To this Arthur replied:--

"My dear Uncle,

"Many thanks for your letter and remittance. As to what you say about my

continuing my term of service, in the event of the Legion as a whole

re-enlisting for a further term, I cannot promise to take any particular

course at present. You say that I can have no interest in the cause for

which I am fighting. I can assure you that we have a very vivid

interest in it. I grant that that was not the case at first, and that

we looked upon it in the mere spirit of adventure; but that is all

changed. The Carlists are not like civilized enemies; they behave

rather like wild beasts. They give no quarter, and every poor fellow

who falls into their hands--officer or soldier--is shot or bayoneted at

once. Even the wounded are slaughtered ruthlessly.

"Now you can very well imagine the state of fury and hatred excited by

such doings. The war has become a war of revenge, and men, when they go

into battle, hope that if they are hit it will be by a fatal shot, and

not by one which will lay them helpless on the ground, with the

certainty of being shot or bayoneted in cold blood unless the Carlists

are beaten and we hold the ground on which we have fought. I don't say

that this is entirely the fault of the Carlists, for in the early part

of the war the Christinos were just as bad, from what I hear. However,

that is the state of things now; and if the Legion were but well

treated, I think there is scarcely a man who would not willingly extend

his term. The fact that I have been promoted is another reason why I

might be tempted to go on. Of course it will make no difference to me

afterwards whether I hold the rank of lieutenant or colonel at the end

of the war; but now that I have gone into the thing I want to see the

end of it.

"However, I do not think that you need feel uneasy on that score, for I

am convinced that, when the term has expired, the greater part of the

Legion will take their discharge. Their treatment has been so

scandalous that I believe that if the order was given for the Legion to

march to Madrid, fight their way through all obstacles, and hang every

member of the government, they would receive it with joy.

"As to what the girls say about a Spanish lady, assure them that though

I am really a man in stature and strength I am still a boy at heart, and

am no more affected by the pretty graces of some of the Spanish girls

than if they were dolls. They are very jolly to chaff with, but

certainly, in my case, nothing to make love to. I hope that by the next

time I write I shall be able to tell you I have got my company. With

love to you all,

"Yours affectionately,

"ARTHUR HALLETT."

*CHAPTER VI*

*A CAPTIVE*

"Have you heard that Maltravers is missing, Hallett?" Sinclair asked

Arthur one morning as he came out of his quarters.

"Missing? No; how is he missing?"

"That is what nobody seems to know. He was on duty last night, and went

along the line a certain distance, and then he seems to have

disappeared. An enquiry is being made among the men on duty, but so far

there does not seem to be any explanation. He certainly was not shot,

for there are no signs of his body. One idea was that he might have

been taken suddenly ill, and turned off to come into the town to report

himself. I believe a search is being made now on the ground that he

would cross, to see if he has fallen there. Of course no one thinks that

he could have deserted."

"I should think not," Arthur said. "There are men who grumble so

continuously that one would hardly be surprised to hear that they had

taken other service, but that was not at all Maltravers' way; he always

made the best of everything."

"Well, it is very strange."

The most exhaustive search failed to bring anything to light respecting

the missing officer. The sentry at the last post he had visited had

observed nothing singular in his manner. The next post was three

hundred yards away, but, although it was a dark night, the officer could

not have missed his way. There was a sharp drop in the ground beyond

the line that he would traverse, and as the route was the same that had

been used for many months, it was scarcely possible that anyone could

miss it. The idea that Carlists could have come down from their

entrenchments, the nearest of which was four hundred yards away, and

captured him, without the sound of a struggle reaching the ears of the

sentries to the right or left, seemed hardly possible. Some suggested

that he might have gone suddenly out of his mind, and wandered down into

the town or to the bank of the Urumea, and there fallen in, but this

seemed to all to be wildly improbable.

The officer's letters and papers were examined, but nothing whatever was

found that could in the slightest support the idea that he had committed

suicide. There was nothing to do but to enter his name upon the list of

missing, and hope that he would yet turn up some day and explain the

mystery.

"It is your turn for the night duty, Hallett," Sinclair said to him

three days after the strange disappearance of Maltravers.

"Yes, I know that my turn for duty begins this evening."

"Well, keep a sharp look-out, old fellow; we don't want any more

mysterious disappearances in the regiment."

"No; one is more than sufficient. I have been over the ground half a

dozen times during the past three days in the hopes of finding some sort

of clue, but without the least success. Perhaps as I go round to-night

some bright idea may strike me. Of one thing," he said with a laugh,

"you may be perfectly sure: that is, that if I don't turn up in the

morning it will be neither desertion, suicide, nor insanity."

"No," Sinclair said; "I should certainly never suspect you of any one of

the three."

The others laughed. "You certainly did your best to save your life on

board that boat, so we will put suicide out of the question. As to

desertion and lunacy, I think they may be equally barred. If you are

missing, I shall say that the pixies have carried you off."

"Yes; I think you can safely put it down to that."

After mess was over, Arthur took his pistols and sword and started to

the house that was used as the rendezvous of the officers on duty for

the night, made his usual visit to the outlying posts along a portion of

the line some three-quarters of a mile in extent, and returned. A few

minutes before twelve he again started on the same tramp, his companion

on duty going in the other direction. Nothing unusual happened until he

was half-way along; then, as he passed a ruined hut, he suddenly fell,

stunned by a heavy blow from behind. He knew nothing for some time,

then he felt dimly conscious that he was being carried along. Reviving

consciousness showed him that there were two men at his arms and two at

his legs, and that a cloak or some other woollen garment was wrapped

round and round his head, and something thrust into his mouth. All this

was taken in little by little, for his head buzzed and ached from the

blow that had fallen upon it.

It was some time before his brain began to work in earnest. Then he

gradually came to understand that he was in the hands of the Carlists.

These four men must have stolen quietly down from their entrenchments

and hidden among the ruins of the hut, struck him to the ground,

probably with the butt-end of a musket, and were now carrying him off.

Doubtless this was the manner in which Maltravers had also been

captured. He knew that to struggle would be absolutely useless; and

indeed, from a murmur of talk that went on around him, he judged that he

was already in the Carlist lines. He could feel that he was being taken

up the hill. After what seemed a very long time, his bearers came to a

stop. A door was pushed open, and he was carried through and dropped on

the ground. Then he heard the door close and the lock turn. He sat up,

and took the muffler from his head and the gag from his mouth. His head

ached as if it would split, so, knowing that there was nothing to be

done, he rolled up the muffler and, using it as a pillow, dozed off

after a time into a heavy sleep. When he awoke, he heard talking

outside.

