Part 67 (1/2)

”I'm sure I don't see what comfort one can expect in such a place as this,” was the reply.

”I'm sorry that I haven't anything better to offer,” said Lopez; ”anything that is in my power to grant I will do for you.”

”Those are merely idle words,” said Katie. ”There is one thing, and one only, that I wish, and that you can give: that one thing you have no right to keep from me, and yet it is useless to ask you for it.”

”Useless--oh, do not say that! Tell me what it is.”

”My freedom,” said Katie, earnestly.

”Freedom!” said Lopez; ”why, you are free--free as a bird!”

”Yes, as a bird in a cage,” was the bitter reply.

”Ladies must always be under some restraint,” said Lopez: ”otherwise you are perfectly free.”

”This, sir,” said Katie, hotly, ”I consider insult; it is nothing less than mockery at my distress. Is it freedom to be locked up in a cell and cut off from all my friends?”

Lopez gave a gasp. He was anxious to please Katie, yet this was a bad, a very bad beginning.

”Why,” said he, ”where can you go?”

”You will not even let me go about the castle,” said Katie. ”If you barred your gates, and let me move about inside, even then it would be imprisonment; but you lock me in this cell, and then you come to mock me.”

”Great Heaven!” said Lopez. ”Oh, senorita! won't you understand? Let me explain. This castle is full of rough, rude men. It would not be safe for you to move about. They are not trained servants; they are brutal and fierce. If you went among them you would be exposed to insult.”

”My attendant comes and goes,” said Katie; ”she is not insulted. Why may I not be at least as free as she is?”

”Because,” said Lopez, ”you are a lady; she is only a common woman.

Things would be insults to you which she only laughs at. I cannot allow you to expose yourself to the brutal ribaldry of the ruffians below. If a father had his daughter here, he would lock her up, as I do you, out of affection.”

At this Katie turned her head away, with the air of one who was utterly incredulous, and felt the uselessness of argument.

Lopez was silent for a few moments. Then he went on.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”She Sat With Clasped Hands And Bowed Head.”]

”Listen,” said he, ”and see if you have reason to be angry with me.

Let me tell you some little of what I have done. But for me, you would still be a prisoner in the hands of a remorseless villain, a common brigand. Listen to me, I entreat you, and then tell me if you are right in blaming me. As soon as I was freed I hurried on to Vittoria, the nearest military station. I had but one idea--the rescue of you from the hands of those villains. At Vittoria, after incredible effort, I succeeded in getting a detachment of men from the commandant. With these I set forth on the following morning, trying to find my way to you. It was an almost impossible task. The country, never thickly inhabited, was literally deserted. I could find no one to ask, and could find no trace of your captors anywhere.

I did, however, what I could, and sought everywhere most painfully and perseveringly. At length, just as I was beginning to despair, chance--the merest chance--threw in my way a couple of fugitives.

These, fortunately, were able to give me the information I wanted.

One of them knew all about this castle, and knew that you were here.

With this help I was able to find my way here. And now I was once more favored by the merest chance. Had I tried to capture the place in a regular fas.h.i.+on I should have been driven back, for this castle is impregnable, except to artillery; but my guide knew of a subterranean pa.s.sage-way, and guided me through this into the court-yard. Once here, I found all the men in a careless condition, and made a rush upon them before they could get their arms. Over and over again I risked my life in the fight that followed, while pressing forward in my eagerness to find you before they could get you off. I found you at last. I was full of joy and triumph at the thought of rescuing you from a loathsome captivity. Judge of my surprise and bitter disappointment when I saw you so indifferent, when you met me so coolly; and, instead of showing grat.i.tude, seemed rather angry at me than otherwise.”

Lopez paused here to see the effect of his eloquent speech.

Katie looked up.