"And, I too, shall fight in the cause of Cuban liberty!" returned Howard. "That is, if we are fortunate enough to escape." Side by side they ran down the corridor and toward a door leading to a portion of the prison yard reserved for the few female prisoners, as well as for the family of the resident jailer. The door was bolted, but not locked, and they were quickly outside and in the pouring rain. "Had we any sort of a ladder we might scale yonder wall!" said Howard. "But without a ladder we can do nothing." Scarcely had he spoken when a rifle shot rang out, and a bullet plowed its way through his sleeve and scratched his arm. Estella gave a cry of terror. "We are discovered!" The shot from the rifle was followed by a shout from the guard, and in a few seconds half a dozen heavy feet were heard running in their direction. "You had better go back, Estella!" whispered her lover. "Lock yourself in the cell, and you may escape punishment. I will stand here and fight it out." Estella shook her head. "I will remain by your side," she whispered. There was no time to say more. The guards came running up and Howard was surrounded. He fired one shot, and then the pistol was taken from him, and he was thrown down and overpowered. "Howard! Howard!" he heard Estella cry, and looking up, he saw her being carried off by a burly Spanish officer and Captain Nocolo! The young war correspondent's hands were bound behind him, and with savage blows he was driven out again into the prison yard, from where the exercising prisoners had now retired. "Come! say your prayers!" cried his guard, brutally. "There is no time to waste on you. We must get you off our hands and then go out and fight the accursed insurgents, who are prowling about in the rain and fog." "Are they so near?" exclaimed Howard. "Oh, that they might save me!" he thought. He was given no time to speculate, however. All about the prison was in a state of excitement, and this being so, the guards thought only of settling his case. Had they had their own way, they would have shot him down where he stood, and left him where he fell. But certain formalities had to be gone through with, and these occupied several minutes. During the interval of time the booming of a cannon on the outskirts of the city caused a general alarm to be sounded. The rebels, under Captain Martinez, had commenced hostilities! The boom of the cannon was followed by a roar of artillery from the Spanish guns in Marambo. Then the cannonading became general. In nervous haste, the guards led Howard out into the centre of the prison yard. He was blindfolded and placed in position. A squad of eight soldiers, with rifles, stood in line but fifty feet away. "Prisoner, if you would pray, do so at once," said the officer in charge. "You have but a single minute to live."