moment lower and feebler as he contemplated with increasing misgivings the hazards of the enterprise: and when at length the martial band, whose destruction he was plotting, came full in view, the loud ringing of their accoutrements, and the flashing of their helmets and sabres in the sunshine, struck such terror to his heart, that he instantly resolved to abandon its prosecution altogether. In such a case, had he been possessed of ordinary nerve, his obvious course would have been to proceed to the discharge of his regular duties as landlord of the house; and he would probably have found little difficulty in persuading Diaz that he had been unable to extract the desired information from the French. But alas! that 'conscience,' which 'doth make cowards of us all,' whispered to José his utter inability to emulate the coolness and unconcern of innocence, and at the same time avoid suspicion; and acting on its promptings, he made a precipitate retreat, and the abortive effort at concealment, which terminated as already recorded.

Having heard his recital to the close with the utmost attention, Captain Dubois inquired: 'So, then, the two spies of whom you speak are at this moment concealed in the barn ?'*

'Si, senor.'

Directing him to lead the way to the building in question, whilst by a gesture he instructed a couple of his men to look sharply after him, the officer easily managed to surround the house with the dragoons ere the unfortunate men within had the slightest intimation that they had been betrayed. Even after the soldiers had passed the doorway, the devoted guerrillas, probably regarding them as idle stragglers from the main body, lay still and silent in the place of their concealment; nor was it until the faithless landlord having pointed out the spot-they were actually seized and dragged into the light of day, that they attempted to resist or flee. But it was then too late. One fierce struggle, which lasted but a moment, and they were overpowered, securely bound, and conducted to the venta. A brief examination followed, in which Captain Dubois exerted his persuasive powers in vain to induce the faithful fellows to furnish him with any information concerning their leader or his band. They remained silent, or answered his inquiries either with terrible maledictions on the invaders of their country, or with statements grossly and obviously wide of the truth, until their interrogator, discovering the uselessness alike of threats and promises, and recollecting the somewhat critical position he occupied, and the already advanced hour of the afternoon, ordered them to be led out into the courtyard for execution, and then inquired for the landlord. He soon appeared, and claimed the promise given him by the captain, whilst an assumed confidence struggled for the mastery with ill-dissembled terror in his tones and countenance.

'I promised not to hang you for anything you should reveal to me,' replied the captain, and that promise I shall keep; though

I fancy we are indebted more to your fears than your good-will. But there's a trifling matter you have altogether overlooked in your confession, and concerning which I feel curious to obtain a little information. The troops which march from Burgos to Valladolid generally remain there for several days; now how came this fellow Diaz to know of my intention, contrary to the usual custom, to return to-day?'

The countenance of the wretched man instantly fell. Such an inquiry he had never anticipated, and consequently was quite unprepared to meet it. He faltered out a denial of any knowledge on the subject; but his interrogator was not a man to be so easily deceived. Directing José to accompany him, he proceeded to the yard, whither the doomed guerrillas had been led for execution, and inquired of them how Diaz came to be acquainted with his intentions. The result answered his expectations. The Spaniards, believing the landlord to have voluntarily betrayed them, hesitated not to make an avowal which would involve the betrayer in their doom, whilst it could not possibly injure their leader or his cause. As if actuated by one mind, and making an effort with their pinioned arms to point to the unhappy landlord, they exclaimed together : 'He sent the information !'

'A lie!—a lie!' exclaimed the trembling wretch. 'I knew not myself, senor, of your intention to return to-day; and how, then, could I have informed Diaz?'

"'Tis false!' said the sergeant, who immediately recollected the language he had used to the landlord two days before. 'I myself informed you when on our march to Valladolid, and desired you to have better wine for us to-day.'

Sergeant,' said the captain in a grave tone, 'I had intended forwarding your name with a recommendation for promotion on the next vacancy occurring; but the man who has so little discretion as to communicate to his majesty's enemies the intended movements of his troops, is scarcely a fit person to bear his commission.-Seize the fellow,' he cried, pointing to the landlord, ‘and give him a traitor's doom!'

"Your promise, senor!-your promise!' gasped the miserable

man.

'My promise was not to hang you; and though your having failed to fulfil the conditions might justify me in so doing, my word once passed, I scorn to break it, even to a dog like you! But I'll shoot you!-Bind him, and place him with the others; though it's almost a pity that such a craven should fall by a soldier's weapon, and yonder brave and faithful fellows be compelled to die in the company of so base a hound.'

12

IV.

The unfortunate, but certainly treacherous innkeeper was instantly bound, according to the command of the officer, and, heedless of his cries, the dragoons placed him in that position described in the opening paragraph of our narrative. A few minutes at most would have sufficed to close the tragedy, when the sentry posted on the road in front of the venta was heard to challenge, and another actor was unexpectedly ushered on the scene. The appearance of the new-comer was striking in the extreme. Though little above the middle height, his limbs and body indicated the possession of gigantic strength; his broad chest and brawny neck were on a perfectly colossal scale; his features, which, though large and coarse, were far from disagreeable, conveyed the expression of daring and decision in an eminent degree, their effect being heightened by his long coal-black hair and thick moustache, and bushy whiskers of the same colour, which met beneath his chin, whilst a broadleafed hat threw on his naturally dark countenance a still more sombre shade. He was clad in the ordinary peasant garb. On being ushered into the yard, he gazed about him with apparently a vacant look, as if he understood not the meaning of the preparations. before described. Captain Dubois, however, fancied he perceived a. start of surprise on the part of the kneeling guerrillas at the moment of the new-comer's appearance; and as his eye fell upon the stranger, he detected something marvellously like a mute gesture of intelligence on his side. He whispered an order to the sergeant, and a moment after, half-a-dozen of the dragoons threw themselves at once upon the man, and despite the amazing strength which he put. forth to shake them off, and against which a couple of ordinary men would have had little chance of success, he was soon overpowered, and bound so securely, as to set at defiance all his efforts to regain his liberty.

