o,€ DOLLAR PER ANNUM, INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
T O AV A N I) A :
PttlnrtJan fflorninn, Janiwrn 20, 1833.
Stlttftlt |]ocfnr.
the first fall of snow.
11l JAMES UCSSELL LOWELL.
The snow had begun in the gloaming,
And busily all the night,
Had been heaping field and highway
With a silence deep and white.
Every pine and fir and hemlock,
Wore ermir.e too dear for an Ear! ;
And the poorest twig on the elm tree
Was rigged inch deep with pearl.
From sheds new roofed with Carrara,
Came Chanticleer's muliled crow;
The stiff rails were stiffened to swan's down—
And still Buttered down the snow.
I thought of a mount in sweet Auburn,
Where a little headstone stood;
How the flakes were folding it gently.
As did robins the babes in the wood.
L'p spoke our little Mahet,
Saying '• Father, who makes the snow
And I told him of the good All-Father,
Who cares for us below.
Again I looked at the snow fall.
And thought of the laden sky,
That arched o'er our first great sorrow,
When that mound was heaped so high.
I remember the gradual patience
That fell from that cloud like snow;
Flake by flake healing and hiding
The scar of the deep-stabbed woe.
And again to the child I whispered,
" The snow that visieth all;
Darling, the merciful Father
Alone can make it fall!"
Then with eyes that saw not 1 kissed her,
And .-he kissing back, could not know
That my kiss was given to her sister.
Folding close under the deepening snow, i
■ ■
.§ 111 rll It fait.
From the.* United Service Magazine.
-J"u:K YJjvmjjz am
A TRUE NARRATIVE.
lathe summer of last year, 1 was proceeding
home to Britain, on a ieuve of absence from my
regiment, the th Highlanders, which were then
and are still laying in garrison at Malta. Favored
by the friendship ol Iter commander, and my good
triend and old school fellow, Lieut. John Hall, I
had a passage given me in her majesty's ship
Blonde, of twenty-six guns ; and. after a pleasant
run of a tew days, a smart breeze, which we en
countered oil Almanecar, when sailing along the
coast of Spain, brought down soma of our top ham
per, and we tun into Malaga to repair damages.
It was a beautiful and sunny evening, when our
anchor plunged into the shining waters of that depp
bay, which presents a superb line of coas', arid the
back ground of which is formed by the undulating
line of Sterria de Mija, into the pure, blue'sky of
Spain, and bounding in the distance, the flat and
fertile Vega.
From the quarter deck ol the Blonde, we had a
magnificent prospect of Malaga, with its stately
mansions, its domes, spires and stately kiosks,
bathed in a warm, yellow tint, as the sun's rays
fadeJ along the Vega, and its shadows deepened
on its hills, clothed with vineyards arid plantations
of orange, almond, lemon and olive trees 'lhe
gaudy Spanish flag descended Irorn the dark ram
parts ol the Moorish fortress of Gibral Faro, as the
evening gun was fired from the guard-ship; arid
then, as the sun sets behind the mountains, the
beds tolled for vespers in the lofty steeple of the -
square cathedral, and a red lambent light began to
giimmer on the tall brick chimneys of that exten
sive iron foundry, which (alas for romance!) a
thoroughly practical Scotsman had built in Malaga,
where it finds lood and wo.-k for hunJreds, in
.-melting the ore of the adjacent hills, while it po.
lutes the cerulean sky of Granada.
Bent upon a ramble or sdventuie, the seconJ
Lieutenant—Jack Hall—and I, took the fowling
pieces, and leaving our swords behind us—at least,
1 only took my regimental diik—we pulled ashore
in the dingy, which landed us at one of those piers
tnat project hum the city to the sea, lorming part
o: that nobie mole which measures TOO y.<rds in
length.
Leaving our guns and shooting aparatus at the
nolel, we wandered about the town, visiting the
Alcazaba, which must have or.ee been a fortess of
ol ra-t strength ; then the old Roman Cathedral and
dishop's Palace ; but we lingered longest in the
Alameda— that beautiful promenade, which is SO
-eet w iJe, E nJ is bordered by rows ol orange and
vieander trees, and in the centre a fountain wag
tossing its spatkling waters into the starry sky.
