"Oh, this is my aunt," said she, "that I told you about. I asked her to come here and help me. She"s a little rheumatic, being old, but she can do a good turn at hard work yet; and she"s a good cook, too, and she can spin well--oh, beautifully; and she is a wonder in her way. Oh, we shall have a better _olla podrida_ than you ever tasted when the good old aunt goes to work."
"Your aunt--ah!" said "His Majesty," in a tone that savored of disappointment. "H"m--well, Rita, the next time you want help don"t send for any of your aunts, but send for some one of your nieces.
They will be far more welcome in a lonely place like this. _Olla podridas_ are all very well, no doubt, but what I should prefer would be some one who could touch the guitar, and sing a lively song."
And with these words "His Majesty" retired.
"Come," said Rita to the almost senseless Russell. "Come."
Again Russell followed her. She led the way toward an archway in the wall on one side of the court-yard. Entering this, they found themselves in an arched room, in which it was difficult to see through the dim twilight. But to Rita the way seemed quite familiar, for she walked on and told Russell to follow without fear. At length she stopped, and as Russell came up to her, she said:
"We descenda--steps does be here--I takes your hand and helps."
She took his hand, and began to descend. With this a.s.sistance Russell was able to follow without much difficulty. Soon it became quite dark, and continued so for some time, during which Rita led him onward as quickly as possible. At length she paused.
"You mus" be careful," she said; "here is the steps brokes, an" you shall go slow--and not slips."
It was so dark here that Russell could see nothing; but he felt that Rita was descending, so he prepared to follow. The steps here had been broken in places, leaving a rough, inclined plane, with loose stones and mortar. There was no great difficulty in descending, but it was dark, and Russell"s long skirts were very much in the way.
However, by moving slowly, and by exercising great caution, he was able to reach the bottom without any accident.
Here Rita took his hand and again led him on. It now began to grow lighter, until at last objects were plainly discernible. The light was caused by the moonbeams, which shone in through a place where the outside wall was broken away. Looking through the opening, Russell saw, not far distant, a precipice, with bits of shrubbery here and there. Soon they came to the opening itself.
He found himself on the verge of a deep chasm, the very one already mentioned. Above the opening projected part of what had once been a bridge, but which had long since fallen. On the opposite side was the tower where Brooke and Talbot had found refuge. The bridge had once crossed to the tower, and, since it had fallen, this opening had been made, from which the chasm could be crossed by descending on one side and ascending the other. The slope was steep and rough. Russell, as he looked down, could not see any chance of farther progress in this direction.
"We mus" go down here," said Rita.
"Here?" said Russell. "How? I can"t go down!"
"Oh, it is easy; you mus" follow. I show the ways," said Rita; and, saying this, she stepped down from the opening upon a ledge of rock.
Then turning to the right, she went on for a pace or two and turned for Russell. Seeing her walk thus far with ease and in safety, he ventured after her. The ledge was wide enough to walk on without difficulty; and, although the chasm was deep, yet the side did not run down steeply enough to make him feel anything like giddiness. The pathway was easy enough when one had a guide to show the way; and thus Russell, following closely behind Rita, reached the bottom.
Then, crossing the brook, she led the way up on the opposite side by the path already mentioned, and at length both reached the tower, and paused to take breath.
Thus far no alarm had been given in the castle. Every step increased Russell"s confidence, and when he gained the tower he felt sure of escape. But to wait here long was not to be thought of; so, after a few moments spent in regaining breath, the two set forth to continue their flight.
At length, after a fatiguing journey, they reached the main road, and here they turned toward the south, in which direction they went for some miles.
They had now been walking for many hours, and Russell, who was quite unused to any exercise of this sort, was greatly fatigued. Nothing, indeed, but the dread of capture and the thought of a merciless pursuer on his track had kept him up so long. He felt that he had reached the utmost limit of his strength.
At last they caught sight of a windmill in a field on the right. The sight enlivened him. Here, he thought, they might hide and obtain rest. He said this to Rita. She acquiesced. To gain the windmill was now their chief desire.
Nearer they came, and nearer.
But now, just when all seemed gained, they saw a number of armed men coming toward them, and in a few minutes they were arrested by the followers of Lopez.
CHAPTER x.x.xVI.
HOW DANGERS THICKEN AROUND THE DESPAIRING RUSSELL.
The moon was still shining very brightly, and they could see very well the faces and the uniforms of their captors. The sight of the government uniforms was very rea.s.suring to Rita, who was only anxious to escape from the Carlists; but the first glance which Russell gave at the captain of the band overwhelmed him with terror. He recognized Lopez, and saw that he had fallen into the hands of one who had no reason, and perhaps no inclination, to show him the slightest mercy.
At that sight all Russell"s courage subsided, and he fell into a state of mental prostration as extreme as that which he had experienced when "His Majesty" had confronted him in his flight.
For, unfortunately for him, Lopez had received at his hands treatment which was sufficient to inspire a deep resentment even in a man less impetuous than this hot-blooded Spaniard. First, he had not only discouraged his attentions to Katie, but had prohibited them in every possible way, and in the most positive and insulting manner. Again, but a short time before this, at the railway station at Madrid, he had caused him to be ejected from the railway-carriage. For all this he felt that Lopez must cherish a deep desire for vengeance, and would rejoice now if he were to discover that his enemy had become his prisoner. In such an emergency as this, Russell was utterly helpless, and could only hope that his disguise might baffle Lopez, or that the quick wit of Rita might be able to save him from discovery.
After regarding them for a sufficient time, Lopez began an examination of the prisoners.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Rita answered.
"I am a poor woman," said she, "and this lady is a foreigner who does not understand Spanish."
"What are you doing here alone on this road?"
"We are fugitives."
"Fugitives from whom?"
"From the Carlists."
At this Lopez was visibly excited.
"The Carlists?" he asked. "Where are they? Where did you leave them?
Tell the truth, woman, and you shall be rewarded. But if you are false, I shall regard you both as spies."
"n.o.ble captain, I am anxious to tell the truth, and glad that we have fallen among friends. We have escaped from an old castle some distance away, and have been flying for hours--"
"A castle!" said Lopez, interrupting her; "where is it?"
"There, to the north," said Rita.
"Oh, very well. I shall be able to find out from you again where it may be situated; but now tell me more about yourselves. What were you doing at the castle?"
"n.o.ble senor, about three weeks ago I was taken prisoner by the Carlists, and they took me to this castle, where they made me serve as an attendant on the prisoners. Among them was this lady."
"Prisoners?" cried Lopez; "have they any others?"
"Two days ago," said Rita, "they brought several new prisoners."
"How many?"
"Six."
"Who were they?"
"I don"t know--foreigners."