"This is the second five dollars each we have made, Pedro; if we go on

like this we shall soon get rich."

"I don't see why we shouldn't," the other said. "As long as the nights

are dark, we can always be sure of making our way down unobserved. We

may reckon on snatching two or three more before there is a moon, and

even then we shall be able to do it when there is rain."

"I don't suppose we can catch many more that way," the other said.

"When they find officers keep on disappearing they will send three or

four of the men round with them, and then, of course, there will be an

end of the business. Still, if we can catch half a dozen more we shall

not have done so badly."

As soon as day broke, Arthur sat up and looked round. He had still a

splitting headache, and there was a lump as big as an egg where the blow

had fallen. His cap lay upon the ground near him, having apparently

been thrown in there by the men who had carried him up. His arms had

been taken away, and he had no doubt that nothing had been left behind

that would leave any indication as to what had befallen him. The hut,

which was about twelve feet square, had evidently been inhabited by a

peasant. It contained two or three broken pieces of rough furniture,

and the floor was littered with odds and ends of old garments, broken

crockery, &c. Two little loopholes, about six inches square, admitted a

certain amount of light when the door was closed. Looking out of these,

he saw that the hut stood on level ground, evidently at the top of the

hill. Numbers of Carlists lay on the ground wrapped up in their cloaks.

Two or three small huts and houses were dotted here and there on the

plain, the nearest of them being about two hundred yards away. This one

had a garden round it, and looked as if it was still inhabited. Like

the hut in which he was confined, it was built of stone, and was roofed

with slabs of the same material, but was larger and apparently had an

upper story or loft.

Having seen this much, he sat down until, by the stir around, he knew

that the camp was awake. It was not until, as near as he could guess,

nine o'clock--for his watch had been taken away from him--that anyone

came near him, though he knew by the talking that there were two

sentries at the door. Then he heard the key turn in the lock, and an

officer, who by his uniform, he thought, was a colonel, entered. Arthur

rose to his feet.

"You are English, sir?" the colonel said.

"I am."

"Why do you fight on the side of the Christinos? We know that you are

badly treated by them: you are half-starved and you get no pay. Well,

sir, you are a prisoner in our hands; and I need hardly say what your

fate will be if you do not accept our terms. If you will enter the

service of Don Carlos, you will be well-fed, well-paid, and welcomed as

a comrade. It can make no difference to you on which side you

fight--Christino or Carlist. You have learned what to expect from them,

neglect and suffering; with us you will have neither. We are certain to

win in the long run. You will get promotion and honour--the alternative

is death! I will leave you till this evening to think over the matter."

He went out, and in a quarter of an hour two soldiers entered bearing a

dish of meat and beans, and a large jug of water. Arthur had no

appetite; but he took a copious drink, poured some water over his cloak,

which he rolled up as a pillow, and lay down on his back, with his head

upon it. Its coolness eased the throbbing of his wound. As he lay he

thought over his position. "The case is a very bad one," he said to

himself. "Certainly I am not going to turn traitor; that needn't be

thought of. I have no doubt that the threat of shooting me, if I

refuse, will be carried into execution. The question is, whether it

will be carried out at once on my refusal, or put off till to-morrow

morning. Surely they will give me another twelve hours. If they don't,

there is an end of it. There is no possibility whatever of escaping in

the daylight; I don't know that there is much chance at night, but there

may be a chance. At any rate, I have all day to think it over."

He lay there for some hours, sitting up occasionally to pour more water

upon his pillow. The throbbing of his head subsided somewhat, and at

one o'clock he sat up and forced himself to eat. "Escape or no escape,"

he said, "I must keep up my strength." When he had finished his meal he

stood up. His head still throbbed, though the pain was much less acute.

First he went to the door and examined it: the hinges were strong and

rough, the lock was sunk in the woodwork; it was evident that it could

not be forced.

"Now," he said to himself, "I have the option of trying to get the

screws out of the hinges or cutting round the lock." He felt in his

pocket for his knife, and gave an exclamation of disappointment when he

found that it was gone. This was a bitter blow. He spent some time

looking about the floor in the hopes of finding some piece of iron which

he could use for getting out the screws, but although he searched the

place most carefully, he could find nothing that would serve his

purpose.

The walls of the hut were far too solid to admit of his making a way

through them. It might, he thought, be just possible to burrow under

them; but he quickly dismissed this idea, for there was no great depth

of soil on the rock, and it was almost certain that the foundations of

the wall would be carried down to it. He went to one of the little

windows, and stood there gazing out vaguely. Presently he saw an old

woman come out of the nearest house, cut some vegetables, and go in

again. He wondered what they were, and what she was going to have for

dinner, hardly knowing what current his thoughts were taking. As he

roused himself and looked round, a fresh idea struck him. The walls

could not be attacked, the door would defy any efforts that he could

make, the floor was altogether unpromising--but there was the roof! A

new hope sprung up in his breast as he looked up.

The roof was simply composed of slabs of stone, and although these had

been roughly plastered, the lines where one had been laid on another

showed clearly. The slabs were from an inch to an inch and a half

thick, and about two feet square. The walls of the cabin were about

eight feet high, and Arthur could just touch the lowest range of slabs

with the tips of his fingers; but he saw at once that the materials

within the hut would enable him to reach it easily. There was a rough

stool some two feet high; one of its legs was gone, but by propping it

against the wall it would stand. He placed it there and mounted upon it.

It was a bit shaky, but it held his weight. The top of his head was now

but a few inches below the slab, and he had no doubt whatever but that

he could raise it. The two sentries, as far as he could tell, were both

in front of the cabin, and, considering its structure, it was very

improbable that there was one behind. Thus, then, if they gave him until

the next morning he could well hope to make his escape.

He was so delighted at this that he hardly felt any longer the pain in

his head. It would, of course, be no very easy matter to make his way

down through the Carlist lines; but as he had done it before, he might

well hope to do it again. "At any rate," he said to himself, "nothing

can be done till night, and I may as well sleep till then."

He laid himself down again, this time going to sleep so soundly that he

did not hear the guards come in and put some more food down. About six

o'clock he awoke, and at once took another meal. Half an hour later the

colonel again came in.

"Well, sir, what is your answer?" he said.

"I do not like to turn traitor," he said. "Certainly I have no reason

to be very grateful to the Christinos, and if the offer were that I

should resign the service I should certainly accept it; but I do not

like to fight against my old comrades."

