CHAPTER IV.

"OH, WAS EVER THERE A GIRL SO WRETCHED AS I?"

The cry of the Spanish officer, ringing through the quiet side street of Santiago, would ordinarily have attracted but little attention. But now the place was filled with soldiery, and in a trice four of the captain's own men appeared, and rushed upon fair Estella and Howard.

"Secure the two!" bawled the captain, who had not yet recovered from the well-deserved blow the young war correspondent had administered. "The man is a spy, and the woman is here to give him information!"

"You are mistaken; I am an American citizen, and will resist any indignity to the last," exclaimed Howard. "This brute deserves what he got, for he was treating the lady as no gentleman would."

At this the Spanish captain muttered a long oath. Then he gave rapid directions to his men in their native tongue, and the four made toward Estella and Howard.

"Fly, Estella!" whispered the young war correspondent. "Don't waste a moment. I will keep them at bay!"

"But you--the letters!" panted Estella, her breast heaving violently. She recognized only too well the grave peril which confronted the noble young man.

"Keep the letters, or throw them where they may be found!" he rejoined. "Now fly, for the sake of Heaven--for my sake!"

At those last words, even in the intense excitement, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes took on a light he had never before seen in them. Like a beautiful vision she turned and sped along an alley leading to a deserted dancing-garden. She had hardly taken a dozen steps, when her maid, who had accompanied her to the plaza, joined her. The maid was stopping at Santiago, having been sent thither by General Corona to meet Estella on the arrival of the steamer, and conduct her safely home.

"Oh, Miss Estella!" she cried, in her Cuban patois. "The soldiers--that young man----"

"Come, Cara; this is no place in which to talk," responded the frightened young mistress. "You say you know the streets about here. Lead me back to your friend's house. I will not dare to return to the hotel."

The maid said no more, but took the lead and plunged through the dancing garden, now silent and empty, and into a labyrinth of back streets until they reached a small and plain house at the upper end of the town.

The maid knocked on the door, and they were admitted, and for the time being at least Estella was safe. But she still carried the letters, the very things for which she had risked so much.

A cup of strong coffee, made by Cara's friend, soon tranquilized the beautiful girl's nerves. Yet she was much disturbed on Howard's account.

"Oh, I hope he has escaped!" she murmured, as she paced the floor, although urged by her maid to retire. "And he told me to fly--for his sake! Ah, me, if he only knew! If he only knew!"

And two big and bitter tears coursed down her dark cheeks, in the centre of each of which glowed a bright red spot, as in her imagination she saw his handsome face still, as he looked when he was holding back the soldiers who sought to follow her.

"Cara," she continued, after a long pause, as she drew her maid to one side, "you did not tell me all the news from home."

"You did not give me time," smiled the maid. "I told you about your dear father--that he intends to join the royal army should matters grow worse. He is inflexibly opposed to the rebels."

"I suppose so!" sighed Estella. "But the men on the place--what of them, Cara?"

The maid smiled, showing two rows of strong, white teeth.

"Oh, they--perhaps you had better not ask me, Miss Estella."

"They are with the rebels, of course. And why not? Cuba should be free!"

"Oh, my darling!" cried the servant. "Blessed be your tongue for that! Yes, Cuba libre! That is the cry! But, oh, do not let your father hear you say it! Tomasso said that three days ago and your father had him flogged!"

"He did!" Estella's eyes blazed. "And papa always thought Tomasso the best man in the cane brakes! But he was induced to act so only on account of his position in the old guard and his duty to the kingdom!"

"It is Lieutenant Mazenas who has inspired your father with loyalty to Spain, Miss Estella. He calls nearly every day with stories of the insurgents' wrong-doings. He tells your father that the men are only watching for the chance to loot the plantation and join the rebel army."

Estella's eyes begin to blaze. If her father was of a strong mind, his daughter was not much unlike him.

"Why is not the lieutenant with the main body of the Spanish army?" she asked.

"He is stationed near Marambo, guarding a section of the railroad, Miss Estella. He had himself stationed there on purpose, so Tomasso told me, that he might be convenient when you came home."

The beautiful young mistress began to shiver. How she dreaded the coming meeting with this bony, dark-skinned Spanish officer, even though he was connected with the finest families in the island. She turned away to hide her agitation, but Cara came quickly to her side. She was Estella's firm friend, and would have laid down her very life for her mistress had it been necessary.

"A fearful ordeal awaits you, my darling," she said, softly. "I wanted to tell you before, but I could not, and now it is harder to tell than ever."

Estella started and stared at the maid. "More bad news? Tell me at once."

"The lieutenant called on your father just before I was sent to Santiago to meet you, and they had a long talk. I should not have listened, but I heard your name mentioned so often I could not resist. The lieutenant said he was afraid he might be shifted to the vicinity of Havana, and wanted to know if the marriage could not take place as soon as you came home----"

"Oh, Cara! And my father?"

"Be calm, my darling! Your father may listen to reason when you meet him," said the maid, soothingly.

"Then he consented!" moaned Estella. "He promised that I should marry Lieutenant Mazenas speedily!"

"He promised that the marriage should take place within a week of your arrival. But, oh, Miss Estella, say not that I listened! He would kill me!"

"You are safe, Cara--have no fear." Estella clutched her forehead in her hands while an icy shiver swept over her. "To marry him in a week! Oh, merciful Heaven! No, no, no! anything but that! I cannot, cannot be his wife! I would rather die!"

"Do not go on so, sweet mistress!" cried Cara. "The lieutenant may grant you time when you go to him, and then----"

Estella drew herself up haughtily. "I will ask no favor at his hands. I never consented to be his wife. My father has arranged all, and he--he." She faltered, and could not go on, her agitation overmastering her. She tottered toward a chair, but, ere she could reach it, fell forward, temporarily helpless.

Badly frightened, Cara rushed to her assistance, at the same time calling to her friend, the owner of the house, to bring a glass of light wine. The maid raised Estella, who in a few seconds opened her tear-stained eyes.

"It--it is nothing--I will be stronger in a moment!" gasped the beautiful girl. "The news was so sudden--and the room is so close. Open a window, Cara."

"I closed them, fearing to be overheard," responded the maid. "I will open them wide, and fan you, and you must try to forget what I told you." And the maid started to do as she had said.

"Try to forget!" murmured Estella. "Would to Heaven that I could! But, no, it is impossible! If papa has given him his word, no power on earth can make him break it! If the marriage has been arranged, it will have to take place on the day, the hour, the minute! Oh, was ever there a girl so wretched as I?"

Again she began to sob; but only for a second. Cara, who had started to open a near window, drew back, and held up her hand warningly.

"Hush!"

A tramping of many feet was heard, coming up the narrow street. The footsteps seemed to pause at the door. Then came a loud knocking on the door-post.

"What's wanted?" asked the woman of the house, as she shook with fear.

"Open, in the name of the King of Spain!"