Bete we saw some dark-eyed Spanish women.
• a 'heir bright manlilUs and veils, and not a few in
; ' lf cr homely and assuredly less gracelul bonnet
-•J shawl of LonJon and I'aris, whose fashions
are gradually, and I think, unfortunately superced
■'s ihe more captivating dress of Spain. We saw
ferocious looking soldiers, in datk dresses,
"earing yellow sashes, red forage caps arid enor
mous moustaches; old priests gliding stealthily
'• :i 3 with an aspect ol meekness, and apparanlly
cashed in spirit—for the present government pres
sei with a heavy hand upon the celestials ; citizens
"ti ii n S [ U (| S of bright colors, wi'h red sashes
" u ' ow crowned hats, have black silk tufts at each
"Ja: queer-looking cabelleros in large brown
-oiks, like that of Don Diege de Meridozas—
',) or Hidalgo," and wearing hat 6 ala Kossuth.—
— 5 every man was 6moking as if his salvation de
. -tided upon his vigor, the whole air was redolent
with cigars.
•'ad on my undress—-a lot aging cap and plain
THE BRADFORD REPORTER
red jacket, with tartan trews, my sash and dirk—
for i have found that the British uniform always in
sures the wearer attention and respect in almost ev
ery part ot the globe.
We wandered long in that lovely AlampJa, un
til the last of its lair promcnaders, had withdrawn ;
and then we returned lo our hotel rather disappoin
ted, and that of all black eyes we had seen Hash
ing under veils of Madeira lace, not one had giv
en us a glance of encouragement; that of all the
pretty lips that had b?en lisping Juleet Spanish,
mixed with Arabic of Granada, none had invited
us to follow ; that of all the sombre personages,not
one appeared to be an assassin or a Grand Inquis
itor ; and that of all the hideous old duennas whom
we had seen cruising around us, not one approach
ed, and with linger on her lip and an impressive
glance in her eye, placed a mysterious note in eith
er of our hands, and " disappeared in the crowd."
Nothing remarkable happened—save that llall
had his pocket pickeJ ol his handkerchief and ci
gar case—and we returned to our hotel, where we
supped on devilled turkey and the wine of the dis
trict—Tierno and Malaga—alter which we turned
into bed, ordering the waiter to summon us early,
a.td have a guide to lead us towards the neighbor
ing hills, where we intended to make some havoc
among the game next day.
Punctually at 5 o'clock in the morning, the mo
/ode, aroused us, and after our coffee, we shoul
dered our double barrel rifles, accompanied by a
young gamin, named Pedrillo, our little guide.
He was about twelve years of age; but hardened
by indigence and sharpened by privation, his per
ceptive faculties w ere keener than those of many
men. His sallow little visage wis shaped with
more of the animal than of the human being; his
eyes were black, glossy, and glittered with cun
ning and intelligence. His sole attire consisted of
a dilapidated shirt, a p tir of knee-breeches and a
cowl, which confineJ his luxuriant black hair; he
had zinc rings in kis ears, and bore altogether the
aspect of a little lazzarone.
He was intelligent withal, and told us a vast num
ber of anecdotes, which increased in wonder and
ferocity as we paid hirn one present after another.
But he dwelt particularly on the achievements of a
certain Juan Rosa, otherwise called D' Antequera,
who was then prowling in that savage range of
mounlaiiis.fiom whence fie descended—sometimes
alone, sometimes with many followers—especially
when the Solano blew irom Africa, to commit out
rages among the quiet villages and quintas of the
fertile Vega, where he was said to be in league
with every ocsada keeper for thirty miles around
Malaga.
About mid-day we rested under the cool shadow
of cork wood, about ten miles from the city ; it was
a beautiful place, where the sward was soft as vel
vet, and where a thick border of blushing rose
trees and wild barangiss flourished near us. Here
we shared our provisions with a paisano and two
aimed contrabandistas whom we met, and who
shared wj h us their wine in turn.