"You would not be called upon to do so," the colonel said; "you would be

attached to one of our other armies. We have had a good many deserters

from your lines, but we cannot utilize them because they understand so

little Spanish and no Basque. We want an officer to lead them. There

are plenty to make a strong company, and I will promise you that you

shall have their command and shall not be employed here."

"Give me till to-morrow to think it over, sir. You have already taken

one of our officers; may I ask what reply he gave?"

"The obstinate fool chose death," the officer said. "I was sorry; but,

of course, it had to be done. I trust that you will not be so foolish.

At any rate, I will give you till to-morrow morning; but unless you are

by that time prepared to accept my offer, your fate will be the same as

his."

So saying, he left the hut. Thankful for the respite, Arthur went to

one of the little windows and looked out. Numbers of fires were

burning, and the Carlist soldiers were gathered round them, some cooking

their food, others smoking and talking. The hours passed slowly.

Arthur waited to choose a time when the camp was growing quiet, but when

there were still some sounds that might deaden any noise he might make.

At last the moment arrived when he thought he could attempt to get the

stone off, though he did not intend to try to escape till all were

asleep. He placed the stool against the wall again, and climbed up, and

then pushed with all his strength under one of the slabs. It gave a

little. He tried again, and it yielded. Working very carefully, he got

the upper end out from underneath the slab above it, then raised it,

turned it sideways, and lowered it into the hut.

The talk of the guards outside went on uninterruptedly, and it was

evident that no sound had reached their ears. Arthur sat down and

waited. Hitherto he had felt no nervousness, but his anxiety now became

intense. One of the guards might enter the place. There were no

special grounds for fear that this would happen, as hitherto the

sentries had only opened the door to bring in his meals; still, they

might do so. Again, a soldier who had been chatting with his comrades

at one fire might move off to sleep at another, and notice the hole

caused by the removal of the slab. This was certainly very improbable

on so dark a night; still the thought of the possibility of one or other

of the two events taking place kept Arthur's nerves on a strain.

At last everything seemed quiet. The night was perfectly still, save

that he could hear an occasional sound of talking and laughter in the

trenches lower down the hill, where doubtless a considerable number of

the Carlists would remain on watch. At last he felt that the moment had

come for making the attempt. He again leant the stool against the wall,

put his hands on the edges of the two slabs by the side of the hole, and

pulled himself up. Very noiselessly he raised himself higher and higher

till he could get his legs over the wall; then he turned, lowered

himself by his arms, and dropped. As he did so he rolled over, and with

difficulty refrained from uttering a groan. Instead of dropping, as he

had expected, on even ground, one of his feet had come on a rough stone

lying against the wall, and in the fall he had badly wrenched his ankle.

[Illustration: "HE BEGAN TO DRAG HIMSELF ALONG"]

He did not attempt to move for a time. The chance of passing down

through the Carlist lines was at an end. For fully ten minutes he lay

there; then his mind was made up, and, turning over on to his face, he

began to drag himself along towards the house he had been looking at

during the day. It was his only chance. If he could conceal himself

there he might be safe. When his escape was discovered in the morning

it would be supposed that he had made his way down through the lines, or

had gone out through the rear of the camp and taken to the mountains

until he could work his way back to the town. There would certainly be

no search for him close to his prison.

It took him nearly half an hour at that slow rate of progression to make

his way to the house. When he reached it, he raised himself on to his

sound foot, noiselessly lifted the latch, and went in. He closed the

door behind him, and sat down against it. Knowing nothing of the

interior arrangements, he dared not move for fear of waking the inmates.

He therefore remained there motionless, dozing occasionally, until the

first dawn of day enabled him to obtain an idea of his surroundings. The

room in which he was was unoccupied, but an open door at the back showed

where the old woman and whoever might live with her were sleeping. A

rough ladder in the opposite corner of the room led up to an open

trap-door leading evidently to a loft. This was what he had hoped for,

and making his way across to it he pulled himself up the ladder, and

found, as he expected, that he was in a low loft. It was half-filled

with hay and faggots, and, climbing over these, he laid himself down

behind them and lay listening.

In an hour he heard cries of alarm, followed by a great hubbub in the

camp, and had no doubt that his escape had been discovered. Presently

he heard a stir below, and, listening, made out two voices--one, which

was, he had no doubt, that of the old woman whom he had seen, and the

other apparently that of an old man, probably her husband. He had taken

a long draught of water the last thing before leaving the hut, and had

put the remains of the food in his pocket. He now bandaged his ankle as

well as he could, and then slept the greater part of the day. Beyond

the quiet voices below he heard nothing, which showed that no suspicion

existed that he was hidden so close. He was troubled only by the heat

during the day, but suffered a good deal from this.

At daybreak the next morning he made his way to the trap-door and looked

down. On the table a large jug of water and half a loaf were standing.

He crawled down the ladder, took them both, and returned to his

hiding-place. An hour later he heard angry talk below. He did not

understand Basque, one of the most difficult languages to acquire, but

he guessed that the owners were railing over the loss of the jug and

bread, and doubtless putting it down to some soldier who had entered

after they had gone to sleep, and stolen them. The loss could not have

been a heavy one, but the old couple did not get over it all day, but

continued to grumble at intervals. To him the proceeds of his theft

were invaluable. He was able to keep the bandage round his ankle bathed

with cold water, and he calculated that the bread would, with care, last

him three days, and that the water would hold out as long.

This proved to be the case. The old man came up once during that time

with a large bowl, which he filled out of a sack containing lentils;

otherwise, Arthur was altogether undisturbed. At the end of that time

the pain in his ankle had abated, but he could feel that it was still

very weak, and that he dared not yet attempt to walk on it.

That night he went down and refilled his jug from a pail and carried off

a loaf of bread from a cupboard. After possessing himself of these

things, he very carefully drew back a bolt of the door. When the old

couple awoke he heard them engaged in a furious quarrel. They had

missed the bread, and, finding the door unbolted, the old woman had

charged her husband with neglecting to fasten it, while he was stoutly

maintaining that he had done so, and that she saw him do it. The

quarrel lasted with more or less acerbity the whole day. Had Arthur

possessed any money he would have placed a copper coin or two on the

table to pay for the bread he had taken; but both pockets had been

turned inside out by his captors, and he was absolutely penniless.