'Who are you?' inquired the captain, when his prisoner was secured, and stood before him.

'I am Nicolas Herastas the woodman,' replied the other; 'and have come to the venta to sell yonder fagots to Senor José for firewood. What mischief have I done, that you should seize and bind me thus?' The appearance of an enormous bundle of fagots, which he bore on his shoulder when he entered the yard, seemed to support his assertion.

'Know you this man?' inquired the captain of the kneeling guerrillas.

'We know him not,' was the steady response.

'Know you this man?' he asked of the landlord. 'Si, senor-si,' he replied.

'Who is he?'

'Juan Martin Diaz, el Empecinado!'

'What! the fellow whom you described as the leader of the band to which these belong?'

'The same, senor.'

Captain Dubois paused for a moment; then directing the execution to be staid till his return, he ordered the new prisoner to be led into the house. The following conversation ensued:

'You are Martin Diaz, whom they call the Empecinado?'

'If José speak the truth, I am; but I should have thought the men who kneel beside him equally entitled to credit.'

'You complained just now of having been seized and bound. Of course you know that your life, as well as your liberty, is in my hands. But I have power also to spare the one, and restore the other; and I presume, of course, that you, as a sensible man, would wish me to do so.'

'Life is sweet to most men, and I have no wish to die just yet.' 'Then tell me the number of men whom you command, and conduct me to the place where you have concealed them, and I pledge you the honour of a Frenchman, that when you have performed that service, you shall go unharmed.'

Cool and self-possessed as Captain Dubois was, he actually quailed beneath the look of supreme scorn and contempt with which his offer was received. Resuming, however, in a few moments his former calmness of demeanour, the Spaniard replied: "The Empecinado never betrays his comrades; and therefore, if I am he, your offer is thrown away. If I am not he, I know nothing, and can reveal nothing.'

'Then your blood be on your own head!' said the Frenchman, as he rose to give an order for his removal. Make your peace with God, for in five minutes you die.'

Martin Diaz in truth it was. Having waited at the place appointed for some hours after the time when he had expected the arrival of his emissaries with the desired information from the venta, and discovering no signs of their approach, he began to fear he should be compelled to abandon the enterprise altogether. Resolved, however, not to do so without a further effort, he adopted the bold step of presenting himself in the disguise of a woodman, with the view of obtaining, if possible, the necessary intelligence in person. He conceived, indeed, that he ran but little risk in doing so, as his person was wholly unknown to the French, and he never contemplated the possibility of treachery on the part of José. The result, however, was as we have described.

There was present at the conversation between Captain Dubois and Diaz an individual whom we have not hitherto introduced to the reader, the circumstances of the narrative up to this point not requiring it. This was the captain's son, a generous and highspirited youth, about sixteen years of age, who had accompanied

his father into Spain, and was generally his companion on the march. Though destined for the profession of arms, he had not yet entered on that career. Still he was looked on by both officers and men as already belonging to the regiment; and had, in fact, encountered with them not only the discomforts, but the dangers of more than one campaign. The youth had felt powerfully interested in Diaz from the moment of his appearance; and now, greatly impressed in his favour from the coolness and boldness of his replies, and the good faith he exhibited in reference to his comrades, he determined on making an effort to avert his fate. Father,' he said, seizing the captain's arm as he rose from his seat, 'you will not put him to death?"

"Foolish boy! I must,' replied his father. 'Why should I spare him? Who can say what amount of mischief a determined fellow like that might not do to the emperor's troops? If, indeed, he would consent to deliver up the rebels he commands, and enlist himself into the troop, he might make a tolerable dragoon. But he rushes on his fate.'

'But, father,' pursued the lad, 'you have no proof that he is the person you suspect him to be. The only man who states him to be Diaz is one whom you have yourself proved to be a traitor and a liar. At least spare him for the present, and take him to headquarters, as you can easily do.'

"I have no doubt whatever that he is Diaz,' said Captain Dubois; and I cannot encumber myself with prisoners, especially as we have those mountain-passes to traverse after dark, and know not when or where we may fall in with the rebels. His time has come.' So saying he left the room, for the purpose of summoning a guard to convey the prisoner to the court-yard.

But Diaz had heard words of comfort; and though at all times ready to hazard life, was not the man uselessly to throw away a single chance of preserving it. He was left for the moment alone with young Dubois, and he hastened to improve it. A sentry indeed stood at the door, but a party in the room might speak in a low tone without being overheard. "Young man,' said the guerrilla chief, 'you have shewn you have a heart. Would you perform the last request, and ease the last moments of a dying man, when it involved no danger or trouble to yourself?'

How can I serve you?' inquired the youth with evident sympathy. The guerrilla turned round, so as to exhibit his hands covered with blood; the cords which bound his wrists behind cutting him to the bone, and doubtless inflicting the most exquisite pain. 'Cut these cords,' he said. 'In a few minutes it will signify little whether I am bound or loose; but release me from this torture, and earn the last blessing of a dying man.'

The young Frenchman snatched a knife from the table at which he and his father had been partaking of refreshment with the other