The two smugglers had strong and active horses
and carried blunderbusses and pistols to guard their
bales of chocolate, soap, tobacco and cigars; they
were fine, merry fellows, gaudily dressed, and lull
i of fun and anecdote; for in Spain the contraban
dists is a species of travelling newspaper. Now
all their news was of the last feat of the outrage c/
Juan Rosa.
I would give a guinea to meet this interesting
vagabond, the interview would tell famously in
some of the monthlies," said Hall, with a heedless
laugh.
41 I think I should know him," said I. for we
saw at least twenty colored prints of him in the i
shops on the Alameda, fast night, fie is a fero
cious looking dog."
The conlrabandistas looked round with alarm,
and then laughed immoderately.
44 Ferocious? Indeed, senor'!" said the paisa
do: 41 1 beg to differ from you, having rriysell
seen Juan of Antequera, face lo race ; and so think
him quite like other men.''
1 gazed at die speaker, whom, by his green vel
vet jacket, adorned by four dozen brass buttons, his
sombrero, with its broad yellow ribbon, his black
plush breeches, red scaif and shoe buckles. [ sup
posed to be the substantial farmer of one of the ad
jacent quintas. He had a fine dark face, a pow
erful figure, and two black eyes that seemed to be
always looking through rne. Over one eye brow ,
he had a latge black patch. He carried a riding j
swi h, tiad a knife in his girdle, and altogether, as
he lolled on the sward, smoking a paper cigar and
sipping rej wine, f thought he wojuld make a line
and striking sketch, and equal to any by I'inelli.
44 Juan Iloa," said he, 44 has committed many
outrages in the Vega of Grariada. The Duke of
Wellington has there an esta'e, having on it about
three hundred tenants, who yielJ some fifteen
(hoasanJ dollars of" rental: but Juan lias thrice
drawn every duroof it from the old abagado, who
acts as steward to the Duke.
The contrabandiftas again laughed at this .in
moderately.
41 You have seen this Juan, or De'Antequera,
have you not said I.
" And so have I,"' said our little PeJrillo.
44 And where was this, my little fellow? ' asked
Jack Hall.
4 On the night old Barradas, the muleteer, was
murdered."
The Spaniard with a patch over his eye knit his
brow.
44 Carajo!" said he, ''Ah I remember that."
'■ Tell us all about this murder," said Jack Hall
44 You must know, senor," said Pedrillo, 41 that
at the foot of the Sierra de'Mijt, about five miles
from this, there stands a wayside inn, called La
Posada del Cayallo, lor the keeper, Martin Secco
had a great horse painted ort the sign board. This
man is the uncle of Juan Roa, or De'Antequera.—
He lias a wife and had two daughters. Ihe place
I is lonely, and it often happens that those who put
j up thcro lor the night forget the right path—for
they are lost among the mountains, or fall into the
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT TOWAND.I, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
" REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER."
sand pits—at least they a e seldom heard of here.
You understand, senors ?''
The Spaniard with the patch smiled grimly, and
played with his knife.
" One night last year I guided Pedro Barradas,
the Cordovan muleteer, to the Posada when it was
dark as pitch. Pedro was very old and hall blind,
and had never been that way before. A storm
came on, and he desired rite to remain with him,
saying that he would pay me well; old Barradas
was rich ; he had money in the war of indepen
dence, and in the last civil war between the Car
lists and the Christians, and had given three silver
images to the Church o( his native puebla in Jean.
44 We supped on bacallo, raisins and plain bread
for the season was Lent. While we were at sup
per, in the common hall of the Posada, 1 heard the
rain pattering on the wooden shutters, (there is no
a glass window in the house :) I heard the thunder
grumbling among the hills, and wind howling as
it swept over the fields and vineyards af the Vega.
It was a lonely place for a poor boy who had nei
ther father or mother; but then I was not worth
killing, though many fears flitted across my mind,
for Martin's wile—an ugly and wicked looking
Basque provincial—put some alarming questions to
old Pedro Barradas. She told him that neighbor
hood was infested with banJidos and contrabandis
tas, and asked if he was a heavy sleeper.
44 No," said Barradas, " in the war against Jo
seph Bonaparte, 1 learned the art of sleeping
lightly."