The loaf lasted for four days, and when it was finished he determined

that, although his ankle was still very weak, he would attempt to get

away. He was very reluctant to again help himself from the old people's

store. It might be at least three days before he could enter the town,

although he hoped to be able to accomplish it in one. Still, if his

foot should give him trouble he might have to lie up in shelter.

However, he contented himself with only taking half a loaf, and at

eleven o'clock at night, when everything was quiet, he opened the door

and went cautiously out. His object was to get down to the Urumea,

which was but a mile and a half off, so, going back from the brow of the

hill, to avoid falling in with any sleeping Carlists, he started.

He had gone but a short way when he felt his foot beginning to pain him

badly. At first he tried hopping, but he found that the jar of each

jump hurt him as much as if he were using the foot, and as he had no

knife he could not cut himself a stick. He therefore sat down, and

swung himself along on his hands. This was a slow method of

progression, and he had to stop frequently to rest his arms and wrists.

He soon gave up all idea of being able, as he had hoped, to reach the

river and to swim down past the Carlist lines before morning. He kept

on, however, till the dawn had begun to break. By this time he could

not be more than a quarter of a mile from the river. Crawling into a

thick clump of bushes he lay down, and being thoroughly tired out with

his exertions he slept till mid-day. When he awoke he ate a large hunch

of bread, and then waited until it became dark enough for him to make

another move. As soon as night fell he set off. It took him nearly an

hour to cross the quarter-mile of broken ground; but at length, to his

satisfaction, the bushes ceased and he saw the river twenty yards in

front of him.

He had, soon after starting from the cottage, taken the boot off his

injured foot and tied it to his waist. He now took off the other and

fastened it by its fellow; then he stepped into the river, and found to

his satisfaction that the tide was running out. Had it not been so, he

must have sat down and waited until the ebb began. After wading for

some little distance, he struck out for the centre of the river; then he

turned on his back and let himself drift, turning occasionally on to his

breast and striking out carefully for a time, so as to get a change of

position. Luckily the water was quite warm. Presently he heard the

sound of talking, and perceived a glow of light on the stream. He swam

across close to the other shore, and saw, as he floated down, the fires

of the Carlists stretching in zigzag lines along their entrenchments,

rising one above another.

He was confident that, plainly as he could see everything there, the

sharpest eye could not discover him so far beyond the circle of light.

Still, he did not attempt to swim until he was well beyond the fires;

then in a quarter of an hour he knew that he must be within the lines of

the Legion. He thought, however, that it would save trouble if he were

to land abreast of the town, so he swam on until he reached the bridge

that had been thrown across the river. Then he went ashore, having been

about two hours in the water. The water appeared to have benefited his

ankle, for he found that he could now limp along slowly. Making his way

to his quarters he went quietly up to his room and opened his door. A

candle was burning there, and Roper was sitting at the table with his

head in his hands. He looked up as Arthur entered, and then sprang to

his feet with a shout of joy.

"Thank God, you are back! Thank God! I have never quite given you up,

sir, although everyone else has. Every evening when I have been off

duty I have come and sat here, as I knew that when you came back it

would be after dark."

"I am glad indeed to see you, Roper! I have had a very narrow squeak

this time--I never want to have as narrow. I will tell you all about it

presently."

"Your clothes are all wet, sir."

"Yes. I must change them at once. When I have done that, you must go

up to the colonel and report my return. I sprained one of my ankles, and

can only just hobble along, and I don't want to put any more strain on

it than I can help; so, when I am undressed I will turn in. By the way,

I think, before you go off you might cook me something, if there is

anything to be had."

"There is nothing here, sir."

"While I am undressing, you might run out and buy me something; cold

meat of any sort will do. I have had nothing but bread since I went

away, and not much of that."

Arthur was in bed by the time Roper returned.

"I have got some cold meat, bread, and a bottle of wine, sir."

"Thank you, Roper! Put them on that table and draw it to the side of

the bed. When you have done that, please go and report my return, and

explain why I can't come and do it myself."

He had scarcely finished the meal when the colonel came in.

"Welcome back a thousand times, Hallett! We have all been in a terrible

way about you. I hoped for the first two or three days, and insisted

that whatever had happened to you, you would get out of it, if there was

but the remotest possibility of escape. Now let us know all about it.

I supposed you were carried off, as Maltravers was. How it happened we

could not find out, but since that time every officer has made his

rounds with four men with him, and as a consequence we have had no more

disappearances. Now, please tell me all about it."

Arthur told the story at length.

"By Jove, you have done wonderfully well!" the colonel said. "It has

been one of the narrowest touches I ever heard of; and if you hadn't

sprained your foot you would have been back among us within twenty-four

hours of your capture. It was lucky, indeed, that you had particularly

noticed that cottage and its occupants during the day, and that the

thought struck you to shelter in it. Well, I won't say anything more

now; it is ten o'clock, and I am sure you must want a good night's

sleep."

"I shall be glad, sir, if, the first thing in the morning, you will send

the surgeon round to me. My ankle is not nearly as swollen as it was,

and I have no doubt that the few hours I spent in the water did me a lot

of good. At the same time, I shall be very glad to have it bandaged,

and don't want to be kept in bed by it. Of course I shall be able to

ride, but that would be no good for my company work."

"You must leave your company work alone for a week or so. I shall be

glad, if you find that you can ride, if you will come round to my

quarters at ten o'clock, and I will take you to the general."

The next morning Arthur lay in bed until the surgeon came. While the

latter was bandaging his ankle he had to give him a short account of his

adventure.

"Well, you got through it well," the surgeon said, "but I should not

advise you to try that sort of thing again; you may not be so lucky next

time. You have given your ankle a very awkward wrench. I should advise

you to avoid any attempt to walk for at least a week or ten days. If

you do, you may have to lie up for six weeks."

Roper came in to help Arthur to dress, and to make his breakfast for

him. Arthur's servant had been killed in the last fight, and since that

time Roper had, whenever he was off duty, installed himself in his

place. After breakfast he brought Arthur's horse round, and the latter

mounted and rode to the colonel's quarters. That officer's horse was at

the door, and he came out at once before Arthur had dismounted.

"Don't get off, Hallett," he said. "Dr. Spendlow has been round here

since he left you, and said that you must on no account use your leg for

another ten days. He said that if you would obey his orders you might

be fit for duty in a fortnight, while if you did not do so, you might be

laid up for a long time."

They rode to the general's quarters, which were a quarter of a mile

away.

"You must walk in here," the colonel said; "but lean on my arm, and I

will take the weight off that foot."

On the colonel sending in his name he was at once admitted. "General,"

he said, "we are stronger by one officer than I thought we were. Mr.

