CO. ay _ 4-0828 s a* "i ct & J 3. f.' ~ c^ p c r^ A A Si 3 y a OK? s 4 H d 1 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. BY GILSON WALLETS. Author of "His Neighbor's Wife," etc., etc, F. TENNYSON NEELY, PUBLISHER, LONDON. NEW YORK. Copyright, 1898, by F. TENNYSON NEKLT, in United States and Great Britain. All Righto Reserved. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER I. SHE came out of her damp cell amid the slimy rocks and strode forth into the scorching sunlight. It was, somehow, as if a wild beast had issued from its lair and started on a prowling expedition. The baking sand into which she sank at every step caked about her feet. When she had gone twenty steps across the plain the sand incased her feet in what seemed like clumsy shoes. When she first arrived at that place the sand used to burn how cruelly it burned! But she had been there now two years, crossing and recrossing the plain in the 6 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. scorching sunlight, between her cell in the rocks and the bungalows of the Spanish officers. Now she was used to it. The sand no longer burned. Her feet had become like leather. She was barefooted. She was also barelegged to a little above the knees. For her only garment was a sort of cloth chemise. It hung around her in abandon, as if she cared not whether it covered her nakedness or fell to the ground. It dropped from her left shoulder, baring her breast. The breast was round and firm like that of a young girl. But she could hardly be called a young girl neither could she be called a young woman. She was more like a female animal. Her head, too, was bared to the fierce African sun. Her hair, black and very ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. ? long, hung about her shoulders. It was matted with blood. Perhaps she had been flogged not many hours before. Her face bore an expression of horror and defiance. This had been its expres- sion perpetually since her arrival at this awful place, two years before. She was the laundress. She washed and ironed the Spanish officers' linen. Only the officers' no one else in that place had any linen to wash. Back of her cell in the rocks was a waterfall and a pool. Here she washed. In her cell there was a slab of rock as smooth as glass. There she ironed. There also she slept. Thus for two years she had crossed and recrossed the plain between her cell and the officers' bungalows with the sand burning underfoot and the sun scorching overhead. Thus for two years d ANITA, THfc CUBAN SPY. she had carried forth the clean linen and brought back the soiled. Thus for two years she had washed and ironed and slept and cursed. Thus she had turned from woman to animal. This afternoon she crossed the plain empty handed. She usually toiled across laden with the basket of clean linen. The officers' bungalows stood on the opposite side of the plain amid a group of palm trees. The woman approached the first and largest bungalow. An officer sat on the low porch, his chair tilted back against the wall. He was playing a guitar and singing dreamily. He seemed very gentle. "Senor, there is no more water," said a voice. The woman in the chemise confronted ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 9 the officer. He set the guitar down gently, as if it were a tender child. Then he showed that he was really a brute just as the woman was really an animal. "Wench, where are my shirts? Don't come here sneaking and lying. Go wash the shirts, lazy she-hyena." "Senor, to wash, I must have water." "Damn you, wench, there's the whole sea. Go get a pail and carry the sea up to your pool. Surely there's enough sea-water to wash clothes in. Now, go, vermin." "Senor, in the salt water the linen will not wash well." "Hussy, go bring the shirts. Have them here by to-morrow morning spot- less spotless, mind you or by the Virgin we will all have another look at 10 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. your pretty back while we flog you again as yesterday." The woman turned and started back across the plain. As she did so, a volume of music burst upon the air and filled it. While she had stood talking to the Spanish officer a number of men with musical instruments had gathered under the palms. This was the band. Every day, as the sun began to sink, the band began to play. Each of those musicians was an assassin, a thief or criminal of some kind. Yet they played divinely. Even criminals have souls. The woman, listening to the music, shuddered. For this place was a place of awful silence. A sound divine, a chord of sweet music, heard in this place of desolation was more than awful; ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 11 it was horrible. The woman put her hands over her ears and hurried on. As she neared the opposite side near her rocky cell, sounds familiar greeted her the sound of hammers, hammers wielded by stone-breakers. The stone- breakers were men. There were hun- dreds of them, divided, here and there among the rocks, into gangs. In front of each man was a pile of broken stone. If any one man's pile of stone, at sunset, was smaller than that of his neighbor, that man was flogged. Every night a number of men were tied up and flogged. The lash was wielded by the neighbor who had sat next the culprit during the hours of stone-breaking. Then, during the day, if a man were overcome by heat, if he fainted from fatigue, that man would be flogged the 12 ANITA, THE CUBAN St>V. moment he regained sensibility. The wretches who lived this life included several different classes. Men of art, letters and science broke stone with brigands, cutthroats and thieves. In other words, the political prisoner was treated no better than the criminal. The high were reduced to the low. The deli- cate and refined were compelled to do the same work as the coarse and the vulgar. Such were the conditions of the scene upon which the woman in the cloth chemise gazed as the sun set. In this awful place were hundreds of men. She was the only woman. She was the first woman ever transported there. The place was Ceuta, Spain's most awful penal colony. In Ceuta, death is pref- erable to the torture of living. Yet many live and live, even for years. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 13 Those who live are principally the hard- ened criminals. Political prisoners seldom survive more than the first mis- erable twelvemonth. That a woman should have survived two years of such life was wondrous. But she had reasons for living. She hoped to escape; she yearned for revenge. Ceuta projects from the coast of Mo- rocco, opposite Gibraltar, like a gigantic nose from a proportionately colossal face seen in profile. The penal colony protrudes from the end of the nose like a great wart. The woman in the cloth chemise made a detour round the rocks that composed the prisoners' cells and then crossed a stretch of sand down to the sea-edge. Before her was the track- less Atlantic. Behind her, the trackless 14 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Sahara. Between ocean and desert, how was she to escape? She shook her fist at the water, cursing it. She turned and shook her fist at the sand, cursing it. She shrieked her curses. The sea's waves, beating and pounding the shore, drowned her shrieks. Perhaps she was mad? That she had been in Ceuta two years and was not mad was a miracle. But her hope of escape and her hope of revenge preserved her sanity. Looking down suddenly at her bosom, she stopped her shrieking and began cooing. She gathered her breast in her left arm as if it were a baby's head. With her other hand she caressed the breast as if the baby's head actually lay there drawing its life from her. One evening, eight months after her arrival in Ceuta she had given birth to a baby- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 15 boy. In the morning the baby was gone. They told her it had died in the night and that they had buried it. She learned afterward that they had really thrown it into the sea, alive a small meal for the sharks. They hardly knew what to do with a woman in that place. What could they do with a child? The woman, according to orders, must live. They had no orders, however, to spare her infant. So they tossed it into the sea. The mother learned all this afterward. She had only laughed and hurled her clinched fist toward heaven, denying God. Now she stood and looked at the sea. Suddenly she hitched up her single gar- ment and moved away along the shore. "I am glad they murdered my baby," she muttered. "They were merciful 16 ANITA, THE CUBAN SF jf. to spare my little one. Onrse them ! Why did they not also spare me?" She strolled along, forgetting that she had come to get water with which to fill her pool. She had forgotten all about the linen. As she walked, the sea rushed up now and then to her bare feet. She liked to feel the cool, crisp sand it was such a relief after the baking sand, further in shore. She could feel the difference, notwithstanding that her feet were as leather. She stumbled over a long pine box. It was a coffin. It was the only one in the settlement. Many a convict had been buried, not in it but from it. In Ceuta the dead are buried in the sea. This is one of the most horrible .phases of life in the settlement. One coffin is ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 17 used for all. It is used over and over again and it has a terrible history. The woman in the cloth chemise had stumbled over this coffin, where it lay after the eviction of its last tenant. The poor devils who die in Ceuta are given no burial service. Their tomb is the maw of a hungry shark", or perhaps it would be more in keeping with the truth to say the maws of a hundred hun- gry sharks, for one of the ferocious man- eaters is seldom so fortunate as to secure undisputed possession of an entire corpse. The waters are fairly alive with them, and when the bell, tolls, announcing to the convicts that a burial is about to take place, the sharks seem to know just what is going to happen. They have heard the bell so often that they have 18 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. come to regard it as a call to meals. There is one in particular who has not missed a burial in twenty years, and who usually carries off the greater portion of the ghastly prize. They have nick- named him "The Harbor Master." The remains of the deceased convict are sewed up in a linen shroud weighted with stones. The body is then placed in the coffin and taken about half a mile out to sea in a small boat. Then the coffin is turned on end and the corpse is dumped out. Instantly there is a great churning of the water. Hundreds of sharks have silently and stealthily followed the boat, as though realizing exactly what was about to happen. Sometimes they nearly swamp the boat in their eagerness to get the coveted prize. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 19 Now the lonely woman stood for some time contemplating this coffin. She looked toward the sea; then back again at the rough pine box. Now she remembered the linen, remembered that she must get the water and wash and iron all night in order to escape another flog- ging. They would allow her no clothes. What did she care? But the floggings She did not mind the pain, but she some- how imagined the floggings would cripple her, ruin her figure, take away some of her beauty. She knew she was beauti- ful, even yet. She saw her face, always, when there was water in the pool. She wanted to retain her beauty. Not be- cause of vanity, but because she hoped to escape and to be revenged. Her lover must be punished for treachery. And another, a woman, must be punished for 20 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. jealous cruelty. Spain must be punished for unmentionable atrocities. So the thought of the promised flog- ging on the morrow was not pleasant. She looked again toward the sea. This time her eyes encountered those of a young officer. He must hare been fol- lowing her. He lifted his hat, bowed, said something in Spanish, calling her Sefiorita Anita. He seemed respectful enough. They were all alone on the shore. None else was within sight or withdn hearing. When alone with her this officer was always respectful. He had known her in the happier days in Cuba. He advanced to where she stood, looked at the pine box. then at the sea. Then he said irrelevantly : "Ah, how I love you!" ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 21 "Senor Casses, you are a liar and a coward," was the answer. "Ah, senorita, charming Anita, be thou not so cruel," pleaded the officer. "I love you." "Then prove it," came the short, sharp retort. "Senorita, tell me how." "By helping me to escape this night." "But there is only one boat. It is locked by iron chains to an iron post. The commandant has the key." "Never mind the boat, senor. Here is the box. If I sink, I should at least have more than the others for I should have a coffin." "Anita, you are mad ! Go adrift on the seas in that box? It is suicide." "Perhaps it is, senor. I wish to take the chances. Before I sink a ship may 3$ ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. pick me up. At midnight the sea will be as calm as now." "But the 'Harbor Master,' "pleaded the officer, referring, of course, to the old shark. "Again, I will take the chances, senor. As the bells will not ring the sharks may not appear. Ah, come, Senor Casses, help me. You know in your heart I am innocent ; that I am here through being falsely accused ; that I was given only a mock trial ;, that while I am the friend of Cuba and the enemy of Spain, I am not guilty of the crime for which I am ban- ished to this hell. Casses She paused and turned with a wild movement to the young man, encircling her naked brown arms around his neck. He sud- denly shook her off, shuddering. He knew of what those arms were capable. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 23 He longed to possess this beautiful crea- ture, but he feared those strong brown arms. "Anita, I will help you," he said. "But there will be a condition you understand?" "I do," she answered, her lip curling in contempt. "The condition is my honor." "Your honor!" he mocked. "How can you lay claim to honor after the little matter of that child? Your honor! Ho, ho! Come, Anita, be sensible. I only ask this of you just once. Keceive me in your arms, in your cell, and after midnight I will help you to escape. Don't be a fool. You cannot escape without my help. The sentry on this post patrols from the lifeboat yonder to this coffin every half-hour. He will 24 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. miss the coffin, and before you can float out of sight in it the water patrol will overtake you. Anita, I love you, in my way I will prove it by helping you to escape if you will be mine, all mine, for just one evening. Refuse and well, I'll tell the commandant of your contem- plated escape. Now take your choice." During the officer's speech Anita, with heaving breast and the clinching and un- clinching of fists, had been surveying Casses with a dangerous glance. She laughed, long and loud. Twice an officer of Spain had been found dead by her side strangled. Two Spanish officers slain by a defenseless woman while lying in her arms. No wonder this young officer had just shrank from her embrace. Those strong brown arms had come to be known in ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 25 Ceuta as the garrote, and her caresses as garroting. But how came it to pass that a woman, a convict in a colony of convicts, could strangle two of her keepers without her- self suffering the punishment of death? Simply because the commandant had Spain's secret orders to do this young woman no mortal injury, to give her proper food and to allow her certain privileges till further orders. Anita suspected this. Being the daughter of the richest Cuban in Cuba her father dead, she the heiress her signature was probably required by Spain before the mother country could confiscate certain properties of hers in the United States. In another few months she would be of age and then she would have to sign the papers or go to her death. Such, she 26 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. argued, was the reason they failed to punish her for the killing of two of her keepers. To-night, with her dangerous glance lingering on Casses, she panted : "Si, seiior, I submit to your condition. Give your order to the sentry who guards the post and come to me when the stars appear." She turned, and laughing, sped away. Casses watched her retreat, her superb figure so generously revealed, her beauty, her grace, her strength, her history -all these things enraptured him. He had no fear of her arms now. His only thought was to know their caress, to accept her promise, to possess her in all her wild loveliness. He, of course, meant to keep his own word by helping her to escape. This is ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 27 the way in which he kept that word. Crossing the plain to the calaboose, where the sentry was just starting on the night's patrol between the lifeboat and the coffin, Lieutenant Casses whispered : "Watch your post to-night with ex- traordinary vigilance. We suspect that some of the convict dogs have planned to steal away to sea." When the sky was all dotted with stars and the only earthly light in Ceuta was the dim lantern across the plain in front of the commandant's bungalow, a man crept stealthily among the pink and slimy rocks till he reached a certain open- ing, where he bent down and entered. He stood in a sort of small cave or grotto. A gurgling and splashing told him that the water was again flowing 28 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. into the pool at the back of the cave. From the dim, vague light admitted by the open entrance he perceived a figure lying on a slab near the back of the cave. "Anita," he whispered. No answer. "Anita," he repeated. She lay perfectly still, breathing as if sleeping. His eyes grew accustomed to the light. In a frenzy of passion the young officer of Spain approached. He bent over till his face was close to hers. "I will awaken her with a kiss," he thought. Passion had caused Lieutenant Casses to forget with whom he was playing this dangerous game. He had forgotten the garrote. With his head close-bent over hers, two arms suddenly flew up and clasped ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 29 themselves about his neck. Instant pressure, strong and relentless, followed. He tried to speak, words congealed in his throat; his eyes protruded, he gur- gled; he sank into her arms, helpless. She released him and he fell to the rock floor. He lay silent. Anita sprang up. A moment she bent over him. Then she kneeled, fumbled, drew his sword from its scabbard. She raised the sword as if to plunge it into the prostrate man, but instead she lowered it gently, murmuring: "No. He has had enough. Poor fel- low, he was the best of the lot. His sword shall serve other purposes." She bent closer over him, murmured, "Casses, if there is still life in your body, if you can hear me, then hear me say for Cuba Libre ! Lifo to the cause 30 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. you deserted ! Death for the enemy you serve!" With that she sprang up and away. The most dangerous part of her plan of escape was yet to be executed. She flew across the rocks, reached the sand, ran to the sea- edge and hurried up the shore till she stumbled over the pine coffin. Without an instant's hesitation she tumbled into it and settled down to quietness, the sword grasped in her right hand and this thought singing in her head: "Of course, that elegant villain did not keep his promise, and the sentry is on watch as usual." Very still she lay. Presently she heard the quash, quash, qua Si? of feet on the wet sand. The sentry was approaching. In that mo- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 31 ment Anita again found God. She prayed : "Oh, God, give me strength! Oh, God, forgive me for Cuba's sake!" The sentry drew nearer. The toes of his wooden shoes clattered against the pine box. He had reached the end of his post and the end of his life. For with the clattering of his wooden shoes against the pine coffin a wild, strange figure had risen out of the earth before him and had plunged a sword into his body. He fell to the sand without even a moan lifeless, the weapon remaining fixed in its wound. At the same time Anita sprang out of the coffin, seized it by one end, dragged it to the sea-edge, and into the water. When she had waded out waist-deep she managed by a quick and deft movement 32 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. to swing a- straddle the box a leg on either side as an athlete would vault upon a wooden horse in the gymnasium. This maneuver, of course, kept each side of the box equally above water, and by dexterous exertions she now paddled with her feet and at the same time kept the balance so as to avoid shipping water. There was a calm sea and her uncanny boat moved away from shore, further and yet further. When her position grew tiresome she let herself gently down into the coffin, lay flat on her back and allowed the improvised open boat to drift. She drifted and she drifted. She again straddled the sides and again paddled with her feet. How long could she hold out? One false move would swamp her HH g I ^HHMi > bo L ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 33 boat. One treacherous wave would mean death. How now, with freedom in sight, she longed to live ! She looked up at the stars. She had watched them night after night for two years. She knew that certain stars were directly over Gibraltar. She recognized those stars now and paddled in their direction. Those were indeed the stars of her destiny. She knew that many ships left Gib- raltar, ships going in every direction. She hoped to be picked up by one of them. All night she paddled and floated. Daylight came. Sh alone was on the sea in the center of a vast circle of water, beneath a vast dome of sky. She was totally exhausted no sail in sight. She had not even the strength of 34 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. hope. She dropped again into the coffin, stretched out her stiff and aching limbs, rocked to the left and rocked to the right in her coffin cradle and slept. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 35 CHAPTER II. THE same night upon which Anita, the Cuban heroine, made her escape in the coffin from Ceuta, Spain's penal colony on the Morocco coast, a big, white steam yacht, lying off Gibraltar, hauled up her anchor and pointing her nose toward the sea, steamed slowly down the harbor. She had moved only a few cable lengths when the attention of those on board was attracted to the shore. Some great commotion was taking place on the landing-stage. A man stood on the bulkhead waving a great sheet of white paper or perhaps a very large hand- kerchief. In his other hand he seemed to hold out his hat to a man in uniform, 36 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. who stood beside him. The man waving the paper seemed to be calling after the retreating yacht. A young woman, standing at the stern of the yacht, turned a powerful marine glass upon the excited individual on the bulkhead. The next second she dropped the glasses and rushed down the prom- enade deck to the bridge. "Hubby, oh, I say, hubby," she cried, " 'bout ship for Dick Van West. He's there." "Where?" roared a tremendous voice from the bridge of the vessel. "Whale- bones and sharks' fins, where?" "There," cried the young woman. "He wants to come aboard." "Well, bursting boilers and bungling bumboats! why doesn't he say so before we start for America? Are we never to ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 37 have a voyage alone, wifey? Oh, Lord, there, captain, what ails you? Why don't you 'bout my yacht and go back and pick up that idiot on shore?" By this time the yacht was swinging slowly round. At the same time the excited man on shore fairly fell into a boat. He pulled a steamer trunk after him, then caught up a pair of oars and helped his ferry- man row toward the returning yacht. "Well, I've met you halfway, anyway, Lady Bluntly," he shouted as he came alongside. "Fast, there! Steady! Now sling up that trunk. Thanks, ferryman. There's a Spanish dollar. Ta! ta! Now, Lady Bluntly, thank you for the invitation to return home on your yacht. Arrived in Gibraltar a few minutes ago just in time to see a yacht pulling out 38 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. of harbor. Rushed to wharf, recognized owner's flag at stern, thought might just as well return on the Tramp as on any other old thing. Thanks! Oh, of course, I'll make myself thoroughly at home. Let her go! See me in my excited state, over there on the wharf ? That confounded English officer wanted to look at my passport. Well, I was so balled up that 1 kept waving the pass- port to you and holding out my hat to the officer for his inspection. Officer told me to quit fooling. I called him a blockhead for not reading a passport when it was right under his nose and here I am." This breathless speech was made by a fair-haired, rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed young man of perhaps twenty -five sum- mers. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 3& The young woman who had recognized him as Dick Van West through the glass now ordered him to " shut up " and answer a few questions. This dignified young woman was Lady Bluntly, formerly Miss Grace Hoyt, of the New York Diurnal. When she mar- ried Sir Charles Bluntly two years before, she had secured Dick Van West her plac! on that yellowest of yellow journals. She was dressed from the waist up exactly like a man, and but for the compromise of skirts her sex might in- deed be a mattej of some mystery to the casual observer. " Now, Dick, what have you been up to?" she asked. "Doing newspaper stunts, eli ? Been through Spain, eh ? Got a sensation ? Got any beats ? " "Not a beat," said young Van West, 40 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. throwing himself into one of the great basket chairs. "But where is Charley?" he exclaimed. "Charley" was Sir Charles Bluntly, the man who had spoken from the bridge in the voice tremendous. He had spent most of his life in America, where he was known simply as Charley. When his father, the English baronet, died, leaving his title and estates to his only son, the new Sir Charles remained simply Charley to his friends. Now he strutted aft to where Dick Van West and Lady Bluntly sat chatting. He was a small man with a big manner and a loud voice; one of those genial men of maxi- mum stoutness and minimum height, who always have a smiling face that is round and shines like an apple on a fruit stand. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 41 "Well, shiver me, Dick, where'd you hail from?" And he gave Dick a hand- grasp that made Dick squirm. "Well, shiver me, I say, where'd you hail from? Spain? Been stuffing Diurnal full of lies? Shiver me, but you and the Diurnal run things. In order to sell Diurnals what do you do? You hatch up a rebellion in Cuba, you do your best to make a war with Spain, you "Enough, Charley, don't say another word. I've been in Spain for months trying to get up a war with the United States and haven't as much as got a ghost of an excuse for even a war of words. I'm disgusted. Going home without a darned feather in my cap. I was sent over here to get up a Diurnal sensation to get up a war, any old thing for a yellow sensation. Well, Charley, I've 42 ANITA, THE CUBON SPY. failed, failed miserably. Take me home to the proprietor. I might as well tell him sooner as later that there's no war blood in Spain and no sensations either. I'll enjoy your yacht and charge the Diurnal full first-class rates from Gibral- tar to New York just the same." The 'next morning the Tramp was making her sixteen knots per hour with her nose pointed for the Azores. Sir Charles called his yacht the Tramp because she had once been a tramp steamer. The baronet had fitted her up as a floating palace, and now never traveled the seas on any other craft. As they sailed along in a sea as calm as a lake and as blue as the sky, and with an almost tropical sun beating down, the three passengers sat together ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. & in their basket chairs under the awning astern. Sir Charles was ogling Lady Bluntly. Lady Bluntly was braiding Dick Van West's football hair. Dick was silently anathematizing the luck that was send- ing him home without a Diurnal sensa- tion. Suddenly the forward lookout cried out a peculiar cry that was repeated on the bridge, that made bells ring and that finally brought the yacht to a standstill. "Well, shiver my sainted ancestors! what's the matter now?" roared Sir Charles. "Do you expect the yacht to blow up? Is this to give us time to get off? What's that yawl doing over- board?" A sailor had approached, and touching 44 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. his cap, said, "Sir have to inform you that a peculiar object has been sighted off the port bow and a boat has been lowered to inspect the same." "Good boy, lad," roared the baronet. "Inspect the thing, of course. If it's very peculiar, bring its peculiarity aboard. Ha, ha, wifey, how's that? Like to see something peculiar?" "Perhaps it's a bottle or a barrel ad- dressed to the English Admiralty Office," suggested Lady Bluntly. "Bottle!" roared the baronet. "Bottle, did you say?" And the baronet clapped his hands furiously. A waiter appeared. "Here, Carl, just bring Lady Bluntly a bottle a peculiar bottle of some sort. Well, hello, what's the matter with Dicky?" Dick, when the sailor had uttered the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 45 word peculiar, had sprung up, rushed over the deck and jumped into the yawl with the exploring party. Now the party was returning and Dick, standing in the bow, was gesticulating in the most insane way. "Pipe all hands forward out of the way," he shouted. "Clear the gangway. Lady Bluntly, stand ready to receive us.' Then, as the boat drew alongside, he called, "Lady Bluntly, throw us your spare wraps. Thanks! We've a woman here can't make out whether she's young or old only well, excuse me she has a figure and a half. Guess she's a young one. Oh, yes, she's alive, isn't frightened a bit only just hungry." The rescuing party came up the board- ing steps carrying a pine box, shaped 46 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. like a coffin. They stood the grewsome thing in the sun to dry. Dick came up last, carrying a burden incased in Lady Bluntly 's spare wraps. At one end of the burden dangled two brown, bare feet. One bare arm also dangled around Dick's broad shoulder. Dick carried the burden direct to the nearest deck- stateroom, called thither Lady Bluntly and two maids. Leaving the rescued one with the three women, he dragged Sir Charles to the stern breathlessly, and made him sit down. "Now, Charley," Dick panted, "I've just seen a goddess of old in all her well, you know in all her glory. Oh, she's a sort of dusky damsel all damp of course, but still dusky and well, not ebony, you know, but just a beautiful olive color. Oh, dear, old man, I'll never ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 4? see her just like that again never. She's beautiful, Charley, she is beauti- ful. I tell you I'm fearfully in love with her duskiness and her dampness and her oliveness and her oh, she had such an air of abandon, you know. She just lay there in the coffin, innocent-like, float- ing on the sad, high seas, with her face turned heavenward, and the coffin ship- ping water every minute lay there just resigned-like, rocking, by Jove, in a real cradle of the deep." "Thunder and Mars, boy!" roared the baronet. "Talk business. Who is she? Been shipwrecked? Where'd she get that coffin? How the devil is my skipper to enter all this in the log? Found: A stray female, in a coffin, alive and hungry? Come, to business! "That's so, Charley, as soon as those 48 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. women are through with her as soon as she's properly fed and properly clothed oh, yes, hang it, properly clothed I'll go pump her. She won't tell those women a thing, mind you. But just wait till I get my pumps to Avorking. She'll confess everything. Great Scott! Charley, one doesn't meet ladies in a semi I mean in stage clothes, floating around in coffins on every high sea. Charles, old boy, there's something in this business." "You mean, something was in the coffin," roared Sir Charles, as young Van West moved nervously up the deck. Two hours later Dick Van West burst forth upon the deck shrieking, "Charley, I say, Charley hie, there, skipper -hey, there, mate! Oh, I say, won't some one 'bout this ship and go back to Gibraltar? iPM, (Jopynght 1898, by F. Tennyson Neely. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 49 Must go back to Gibraltar, I say very important." Sir Charles hove into sight with a series of wild ejaculations pertaining more or less to this latest outburst on Dick's part. "Turn about, I say," shouted Dick. '"Bout ship, I say, and go back to Gibral- tar. Give the order to 'bout ship. Don't ask questions now, man alive I tell you this is important. We must go back to Gibraltar. This is an international matter international, by Jove! I tell you I've got a beat at last and oh, what a beat! Most pathetic, most romantic, most dare-devil story of a newspaper man's lifetime." The ship was put about and steamed again toward Gibraltar. Sir Charles gave vent to no end of odd 50 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. exclamations, swearing that he was no longer master of his own yacht, and if Dick Van West made any further trouble he, Sir Charles, would put the trouble- some Dick in irons. Lady Bluntly, however, took Dick's part, knowing that some gigantic news- paper scheme was brewing, and herself almost envious with her old-time love of "beats." "Now," said Dick, "give me two hours to think things over and I'll acquaint your ladyship and yourbaronetship with the reason of the 'bout ship. Great inter- national importance, you know fate of three nations depends on our returning to Gibraltar just long enough for me to send a column cable." Toward evening, as they approached Gibraltar, Lady Bluntly was still below ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 51 with the unknown passenger. Sir Charles was pacing up and down the bridge just by way of feeling that once in awhile he had some control over his own ship. He was smoking a long Spanish cigar and chewing it very hard and earnestly between his teeth for he was yet wroth with Dick Van West for compelling him to put back to Gibraltar. Dick approached ,. looking absent- minded. Sir Charles frowned, looking shore- ward. Dick said, "I'm ready, Charley." "Damn it," the baronet exploded, "you're always ready. Ready to 'bout my ship on the slightest provocation. International matter be damned. You want to go back to that Gibraltar rock, to get hold of a wire to America, and 52 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. cable the Diurnal a lot of tommyrot about your coffin, and your damn, damp, dusky, dismal damsel." "Of course I do," said Dick sweetly. "That's it exactly. Greatest sensation of the year. Biggest beat obtained by any newspaper since beginning of Cuban rebellion. Whole world will ring with the news before twenty -four hours have passed. May even lead to war with Spain. I'll send my cable only a column, you know. The next issue of the Diurnal will appear with my column elaborated into four pages with any number of pictures made from cabled descriptions. Oh, I tell you I've made dividends for the Diurnal and a fortune for the dusky, damp damsel, fame for myself, and an excuse for an American- Spanish war, all at one lick. Come ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 53 down off that bridge, Charley, and I'll tell you the whole story. That dusky, damp damsel down below is a Cuban patriot of the bluest blood. Say, Charley, don't you want to hear her story I mean my story?" "No! Keep your lies for the cable," roared the baronet. "I will," said Dick, lighting his own long Spanish cigar with a most self- complacent air. For the great rock of Gibraltar was looming up before him and the cable direct to the Diurnal in New York was at hand. The one great story of his lifetime was about to be flashed across the ocean. 54 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER III. ON the morning after Dick Van West cabled his column story from Gibraltar to the New York Diurnal, Donna Isabella de Castro came from her perfumed bath, wearing a dressing-gown that gave her head and shoulders the appearance of rising out of a foam of white lace. She threw herself on a broad couch in her dressing-room and touched a bell. A maid appeared. "Theresa" (in Spanish), "my coffee and morning papers." The coffee was brought. La Donna sipped it. The papers lay beside the tray, the Diurnal uppermost. The black ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 56 eye of La Grande Donna Isabella saw something in the largest spread-head type covering the entire width of the page. Hastily she opened the paper and read: "Rescued by the New York Diurnal, from Ceuta, Spain's Penal Settlement in Morocco, Cuba's Richest Heiress and Greatest Heroine, Senorita Maria Anita Verona." Donna Isabella fell back on her couch as if she had been struck a blow. She trembled. Had she not been so dark- skinned she might have turned pale. As it was her face became livid. She crushed the paper in her hand. She gnashed her teeth. Later on, however, when calmer, she muttered: "A lie, all a lie. Another of this accursed Diurnal 1 s infernal sensations." Donna Isabella called to her maid: 56 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Theresa, send Senor Don Alphonso to me at once." This breakfast and morning paper scene was taking place in New York in the De Castro mansion, on upper Fifth Avenue, facing the park. Don Alphonso de Castro was but a boy. He was very rich. His ships a fleet left to him by his father, the merchant prince of Spain and Cuba, brought him wealth from all parts of the world. This much New York knew : that Don Alphonso was like unto Cro?sus with his dollars; that his wife, Donna Isabella, was older than the don; that she was beautiful, charming, tragic, and dangerous. The De Castros entertained lavishly, went out every- where together. The young husband appeared infatuated with the wife who was older than he, while the donna ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 57 seemed to pay no heed at all to her boy husband. The De Castros came to New York at the beginning of the Cuban rebellion in 1895. At once the great mystery began. People whispered this and that. Was Don Alphonso a Cuban or a Spaniard? Which side did he favor? To which side did he give of his substance? Certain it was that he gave large sums of money to one side or the other, either to Spain or to Cuba. In his presence this was an unmentionable subject. The least ref- erence to the rebellion would cause the don's brow to contract; he would become as one dumb and glide away. One thing about La Donna, his wife, however, was certain Donna Isabella was a Spanish woman ; she was for Spain first, last always and openly. Spain's 58 ANITA, THE CUBON SPY. bluest blood coursed through her veins. She loved her country, and she hated those who rebelled against it. In this respect Donna Isabella was no uncertain quantity. One could not imagine her giving way, relenting, compromising. Hers was a spirit that might be broken, but one which never could be bent. Her manner was always queenly, sometimes graciously so, more often imperiously. This morning, upon seeing the name of Seiiorita Maria Anita Verona in the Diurnal, she had apparently received a shock. Anyway the news was a revela- tion. She said again and again, "It is all a lie!" Having decided that the news was merely one more sensation of a sensa- tional newspaper, she now began to read the story. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 59 She had hardly read the first column when she again called to her maid: " Theresa, where is the don? Did I not summon him here?" "Yes, seiiora, the senor said he would come as soon as possible. Just a little minute, senora, and he will be here." Donna Isabella now proceeded with the wondrous story of the rescue of Anita, the Cuban heroine, from the prison settlement of Ceuta. The account occupied five pages of the Diurnal, four- fifths of the space being covered with pictures illustrating the most thrilling episodes of the story. It was eleven o'clock, and through Fifth Avenue newsboys were hawking later editions purporting to contain further news. "Extra! Extra!" cried the boys. 60 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Extra lies," muttered Donna Isabella, hearing the newsboys and still reading the account in her own paper. The story was copyrighted by the editor of the Diurnal, and all papers were forbidden to copy under penalty of pros- ecution. The author of the story was the res- cuer, the liberator of Senorita Anita, the DiurnaFs daring correspondent, Richard Van West. The story, as Donna Isabella read it, showed how the Diurnal sent Dick Van West, months previously, on a most dan- gerous mission the mission of rescuing Senorita Maria Anita Verona from her dreadful exile in Ceuta, and to bring her over to free America. The story set forth, in phrase most flowing, how the said Dick Van West had accomplished ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 61 his mission. How the heroine, after many futile attempts on Van West's part, was at last rescued; how he had gotten her as far as Gibraltar, where he had stopped to cable the news of his success to his paper ; and how he was now en route across the Atlantic with the beautiful Cuban in his charge and under proper chaperonage. To accomplish this mighty and philan- thropic purpose, Dick Van West, in his story, set forth how he had chartered the biggest steam yacht on the face of the waters no less a boat than the Tramp, owned by Sir Charles Bluntly, of Bluntly Manor, England a sportsman better known in America, however, than in the land of John Bull. Further, told how he, Dick Van West, had induced Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly to accompany 62 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. him on his gallant and daring expedition, in order that Sir Charles might have plenty of sea air, and in order that Lady Bluntly might chaperone the young Cuban after she had been snatched from durance vile. With orders from the Diurnal to spare no money and to spend millions, if nec- essary, so long as he rescued the lovely Cuban alive, Dick Van West told of his chartering of the steam yacht and of his subsidizing of the baronet and lady of England ; of his landing at last on Mo- rocco's sandy shore and his tramping across some sort of a desert to Ceuta, where, through dint of calling one of the Spanish officers a "dago," he managed to have himself arrested. In no time at all he succeeded in getting word to the Cuban girl to fear not, to cheer up, that ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 63 the New York Diurnal was near and that her rescue was all planned and therefore certain. Here the correspondent paused to tell of the dreadful life at the settlement. He described how each convict was flogged every night before going to bed and every morning before going to the work of stone -splitting; how the settle- ment was a place of vast silence, where the convicts were not allowed to speak a single word to any living thing, and how .no one ever spoke to a convict. "The penalty for uttering a single word," he went on, "is instant death to the speaker. Every few days a live man is taken down to the seashore and thrown to the sharks just to amuse the Spanish officers, who feed sharks in this way just as an American girl would throw 64 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. crumbs to the sparrows, all for the fun of the thing." All this and more was described by Dick Van West. He excused the Spanish officers for their leniency in sparing the Cuban girl from sharks on the ground that the said Cuban was the only woman on the premises and there- fore she was considered more in the light of whole pie than a single bread-crumb and even American girls do not throw whole pies to the sparrows. Besides, Spain had given orders to keep her alive. Then came the thrilling description of the rescue of Anita. "At last, at last," he wrote, "I found the means of wrench- ing that poor suffering girl from the place of vileness. One day in walking along the seashore I stumbled upon a coffin a real pinewood coffin. 'Here is ft f Jb Copyright 1898, by F. Tennyson Neely. In the streets of Havana. Cuba ice cream peddlers, They are to ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 65 my opportunity,' I thought. A convict dieo, is put in this coffin, is carried beyond the breakers and chucked into the sea, coffin and all. I immediately conceived my plans. Some poor devil of a convict would die. They would put his body in the coffin. 1 could yank the body out, unseen, then insert the living body of my Cuban in its place, leaving the weights out. So far, so good. I immediately signalled the Tramp where Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly had been lying to, broiling in the sun for several weeks. I signalled the Tramp to cruise up and down in the offing till further notice, as I might need them at any time. Well, the yacht obeyed orders and I began preparations. I looked around among the convicts to see who might do the dying for me. 66 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Those fellows will do anything for money, even to dying, and I had Diurnal money for all purposes. But a difficulty arose. If I were heard speaking to a convict and of course I could not put my proposition in writing, for I had nothing but the sands to write upon if I were heard to speak a single word to a fellow convict I would have to be the man to do the dying myself. Another scheme must be hatched. Anita has strong arms. Whenever a Spanish officer made love to her she strangled him. She had already strangled two Spanish officers. She must strangle another. Ay ! even one more Spanish officer must make love to her and suffer the penalty. So after arranging the whole matter, by deaf and dumb signs exchanged with Anita, I gave the wink to a Spanish ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 67 officer named Lieutenant Casses, pointed significantly to the Cuban girl and then to the stars and then to her cave in the rocks. Lieutenant Casses understood, and that night he went to his doom. "The next day he was found dead in her cave rather compromising for Anita; but then in Ceuta compromises do not count. Anyway, here at last was a body for the coffin. By a strange freak of fate I myself, Dick Van West, of the Diurnal, was assigned to get the body of the late Lieutenant Casses ready for burial. My instructions were to have the body all ready in the pine coffin at midnight. Well, the coffin was ready. Anita was in it wrapped in a shroud. She breathed the best way she could. Meanwhile the late Lieutenant Casses was given but scant burial in the sand 68 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. on the seashore. Midnight came. It was a solemn moment. We got into a boat, three of us ah, my pulses beat quickly then! even then when I per- ceived that in all great moments there's bound to be a woman in the case. We put out beyond the breakers, four men and one coffin. There was a Spanish officer and two soldiers. The soldiers rowed. The officer smoked a big cigar. We were far beyond the breakers. It was time to lower the dead into the deep. Then and not till then did I feel a cold chill creeping down my spine. I had forgotten that I too must escape in order to save Anita. The two soldiers had stopped rowing. They had grasped the coffin, one at either end, and awaited the officer's command to drop it into the deep, deep sea. That officer never gave ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 69 the order. There is nothing like a chill running down one's spine to give one ideas. My ideas were murderous, they were dastardly but at all risks I must save Anita. Quicker than a flash I fell upon the officer, whisked his swordblade from its scabbard and with it dealt him a blow that knocked him senseless. In another flash I had served the two sailors in the same way. The coffin fell over- board. "I jumped overboard and left the boat containing the insensible men to the mercy of the rising tide, which, I reasoned, would float them shoreward. I had no fear for myself, for I knew the Tramp was in the offing. But good heavens! Where was Anita? In the coffin, of course. But where was the coffin? Horrors ! The coffin was drown- 70 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. ing, though Anita was the only weight in it. I splashed about in the water. Of a sudden my hand came in contact with a solid substance. I thanked God. It was the drowning coffin! Now or never that coffin must be saved. Seizing it with one hand and ripping off the cover with the other, swimming along meanwhile with only my legs, I cried: 'Anita! Anita! Awake, freedom, Amer- ica, await you!' At last I had the supreme satisfaction of seing that lovely girl break loose from her shroud as a new chick breaks away from the egg- shell. "She sat up, screwed her fingers into her eyes. 'Where am I?' she asked, in sweet, faint tones that still linger in my ears. 'Where am I?' she asked so pathetically ! And I answered her, say- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 71 ing, 'Senorita Maria Anita Verona, I congratulate you in behalf of the Amer- ican people and the New York Diurnal on your most fortunate escape from yonder vile colony of convicts. Pray, remain calmly seated in this coffin while I push you out to the offing, where a palatial yacht, commanded by a peer of England, awaits us.' Now, for genuine presence of mind, I commend to the American people this true daughter of Cuba she who has suffered tortures m that most damnable prison place, all for the sake of Cuba Libre. Two hours later the Tramp picked us up, and now, twelve hours later, i am sending this dispatch from Gibraltar. I shall arrive in New York with our beautiful heroine in about seven days." Such, in substance, was Dick Van 72 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. West's story. The Diurnal then pro- ceeded to state further that a great public reception would be given to Senorita Anita in Madison Square Gar- den on the evening of her arrival ; that she would occupy the state suite of rooms at the Walford Inn, that she would be properly chaperoned by Lady Bluntly while in America; that she would write a book embracing her his- tory from infancy to the present moment ; that she would make a tour of the whole country with the Diurnal correspondent, Richard Van West, as her manager, exhibiting to all the famous coffin in which she made her escape from Ceuta all, all of course under the direction and at the expense of the New York Diurnal, Donna Isabella read all this with breathless interest. Still, when she had ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 73 finished, she repeated: "Lies!" The month was January, and a fire blazed in the grate. She crossed the room, crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into the fire. Then, calling again to her maid, "Theresa, tell Senor Don Alphonso that I have changed my mind. I cannot see him this morning. Dress me. Hand me my engagement book." For a moment she surveyed herself in the long mirror. She smiled. A beauti- ful woman, beholding herself in the mirror, cannot refrain from smiling. There's a certain smile that indicates a consciousness of power. "And if it should be true," she mut- tered, "if she comes to New York if the boy sees her if Ah, then let them both beware! This time I can crush both utterly." 74 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER IV. MEANWHILE, Don Alphonso de Castro, master of the mansion and head of the largest Spanish- American shipping house in New York, was pacing up and down his rooms on the floor above Donna Isabella's. He was certainly agitated. He was apparently suffering. He seemed like a man who, ordinarily pas- sive, has been roused by some sudden shock into a man of action. The morn- ing Diurnal lay on his desk in the center of the room. He walked round and round the desk. Once or twice he stopped, made as if to open one of the drawers, then straightened up, rapped on the desk and said bravely, "No!" ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 75 He paced nervously forth and back then again around the desk. As if acting upon a sudden resolve he has- tened to the door and turned the key. Then he said, "Yes !" He went back to the desk, sat down, opened a drawer, pressed the spring of a secret compartment, and from the last took out a photograph. It was of a young girl with large and glorious eyes, ej^es that pleaded and looked love, indicating a strong nature. The don took the photograph in his long, tapering, artistic fingers and surveyed it silently a long time. His chin sank upon his breast. A tear dropped upon the photograph. It startled him. He laid the photograph on the desk and fell to his knees, leaning his head forward till his cheek rested on the pictured face. "Dear one!" he 76 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. murmured. "Ah, if you could only hear me, your lover ! If you could only hear me say I love you! Forgive me; be mine, my all, my wife. Ah, dear one, how could I have treated you so? Was it that I loved you less and the other more? No, they took you from me they swore you were dead. I was a fool. I believed them. And all this time you must have thought me a traitor, a betrayer, a something worse than vil- lain. Ah, dearest, my betrothed my Anita if this news is true you shall see I shall explain all right all take you for myself. For in the sight of the Holy Virgin you are mine and mine you shall be." Some one knocked on the door. It was probably the maid, Theresa, come to say that the donna would not see the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 7? senor, after all. The don did not answer the knock. The maid went away. "For seven days more, my Anita for seven days," he murmured. He returned the photograph to its secret compartment, locked the drawer, arose, and drew a long breath. He now showed to best advantage. He was slightly taller than the average Spaniard ; had a tender and gentle eye deep-set under thick, black brows, the delicate features of a Castilian, the gen- eral air of a man bred to command. He was perhaps too handsome so hand- some as to be effeminate. For this reason some people thought him weak. In one respect he was weak. It was in the respect that he had failed to discover until too late the difference between 78 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. infatuation and love. He had mistaken the one for the other and now he lived with Donna Isabella, was practically her slave while the young girl of his heart had been suffering cruelly, though unbe- known to him, and had been rescued by a stranger. A stranger ! Richard Van West. Don Alphonso knew Van West as a young man of good family indeed, one of the best old Holland families in New York. Now the don felt a rising hatred for Van West and he tried to quell it. He again paced the floor. A stern look had come into his face. It settled about his mouth and in his eyes. "What first?" he asked himself. He went to a small apartment con- nected with his room. Here was a tele- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 79 phone, a private wire, direct to his office downtown. He rang the bell. "When does the fleet of seven start for Florida?" he asked. "Very well," he added, "hold clearance papers for seven days. I may have other orders." In his business house at least he knew that he was sole master, and he knew that the "fleet of seven" would be in waiting when he wanted it. He went back to his desk, leaned down till his lips touched the drawer containing the secret apartment. "Dar- ling," he whispered. Looking up, his eyes fell upon a large painting, a panel in the wall. Here was represented a woman in all the splendid fulfillment of life, a woman of regal beauty he kissed his hand to it and whispered, "Devil!" 80 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. He descended to the next floor and entered the donna's room without cere- mony. The maid was dressing her mis- tress, who was rather en dishabille. "Alphonso," she said reprovingly, "you did not knock before entering. Be more careful in future." Alphonso said nothing. He simply put his hands in his pockets, went to the window and looked out. He saw a brougham waiting below in the avenue. "I said you were not to enter my rooms without knocking," repeated the Benora with some asperity. "I heard you," he answered. "You are cross this morning, my Alphonso. Pray, leave the room." He remained silent. "Why do you not leave the room?" exclaimed the donna angrily. -^^^S^" '- QfQ f 6.3 s-s, 1 r 9 .* % "tf 9 3 ri3 i-< _, mn A s-a O a "y e8 nfe o oo ? a g -* a "* frn C O r3 s-> O 0) E.S KBEBi Mi. - ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 81 "Because I wish to remain," he said stubbornly. "You wish to remain," she sneered. "I believe you remarked only last night, for the two-thousandth time, that my wishes are yours. I wish now to be alone." The don wheeled suddenly and said very quietly, "Theresa, leave the room." The maid went away she almost ran ; for when the master spoke like that all obeyed instantly. "Isabella," said the master, "you have read the a morning papers?" "Yes," sweetly. "Well?" determinedly. "Well?" exasperatingly. "Well, Isabella, I believe the news is true." "And I, my dear Alphonso, believe 82 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. the news is a lie. The Diurnal always lies. And you are always such a boy, my Alphonso. When will you be a man?" "Now," came the abrupt and unex- pected answer. "Now," he repeated. "You said that you wished to be alone. Hereafter your wishes shall be subordi- nate to mine. I wish to speak with you. Hereafter my wish shall be your law. Why did you lie to me about about her?" "About whom?" "You know to whom I refer. Come, it is my wish that you throw off this highty-tighty air and become serious." He had advanced to where the sefiora sat adding to her thick black tresses the hairpins which Theresa had been ordered to abandon. Her shoulders and ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 83 arms were bare and voluptuously beau- tiful. He grasped her arm tightly too tightly. His grasp hurt. She said: "Oh!" " Never mind your pain," he said, without relaxing his grasp; "tell me the truth. Why did you lie to me about her?" She laughed in his face a long, ring- ing laugh, though she was suffering with the pain of his vise-like grasp. "So this is the inquisition," she said, still laughing, "and you are the in- quisitor." A warning light was in his eye. She noticed it. Her own eyes flashed dan- gerously. With a leonine movement she snatched her arm away, sprang up and threw herself upon him, caressing him, pleading with him, giving him 84 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. whiffs of her breath, showing him her eyes swimming with passion. She was a tempest. This was the way she had wrecked him again and again for he was too frail a ship to withstand such a storm. She allowed her garments to fall from her shoulders, revealing a daz- zling magnificence of skin. She knew that in his present mood the only way to win him was by appealing heroically to his senses. She kissed him she bit him with kisses. He sank into a chair, she fell before him on her knees and implored him to kiss her, to stop "looking so," to remem- ber their past and their present, and for her sake to forget that other, whom, she said, she still believed to be dead. He seemed subdued. Womanlike the donna followed up her advantage by ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 85 talking. She knew that a man, es- pecially a man half-blinded by infatua- tion, can be kept in silence by a woman's tongue. She sprang up, feeling sure of her victory. "And now, my dear Alphonso, poor boy, you were a little sentimental about the sudden and false news, were you? Well, we'll soon cure you of that. We'll have one round of festivities. I expect the Spanish minister here to-day, perhaps this afternoon. He will call, my dear Alphonso. You know what he will call for. The next payment is due as promised." Alphonso remained silent. He seemed a child in this woman's hands. She thought she knew him thoroughly. So she did, till that morning. With quick movements she dressed 86 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. herself. In a few moments she stood before him ready to go out. She held out her hand. "Good-by, dear, for an hour or so. We will have luncheon at two, here probably with the misister De Lima as our guest." He did not look up. He contemplated his hands, looking them over carefully. "Isabella," he said at last, "I know your tricks." "Of course you do, dear boy," she said lightly. "We women who love must have our little tricks or you men who love us will stray away." "Isabella, the Spanish minister Senor de Lima you know well, he may go to the devil." "Ah, my dear Alphonso, a pretty sen- timent froim a subject of the King of ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 8? Spain. Come now, run, get the check ready. Six figures, mind you. You won't allow Senor de Lmia to ask you to keep your promise, will you? Come, anticipate. Be my own Alphonso." "Isabella, Anita will be here in seven days." "Ah! she is still in your mind, is she? Well, what then?" "I shall, Isabella, I shall marry her, if she still loves me." "Alphonso be careful. Remember this is no child's play. I have never told you of my er ahem my official position, have I?" "Your official position? What do you mean?" After carefully adjusting an extra hat- pin, the senora turned to Alphonso and said nonchalantly, "Secret agent." 88 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. The don jumped up, anger written in his face. "Good God, Isabella, Spam's secret agent! And this, after you gave me your word that the help you obtained from me was only in a philanthropic way to assist the wounded. Have you also broken your word in that you have handed over to Spain the name of the giver of all this money?" "I have," she said quietly. "Al- phonso, I fight for one country Spain. For one cause Cuba ever Spanish. You understand?" "Yes, I understand, you she-devil," he exclaimed, beside himself with rage. "Now suppose you understand me. Not a dollar does this Minister de Lima get from me, not another dollar shall you receive for this hellish underhand work. There's been too much killing on the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 89 island of Cuba already. Not another dollar of mine shall assist the wholesale massacre. Moreover if Anita comes, I will do as I have said. I shall marry her." La Donna drew on her last glove, took up her muff and lorgnette, started to leave the room, but paused on the thresh- old to say : "Well, my dear Alphonso, as you wish. But be warned. You are in my power. It would be quite dan- gerous, I assure you, for you to desert me at this stage of the game. A scandal for me means worse for you. As for that little Cuban girl, leave her to me. If the news is true, and she really comes here, I will twist her round my little finger so." *Tm not so sure of that, Isabella. 90 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Anita's experiences since we last saw her are not warranted to preserve her mild, angelic nature." "Ah, you think so! Well, Alphonso, my love, think well the man who marries Anita Verona marries certain and horrible death." Alphonso went to the window. In a few minutes he saw the donna enter the brougham. It drove away at a rapid pace. "Devil!" muttered the don. "In seven days we shall see." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 91 CHAPTER V. A' four o'clock in the afternoon on the seventh day after the foregoing scene, Don Alphonso de Castro sat in his library on the floor above the donna's rooms smoking his Havana perfecto and writing. "Extra! Extra!" came the sudden cry from a brazen throat in the street below. Alphonso tapped a bell. His man- servant came in. "Juan, see what that extra is about." Juan disappeared only to reappear in a moment with an evening Diurnal extra which he laid before his master and then retired. 92 ANITA, THE CUBAN Alphonso read : "Arrival of Senorita Maria Anita Verona, on the Tramp, from Gibraltar. Accompanied by Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly and by her brave rescuer, Richard Van West, of the Diurnal. Big public reception to the Cuban heroine at Madison Square Garden this evening." Alphonso read on. All the details of the voyage were given. On another page he read, "The Cuban army at a stand- still for want of arms and ammunition. Starving for want of provisions, etc., etc." The don pressed his lips together. "Why is Anita selling herself to that newspaper?" he asked himself. There was only one answer money. She certainly had only one motive Cuba Libre. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 93 Alphonso sprang up and in the next room to the telephone and rang up his office. "Give the fleet of seven their clearance papers," he ordered. "Let them proceed to Key West, discharge cargo, take on new cargo which will meet them there and await my orders." Then he connected his private wire with the public one, ordered "Central" to give him a certain number on the long- distance wire. In another two minutes he was talking with a certain firm in Springfield, Massachusetts, famous for the manufacture of arms and ammunition. He gave an order a stupendous order, "To be shipped as provisions." Next he called up the largest wholesale provision house in Philadelphia and gave another stupendous order. The goods from both places he ordered shipped to Key West. 94 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. He went back to his library, excited, eager, anxious. He touched the bell that summoned his man-servant. The man did not come. "Probably he's out," thought Al- phonso. And he proceeded unassisted to dress for the evening. When at last arrayed in dinner coat and the usual expanse of shirt front, he started out. Strange, the door was caught. It could not be locked, of course, for the key was on his side. He pulled the door hard. He pushed it. "Damn the door," he muttered, as a man would. "What's the matter with it?" He tried it again and again. Cer- tainly he could not get out that way. He went through into his bathroom. There was a door there leading into the hall. This door he also tried to open. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 95 It was locked, apparently, on the outside, though the key, as in the other, room, was on the inside. Strange! Some mistake he thought. Anyway, in city houses there are not many doors leading out of a single apartment. He went back and tried the library door. Here again, resistance. Plainly, the only means of exit had been locked on the outside, probably by some blundering servant who thought the master had gone out. "Well, I'll knock the door down then." He seized a heavy oaken desk chair, and with a strength of which he did not seem capable he struck the door a blow which made it crash outward. But what was this? The door had crashed against what seemed a wall of iron. He tested it it really was an iron walL or anyway 96 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. an iron door. With the heavy oaken chair he made an assault on this new barrier, but with no result. The iron wall or door was evidently put there to resist just such onslaughts. Mystified and angry, he dropped the oaken chair and sat down to get his breath and to think. Was this the senora's work? If so, why? Ah, was it because of the arrival of Senorita Anita? "The telephone," he exclaimed aloud, and he sprang to the inner room and rang the bell furiously. "See here, see here," he shouted excitedly. "I'm locked in hey don't you hear me, I'm locked what?" Only silence. No answer. The wire had evidently been cut. He returned to the library. Without Copyright 1898, by F. Tennyson Neely. Havana. Residence of Civil Governor. Showing coaching in livery. 2 o O R P O * O ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 97 warning the electric lights went out. He remembered that he had so arranged these lights that they could be turned on or off from the hallway for his con- venience at night on coming in. But they could also be worked from the inside. He groped around the wall till he found the button. He pressed it, pressed it again. No light. Evidently the elec- tric wire had .been tampered with, as had been the telephone service. He bit his lip. Then he swore many round, ripe Spanish oaths. Did he hear the whispering of silken skirts, or was he mistaken? Anyway he heard a clicking in the wall. Oh, for a light ! What a fool he was to forget the gas! There was gas, of course, to supplement the electric lights. He 98 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. struck a match, and after turning on the gas, applied the burning taper to the jet. No light. The gas also was cut off. He had plenty of matches. He struck another. The Diurnal extra lay on the desk where he had left it. He twisted it into a taper and lighted it. It made quite a blaze. He could see. On the desk lay a note. Surely it had not been there before the light went out. It was a yellow envelope framed in red the colors of Spain. He seized it, opened it. "You are a prisoner," it read, "until you choose to sign the inclosed paper giving your entire fortune to Sefiora Isabella " "Well, I'm damned!" he exclaimed. The paper burned out and he was again in darkness. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 99 "Never," he shouted. He turned in all directions, shouting, "Never, never!" He thought he heard a soft laughter and another click in the wall. Perhaps it was only his overwrought imagination and the darkness. However, he would prove to himself that he was a philosopher. He would undress and go to bed. He had not dined. He forgot that fact. He went to bed and he slept. In the morning when he awoke he laughed, thought he had had a night- mare. There were his coffee and rolls on the table beside him and also the morning papers. "What an ass I've been," he said, "to go on like that last night. Isabel, the devil, isn't devil enough to carry out this game to the end." 100 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. He was ravenously hungry. In grief, youth does not lose its appetite. Senor Don Alphonso de Castro was not a day over twenty-five. He turned to the morning papers. The first two names in the big spread -heads that caught his eye were those of Anita Verona and Holy Virgin ! his own name. "Great triumph of the Cuban heroine at Madison Square Garden," he read. "Ten thousand people flocked to see the young girl rescued from the Ceuta con- vict colony by Richard Van West, the Diurnal correspondent. ' ' Next to this he read, "Strange disappearance of Don Alphonso de Castro, Spanish-American merchant prince, society leader and clubman. Last seen of the don was when he started for the reception to Senorita Verona at Madison Square ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 101 Garden. Senora de Castro grief- stricken. Foul play feared. A score of detectives on case." The don laughed, roared. Great joke! "Senora de Castro grief -stricken!" Oh, it was very funny ! Well, why did not the detectives search a man's own house occasionally when the man is missing? Don Alphonso got up and dressed. He went to the windows. He would open them and shout till some one heard him. As he opened the window something struck his hand away and an iron shutter shot past him, till it seemed to catch in a lock at the top of the window-case. This devilish design was evidently worked from below. It was apparently intended as a warning to leave the other windows alone unless he wished to have 102 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. them also closed by an iron shutter and litfe in darkness by day as well as by night. He turned to his desk. Another note lay there. He was now indifferent, but he read the note. It merely said that when he had signed the deeds left there the night before he was to rap heavily three times on the floor. It would not be interesting to narrate the details of the don's confinement during the next thirty days. Suffice it to say that every night enough food was placed in his room in some mysterious way and the morning Diurnal was in- - variably beside his rolls and coffee. In this newspaper, which to him now appeared the most diabolical engine of modern torture, he read from day to day the triumphant progress of Senorita ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 103 Anita Verona, her coffin, her chaperone, Lady Bluntly, and her manager, Richard Van West of the Diurual, through the country. From New York to Philadel- phia, to Cincinnati, to New Orleans, to San Francisco, and in fact the tour of all the great cities back to Washington. The Diurnal further stated that the Cuban heroine had written a book of her adventures which was published by the owner of the paper and that every copy sold would be for the personal benefit of the senorita. The don was tired of prison life, but he would never surrender. "Now I can get some faint idea sf what my Anita suffered on my account," he would say to himself. He had two consolations the photograph of Anita and his library. In the picture he studied his Anita's 104 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. features. In the books he studied the art of warfare, the history of rebellions, the uses of strategic military move- ments, the science of equipment and of rations. "If only that she-devil would not use my fortune for Spain," he would say, "I would sign, anything to see Anita again, rich or penniless." The twenty-ninth day came around. On his desk that morning he found another note, again conveyed there in some mysterious way. "The thirtieth day," it said, "is the last. Sign or starve." "I'll starve," he said as he crumpled the note. On the thirty-first morning of his con- finement, no food awaited him, and no morning Diurnal. On the thirty-second ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 105 morning, no food, no paper. On the morning of the thirty -fourth day he got up, but fell back again on the bed, ex- hausted. Lack of food was telling upon him. His strength was gone. He was too weak to stand up. On the thirty-fifth day, while lying partially dressed on his bed, he thought he heard a crumbling noise in the adjoin- ing library. He fell from the bed to his knees and dragged himself in to see what was taking place. He saw the deeds lying open and ready on the desk. With his remaining strength he tore them into shreds. At the same time was a sharp click in the wall somewhere, where? Another click this time he located the sound. It seemed to come from behind the 106 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. panel picture of Senora Isabella. The panel turned. There was a rush of air. Some one stood in the space left vacant by the open panel. It was Anita. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 107 CHAPTER VI. ALPHONSO, on his knees by the desk, stretched out his arms toward the apparition standing on that mysterious threshold. His body trembled, his arms shook as if with the palsy. "Anita!" The cry was like that of a hungry wolf. "My Anita!" The cry this time was the shriek of a despairing soul. His arms dropped, he fell prone on the the floor, where he lay still and silent as if dead. The beautiful Cuban stood as if petri- fied. Evidently she had not expected to see Alphonso, her lover of former days, looking like one of the reconceritrados of 108 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Cubq,. Only when Alphonso fell to the floor did she move nay, she flew to his side. She knelt by him, leaned over him, kissed his pale, cold lips, kissed his sightless eyes, pushed back the thick black hair and kissed his handsome brow. And she whispered: "My husband!" Then as if actuated by more practical thoughts, she laid her hand over his heart it beat. She put her cheek close to his lips he breathed. "My God! What have they done to him?" she murmured. She was calm though her face was contorted with anguish. "My Alphonso, my sweet- heart, what have they done to you? Ah, it is cruel, cruel!" "Santa Maria!" she went on, "some- thing dreadful has happened to him! ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 109 What is it? Alphonso, love, wake see your Anita calls you." She shook him. He gave no sign of awakening. She lifted his head, cushioned it on her bosom, all the while murmuring love words. "They told me you had disappeared," she cried; "that perhaps you were murdered. Ah, you have indeed suffered ! But what shall I do? Something quickly." She laid his head down again tenderly. Then springing up, she made a hurried inspection of the rooms. There was the broken door, the iron barrier, the oaken chair lying upside down, and the breach in the wall by which she had entered ; on one side of the library was the bath- room and on the other the bedroom. Rushing back to the unconscious man 110 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. she gathered him into her arms and carried him bodily into the sleeping - room, where she laid him gently on the bed. Anita's arms had lost none of the strength which had been her protecting power in Centa, her island prison. What next? Anita looked around, quivering like a hunted animal. She must think quickly. Her beauty, height- ened at this moment by excitement, was dazzling. She was not now the half- starved, half-naked Anita of Ceuta. She was now the Seftorita Maria Anita Verona, the greatest beauty and richest heiress of Cuba. The beauty, it seemed, they could not take from her. Her riches they had pilfered. But for one person and a rich newspaper she would now have been as poor and as badly off, so far as worldly goods were concerned, ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Ill as one of the reconcentrados of Cuba. The person who had helped her was Dick West. The newspaper, whose love of notoriety and extravagance had made her modestly independent, was the New York Diurnal. She was dressed now in the fashion of the day, and looked more as if she had come direct from Paris than from the penal colony of Ceuta. Her hair turned in high waves back from the forehead after the manner of the Spanish. She wore furs though at the first glance one could see that the furs were only a temporary part of her toilette; for her figure, her skin, her eyes, her manner, her gestures told that she was born to the mantilla. She looked down again at the uncon- scious Alphonso. What next? Ah! Call somebody, a 112 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. doctor, any one. As she started to leave room she heard him call faintly : "Anita!" She turned back, bent over him. " Al- phonso, are you awake?" "Anita," he again said faintly. "Food." "Yes, yes, food, at once," she said excitedly. "Drink," the man whispered. "Yes, Alphonso, and drink. Ah, the drink I can bring at once. And she rushed into the dressing-room, coming back immediately with a crystal goblet of water. She put the glass to his lips, pouring slowly till the last drop was gone. Alphonso smiled. "Angel," he said, in stronger tones. "And now I will run for food," she n- cr cr en a o o *#-> c Si * ^ 03 .a com ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 113 said, bending over him, her face close to his. He opened his eyes, and as if acquiring sudden strength he lifted his arms about her and scrutinized her face minutely. "My Anita, how beautiful you are even after even after Ceuta. Anita, they have been starving me. No, don't go yet for food. 1 am starving, yes. But for the sight of you, for your touch, for your words. See, I am strong," and he sat up. "Anita," he said very solemnly, "you will not believe me, but I love you as I loved you in the long ago for I have never ceased loving you." She moved back just a step. "You must not talk so," she said, her voice husky. "Save those words for your wife." "My wife!" he exclaimed, clinching 114 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. his fist. "My wife! You mean my she- devil, my good God! and have they told you she is my wife? Ah, of course, of course. How could I expect other- wise? We lived together. People thought- her my wife. And I believed you dead, dead. She told me you were shot in Pinar del Rio, after a battle, as a spy. That devil told me. She led me on. I became infatuated. I mistook the infatuation for love. I am innocent, though you believe me guilty of betray- ing you to Spain and sending you to Ceuta. Anita my beautiful Anita do you, do you hate me?" "No, Alphonso, I do not hate you. And I do not trust you. Can I after what has happened? Listen!" and she bent over him and whispered to him about the baby boy who was born in ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 115 Ceuta, and who was torn from her breast and thrown into the sea by those cruel Spanish soldiers. She noticed that the news was having its effect, that he was losing strength again. And she felt that she had chosen the wrong time to tell him; that she should have waited until she had brought him food. "But never mind, never mind now," she added hurriedly, "you must have food. Alphonso! Let me go. What do you mean? I must bring help you are mad." The don indeed was acting like a rav- ing maniac. He had pulled her down and was pressing her to him with a strength of which she had not suspected him capable. "Is it true? Is it true?" he kept asking. At the same time he sprang from the bed and dragged her 116 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. into the library and over to the breach in the wall made by the open panel. He turned it, it turned as if on a pivot, until it was closed and again formed part of the wall. At the same time Anita heard a sharp click as if the panel had locked itself into place. No sooner was the painting of the Donna Isabella before them than the don attacked it with his finger nails, his fists, even with his teeth. He scratched at it in an attempt to rip it from the wall. The canvas, however, was too strong for mere finger-nails. He needed a knife. Searching for a weapon he seized a huge and formidable paper cutter from the desk. With it he again attacked the painting furiously, plunging the knife into the canvas directly in the place where, if the figure had been of flesh ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. and blood, the heart would certainly have been pierced. Stepping back and viewing his handiwork, he burst into maniacal laughter. Then possessed by another thought, he seized Anita by the arm. "Anita, who was the officer who gave that command the command to throw our child to the sharks?" "Alphonso, you are mad. Come, lie down and I will go for food and help." "His name, I say, his name!" shrieked the suffering man. "Lieutenant Casses," Anita said. "But come " "Ah, Lieutenant Casses Anita, do you think I shall forget that name? No and when I meet Lieutenant Casses ' "Alphonso, he is dead." "Dead?" 118 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Yes. I killed him. I stepped over his dead body to freedom." Alphonso was now looking from Anita to the panel, and from tine panel back again to Anita. "Tell me," he said excitedly, "how did you get here? How did you find me?" "I followed your I mean the Donna Isabella. I arrived in New York this morning. That newspaper was through with me for the present. It made for me lots of money. Every word it printed about me was a lie but by doing bad, it accomplished good. It supplied me with money with the money I shall give to help Cuba Libre. This morning my tour ended. I was in that big hotel they call the Walford Inn. He was with me, Senor Van West ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 119 what is it they call him? Ah, yes, Mr. Dick. I was with Dick. A woman, a queen, as regal as she was beautiful, passed through the corridor. Dick said: 'That is the famous Donna Isabella de Castro. Her husband, Don Alphonso de Castro, disappeared about a month ago- believed to have met with foul play.' He did not need to tell me who that woman was, for I knew her. Only now she bore your name. Trembling, I feared I could not stand up. Something in that beautiful woman's bearing told me you were not dead; that she knew where you were. If she loved you, she could never act like that, under the grief of your disappearance. I said to Dick, 'Excuse me.' I left him and rushed after the woman I believed to be your wife. She entered a coupe. I jumped 120 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. into a hansom and told the driver to follow the coupe. She drove up the .ivenue, and entered this house. A few moments later I tried the street door. It was open and I entered. The house was dark, I grouped about, climbed stairs and more stairs. I stepped on some- thing; it was a loose tile. It clicked, and light came into the hall through that place where the picture is and "And now," Alphonso said, "the hall is dark again and we are here, and here to stay and to starve." And again the young man laughed like a madman. "Alphonso, what do you mean?" said Anita. "I mean that there is no way out; that I have made you a prisoner. I mean we are locked in like mice in a trap." And Alphonso then told Anita all that ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 121 had taken place in that room since the night he had dressed to go to Madison Square Garden, to see if the DiurnaVs heroine was really his Anita. He told her everything, from the dis- covery of the iron barrier to the tearing up of the deeds they had tried to force him to sign. As he proceeded with the story the don's voice had been growing weaker and still weaker. Anita, noticing his failing strength, had begged him to stop, to tell her the appalling story later. But he continued even to the end of his story and to the end of his strength. He fell into a chair while talking, and he pointed to the bits into which he had torn the deed. It was the climax of his tale, and his strength entirely left him. He lay back in his chair unconscious. ANITA, THE CUBON SPY. Again gathered him in her arms, she carried him into the sleeping-room and laid him on the bed as before. "Now to act," she murmured. "Merciful Father! I must get out of here. I must bring help. He will die. That panel is probably opened by a secret spring in this room as well as in the hall. I must find the spring." The floor was of hard wood, inlaid in fancy designs. She began by stamping on each particular bit with her heel, hop- ing, thinking that perhaps the panel was opened in this way by stepping on a certain piece of hard wood the result would be the same as stepping upon the loose tile in the hall. As there were hundreds of pieces of wood, the work took longer than she had anticipated. While patiently trying each particular ANITA, THE CUfeAN SPY. 123 * block of wood, darkness came and she was obliged to stop. She now began groping about the wall, pressing here, there, everywhere in the hope of finding some sort of secret spring. Hours passed. Hungry and tired and faint, she found a chair and sank into it despairing. Click! A slight but sharp sound, like the turning of a lock. She felt fresh air rushing into the room and heard a rus- iling. She could not mistake the sound. It was the swish-swish of silken skirts. Anita held her breath. A figure swept by her and into the sleeping-room. Anita sprang up, tiptoed softly across the room, careful to avoid making the least sound. She reached the bedroom door just in time to see a woman strike a match and hold it so the light fell upon the face of the unconscious man. 124 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. It was the Donna Isabella. "Dead, dead," she whispered hoarsely, The whisper reached Anita's ears. She saw the donna lean over Alphonso, kiss him, and then burst into a flood of tears. The match, still flickering, fell upon the bed-blanket. The light slightly increased. The donna, with her head buried in her arms, weeping, did not see it. The tiny flame crept along the blanket, snake-like, spread, and suddenly became a broad flame. The donna, looking up affrighted, saw first the burning blanket, and then, in its light, the face which she hated more than anything on earth, the face which she dreaded more than any of the tortures of hell the dark face of Anita Verona. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 125 CHAPTER VII. THE Spanish woman was startled, visibly agitated. She remained kneel- ing. The Cuban girl showed all the supe- riority of calmness and self-possession. With a lightning-like movement she gathered the burning blanket into a solid ball, extinguishing the fire. They were again in utter darkness. Still kneeling, the donna felt the fin- gers of a strong, warm hand close about her throat. She instantly gained her presence of mind and with a powerful upper blow struck away the murderous hand. At the same time she sprang to her feet. 126 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "I have heard of your skill at stran- gling," she said, in her native language. "So I, too, am worthy of your dexterity. I am honored. But at the present moment you are not dealing with Sefior Casses." In the darkness Anita could have showed signs of surprise or alarm with- out fear of detection. She probably had neither of these feelings, for she made this commonplace remark: "Is there not some means of having light here? Before I settle my account with you I would like to have one good look at a creature so hideous." "I turned off all the light here, from downstairs, long ago," the donna re- plied. "I am sorry, though, for I would like, just once, to see you in all your ugliness." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 127 Just then something happened some- thing so strangely opportune that it seemed miraculous. The room was flooded with light. "Some one is in the house," cried Donna Isabella. "They have turned on the current." And she rushed from the sleeping-room into the library, swinging the panel round till it clicked, indicating that it was locked. When she turned again she found the Cuban girl facing her. Each looked the other over from head to foot, the Spanish woman's face full of jealousy and hatred, the Cuban's full of indescribable contempt. Each saw that the other was perfectly gowned antf strikingly beautiful. Between women, a mutual recognition of this sort is the beginning of hate under any circum- 128 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. stances. How much greater is that hatred when the women in question are rivals and enemies ! Isabella folded her arms proudly. Anita rested her hands on her hips with arms akimbo saucily. "Now," began Isabella, "now that there is plenty of a electric light, sup- pose we settle that account you spoke of. But first, let me tell you that some one is searching this house. There is a certain wire connected with the dynamo by which every room in the house can be lighted at once. Hence this flood of light. You are in my power. Don Al- phonso has been missing for more than a month. I have but to leave this room and fly. You will be found here by the searching party alone with a dead or dying man. The searching party de- Copyright 1898, by F. Tennyson Neely. In the streets of Havana. Cuban family of lower class at window ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY, 129 tectives probably will soon break into this room through that iron door. Now, my professional strangler, how will you account for your presence here?" "By detaining you," Anita said, "and telling the authorities of your diabolical method of compelling Don Alphonso to sign over his fortune to you." Meanwhile, Isabella's eyes had been resting on a pair of dueling swords which hung on the wall. "Detain me?" she said, with a questioning inflection. "Well, yes if I do not detain you. Here ! I am not an adept at strangling. Let us fight with weapons we both understa-nd." And going to the wall she took down the dueling swords and removed the buttons from their points. Handing one of the weapons to Anita, she said: 130 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Your skill with this little toy you have already shown. I believe it was you who ran the governor of the Isle of Pines through the body, for which you were tried and sent to Ceuta for life. Let us reason a moment. You conspired against the government of Spain. With your harlot beauty you ingratiated your- self into favor with the Spanish generals in Havana. You allowed them to make love to you perhaps your favors ex- tended further. Having obtained secret information of state importance, you carried the information to the insur- gents, making of yourself a news-bag. For this you were arrested and sent to the Isle of Pines for general conspiracy against the Spanish government. While you basked in the favor of the Spanish officers you got them to teach you the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 131 ase of the sword. At the Isle of Pines you applied that knowledge to a practi- cal purpose. You lured the governor of the island to your bedroom and there, under the pretense of self-defense, you ran a convenient sword through his heart. For that murder you were tried and sent to the penal colony of Ceuta for life. Now, my little escaped convict, since then I have had a little sword practice myself. I shall give you an opportunity to run that weapon through another heart 'in self-defense.' ' And Isabella threw herself into the attitude known to fencers as "on guard." Anita, playing indifferently with her blade, said calmly: "No words you can utter, Donna Isabella, can insult me. I refuse to fight with you, for I should unquestionably kill you." 132 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Ah, you prefer strangling," cried Isabella, coming again to a natural posi- tion and bending her sword in front of her like a riding whip. "But perhaps I have other arguments to make you fight. Anyway, we must hurry, for whoever is searching this house will soon be here, Perhaps you will be pleased to know that it was through my efforts and my influence which among the Spanish officers happened to be greater than yours that you were sent to the Isle of Pines and ultimately to Ceuta. I was older than you, my inconstant little butterfly, and I had a trick or two of which you knew nothing. I wanted you out of the way, first, because you were an enemy of Spain, and second because you were a friend of Don Alphonso de Castro. Well, I got you out of the way. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 133 I made your friend, the don, a Spanish subject and a Spanish woman's hus- band." "You mean, instead" put in Anita quietly, "that the don made you his mistress." The donna laughed. "You thought that little thrust would tease me, per- haps anger me, didn't you? Well, Anita, the point was not sharp enough. Yes, the don took me after he had cast you off. Come, we have no time to spare. I see that you are impatient to kill me. Let us begin." "Just a moment," said Anita, refusing to raise her sword. "You say you are older than I. You hardly need tell any one that it is quite glaringly apparent. Indeed, when you are dowdy and tooth- less and wizened and forgotten a time 134 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. not so far distant I shall still have years and years left, in which to hear the don say, 'Anita, I love you.' For remem- ber this, senora, I know that you are not the donna and that the don will turn from Spain and Isabella to Cuba and Anita. You have said that, because of your old age, you know a trick or two of which my youthfulness is ignorant. Well, the immediate future will prove whether you know tricks enough to defeat my plans." "Your plans!" sneered Isabella. "As if your plans were not known to me, and the don's, too! There is a very pretty fleet of seven vessels belonging to him, now taking on mysterious car- goes at Key West. Perhaps he will say they are cargoes of provisions and medi- cines for the reconcentrados. And per- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 135 haps the Spanish generals will say something else. Hark!" They heard men's voices in the hall behind the iron door. "This is the last moment for either you or me," said Isabella. "But remember, if you survive now, that by going to Cuba, by raising your hand against Spain you seal your doom. Your fate will be something worse than a thousand dread- ful deaths and still something less than death itself. Now, fight or kill me in self-defense, as you have killed before." And Isabella, taking the proper fencing position, made a feint at Anita's heart. With a single flash of her blade, Anita struck Isabella's weapon away. The desperate woman made, not another feint, but a thrust, a lunge. It was a mad, murderous onslaught, such 136 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. as only a woman would make. The point touched Anita and bent upward. It had come in contact with the steel of her corset, which served the purpose of a cuirass. "There's no time to take off our armor," said Isabella, preparing to make another lunge. "Even corsets have their vulnerable points," and she made a very scientific and very dan- gerous thrust at her rival and enemy. This time the point really found a vulnerable place in Anita's corsets, for she felt the tip of the blade enter her body just below the left breast. Had she chosen she could then and there have killed Isabella. Instead she struck the senora's weapon a sudden and peculiar blow which made the blade fly in one direction and the hilt in the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 137 other. The seiiora was disarmed. Her sword lay in pieces in two corners of the room. The men in the hall had begun break- ing down the iron door. The noise of their pounding was deafening. The sefiora rushed into the sleeping- room, closing the door after her and locking it, 'just as Anita reached it, in pursuit. At the same time there was a deafen- ing crash on the opposite side of the room. The iron door had given way. From the door that locked her away from the poor, unconscious don, Anita turned turned into the arms of Dick Van West. 13S ANITA THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER VIII. DICK kissed Anita and pressed her to him. Then releasing her, he begged ten thousand pardons, meant it only in a brotherly way, of course; but he was so glad to find her. He had been hunting all day. Got two detectives from head- quarters, tracked her, and, "Here we are," he ended. "But, good heavens, Anita, what's this blood? Look! See here, men, she is wounded. She's been stabbed. She's faint. She's losing con- trol. Good heavens, look at that broken sword! And here's another sword, a whole one. There's been a fight. Secure the weapons as evidence. One of you fellows bring a doctor, the other ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 139 knock that door down the door she was trying to open as we entered." One of the detectives had already rushed away for a physician. The other proceeded to break the lock of the door leading into the sleeping -room. Dick had led Anita to a sort of lounge, where she now lay, quite unconscious. He opened her garments and fixed first his handkerchief and then a towel over the wound, and thus to some extent checked the bleeding. "Anita, Anita," he whispered, "I love you, I love you." "No, you don't," she said faintly, but smilingly. Just then the detective, having broken the door open, and entered the room, came back to Dick, saying, "As we told you, this is the house of the missing 140 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Don de Castro. We have found him. He is in there, on the bed, conscious, but in a starving condition. He asks only, 'Where is my Anita? Where is my wife?' " Anita heard and smiled again. Dick looked surprised, then foolish. "You are right," he said, whispering to her. "Guess I don't love you, after all. But I am fearfully fond of you, though. You are a wonderful girl. Now, how did you know that I didn't love you before I realized it myself? Guess I love Daisy; yes, Daisy's the girl I really love. But say, Anita, you're wounded or dying, or something like that. Tell me all about it no, not now, here comes the doctor. "Who is Daisy?" asked Anita. "Daisy? Oh, she's just Daisy Van ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 141 Holland. Oh, she is to me what he you know;" and Dick pointed signifi- cantly to the room where the don lay. Dick did not know until a few mo- ments ago that Anita had ever even heard of the don. But he was used to "sizing up life histories," as he expressed it. "Well," he continued, "Daisy is going with us on the yacht you know to Cuba." Anita shook her head. "What," said Dick, "don't want to go now? Backed out? Cause of Cuba N. G.?" Anita was pointing to the sleeping- room. "Ah, I see. Not until he, that starv- ing fellow in there, has a few good square meals. I see attachment to a married man he's married, you know. I showed 142 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. you his donna at the Walford Inn. Oh, but isn't she a stunner! Well, this is a queer game I don't understand it yet- but I'll tell Daisy the trip's postponed till all hands get a clean bill of health." Meanwhile, two doctors had come in with the detective. One examined the don and reported that he would be as well as ever in one week. The other took charge of Anita and reported only a flesh wound would heal within a few days. Dick had his own way of bossing things. He ordered Anita taken at once to the New York house of Lord and Lady Bluntly. He also ordered the report to be made that she was merely suffering from the result of overstrain during her recent trip across the con- tinent. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 143 Till further information could be secured, he said he would write up this "beat" for his own paper, the Diurnal: Richard Van West, the Diurnal corre- spondent, had found the missing Don Alphonso unconscious and in a starving condition, locked in his own apartment at the De Castro mansion on upper Fifth Avenue. All means of egress were barricaded with iron doors. The don regained consciousness long enough to say he knew not who was responsible for the treatment he had received. That Donna Isabella de Castro had likely departed for Cuba to look after his im- mense business interests. He then relapsed into insensibility and is now under the care of two physicians. The De Castro mansion has been closed ever since a few days after the disappearance 144 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. of the don. Donna Isabella de Castro has been stopping at the Walford Inn, where she was last seen the morning previous to the discovery of the im- prisoned Don Alphonso. "Now, we will keep all other reporters away from the don while you doctors fatten him up and when I learn the truth about this mysterious affair I'll write it up to suit myself." A coach was sent for, and Anita, lean- ing on Dick's arm, bravely descended the stairs. As they drove across the park to Lady Bluntly's house Anita said: "Dick Mr. Van West was the donna the senora with him with the don?" "The senora? Why, no! Didn't see her. Why?" "Oh, nothing. She knows a trick or prr ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 145 two. She knows especially the secret passages of that weird old house." A week later Senorita Maria Anita Verona, convalescent, her wound healed, the fever gone, lay on a divan in the Moorish room at Lady Bluntly's house on West End Avenue. Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly were out. Anita was alone. A servant entered and presented a card Senor Don Alphonso de Castro. Anita, turning slightly pale, arose. "Show him in here," she said. Any one watching the Cuban girl at that moment would have known that she loved the man whose coming she now awaited. The don appeared, tall, dark, hand- some as ever, though his cheeks were 146 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. yet somewhat hollow and his eyes sunken, and underrimmed with black circles. He embraced Anita after the fashion of the Spanish. His first words were, "Anita, I have been thinking it all over. Let us forget the past or rather, let us forget the horrible and remember only the beauti- ful. Anita, I love you. I want you to marry me, to become my wife at once." Anita started, staggered. Then she nerved herself and said: "No, Al- phonso. . You thought you loved me Ah, was it only two years ago or was it two centuries? Did you really love me then? Your actions did not prove your words. Now you again say you love me. This time you must prove it." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 147 "I will," said the don fervently. "Name the proof." "Give your services, your wealth and, if need be, your life to free Cuba then I will believe that you love me." "Anita, I was prepared for this. See how calm I am. I had already decided to break with the Spanish villains who have been bleeding me for two years; but why drag in that harrowing history? Isabella fascinated ine and she knew it. She lied to me and she gloried in it. She has brought dishonor on herself and has opened my eyes to her machinations. But, Anita, there are other places than New York. No one in Cuba knows that Isabella lived with me here as my wife. You and I can go to Havana and live always happily. Oh, dear, say you love me, that you will marry me at once." 148 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "No, Alphonso," Anita said, hardly able to speak the words. "No! As I said, I do not, cannot trust you after what has happened. You must give me the proof of your love the proof I have asked." "And if I do, Anita, if I do, shall I then have my reward, the fulfillment of my dream?" "Alphonso, I love you now, as I did then. No, do not touch me. I say no! But when you have proved your love for me ah you shall see. Listen; Isabella knows of your ships which are loading at Key West. From what she said, I imagine they are to be seized as fili- busters." Alphonso's eyes twinkled. "Are they? Good ! Exactly what I have foreseen. Ah, wait until we get to ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Havana. In trickery, I think Isabella will meet her match in me." "In three days," Anita said, "we all sail in Sir Charles Bluntly 's yacht, the Tramp. Alphonso, on the voyage and afterward I want you to promise now that you will not speak to me of love or of marriage. For you know that I love you and that I am not so strong as to say no always. Promise me that until you have given me the proof I ask, you will not speak to me excepting as your friend." Alphonso gave this promise, hesitat- ingly but earnestly. They talked for awhile of the past, and suddenly Anita said: "But where do you suppose Isabella is?" "Where? Where but in Havana, pre- paring vengeance upon you and me?" 150 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Somewhere in the house they heard an electric bell tinkle, and the next minute Sir Charles, Lady Bluntly, and Dick Van West joined our lover-friends in the Moorish room. "Shiver my ancestors' sainted tim- bers!" exclaimed Sir Charles, after the first greeting. "But that Spanish cad ought to be kicked all the way from Washington to New York, and thence across the Atlantic to his own Madrid. Shiver me! I can't claim I'm an Amer- ican, but oh, Lord! my wife's an American hey, wifey?" "Bet your life!" said that very Amer- ican-mannered lady of title. "Bet your bottom dollar that Spanish prig will do Spanish stunts in the way of getting out of this country on the double-quick. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 151 The idea of writing letters like that about our president!" "But what is the matter?" exclaimed Don Alphonso. "What's the matter? Who is the guilty Spaniard and what has he done?" "What has he done?" cried Dick Van West, who had been making notes for newspaper copy on his cuff. "What's he done? Why, don, old boy, that idiot De Lima, the Spanish minister here, wrote a letter to another Spanish villain in Madrid, in which he called our presi- dent a political jobber catering to the rabble! rabble, of course, meaning the American people. Well, sir, the Diurnal discovered that letter, photographed and published it. Now the Diurnal oh, we practically run the country, you know- well, now, the Diurnal and the United 152 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. States government have demanded the recall of Minister de Lima. As a con- sequence, the said De Lima is packing his portmanteau, with a view to acting at once upon word from Madrid to go home that is, he knows he is about to get the grand bounce." Meanwhile, the baronet, always an excellent host, had sent for a few small bottles. The small bottles having been opened, their sparkling contents were now passed to the various members of the little party sitting in the Moorish room. "Listen!" shouted Dick Van West. They all listened, and heard "Extra! Extra!" Dick leaped from his chair and rushed to the front door. Lady Bluntly, ex- champion newspaper woman of America, ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 153 sprang after him and succeeded in snatching one of the extras from the newsboy's hand, while Dick had to stop and pay for the papers. Rushing back to the Moorish room, Lady Bluntly read the spread-heads, covering the whole front page. "Minister de Lima recalled. Ordered out of America at once. Demonstrations against Americans in Havana. Second- class battleship Maine, now at Key West, ordered to proceed to Havana for the protection of Americans in that city." Sir Charles sprang up/ "Friends, let us touch glasses and drink," he said. "Let us all drink a bumper to the toast, 'Down with all Spaniards who insult America! Down with Spanish despot- ism in Cuba! Up with the Cuban flag!' 154 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. They all drained glasses, even the don. "Now, we're off," cried Sir Charles. "The Tramp is in commission; there's coal in the bunkers and oil on her engines. We sail day after to-morrow to take to Havana, as our honored pas- sengers, the Don Alphonso de Castro and" looking at Anita with twinkling eyes "a certain young Frenchman, Monsieur le Comte de Granville." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. . 155 CHAPTER IX. FOUK days later, in the forenoon, a long, white yacht passed the Sand Key lighthouse, the last of the Florida Keys and the last American soil to be seen before entering Cuban waters, ninety miles distant. The lighthouse keeper had never seen a yacht so large. He put out in his small boat to have a better look at her and to receive the customary package of newspapers which passing vessels very kindly toss to the light- house keepers. The sky was a deep blue, peculiar to the tropics. The sea was as tranquil as a lake and as blue as the sky. "Ship, ahoy!*' yelled the lighthouse 156 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. man, as his boat came within hailing distance. "Ship, ahoy, yourself!" roared a voice from the bridge of the yacht. "What ship is that?" yelled the man in the small boat. "Tramp, from New York to Havana, loaded with a human family or two," roared the voice from the bridge. "Stand ready to receive your news- papers." The boatman came as near to the yacht as he dared. He deftly caught a package of papers thrown to him by a sailor standing amidships on the yacht. "Any news down here?" roared the voice on the bridge. "The Maine is in Havana Harbor," shouted the lighthouse keeper, "been there three days. The transport Fern is ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 157 on her way from Key West to Havana with relief for the reconcentrados. Seven schooners, suspected of being filibusters, have sailed from Key West- Spanish gunboat on the lookout. Expect to capture filibusters to-night." While the boatman shouted the news the yacht had been speeding on and now his voice, in the distance, sounded to those on the yacht only like a song of the sea. On through the beautiful sea sped the Tramp. The water could be compared to nothing better than to an opal of infinite size. It was full of the brightest shades of blue and green, with dancing tints of pink, yellow and purple. The Sand Key lighthouse was lost to view. That evening they would anchor off Havana. 158 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. On board was a very distinguished company. They were assembled aft, under an awning. Sitting in large wicker chairs, they seemed very com- fortable. The men were smoking long, fat cigars. Some of the women toyed with delicate, slender cigarettes. Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly were host and hostess of the voyage owners of the Tramp. Sir Charles was a subject of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, though his wife was still an out-and-out, thorough- bred American, and recognized only Uncle Sam as protector. As long as the owner of the Tramp was English, the flag of England had floated at the stern. As this was decidedly objectionable to Lady Bluntly, and as Sir Charles never disobeyed his wife, he had, according to ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 159 her order, transferred the ownership of the Tramp to her. She had ordered the Stars and Stripes to be floated at her stern. From the mainmast flew the pennant of the New York Yacht Club, of which both Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly were members. On the foremast flut- tered the Union Jack. The guests of Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly were United States Senator and Mrs. Van Holland. The Honorable Van Holland, senator from New York, was going to Cuba ostensibly as tourist, but really to inspect the condition of the island for his government. Mrs. Van Holland, sweet-faced and motherly-look- ing, had imposed upon herself the mis- sion of visiting the people whom General Weyler had driven from their country homes to starve in the cities. Mrs. Van 160 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Holland meant to help these poor crea- tures, by gifts of money, and her per- sonal services in the distribution of relief. A little back of the senator ~and his wife sat their daughter, Daisy, a young girl as fair and as radiant as a June day. Her head was crowned with a glory of gold, her eyes were as deeply blue as the tropic sky, her skin was like white velvet, and in her face was the faintest suggestion of pink. In tropical climes there were few young girls as fair as she. Therefore she seemed as out of place in that climate of passionate coloring as the olive- skinned Spaniard is amid the breezes and fogs and somber colors of the north. Between her two front upper teeth there was an interstice, a feature which, in some women, would have been ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 161 a blemish. To her, however, that interstice gave an additional charm, a something distinctively characteristic. Her smiles revealed it amid quick gleams of white teeth. At present she was using this little opening as a sort of breach through which she emitted the smoke from her dainty cigarette. She was smiling, and two most irresistible dimples accompanied the smiles. She was smiling because no one could sit long beside Mr. Richard Van West, of the New York Diurnal, and not smile. Most people laughed outright. Miss Daisy, however, did not particularly wish to attract the attention of papa and mamma at this moment, so she repressed ^er laughter and merely smiled. ?. Dick was holding the young lady's hand. Indeed he was holding it with a 162 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. grasp that was vise -like and therefore lover-like. "How beautiful your hair is!" he was saying. "Confound it, the rising sun and all such things are not in it with your hair. Talk about bathing in the sunlight well, I'd be satisfied just to sit and bathe my hand, both hands, in the glorious fairness of your golden ring- lets. Say, Day, I love you, hang it! Let's marry. What's the use of waiting ! We love each other say, isn't this a good time to ask the old man I mean the senator? By Jove, Day, I'll do it. Here goes." And Dick sprang up ; putting his hand on his white flannel coat over the place where he supposed his heart to be, he faced the senator, and began: "Dear sir, when, in the course of human events, it ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 163 becomes necessary for two young people to "Here comes the senorita, or rather the Count de Granville," interrupted the senator. "Save your delivery of the declaration of independence till some other time, Van West." "Oh, darn the Count de Granville!" protested Dick. "How can I become independent unless I make a declara- tion? As I was saying: When, in the course of human At this point Dick was again inter- rupted and the entire party gathered around a young man in a white linen suit and white yachting cap, who had just lounged up lazily. He threw himself into a chair and lighted a cigarette. "Well done!" exclaimed Dick, tem- porarily abandoning his declaration. 