44 But what will you Jo tl you are attacked ?"
" That is as may be; but 1 have only twenty
duros, and so I shall sleep soundly enough."
These questions alarmed me very much; visions
of murder and slaughter came beiore trie. I crept
close to Barradas, who, as I have said, was very
old and very frail; but his presence seemed to pro
tect me for a lime.
" When the hour for bed had arrive.!, we who
were the only guests, were somewhat imperafively
requested to retire to our rooms, by the woman.
" Barradas saw his danger, an.l he said that 1
should sleep in the same roctrt with him.
" But Inez Secco told him roug'.ly that lie must
be content to sleep alone. Then the poor old man
was hall led and half dragged away. As for me,
I was but a boy ; so they thrust me into a dark
closet, where some straw lay on the Hoor, and de
an ing me to sleep there and be thankful, they left
me.
" I lay down on the straw, and finding it wet,
arose in horror, tearing it was blood; and so 1 re
inained in the dark, praying to our Lady of the
Seven Sorrows, arid trembling listened to the howl
ing of the storm for more than an hour, when all
the other sounds in that Pesala died away.
44 I was just beginning to dose, when a ray of
light streamed through the key hole ol die door
f heare it opened, and lo! Martin's wile. Inez Sec.
co appeared, with a long at\! sharp cncillo in her
hand. A man accompanied her. He was Juan
Rosa De'Antquera! Terror para!) zed me; and she
believed me lo be asleep, foi she felt all over my
clothes, that is my poor shirt and breeches pockets,
from which she look two quarter duros--all I pos
sessed in this world,and then passing the light twice
across my face to asure hersell that I slept, the hag
muttered :
44 Caramba ! only a half dnro: this little wretch
is neither wotth lodging or killing"
44 Immediately alter this, 1 heard them whisper
with M irtin Cacco; and then they knocked at the
door of old Pedro Barradas, who, like u cautious
man, had fas'ened it on the inside.
" Get up,"' said they, " Senor Barradas, you are
wanted."
44 But old Pedro Barradas either slept like a top
or he was to weary to open, for he heeded them
not.
" Then I heard Juan and Martin mutter curses,
as they deliberately forced open the door; next
there was a terrible cry of—
''Help! Pedrilo, help ; AyuJa por amor de nes
Ira, Senora Santissima!"
" This was followed by sounds like those made
by a sheejJJ when the knife of the carcinero is in
its throat ; and, in the meantime, Martin's two
daughters were singing and dancing in the passage,
lo conceal these terrible sounds, whice Iroze the
blood within me."
Here Pednllo paused.
" Go on," said Hall, impatiently ; '• how did you
escape
44 if the noble senors woulj help lo reiresh my
memory—"
" Ah, 1 comprehend," said I, tossing a peseta to
him : " now fire away, Pedrillo."
" You should not encourage this young piearo,
Senor Caballero," said the Spaniard, whose face
was now daikened by a terrible frown ; " fur i
is my belief that he was the mere decoy, who
led poor old Pedro Barradas to that villainous Po
soda."
Instead of being angry, PeJrillo lifted up his.
hands, and prayed that Heaven anil onr Lady ot
the Seven Sorrows, would forgive the speaker for
his vile suspicions.
44 I never closed my eye? that night In the
morning, 1 was told by Inez phe Patroria, that old
Barradeas had departed across the hills of Ante
quera without me. Martin Secco asked me how 1
had slept. I sanl like a dormouse; and as soon
as I was hee, I ran like a hare back to Malaga,
arid to make up for the last night's lack of rest,
slept like a torpedo under the trees of the Alame
da"
" Your acquainted the magistrates—the algula
zils. of course," said Hall knocking the ashes fiorn
his cigar.
" 1 was only a poor, raged little ; icara." replied
Pedrillo, in a whining voice; ' and who would
believe me? Besides old Barradas wa6 a stranger,
from Cordova or Jean ; and a man, more or less is
nothing in .Granada; but since that time, Muiiin's
two daughters have been sent to the gal.ejs at
Barcelona, by the Captain Geaeial ol the Cutg
dorn, for intriguing in many ways \i h coutraban
distas ol Joan. Now, senors, the noon is past, and
if it please# you, 'tis time we are moving, if you
with to reach the Sierra."