Hallett has returned."

"I am indeed glad to hear it," the general said warmly, and, coming up,

he shook Arthur heartily by the hand.

"He must sit down, sir," the colonel said; "at present he has only one

available leg."

"Now, Mr. Hallett," the general said when Arthur was comfortably seated,

"please give me a full account of what has happened; it may throw light

not only upon your disappearance, but on that of Captain Maltravers.

Before you begin your story, I should like to ask whether you have seen

or heard anything of him'!"

"Yes, sir. I am sorry to say that I did not see him, for he was

murdered by the Carlists. The choice was given him to desert to their

side or to be killed, and he nobly chose the latter alternative."

"I am sorry indeed," the general said. "He was a fine young fellow, and

he died a hero's death. What a terrible war this is--a war to the

knife! Indeed, it seems to me more cruel and pitiless every month, in

spite of the efforts Colonel Wylde, the British commissioner, is making

to persuade both parties to desist from these atrocities. I am afraid

that one side is almost as bad as the other. Both declare that they

commit these murders by way of reprisals, and I am bound to say that in

the early stages of the war the Christinos were nearly as bad, if not as

bad, as the Carlists. Since then, however, they have been somewhat

better, and have really tried, I think, to keep the Convention, to

respect the rules of war and to spare prisoners. They have, it is true,

shot a great many, but it has been by way of reprisals for the brutality

of the Carlists, and especially of those of Cabrera, who has several

times shot women as well as men.

"And now for your story, Mr. Hallett."

Arthur again told his story at length.

"I compliment you highly on your quick-wittedness, Mr. Hallett; it

certainly saved your life. And in such a cell as you describe, with two

armed guards at the door, it is not one man in fifty who would have

thought of escaping through the roof. Not less sharp was it to take at

once, crippled as you were, to the only place that offered you shelter.

Altogether, it was a remarkably well-planned and well-carried-out

affair; and be assured that if any opportunity should occur, I shall

take advantage of it to utilize your services. Now, I hope you will

obey the doctor's orders and go back to your quarters, and stay there

till your ankle is quite well."

This Arthur did; and for the next three or four days held a sort of

levee in his quarters, almost all the officers of the Legion coming in

to see him and to hear his story, which he became perfectly tired of

telling long before the visits were over. His companions in the

adventures in the boat were especially pleased to see him, and came in

every day to have a chat with him.

"You seem fated to get into adventures, Hallett," Sinclair, said, when

he first heard the story. "You get nearly caught as a spy, and manage

to make your way through the enemy's lines with a lot of valuable

information; you get blown out to sea, and you save us and yourself; and

now you get carried off, and threatened with death in twenty-four hours,

but make your escape and rejoin. My dear fellow, I am afraid you will

at last come to a bad end. It is evident that neither water nor bullet

has power over you, and that your exit from this world will be hastened

by a collar of hemp."

"I hope not, Sinclair; I shall do my best to avoid it. Hanging seems to

be an uncomfortable sort of death, to say nothing of its being strictly

unfashionable."

"Well, we shall see," Sinclair said; "but I cannot help thinking that

that is what will happen to you. Now, what is your next adventure going

to be?"

Arthur laughed. "I must leave that to fate. Two out of my three

adventures were certainly not brought on by myself. I was blown out to

sea owing to your obstinacy in refusing to turn back when I wanted to.

I was certainly carried off this time by no will of my own. So that

only what you call the spy business was of my own choosing. I can

assure you that I have had enough of adventures, and shall not get into

another if I can manage to avoid it."

Ten days later Arthur was reported fit for duty, and was very glad to

resume his regular work.

*CHAPTER VII*

*A GREAT CHANGE*

One day Colonel Godfrey sent for Arthur. "General Evans is going to

send Major Hawkins to Madrid, and has asked me to recommend a young

officer to accompany him as his assistant. I have mentioned your name

to him, as you speak Spanish fluently, which very few other officers can

do. He will probably remain there for some time, and will act as the

accredited representative of the Legion. I know that I have undertaken

a certain amount of responsibility in recommending so young an officer;

but from what I have seen of you, and from the distinguished service you

rendered by going into the Carlist camp and obtaining information

concerning it, I feel convinced that you will acquit yourself well. You

will receive the temporary rank of captain."

"I am greatly obliged to you, sir, for recommending me. I fear that I am

very young for such a position."

"You are young, certainly; but a year of campaigning has added some

years to your appearance. And as far as height goes, you are half a

head taller than the majority of Spaniards. General Evans has asked me

to bring you over to him, so we will go at once. Major Hawkins is now

with him."

They walked across to the general's house.

"Good-morning, Captain Hallett!" the general said. "I am glad to see

that your leg has quite recovered. Your knowledge of Spanish has been

of service to us, and now it will be of advantage to yourself. Colonel

Godfrey has, I suppose, told you of the mission which I propose for you,

namely, to accompany Major Hawkins as his assistant. You will, of

course, be under his orders. He also speaks Spanish, but not so

fluently as you do. In case of his falling ill or of his being

incapacitated, you will carry on his duties. The post will be to some

extent a permanent one. The Spanish government pay no attention to my

letters, and it is therefore absolutely necessary that I should be

represented and my requests urged strongly upon them. My troops are

half the time on the edge of starvation, and can get neither pay nor

rations. I have written in the strongest manner to them. I think it

will be as well for you to go as an officer on my staff. The Spanish

think a great deal of dress; Captain Forstairs is going home on sick

leave, and will, I have no doubt, be glad to dispose of his uniform for

a trifle. If it will be any inconvenience to you to buy it, I will have

any sum you require handed over to you from the chest: of course, like

other officers, you are some months in arrear with your pay. And indeed,

in any case, an allowance will be made for your uniform, unless you

should afterwards become a member of the staff."

"Thank you, sir! but I am well supplied with money, and can purchase the

articles myself. Should I only use the uniform for a short time, I

will, at the conclusion of my mission, hand it into store."

"You will take a servant with you, as it is necessary to keep up a good

appearance. Major Hawkins will give you all necessary instructions. He

proposes to start to-morrow."

Greatly pleased at his appointment, Arthur first went to Captain

Forstairs' quarters and purchased his uniform, getting it complete for a

five-pound note. He then went to Roper.

"I am going away on a mission, Roper, and may, for anything I know,

remain for some time at Madrid. As you know, my servant was killed the

other day, and I want another who can ride."

