"Of course," said Derrick. "I shall send your Excellency a regular report at frequent intervals." "The carriage is ordered, and you will be driven to the station to-morrow. Write to me as soon as you arrive." Derrick rose to bid her good-bye; but she stayed him with a slight, hesitating gesture and held out the second packet. "Take this," she said. "It contains instructions for your conduct in--in certain events." "Sealed instructions," said Derrick, with a smile, as he noticed that the package was thus secured. "Yes," she said. "You will break the seals and read the enclosed instructions if, at any time, during your absence, you should be in any great difficulty or danger. Do you think this is very strange--mysterious?" she asked, her eyes fixed upon him with a half-apprehensive regard. "I've not the least doubt you have good reasons for giving me this," said Derrick; "I will not open it unless, as you say, I am in a fix." "That is well," she said. "You have good reason--a reason I cannot explain," she added hurriedly, and with some agitation, "for trusting me." "I'd trust you with my life," said Derrick, impelled to the burst of fervour by something in her manner and voice. She held out her hand, and Derrick took it and pressed it; there was something so melting in the tenderness of her gaze that again he was impelled by a strange influence, and he bent and kissed the hand. As he did so, she laid her other one upon his bent head; it was a touch soft as thistle-down, as caressing as that of a mother; and as he felt it, something tugged at Derrick's heart-strings. He turned away and left the room quickly. Some time after he had reached his own quarters, and had pondered over the singular emotion which had been aroused in him during the scene, he opened the first packet. It contained a large sum of money, greatly in excess of his possible needs. The generosity of this great lady was amazing. He stowed the notes in his belt and then turned to the other packet. This he sewed up inside his waistcoat; it was too precious to be committed to so commonplace a depository as the purse of a belt. The following morning, as he stepped into the carriage--Donna Elvira's own carriage of state!--he looked round on the chance and in the hope of seeing her. She was nowhere in sight as the carriage started; but when it was turning the bend of the road, still looking back earnestly, he saw the tall figure standing on the steps of the patio. From the black mantilla which shrouded her, she waved a hand. CHAPTER XX