While we were placing fresh caps on our rifles
and preparing to start, the Spaniard with the patpb.,
who had listened to I'edrillo's story with great im
patience, now seized the young gamin by the arm,
and grasping it like a vice, gave him a savage
scow| and said something in Spanish, but so rap
idly that I could only make nut that he was repre
hending him severely, for telling us 44 a succession
of falsehoods."
So 1 thought at that time; afterwards I was en
abled to put a different construction upon his in
dignation, at which Pedillo was considerably alarm
ed.
Bidding adieu lo him and the contrabandislas,
we departed under I'edrillo's guidance, and (sans
leave) shot along 'he mountain range, on the slope
of which stands the small but ancient city of Ante
quera, so noted lor the revolt of the Moors in the
sixteenth century ; an J had some narrow escapes
fiom failing into those remarkable pi:s, where the
water settles into the low places, and is formed into
salt by the mere heat of ttie sun.
We did not see much game; but knocking over
a few braces ol birds, and with these and two red
(oxes, our little guard Pedrillo, was quite laden.—
So he seemed to'think. Taking advantage of the
concealment afforded by the olive groves, and the
scattered remnant of an abandonment vineyard,
amongst which we had become entangled, the
young rogue slippedaway with our game and made
oil either towards Malaga or Antequera ; at least
we saw n-> more of him, or his burden at that time.
This was just about the close of the day, when
Hall and I were draining the last drop of our flask,
and surveying from the mountain slope, the mag
nificent prospect of the verdant Vega, spreading at
our feet like a bright tinted map, having that warm
and roseta glow which well might win it the name
of Tierra Calicnte. Malaga, the ancient bulwark
of Spain against Africa, yvasjshining in the distance
with its towers and gates, flat-rooled houses, and
vast cathedral"; its Moorish castles and Gothic
spires all bathed in a warm and sunny yellow while
beyond lay the broad blue Mediterranean, dotted
by sails, and changing .from. gold to'purple anJ
blue.
This was all very fine; but our pleasure was
lessened by the conviction that our little rascal Pe
drillo, was absconding with our game; and we
knew it would never do to relate to the gun room
mess how vre had been outwitted on returning to
the Blonde next day.
The foreground of this beautiful Panorama was
btoken by innumerable small hillocks and clump?
of vrood of many kinds, that grew on the slope of
the g r eat Sierra : and though the sky and landscape
darkened fast after sunset, we instituted astiicland
angry search for Pedrillo, shou'ing and whistling
as we stumbled on, we not very well knew whither,
looking, looking for our lost spoils—two foxes,
with gallant btushes, and eight braces ol bitds.
No moon had risen; the wind began to whistle
among the groves and hollows; the night was
very ilaik.
44 What d vre should meet Master Juan of Ante
quera," said I.
If we had our" game, 1 should be very well
pleased," replied Hall; l; but I wish that little Pe
dtillo had been with the old scratch when we hired
him yesterday. If i had ihe little lubber on board
the Blonde, 1 would show him the maintop "
44 Spain is a land of mishaps and events," said I
" Yes erday we were wishing lor an adven
ture ! '
" And to night wa hare one with a vengeance !"
said I.
41 Belay : I see some one moving in that hollow.
Let us jump down—ahoy below there !"
44 But we may lose our track," I urged.
4 - True*; so Jo you remain where you are while
Igo dowu'into the'hollow. Haloa, now and iben>
to let me know whereabouts."
With his rille in his hand, Hall who was a fine
active lellow sprang down into a ravine that sud
denly yawned before us, and 1 remained with my
rifle cockeJ, and stooped low to watch what might
follow. Hall appeared in the obscurity below. I
halloed but lite night wind tossed back my own
shout upon me. Then 1 thought I heard his voice
and sprang after him, but fell upon a point of rock,
and sank completely stunned to the earth.
There I lay for nearly a quarter of an hour un
able to move, or rally my senses. When 1 arose,
I found myself at tiie bottom ct the hollow, and
upon a narrow mule track : the rnoon was rising
brightly* at the south end of the ravine, silvering the
masses of rock, tufts of laurel trees, and wild vines
that grew in the clefts ot the basalt. 1 shouted, but
received no reply; and a long arid fruitless
search could discover no traces of Hall in any di
rection.