"I shall be very glad to go with you if you will take me," Roper said.

"But you see you are a non-commissioned officer."

"Oh, I would give up my stripes readily enough if you will take me! I

am not very fond of the captain of my company."

"Then in that case I will go across with you and ask him to let you give

up your stripes. You are quite sure that you would like it?"

"Quite sure; I am heartily sick of San Sebastian. I am accustomed to

riding, and should enjoy the trip greatly."

They went away to the house where the captain was lodging, and Arthur

had no difficulty in getting him to consent to the sergeant's

resignation, and to give him permission to accompany him. Arthur then

bought for Roper a serviceable horse. This done, he went to the

major's.

"I have got the uniform, and shall be ready to start in the morning,

sir," he said.

"I am glad that you are going with me, Captain Hallett," said the major,

who, having been in the Legion since its formation, knew Arthur well.

"I am sure we shall get on well together; and as I am rather shaky in my

Spanish, it will be of great assistance to have you with me. I may tell

you that I am the bearer of a note from General Evans saying that unless

money is sent for the pay of his troops he will engage in no further

operations. The Spanish army is regularly paid, and there can be no

reason why we should not be. More than that, he will withdraw into San

Sebastian. We have shown brilliantly enough that we can fight, and we

have done more with our small force than Cordova has with his big army.

I am convinced that our threat to retire from the struggle will wake

them up. At the same time, we must not be too sanguine about our

getting through. We shall take the road by Bilbao to Vittoriti. So far

it will be plain sailing, but after that I expect we shall find some

difficulty, for the Carlists are strongly posted a few miles from the

town. I expect we shall have to hire a guide to take us across the

mountains. However, we shall have plenty of time to think of that when

we get there."

Arthur now went down to the camp of the Lancers, who had arrived a few

weeks before. They had had two or three deaths since they came, and on

making enquiries Arthur found that he could purchase for a few shillings

a Lancer's suit. This he handed to Roper, whom he had taken with him,

and he told him to carry the suit back and put it on.

"Your clothes are not fit to be seen in," he said, "and this suit is a

very fair one. If you give it a good cleaning to-night it will be quite

respectable, and you will look much smarter in it than in that ragged

thing."

"It looks pretty bad, certainly, sir, and is none the better for having

lost all its buttons; there is hardly a button left in the regiment.

When they are hammered down, the natives here take them as coins. They

know nothing about money, and I expect these buttons will be passing

about as cash long after we have all cleared out of this. I sha'n't

know myself in my new rig-out. The man it belonged to has evidently

taken care of it. There is only one thing you have forgotten, sir, and

that is the saddle."

"Yes, I have forgotten that. Here are three pounds--you had better buy

one."

The party started early the next morning and went by boat to Bilbao,

slept there, and rode the next day to Vittoria, Here they halted for a

day, and, going to head-quarters, obtained the services of a guide to

take them across the mountains. On starting on the following morning

they at once left the main road, and presently struck up into the hills.

The road was extremely bad, and they were forced to go at a walk; the

guide, who was mounted on a mule, rode on ahead. They halted for the

night at a deserted hut some distance down the descent. Here they took

shelter, congratulating themselves that another day's ride would take

them to Burgos, where there was a strong garrison. They had brought

provisions with them, and, having made a hearty meal, lay down for the

night. Next morning they continued their journey, and were near the

plains when they saw a party of men hurrying towards them.

"They are Carlists!" the major said. "It is of no use turning back or

going up the hill; they would run our horses to death. Look here,

Captain Hallett, they will cut us off, that is evident; but we may make

our way through them. I will put my papers in my holster. If I fall,

snatch them out and carry them on. Now, let us gallop."

Setting spurs to their horses, the four men dashed forward. Half a dozen

of the Carlists reached the road before them, but drew back before the

impetuosity of the charge, firing their rifles as they did so. Without

a halt the little party dashed on at full speed. For a time the

Carlists attempted to keep up with them, but were soon left far behind.

"I am done for!" the major said, swaying in his saddle. "They hit me as

I passed through them. Take the papers and ride on."

"I cannot leave you, sir." And, leaning over, Arthur caught the major

as he was falling, and lifted him on to the horse before him. He rode

on for another half-mile, by which time the Carlists were out of sight.

But his burden had become more and more heavy in his arms, and when he

drew his horse up, he found that the major had breathed his last.

"I am hit too, sir," the major's servant said; "I have a bullet in my

hip."

"We are not more than ten miles from Burgos now. I am afraid there is

no chance of obtaining help until we get there. Roper, bring the major's

horse up against mine," for the animal had followed its companions.

"That's it. Now tie that head-rope round the major and ride on one side

of him, and I will ride on the other. We shall have to walk for the

rest of the distance."

It took them three hours to reach the town. Arthur went at once to the

citadel and saw the governor. "I have brought with me a major in our

army," he said. "He was the bearer of a despatch to your minister of

war. We were attacked by a party of Carlists nearly ten miles away, and

he was shot. I beg that you will give him a military funeral, as he

fell in the cause of your queen. I have also a trooper with me who is

severely wounded. I will, with your permission, leave him here in

hospital."

"Certainly, sir. The officer shall be buried to-morrow morning. I am

grieved indeed that none of my men went up the road this morning. They

go up every other day to prevent bands of Carlists from raiding over the

country."

The governor invited Arthur to stop in the castle. The body of the

major was laid in a room close by, and on the following morning he was

buried with military honours.

"I will take the major's horse with me, Roper," Arthur said when all was

over; "it is a good horse, and a spare one may be useful. At any rate

we may as well keep him."

Accordingly, after thanking the governor for his courtesy they proceeded

on their way, Roper leading the spare horse.

"We have begun badly," Arthur said, as they rode from the town. "The

major was a brave fellow and a good soldier. It is sad indeed that he

should have been killed in a skirmish like this. It leaves me in a very

awkward position. However, I must deliver the letter. There are two or

three British commissioners out here, and if one of them happens to be

at Madrid I shall ask him to present me and to help me on a bit."

"I hope we are not likely to meet with any more of these Carlist chaps."

"I hope not, Roper; but really I don't know anything about it. We got

no news at San Sebastian of what was going on elsewhere, but they can

hardly be wandering about on the flat country. I fancy they are almost

all infantry, in which case they will not care to expose themselves to

an attack by cavalry."

They arrived at Madrid without adventure. They put up at the Hotel

Principes, and to Arthur's relief found upon enquiry that Colonel Wylde,

the chief British commissioner, was at present staying at the hotel. He

at once went to his room.

