"Too late? What do you mean? This is madness for you to take this risk."
The girl, forgetting royalty and convention, caught his hand in both of hers, and a light of joy came into her eyes.
"My brother is safe, thank God! He is on his way to the King to get soldiers to search the castle."
"Where has he been? How do you know?"
"He was imprisoned in this castle—since the day he entered. To-night he tried to signal, but could not. Your bullet went straight home, Mr. Warren, and Robledo is dying. He has confessed all to the holy father. I must go back, for I promised to be with him at the end."
"The end ..." and Jarvis' voice grew husky, he understood by now the tears of Dolores. He turned toward her gently. "I'm so sorry—you and he—I might have—oh, what a terrible shame!"
The girl crossed herself, with the stoic calmness of her religion, as she rose to face him.
"It is better so. He sinned—grievously, many times, señor. My Prince is safe ... my Princess is safe. And you are safe—you, the bravest man in Seguro."
Maria Theresa turned toward the door, where stood a man whom Jarvis had not espied before. "Take her back to the inn, Maximo, as quietly as possible. Then send the chauffeur for me again as soon as he can come up the rough road."
"But, your Highness, you must go back as well—it is dangerous for you to remain here. I have found the clews for which you went to America. Let me finish the job."