164 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Good first appearance," added the senator. "A born actor," said Lady Bluntly. "Shiver me, but these togs are becom- ing deucedly stunning," said the baronet. "But your hair, poor child," said Mrs. Van Holland. "It was so beautiful, so abundant. Were you not sorry to sacrifice it?" "No sacrifice," replied the young Frenchman, "is too great that helps Cuba. To help my people, my presence must not become known. To avoid recognition I assume disguise. The Spaniards murdered my father and the shock killed my mother. They put me first in a very bad prison and then sent me to a worse one for life. Then our enemies confiscated all our available ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 165 estates. My father, however, left millions invested in the States. The Spanish government has the papers by which the millions can be claimed. Had I remained at Ceuta a few weeks longer I would have had to sign over those papers to Spain, or refusing, die. Is it a wonder that I am willing to risk every- thing when I have my father and mother to avenge, my native island to free? In accomplishing these ends I may get possession of the papers by which I can claim my father's millions. The millions, however, are of no value to me, except that with them I can help to allay the distress existing in Cuba. You are all too kind to me; I can never thank " "Tut, tut," interrupted a newcomer, a very dark-skinned young man who had 186 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. joined the party in time to hear the Frenchman's last words. "Tut, tut, dear Senorita Anita, I "Sh!" commanded Lady Bluntly, put- ting her finger to her lips. "There is now no senorita. We arrive to-night. We must rehearse, practice, be letter perfect before stepping foot in Havana. This young gentleman, Don Alphonso, is the Count de Granville." Don Alphonso, for the dark-skinned newcomer was he, bowed low. "Mon- sieur le Comte, I salute you. May your mission to Cuba be successful. May you remain there a happy worn French- man. And now, friends all, I have to impart to you an important bit of news the beginning of my own campaign for the cause of free Cuba. c 'It is summed up in a few words. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 16? You heard the lighthouse man say that seven vessels left Key West last night, under suspicion, with a mysterious cargo; that a Spanish gunboat expects to capture that fleet of supposed fili- busters to-night. Well, gentlemen, that fleet of seven suspected vessels belongs to me. It will swing into Spanish waters to-night, as expected. What will hap- pen then, we shall see as I have already requested our host, Sir Charles, to meet the fleet that we may be present at the capture." And the don and Sir Charles, exchang- ing all sorts of significant winks and smiles, walked forward, chatting in a low tone. 168 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER X. THAT evening, at sunset, when the Tramp was still about twenty miles from the Cuban coast,the forward watch cried: "Sail a' starboard!" All rushed to the starboard deck and saw first the mast and later the white hulk of a ship. She seemed to be mak- ing all speed for the Tramp. The yacht kept steadily on her course. With a powerful glass Sir Charles surveyed the white ship. "Shiver me, a United States gunboat!" he roared. When within revolver shot of the Tramp the gunboat swung round abreast of the yacht. After the customary exchange of salutations and courtesies ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 169 of information as to who were aboard, where bound, and what cargo, the voice from the gunboat said: "We've been looking for a fleet of filibusters, seven of them. Seen anything of any suspicious - looking craft?" "Nope!" yelled Sir Charles, from the bridge. "We've just discovered a leak aport," shouted the voice from the gunboat. "All hands at pumps. Must turn back to Key West at once. If you sight any of the Spanish navy, just tell them that you saw us." "Yep! You bet!" roared back Sir Charles. After this the gunboat, the Mont- gomery, turned her prow toward Florida and sped away. "That leak doesn't bother her much, 170 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. eh, Cap?" said Dick Van West, who was on the bridge with Sir Charles. "No, not much," replied the baronet. "Just enough to make her put back," he added. And the two men exchanged meaning glances. Each knew that what had just happened was only one of the ways the United States navy had of trying to hoodwink the Spanish, when in pursuit of filibusters. The fact is, Uncle Sam has enough on his hands without follow- ing up Cuban sympathizers and capturing "them. With absolute instructions to capture certain suspected vessels, the captain of a pursuing warship, as he nears the Cuban coast, invariably dis- covers that the machinery is out of order, or that coal is low, or that there's a screw loose somewhere aboard his ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 171 ship. To meet an inbound vessel, as in the case of the Montgomery meeting the Tramp, is a stroke of particular good fortune. The inbound vessel ultimately informs the Spaniards that one of our gunboats was met in hot pursuit of the filibusters, but owing to an accident was obliged to put back. This information shows the Spaniards that the United States is doing its duty in endeavoring to prevent the carrying of supplies for the Cuban insurgents. The Spaniards, therefore, cannot accuse us of neglect in this respect or of connivance with the Cuban sympathizers. At eight o'clock that evening the Tramp came in sight of the coast of Cuba. Her engines all but stopped ; just enough headway was maintained to keep her from drifting. She was now within 172 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. three miles of the coast; in other words she was on the water highway of Spain. At the bow stood two figures two men, apparently. One was Don Al- phonso, the other was the Frenchman, the Count de Granville. The young count's eyes gleamed with pride and excitement. He threw out his arms toward the shore and said softly: "My own, my beautiful!" The young don turned toward the count, and looking into his eyes mur- mured, barely above a whisper: "My own, my beautiful!" The count put a restraining finger on his lips, saying, "Alphonso is a man of his word." The don turned aside, looking shore- ward. He hastily brushed away a tear perhaps. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 173 The month was February. Peace, tranquillity, sadness, softness, serenity, color, intensity all of these help to give the Cuban night hours a peculiar charm. The moon shone. In all the sky there was not a cloud only stars, dotting the mighty blue dome. Beneath, there was only a white yacht in the center of vast blue waters. All was light; a light as clear as of eventide; the light that makes lovers intense and enemies sigh for peace. It brought the outline of the shore in view. It enabled the outline of the shore to be seen. "When shall we see the light of Morro Castle?" the count asked. "Not until we round that promontory, the outline of which is just visible," was the reply. 174 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Is not the light too great?" queried the softer voice, a voice full, rich and feminine. "Nay, not too bright," answered the don's manly voice. "All is well even if it were broad day. The enemy have concentrated all their forces in the wrong place. Our vessels are safe. Oh, my Anita, to-night will show the donna that others besides herself know a few tricks." "And to-morrow," said the Count de Granville, otherwise Anita, "to-morrow the donna will see that with all her treachery she is no match for us." They steamed slowly ahead, making a quarter of a knot an hour. At nine o'clock something black loomed into the horizon. It was a vessel under full sail. At another point in the horizon a second ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 175 black splotch appeared a second vessel under full sail. Another swam in view, and another, till there were in all seven. If these vessels had shown no lights the party on the Tramp and any one sailing in Cuban waters would have said they were filibusters stealing up to the Cuban coast to land supplies in the darkn'ess and steal away again' before dawn. But each of these seven vessels carried the regulation number of lights. Would filibusters advance thus boldly upon the coast? Some one seemed to think, yes. For another black splotch had appeared not a sailing vessel, but one with a trail of smoke. She was larger than any of the seven sailers. Within a minute two more of these larger ships steamed into sight. The three now spread out and 176 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. around the fleet of seven. While one remained behind, the other two steamed ahead and took up positions in front of the advancing sailers. Those on the Tramp noticed that the fleet of seven began to take in sail. In a few moments, as if by concerted action, they had taken in all sail and lay to. The three steam vessels surrounded them in the form of a triangle. If there had been a race, a chase, it was now all over. The Spaniards evidently had caught seven filibusters within three miles of their coast and were therefore, according to the law of nations, per- mitted to capture the suspects and deal with them as enemies of their country. On board the Tramp all had gathered at the stern and watched the silent ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 177 maneuvering of these seemingly phan- tom ships curiously. "Shiver me! but that's the sight of a lifetime, shiver me, it is," roared the baronet. "Hubby, shut up," ordered Lady Bluntly. "You make more noise than all those ships put together." "What does it all mean?" asked Miss Daisy. "I'm frightened." "Don't be afraid," whispered Mr. Dick, who was never far from her dimples and her head of fair hair. "Can't you see that this is all a job which the don has put up on the dagos? Do you think he would take this all so quietly, so calmly as he does, if things were not all 0. K.? Look at him he's gloating he's in a state of supreme exultation. It's dollars to doughnuts 178 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. he's laid the whole game and paid a big price to win. If there isn't any mistake Jehoshaphat! what a laugh on the Spanish dagos!" The don, meanwhile, stood in the group with Anita, or as we must dis- creetly call her, the count, the Van Hol- lands and the Bluntlys. "Magnificent!" he exclaimed, as the three steamers silently formed a triangle about the seven sailers and shut off steam. "Magnificent!" Voices were now heard on the decks of the Spanish vessels giving orders. These vessels, as all had by this time discovered, were a gunboat, a transport and a coast patrol. Each of these lowered small boats, seven in all. Each small boat was rowed to a certain sailer and three men and an ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 179 officer climbed aboard. There was no loud talking, no shouting. Therefore 'there was obviously no resistance. "Now," said the don to Sir Charles, "you can put on steam and proceed as far as Morro Castle. My ships are safe. Each of the seven is in possession of a Spanish officer and a file of three armed sailors. My men are treating them, at this minute, to wine and everything on board that is good to eat. They are making merry, for my men know that to-morrow they will laugh while their Spanish captors, whom they are now entertaining, will laugh too as you say, on the other side of their faces." "But won't you explain, Senor Don?" asked Senator Van Holland. "Your ships appear to have been captured as filibusters. The punishment is the 180 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. seizure of your ships, the imprisonment indefinitely of every man on board, and a dungeon in Morro Castle for yourself as soon as you step ashore." "Exactly," said the don. "To-morrow morning my seven sailers will be taken into the harbor and searched. The Spanish have been told that the cargo of each vessel consists of arms and ammu- nition for the insurgents. My men claim that they are carrying relief, in the way of clothes, provisions and medicines, to the reconcentrados. My men are telling the truth. But now let me tell you all what one million dollars can do. Those three vessels surrounding my fleet are all the boats the Spanish have to watch this end of the Cuban coast. You can see, therefore, that the coast for miles and miles is open to any vessel which ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 181 chooses to land. Well, at this moment, seven vessels are unloading cargoes at a point on the Cuban coast not twenty- five miles from Havana. Those seven vessels belong, as these do, to me. While these were in reality loading pro- visions and clothing at Key West, the other seven vessels, each in hiding in a cove among the Florida Keys, were load- ing arms, ammunition and soldiers' rations. Every attention was drawn to the seven at Key West. They always loaded at night, so as to lend greater mystery as to their purpose. Naturally, they were suspected. They lay at Key West weeks before I ordered them to leave. "That was to keep the Spanish vessels occupied near Key West, so that my other vessels among the keys could 182 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. receive their cargoes unnoticed. Finally I ordered the Key West fleet and the secret fleet to move the same night, giv- ing each directions as to its course. Knowing that the Spanish vessels would all three be fully occupied in following one fleet, the other would be free to make the coast, unload, and slip away again unseen, undiscovered. The trick has worked to perfection. To-morrow morning while the authorities search these vessels and find cargoes according to our bills, the other fleet will have sailed away, leaving behind, in careful concealment, arms, ammunition, dyna- mite and rations for three months for seventy thousand men." "Certainly," said Dick Van West, "if the insurgents can only raise the men, the war can be carried on to a successful ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 183 end. How much provision is aboard the seven vessels here?" "Enough food, clothing and medi- cine," said the donj "to last seven thou- sand families of five persons each for three months." "That's thirty-five thousand people," said Dick. "There are now five hun- dred thousand people in a starving con- dition. Well, every crumb counts. And though your stuff will leave four- hundred and sixty-five thousand people out in the cold still, don, old boy, you have hello! the fleet's putting up sail. By Jove, the whole shooting-match is moving!" The don looked puzzled. "I supposed they would lie out here till morning," he said. As a matter of fact, the entire fleet, 184 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. led by the Spanish gunboat and followed by the transport and the patrol, were moving. The don's ships were under half sail and the Spanish ships moved at a corresponding speed. As the gunboat passed the yacht an officer hailed in Spanish. The baronet, not knowing a word of Spanish, asked the don to answer. "The Tramp, private yacht with private party, from New York for Havana," said the don in his native tongue. "Please name your passengers," said the officer on the gunboat. "Also please put on steam enough to keep within speaking distance." The required steam was put on, and the don named the passengers, all save himself. "Is that all?" said the Spaniard. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 185 "Have you not one Senor Don Alphonso de Castro on board?" "No, damn it, no !" roared the baronet, hearing the name and scenting trouble. "If there's any one aboard your ship who speaks English, will he please shout out." No answer. Sir Charles, who, of course, was on the bridge, pulled a bell-wire connecting with the engine-room. Steam was instantly shut off and the gunboat, still plowing ahead, made further hailing impossible. The entire fleet passed the yacht, none of the don's ships making the least sign of recognition. The baronet hurried to the don and said bluntly, "Old man, something's wrong. Why should that fleet put into the harbor to-night without a pilot?" 186 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "They need no pilot," said the doiv who was really not so much at ease a{ earlier in the evening. "Spanish nava) officers know their own harbor and would not trust a pilot anyway." "I say, don, can we get in to-night, too?" asked the baronet. "It is not allowed. Besides, we could not get in even at daylight, without a pilot." "Shiver me!" exclaimed Sir Charles. "I suppose I'm a fool. But I tell you, old man, I'd like to land you in Havana to-night, somehow, before those dagos get in their fine work in the morning. I have an idea something is wrong some- where." "Impossible, Sir Charles," said the don. And lighting a cigar, Don Alphonso turned to the young Count de Granville. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 18? At that moment the lights of Morro Castle came into sight. Dick joined Anita, or rather De Gran- ville, and the don, and while all three watched the lights of Morro, Dick said, rather sadly for him who was always so buoyant: "All ye who enter here leave hope behind." 188 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XI. THE next morning at daybreak the Tramp lay off Morro Castle, waiting for a pilot. Time-worn and decrepit with the cen- turies were the yellow walls of the castle; and sad and somber and sinister. Behind those walls lay, ah! how many brave men of Cuba, suffering the penalty of patriotism and of rebellion ! Such is war. The son rises against his parents and is chastised. The man takes up arms against his country and is killed. He conspires against the government that protects (or tyrannizes over) him, and he is put in a dungeon. The first to appear on the deck of the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 189 Tramp that unhappy morning was Don Alphonso. He looked as pale as an olive skin possibly can ; and the lines under his eyes told of a sleepless night. He looked at the walls of Morro and sighed. His heart beat quickly. To himself he whispered : "If I could but enter those walls, not as prisoner, but as victor how many a despairing wretch would owe his life and liberty to me! Ah, horrible war, it is cruel, uncivilized; it is not humane." Up the companionway came Anita, dressed, as on the .day before, in jaunty male attire, and answering to the name as written on the Tramp's clearance papers in the New York custom house the name Monsieur le Comte de Gran- ville. She joined the don and put a hand in 190 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. his. A moment they stood thus, their eyes resting on the walls of that terrible castle as though the sight were a thing so horrible as to be irresistible. "Senor Don," said Anita, "I feel a chill as of the tomb. It is not the morning, no, nor the mist. It is a premonition of something dreadful about to happen. It is, as they say in English, a presentiment." "No, no," said the don with an attempt at cheerfulness. "It is nothing. It is only the feeling that possesses all hearts as one again enters the harbor of one's native land. Anita, thou art beautiful this morning, more beautiful than I have ever seen thee. All night, not myself but thou hast been in my mind. My vessels are safe, my men are safe, but thou 'tis for thee I fear. Let me stay ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 191 near you, so near that I can die for you if necessary. For to die to aid you would be happiness for me." Anita then gave the don a look such as she had not given him since the time when they had parted years before. Hardly above a whisper, she said, "SenorDon." "Si, senorita," he replied, trying to appear unconcerned. "I feel," the senorita said, "as I did on that morning they took me away from you in that awful long ago. I want to kiss you, and I w r ant you to kiss me, just once, now, for my sake and for the sake of our dead child." In Anita's eyes there were tears of grief and love commingling as such tears do. He took her tenderly in his arms. J92 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Their lips met that was the first and last moment of supreme love they were to know for a long time. When he released her and they looked around Dick Van West stood in the companionway. "That was pretty," he murmured to himself. "And it is right." Of course, both the don and Anita had told Dick and all the party the story of their lives, reserving nothing. Thus the donna was accounted for, and the broad- minded men and women comprising the little band on the Tramp sympathized with the don, and forgave him the donna and his past. And they loved Anita. She had told them how the treacherous Isabella had contrived to have her, Anita, and the don, go through a mock ceremony of marriage a ceremony per- 0> g >8 p t - 00 5. BW = r* 3 !- o P -t 3 ^ g X , o ^ er* ?; P 0> f5 n> o 2 3 2.3 ^ o ^Jfc ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 193 formed by a man clothed in the vest- ments of a priest an impostor, a tool of the woman Isabella. Not until the next morning did they discover the perfidy of the Spanish woman. In the face of learning she was Isabella's dupe and confronted by her sorry plight, Anita was torn from the arms of Alphonso and hurried away to imprisonment, insult and indignity on the Isle of Pines hur- ried away from him, charged with general conspiracy against the govern- ment, which charge brought against any man or woman means woe. Now, as Dick stood in the companion- way and saw Anita in the arms of Alphonso, he said, "It is right." He could thoroughly understand why Anita believed Alphonso guilty of treachery on that unhappy occasion two 194 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. years before. He could not understand why she would not now trust him and believe in his love. And Dick sighed and said, "Woman moves in mysterious ways her wonders to perform. Look at my Daisy, for instance. She actually insists upon my waiting until we get ashore to make my declaration of inde- pendence to her father. Hello, hello ! I hear a birdie singing sweetly." A fair head dove under Dick's arm, with which he had thought to block the doorway. Following the fair head came a radiant figure in white duck, a fairy girl as beautiful as the dawn itself and as pink and as rosy. Miss Daisy and Mr. Dick walked aft, hand in hand. They always arose early for the express purpose of enjoying such promenades. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 195 Later appeared Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly and Senator and Mrs. Van Holland. Then they all went below for breakfast. The meal had scarcely been finished before "Pilot, ahoy!" they heard the sailors shouting overhead, and the entire party left their coffee to see the pilot. Pilot boat number seven hove to, and came alongside. With a sailor's sure- footedness, a brawny guide of difficult passages climbed up a rope and stepped over the rail. His first words, in Spanish were: "Senor! Santa Maria! I give you greeting. But, Senor el Capitano you have on board the Senor Don Alphonso de Castro." "Well," said the don himself, "pro- ceed." 196 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "What's he saying?" asked those who understood only the don's name. "Senor," said the pilot, excitedly clasping his hands, "Senor, hide. Secrete yourself. In the harbor they will take you and throw you into Castle Morro. All your men are already lodged there in dungeons dark and under the earth." "On what charge are my men arrested and on what charge am I wanted?" asked the don coolly. "Better not trust this man," inter- posed Dick, who understood Spanish. "He is trustworthy," said the don. "I know him of old." "The charge, senor," continued the pilot, "is general conspiracy against the government." The don moved one foot very slightly.. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 19 1 ? His voice was not thoroughly steady when he asked: "The charge on what ground?" "On the ground that cases of arms and ammunition and dynamite have been found in each of the senor's seven ves- sels. The captains told me to tell you that a few cases of the wrong goods, labeled provisions, have been put aboard of each vessel, though they cannot ac- count for it. Ah, senor, 'tis a sad, sorry mistake. Every man, from captain to scullery apprentice, is deep down in the darkness of Morro. The officers now await the Senor Don. They know he is aboard this yacht." And the pilot paused to throw out his hands supplicatingly to the don. "Ah, Senor Don, grant this, our request. We love the good Senor Don. Hide, secrete 198 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. yourself. You cannot fly, either on this boat or on ours. They are watching. They would pursue. They would shoot if you refused to allow a search. Senor Don, hide, secrete yourself." The don drew himself up proudly. Pointing to the wheel-house, he said, "Pilot, do your duty." The pilot, with great salt tears raining down his face, went forward to the wheel. By this time Dick had explained the situation to all those who did not under- stand Spanish. "But, by jingo!" he added, "if they take the don off this ship they'll have to fight us, hey, Sir Charles?" "Shiver me! my lad, you are right," said the baronet. "Arrest my guest on board my ship? Never!" ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 199 Anita had quietly taken a place by the don's side. She took his hand and led him below. "We must hide the don," cried Dick, "and quickly, too. We're moving now. In half an hour we will be anchored in the harbor." "Right hide the don," echoed Sir Charles. "But say," he added, pausing, "they will search the ship." "Let them search," said the warlike Dick. "If they find the don they can't take him off excepting over our dead bodies." And Dick and the baronet, in fact the whole party, went below. "No," said the don, when they sug- gested this and that hiding place, "No! If my men are in trouble through care- lessness whether the mistake is my 200 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. fault or another's treachery, it is my duty to suffer with them. I shall sit down here, thank you, and finish my breakfast." And the don calmly pro- ceeded to sip his coffee. "Boat, ahoy!" shouted a sailor on deck. Again all hands rushed above. No one on this eventful morning could tell what would happen from one minute to the next. One of the boats peculiar to Havana harbor was pulling alongside. It was rowed by four sailors and in the stern, under a canvas awning, sat a group of officers. One of these stood up and motioned to the pilot in the Tramp's wheel-house to stop the yacht. The pilot obeyed and the Tramp came to a standstill. The boat drew alongside. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 201 The officer who seemed to be in com- mand stood up, saluted Sir Charles, who was on the bridge, and said : "Senor, if you please, have you on board a passenger named Alphonso de Castro?" Sir Charles did not understand, but Dick Van West did ; and the hot-headed young American replied in Spanish, "What right have you to ask? This is a private vessel." "We regret, senor," said the officer, turning to Dick. ' ' But the commandant, the military governor of Havana, has ordered the arrest of the Senor Don Alphonso de Castro. We are informed that he is on this ship. We regret, but we must come aboard." "And we regret," added Dick, "but we cannot allow you to step foot on this 202 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. deck." And Dick added in English, "Damn the dagos!" "But we insist," the officer went on. "We demand the surrender of the Don Alphonso de Castro." "He is here," said a sturdy voice. The don himself came on deck, and when he reached the railing lifted his yachting cap to the officer in the boat. "Senors, he said, "I am the Don Alphonso whom you demand. Sir Charles," turning to the baronet, "I beg you to permit the officers to come aboard." Sir Charles, with oaths, ejaculations and all sorts of protests, ordered a rope ladder lowered. By this ladder the officers, four in all, mounted to the Tramp's deck. The don stepped for- ward, and bowing, said, "Senors, you are welcome. I am your prisoner." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 203 That was all. No incivility, no harsh words not yet. The Tramp steamed on past Morro Castle, past Cabanas prison with its walls as old, as decrepit, as somber and sinister as those of Morro. "I say," said Dick to Miss Daisy. "See those two prisons, Morro and Cabanas? Well, they are only a peb- ble's throw apart, are they not? Well, say, I happen to know" here Dick lowered his voice to a whisper "I hap- pen to know where plans of those two castles lie at this moment and also the plan of a certain underground passage connecting the two. By jinks ! I've an idea. Let the don go to Morro. Don't feel so bad, Day, there's a dear. Trust your Dick, your Richard, your husband to be. I've an idea. Perhaps it's not 204 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. all up with the don. I'll write to Wash- ington to-night in a week or two well, I'll startle the world. Just watch me and the Diurnal." In the harbor, that harbor so beautiful above and so foul below, the Tramp was given an anchorage. It was an anchor- age destined to make the yacht famous. She was anchored to a buoy halfway between the Spanish cruiser Alphonso XII. and the American battleship Maine. As the Tramp dropped anchor the boys on the Maine cheered. But the Spaniards on the Alphonso XII. what did they? They hissed. Lady Bluntly waved her handkerchief to the Maine boys, while Sir Charles shook his fist and his whole body at the Spaniards on the Alphonso XII. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 205 The Tramp's boarding-steps were lowered. Preparations were made to go ashore. The first to leave was Don Alphonso, With a proud, firm step, he walked to the gangway and stood in readiness. All bade him a sad farewell. All spoke the first kindly words that came to tongue. Lady Bluntly shed some of the few tears of her lifetime. Mrs. Van Holland and Miss Daisy broke down completely. Sir Charles swore with suspicious vehe- mence. Dick Van West was the only cheerful one of the party. The Spanish officers, each resplendent in gold lace, gold buttons, and swords with golden hilts, pretended, as well- bred people would, not to see the adieus given. But not a movement of any kind 206 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. escaped them, and though they under- stood not a word of English, there wap not a motion of any lip which they did not watch. As Dick shook hands, he said to the don, as if the remark were of the most indifferent nature, "Don, the New York Diurnal and Dick Van West will work together. I'll meet you there later. Wait for me. Tell the others. Be cheerful." The last to say Adios was the Count de Granville. He said no word. Merely, foreign fashion, he embraced the don, and with a look that spoke of worlds undiscovered, stepped back. The next minute the don descended the boarding- steps and entered the boat. The officers followed. The boat pulled away. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 207 Havana Harbor has two sides : on the one the city, on the other, Castles Cabanas and Morro. The boat containing the don did not pull toward the city. Its head was turned toward Castle Morro. The men on the two warships, watch- ing the boat, again cheered and again hissed. Only this time it was the men on the Spanish ship-of-war, Alphonso XII., who cheered. While the Jack Tars on Uncle Sam's battleship the Maine- hissed. 208 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XII. THE date of the arrival of the Tramp in Havana Harbor and the arrest of Don Alphonso, as just described, was Feb- ruary 15, 1898. This date will be remembered and talked about in Havana for man} 7 gener- ations. On the morning of that eventful date a woman sat at breakfast in one of the finest houses in the Calle del Prado, the Fifth Avenue of Havana. The house was built like all other Havana houses, from the poorest to the best, with mar- ble floors, large rooms, twenty-foot ceil- ings, a courtyard in the center upon which all the living rooms opened, ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 209 balconies lining the single upper floor, birds, sweet singers, hanging in cages from the balconies, the courtyard redo- lent of banana trees, lemon trees and Spanish olive. The woman referred to sat at a table in one of the windows opening on the court. One glance would show that she was a woman of some consequence in her own mind of great importance. Not because she was beautiful, for she seemed one who had long ago ceased to think of beauty. Her self-consciousness of power seemed to spring from some other source, some indefinable and invis- ible mystery. Her beauty, her mag- nificent and voluptuous person, and her magnetism were all merely things to which she seemed reconciled. She was dressed in a loose morning-gown, cut 210 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. low at the neck, crimson in color, and trimmed with Spanish lace. She finished her cheese; that is, she finished her breakfast. A man-servant took away the dishes and put coffee before her. She lighted an Havana cigarette, a long affair in brown paper. Its fragrance was delicious. A gong sounded twice. The porters at the street entrance to Havana houses thus announce the arrival of a visitor. An officer, in the blue and white striped uniform worn by the Spanish army in Cuba, crossed the courtyard and ran up the marble steps to the room where the woman sat watching the smoke of her cigarette. She arose. The officer bowed. In his eyes there was love. In the woman's eyes a careful observer ^trould have detected contempt. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 211 "Senora, the yacht is here," the officer said. "Well, where is the list of her distin- guished passengers?" the woman asked. She emphasized the word distinguished sarcastically. "Senora, I have it here." The officer pointed to a pocket in his blouse. "Well, why don't you produce it?" "Because that girl did not oome with the yacht after all at least her name is not on this list. '' "Read the names on the list," the woman said imperatively. The officer produced a paper and read : "Lady Bluntly, owner; Sir Charles Bluntly ; Senator and Mrs. Van Holland ; Miss Daisy Van Holland; Richard Van West; Senor Don Alphonso de Castro, and " 212 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Well?" the senora said. "Well? Why stop at the name of Alphonso de Castro? Ts a prisoner in the dungeon of Morro Castle so important that he deprives you of breath?" "No, senora, the last name is of no consequence. It is a Frenchman. But 1 was wondering if Don Alphonso is quite comfortable in his dungeon. It was day- light when he entered the gates of the castle. I went out to the yacht per- sonally and got him, as you know. I also conducted him to the door of his dun- geon. There I offered him his liberty on the er a you know, the usual honor- able condition. He merely said, 'Officer , do your duty.' The insulting cad! I pulled the bolts, opened the door and pushed him into dungeon, number 47 -fool." ANITA. THE CUBAN SPY. "Senor Casses, what is the last name on that list, the name of the French- man?" "Monsieur le Comte de Granville," the officer said. "Senor, have you seen this French- man's passport? Does it set forth that he is a citizen of France?" "Senora, one needs no passport to get into Havana. But to get out, things are different." And the officer moved his sword so that it clanked on the marble floor. The senora thought a moment. Then she said: "Senor Casses, you are exactly what you called Don Alphonso a moment ago." "If you think so, senora, then of course, there is not one, there are two fools in Havana." 214 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Senor Casses, the Frenchman, so- called, on that list, is our bird. The Count de Granville is no other than Anita Verona. As she is of age to-day, she inherits her title. She is the Count- ess de Verona." The woman's lip curled and she continued, "Now, my good Senor Casses, trot along and find out exactly what our friends mean to do to-day. Avoid the Count de Granville ; for as the Countess Anita, she may recognize your your handsome face." The oificer smiled and played with his sword, as if pleased. As a dog wags its tail so a Spanish officer plays with his sword. Senor Casses arose, hesitated, seemed ill at ease. Probably he wished to say something. "Senora, your beauty has no equal, your grace and charm, unexcelled, have ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 215 robbed me of that greatest of powers the power that holds the tongue motion- less. Senora, I love you." "Yes, yes, of course you do," said the senora impatiently. "But hurry, now. Find out all about the Tramp party." "Si, senora, but- The officer stepped boldly to her side and said, almost in a whisper, "But when am I to have my reward?" "Your reward?" the senora laughed. "Ah, so you want a reward, Senor Casses? I believe you also required a reward from Anita for furnishing her with liberty. Oh, well, we won't men- tion that little affair. Now you want a reward, for what? I will tell you. For furnishing me with revenge you have already accomplished half your task by landing Don Alphonso in Morro dungeon. 