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Colonel Wills wrote in reply that an important action had taken place at San Esteban de Litera on the 26th and 27th of January, between General Conyngham with his brigade and the Chevalier d'Asfeldt, in which, after a bloody contest, the French were driven from the field with a heavy loss of killed, wounded, and prisoners, the allies had also suffered serious loss, and General Conyngham had received a mortal wound.
"I am sure you young gentlemen will excuse me a few minutes," said the general, "as Don Esteban is one of the prominent bankers of the city and I know his business must be of importance." The boys were glad to accept the proffered excuse and the general withdrew, leaving them in the company of several members of his staff, to whom they briefly related their recent adventure.
"Oh, Don Esteban Dona Christina I am so sorry for you all," she exclaimed. "It is horrible; and they will be here next. What do you intend to do, Luis? Must we really run away and leave this beautiful place to be destroyed and ourselves ruined? Is there nothing that can be done to save it?"
Even before Esteban had heard all, Lorenzo, the mulatto, reappeared, leading three cavalry horses and shouting extravagant praises of his own bravery. Esteban complimented him and the fellow galloped away again, voicing the most blood-curdling threats. Evangelina, thanks to her thick skull, was not dead.
"It certainly does look like a mystery," was Adrian's comment. "Where is the vault from which the box was taken?" "On the other side of the patio." "May we examine it?" "Certainly. I'll show it to you now." Don Esteban led the way downstairs and across the patio. Opening the rear door of the bank, he escorted them within and closed the door.
Now Don Esteban had a daughter, by name Juanita, a beautiful girl of seventeen, as fresh as a rose, and as graceful as a gazelle, a girl with whom any man might be excused for falling in love, and she showed me so much favor, and, as it seemed, took so much pleasure in my company, that only considerations of prudence and a sense of what was due to my host, and the laws of hospitality, prevented me from yielding myself a willing captive to her charms.
Anyhow, you mustn't think of returning to Matanzas," Norine faltered; her voice caught unexpectedly and she turned her face away. O'Reilly nodded shortly. "You're a sick man," he agreed. "There's no need for both of us to go." Esteban looked up. "Then you " "I leave at once. The Old Man has given me a commission to General Betancourt, and I'll be on my way in an hour.
"Oh, she's crazy enough," Esteban concluded. "I believe it's her evil conscience." Rosa explained further: "She used to steal about at night, hoping to surprise papa or Sebastian going or coming from the treasure. They were both killed, as you know, and the secret of the hiding- place was lost.
The secretary, as he passed Miss Keene, managed to add to his formal salutation the whispered words, "When the Angelus rings I will await you before the grating of his prison." Padre Esteban was too preoccupied to observe this incident. As soon as he quitted the Presidio, he hastened to the Mission with a disquieting fear that his strange guest might have vanished.
There was, to be sure, a great deal of astonishment in her looks, but there was also consternation; and when she spoke it was in a numbed and absent way. "You are well? We have not seen you this long while. Two years is it? More than two years." "There have been changes," said Esteban. "We have had war and, alas, defeats."
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