``Why are they so good to me?'' she moaned.``Why are you so good to me? I am a wicked, vain woman, I have brought a nation to war and I have killed the only man I ever trusted.''
Hope touched her gently with her hand and felt guiltily how selfish she herself must be not to feel the woman's grief, but she could not.She only saw in it a contrast to her own happiness, a black background before which the figure of Clay and his solicitude for her shone out, the only fact in the world that was of value.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the carriage coming to a halt, and a significant movement upon the part of the men.MacWilliams had descended from the box-seat and stepping into the carriage took the place the women had just left.
He had a carbine in his hand, and after he was seated Langham handed him another which he laid across his knees.
``They thought I was too conspicuous on the box to do any good there,'' he explained in a confidential whisper.``In case there is any firing now, you ladies want to get down on your knees here at my feet, and hide your heads in the cushions.We are entering Los Bocos.''
Langham and Clay were riding far in advance, scouting to the right and left, and the carriage moved noiselessly behind them through the empty streets.There was no light in any of the windows, and not even a dog barked, or a cock crowed.The women sat erect, listening for the first signal of an attack, each holding the other's hand and looking at MacWilliams, who sat with his thumb on the trigger of his carbine, glancing to the right and left and breathing quickly.His eyes twinkled, like those of a little fox terrier.The men dropped back, and drew up on a level with the carriage.
``We are all right, so far,'' Clay whispered.``The beach slopes down from the other side of that line of trees.What is the matter with you?'' he demanded, suddenly, looking up at the driver, ``are you afraid?''
``No,'' the man answered, hurriedly, his voice shaking; ``it's the cold.''
Langham had galloped on ahead and as he passed through the trees and came out upon the beach, he saw a broad stretch of moonlit water and the lights from the yacht shining from a point a quarter of a mile off shore.Among the rocks on the edge of the beach was the ``Vesta's'' longboat and her crew seated in it or standing about on the beach.The carriage had stopped under the protecting shadow of the trees, and he raced back toward it.
``The yacht is here,'' he cried.``The long-boat is waiting and there is not a sign of light about the Custom-house.Come on,''
he cried.``We have beaten them after all.''
A sailor, who had been acting as lookout on the rocks, sprang to his full height, and shouted to the group around the long-boat, and King came up the beach toward them running heavily through the deep sand.
Madame Alvarez stepped down from the carriage, and as Hope handed her her jewel case in silence, the men draped her cloak about her shoulders.She put out her hand to them, and as Clay took it in his, she bent her head quickly and kissed his hand.``You were his friend,'' she murmured.
She held Hope in her arms for an instant, and kissed her, and then gave her hand in turn to Langham and to MacWilliams.
``I do not know whether I shall ever see you again,'' she said, looking slowly from one to the other, ``but I will pray for you every day, and God will reward you for saving a worthless life.''
As she finished speaking King came up to the group, followed by three of his men.
``Is Hope with you, is she safe?'' he asked.
``Yes, she is with me,'' Madame Alvarez answered.
``Thank God,'' King exclaimed, breathlessly.``Then we will start at once, Madame.Where is she? She must come with us!''
``Of course,'' Clay-assented, eagerly, ``she will be much safer on the yacht.''
But Hope protested.``I must get back to father,'' she said.
``The yacht will not arrive until late to-morrow, and the carriage can take me to him five hours earlier.The family have worried too long about me as it is, and, besides, I will not leave Ted.I am going back as I came.''
``It is most unsafe,'' King urged.
``On the contrary, it is perfectly safe now,'' Hope answered.
``It was not one of us they wanted.''
``You may be right,'' King said.``They don't know what has happened to you, and perhaps after all it would be better if you went back the quicker way.'' He gave his arm to Madame Alvarez and walked with her toward the shore.As the men surrounded her on every side and moved away, Clay glanced back at Hope and saw her standing upright in the carriage looking after them.
``We will be with you in a minute,'' he called, as though in apology for leaving her for even that brief space.And then the shadow of the trees shut her and the carriage from his sight.
His footsteps made no sound in the soft sand, and except for the whispering of the palms and the sleepy wash of the waves as they ran up the pebbly beach and sank again, the place was as peaceful and silent as a deserted island, though the moon made it as light as day.
The long-boat had been drawn up with her stern to the shore, and the men were already in their places, some standing waiting for the order to shove off, and others seated balancing their oars.
King had arranged to fire a rocket when the launch left the shore, in order that the captain of the yacht might run in closer to pick them up.As he hurried down the beach, he called to his boatswain to give the signal, and the man answered that he understood and stooped to light a match.King had jumped into the stern and lifted Madame Alvarez after him, leaving her late escort standing with uncovered heads on the beach behind her, when the rocket shot up into the calm white air, with a roar and a rush and a sudden flash of color.At the same instant, as though in answer to its challenge, the woods back of them burst into an irregular line of flame, a volley of rifle shots shattered the silence, and a score of bullets splashed in the water and on the rocks about them.
The boatswain in the bow of the long-boat tossed up his arms and pitched forward between the thwarts.