Something prompted Martella to turn his head and look back. Not Captain Navarro alone, but two of the soldiers had come to the head of the path and stood out in clear relief in the strong moonlight, looking after the vanishing couple. Martella grimly thought:
“The Captain is not easy in his mind, but it is now too late for him to stop me.”
A little way down the trail, under the shadow of the deep foliage, stood the two men who were awaiting the coming of the messenger and young woman. The time, brief as it was, had been trying to the last degree to Major Jack Starland, who came forward into the moonlight and approached the halted pony, which pricked his ears and showed some timidity. But the rider readily controlled him.
“Halloa, Jack!”
“My dear Warrenia!”
He reached up and pressed the small gloved hand and the grasp was warmly returned.
“General Yozarro seems to have forgotten to be a gentleman,” she said.
“He never was one; if I ever meet the scoundrel I shall slap his face, if his whole army is looking on.”
“Then I hope you will never meet.”