216 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Now the other half is this: Take Anita, Countess of Verona, into your polite charge, and give her room 'number 48,' in your very comfortable Hotel cle Morro. You understand? And as for your reward there's my hand." "Ah, senora, you are an angel of good- ness. I am suffering with too much happiness." "Why?" the senora asked. "Because you have given me an easy task and a great reward." "I have, have I? Well, how exactly, would you describe the reward?" "Why, senora you are to be mine." "Yours, yes. All yours. Nothing less than all which means that I will marry you, that I will be your wife." "But, senora, I ' the officer began to stammer. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. The Spanish woman looked at him with eves full of threats. "Senor 4/ Casses, I am tired of being called seiiora when I am really senorita. Your reward shall be a wife. That wife shall be me and only a priest can make me yours. You understand?" "Senora, I am in heaven," the officer said. As he descended the marble steps he muttered under his breath, "Not on your life!" Above, the woman murmured, "He is rich, he is an idiot. He is not worthy to touch the don's shoes. My God ! My Alphonso, my boy how you suffer! Oh I no, it is too late to relent." The truth was that the Senora Isabella, since leaving the don had discovered that she loved him. And she had hex 218 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. own share of pain. She, too, was suffering. In an hour the officer returned. "They are at the Hotel Inglaterra," he said. "Fell in with a young blond fel- low, Van West. He told me to call him plain Dick. He is a correspondent for that accursed newspaper, the New York Diurnal. He pumped me, I pumped him. He wanted to know how Spaniards feel toward America on account of the dismissal of Minister de Lima from Washington. And I wanted to know how his party intend passing their time. To-night, senora, they are going to the masquerade ball at the Theatre Tacon." The senora threw her cigarette down into the courtyard and closed her fan. "Senor Lieutenant Casses, this even- ing we will attend the masque ball." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 219 CHAPTER XIII. ON that tragic and historical 15th of February, Havana was ruled by King Carnival. During the usual siesta, after break- fast, the city's streets were frequented only by those whose duties called them abroad. Between five and six o'clock, however, the masqueraders, the Carnival fiends, began to appear. The small victorias which conveniently infest the streets by thousands were all engaged carrying masked senoritas and senoras who battled with one another, confetti their ammunition. Up and down the Prado they drove, and around the Parque Central, and forth and back from one 220 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. plaza to another. Spanish soldiers and officers in uniform wandered from their barracks and spread all over the city, ten thousand strong. From Morro .Castle they came; and from Cabano Fortress, and the fortifications of La Punta and Castillo de Principe, and from all the military stations surrounding the city. In the hills about Havana were hun- dreds of insurgents, lynx-eyed, serious, desperate. The Cuban rebellion was already three years old. What had been accomplished? Not independence, but more widespread oppression, to which was added starvation. On this particular 15th of February Cuba was a desolate waste. The war thus far had cost Spain fifty million dol- lars and hundreds of thousands of men. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. A million Cubans, principally women, children and aged men, the families of rebel soldiers in the field, had been driven from their homes in the country and concentrated in the towns. Half of these, that is, half a million people, were now dead. They had died by thou- sands of starvation and exposure. There was still left a half-million of these people who were dying for want of food. In Havana alone twenty -five thou- sand reconcentrados thus they were called lay about the streets, in the gutters, starving. In Havana there was a reign of misery. As Paris, during the reign of terror, the city was pleasure mad. Be- side bull-fights, and cock-fights, and gambling at the clubs, music and prom- 222 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. enades in the parks, masquerade balls were given in all the theatres. Between five and six o'clock in the afternoon, as we have seen, pleasure lovers had already masked for the balls that were to follow. The multitude which now filled the streets had just come from the great bull-fight across the harbor. Sixty-five thousand dollars had been taken in at the gate despite the fact that thousands of human beings were starving in Havana's streets. The only people who had not time for the bull-fight were the coffin-makers. That the city was under military rule was made apparent by the thousands of Spanish soldiers who were loafing about, idling on the plaza and lolling in the cafes. Nor was martial law manifested by soldiers only. There were also ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 223 sailers sailors and officers from Spanish warships in the harbor. Another warship there was in that harbor. It was not Spain's. It be- longed to Uncle Sam, and the sailors, on that particular day, were not given shore leave. If it had pleased God otherwise, and those sailor-boys had been per- mitted to go ashore, the tragedy of the night would have been no less tragic, but less awful. The name of that battle- ship was the Maine. Night came and the doors of the Theatre Tacon were thrown open to the masqueraders. The ball began. Span- iards and Creoles and Cubans and Amer- icans danced to the tunes of a native band. The music was of a peculiar kind, half- African. From the moment the ball began it did not cease. There 224 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. were two bands, playing alternately; the one struck up the moment the other beat its last tattoo. Dancers, in masks or man- tillas, and dominos, crowded the floor. The galleries and boxes were filled. In one of the boxes in the center of the first tier, probably the most conspicuous box in the theatre, sat Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly and their guests from the Tramp. They came rather late. Every eye in the theatre was upon them. On the floor among the maze of whirl- ing dancers there was a murmuring : "El Americanos!" The news spread. "El Americanos!" There was just the slightest hissing. "El Americanos!" Spanish women raised their mantillas a trifle, to see the American party. Cuban girls 3 a O ^ ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 225 lowered their coquettish little fans curiously, just to get a glimpse of the Americans. Spanish officers in uniform turned their backs. Evidently, the party in the box of state were the only Americans present. The box belonged to the captain-gen- eral of Cuba. He had given it for the evening to Senator Van Holland. Still the captain-general did not accompany his guests. Spain had 110 love for Amer- ica. The two nations were at peace, yet trouble was brewing, and the Spanish hatred of America was growing apace. The captain-general, therefore, very dis- creetly remained away from the ball rather than be seen entertaining a party from the United States. "El Americanos!" The murmuring continued, grew bolder; the people 226 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. talked, first in natural tones, then excitably. "El Americanos!" "What right have they here, anyway?" asked the Spaniards. "They want Cuba," said the Cubans. "But they can't have it. Only one flag can float over Morro Castle, and that is the flag of Cuba." This speech was fol- lowed by cheers on that part of the floor. "They want Cuba," said the Spaniards. "They can't have it. Only one flag shall float over Morro Castle, and that is the flag that now waves to the breeze." And in that part of the room there were also cheers. "What right have these Americans to send a warship to our harbor?" the Cubans asked each other. "We don't want a United States warship here. Let ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 22? the United States give us money and we will fight our own battles. The Maine is of no use to us." "Why have the Americans sent a battleship here?" asked the Spaniards. "They had better keep their warships at home. America has insulted us. Do we need watching, on our own property, like schoolboys, that the Americans should send a battleship to stand monitor over us? We have no use for the Maine." Just then something occurred. A masquerader had entered the room dressed as Columbia. The red, white and blue was too much for the Spaniards present. An officer knocked off the masquer- ader's hat it was made of a Union Jack. The officer's action was enough. In fiv 228 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. minutes the clothes of Columbia had been torn from the masquerader's back. The Stars and Stripes, now in shreds, were tossed to the four corners of the room and trampled under the feet of both Spaniards and Cubans. Then the girl was ordered from the floor. While this scene was being enacted, two persons, a woman with her face hidden under a heavy black mantilla, and an officer in uniform, sat in a stage box engaged in earnest conversation. The eyes of both were fastened on the cap tain -general's box containing the party of Americans. "Tell me, Senor Lieutenant," said the woman, "which of those pigs, I mean those Americans, is the senator and which the baronet?" "The tall man with the bushy hair," ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 229 said the officer, "is Senator Van Holland, and the stout, short man, with his head half-bald and shining, is the Englishman, Sir Charles Bluntly. The lady in the tailor-made gown is his wife. The blond young girl is Van Holland's daughter Daisy, and the blond fellow is Senor Van West I mean 'just plain Dick.' The other young man, Santa Maria! Senora, I would never have recognized but for the suspicion which you imparted to me. She had the most glorious hair. She has clipped it to look like a boy's. She has a most beautiful figure she has deformed it. She has petite hands. They are hidden in gloves that are several sizes too large." "Ah, senor, you seem to have observed the fine points of your prisoner and strangler of Ceuta." And the senora 230 AKITA, THE CUBAtf SPY. laughed. Quick gleams of her white teeth were caught beneath her mantilla. "Nothing like a masquerade ball for our work, senor," she added. "A woman can see without being seen or recognized. What are the several intentions of these r canaille?" "Well, senora, I learn from 'just plain Dick' that the senator means to investi- gate the condition of thereconcentrados. Mrs. Van Holland, his wife, will give her attention to the hospitals. Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly seem to have no particular object in coming. Sir Charles is in no way English except that he has a title. He is thoroughly Amer- ican in his views and habits. Lady Bluntly is too sharp for me I can't make her out. Before marriage she was a newspaper woman, worked for the New ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 231 York Diurnal. She is smarter than she looks. That blond hey! Santa Maria, she is harmless and belongs to 'just plain Dick. ' "You appear to like the blond, Senor Casses. So she belongs to your friend Dick, does she? And you would like her not to belong to him. Is that it? Well, we shall see. You have not told me the exact mission upon which this Senor Dick has come to Cuba." "Ah, senora, he says he has come just to show his friend, the Count de Gran* ville, around Cuba." "Your Senor Dick, lieutenant, is prac- ticing his profession ; he is lying. He is the man who conducted Anita and her coffin all over the United States for the Diurnal. Senor Casses, look out for this man Dick he must be gotten out of the 232 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. way. He seems rather a fine-looking boy. Ah! you may leave him to me." "Very well, senora, if I leave him to you, then the" blond senorita is left for me. It is well. Santa Maria, she is leaving no! she is going to dance." All eyes were again turned upon the state box. Tho party of Americans were leaving it. Going home? No, they appeared on the floor. The younger members of the party began dancing, while the older ones roved curiously among the masqueraders and gold-laced officers. One person remained in the box a slight, dark young man wearing loose- fitting clothes and white gloves. He seemed to look defiantly at the scores of glasses which were trained upon him. It was at this moment that Senora ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 233 Isabella said to Lieutenant Casses, "Senor, the last time you saw that that Frenchman in Ceuta she nearly killed you. You recovered, left Ceuta and came to Havana, hoping to find your strangler and escaped prisoner. You have found her. The last time I saw her, in New York, a few weeks ago, I nearly killed her with a sword. She recovered from the wound and has come to Havana to defy me. The rebel! There she sits alone. Senor Casses, this is the moment for you to do your duty." The officer arose, bowed, and left the senora. A few minutes later curiosity through- out the theatre became general. A Spanish officer had entered the state box and was now talking to a very dark- skinned American. The officer was a 234 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. young lieutenant, the adjutant of the garrison stationed in Morro Castle. Strange ! An officer, second in command of the castle that was the pride of Havana, engaged publicly in conversa- tion with one of the hated Americans. If the throng had only known the history of the two people they were watching there would have been trouble. Anita and Lieutenant Casses were again face to face. Anita had remained in the box, alone, purposely to test the worth of her dis- guise. When the others arose to descend to the floor and mix with the dancers, Anita had said: "Dick, I shall remain here." "But every eye in the house will be riveted upon you," protested Dick. "Exactly as I wish," answered Anita, ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 235 remaining seated. "If I am not recog- nized to-night, I never will be. The only person I fear is Senora Isabella, and probably she is not here." "Don't jeopardize your cause by being rash," Dick insisted. "Come to the floor with us. Less danger, you know. Remember what you promised Don Alphonso. There! There! don't shed tears. He's all right. Hold your tears until I fail, too. For not until I fail need you worry. Why risk recognition here? You are not going to remain in Havana. You promised the don you would go at once to Mantanzas, join the regular line and see that the cargoes of his seven ships get into the right hands. So now, come, won't you?" "I shall remain here alone," said Anita decisively. 236 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Dick went away, whispering his mis- givings to Miss Daisy. Before they had reached the floor, however, Dick had forgotten Anita. Miss Daisy had a way of claiming his entire mind. They mingled with the dancers. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Casses had entered Anita's box; or rather he had swaggered in and taken a chair behind her. His air was that of one who, having been conquered in the past, feels that he is now complete master. Anita arose and bowed. She recog- nized the intruder, and her heart beat so rapidly that she feared she might faint. Did he know her? "I met your party this morning," said Casses. "I gave myself the pleasure of coming here to meet Le Comte de Gran- ville." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 23? Anita breathed easier. Thank God ! Casses had not penetrated her disguise. Indeed, why should he? Probably he supposed her dead. The last time he had seen her she was in rags very few rags to be sure and her hair hung about her in wild abandon ; she was as much unlike her present well-dressed and civilized self as possible. She felt that she need have no fear. Neither Casses nor any one who knew her in Ceuta would recognize her now. "I believe I have the honor of greeting Monsieur Casses?" she said, man fashion. "Be seated, monsieur. My friends men- tioned the fact of their meeting you. I am glad the pleasure is not entirely theirs." Anita spoke in English, attempting to give her words a French accent. 238 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Dasses' eyes twinkled merrily, and then cruelly. "We have not a moment to spare," he said, drawing nearer to her. "You are somewhat better dressed than when I last saw you Monsieur Count." Anita's heart gave one great leap. She looked about with a hunted look, dazed, like one who had received a sud- den blow from behind. She was conscious that she must answer. "I was not aware, Monsieur Casses," she stammered, "that we had met before." "Anita, come to your senses. I am here to arrest you in the name of the King of Spain. You are my prisoner." Great agitation often produces the most extraordinary calmness and clear- ness of mind. Such was the case with ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 239 Anita. She determined to depend upon her disguise and her friends and con- tinue the denial of her real self. "Are you accustomed to playing a part in a farce, Monsieur Casses? You are really clever." "Anita, you are the actress now. 1 am actor, yes, for I am here for action. You may not be quite so pleased with my acting. I have an order to take you across the harbor; you must come with me unless" the officer paused, took a package of papers from his coat pocket. "Unless," he added, "you will sign these." "Monsieur Casses, be kind enough to leave this box. Do you wish me to call my friends? They are Americans." "Americans be . Anita, listen. We must hurry. Here are the papers ; you 240 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. can guess what they are. Here is a pen, stylographic, already inked. Anita, sign these documents and I will leave the box and you shall be free and safe ever after. Refuse, and you go with me to a Morro dungeon to be shot finally, as an escaped convict and a Cuban spy caught within Spanish lines. The horrors of Ceuta will be as nothing to your life in Morro. You will be entirely at my mercy. With these papers, your fortune in the United States can be claimed. You think, perhaps, that your signature will give the money to Spain and so you contemplate a refusal. Not so, my strangler, my would - be murderess. These are deeds making over your fortune to me, personally. Come, Anita, choose! Sign or suffer." Anita sprang up. "Monsieur, I will ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 241 simply tell your fellow-officers and your countrymen what sort of a scoundrel they have among them. You have per- verted these papers to your own use. I see through it all. You are planning to rob some one by the name of Anita. I am glad to be able to protect this person, whoever she is, against such a villain as you. Leave this box at once." "Come, come, Anita, don't be so tragic. Sign these papers. Is money worth more than your life? If I leave the box, remember that you leave it too with me." Anita had been calculating the height of the balcony railing and estimating Casses' weight. While he was pleading and threatening, she suddenly seized him around the waist and with the nerve - strength of desperation, lifted him over 242 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. the railing and let go. He fell more than twelve feet, landing on the heads and shoulders of the closely packed dancers. There were curses and shouts and gen- eral confusion. Some cried fire, some said the war with America had begun, others said a Spanish officer had been murdered by one of the Americans in the captain-general's box. Amid the pandemonium Anita made her escape. Down the stairs she walked leisurely so as not to attract the atten- tion of the throngs that lined the cor- ridors and staircase. To get out she was obliged to go through the cafe. She made her way among tables crowded with those who preferred drinking to dancing. No one observed her particularly. When alone she evidently excited less ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 243 attention than with the Americans. For her dark olive complexion and her dis- tinctly Cuban features allowed her to pass unmolested in a crowd. She came to the guards at the entrance. Elated over her escape, she was about to pass when a woman stepped in front of her. This woman did not wear a domino like most of the other women at the ball. Her ample and beautiful form was robed in a gown of black lace, her face was hidden beneath a heavy black mantilla. "Halt," she commanded. "Corporal," turning to one of the soldiers, "call the guard." The soldier recognized the woman in the black mantilla. He knew her as the most beautiful and most suc- cessful of Spain's women spies in Havana. His instructions were to obey her orders as he would an officer's. 244 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. The soldier clapped his hands. A squad of eight armed soldiers rushed up and surrounded Anita. At this moment Senor Casses, rather disheveled by his fall, rushed up. He said something in a low tone to the woman in the black mantilla and then turned to Anita. "By God, you little devil, you shall pay for the pleasure you have had with me." "Indeed, Senor Casses, it is no partic- ular pleasure to kick a dog. I perceive that single-handed you are no match for a woman. Your eight men with their loaded rifles are probably more capable of overpowering me." Casses made a sign to the soldiers, and they formed in close file around the unfortunate Cuban heroine. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 245 "March!" commanded the lieutenant. "One moment," the prisoner said. And dashing between two of the soldiers on her left, she sprang to the side of the woman in black and tore the mantilla from her face. Then she ran back to her place. She had accomplished all this in less than three seconds of time. As she moved away she waved the piece of the torn mantilla toward the infuriated woman in black. "I merely wished to take this to Don Alphonso," she called back, "as a souvenir of- you, Donna Isabella." The soldiers now tied Anita's arms at the elbows and gagged her. Thus they marched through the streets a young man apparently, between two files of soldiers, four on each side, and an officer following in the rear. 246 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XIV. WHEKE were Anita's American friends? Why did they not, at least, try to save her from public arrest? Because Senora Isabella had succeeded in preventing any interference on their part. At the moment Lieutenant Casses entered the box and spoke to the sup- posed Count de Granville, the senora stepped upon the ballroom floor. Wind- ing her way through the circling throng, she came to Dick Van West's side arid whispered to him, "Senor, your friend the count is in grave danger. He is known, or rather she is recognized. You had better hasten back to your friend, la Senorita Maria Anita Verona." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 247 Dick listened to these words like one in a dream. With one hand the senora had clasped his fingers and with the other she had raised her mantilla just enough for Dick to see a face that en- tranced him. The effect of the woman's eyes on Dick was instantaneous and marvelous. Her beauty went to his head like wine. Her eyes seemed to be pricking him with a thousand invisible darts. "This way," the senora said, indicat- ing the end of the room opposite the box where Anita sat, talking with Lieutenant Casses. "But that is not the way," protested Dick. "It is the quickest way," the senora insisted. "It is the stage. Come, I will vou behind the scenes. There is a 248 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. private passage leading to the state box. You can run the length of that passage at full speed while here you will have to go slowly, because you will have to pick your way. You are an American. Tread on a single Spanish domino, jostle one Spanish sword by rushing through this crowd, and you will excite dan- gerous attention." Dick hurriedly turned and whispered to Miss Daisy, "Where are your father and mother?" "I don't know. We have lost the rest of the party in the crush." "Well, follow me, Day. Don't ask questions. Come on." Thus Dick Van West and Daisy fell into Isabella's trap. She led them to the stage. On the way they met Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly and Senator ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 249 and Mrs. Van Holland. Dick ordered them to follow him and say nothing. The senora led the party to the stage ; thence, behind the scenes to a yawning doorway opening into what appeared to be a long passage. "Enter and hurry," Isabella said, step- ping aside for the others to pass. They filed through. The last to pass was Dick. As he did so the senora said, "Your friend is now safe," and she closed the door after him, smiling. It was at this moment that Anita, with her never-failing strength, had thrown the Spanish officer over the box railing, down into the pit among the dancers. The American party in their dark and strange quarters heard the shouting of men and the screeching of women. "Big guns and bursting boilers!" ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. ejaculated Sir Charles. "Where in the deuce are we?" "Charlie, shut up," commanded his wife. "Come on, come on," said Dick, grop- ing his way in the dark. "This passage leads to the boxes." His outstretched hands came into con- tact with a wall. He turned, thinking he was moving in the wrong direction. But again he struck a wall. "We had better hurry," remarked Senator Van Holland quietly. "Poor child! Let us get to her at once," said his wife. "Excuse me, we won't get to her in a great hurry," said Dick. "We are caught in a trap. That woman with the lace thing over her head was a fine bit of cheese. This is what I get for trust- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 251 ing the quality of cheese by its appear- ance. Hello there !" and Dick pounded on what appeared to be a wooden wall. No answer. All felt a chill, a sense of coming misfortune. Dick lighted a match. They were in a long narrow passage, sure enough. But the doors at either end were locked. Of a sudden one of the doors flew open and the woman of the black mantilla stepped in, followed by a soldier bearing a lantern. "This way, this way," the senora said, as if anxious. "Why have you been so long? Recollecting the darkness of the passage I hope not too late I hurried to light your way. Come quickly." The party hurried along and entered the corridor which they recognized as 252 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. the one they had traversed in going to their box. Dick rushed ahead. In a second he returned. "She is not there," he said excitedly. The woman in the black mantilla had disappeared. Our American friends hurried down- stairs and through the cafe to the en- trance. They learned from the guards at the door that the Frenchman of their party had been led away between sol- diers they knew not why or whence, though the order they heard the lieu- tenant give was: "To the Machina." "The Machina!" echoed Dick. "Why, the Machina is where the little transport is that plies between the navy yard and Morro Castle. Come on! All file into cabs." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 253 Three cabs were called and the party got in. Dick and Mrs. Van Holland in the first, Sir Charles and Lady Bluntly in the second, and the Senator and Miss Daisy in the last. "To the Machina, and drive like the devil," shouted Dick, in Spanish, to the drivers. It was still early in the evening, per- haps about nine o'clock. Within the hour an appalling disaster was to take place. As the cathedral bells chimed the hour of nine, only those responsible for what was to follow knew the night of February 15, 1898, was to be made historical. The city was manifestly in a state of suppressed excitement. .None could tell why. Groups of soldiers gathered in the plaza, in cafes and along the Prado, and 254 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. made uncomplimentary remarks about the United States. Newsboys were crying extras in the streets. La Lucha, the leading Havana daily, announced that the Spanish min- ister to the United States, Senor de Lima, had arrived in New York and would sail for Madrid the next day. Why? Through the unjustness and hatred of the American people toward Spain. This organ of the Spanish did not tell the people of Havana that De Lima was expelled from Washington and from the United States by the justly indignant demand of the American people, and by the more direct orders of the Department of State. This paper did not censure the Spanish minister for having written scurrilous letters in which he had insulted the President of ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 255 the United States and Americans gen- erally. Oh, no! To-night in Havana the cry "Down with Americans!" was heard every- where. "Down with the American pigs!" cried both soldiers and officers. It was a bad night for Americans in that city of hot-headed, impetuous, quick- hating people. In the harbor, however, there was an unusual hush. At half -past eight o'clock the Spanish armed cruiser Alphonso XII. was towed to an anchorage further up the harbor. She had lain within a few hundred feet of the United States battleship Maine. Now she was fully six hundred feet away. The Maine was visiting Havana Harbor on no special mission merely one of the visits of courtesy which our ships 256 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. make at different times in foreign ports. The sailors on board watched the change of anchorage made by the Alphonso XII. The anchorage of a ship had never before been changed at night in Havana Harbor. "Why?" the sailor boys on the Maine asked each other. Most of the poor fellows who asked that question never received an answer. At the Machina, the wharf in front of the navy yard, lay a small launch. She flew the Spanish flag at her stern and gave other indications that she was an official boat. She was the launch which plied between the navy yard and Morro Castle. At this particular moment she had orders to wait for the Senor Lieu- tenant Casses, the governing officer of Morro. next to the comm andante. The sailor who acted as engineer sat ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 25? with his hand near the throttle of the tiny engine, asleep. Another sailor, the steersman, sat in the stern near the tiller, yawning. A noise awakened them. It was the guards challenging some one who wished to enter the navy yard. Then the sail- ors heard the tramp, tramp of feet. The next moment a file of soldiers came to halt on the edge of the wharf by the launch. The sailors were now very wide-awake. They were not to carry to Morro Castle only Senor Lieutenant Casses. Another passenger they were to have a prisoner. The prisoner's arms were tied together at the elbows behind his back. He seemed a very young man, a mere boy. He was in evening dress. Evidently he had been dragged from the gayety of a ball. He had indeed. 258 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. The prisoner stepped aboard, the lieu- tenant followed. The squad of soldiers were given the order, "Right about face," and marched back toward the city. At the same time the launch started across the harbor toward Morro Castle. In the narrow and dark street leading to the Machina there was a rattle of wheels and the clapity-clap of galloping horses. Three victorias drew up at the gates. Six people, three men and three women, rushed up to the sentry. | The youngest man of the party ad- dressed the sentry, hurriedly but politely. "May we enter? A prisoner has just been brought here?" "The prisoner has gone, senor," ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 259 "Gone? Where?" "To Morro, senor." "But a grave mistake has been made. A Frenchman has been arrested mis- taken for a Cuban girl. That person was not Anita Verona. It was a Count de Granville," explained Dick. "We must pass," he insisted, "we want a boat." "It is too late, senor. Boats are not allowed to leave the wharf at night." "But that boat just left." "That was official, senor." "Official? Whose boat was it?" "The prisoner is in the custody of Lieu- tenant Casses, the second officer in com- mand of Morro Castle, senor." Dick gasped. "Casses, did you say? Good God! Friends, Anita is in the hands of a villain who will not spare 260 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY- her. Something must be done at once. I thought if we could overtake that boat I co aid bribe the officer and get Anita back. These Spanish soldiers and their officers will do anything for gold. But Anita is in the hands of Casses. You all remember Anita's story of Ceuta prison colony. You therefore know that in arresting Anita this man Casses is ac- complishing something more than mere duty. He has personal reasons revenge." After a few minutes' further parley with the sentry, Dick gave up the chase in that quarter and ordered the whole party to follow him to the public wharf, "Now, see here," said Dick, as they hurried on. "There's no use chasing that Lieutenant Casses, for there's no hope of obtaining Anita's escape ANITA. THE CUBAN SPY. 261 through bribing him. Now, here's a plan. Sir Charles, you take the ladies don't cry, Daisy dear, Anita's as safe as the don himself take the ladies, I say, Sir Charles, drive like the deuce and find the American consul. He lives at the Hotel Inglaterra. Wake him up. Tell him what has happened and ask if he can help us. There is evidence against the poor old don, of course. But they have nothing of which they can accuse the Count de Granville. Hurry ! Mean- while, the senator and myself will get ourselves rowed out to the Maine we will go aboard and see what the captain of one of Uncle Sam's battleships can do for us." They had by this time reached the public wharf. 262 ANITA, TtiE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XV. ALL the boats that ply the harbor by day were moored along the public wharf in a long line. Here and there in a boat lay its owner, asleep. Dick shouted, rousing them all at the same time. The boatmen sprang up, then climbed ashore and crowded around the party, asking them what they wanted. When told somebody wished to be rowed to the Maine, they threw up their hands, a sign of helplessness, and shrugged their shoulders. No boats were allowed to leave any wharf in Havana at night. "All right," exclaimed Dick at last. "Sir Charles, you hurry to the consul. Senator, you go with Sir Charles and ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 263 the ladies. For I am going to tackle the Maine end of this alone." All this time Dick had been disrobing. He had thrown off his coat, waistcoat, collar and tie, and was now attacking his shoes. "Gatling guns and doomed demons!" roared Sir Charles. "What are you up to, Dick?" "Going to swim out to the Maine and ye Gods! " The end of his sentence could not be heard. Out of the stillness of the harbor had come a n uproar, a crushing and a banging, indescribably frightful. There is no sound in human experience awful enough to compare to the detonation of that moment. The sky was glowing and the air was full of flying missiles. An explosion! An explosion more 264 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. dreadful and with more tragic results than could at first be imagined. What were the missiles flying in every direction only to fall into the water and sink? They were huge guns and small spars, bits of rope and pieces of iron and human bodies. Our party on the wharf were wild with excitement and terror and the agony of helplessness. "Good God!" shrieked Dick. "It is the Maine. She's been blown up and what is left of her is on fire!" The uproar, the screams of mortal agony, the flaring of demon flames, the continued crash as of millions of iron plates being hurled into heaps, were as horrible as terrible. Dick and Sir Charles and the senator sprang each into a boat. They had no ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 265 need to offer the boatmen money, for harbor laws were forgotten; all thought only of the laws of common humanity. Each of our party took a hand at the oars. They were pulling not for their own lives, but to save others'. For once, these ever-gallant gentlemen left ladies alone at night in a public place. The ladies had insisted, and bravely and eagerly awaited the first demand for their services. "If we do not come ashore in one hour," called Dick to the ladies, "make one of these boatmen row you out to the Tramp. If things are bad, if there are many hurt, we will need you on the Tramp as nurses. The Tramp is the nearest American ship to the wreck and we will use her as a hospital." The three boats had pulled out in the 266 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. midst of the floating debris and flounder- ing men crying for help. Sir Charles and the senator took in every poor fel- low, alive or dead, as they came across him. Dick, correspondent of the New York Diurnal, with the biggest and most tragic story of his life to get to New York that night, pulled out direct to the burning Maine. On his way he kept shouting first in English and then in Spanish: "Take all men picked up to the Tramp, the American yacht lying near the Maine." An hour later he boarded the Tramp. His offer of the Tramp as hospital had been accepted, and wounded men were being brought aboard as fast as possible. Every berth was already filled, and the men were now laid on the deck. Sir ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 267 Charles, the senator and the ladies were all on board, doing what they could to relieve the agony of the victims of the disaster. "Can't stop to tell you much," shouted Dick excitedly. "I must get ashore, rush up to the Spanish censor and get him to hold the wire open while I write down the facts. I've seen more in the last hour than could be told in forty columns. The Maine has probably been blown up from outside, you know. Entire forward part of the ship blown to a misshapen mass. Two hundred and fifty sailors dead or missing. Officers all saved but two. I'll be back in an hour." "We have one man here," said Sir Charles, detaining the busy correspond- ent. "By what is left of his uniform he appears to be a Spanish officer. He 268 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. was stunned and drowning when we picked him up, but is better now. The man recovered consciousness just in time to beg us not to bring him aboard. He wanted to be taken ashore. Says he has friends on shore and we are all enemies. A personal matter seems to grieve him more than the wreck of the Maine. He claims to have lost papers which were worth a fortune in cash." The officer lay stretched on the deck, his head pillowed on a coil of rope. He was conscious, said he would recover; but even as he spoke he sank into unconsciousness. "Who is he?" asked Dick. And the correspondent began searching the man's clothing for a card or any scrap of paper that might identify him. The man's neck was bare. On each ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 269 side of that neck Dick noticed a peculiar discoloration of the skin, marks about the size of a silver dollar and as blue as indigo. "Those are marks carried for life by a man whom somebody has strangled nearly to death," said Dick. "I'll bet I know who he is." Just then the man was again momen- tarily conscious. "You are Lieutenant Casses?" asked Dick excitedly. "I am," the man said. "And may you be damned for a thief. Where are my papers? Where is my prisoner?" About this time, in the heart of the city, la Senora Isabella drove to the station of the Havana and Matanzas Railroad. She sent the following tele- 270 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. gram to the commandante of the forts surrounding each station on the line : "If unknown man or woman disem- barks midnight train from Havana at your station, do not molest but follow him or her secretly, with largest force of men you can muster." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 271 CHAPTER XVI. EVENTS very important to this narrative were yet to happen on the night of that memorable 15th of February. Or rather the events which follow can be said f more appropriately, to have occurred on the morning of the 16th. At half -past four that morning a com- pany of insurgents might have been found encamped on a small coral island off the coast of Cuba, a few miles from Matanzas, as you come toward Havana. Matanzas is about seventy-five miles from Havana. It is to the capital of Cuba what Philadelphia is to New York. It is a four hours' ride by the Havana and Matanzas railroad. 272 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. The forty insurgents encamped on the coral island already referred to were all awake. N*ot a man had slept either that night or the night before. They were few, and the ears and eyes of each were needed. Why were they there, those forty men? Apparently, it was a barren place, of no value and of no importance. In reality, it was for the insurgents at that time of the greatest and most vital consequence. This was the island cnosen by Don Alphonso de Castro as a landing-place for his filibustering expe- dition. It was the place chosen by him and the captains of his seven vessels as an armory, a magazine and a supply station. Here were hidden, presumably safely, arms, ammunition for seventy thousand rebels, and food enough to feed the seventy thousand for more than two ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 273 months. And all this valuable property was being guarded by only forty men. Only forty men. Why not more? More than a corporal's guard might attract attention. Even forty were too many. For with mountains of food on that island, food was scarce. The boxes of supplies were carefully hidden, not a package was in sight. These men were prepared for discovery and attack. They were ready to die, if need be. But the hiding-place of the arms, ammunition and food for seventy thousand of their comrades in arms should not be dis- covered. They were ready to be slaugh- tered one by one rather than reveal the hiding-place of the stores sent by the beloved don. The seven ships had reached them the night before, and had unloaded and 274 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. sailed away empty and safe. This much had happened just as the don described to the party on the Tramp. The hitch had come not at this end, not with the real filibustering ships, but with the seven make-believers at Havana. How had those few cases of arms been loaded on the Havana ships? Those few cases had furnished the incriminating evidence that sent Don Alphonso to Morro Castle. The only difference his incarceration had made in this company of forty guardsmen on the coral island was grief for the don and the crews of his ships, and the presence of a number of cases of provisions which had been intended really for the reconcentrados in Havana. The clothes of the forty could not be said to be a uniform. They were ap- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 275 pareled in rags and broken shoes, the best they had known for months. The only things which all had alike were their weapons a rifle and a machete. Each carried his rifle perpetually. Each wore his machete buckled at his side. All of them had long beards, not having felt the razor for weeks. For they had been living on that island a long time, watching and waiting. Their food consisted of uncooked codfish and cornmeal. No coffee. They dared not build a fire. Still they were waiting. For whom? A scout had crossed to the mainland during the night and learned of the seizure of the don and his seven ships. They had been waiting for the don. He was in prison. Now they were waiting for word from him, for orders. For they 276 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. knew the don and believed that he would send a message, or a representative, in some way or other. Where were the stores? A stranger there would have declared the hiding of anything on that island an impossibility. In the center of the place, which was, perhaps, the size of a two-acre lot was a sort of coral hill. Coral is porous. Some of its pores are big holes, other pores are caverns. The hill in the cen- ter of the island was a cavern. It formed a sort of fort and would be useful in case of attack. The stores? Were hidden in this fort? No ! They were buried, drowned in the little inlet that separated the island from the mainland. Who would think of searching the bottom of a river bed for stores? No wonder the packages had been unloaded in a single ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 27? night. They had simply been thrown overboard. For the don had had each case packed in a coating of lead and hermetically sealed. It was the most novel idea ever conceived by filibusters. The forty waited and watched, and strung themselves out along the edge of the island that faced the mainland. Only one or two watched the side toward the sea. At the hour named, half-past four, day had just begun to break through the night. The sky at the moment was all white, the earth all black. The forty were all smoking. The lighted ends of cigars and cigarettes gleamed in the blackness like live coals. A Cuban will starve cheerfully, but take away his cigar and he is perfectly miserable. Of a sudden the human and vigilant 278 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. line along the inlet heard a whistle. It was like the chirping of a bobolink. The whistle was repeated. Forty ham- mers of forty rifles clicked. "Who comes there?" called the ser- geant of the guard. "Friends," came back the answer. "Countersign," called the sergeant. "Anita, the Cuban spy," was the answer. Forty hammers of forty rifles were immediately lowered again to half-lock. The countersign as given was evidently correct. They recognized the words and were eager to receive the "friend." "Can you swim?" the sergeant called. "We have no boat." The answer was a splash in the water. Three minutes later a human form climbed out of the water to the bank. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 279 The guard said, "Welcome. What is the news?" "The don is in prison," said the new- comer, with chattering teeth. "We know that," said the sergeant. All this time not one of the forty had moved from his post. Something un- usual had happened, but the sergeant had not given his men the order to break ranks. "The crew of his seven vessels are in Morro Castle with the don," said the newcomer. "We know that," the sergeant re- peated. "Well, then, my man," the stranger said, laughing, "I will tell you no more news till you supply me with a dry suit of clothes." "Welcome," the sergeant responded, 280 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. throwing off his ragged coat and kneel- ing to remove his shoes. "One moment," the stranger said, kneeling by the sergeant and whispering, "Santa Maria!" exclaimed the insur- gent, springing to his feet. "Men, break ranks and welcome La Senorita Anita Verona, representative of Senor Don Alphonso and your chief. The men rushed forward and crowded round the senorita. As yet, however, it was too dark to see her face. As it was they carried her to the coral cavern, threw coats, shirts, trousers and shoes at her feet and left her to put them on. Where those men raised an extra pair of trousers from was a mystery until one of the party at daylight was discovered wearing a blanket wrapped around his legs, after the manner of an Indian. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 231 Day came, broad daylight. Anita came out of the cavern and the men gathered round. Then she told her story, a story that made the men rally round her and gaze at her with their black, lynx eyes full of admiration and pride. She was, indeed, Anita, the Cuban spy. Before beginning the story of the blowing up of the United States battle- ship Maine, and her escape from the clutches of her old persecutor of the Island of Ceuta, Lieutenant Casses, she outlined to the men the plans she and the don had made for the distribution of the ammunition and food and clothing to seventy thousand insurgents. It was a gigantic undertaking. Not ten thou- sand insurgents were in the field in all Cuba. Where were the remaining sixty 282 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. thousand to come from? By sending soldiers from town to town enlisting recruits. When told that their pay was guaranteed, that they would have food to eat, medical attendance and clothes on their backs, the men of Cuba would be more willing to fight. "But the story of last night," the ser- geant interrupted. "How did you escape?" "Ah, sergeant," said Anita. "I would like to have stayed there in Havana Harbor and nurse those wounded and dying sailors. Hundreds of them were sleeping in their hammocks when they were hurled to their death. A bigger noise I never heard. Even the waters of the harbor seemed to be shaken as by an earthquake. The launch in which Senor Casses was taking me to Morro ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 283 was steaming between the Maine and the Tramp. The Tramp is the yacht which brought me to Cuba. Just then the explosion occurred. Somehow, I know not exactly how, our boat was broken into splinters. Perhaps the two soldiers who manned her were drowned. I do not know. I only know that I suddenly found myself in the water. My arms were tied behind my back. Holy Virgin! I felt myself sinking. What could I do with my arms shackled to- gether? I came to the surface and gave one cry. I was about to sink again when I thought of a trick I learned years ago. It was to float. I managed to get flat on the water, and surely enough I floated. In the general confusion a boatman picked me up. He thought I was a man and he thought me dead. I proved to 284 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPV. him that I was alive. I asked him to please untie my arms. He did so. The boatman was nearly mad with excite- ment. Exactly as I wanted him. I told him to row me across the harbor, that I lived over there, that I would like to go home. He rowed. Bless that boatman! He landed me within a few yards of the railroad station. I thanked him and ran away. The regular train to Matanzas had been blown up early in the evening train entirely demolished. I remem- bered that another train had been advertised to leave at midnight. That must be my train ! I should have sent word to my friends that I was safe, but I dared not. To go back to Havana would have resulted in my recapture. I therefore had to get that train. But I could not embark in my wet clothes. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 285 They would excite suspicion and I was unknown. I challenged the first man on the street to change clothes. Mine, though wet, were of the finest texture, though the coat was made to wear only in the evening. I had lots of money in my pockets, thanks to the New York Diurnal. You have all read of what that paper did and did not do for me. Well, I offered the man one hundred dollars in gold for his clothes. I stipulated that he must take me to his house, leave the clothes in a room for me, and go away while I changed. The pian worked beautifully. Merciful Virgin! what's that?" The forty insurgents had gathered round their sergeant and the senorita They sat in a bunch on the ground, dip- ping shredded codfish into cornmeal and 286 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. eating it with their fingers. The choice pieces were given to Anita, their heroine. The only moment in all the weeks they had passed on that island the only moment in which they had relaxed their vigilance was this present one. Ab- sorbed in Anita's story, they had for- gotten the narrow inlet and its secret. They had forgotten that the mainland was within rifle shot and that they were sitting exposed to any eye on the oppo- site bank. At the moment Anita cried, "What's that?" a shower of bullets rained among them and two of the forty brave ones fell back dead, with the codfish they were going to eat clinched in their hands. The remaining soldiers rushed into the coral cavern, dragging their dead com- rades with them. Anita seized the two ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 287 rifles belonging to the dead men, and was the last to enter the little cavern. But now that they were in the fort, how were they to shoot at the enemy? They had had just time enough to per- ceive on the opposite bank a force of Spanish soldiers, ten times their own number. Four hundred to forty. What were they to do? How to fight? How to defend? How to drive back? Their only hope lay in the fact that the enemy had no boats. If they swam across they might get their rifles and ammunition wet. While they were swimming the insurgents would shoot. Thus they reasoned that little band of now less than forty. One of the men stepped out of the cavern's opening, took aim, and fired. A yell from the opposite bank told him 288 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. that his shot had hit its mark. But that brave, perhaps rash, man did not return to the cavern. A hundred bullets were buried in his body. Riddled like a sieve he fell in his tracks, barricading the coral opening. Evidently the insurgents could not fight that way. They had nothing to do at present but to await the pleasure of the enemy. They had not long to wait. A splash- ing was heard in the water. The insur- gents knew the Spanish had begun to swim. "Charge!" cried the sergeant. The little garrison made a sortie and fired at the swimmers. At the same time the reserves on the opposite bank fired a volley into the rebel ranks. They had evidently killed many of the swimmers. But when they rushed back * -^+ r^nmv^ Copyright 1898, by F. Tennyson Neely. Havana. An evening custom. A Cuban window ; no jlass windows ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 289 into their fort to reload they left ten men dead on the coral bank. Beside the dead, fifteen of those in the fort were wounded, some mortally. Two men gone, then ten more. Add to that fifteen more disabled and they had left only thirteen who were able to handle a rifle. Anita, of course, made fourteen. What was to be done? Another sortie would surely finish them. Ah ! let the enemy come. There was only one opening into the cavern. As the Spanish soldiers came up the insur- gents would shoot them one by one. But, meantime, what had happened? They heard the Spaniards shouting like so many maniacs. "They have discovered the stores," said the sergeant. "When we fired at 390 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. their swimmers one fellow at least took a dive. He landed on something solid. He dived again to investigate. He told his comrades and they all dived. They have discovered that the whole bed of the inlet is floored with leaden cases. Those Spaniards are enemies, but they are not fools. Some one has informed them of our hiding-place and told them that not only men but stores are here." The shouting .continued. The insur- gents could hear the Spanish officers yelling orders. "Go to the village! Bring ropes and chains and mules and carts." Such were the orders. While the fatigue party went for the necessary things to raise and carry off the supplies, the men left to do the fight- ing had evidently determined to fight. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 291 The little band of fourteen insurgents heard a splashing far greater than the previous one. In a few minutes they heard shouts on the coral bank. "Stand ready to fire," commanded the sergeant. The Spanish soldiers rushed upon the coral fort in a body. A deadly volley poured out of the opening. They re- treated, leaving a heap of dead and wounded. Horrible warfare ! To kill and to get killed! The insurgents inside could shoot. The Spaniards outside had no human targets to shoot at. The opening was only wide enough to admit one man at a time. Suddenly there was silence outside^ A corresponding silence inside. 292 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. A voice on the outside said, "Brave men of Cuba, surrender. We are ten to your one. We have your supplies. You have nothing more to fight for to-day. Surrender on promise of life and proper treatment. Fight, and we promise you death." "We have a woman here," roared the sergeant. "We will surrender the woman to save her life. We men prefer to die." "Let the woman stand forth," said the voice outside. "We are not fighting women." Anita protested indignantly. No, she preferred death to the treatment she would get at the hands of the Spanish soldiers. No, she would not budge. Some of the men stepped forward to drag her out, anything to save her from ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 293 the horrible butchery that must soon take place. Anita drew the machete which early in the fight she had taken from a dead comrade and buckled at her waist. She poised the machete awful weapon, broad and sharp threateningly and said : "Men of Cuba, I love you. But the first man who lays hands on me receives this knife in his body. I have said that I prefer to die with you not with the Spaniards. I know them too well." "Ah, senorita," said the sergeant. "Lower your machete. You will not have to use it. We are not brutes. Die if you can." And the sergeant gave hurried orders in a tone too low for Anita to under- stand. Immediately the men, that brave band 294 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. of thirteen, rushed one by one out of the coral opening. Each man as he rushed through had time to fire his rifle once. Thon he fell, riddled with bullets. Anita was alone. She now stepped out, her rifle ready, prepared like her comrades to shoot just once and to die. As she raised her rifle a heavy blow sent it flying from her hands. At the same time she heard the order, "Cease firing." Anita was beautiful. She was young. Spanish soldiers do not kill beautiful young women. Their shots are saved for the old and the ugly. An officer stepped to Anita's side and bowed. "Senorita Anita Verona, I have the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 295 honor of knowing you. I have also the honor of protecting you as a prisoner of Spain." Anita's lip curled. She recognized this officer. "Senor Colonel Garcia, I remember you as the man who. ordered my father and my sister shot in the doorway of our home. Can you expect mercy from my father's daughter?" And whisking the machete from its scabbarb she made a lunge at the colonel. That gallant officer, however, had sprung out of the way of the murderous Anita. Before she could make another lunge the machete was snatched from Anita's hand by a soldier. Again her arms were tied together at the elbows, behind her back. 296 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "But don't hurt or mar the pretty rebel," ordered the colonel. And he winked at his fellow -officers signifi- cantly. For the third time Anita was a prisoner. She was termed a menace to the welfare of Spain. This time she was taken in the act of bearing arms against her country. This time she was a prisoner of war and prisoner of war, in Cuba, means hardship, want, exposure, hunger, torture and, for a woman, things worse than those mentioned and wholly unmentionable. The supplies seized, the don's expedi- tions both failures, the don himself in Morro Castle, and forty brave men of Cuba just slain before her eyes, no pros- pect but death for herself, no .hope for the independence of Cuba, Anita was ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 297 hopeless, despairing. As her arms were helpless, the soldiers carried her across the inlet to the mainland of ruined Cuba. As her feet touched the soil she realized that she had begun a wretched existence as a prisoner of war. She wept. But the tears suddenly turned to ice on her cheeks. For before her stood Lieutenant Casseg. 298 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XVII. Now began the most dreadful period of Anita's life days of burnings and butchery, nights of horror -and outrage, an extended carnival of gore and ghast- liness. At the beginning of the rebel- lion she had seen her father and her sis- ter shot in the doorway of their home- shot by the soldiers of this same Colonel Garcia, into whose merciless hands fate had given her, a prisoner. They carried her father and sister away, whether already dead or yet suffering Anita did not know. The shock killed her mother, and on the same day Anita was sent to the Isle of Pines. From there she was sent to Ceuta, on the African coast, ANITA, THE CUBAN SfY. 299 where she passed two years two years of torture. But all the horrible scenes she witnessed there all the shedding of blood she had seen since, all these were as nothing to the outrages and murders which she beheld now, on her march as a prisoner of war from Coral Island to Matanzas. At the sight of Lieutenant Casses she shrank away, as from a leper. She had only one consolation, that she was not now Casses' prisoner, but Colonel Gar- cia' s. For even her father's murderer, Garcia, had a reputation for occasional fairness, while Casses was never known to resort to kindness when, there was the slightest chance of profit in cruelty. Even this single consolation was denied Anita. "You think you are Garcia's property, 300 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. hey?" Casses hissed in her ear. "Well, my Count de Granville, you might as well know that you are not his property, but mine. I took good care to bring papers authorizing the delivery of your person to me. My Count de Granville, you escaped again last night, didn't you? Well, escape once more if you can. For by all the saints, I'll keep you this time or kill you. So you are still in men's clothes, hey ! Well, then, as long as you wish to be a man, we will treat you as one of such, you strangling" and he called her by the worst of names. Then turning to a soldier he added, "Ser- geant, hitch up this prisoner with the rest. If he won't march, why, you know what to do." Such was the true nature of Casses. After his treachery and his narrow ANITA. THE CUBAN SPY. 301 escape from death by Anita's strangling arms at Ceuta, he had asked the war department of Spain to transfer him to Cuba. He had come hoping to meet Anita. And his hopes had two reasons. First, to get the Cuban girl to sign over the claims to her American fortune to him. He had brought the papers with him, secretly, from Ceuta. Second, revenge. He had hoped to get the for- tune before beginning his revenge. But now the papers lay at the bottom of Havana Harbor. Anita's signature was no longer of any consequence to him. Now this manly Spanish lieutenant looked upon Anita as simply a she-dog who had once bitten him and whom he meant to kick as often as he chose till he should throw her into an underground kennel in Morro Castle. 302 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. But how did Casses come to be at Coral Island? We last saw him lying on the deck of the Tramp, damning Sir Charles Bluntly and Senator Van Hol- land for saving him from drowning. The blowing up the Maine was nothing to him. He had lost his papers and his prisoner that is, his fortune and his vengeance. Therefore he had lost everything. It maddened him, made him well and strong. He sprang up, left the Tramp, hurried ashore and sought Isabella. From that beautiful and successful spy he learned that Anita had reached shore and left Havana by the midnight train on the Matanzas railroad. Just then a telegram was handed Isabella: "Stranger got off at Guadaloupe. Took coast road toward Coral Island. Entire garrison four hundred following." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 303 Ten minutes later Lieutenant Casses ordered the railroad to furnish him with a locomotive as far as Guadaloupe. He arrived at the shore, as we have seen, just as Anita was brought across the inlet. Obeying the lieutenant's order to "hitch her up" with the other prisoners, the sergeant now led her away. "But the men over there on the island," she said, turning back to Casses. "Some of them are only wounded. Surely you will not leave them there to die." Colonel Garcia, who had been listen- ing, answered: "That's so, pretty bird, that's so. They are not dead. Here, corporal" and the colonel gave an order in a low tone. The corporal and a squad of four men 304 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. swam across the inlet to the island. Anita saw them walk deliberately up to the wounded men, place the muzzle of a rifle in the mouth of each in turn and Anita, terrified, turned away. But she heard the shots and knew that all was over. Such is war in Cuba ; a war that is not a war, for it has not been recognized as such. As the Cubans are not belligerents they are simply considered by the Spanish as so many bandits. If any of those forty brave men on Coral Island had been only slightly wounded, they would have been taken prisoners for prisoners are always useful. They can be made to do all the hard work in a Spanish camp. But badly wounded, no! They are no use as prisoners. As a rule the Spanish do not waste even the bul- ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 305 lets that would end the lives and the misery of the badly wounded. But in this instance Garcia and Casses wished to impress Anita the most notorious of women rebels on the island of Cuba, they had heard the men on Coral Island call her. The Spanish officers took great pleasure in killing off her admirers. "Whose are you now, my pretty bird?" the colonel asked. "Mine!" Casses answered, glaring at the colonel. "Yours, lieutenant? Well, she doesn't look as if she belonged to anybody at this particular moment, in that insurgent suit of clothes. A girl in masculine rags! Ho, ho, my pretty bird, the lieu- tenant here says you are his, but I rather think you women prefer a colonel, every time, hey?" 306 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Casses again glanced at his superior officer. The colonel only laughed. Evidently there would be trouble be- tween those two men, because of their prisoner. Anita perceived the situation and took advantage of it. She knew that a difference between these two men would save her. She said : "Colonel, I would rather be a prisoner for life in your charge than to be in the charge of Senor Casses for an hour. Colonel, you are a warrior, but you are also a man." "Ho, ho, lieutenant," laughed the colonel, "the Senorita Anita does not appear to enjoy your holding the keys to her liberty." The colonel, as Anita supposed, was susceptible to flattery and began at once acting upon the quality of manliness which Anita had ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 307 attributed to him. "Lieutenant," he added significantly, "notwithstanding that you have a written warrant for the person of the senorita, she shall still be in the charge of my men during the march to Matanzas." And the colonel rode away. Casses' eyes were full of blackest hatred. On his brow there was that which denotes murderous and revengeful thoughts. The sergeant who had led Anita away now untied her arms. Oh! the feeling of relief! It lasted but a moment. For the sergeant, with a still stronger rope, tied her to one of the prisoners. All the prisoners were now bound in couples with ropes that held their elbows tightly behind them. They were mostly young men, evidently Cubans. By their 308 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. conversation Anita soon learned that they were Cubans of the upper classes that is, lawyers, physicians, bankers and landholders. But all were ragged, dirty and half-starved. Some were bare- footed; others wore alpargatas, canvas shoes with rope soles. Many of them already showed symptoms of various diseases. There was not a man of sound appearance among them. All this while the four hundred, or rather the three hundred-odd soldiers, for the brave forty on Coral Island had not fired their last shots in vain, had been cooking breakfast. There was bacon and coffee. All had their rations except the prisoners. They were given nothing. Casses, passing Anita as if by accident, said: "You do not need breakfast, hey? They tell me you were eating codfish ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 309 with your your forty lovers, when we gave you that surprise party." Just then Colonel Garcia came along. "Ho, ho! lieutenant, making things pleasant for my pretty bird? Ho, ho! there, sergeant, who tied those knots? Well, untie them, let the bird have her wings. How dare you tie my pretty bird to a dog ! Loosen her, I say. Now give her some coffee and meat and then give her a mount. Sergeant, these are my orders." And the colonel lighted a big cigar and walked away. The march began. The string of prisoners, in couples as described, were guarded on either side by files of sol- diers. Behind them came Anita, on a mule. At the rear came the regular column. Anita, looking back, saw Casses and 310 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Garcia riding their horses side by side, in close conversation. She shuddered. What were they planning now? After a two hours' march they entered the shade of a grove of palms. The colonel halted. All the prisoners were untied. Not a word was said. Evi- dently it was the custom to give prison- ers a little liberty in camp. The prison- ers wandered off, each looking back furtively, as if unaccustomed to this free use of their limbs. At last they disap- peared in all directions. Anita remained where she was, wondering. She gath- ered some grass for her mule. The camp itself seemed nearly deserted. Out of more than three hundred men only the officers seemed to be in the camp. Of a sudden shots were heard, a volley ; another volley and shrieks ; then ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 311 one more volley, followed by shouts and brutal laughter. A few minutes later the soldiers came pouring back into camp, evil expressions on their already hideous faces. When the column resumed the march Anita was the only prisoner. Her fel- low-Cubans had been murdered in cold blood. Too horrified to ask one ques- tion, to utter one protest, she rode on, hating and hopeless and dizzy. The colonel rode up to her. "We have sent your comrades in another direction, my pretty bird. We thought the dogs were no fit company for you. They were hungry and they might eat you. When you are lonesome, call on the colonel." Later Casses reined up by her side. "You see," he said, "our prisons are ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. full. That is the way we have of reduc- ing the congestion. That is the way we ought to treat all you bandit devils, Anita, love. Love? Yes ! there is much love between us, damn you. I gave you your chance last night in that ballroom and again in that accursed harbor. However, even if you had signed the papers they would have been of no use now. They are lost. And besides I should have taken you to Morro any- way. You hate me, don't you? Well, once you loved me, hey? Remember how you asked me to your downy couch of stone in the grotto at Ceuta? Yes, I've told the colonel of our little love episodes my version of them, you understand." And Casses spurred his horse on, mut- tering, "If Garcia' s pretty bird ever ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 313 takes him under her wing, she'll give him her version of the story. Ah, my friend Garcia, to-morrow morning you will roast in hell." About four o'clock the column entered the town of Ramonita. As the soldiers needed supplies they began looting the few shops in the main street. What they could not carry away they threw into the middle of the road. The shop- keepers begged them to leave what they did not want. The soldiers laughed. In a house a few yards from the shops lived a family, the father and sons of which were away fighting in the patriot ranks. The eldest daughter, whose husband was also in the Cuban army, was standing on the door- step with a child in her arms. A Spanish soldier went up to her, and with 314 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. a volley of oaths said, "What is that you have in your arms a little rebel?" Then with his bayonet he tossed the infant across the road, dashing out its brains on the opposite wall. The next moment he transfixed the shrieking woman against the door of her father's house. An officer who watched the double murder laughed. Anita, who happened to be near, shrieked. The laughing officer ordered her to "shut up." On to the next town marched the column. This was the town of Holgrim. As they entered Anita noticed a litter on which lay a wounded Cuban, whom six Spanish soldiers were taking to prison. The poor fellow was groaning piteously, and the soldiers were telling ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 315 him to keep quiet. A curious crowd of about fifty men and boys, manifestly all patriots, followed the litter and openly expressed their anger at the brutal remarks of the soldiers. They did not, however, attempt to rescue the prisoner until, just in front of a massive building known as "La Periquesa," the corporal struck the prisoner on the head with the butt of his rifle, stunning him. With a roar the mob rushed upon the soldiers like wild beasts, the light of madness in their eyes. Revolvers and short clubs were suddenly produced, and the citizens attacked the Spaniards savagely. Two of the six soldiers were killed before they had time to realize that their cor- poral's brutality had goaded the crowd to fury. The four others dropped the 316 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. litter, wheeled and fired full into the faces of their assailants. But that volley was their last. An- other moment and they had them, grip- ping their throats with the tenacity of a monster devil-fish and dashing them to the ground, where they were trampled under foot until every one of them was reduced to a shapeless pulp. Meanwhile, the shots and shouts had been heard at the barracks, only three blocks away, and shortly afterward a company of soldiers turned the corner on the double-quick. Halting just long enough to fix their bayonets, they charged upon the crowd, expecting it to dissolve at the first touch of cold steel. Those soldiers were probably never more surprised in their lives, for the patriots, instead of flying, rushed to meet them ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 317 halfway, and a hand-to-hand fight fol- lowed, in which the soldiers got de- cidedly more than they had expected. Driven back by the crowd, the soldiers retreated in disorder, but formed again and poured a volley of bullets into the crowd. More than a dozen of the patriots fell, but the crowd, which by this time had been doubled, dashed at the troops again and again, only to re- ceive each time a deadly fire that mowed them down by scores. Fifteen minutes after the first charge two more companies arrived from the barracks and a troop of cavalry dashed around the other corner and charged the crowd in the rear. The patriots, caught fast in the jaws of death, met their fate bravely. At the end of the fight more than a hundred of them were dead or dying, and nearly as many 318 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. more were captives. The prisoners were at once sentenced to death by a court- martial. They were shot against the rear wall of the barracks. All this Anita either actually saw with her own eyes or heard from Casses' brutal lips. He seemed to take a partic- ular and fiendish pleasure in showing how the Spanish conducted warfare. "You can begin to understand," he said, "how we intend to deal with a prisoner of your own rank and distinc- tion." Toward night they neared Matanzas. At El Buren, about four miles from the city, the soldiers decided they were hungry and must eat. They halted in front of a plantation. It was in ruins, but. just the same the soldiers espied several pigs wallowing near the house. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 319 They ordered the keeper of the place, who sat on the doorstep beside his aged mother, to kill and cook a pig for them. He did so, and after they had eaten the pig he started down the steep hill in front of the house to get them some water from the river. When he was halfway down they deliberately fired upon him from above, shooting him in the back. He fell dead at the foot of the cliff. Then they threw his body at the feet of his aged mother, saying: "There is your son; see if he has been hurt." Sickened with the sights of that day, appalled by the horrors she had wit- nessed, Anita ended that day's march in a state of unconsciousness. It was the first time she had swooned since that awful war began. She had been over- 320 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. powered now, simply because she had been helpless to act, to speak, to pre- vent. Casses and Garcia had evidently determined that this Cuban girl, whose name had been made world-famous by her escape from Ceuta, should see that the only result of the publicity she had given the Cuban war was to make it more bloody and more cruel. The scenes had proved too much even for her strong physique. At the gate of the town she simply fell from her mule into the road. At the same instant an old man and a young girl, both dirty and in rags, both reduced, through star- vation, to skeletons, rushed to the pros- trate girl's side. Unheeding the protests of the soldiers these creatures threw themselves upon Anita. "My daughter!" wailed the old man. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 321 "My sister!" cried the young girl. Anita opened her eyes, sat up. "Donalita sister!" she gasped. And then, " My father!" 322 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XVIII. ANITA'S father and sister were starv ing, dying for want of a crust of bread. In Matanzas there was not even a bone for them to gnaw. Twenty thou- sand others were suffering in the same way. They were called reconcen- trados. In the second year of the iebellion Captain -General Weyler sent out an edict notifying all the country people to concentrate in the towns. The country people, non-combatants or pacificos, as they were called, always favored the rebels. When a countrj-- man saw a Spanish column approaching, he would run pellmell to the insurgent ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 323 camp and give notice of the enemy's com- ing. So General Weyler said to these people: "If you want to fight, go fight. If not come into the towns." He gave them eight days to concentrate. All who had not obeyed the order on the ninth day were marched into the nearest town at the point of the bayonet, or else mur- dered outright. Since then five hundred thousand re- concentrados, deprived of their property, of all they owned, with no way to earn a living, had died of starvation. There were now five hundred thousand left. Of these, two hundred and fifty thousand were beyond help. The remaining two hundred and fifty thousand starving ones could yet be saved. Among these were Anita's father and sister. These two living skeletons appeared 324 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. like lepers. Their shriveled flesh lay on their bones like parchment. Each wore but one garment; neither had shoes; both were bareheaded, with no roof but the sky. They had slept in the gutters every night for months. They waited eagerty for death, wondering why it did not come. And who was directly responsible for their suffering? This same Colonel Garcia, whom they now saw heading the battalion that had just arrived in Matanzas. He it was who had con- fiscated Senor Verona's estate, who had intended to kill all his family. Instead, realizing that he had only wounded Senor Verona and his youngest daughter, the colonel carried them off and threw them, wounded and bleeding, into the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 325 streets of Matanzas and left them. There they had been ever since that is, for more than two years. The Spanish soldiers would not let them go out. They knew not what had become of the other members of the family mother and Anita. To-night into the lives of these two came the first ray of light, of hope, they had known for two years. The father beheld his other daughter, Anita, fainting but alive. And the sister saw again her childhood's playmate, and she would have wept had she the necessary strength. For to weep needs a strength which the starving do not possess. The sight of her father and sister seemed to cure Anita of her weakness as by magic. She sprang up, kissed the 326 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. poor, shriveled hands of her father, and then of her sister. "Together again," she cried. "Oh, father, we have suffered cruelly. We will not part again. Surely they will let you go with me. You shall have the food they throw to me." Just then Colonel Garcia rode up. "Here, here! What's this prisoner talking with reconcentrado swine. Ser- geant, we camp here to-night. Put the prisoner in solitary confinement at head- quarters." And before Anita understood what was happening she was torn again from her father and sister. Headquarters meant the house which the colonel was to occupy. His lieu- tenants had scoured the town, and pick- ing out the house with the fullest larder, ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 327 they took possession in the name of the Queen Regent of Spain as quarters for their commander. To this house Anita was taken, or rather dragged. She was thrown into a place at the back of the courtyard, evidently the stable. She cared not where she was. She wanted to die. Her proud nature had been bent by that day's horrors. This last act of cruelty that tore her again from her father and sister ah! she could stand no more. She gave up, she surrendered. With these tyrants in the land, how could Cuba ever become free? Exterminate * one tyrant and Spain sent over another to take his place. And Spain had already sent over two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers. Still the war waged and still Cuba wore the yoke of tyranny. 828 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Anita had lost all heart, all hope, all courage, all care. She hoped she would die before morning. She slept the sleep of exhaustion. In the dead of night a noise awoke her. She saw the stable door opening and a man's form stepping through. He car- ried a small lantern. It was Colonel Garcia. He turned to close the door behind him. The next instant there was a little cry of surprise and alarm, another cry of hatred and satisfaction. Colonel Garcia staggered backward, then fell to the floor, like a stone. Colonel Garcia was dead. A machete had been driven into his heart. By whom? Anita saw another form coming through the doorway. It was her father. He picked up the lantern dropped by ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 329 the dead colonel, and held it up till its light fell on the trembling Anita. "Hist!" The feeble old man of bones and skin came and knelt by his daughter. "Daughter, he is dead. He deserved his death. It is the fruit of his life. But still I fear. That machete was given to me after dark by a lieutenant named Casses." Anita started. "This Casses," continued the father, "met me in the darkest street and said : 'Your daughter is confined at head- quarters, the house occupied by the commander. He ordered her to be placed in solitary confinement. Go there at midnight and you will find that her confinement is by no means solitary. You would like to have vengeance upon 330 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. the destroyer of your home, your peace, your life. Here is a machete. I hope you know how to use it.' And then, daughter, that lieutenant disappeared." "And now I reappear," said a voice behind them. "Senor Verona, if you seek safety, follow me. Here is your daughter, Donalita. I have brought her, I have food for all. Anita, I command you, follow. In the morning when the colonel's body is discovered there will go up a bloodthirsty howl for your father's head. For on the handle of the machete in the colonel's breast is carved the name of Verona." "Scoundrel!" cried Anita, rising. "Up to your dastardly tricks again. I know what this latest trick means. You wanted Colonel Garcia out of the way. He knew too much about my father's AK 7 ITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 331 estate and about those papers you stole from Ceuta. You wanted an excuse, also, to take my father and sister to Havana. You want the whole family under your charge, under one key. You have accomplished your wishes. We will go with you. We could not be w r orse off in Havana, even in a dungeon, than we are here in the streets of Matanzas." Half an hour later a locomotive and one car left Matanzas station, by order of Lieutenant Casses, who was aboard with three prisoners. Four hours later the train reached Havana. The lieu- tenant and his prisoners reached Morro Castle just at daybreak. "I will see Alphonso at last," Anita murmured softly. One of the guards was giving the lieu- tenant hurried information. 332 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "To Cabanas, then," said Casses. And once more Anita was disappointed. At her journey's end she hoped to be placed at least in the same prison with Alphonso. Not so; she and her father and her sister, for some reason not known to her, were locked up in Cabanas a prison far more terrible than that of Morro, for in Cabanas, whenever room was needed for more prisoners, the occupants of the cells were made to draw lots, one prisoner in every ten drawing a bit of paper that read, "To be shot." Anita and her fellow-prisoners were given the two last cells her father in No. 12, Donalita and Anita in No. 13. number thirteen. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 333 CHAPTER XIX. HAVANA, meanwhile, was half in mourn- ing and half war mad. On the morning after the blowing up of the Maine Spanish officers winked at each other as if to say, "I told you so." All day long extras were cried on the streets extras quoting the American papers of that date. "The United States will hold Spain responsible." ' ' Maine blown up from outside by floe b- ing mine or torpedo." "War sure between America and Spain." Such was the news cabled Havana from New York and Washington. The Tramp had been turned into a 304 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. floating hospital, and every berth was occupied by a wounded or dying sailor. Otherwise, the dead and wounded were carried ashore, either to the Havana hospital or to the morgue. The total loss of American sailors was two hun- dred and sixty -six. The New York newspapers, the very day of the accident, started many of their best men for Havana. The Diurnal cabled Dick Van West to do his best until help could reach him. Miss Daisy and Mrs. Van Holland remained aboard the Tramp, acting as n 7 rses. The senator hustled here and there, giving money and his services for the benefit of the Maine sailor-boys, both dead and living. Anita had not been heard from. Sir ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 335 Charles Bluntly and his party gave her up as drowned. Casses, whom Dick recognized aboard the Tramp as Anita's enemy, had made good his escape during the confusion of that awful night. All Anita's friends knew, therefore, was that the boat carrying the gagged and help- less girl and Casses was swamped. On the third day after the disaster tne Tramp started for Key West, to take the wounded sailors to the hospital in that place. All the Tramp party were aboard excepting Ah! how they missed those two who had arrived with them in Havana only a few days before. The Don was in a dungeon of Morro. Anita was where? Drowned? Dick was everywhere, doing what four correspond- ents ordinarily would. And certain it was that Dick, accord- 336 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. ing to orders from his paper, did all he could to bring about a war between the United States and Spain. The second day after the explosion he determined to take certain photographs of the fortifica- tions in the harbor. He started in with Morro Castle. Beneath its wall, near the water's edge, he set up his camera. A soldier on the parapet ordered the intruder off. Dick pretended not to understand. The soldier aimed his gun. Dick, by that time, had taken the picture. So he calmly picked up his camera and walked off. He immediately sent a long cable to the Diurnal reading : "The war begins. First shots fired by Spain this morning at an American. Not one shot, but many were fired by the soldiers^ on the parapet of Morro Castle. How the Diurnal correspondent took valuable photographs of fche castle amid a hailstorm of Spanish bullets." ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 337 As events proved this cablegram got Dick into serious trouble. The day the Tramp returned from Key West Dick promptly boarded her as she dropped anchor. He looked tired. He had been at high pressure now for four days. He expected several good men from the Diurnal on the steamer from New York which would reach Havana the next day. Meanwhile, he had been working like a slave. "And by jingo!" he blurted out, "I tell you I must have a wife at once. Must have a wife. Any old wife, you know or keep on getting beaten by the Earth." "Blowing whales and wailing blow- ers!" roared Sir Charles. "Dick's gone clean mad." "Not a bit," protested Dick. "I tell 338 ANITA, THE CUBAN SP\. you that Earth man is beating me, scooping me, getting the news first, you know, every day. How? Well, he is married, and I am not. Must have one, though. Say, Daisy, dear, how soon could you marry a fellow? Say, at er um before dinner, to-night?" "One minute, Dick," said Miss Daisy's mother, laughing. "How will a wife keep you from being beaten on the news?" "Well, I'll tell you," explained Dick, talking to the party generally, but look- ing only at Miss Daisy. "That Earth man's wife is pretty. She has a fine figure and a sweet face and a pleasant tongue. She dresses well. Now, don't you see, the Spanish officials like a pretty girl. The Earth man lets them speak to his wife. They lose their ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 339 heads and blurt out news. That's the way the Earth man gets in his fine work. But wait; I, too, will produce a wife. And I will let the Spanish officials speak to her. And her figure, her face, her tongue and her clothes why, these quali- ties in my wife will so outshine those of the Earth's that the Spanish officials will want me to interview them four times a day and invite me to every blessed breakfast and dinner served in the palace. Well, good-by. Got to go over to what is left of the Maine and get that busy chaplain to marry me to a wife to- night. You will be ready, won't you, Day? I'll depend upon you, you know. We can marry right here on board. I'll bring the chaplain over." And Dick ran down the boarding steps, while the whole party on the 340 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Tramp gave way to uncontrollable laughter. At six o'clock that evening, as Dick was leaving the hotel on his way to the harbor, the Tramp, and a wife, a tele- gram was handed him. It was in cipher, and meant something that made Dick swear. "Well," he added, to him- self, "the Don's going to get out just the same. Darn mean of the United States government not to let the Diurnal have those plans. I'll bet a column space rate that one of the officers in charge of the castle has plans. But first, my wedding." And Dick called a volante, jumped in. "Machina," he cried, and off he rolled. At the Machina (the wharf) he found the chaplain of the Maine waiting. "Good for you, old man," cried Dick. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 341 "Yes, we've been in love for years. Might as well marry to-night as any time." While speaking, he noticed a Spanish officer was eyeing him closely. As he was about to get into the boat this officer stepped forward and laid a detain- ing hand on Dick's arm. "One moment," said the officer, "we want you." "What for?" asked Dick. "For this," and the officer produced a copy of the Diurnal containing the cable- gram in which Dick had said, "The war begins." "This is a lie," said the officer. "And so I go with you to "Morro," said the officer. "Exactly what I wanted," cried Dick, turning hurriedly to the chaplain of the 342 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Maine. "Say, old chap, tell Sir Charles that I " "Come," said the officer. For as Dick addressed the chaplain in English, the Spaniard could not understand. "With pleasure," said Dick in Spanish. Then, in English, "Chaplain, tell Sir Charles I say he can get us all out. Offer any old price to the adjutant in command of Morro, and he can obtain secret plans of the underground exits. Tell the bride I will marry her just the same, soon as Sir Charles gets the plans tome. Ta-ta!" ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 343 CHAPTER XX. THAT same evening Senora Isabella was sitting in a rocking chair in her house in the Prado. She was in full evening toilette. A very proper area of her dazzling white skin was displayed. She showed signs of impatience. "Why does not that idiot come?" she murmured. "Must I keep a dinner at the palace waiting just for that fool? No! I'll go alone." And accordingly she went away alone. Half an hour later Lieutenant Casses walked into the room. "And so she's gone without me, has she? Perhaps she's glad. Well! I'll teach her a 344 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. lesson before I get through with her. Hello, who's that?" Some one was mounting the stairs a feminine step. It was a young woman who from the waist up was dressed exactly like a man. For coolness and nerve and business ability Casses later declared he had never met her equal among womankind. "Oh, be seated," the young woman said. "I know you. You are Lieu- tenant Casses, adjutant-commandante of Morro Castle. Your boatman at the Machina told me you lived here, so here lam. I am Lady Bluntly. I want to buy the plans of the underground pas- sages of Morro Castle." "Ah, dear lady," began Casses, "I really, er "Quit all that," said Lady Bluntly. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 345 "I'm in a hurry. Produce the plans and name your price. I'll pay spot cash." Gold! Exactly what Lieutenant Casses needed more than anything else in the world. He was not as rich a fool as Senora Isabella believed him to be. "The plans," he said. "But I have not the plans. I don't know where they are. I would not sell them if I had." "Now, Lieutenant Casses, stop lying and come to business. I know you by reputation. Here is something that will compel you to deliver to me those plans. And Lady Bluntly produced a stained, water-soaked paper. "This little document," she said, "was brought up from the bottom of the har- bor to-day, and given to me as being simply a relic, and of no account. Well, it is of great value, as you know. It 346 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. proves that you stole certain papers from your government station, the prison colony of Ceuta; that you converted them to your own use, and that all they need now is the signature of Anita Ve- rona. Well, what is your price for the plans? What? You must answer. Well, I'll name the price for you. Here is what is equal to twenty -five thousand dollars in American money enough to last you the rest of your life. Now hand over the plans and sign this receipt." "But, senora, I have not the plans handy ; I don't carry them about. I will have to go to the castle. You must wait till to-morrow not that I have agreed to let you have them, though. "Oh, yes,youhave," said Lady Bluntly promptly. "And they are in this house in the cabinet of a certain Senora Isabella. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 347 You see, I was a newspaper woman be- fore my marriage, and still have the knack of ferreting out any desired infor- mation I want. Now, produce the plans or shall I send this water-soaked paper to the captain-general?" Casses sprang up. "No, no! Don't do that. I'll see if I can find the papers." And he hurried into an inner room, Isabella's bedroom. Lady Bluntly heard a rasping sound, as of filing, then a hammering, then a crash. Next moment Casses reappeared arid handed her a document. Lady Bluntly opened and looked it over care- fully. "All right," she said. "Sign this receipt." "No, senora, I will sign nothing. What is it you ask of me? Commit a 348 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. crime, then sign my own death warrant? No." "But I say yes," insisted Lady Bluntly. "You won't? All right! here are your plans. Now, I'll go to the captain-general with this paper you stole from Ceuta." "One moment," said Casses, an evil light appearing in his eyes as he sprang between Lady Bluntly and the door. "You evidently forget where you are." "Oh, no, I don't," replied Lad} T Bluntly smilingly; and she produced a revolver which she handled in a way that showed an easy familiarity with the weapon. "Nor do I forget that I am the wife of an English nobleman. But per- haps you have changed your mind in regard to giving me your autograph." "Give me that receipt," said Casses, ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 349 thoroughly cowed. And he signed, folded, and handed it back to Lady Bluntly. Lady Bluntly, elated with the success of her interview, handed Casses the money. As she had seen Casses sign the receipt, she did not bother to examine the signature. "But there's something you have for- gotten," said Casses, as Lady Bluntly started to go. "That that Ceuta docu- ment." "Oh, yes," Lady Bluntly said. "I guess perhaps you are entitled to have this. There!" She threw the watersoaked paper on the table and went away. Casses pocketed his money, threw him- self into a chair and cursed for five minutes without a pause. 350 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Why did he curse? He now had wealth. What else could he want? Perhaps he would like to have that re- ceipt back. He sprang up and rushed into Senora Isabella's room and removed the signs of the force he had used in breaking open her desk. Then he sat down and waited. At ten o'clock Senora Isabella, re- splendent, magnificent, appeared. "Well," said Casses, "the birds are all jugged I want my reward." "Where were you at six?" asked the seflora, ignoring his remarks. "I was jugging the last of the pigs that newspaper correspondent. He's in the dungeon next to the Don. They can have a nice time talking through the air- hole in the wall." "What about the rest of the party?" ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 351 "Can't arrest any more, Isabel. Sir Charles Bluntly is an English subject; his wife is an American, but I guess that newspaper correspondent is all the Americans Morro can stand at once. His paper will make things uncomfor- table for us. There's that senator he's gone to Matanzas to look after the recon- centrados. And we couldn't very well arrest his wife and daughter. So that's all. I've jailed those you wanted out of the way now I want my reward." "You want your reward," sneered the senora. "All right, I am ready to marry you." Casses twisted in his chair uneasily. "Marry me, Isabella, I might as well tell you now I can't. I've a wife and children in Madrid. This has only been play, you know just play between us." 352 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "It has, has it?" said Isabella absent- mindedly. She had picked up the watersoaked document from the table. "Well, where did this come from? Did you have the harbor dragged just for this, or were you looking for bodies of the Maine men? Ah, you want this document, do you? Well, when you marry me you can have it. I need money myself. I'll see the Senorita Anita. You say she is in Cabanas, cell No. 13. All right, perhaps she will sign for me, when she would not sign for you." Casses looked more and more uncom- fortable. "Oh, don't bother the senor- ita," he said, "not if you only want money. I can let you have that is, I can give you some money when I get my pay. Besides, the senorita may not .- Copyright 1898, by F. 'ieuuysou ^o..,. Havana. Arrival of last shipload of Spanish troops. Sunday, March ANITA. THE CUBAN SPY. 353 that is, Cabanas is full. We need room for new prisoners. The Don's filibusters are all in Cabanas. In the morning they draw lots, you understand?" "Perfectly," said Isabella, "I under- stand that if I'm to get the senorita to sign this document, I must see her soon after daylight. This is a very con- venient paper to have, Casses it would show the government how loyal you are, for instance." "Don't fool with me," responded Casses angrily. "Remember that I happen to know that you also are a loyal spy. You stole the underground plans the last time you visited the command- ante of Morro Castle. But of course you are safe. The eommandante may never need the plans." "That reminds me of a commission I 354 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. want you to execute for me," said Isabella. "It was foolish of me to take those plans. I have no use for them. I am going to give them to you and you will restore them to their place in the commandante's room." And Isabella went into her room to get the papers. She found her desk unlocked indeed the lock appeared to have been forced open. The plans were gone. She rushed back to the reception- room. Casses was not there. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 355 CHAPTER XXI. AFTER the Spanish officer had taken Dick into custody the chaplain of the Maine stepped into his boat, and told the boatman to row out to the Tramp. He rushed up the boarding steps. Miss Daisy received him at the gang- way. "But where is the bridegroom?" she said laughingly. "1 mean, where's Dick?" she added anxiously. "Now, little girl, don't worry," said the chaplain soothingly. "Your Dick has been arrested and taken to Morro Castle. But never mind, we're going to get him out this very night. And not only him, but Don Alphonso, and all the 356 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Don's men, to boot. Where is Sir Charles?'* Sir Charles and the ladies Lady Bluntly and Mrs. Van Holland are seated aft waiting for the bridal party. They were all of the sort who would give their consent to a hasty marriage, such as Dick had proposed, and think it not only great fun but very right and natural. "See you one moment, Sir Charles," said the chaplain, approaching. Sir Charles joined the chaplain while Daisy joined the ladies and told them what had happened to Dick. The chaplain and the baronet went into the saloon. "I cannot give you but five minutes," said he of the priestly garb, "because as an officer of the United States I'd better not mix in the plan which I am about to propose. I would ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 357 take a hand in it, mind you, if it were not that my doing so might in some way affect the findings of the court of inquiry now investigating the cause of the wreck- ing of the Maine. Well, to come to the point, have you much money, cash, aboard?" "Pot - hooks and tarpaulins, yes," roared the baronet. "Want some? Name the amount, and by the top-gal- lant light sails, you "Not so loud, Sir Charles," pleaded the chaplain. "I've only . now to add that the plans of the underground pas- sages of Morro can be bought. It seems that Dick's paper, the Diurnal, dis- covered the plans in some way or other, last year, and gave the same to our government. Since the Don was thrown into Morro Castle Dick has asked his 358 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. paper to borrow those plans for him from the government. Uncle Sam has re- fused. Now Dick says you can buy the plans from one of the officers of the castle, and thus get them all out of prison. Good-by. I wish you every luck." And the chaplain hurried aft, said good-by to the ladies, then left the Tramp. He had hardly gone when Senator Van Holland rushed up the steps. The senator had been away more than a wek, investigating the condition of the reconcentrados in the interior of Cuba, with a view to getting the United States to send relief. The party on the Tramp were not surprised, as they had expected to see him earlier in the day. "Now there's no time to waste," said the senator. "Let us sit down here and ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 350 plan. We will work together. I find that the Don and Dick and all the Don's men must be gotten out of Morro and Cabanas to-night. If we do not get them out to-night they will be shot at sunrise. I have further news I have found Anita. I traced her all the way from Matanzas. Found her father, too, and her sister. They also are in Cabanas. It seems that Morro is reserved for political prisoners and Cabanas for prisoners of war. Now the Don and Dick, as political prisoners of the first class, are in Morro. But all the Don's men that manned the seven ships are in Cabanas. "The filibusters have discovered that Anita is among them and there is great excitement. "They call her, openly, right in the face of the guards, 'The Cuban heroine.' 360 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "How did I discover Anita and her family? Well, in Matanzas a soldier offered to sell me a machete. I looked at it. On the handle was carved the name Verona. As that was the same as Anita's name I bought the machete. The soldier said it had been buried in the heart of one Colonel Garcia by a starving reconcentrado. The colonel had evil designs on the reconcentrado's daughter. "In the pursuit of evil he met his death. I inquired who these Veronas were, and decided, at last, that I had found the family of Anita, if not Anita herself. I learned that a special train had left Matanzas on the night of the murder of the colonel. On that train was a Lieutenant Casses we all know of him through Anita and with him ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 361 were two young girls and an old man. That settled it. I knew I was on the right track. Arriving in Havana an hour ago I drove straight to Morro Castle and, as a United States senator, demanded an audience with the commandante . "Meanwhile, I had learned from the cabman of the arrest of the Diurnal cor- respondent and I knew that he must be my future son-in-law. I asked the commandante for a guarantee that the lives of the American prisoners in his charge were safe. He gave me the guarantee smilingly. What did he care? His guarantee is worth nothing. My mission to Morro Castle was accom- plished but then what did it amount to? On the way back to the town from Morro I began talking to the cabman. I discovered that he was a Spanish spy. I 362 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. knew that he would sell any information for money. I gave him money and learned what I told you when I first came aboard. Besides, I discovered that the underground plans can be bought from Senor Casses, or from a cer- tain Senora Isabella, in a house in the Prado. Now, here is my plan. Lady Bluntly goes ashore at once, sees the Senora Isabella and buys the plans. I go ashore and see the harbor master and chief of harbor police and buy their con- sent to our sailing to-night. You, Sir Charles, go aboard that Spanish trans- port the black one lying off the fort now. She sails to-morrow morning with prisoners under life sentence for Ceuta. You will buy her captain you under- stand?" "Blowing whales and gatling guns, of ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 363 course I understand. Here, wifey, here is money. Go buy Isabella. Senator, go buy your harbor men with your own money, while I buy the captain of the Ceuta transport." And half an hour later Lady Bluntly intruded upon Casses at the house in the Prado, as described. Lady Bluntly and the senator returned to the Tramp together, both successful. The baronet's wife had the secret plans and a receipt for the same. The senator had a clearance paper, with a big blank space left to fill in as many passengers as he pleased. This blank clearance paper was signed. All of which shows that any Spanish official in Havana can be bought for spot cash. Meanwhile, the baronet had gone forth 364 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. to the transport. He was no diplomat. He was even more blunt than his wife. On board the transport he demanded that he be taken direct to the captain's room . Sir Charles had put on his uniform as vice-commander of the Royal Yacht Squadron of England. The men on the transport, mistaking him for an admiral at least, conducted him straightway to the captain's room. "Oh, Mars and muskmelons, Cap!*' roared the baronet. "That's all right, keep your seat. Give me a drink, and then accept this little present I have brought you." And Sir Charles threw a roll of gold on the table. "Now, Cap, you sail for Ceuta in the morning, don't you? Prisoners for life for the most damnable place among the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 365 hells on earth. Well, here's another little present I brought over from the Tramp. Now, when you sail in the morning, you'll be ordered to follow my ship. Well, damn it, here's another little present. You follow me, you see. You catch me. You board me. You search my ship for escaped prisoners. Well, if you find nothing, you have a drink with me and return to your trans- port with presents double the amount of those that lie on this table now. Good luck and fair winds, Cap. See you off the coast in the morning." ,! Five minutes after the baronet had returned to the Tramp the yacht was under way. She sailed out of the harbor and past Morro Castle with no challenge or sign of curiosity from the fortress. 366 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Meanwhile, the whole party had been studying the plans which were spread out on a table in the saloon. The ex- terior entrance to the passage was at a point two miles down the coast. They were now steaming slowly toward this point. It was at last agreed that Sir Charles and Senator Van Holland should traverse the passage until they entered Morro. By a strange coincidence the passage led directly into dungeon 47, the one occupied by Don Alphonso. Moreover, the passage then continued underground through the intervening acre or two that separated Morro from Cabanas. In Cabanas the secret passage opened into cell 13. They knew not who occupied that cell, but the two men decided to take their chances. The senator had the forethought to THE CUBAN SPY. 367 bring aboard a pilot (also a purchas) who knew every inch of the coast. That pilot had been shown the plans and was now guiding the Tramp toward the spot indicated as being the entrance to the secret passage. The skipper of the yacht stood over the pilot, a revolver in his hand. Incidentally he had politely informed the purchased pilot that upon the first indication 6f treachery the con- tents of the revolver would be poured into him. At last, after steaming at snail's pace for more than an hour, the pilot gave the signal to stop, then to back water. He kept on backing water until the stern of the yacht almost touched a huge black rock. They were evidently in a deep-water cove, completely hidden by the formation of the shore. The anchors 368 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. were dropped. The pilot ordered a gangplank to be swung from the stern rail to the flat rock. The order was obeyed, and Sir Charles and Senator Van Holland stepped ashore. The yacht was to wait for their return. In the event of misadventure that is, if they were not on board by nine o'clock in the morning the Tramp was to sail over to Key West at full speed, so as to save the ladies, and inform the United States government that a senator and a baronet had been caught in the secret passage of Morro Castle. No time was wasted in adios. The two men knew the plans by heart. Sir Charles had them in his pocket in case they were needed. Each man had a dark-lantern. They turned on the light, found a barred gate behind the big flat ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 369 rock, as indicated in the plans. Here the difficulties of rescuing people from an enemy's fortress began. The iron gate was locked. It was evidently intended for egress more than for in- gress. So Sir Charles returned to the yacht and brought back two heavy files. In ten minutes they had filed away one bar. There was now a breach wide enough to admit the senator. But the chubby baronet no, he could not get through. So they were obliged to spend another ten minutes filing through another bar. They retained the files, and it was very fortunate they did. As they stepped into the vault-like passage they were greeted by a rush of foul air. They pushed on. They were obliged to stoop, as the passage was not 370 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. higher than their shoulders. It was a steep walk. To call it a walk is not accurate it was an ascent. The ooze and slime and cobwebs of a hundred years were underfoot, overhead, and on each side of them. Rats by the hun- dred went squeaking down the noisome corridor; scorpions scuttled away in myriads, seeking shelter in the crevices. Beneath their feet crushed innumerable bones. The rats evidently lived by prey- ing on each other and picking the bones bare. Only the strongest and biggest could survive. A race of phenomenally large rats had sprung up there. Occasionally the roof came so close to the floor that the two men had to crawl through on their hands and knees. "This is an old scheme devised in the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 371 last century," said the senator. "These low places are all ready to form what is called a cave-in. In case of pursuit, you pull out one or two bricks and the whole thing caves in, thus blocking the enemy and perhaps killing him." They pushed on and on for more than an hour; remembering that the passage must be at least two miles long, their patience survived. At last they came to a solid wall. It seemed to be the end of the passage. They searched, but could find no further outlet. "Then this," said the senator, "must be the wall of dungeon No. 47. If my information is correct Don Alphonso is on the other side of this wall." Bludgeons and blunderbusses!" said Sir Charles. "There is only one way to 372 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. find out where we are at. That is by knocking a hole in that wall." "But how?" asked the senator. "How? Ramshorns and torpedoes! don't you see how? You have a re- volver, so have I. The bullets are big. We'll try shooting at the wall it is old and crumbling and seems to be mostly ancient plaster. Now, senator, old boy, you shoot at the same place and Oh, Lord! look out for rebounding bullets." Whereupon the baronet fired a shot, aiming in such a way that the bullet grazed the wall. This experiment promised success. The bullet dug a ridge in the wall. The next bullet made the ridge deeper. Each had emptied his revolver twice that is, twenty -eight shots had been fired at the wall, when of a sudden, through ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY, 373 what remained of the wall, came a missile, clashing. And a voice cried: ''Hey there, what are you fellows up to? Oh, it's you, Charlie, and you, papa-in- law. Well, come in. You'll have to wriggle through. Sorry I can't have a servant see to your comfort but Gee whiz, if you had kept on shooting, you would have shot Dickey, and then Daisy would have been a widow before being a bride. Well, I expected you." This was the ever-sanguine, ever- buoyant Dick Van West, sure enough. It took only a few minutes to discover why the two rescuers had found Dick instead of the Don. The secret passage had originally opened into dungeon 47, but dungeon 48 had been added, and this was Dick's present home. Now, according to the plans, they had reached 374 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. the wall that should contain an opening into dungeon 47. This opening consisted of stone, so peculiarly formed that push- ing it even gently, at one side, it would swing on a pivot. They found the stone, at least they discovered its outlines. They pressed one side. It opened. They stepped into dungeon 47, and into the arms of Don Alphonso. Poor Alphonso de Castro! His con- dition was by no means as forlorn as after that period of starvation in his own house in New York. For here he had bread and water, at least. But he looked badly enough. He was wasted away almost to a skeleton. His fine brow was still there, and his handsome features were still noble. But his phy- sique, the pride of his life, was broken. He looked a complete physical wreck. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 375 But there was no time to sorrow with the Don ; just a few words of -sympathy and then he was informed of all that had taken place and what must yet be ac- complished before daybreak. "Give me the plans," said the Don. "Now, gentlemen, you have done your duty. You have risked your lives for me. Now it is my turn to risk mine for Anita, and I beg of you to respect my wishes. You will all three of you return to the entrance of the passage that is, to the yacht. You will wait for me. You say that Anita and her father and sister and all my men are in Cabanas. These plans show that this subterranean passage teads directly into cell No. 13 at Cabanas. The adventure does not require three men. I am equal to it alone. Or if some must die in the attempt, one 376 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. life will be better than four. Gentlemen, I beseech you, leave me. I will think a moment, and then proceed to Cabanas. My God, what is this?" While talking the Don had been look- ing over the plans which Sir Charles had handed to him. A slip of paper, separated from the document and fell to the floor. The Don had picked it up. It was a receipt given for twenty -five thou- sand dollars for the sale of the plans of Morro, and it was signed Isabella de Castro. The Don read the signature over and over again aloud. He laughed a hoarse laugh that was more tragic than any- thing that occurred that night. "Gentlemen, this little slip of paper will be the means of punishing the one responsible for all our misery. My hand ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 377 need not be lifted now, however. This incriminating receipt will be sufficient. I will leave it here, so." In open view, on the heap of rags which he called his bed, the don laid the receipt signed Isabella de Castro. 378 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XXII. IN the prison of Cabanas fortress, as already stated, Anita and her sister Donalita were in cell No. 13. The father of the two wretched girls was in No. 12. In the cells up and down that corridor were Don Alphonso's men eighty-four in all. For each of the Don's seven ships had carried a crew of twelve men. In some of the cells were as many as fifteen men. They were huddled together in dirt and filth. Once a day they were given black bread, as hard as stone, and brackish water. This had been their life ever since the presence of those pack ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 379 ages of arms had led to their incarcera- tion. Anita had now been in cell 13 for nearly a month. She still wore what was left of the trousers and coat given to her by one of the brave forty at Coral Island. When the eighty -four men in the adjoining cells heard that the Seiiorita Anita Verona was in No. 13, they gave three cheers for "Anita, the Cuban heroine." And they had continued to give these cheers ever since, three times each day. The guards protested, threatening them with dungeons ; but in vain. The men gave the usual "Three cheers for the Cuban heroine," just the same. The corridor in which all these cells were located was called the "Court of Death." 380 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. As the clock of Cabanas tolled twelve, on the night occupied by the events described in the preceding chapters, one of the prison guards entered the "Court of Death" and cried: "El Sorteo de Muerte" (the draft of death). Immediately there was a stirring in all the cells. What a cry was that with which to awaken those sleeping men! And Anita and her sister, too, heard the cry, as it was repeated: "El Sorteo de Muerte!" To which the guard added that all were to stand at their cell doors and each was to draw for his life as the cap containing the fatal papers was passed along. The "draft of death" is the newest method devised by the Spanish govern- ment to reduce the overcrowding of its ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 381 prisons in Cuba. The plan consists of the deliberate decimation of the Cuban prisoners by lot. Whenever the com- mander of the garrison decides that the prisons are too full, his officers force the prisoners to draw lots to determine which of them shall be shot to make room for newcomers. The drafting is done in gangs of ten, one man in each gang deciding his own fate. To-night, in the court of death in Cabanas, this diabolical "method" was to be put into immediate execution. The lots were drawn at midnight so as to make it all the more horrible ; so that those who should draw the fatal papers would know they were to be shot at daybreak. To-night the slips were put in a cap belonging to one of the guards. The 382 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. prisoners were informed that among every ten slips of paper there was one upon which was written, "Fusilar," which means, "to be shot." The drafting began. The cap was passed from one grating to another, each man drawing. Sometimes every man in a certain cell drew "Fusilar." In other cells not a single one drew the fatal word. It came the turn of Anita's father. There were only three slips left. He drew "Fusilar." Next and last came the turns of Anita and her sister. There were now only two slips. Anita took both. She had hopes of giving a blank slip to her sister. On both slips was written "Fusilar." The guards laughed. They joked ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 383 among each other. Anita listened, appalled, bewildered. Could all this be true? Had she only a few weeks ago been the pet of the American people, the heroine from Cuba? Had she only so recently been a guest on that palatial yacht, the Tramp? Had she really only a month ago stood on the deck of that yacht, by 'the side of Don Alphonso? She remembered how she kissed him. She remembered the love in his eyes as he looked at her. She had exacted of him that he prove his love for her. Surely he had proved it. Where was he now? Ah, she would never see him again. All was lost, even Cuba's free- dom. And she and her family were to be ignominiously exterminated at day- break. Spanish bullets were to end their lives, after all. 384 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. But what were the guards gossiping about? There were four of them. They stood near the grating of Anita's cell. She could hear all they said. They were snickering and telling one another how their duties would be lessened on the morrow, "for all who were not to die were to be sent in the transport to Ceuta." The guards moved away. All in the cells were now in darkness. "Poor, poor men/' murmured Anita. "Better to be shot at once than to go to tjiat slow death at Ceuta." "Hist!" "What was that?" said Donalita, creeping close to her sister. "Hist!" The sound came out of the darkness, not menacingly, but warningly. It ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 385 seemed to come from the floor in one corner of the room. "Hist!" Whoever kept repeating this warning cry did so evidently to attract Anita to a certain part of the room. She began feeling her way. At last a hand clutched her foot at the ankle. "Hist! Anita," said a voice under her. The voice seemed to come up through a hole in the floor. She drew her foot from the clutching hand and knelt down. "My Anita," said the voice.* The Cuban girl put out her hand and touched a head. She felt of it. It was a mass of silken curls. She ran her fingers from the curls down over the features of the face. As if by the touch she knew. "Alphonso," she whispered. 386 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Listen," said the voice below. "We must not talk one minute longer than necessary. I have a way for you and all the men to escape. This is a trap- door. The missing stone slides into the floor. I will close it when I leave. But at the moment of daybreak I will open it for you. I've been here some time, listening. This is what you are to do." And after whispering his plans the don closed the sliding stone. Exactly at daybreak four guards entered the "court of death," two at each end. All the cell doors were thrown open and the men told to assemble in the corridor. All the men who had drawn "Fusilar" were to form in one line. The rest were to form another line ready to march aboard the transport n route for Ceuta prison colony. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 387 At hearing these last words the men who were not to die began howling, "No, no! Let us die. Shoot us." At this moment Anita stepped forth. Her father and sister stood beside her ready to say the saddest of farewells. They had only one consolation: they were to die together the last of the Veronas the last of the proudest and richest of Cuban families. "Three cheers for Anita, the Cuba * heroine," cried the men. Now was Anita's moment. Her clear voice rang out: "Men, there are only four guards. You are eighty- four. Do nothing till I give the word. The guards cannot understand a word of English. Eight of you gather round the guards, two ready to silence each guard. All ready ! Now do your work silently. 388 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Do not kill, simply render these black- guards unconscious. When I give the signal all excepting the eight men rush to my cell. There is a hole in the floor big enough to admit four men at a time. You will land in the secret underground passage that leads to Morro. One whom you all love is ready there now to guide you. The passage leads to Morro and under it, two miles further, to the sea, where a yacht is waiting to take us to freedom. The last man to jump through the trapdoor here must close the sliding stone. The last man to pass a place beyond Morro, so small that he has to crawl on hands and knees, must pull a projecting brick out from overhead. This will cause a cave-in and check underground pursuit. Ready!" And Anita clapped her hands. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 389 CHAPTER XXIII. A HUMAN mass perched on the outer walls of Cabanas. On the hills above were some two thousand of Havana's populace. They were all looking down in the yard of the prison. All had assembled to see the most horrible of spectacles. Public notice had been given that a wholesale execution of offenders against the government of Spain would take place at daybreak. The Spanish always wanted the populace to witness these executions. The spectacle would serve as an example to all rebels. In the yard all the Spanish officials and officers of the garrison and of Spain's army in Havana were assembled. 390 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. Around the captain-general was the usual group of bowing and scraping sycophants. Every other word uttered by these officers was some empty com- pliment offered to "Mi General." On one side was a squad of twenty picked men, sharpshooters every one. They were in command of a first lieu- tenant. This was the "squad of execu- tion." The wholesale slaughter which was about to take place was conducted in a most artistic way. One man was shot at a time. This was meant to pro- long the agony of those to follow. A.11 who were not to be shot were to be drawn up in line to witness the execution of their comrades before being trans- ported to Ceuta for life. As each man should take his place to be shot, four out of the squad of twenty ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 391 were to step forward and fire. Then the next victim was to step into place and another four out of the squad of twenty would step forward and fire. Eacli victim was to have his arms tied behind him, to be blindfolded and to be forced to kneel down with his back to the executioners. The father of Anita Verona and his two daughters were to be reserved till the very last. Anita especially was to be honored with an execution such as had never before been vouchsafed to a rebel. The entire squad of twenty were to fire the volley that was to end her rebellious career. It was indeed a great morning for the Spanish soldiers and a horrible morning for Cuban Havana. The commajidantes of both Morro and Cabanas were in their places, a little 392 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. apart from the group around the captain- general. With the commandantes stood their respective adjutants. Lieutenant Casses was one of the latter. Only one woman was admitted to the court itself. She stood between Casses and the commandante of Morro, convers- ing in turn with each. She was superbly gowned, she was regal of bearing, her slightest movement exemplified magnifi- cence of gracefulness. While the multi- tude and the officials awaited the coming of the doomed rebels, she was the center of the scene. She was a spy in the employ of Spain. She was called by every one La Senora Isabella de Cas- tro. The commandante of Morro showed signs of restlessness. The commandante of Cabanas displayed evidence of im- ANIlA, THE CUBAN SPY. 393 patience. He asserted his authority. He swore at his adjutant. The adjutant remarked that he was sorry, but the four guards in charge of the prisoners would march them out directly, in splendid order. Ten minutes passed. No prisoners. The two adjutants, Casses and his fellow-officer, compared opinions, and i decided to go personally to the court of death and hurry forward the star actors in the great spectacle of the morning. They were seen to disappear through the archway leading to the court of death. Two minutes later Casses came running back. He saluted the two command - antes and said : "Sirs, I have to inform you that the ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. four guards in the court of death lay as dead and that the eighty-five men and the two women prisoners are missing." "Escaped?" roared the command - antes, in voices thunderous and dread- ful. "Go! Investigate. Make all dispatch. Take the squad of twenty with you." "Attention! Forward, march, double- quick," ordered Casses. And the exe- cution squad rushed pell-mell after the adjutant into the interior of the fortress. They were gone a long time. The excitement of the populace knew no bounds. They had broken into an uproar and were shouting, "Long live Cuba! Down with Spain!" Thunderous shouts right into the ears of the officers of her graciaua majesty, Maria Theresa, Queen Regent of Spain. ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 395 La Senora Isabella bit her lip. She was vexed. Had that vixen rebel, Anita, outwitted her again? She had come here this morning to experience the pleasure of seeing a hated rival killed. Anita out of the way, she knew that she had influence enough to liberate Don Alphonso. And she hoped to win that gentleman again to her heart and side. But what was happening? The two adjutants came running back. Behind them were, not twenty, but only five of that squad of sharpshooters. Where were their comrades? Adjutant Casses told the story in a few words. They had discovered that the escape of the prisoners had been through a trapdoor in the cell of Anita Verona. The trap opened into the secret and subterranean passages of Cabanas 396 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. and Morro. They the two adjutants, and the squad of twenty had dropped into the secret passage and followed. Right after rushing through dungeons 47 and 48 under Morro, they heard the shouts of the fleeing prisoners. They came to a place where the ceiling was so low that they had to pass on their hands and knees. While their, men were thus creeping under the low ceil- ing it suddenly caved in, crushing out the lives of fifteen of Spain's sharp- shooters. The commandantes were pacing up and down, hurling forth wonderful vol- leys of oaths. And each commandante finished by saying to his adjutant, "Sir, I hold you responsible for the escape of the prisoners and the death of our men. But where did these prisoners learn of ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 397 the subterranean passages? How? And from whom? "From the Senora Isabella de Castro," said the exultant and, at that moment, dreadful voice of Lieutenant Casses. "Commandante," he added," in the dun- geon of the Seiior Don Alphonso, the former lover of this woman, we found this receipt." And the commandante took the paper and learned of the sale of the under- ground plans of Morro, signed Isabella de Castro. "It is a forgery," said Isabella quietly. "The man who wrote my name on that paper stands before you. His name is Casses." "Tut, tut, spy," said the formerly gallant commander. "Tut, tut, spy, we will not believe you. Some one liars sold 398 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. the plans to the prisoners. Here is your name on the receipt. How did you get the plans?" "She stole them, sir, from your apart- ments!" Again fatal words were spoken in Casses' malicious voice. He was ob- viously determined to free himself at once of Isabella, and of all blame, by making a strong case against her. "Ho, ho, so the spy is also a thief!" roared the commandante. "Well, it's a lesson. Never trust a woman." Isabella had not shown the least sign of agitation. She now calmly produced a paper and thrust it upon the comman- dante, saying, "Senor, since accusations are in order, read that and find how your loyal and trusted Lieutenant Casses stole government papers of great value ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 399 from the prison colony at Ceuta. Also, you will now perhaps believe that your lieutenant might possibly be capable of forging my name to that receipt." "We do believe you," cried the com- mandante, who had been reading the papers. "You are both under arrest." And the great man of authority turned to his staff and gave some hurried orders, pointing first to Casses and Isabella, who were under arrest, and then to the trans- port down in the harbor the ship which was getting ready at that moment to start for that hell on earth, the Spanish Prison Colony at Ccuta. 4> "^ ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. CHAPTER XXIV. ONE hour later a big white yacht, about three miles from the coast of Cuba, was cutting through the water, her prow pointing for Key West, the first of Uncle Sam's land, ninety miles away. Everything favorable, she would sight Key West before nightfall. But was everything favorable? About one mile astern was anotner ship, a black one. As she was making twice the speed of the yacht she would overtake her prey within a short time. She did. Both vessels, the chased and the chaser, came to a stop. The black ship put off a small boat and an officer in ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 401 the uniform of the Spanish navy boarded the yacht. He went directly into the cabin of the yacht's owner. He remained there probably fifteen minutes. When he came out his breath indicated that he had taken one or more American drinks containing more or less whisky. After walking once around the deck with his eyes on the far horizon, the officer bowed and was about to leave the yacht when a very worn-looking, but handsome young man stepped forward and spoke: "Captain, you are in command of that transport? You are bound for Ceuta. May I ask how many prisoners you have aboard?" "Two, sefior." "Their names?" 402 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. "Senor Lieutenant Casses and Senora Isabella de Castro." "For life, captain?" "For life, senor." The transport sailed away, at last, toward Ceuta. The Tramp sailed west, for Key West. The Tramp, beside her regular crew of one hundred men had aboard at that moment eighty-four extra sailors, These were the prisoners who had escaped that morning from Morro. While the Spanish officer, the com- mander of the transport, was aboard the Tramp, these eighty-four men were walking about the forecastle, smoking and enjoying themselves after their four weeks' confinement. The Spanish com- mander had seen nothing ; so much for ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 408 the good use of Sir Charles Bluntly's gold. That evening the Tramp sighted Key West. The first news to reach them was that the Court of Inquiry had reported that the Maine was blown up by a floating mine; that the President of the United States would accept no terms from Spain short of Cuba's independence. On the people of the United States hung the fate of Anita Verona's native island, Cuba. At twilight the eighty-four sailors were landed and given through tickets, overland, to New York and home. They were a very happy eighty-four. As the Tramp steamed away they gathered on the pier and shouted: "Hip, hip, hurrah for Don Alphonso! Hip, hip, hurrah for Sir Charles Bluntly! Three cheers for Anita Verona, the Cuban heroine!" 404 ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY, Anita was indeed on the Tramp. Was she happy? Ah, she was hanging on the arm of the man she loved, the man who had proved he loved her. And there was also on board her father and her sister. Her father was going to the land of liberty, to the land where he had a fortune awaiting him. Was Anita happy? Ah, who could answer that question as well as the Don, who saw the light of love in her eyes? They were all gathered under the awning at the stern. Senator Van Hol- land was talking to Mrs. Holland. Sir Charles Bluntly was teasing his "wifey," Lady Bluntly. Mr. Dick and Miss Daisy well, Miss Daisy's hand had hardly once been out of Dick's grasp since morning. And Senor Verona and his younger daughter, Donalita language ANITA, THE CUBAN SPY. 405 cannot describe their feelings. To be lifted from death to life, and from such a death to such a life. Anita and Don Alphonso gazed across the sea. On the horizon they could see the lights of a ship going east. It was the Spanish transport conveying Lieu- tenant Casses and Senora Isabella to Ceuta for life; to Ceuta, not as officer and spy in authority, but as political prisoners. They were on their way to the life as Anita had known it, and as we saw her living it, at the beginning of this narrative. Anita pressed the Don's hand. The Don leaned over and kissed Anita. "My wife," he murmured. "My husband," she whispered. THE END. My Spanish Sweetheart* By FREDERICK A. OBER. Neely's Popular Library. Paper covers, 25c. In these days when everything that is Spanish or Cuban has an especial interest in the eyes of the American nation this bright little romance will prove decidedly attractive. The gifted author has personally studied the scenes his pen describes, and the reader will not require a very vivid imagination to hear the tinkle of the muleteer's bells, the plashing of fountains, the " click " of the gypsy's castanets, or the sweet, low strains of the Spanish serenader's guitar. Mr. Ober's name is familiar to the public as an historical writer of considerable renown. He was United States Commissioner to the West Indies during the World's Fair, and his re- searches threw much light upon the death and burial place of Christopher Columbus, upon which subject he published an exhaustive volume that has received high praise. " My Spanish Sweetheart " has been favorably received by press and public. For sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price. F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New York Fhe Embassy Ball. By Virginia Rosalie Coxc. I2mo. Cloth, $1.25. Paper, $sor A new Society Novel is ordinarily not such a rare occurrence as to cause more than a faint ripple of interest, but this story of American "butterfly" existence contains startling elements that are bound to create a sensation in the ranks. The characters are original and forceful, and the sarcasm so extraordinarily cut- ting that no one acquainted with our notable entertainers of the day will care to miss one single page, lest he lose a piquant descrip- tion so well drawn by a master hand that the popular person to whom it applies suggests a portrait on the spot Our talented authoress has used such witchery in this delin- eation of characters recognized as among us, and yet which have heretofore escaped the pen of the observing novelist, that a host of admirers will be on the q iti vivt for further acquaintance. That she is quite as much at home in the tragic as in comedy, her dramatic pictures of vents at foreign watering-places prove, while the rescue of Doris from the Russian palace is a master- piece of pen drawing, keeping the reader in cuspense to the rerj iMt For Mle everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, 96 Queen Street, Condon. 114 Fifth Avenue, New York. French Stories by "Gyp" Neely's Prismatic Library. Qllt top, soc. From the multitude of romances placed upon the market by this bright French writer, a care ful selection has been made, and the works translated by competent scholars. That the public have eagerly received these sparkling little romances the universal press commenda- tion would be apt to prove, and from the many flattering notices we beg leave to print the follow- ing as specimens of the public news paper verdict : " BIJOU'S COURTSHIPS, by Gyp, is as entertaining a little volume as has fallen into our hands tor many a day. That the public know a good thing when they see it, may be inferred from the heavy sales with which this translation by Katherine di Zerega has been greeted. A better book to drive off the ' blues' or while away the tedium of a journey could hardly be found. Its exceed- ingly handy size makes it peculiarly adapted for a traveling companion. As to the appearance of the book, it is enough to say that it constitutes a number of Neely's Prismatic Series, to insure the standard of excellence." " A PROFESSIONAL LOVER, by Gyp, is the latest story from the pen that gave us ' Bijou's Courtships,' <*nd comes from the well- known house of F. Tennyson Neeiy. The advance sales have already been so phenomenal, we are advised, that a second edition has been exhausted, which speaks well for the author as a drawing card. The unique character of the cover arouses con- siderable curiosity and comment ; and it may be of interest to note the fact that on account of the difficulty experienced in securing suitable designs from his corps of artists, the publisher was finally induced to try his hand in that line with a result that has attracted more than passing notice." Bijou's Courtship, cloth, gilt top, soc. A Professional Lover, " " Per *le everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price. F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, 96 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue. New York. By " OUIDA/' Neely's Prismatic Library. ulit fop, sou. A new story by " OUIDA " is an event to be eagerly anticipated by a large class of readers Few modern writers have a more devoted cli cuttle than this graceful and charming author, and the mere announcement of a romance from her magic pen is enough to arouse enthusiasm. In the Altruist, as the title would indicate, the author of "Under Two Flags" enters a new field, and breaks a lance in a worthy cause. As might be expected, the action is spirited and the dialogue crisp and to the point. The story is written in the light vein so taking with the general reader, and once begun arouses a keen liesire to continue on to the end. An Altruist will be found one of the best things " OUIDA " has written for a long time and in many ways revives keen recollections of the days when her nom-de-plume was one with which to conjure, and readers of many countries were content to count themselves under her magic spell. For sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price, F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, 6 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New Yor* The Most Important Works ot DR. flAX NORDAU. The name of Dr. Max Nordau is one with which every reader of the day is familiar as author of " De- generation." His books cater to the mind intellectual He does not hesitate to use heroic methods of treatment, and handles his subject without gloves. Nordau has few equals and no superior among the leading German writers of to-day. He speaki his mind freely upon all the vital questions that concern our living, nor does he hesitate to call a spade by its proper name. The world is all the better for the practical teaching of such fearless men who seek to lead groveling humanity to loftier heights. So long as men like Nordau live to serve as guideposts along the narrow pathway of life there is hope for the world. MAX NORDAU'S WORKS. f HE AILMENT OF THE CENTUEY. Cloth, $2.00. COW WOXEX LOVE. Cloth, $1.25 ; paper, 25o. THE EIGHT TO LOVE. Cloth, $1.50 ; paper, 26c THE COMEDY OF 8EHTMENT. Cloth, $1.60 ; payer, 26*. MAP BUBBLES. Cloth, Gilt top, SOe. THE SHACKLES OF FATE. Gilt top, SOe Ftor sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of prtc* F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher. 96 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New Yorfc By LOUIS LOMBARD. Author off The Art Melodious," "Observations of a Traveler," &c. Neely's Prismatic Library. Gilt top, 5<>C. The views of a bachelor, sacred and profane, are always of more than passing interest. Ik Marvel's "Reveries" have for many years held an affectionate corner in the hearts of all read- ing mankind, and the name of that other equally famous bachelor, as well as philosopher, Dr. Max Nordau, is one with which to conjure. The author's fearless handling of such delicate subjects as Celibacy and Marriage, from the peculiar standpoint of a bachelor, stamps him a true disciple of the master, Nordau, whose letter of warm commendation introduces the book to the thinking public. PHILADELPHIA ITEM : " There is not a dry line in the book." BALTIMORE NEWS: "He puts facts with a straightforward- ness that should prove helpful. The book is to be recommended." DETROIT FREE PRESS: " Clear, terse and epigrammatic." ALBANY ARGUS : " A striking little volume." N. Y. BOOKSELLER, NEWSDEALER, STATIONER: "Some of the papers outdo Nordau himself. The author is delightfully out- spoken, and fearless of what may be thought of his views. He is severe and pessimistic, but there is a good deal of truth in his pictures of society and custom." SAN FRANCISCO BULLETIN: "Will receive the careful atten- tion of a thoughtful public. Of interest to a wide circle of readers." N. Y. PRESS: "Our new Rochefoucauld, Louis Lombard. Read his book." CINCINNATI ENQUIRER: "His fearless handling of 'Celibacy and Marriage' stamps him a true disciple of Max Nordau." N. Y. COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER: "A bright little volume. There is quickness of observation and depth of thought." For sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price. F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, 96 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New York The Modern Prometheus ..BY.. E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM Illustrated by H. B. Mathews NEELVS PRISMATIC LIBRARY, GILT TOP, 50 CENTS THIS is an unusually clever piece of work by a prominent English author, boldly written, with the evident design to show that even in this latter day a man may be chained to the rock by his wretched past, with the vultures of conscience gnawing at his vitals. Oppenheim has a rare fac- ulty for entering into and analyzing the motives of his characters absolutely true to nature; his dia- logue is crisp and pointed, while the thread of his narrative lacks nothing in the way of incident. The volume has been tastefully illustrated by the artist, H. B. Mathews. To those who find pleasure in reading a romantic tale, devoid of such moral theories as most modern authors insist upon weav- ing into their profound works, this little volume is cordially recommended. "JL MO:NK: OF CRUTA" By the same author. Paper, 25 Cents for Bale everywhere, or sent postpaid on receipt of price F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher 9f Queen Street, London 114 Fifth Avenue, New York The Art fielodious. By Prof. LOUIS LOMBARD, Author of " Observations of a Bachelor." Neely's Prismatic Library. Gilt Top, 500. In his " Art Melodious," Prof. Lombard has inculcated many of the principles that made his Utica Conservatory of Music so great a success. It is a book to be placed in the hands of every young student of music. The re- sult will always show in higher aims and aspirations. From many press notices of the first edition we select a few to prove the kindly manner in which the book was received : ALF.XANDRE GUILMANT, the greatest living Organist and Composer of Music for the Organ: Paris, France. I have just read your magnificent article, and I do not know how to thank you. 1 have rarely read the appreciation of an artist written so well and with so just and exalted a sentiment in musical art. I have met many persons who admire your writings, and the Reverend Father Barry has read an extract from your pen to-day from the pulpit. Thanks, then, thousand and thousand times, and believe in my affectionate sentiments. CARL FAELTEN, Director, New England Conservatory of Music: Boston. I have read your book with great interest, and I find, especially your various essays on musical education, most excellently written. I am always nappy to find one more who has the courage to express his opinion whether people may like it or not. NEW YORK MUSICAL COURIER. What the Lord did for Mr. Louis Lom- bard who weighs only ninety-four pounds, he has done for his dainty little volume. Much has certainly been put in little in both cases. The book is pack'd with musical truths. A law should be passed compelling " the masses" to read every word of it, in the interest of musical progress. How a foreigner could express so much in such tersp yet elegant English is a conundrum to the connoisseur. The fact that he is proficient in six languages causes one to admire all the more his scholarly English. CH.ARLKS DANCLA, Knight of the Legion of Honor, and Professor at the Conservatory : Paris, France. You who speak all languages, you will read more wsily the little book I send you, than I could read yours, which was translated .o me by one who understands English. Your book nas interested me greatly. PAUL ROCHE, Professor at the Conservatorv : Marseilles, France. In this nteresting book you have displayed a talent as litterateur which I did not know 'ou possessed. Bravo ! That is a splendid work. I was agreeably surprised, if our travels have borne fruit. FEDERIGO BARGILE, Canon of the Cathedral: Fiesole, Italy After read nq; your book over and over, I take pleasure in telling you that I regard it as a vork full of sens*, of just musical criticisms, and rich and sound judgment regard- ng music everywhere. It is written in an unaffected style, and is very readable. '. congratulate "you. I confess it is an additional proof of your great talent for the >eautiful art which you profess, and of the fine genius with which nature has so :ourteously endowed you. For sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price. F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, >6 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New York- Two Books by Helen Da vies. THE MILLS OF GOD. i zmo, cloth, $1.25 ; paper, soc. Reveries of a Spinster. Neely's Prismatic Library. Gilt Top, soc. In "The Mills of God," a story of Dorcas, she paints with a master-hand scenes in the lives of those who belong to the "four hundred;" and under the gay surface one who seeks may find the warning the author wishes to convey con- cerning the misery that sooner or later is certain to follow the conventional marriage for con- venience. It is a breezy book, full of crisp dialogue and bright descriptions, and should add new lustre to the author's reputation. Since Ik Marvel's recollections of a bachelor became a classic, no one has apparently con- sidered it worth while to touch upon the other side of the case. This charming writer, however, has dared to lay bare to the public eye that " holiest of holies," a spinster's heart, and in some of the most entertaining sketches imaginable has woven the warp and woof of a narrative that is bound to meet with great popular favor. For sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price. F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, 96 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New York. THE RASCAL CLUB. By Julius Chambers. FULLY ILLUSTRATED. 1 2 mo, Cloth, $1.29; paper, goc. " The Rascal Club " must have been written from the memories of boyhood. It is certainly a book to charm all youthful readers ; and many an old greybeard upon dipping into its fascinating pages will find himself being carried back over the decades that have elapsed since, in good company, he haunted the " ol' swimmin'-hole. " There is a vigor in Mr. Chambers' descriptions of life in an Ohio town during war times that amounts almost to enthusiasm, and the artist has ably abetted him in pictur- ing many of the stirring scenes with which the book abounds. By the same author A WOMAN'S MISTAKE ; or, On a Margin. Paper, 250. For sale everywhere, or sent post-paid on receipt of price. F. TENNYSON NEELY, Publisher, 96 Queen Street, London. 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACIl i ! I I II | l| || || A 001 409 346