Chapter I: Front Matter

RITA

BOOKS FOR GIRLS
By Laura E. Richards

_The_ MARGARET SERIES

Three Margarets
Margaret Montfort
Peggy
Rita
Fernley House

_The_ HILDEGARDE SERIES

Queen Hildegarde
Hildegarde's Holiday
Hildegarde's Home
Hildegarde's Neighbors
Hildegarde's Harvest

DANA ESTES & COMPANY
Publishers
Estes Press, Summer St., Boston

RITA

BY

LAURA E. RICHARDS

AUTHOR OF

"PEGGY," "MARGARET MONTFORT," "THREE
MARGARETS," ETC.

Illustrated by
ETHELDRED B. BARRY

BOSTON
DANA ESTES & COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

_Copyright, 1900_
BY DANA ESTES& COMPANY

Colonial Press
Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co.
Boston, Mass., U.S.A.

TO

FIVE GIRLS I KNOW

IN THE TOWN OF SAINT JO

If this story should seem extravagant to any of
my readers, I can only refer them to some one
of the many published accounts of the
Spanish-American War. They will find that many
delicate and tenderly nurtured girls were
forced to endure dangers and privations
compared to which Rita's adventures seem like
child's play.

L. E. R.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THREATENING WEATHER 11
II. THE STORM BURSTS 23
III. ON THE WAY 33
IV. THE CAMP AMONG THE HILLS 54
V. TO MARGARET 77
VI. IN THE NIGHT 93
VII. CAMP SCENE 110
VIII. THE PACIFICOS 130
IX. IN HIDING 142
X. MANUELA'S OPPORTUNITY 163
XI. CAPTAIN JACK 176
XII. FOR LIFE 190
XIII. MEETINGS AND GREETINGS 200
XIV. ANOTHER CAMP 216
XV. A FOREGONE CONCLUSION 233

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

"RITA MONTFORT DREW HER DAGGER AND WAITED" _Frontispiece_

IN THE GARDEN 21

"THE FAMISHED CHILD LOOKED FROM THE BISCUIT TO
THE GLOWING FACE" 43

"'HUSH!' SAID THE YOUNG GIRL. 'SIT STILL'" 104

"'WAS SUCH A HAT EVER SEEN IN PARIS?'" 147

"'I THROW OPEN THE DOOR AND STEP BACK, MY HEART
IN MY MOUTH'" 172

"NOW AGAIN IT WAS A RIDE FOR LIFE" 205

"THE PATIENTS IDOLISE HER" 237

RITA.