"No, no, Howard. I know you do not wish to place me in danger. But I have a fear of something--I cannot tell what--and it would give me confidence to have you near me." At this Howard said no more. A plan was rapidly formed, and the upshot of the matter was that Howard entered the plantation home disguised as Tomasso. The servant's clothing was afterward returned to him, and he went off to explain to some approaching horsemen how he had been called upon to fight off the bloodhounds in order to save the life of his young mistress! "Then you saw nothing of that rascally American spy, Howard Sherwood," asked Captain Nocolo, who was one of the horsemen. "No, capitan," replied Tomasso. "He came not this way," and after cursing over the loss of two of the bloodhounds, the captain and the others rode away. Howard was conducted by Estella to a small room in a wing of the mansion. He had a key to the door, a heavy one, and was to unlock it only on a given signal. The room was comfortably furnished, and Estella's lover saw that he could pass the time there comfortably until it was safe for him to proceed on the mission that had brought him to Cuba. Howard was furnished with an elegant repast, brought to him by Estella herself, and never had a happier hour passed between them. "You are one girl in a million, darling Estella!" he said, passionately, as he drew her to him and sat her down, a willing captive, upon his lap. "I thank Heaven that I was so fortunate to meet you." She smiled sweetly upon him, and brushed back the curly hair from his noble brow. "You make too much of me, Howard; I am only a simple Cuban girl, nothing more." "You are my queen, the one light of my heart, Estella!" he asseverated, embracing her passionately between the kissing. "There, there! don't be so energetic in your wooing," she laughed, finally, as she at last resisted his endearments with maidenly reserve. "I must go below now, or the servants may grow suspicious. In such times as these they are watching every move." "No doubt they wish to know how your sympathies stand," he said. "They, I presume, favor the rebels." "Undoubtedly, but they know what papa's ideas were on the subject and they would not dare to cross him." "It is a pity your father is so prejudiced in favor of Spain," mused Howard. "He must know that this heavy taxation, with hardly anything to return for it, is unjust." "Papa only thinks of the old guard, and considers a rebel a traitor, and nothing less. Poor papa, I fear that he is lost to me forever. If he were alive, he would surely come home," and two big tears coursed down her soft, dark cheeks. "Don't worry, my darling," he replied, as he kissed the tears away. "If your father was dead, you would certainly have evidence ere this. He may have heard of a premeditated attack upon this plantation and gone off to secure protection. By the way, what of that recent battle in this vicinity."