Considerably alarmed for his safety as well as
my own for to lie at nighl those lulls ol
Antequera with the devilish stories ol Pedrillo ami
the contrabaudistas haunting one's memory, was
anything but pleasant—l tried Ihe charges of my
rifle, looked again to the percussion caps, and set
ofi in that direction where, by the rising of the
moon, I knew that M.ilaga must lie; but frequent
ly paused to hallo for Jack Hall and received no
answer save tlje echoes ol the rocks.
The ravine descended and grew more open.—
Again I saw the' Vega sleeping at rr.y leet in the
haze; and on turning an angle cf the road, found
myself close to an inn ortaberna, which I approach
with joy and concluded t!;al my I.iend Jack roust
have gone that way, and would probably bo there
Like alt Spanish inns, it was a large and mis
shapen edifice, the lower story of which nothing
better than a great open elitsd iof mules and
vehicles ; ascend thence by a stair, I reached
a gallery, at the door ol which f was received by
the host, who carried in his hand a stable-lanlein.
"Enirar," said he, bowing profoundly entrar,
senor."
•' I have been cut shoo ting en the mountains,"
said I, "and have lost my companion, a Biitish
naval officer. He as passed this"way !'
" No, sertor," replied the host (whose face I
could not see.) as he led me np another stair.
44 Then get supper prepared ; for he must soon
be here, as I have no doubt he knows the direction
of Malaga. And now," said I drawing n long
breath as I seated myself what place is this?"
44 Lo PosaJo Del Cavalla." (!)
44 Eh! ah—and you?" I asked in a thick voice.
4 - Martin Secco, at your service. Senor Ca
ballero !"
„ Here was a donouemenl.
"Good Heavens!" thought,!, mechanically re
suming my rifle; 44 If the stories ol Pedrillo should
be true!"
I scrutinized my host and hostees.
Martin had a broad and open visage, with keen
eyes, and a black beard as thick as a horse brush ,
a wide mouth, that frequently expanded in grins ;
but no radiance ever lit up his glassy eyes. The
mouth laughed; but they remained immoveable—
invariably a bad sign. His forehead receded and
his ears were placed high upon his head. At first
glance I concluded that my senor patron was an j
unmitigated brute. His figure was somewhat
portly, and encased in a brown jacket, brown knee
breeches, and black stockings, he wore his hair,
confined in a caul, anJ had a yellow sash round
his waist.
His wile was, as Pedtillo baj described Inez
Secco, a Basqe, for her Spanish was almost unin
telligible ; and her coarse black hair was plaited in
in one thick tad, which teached her heels. Her
gown was of rough red cloth, with tight sleeves
and a short skir', displaying a pair of yellow worst
ed stockings and leather sandals, fas'ened by
thongs above the ankle. Her face was coarse and
bloated ; but the expression of her eye was terrible
ft hovered between the bright ferocious giare of a
B B
snake, and the glazed otb of an arrant sot. She
scanned me closely; and I thought the old devil
(she was a Spanish woman and past forty.) was
accurately appraising the value of everything I had
on.
4 -Well, senora palrona,'' said !, "what can 1
have for supper ?"
" The senor has come at a very bad rime, for we
have little or no provisions in our laider." (The ;
lender of eveiy Spanish inn has been in the same ,
condition since the days of Cervantes and Congo- |
ra.) 44 For now this road between Malaga and!
Antequera is but little frequented alter noonday,
owing to the terrible robberies and the fourassassi- ,
nations committed by Juan Rosa, during the last
Salona. Caraba! 'tis very hard that we should
suffer for him."
44 What can I have, then V'
44 A roasted galina.drcssed with a few beans,'said
the palrona.
44 And a glass of good aqnadient," added the
host: 44 Our Tiorno has soured in the wineskins.'
44 Tis poor fare this, for hungry men. I have
said that I expect my friend's en rival momenta
rily."
