Resplendent in gold lace and gilt buttons, the Baracoan called at the embassy that evening, so late that he found Virginia on the verge of tears. Her father and Gale had left for the battleship nearly an hour earlier, and ever since then she had been almost frantic with impatience and fear that her escort was not going to show up at all. She received his apologies graciously, however, as they motored swiftly down the steep roads which led to Puerto Cabero. Not for all the world would he have been guilty of such a sad breach of decorum, her penitent companion assured her, if it had not been absolutely unavoidable. His duties at the fortress had made it impossible for him to get away earlier. “In fact, my dear señorita,” he announced, “if I had not made this engagement with you--which, of course, could not be broken under any circumstances--I fear I should have had to disappoint our hosts this evening and remain on duty at the fortress. On account of our latest advices regarding the enemy, our commanding officer did not deem it advisable that so many of his staff should absent themselves from the fortress at one time. Half of us were asked at the last minute to send our regrets to the _Kearsarge_ and remain on duty, and, at first, I was among those selected to stay behind; but when I had explained to the general about my appointment with you, he agreed with me that I must go.” “Then I am very glad that I asked you to be my escort,” Virginia declared with a fervor which went to his head like a strong wine. “But what do you mean by advices regarding the enemy? To what enemy do you refer?” she inquired nervously. He looked at her in astonishment. “To the revolutionists, of course, señorita. That traitor Rodriguez and his band of ruffians have proven somewhat stronger than we had imagined. To-day they overcame a detachment of Federal troops at Santa Barbara and seized the railroad. It is believed that, emboldened by their success, the beggars are now contemplating a forced march on the capital.” “But surely you do not fear an attack upon the fortress to-night?” Virginia inquired, her voice tense with anxiety. Her companion laughed contemptuously. “Certainly not. There is no occasion for alarm, señorita. Those fellows will never get within a hundred miles of the capital. When they get up against Villaria’s brigade they will be annihilated. Still, it would be bad generalship not to be prepared. I believe you have a saying in your language about eternal vigilance being the guarantee of safety. That is why our garrison has been placed on a strictly war basis and half of our staff has found it impossible to be the guests of the American officers this evening.” What he had said caused Virginia to feel uneasy, but she made a valiant attempt to conceal her state of mind from him. “I am glad to hear that the fortress is in no danger--from the insurrectos,” she said, and her escort was astonished at the emphasis with which she spoke.