Rita

, Miss Ma

Manuela had been holding a mournful consultation over the state of her wardrobe, whic

ke to come and set with m

"And may I not work, too? Isn't

raidin' hats for the soldiers. I promised a dozen to-mo

joy, Marm Prudencia! No, Prudence, you like

dence. "Now I'm glad I spoke; I thought mebbe 'two

, looking out on the garden, with a great basket between them,

none too much, and this keeps his hands busy. It's hard to be a man and lose the activity of your limbs. But there! ther

heart pacificos, Marm Prudence. On the surface, I understand, I comprehend, it is necessary; bu

d to. Livin' right close t' the road as we do, we can't let out the way we feel, but I guess there's mighty few Mambis about here but knows where to come when they want things. There ain't man

Oh, what fortune, what joy, to be here with you! We will work together; we will toi

ctacles, and surveyed the ex

t blood-sheddin'. Blood-sheddin' ain't in our line, yours nor mine, nor husband's neither. Fur as doin' goes, we're all pacificos here, Miss Margaritty, and you mustn't forget

ot at all excited; but she submitted, and drank t

of my patriotism which consumes me. Do you not feel it,

a little gal, that used to have spasms reg'lar every time she heard the baker's cart. Some thought she had had hopes of the

HAT EVER SE

raiding, she discovered that it suited Manuela's genius better than her own. The basket of splints was turned over to the willing handmaiden, and good-natured Marm Prudence showed Rita how to sew the braids toget

mirror! hold it for me-so! look!" She took the ribbon from her belt, and began to twist

day on; hear me swear it! It will become the rage; I will make it so. Or-no! I will keep to myself the secret,

have to be one soldier boy go without his hat to-morrow!" she said, good-hu

, Rita tore the

girl! take it away; break it into a thousand pieces, to shame my vanity, and never speak to me of

oulders, carried off the glass, but did not think it necessary to obey the injunction to break it. She

to keep this young lady occupied, and out of mischief. The time when she was asleep was likely to be the most peaceful time in Casa Annunzio. Yet how pretty she w

ion of patriotic zeal. He echoed her saying, that every Mambi in the country knew where to come when he want

these two years to do their office. With two sticks, I can hobble about the house and garden; without them, behold me a fixture. How, then? When the war breaks out, I go to my General, to General Sevillo, under whom I served in the ten years' war. I say to him, 'Things are thus and thus with me, bu

ack is turned, and my maledictions accompany them along the road. Ah! if none of them had longer life than I wish him, the road would be encumbered with corpses. Then,-draw your chair nearer, se?orita, if you will have the infinite graciousness,-then, at night-it may be this very night-the others come. Hush! yes-the Mambis; the sons of Cuba. Quietly, by ones, by twos, they appear, dropping from the sky, risi

whisper, the clank of a chain, the jingle of a spur; but none came, and the nights passed as peacefully as the days. The dozen, and more, were completed; and then, in spite of her vow, Rita found time to make one for herself, certainly as pretty

ed eagerly, and put on her pretty hat. She looked on with surprise as Marm Prudence proceeded to take fro

on a picnic, t

d. "It's a picnic for somebody, if not for us, Miss Marga

wn the verandah steps, along the garden walk, and across the sunny road. He now st

is clear, and no sign anywhere. Make haste t

had gained the screen of a thick clump of cacti. Rita kept close to her side, drinking the my

my best greetings whither you are going. At the proper h

er hand, and turning, plunged into the

been trodden many times. The trees towered high above the dense undergrowth, some leafy and branching, others, the palms, tossing their single plume aloft. Open near the wood, the wood grew thi

ked a question. They were nearing every moment the heart of the myste

hey were near the end of the wood, then. A few steps more

owing from a rocky cleft. Under one tree, a hammock slung, and in a hammock a man asleep. Thus much Rita saw at th

the challenge ra

sake, Mr. Delmonty, don't start a person like th

eapon, and showed a laughing face of ap

and dreaming; not of angels!" he added, as he made another low

r hesitation. His hair and complexion were brown, but a pair of

ght th

a Carreno, with some ceremony. "Miss Montfort is stoppin' with us for a spell. Both

air; then relaxed, as she met t

"I am very glad-but y

a Russell of Claxton." He paused a moment, as if inviting comment; but Rita,

t school and college; came down here last year, when things seemed to be brewing. Hav

ain," she said, "when our country is free. When Cuba has no longer need of her dau

eyes, and was reminded, she hardly knew why, of

Delmonte?" she asked, glanc

ung man, composedl

re at the front, or, like Carlos, guarding the hill passes! This was indeed being only half a Cuban. S

Carreno, abruptly. "That last

d up one foot with an air of triumph. "I shall be ready for the road t

man, earnestly. "Not a mite of troubl

rd that name? Before she could t

etter pass the night with us, and let me see to your foot once more, and give you a good night's sleep in a Christia

ming girl who would stand with her head turned away. "But how about the Gr

orrow!" said Marm Pru

of that? and why may t

ve come to-day

d turned back to

s? to-day?"

, quite a passel of 'em; and we judged it was well, Don Noonsey and me, that they shouldn't see you. I thought mebbe," she added, with a sly g

?" cried Delmonte, merrily. "This is really too good to be true. Help me, Donna Prud

ortunity of declaring herself a daughter of Cuba, possibly of shooting a Spaniard for herself, and to have been deceived, tricked like a child; this brought her slender brows together, ominously, and made her eyes glitter in a way

gnified young person who responded gracefully to Delmonte's petitio