father had hired to guard the place were faithful to their trust, and nothing escaped their notice.

Cara, also, was very unhappy, for Tomasso, the one man of her heart, was missing. With tears in her eyes the maid would speak of him.

"If he were here he would help you," she said. "But, alas! he, too, has gone! Perhaps both have been killed!"

And then she would burst out afresh.

On the fourth day of her enforced seclusion, Estella, from her bedroom window, saw a horseman in the uniform of a Spanish officer ride in at the broad gateway and up to the front of the house. He carried his arm in a sling, and his soft hat, with its drooping black ostrich feather, was pulled well down over his face, yet as he came closer she recognized him as Lieutenant Mazenas. He passed in at the front door and Cara presently came to announce him.

"I do not care to see him!" exclaimed Estella, with a pale face. "Tell him I am not receiving visitors."

The maid departed, but speedily returned.

"He says he brings news from your father, and must speak to you in private."

The beautiful girl had not heard from her parent for forty-eight hours, and, afraid that something might have happened to him, she made a few changes in her toilet, and met the lieutenant in the gloomy parlor, each window of which was now heavily barred, in defense of a possible attack.

"I am glad to see you so well," were the lieutenant's first words, as he came up and attempted to take her hand, but she merely bowed coldly, motioned him to a chair on one side of the parlor, and seated herself on the other side of the room.

"You say you have news from papa," she said. "What is it?"

"He has been in another battle at Vista Lake. He was wounded, but he wished me to tell you that the wound is not at all serious. He was afraid the servants here might learn of it and frighten you by exaggerated reports."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Mazenas; it was considerate of him to send you. And is that all?"

He turned his small eyes full upon her, as if drinking in the beautiful picture she presented.

"You do not seem glad to see me," he said, reproachfully. "You do not ask me about myself," and he pointed to the arm in the sling.

"You have been wounded, I see."

"Yes, I was shot through the forearm the day before yesterday. We had a hard time to beat the rebels back from this very town."

"They are then so close!" cried Estella, and her heart gave a bound. "Who is in command?"

"Captain Martinez."

"Ah!"

She said no more, but the look on her face betrayed her.

"You know him then?"

"I do. A brave and good man."

"I see you still love the rebels," he sneered. "Well, have your way--women count for little in such a struggle as this." He sprang up and approached her. "They are far more important in other ways--in love, for instance," he added.

He tried to catch her by the hand, but she indignantly spurned him and arose with blazing eyes.

"You forget yourself, Lieutenant Mazenas!" she cried, sternly.

"I do not forget myself, Estella; it is you who are not acting rightly," he returned, hotly. "You seem to forget the relationship I hold to you."

"And what is that?"

"Your affianced husband."

"Never."

"I speak the truth. You are to be my wife this very week. Your father has given me his word."

"I will never marry you, Lieutenant Mazenas. I will kill myself first!"

"This is mere talk, Estella. The day has been set, and when I leave you shall go forth to engage the minister."

Angry emotion made her flush and pale by turns. Was it possible that her father would force her into this odious marriage, after all? She knew how stern he was, how unrelenting, and now she was absolutely in his power.

"You spoke to my father of this when last you met him?" she asked, faintly.

"Yes, we talked it over and arranged all plans. My arm is so badly shattered that I cannot go in command again, and so I am off duty, on a hospital furlough. We are to be married to-morrow night, if your father can get here, and then I am to take you to Havana."

His words, so smoothly spoken, seemed to chill her very blood. She stared at him in increasing horror.

"I--I will never consent--never!" she murmured, the words dying away in a faint whisper.

"Your father says he will force you, and I imagine he has full power. You are foolish to resist in this fashion. There is nothing in my character that is objectionable, I am sure."

"Nothing?" she echoed. "Nothing! And you did your best to have Howard Sherwood poisoned! Nothing! when you and Captain Nocolo, and a rascally American lawyer have cheated him out of the large estate which formerly belonged to his uncle!"

At this torrent of words, so unexpectedly delivered, Lieutenant Mazenas fell back dumfounded.

"Who--who told you this?" he managed to gasp, finally.

"Never mind who my informant was; it is enough that I told you," she replied. "And you desire my hand in marriage? You plead in vain. If ever I marry, my husband will be a man of honor, not a low trickster!"

"My curse upon that American spy!" hissed the lieutenant, savagely. Then a cruel light came into his face, and he stepped close to Estella as if to enjoy the effect his next words would produce. "It is fortunate that he is dead!"

"Dead!"

All the color left her beautiful face, and she clutched at a chair for support. "You say he is dead? It is a--a lie!"

"It is the truth. He was killed in battle yesterday. Your father will tell you the same."

Dead! Her lover, the very light of her young life, dead! Had a shaft of steel penetrated her heart she could not have suffered more. The room appeared to go round and round. She started for the doorway, to escape this heartless villain, who appeared to enjoy the grief he had caused. Then she gave one mighty, convulsive sob, fell backward and lay upon the carpet like one whose life had come to an end.