“I swear it by this cross my mother gave me,” says the little Ensign, putting crucifix to his lips. Then he laughs and adds: “The oath wasn’t necessary. I had known this before.”
“When—how long!”
“Ever since three weeks ago I met the real Colonel Guido Amati. You’ve been promoted, you know.”
“And you never mentioned this, even to Amati himself?”
“No—to no living soul!” [[183]]
“Why not?”
“Santos! it involved the secret of a lady.”
“God bless you,” says Guy, hugging his prisoner to his heart. “It did, perchance, involve the good name, but not the honor, of a lady.”
“Oh, every one knows that Doña de Alva is a saint. Funny, she should love you. Curious—”
But they have no time to discuss it further. Chester seizes the young man by the hand, drags him over the ice, and to ensure his safety goes with him almost to Amsterdam. In this, Guy almost endangers his own life, for Spanish troops come out to meet them; so he leaves his charge with a squeeze of the hand and a “God bless you. Remember!”