"Unhand her, you rascal!" came in a commanding voice from Howard, as he appeared at the mouth of the cave in which Estella was confined, and then darted toward the gipsy who held her in his loathsome arms. "Howard!" gasped Estella, in joy. "Oh, save me! save me!" "Fear not, my darling, I will!" he ejaculated; and leaping upon the gipsy he clutched him with a grasp of iron, and hurled him with great force against the rocks. The shock made the rascal's bones fairly crack, and he muttered a coarse oath as he plunged his hand into his bosom to draw his dagger. "None of that!" commanded Howard. "Up with your hands, quick!" Thinking Howard would shoot him, the gipsy raised his hands. Like a flash the young war correspondent tripped him up, and took his dagger from him. A pistol fell to the floor of the cave, and this Howard also secured. "Is this man alone, Estella?" Howard asked. "Just now he is. He had several companions, but they have gone away on some mission." "How came you to fall into their hands?" he went on, and, blushing sweetly, she told him of how she had left home to search him out in his prison. She also told how she had been robbed, and said the rascal on the floor had the stolen articles. "Hand them over!" said Howard, sternly, and when this was done he made the man get up, and actually kicked him out of the place, watching him closely until a distant bend in the foot-path hid him from view. "Oh, Howard, you cannot imagine how glad I am that you have escaped!" exclaimed Estella, a happy light coming into her soft eyes as she bent them full upon his smiling face. "Do you know that your enemies were ready to kill you?" "What enemies?" he questioned; and, blushing more than ever, she told him of the meeting with Lieutenant Mazenas. He listened attentively, and then drew her to his manly bosom. "My darling, my brave little queen!" he murmured. "You are indeed a sweetheart worth the winning!" and he kissed her again and again, while she looked up into his eyes in confidence and contentment. After all their trials, this love-making was very pleasant; but all love-making must come to an end, and prudence bade them take heed. It was not long before Howard warned Estella that he must go on. "Perhaps you had better go with me part of the way," he said. "We may be able to find your horse, and, even if otherwise, I will try to see you safely on your way to your father's plantation. In the future, it would be well for you to shun the unworthy lieutenant." "I shall scorn to speak to him," she said, proudly; and he kissed her tenderly for the words. They left the cave, following a path directly opposite to that taken by the gipsy, and presently found themselves at the edge of a large field of sugar-cane. Here Estella advised a halt. "If I am not mistaken, this is the entrance to one of the fields owned by my father," she said. "Then you cannot be very far from your home," returned Howard.