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I have brought food for you. Quick, Manuela, the bag the biscuits, child! Give them to me! Here, thou little one, take this, and eat; there is plenty more!" The famished child looked from the biscuit to the glowing face that bent over it. It made a feeble movement; then drew back in fear.
Yet as he gazed, the blood seemed to rush to his brain, for these were the eyes of Manuela, and the slightly open little mouth was hers the straight Grecian nose, and the graceful figure. It seemed as if his wildest dream were realised, and that Manuela had become white!
"I I have been very fortunate," stammered Lawrence, glancing at Manuela. But that princess of the Incas, with an aspect of imperturbable gravity, kept her pretty eyes on the ground, though the brown of her little cheeks seemed to deepen a trifle in colour. "Now, Antonio," cried the colonel, coming forward at the moment, "what do you intend to do?
I step noiselessly to the ground; the volante is low, permitting this without danger. Manuela follows. There is not a sound, not a creak, not the rustle of a fold. Again it is over. The volante rolls on. Manuela and I are alone, are free in the mountains of Cuba Libre. I have but one thought: my country, my brother! Behold me here, in the society of one, prepared to shed my blood for the other.
"Poor bird! what does he think of our wandering? he must be in need of food, Manuela. You brought the box of seed?" "I did, señorita; as to the need of birdseed in a wilderness of hideous forest, I have nothing to say. My fingers are so cramped from carrying this detestable cage, I shall never recover the full use of them. But the señorita must be obeyed."
Pedro smiled assent, and nodded. "His is a loving and loveable nature," resumed our heroine. "And he never forgets a friend," continued Manuela. "He has often, often spoken to me about you, and your dear ones, and many a time in his military wanderings has he made inquiries about the dear child who was stolen so long ago ten years now, is it not?" "Ay, not far short of eleven.
"Assuredly she must be obeyed!" said Rita; and a flash of her eyes added force to the words. "Could I have come away, I ask you, and left this faithful, this patriot bird, to starve, or be murdered outright? Old Julio would have wrung his neck, you know it well, Manuela, the first time he spoke out from his heart, spoke the words of freedom and patriotism that his mistress has taught him.
"Thus then, señorita, thus, my Prudencia, has Manuela virtually saved our house and ourselves. Hasten to embrace her! I have already permitted myself the salute of a father upon her charming cheek, as simple gratitude enjoined it." As if by magic could she have been listening in the passage? Manuela appeared, blushing and radiant.
I refuse, I prodigate expressions of my humility, of my determination to take the second place, leaving the first to her; briefly, I take the second volante, Manuela springing to my side. After some discontent, appeased by dear Don Miguel, who is veritably an angel, and wants but death to transport him among the saints, Concepcion mounts in the first volante.
The fan itself dropped on the floor, and, like the others, poor Manuela at length found rest and solace in slumber. A similar disaster, accompanied by dreadful scenes of lawlessness and horror, occurred in 1861, when the city of Mendoza was totally destroyed by an earthquake, and nine-tenths of the inhabitants perished. Early next morning Pedro went round and quietly roused his friends.