"I have called, sir," he began, after introducing himself, "to ask you

if you will be good enough to give me some information as to how I had

better proceed. I started from San Sebastian as assistant to Major

Hawkins of our Legion. He was the bearer of a letter from General Evans

with complaints about pay and provisions. Both officers and men are

many months in arrears. Major Hawkins was instructed to inform the

ministers of war and finance that unless the money were sent

immediately, the general would withdraw the whole of his force into San

Sebastian, and take no further part in the fighting. He has sent

remonstrance after remonstrance without success and feels that matters

can be allowed to drift no longer. The men are in rags and are

half-starved. On our way down we were attacked by Carlists, and Major

Hawkins was killed. I carried him into Burgos, where he was buried with

military honours. I only received my appointment as his assistant on

the day before leaving, and beyond the fact that I was to remain here to

assist him generally in acting as General Evans's representative, I know

nothing of the duties. Considering the importance of the mission, and

the absolute necessity that money shall be sent without delay, I have

ventured to ask that you will introduce me in the first place to the two

ministers to whom I bring letters, and if you will, as far as you can,

support his application."

"I will gladly do so, Captain Hallett. Indeed, it is my duty to aid

you. I am not charged in any way to interfere with our Spanish Legion,

but incidentally anything that is of importance to the general cause

would, of course, be of interest to our government. We may at present

be called benevolent neutrals. I am well aware that General Evans has

sent repeated applications, and that practically no result whatever has

come of it. I will therefore not only go with you, as you ask, but I

will myself urge upon them the importance of the application, pointing

out that by refusing the necessary means to General Evans they are, in

fact, breaking the terms upon which that Legion was raised; and that

being so, the general would be acting with perfect propriety in

withdrawing the troops from the field, and giving permission to all who

may choose to leave at once, which would, of course, mean a complete

break-up of the Legion.

"They will not wish that. It was humiliating for the Spanish to be

forced to hire foreign soldiers to assist them, and no doubt that

feeling has driven them to treat the Legion very badly; but at the same

time they have themselves been continually in want of money. A

considerable proportion of the country is in arms against them, and

their resources have been greatly diminished in consequence. This,

however, after all, is no excuse for them. They offered certain terms

to men to fight for them, and the bargain should have been kept. It was

the same in the Peninsular War. We went to fight their battles, and

they threw every impediment in our way, starved our men when they

themselves had a superabundance of supplies, and so created a hatred far

greater than our men felt for the French.

"They are behaving in exactly the same way now; but, so far as our

troops are concerned, there is one broad difference. In the first war we

fought partly, at any rate, from feelings of patriotism; whereas in the

present case, although a few may have gone into it from a feeling of

sympathy for the little queen, the great proportion of the Legion are

neither more nor less than mercenaries, and would have enlisted as

readily for Don Carlos as for Isabella. And now, sir, I will go across

to the war office with you. I have myself many times urged that steps

should be taken to relieve the necessities of the troops, and I am not

at all sorry that General Evans has at last put his foot down."

It was but a short walk across the square, for the hotel faced the war

office. On Colonel Wylde sending in his name he was at once admitted.

"Well, Colonel Wylde, what can I do for you?" the minister said

cheerfully.

"I have brought across to present to you, senor, Captain Hallett, who

has just arrived from San Sebastian with a very important letter from

General Evans. He was accompanied by an officer senior to him, but the

latter was killed by a party of Carlists as they came along."

The minister looked sharply up at Arthur, who, bowing, handed him the

letter. He begged them to be seated, and opened the communication. He

frowned heavily, and then with a very evident effort recovered himself.

"The matter shall be seen to," he said. "You know, Colonel Wylde, how

straitened our resources are, and that nothing would please us more than

to comply with all General Evans's requests. No one can grieve more

than I do at the delays that have taken place in complying with his

requisitions."

"But, sir," Arthur said, "the Spanish troops are always well fed, though

it may be that their pay is sometimes in arrears. Our troops get

neither food nor pay. They are in rags, and many of them are barefoot.

No single promise that has been made to them since the day they landed

has been kept. Nearly a third of their number have died of fever

brought on by cold and want, and yet in spite of this they have been

ready to fight, while so many of your own generals have held back. You

think I am bold, sir? I am urging the cause of some five thousand of my

countrymen, who have, confiding in Spanish honour, come out here to

fight your battles. If you could go and look at them yourself, sir, and

see their condition, you would pity them, and would marvel that they

have so long shown patience. Feed them and pay them, and they can be

depended upon to carry out their share of the agreement. But assuredly

they cannot be depended upon if they are starved."

"I am not surprised, sir," Colonel Wylde said, "that General Evans feels

that no more can be done. The officers have been now nine months

without their pay, the soldiers six months. More than a third of their

number have died or been invalided home; and the heavy list of their

killed and wounded in battle speaks for itself of the bravery with which

they fought. I must say that I approve of General Evans's decision. He

owes it to the men who serve under him, and I cannot but say that the

treatment they have received has been a grave scandal and dishonour to

the government of Spain. I have myself been four times to Madrid to

urge their claim, and absolutely nothing has been done. I consider that

General Evans will be amply justified in carrying out his threat."

"The matter shall be seen to at once," the minister said, with an air of

frankness. "I will consult my colleague the minister of finance, and

will see that money is forwarded very shortly. You can assure your

general, senor," he said to Arthur, "that steps shall be taken to comply

with his request without delay."

"I will send a message to that effect. My own orders are to remain here

until the treasure has been sent off; and that even when that is done I

am to stay here as the general's representative to convey his wishes

personally to you, until at any rate all arrears of pay have been

cleared off. It is not a favour that we are demanding, but a right. I

shall do myself the honour of calling upon you every day or two, to

ascertain when the convoy with treasure will start. Of course you can

refuse me admittance, but General Evans will know what that means."

After a few more words Colonel Wylde and Arthur left the ministry.

"You spoke out straight, Hallett," the British commissioner said with a

smile.

"I could not help doing so, sir. The state of the men is pitiful in the

extreme. They are scarecrows; they have practically no uniform whatever

save their greatcoats, and they are in rags. I should have liked to

take the little man by the neck and shake him."

