At length Santos handed back the miniature, with a sigh. "Such a face
as that my eyes have never seen," he remarked. "There is nothing more
to be said."
"There is a great deal more to be said," I returned. "I have thought
of an easy plan to help your mistress. When you have reported this
conversation, tell her to remember the offer of assistance made to her
last night. I said I would be a brother to her, and I shall keep my
promise. You three cannot think of any better scheme to save Demetria
than this one you have told me, but it is after all a very poor scheme,
full of difficulty and danger to her. My plan is a simpler and safer
one. Tell her to come out to-night at midnight, after the moon has
set, to meet me under the trees behind the house. I shall be there
waiting with a horse for her, and will take her away to some safe place
of concealment where Don Hilario will never find her. When she is once
out of his power it will be time enough to think of some way to turn
him out of the _estancia_ and to arrange matters. See that she
does not fail to meet me, and let her take a few clothes and some
money, if she has any; also her jewels, for it would not be safe to
leave them in the house with Don Hilario."
Santos was delighted with my scheme, which was so much more practical,
though less romantic, than the one hatched by those three simple-minded
conspirators.
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