The host gave'aeold smile,,and said, 44 We have
had nothing ourselves for a week past but Indian
corn and boded garbanzos, (beans.) but ihe.besi we
have is at the disposal of the senor caballerro."
The inn was old and crazy; ihe wind came in at
one cranny and went out at the other. The roof,
walls, and floor of the large apartment in which we
three were seated, consisted of a multitude ol
beams and boards placed horizontally and diagon
ally, without regard to design or appearance, for in
mechanics, the Spaniards are behind every other
nation in civilized Europe. There was but one
candle in the house, (as the host assured me,) arid
it was rapidly guttering down in the currents of air
The patroua translerred it from the lantern to an
iron holder, and it vras placed on the table to light
the room and my supper.
An ostler, or nondescript servant, wearing fustain
knee-breeches, without braces, with a muleteer's
embroidered shirt, and having a yellow handker
chief tied round his head, spread a (not over-clean)
cloth on the table ; knives, forks and covers were
laid for two,wi h acold fowl, a loaf of while bread,
a dish of bear.s, garlic, and a bottle ol aquadiente.
I observed this wild looking waiter frequently
glancing at my rifle, and the jewelled dirk that
dangled at my waist-belt; became suspicious of
everything.
44 You are well armed, Senor," Laid he.
41 It is natural; for arms are my profession/'
said I.
I looked at my watch ; the hands indicated elev
en o'clock ! Two hours had elapsed since Hall
and 1 had separated, still thete was no appearance
of him. Twenty times f opened the shutters of
the unglazed windows, and listened intently ; but
the night wind that swept down the dark river of
the Sierra, brought neither shout nor looMep : so I
resolved lo sup, go to bed and trust lo daylight for
discovering Jack, if fie did notainve at die posaJe
before morning.
I had just concluded supper, when ihe iasi re
mains of ihe last caudle in this solitary inn sank
into its iron socket, and left us in darkness—at icast
in no other light than the red.- wavering gloom
that came fiorn the hearth, where a few roots ol
pine and corkwood smouldered beside the brown
puncheto. in which the amiable patron had boiled
the beans for my repast.
44 Here is a pretty piece Di business?" said Mar
tin Seco ; 4; we have not another candle, were it to
light the blessed altar; and the senor caballero
must go to bed in the uaik."
4 /feed not that, senor patron," said 1, 4 for 1
am a soldier as you may see, and am useJ to dis
comfort."
44 Tis well ; for I ain sure the senor has experi
enced nothing but discomfort in our poor posada.
When f am rich enough, senor, I hope to have a
hotel in the Alemeda; and then should the cabal
lero ever come to Malaga again, he would remem
ber Martin Seco."
At this remark I beard the palrona utter a low
chuckling laugh; but whether at the prospect of
the fine hotel, or the doubtful chance of my evej
visiting Malaga, I could not say.
<: Now sermr patron," said I, rising, and taking
up my liflo, <• | fhould like to reach the town be
times to-morrow ; so show me to my chamber,
and should my friend arrive, fail not to call me."
" Will you not leave your gun here?" suggested
the host.
" riiank you—no, ' said I, while my undefined
U"picions grew stronger vyithin me. "Do you
lead the way senor, I shall follow, good night, se
nora patrona."
"Bucno Xoche, senor," said she, stirring up the
embers, and we separated.
To follow Martin was perhaps the most unpleas
ant part that 1 hail yet acted : lor 1 haJ to grope
my way after him through a long dark passage,
about forty leet long, at the enJ of which he ush
ered me into a room where there was no light but
that given by the moon, which shown through a
small window glared with little panes of coarse
glass. Here he bade me ll ßueno Nocfit," and af
ter many apologies for my poor accommodation,
left mji.
The apartment was small. In one. corner stood
a French bed, having light colored curtains; this
with a basin-stand, two chairs and a minor, made
up the. furniture. I.ike a true soldier I tinned to
secure the door. Destitute of lock or bolt, it had
only a small thumb latch.
