"_Por Dios_! I'm not afraid of your ladyships doing that. Why should I, since I'm here on account of your own friends, and on an errand of mercy?" "An errand of mercy?" "Yes. And one of necessity as well. Ah! that far more." "Go on, sir! Please tell us what it is!" "Well, Senoritas, I've been deputed on a foraging expedition. For we're in a terrible strait--all four of us. You may remember there were four." "We do. But, how in a terrible strait?" "How? Why, for want of food; starving. Up in the mountains, where we've been hiding for now nearly a month, all we've had to live upon was wild fruits and roots; often eating them raw, too. We daren't any of us venture down, as the roads all round have been beset by spies and soldiers. It's only in sheer desperation I've stolen through them; the Senor Don Ruperto sending me to San Augustin in the hope I might be able to pick up some provisions. I was just slipping the village the back way, when an alguazil coming along made it necessary for me to climb up here and hide myself. The unlucky part of it all is, that even if I get safe in, I haven't the wherewith to buy the eatables, and must beg them. That I fear won't be easy; people are so hard-hearted." For a time his surprised listeners stood silent, giving way to sad reflections. Florencio and Ruperto starving! "May I hope," continued the lying wretch, "your ladyships will let me look upon this accidental encounter as a God-send, and that you will give me something to buy--" "Oh, sir," interrupted the Countess, "we will give you that. Luisa, have you any money in your purse? I haven't in mine--nothing to signify." "Nor I either--how unfortunate! We must--" "Never mind money, your ladyships; money's worth will do quite as well. A _reloja_, rings, anything in the way of jewellery. I chance to know a place in the village where I can convert them into cash." "Here, take this!" cried the Countess, handing him her watch, the same which had been hypothecated to Jose, but redeemed by a money payment. "And this!" said the Dona Luisa, also holding out a watch, both of which he speedily took possession of. "'Tis very generous of your ladyships," he said, stowing them away among his rags; "the proceeds of these ought to support us for a long time, even allowing for the reduced rate I'll have to accept from the pawnbroker. Afterwards we must do the best we can." As he spoke, his little sparkling eyes were avariciously bent upon certain other objects he saw scintillating in the moonlight--bracelets, rings upon their fingers and in their ears. The hint was hardly needed. Enough for them the thought that more help might be required by those dear to them, and at a time when they could not extend it.