And so for two or three minutes they rode on in silence; then suddenly they heard the driver of the carriage stopping his horses. "We are there," said Clif, in a husky voice. He turned to look at the girl once more; he found that she was gazing at him, and their eyes met. There was anguish in both of their faces; Miss Stuart could scarcely see for her tears. But Clif took her hands in his. All the emotion of his lifetime seemed crowded into that moment. He bent toward her and their lips met in one trembling kiss. And then with a set look on his face the cadet rose from his seat and opened the door of the carriage, which had stopped. CHAPTER XIX. A FAREWELL. Clif found Lieutenant Hernandez waiting for them to come out. Both he and the driver had descended from the carriage. It was quite dark where they were, apparently surrounded by a lonely woods. But by such light as there was Clif looked at the officer anxiously. Now since he had heard that story he was more than anxious to study his face, to see what manner of man this was. The lieutenant still wore the calm, quiet look; he seemed almost inspired. "If you will follow me a short distance," he said, "we shall reach a place where we can remain concealed until morning." He started across the country, after a few words with the driver of the carriage; they had not gone very far before the faint roaring of the breakers on the beach became audible. "You see," said the Spaniard, "we are near the sea. We are only about four miles from Havana harbor, and you may make an effort to reach the blockading fleet in the morning." Obviously, it would not do to try it in the darkness. They might be run down or lost or fired on or swept out to sea. "But it will be daylight in a few hours," said the lieutenant. And then the three went on in silence until suddenly a small hut loomed up in the darkness. "It is deserted," said their guide. "We can conceal ourselves there." And accordingly, they crept through the low doorway, and finding the place covered with straw inside, sat down to wait. There was no conversation among them, for each one of the trio was wrapped in his own sad thoughts. The place was in absolute darkness, and so they could not see each other. But Clif was revolving a plan over in his thoughts, and it was not very many minutes before he made up his mind. He rose to his feet again. "Excuse me for a while," he said. "I will return." And with that he hurried out of the hut. Bessie Stuart knew why he had gone, and after a moment's silence she turned toward the lieutenant. "My friend has left," she said, "in order that I may have a chance to talk to you." The officer answered nothing; the girl went on slowly. "Lieutenant Hernandez," she said "will you answer me a question?" "What is it?" "What do you intend to do?" "How do you mean?" "I mean that you will be court-martialed if you return to Havana----" "Yes," said the other, "I know that."