Dismounting tfje ewer arid basin, 1 placed the
stand end wise between the Jour and ihe bed, firm
ly living it, and thus forming a barricade, which
none could forey without awaking me. To make
ail sure, 1 again dropped the ramrod into each bar
rel of ny title, pis-ed a finger over the caps, un
buckled thy heit by which my diik dangled, and
without undressing, for every moment I expected
to hear Jack Hall lialooing outside the house, in
short, to be prepared for anything—l threw myself
down on the coverlet,'and weary and worn ty a
long day's ramble among the mountains, prepared
to sleep.
For a long time a species ol painful wakefulness
possessed rne; the moans of the passing wind, tho
flapping of a loose board in the external gallery,
the waving shadows thrown ty the moonlight on
the damp and discolored walls—even the ticking
of my watch di-tmbed me, and kept me thinking
ot poor Hall's unaccountable absence, with many
tears that he might hive (alien into hands o! Juan
of Antequera, and not a few reproaches for my
having, perhaps, too easily relinquished my seatel;
for him.
i hese thoughts completely obliterated any 6ense
ot rny own immediate danger; and i was aboul
to drop asleep, when something moist, that 00/ erf
about my lace and neck, aroused me. I started—
lully awake in a moment, and passing a hand
across my cheek, looked at it in the moonlight.
" Blood!" said f,springing off the bed, while a
tijiill ;an through me. i had not been wounded
or cut by rny fall , then from whence came this
terrible moisture ? 1 examined the pillow and
found it quite wet; J turned it, an J lo' it was sat
urated with blood!
This was the reason that Martin Seco had de
clined to give me a candle. My heart beat thick
and fast; apprehension of something horrible came
over me, anJ 1 remembered the stories of Pedrilio.
1 also recollected that I had some excellent cigar
tuse*, and teaiiug three or four blank leaves horn
rny note book, I twisted them together—lit thetn,
and surveyed the dingy chamber. Ttie boards in
J.-out of the ued were by recent spots of
blood. I raised the little fringe of curtain, and
guided by some terrible instinct, looked below,
and saw—what ?
Poor Jack Hall, lying there in tins naval uniform,
with his epaulette torn off, and his throat litual'jr
cut from ear to ear!
Almost paralysed, I continued for half a tnii uie
to gaze at the terrible speclacleptill the paper burn
ed down to my fingers and expired. 1 heard my
heart beating, and my head spun round as I ligl {•
ened my belt and grasped my loaded rifie. Be
fore I could adopt any plan of operations, 1 heard a
rustling and whispering in the passage near my
door ; and looking through a crack in the panels,
saw within a yard of me, Martin SecOj bearing in
one hand the rifle of my poor friend, aaJ in the
other a DghteJ candle, although he had made to toe
so many apologies about two hours befoie for not
having another in the house. Ashe approached
he handed it to a boy, in whom 1 discovered Fe-
Jiilio , and then the light flashed on two other per
sons. in one ol whom I recognized the ostler, and
in the other, our acquaintance of the noon, with
the patch on his face, and weaiitig a greeu velvet
jacket and a sombrero. This worthy had a pistol
in one hand anJ a knife in the other. The patrona
was also there, with her wolfish eyes and enor
mous Basque queue.
Outrage and assassination were impressed upon
the hard lutes of all their cruel and savage visages,
and I perceived at once that, without a vigorous
effort, I was los , that my life was forleiled ; and
all lite anticipations of newspaper paragraphs, a
mysterious disappearance, in the Times and Mili
tary Gazette Hashed upon my n;iuj. I had a no
ble profession, many kind irienJs, my regiment
and home, with " the best expectations," as old
dowagers say, on one hand : a horrible and sudden
death—a lonely scene of unknown butchery on the
oilier!
I cocked the locks of my rifle, and resolutely
removed the barticade lroin the door*
" Take time, Juan Uosi," said the patrona.
"Hold your tongue, old pnra, I know well
what I am doing," growleJ the personage in green,
whom 1 now knew to be ilia! terrible outlaw, who,
Since the Catlist war, had laughed at the carbirie
ros and alguazils, and kept all Malaga, the Sierra
Jo M ja, and tha Vega of Granada astir arjd m ter
ror.
Including the patrona and the treacherous young
rascal JPedrillo, J had five desperate enemies, and
only two bullets at their service.
" Let u? prove whether the Lgiese is as.'eop bo-