"They are in a bad way themselves," the colonel said. "The court is a

perfect nest of intrigue. There are something like half a dozen

parties, each with their own nominees to push and their own interests to

serve. Large sums are wrung from the people, but they are for the most

part absolutely wasted in jobbery. If it were not that the British

government have taken the part of Isabella, I should recommend them to

stand aside altogether and let the factions fight it out. There are a

few honest men on both sides, and the Carlists indeed know what they are

fighting for. To the other side it is a matter of indifference who

wins, provided they themselves can feather their nests. They are not

fighting for the poor little queen, but for their own private interests.

"Well, I know a good many people here now, and shall have much pleasure

in introducing you to their houses and making things pleasant for you;

for it is evident that if, as you say, you have to stay here until all

arrears of pay are received by the Legion, you will assuredly wait for

an indefinite time. I am going to a reception this evening at half-past

nine, and I shall be very glad to present you there if you will call for

me ten minutes earlier."

"Thank you very much, sir! I should be very glad to make the

acquaintance of some of the people."

Soon after his return to the hotel Roper came up. "I have seen the

horses fed, sir; what is the next job?"

"The next thing will be to get a meal, Roper; I am going to do the

same."

"Oh, I have done that, sir, and it was the best meal I have had for some

time, I may say since I left England."

"Well, I sha'n't want you any more at present, so I should advise you to

take a turn round. Some of the soldiers are sure to get into

conversation with you, and as we are likely to be here for some time it

is just as well that you should make some friends. You know enough

Spanish to get on with; I expect a little will go a long way."

"Is there any chance of our getting our money, sir?"

"I expect we shall get some. Now that the Spaniards see that they have

got to do something or let the troops go home, they will pay up enough

to keep them quiet for a time. I don't suppose it will be much, but

sufficient to keep the wolf from the door at any rate."

"Well, sir, will you mind if I go out in mufti. I picked up for a few

shillings some clothes belonging to a Spaniard, who died before I came

away. They are respectable sort of clothes, and I thought, if I were

going to stop here, that you would let me wear them. In this uniform I

should be a sort of show. Everyone would be wondering who I was."

"Certainly, if you like, Roper, and I think it is a very sensible idea.

You would be able to stroll about in them without attracting any

attention, but at the same time, you know, you would not be able to make

friends with the soldiers."

"Oh, I shall get into talk with them, sir; a glass of aguardiente will

go a long way with those chaps, and of course I shall let them know that

I am a soldier myself."

"Yes, Roper, and there will be the advantage that with you in plain

clothes I can walk about with you, which will be a good deal more

pleasant for both of us; so if you will change your things while I am at

dinner, we can take a turn together afterwards."

"Thank you, sir! I should like that very much. It is a biggish town; I

shall feel quite lost in it for a bit."

A few minutes later the bell of the table d'hote rang. Arthur went down

to it. The table was full, and he speedily became engaged in talk with

people sitting next to him, who were much interested on finding that he

was a British officer. They asked him many questions as to the state of

things in the north, about which there were all sorts of contradictory

reports. He, on his part, learned something, for he heard that it was

generally expected that Cordova was going to be made war minister.

After dinner two or three officers came up and spoke to him, and when

they heard that he was on General Evans's staff, said that they would be

glad if he would smoke a cigar with them. He answered, however, that he

was engaged for the evening, but would be very glad to do so on some

other occasion. Then he went down and joined Roper, who was standing at

the door of the hotel, and walked about with him for a couple of hours.

"What hands these chaps are for cloaks!" the latter said. "In the north

I used to think that they wore them to hide their shabby clothes, but it

can't be the same here. There is a cold feel about the air, and I

should not be sorry to have on one myself. This is evidently the time

they stroll about most. The square looked quite empty this morning, and

now it is full of people walking up and down."

"Well, Roper, I must be off, for I am going, as I told you, with Colonel

Wylde."

It was a large house, and the rooms were very full. When they entered,

the colonel at once took Arthur up to the hostess and introduced him.

"What is your news from the front, Captain Hallett?" she asked.

"There has been nothing doing for the past month," he answered. "San

Sebastian is very full. The Carlists look at us from a distance, and we

look at them."

Then he passed on as another guest came up. Colonel Wylde introduced

him to several ladies and gentlemen, and then left him to talk with a

personage who was evidently of importance. There was no dancing going

on. The refreshments served were of the lightest description.

"This is a change indeed to me," Arthur said. "It seems to be another

world almost; to say that we have been living roughly would be but a

faint idea of the state of things."

"And how are things getting on up there?"

"It is dull work except when there is a fight, and we know nothing

whatever of what passes elsewhere."

"Are all your officers as young as you are?"

"No, madam. I have been exceptionally fortunate, and owe my promotion

largely to the fact that I have, since we landed, spent all my spare

time in learning Spanish."

"You speak it very well, Captain Hallett."

"I speak it well enough for all practical purposes, senora, and should

speak it better still if it were not that the language up in the north

differs very widely from that spoken here."

Several cards were left on the following day for Arthur. In the majority

of cases these mentioned which day their owners received visitors. On

the second day he called on the minister of war, and was told by him

that every possible effort was being made, and that he hoped in a few

days to send off a portion at least of the sum due.

Arthur then wrote a despatch to General Evans telling him of Major

Hawkins's death, and relating his interview with the minister. "I

think," he said, "that some money will be sent, but I anticipate that

the sum is likely to be exceedingly small. From what I hear, I believe

that the government are really very short of money. The minister was

evidently much alarmed at your threat to disband the Legion, and he will

make every effort to induce you to alter that determination. I shall

endeavour to see him every other day, and shall continually repeat my

assurances that you are in earnest on the subject. Colonel Wylde is

also using his efforts in the same direction. He has been very kind to

me, and introduced me to many people."

It was three weeks, however, before a month's pay was despatched, with

promises that more, should speedily follow.

By this time Arthur had become quite at home in Madrid. He knew many

officers to speak to. Some of these belonged to the garrison; others

seemed to have no good cause for being there, but kept up the pretence

of being engaged on important business. One of them said to him one

day, "We seem a very united family, do we not?"

"Yes; no one would dream, from the appearance of Madrid, that a civil

war was going on."

"And yet society is split up into a number of sections, each working

secretly against the others. Outwardly there is no sign of this;

everyone goes to the receptions and looks smiling and pleasant.

Practically everyone doubts everyone else; and there are numbers of

well-known Carlists, but they hold their tongues, at any rate in public,

and rub shoulders with the men whom they would gladly kill. It is

funny, when you are able to look behind the scenes a little. I have no

doubt you will be able to do so before long. I saw you chatting, for

example, with Senor Durango, a very nice young fellow. There is no

doubt that he and his family are all Carlists; but they are well

connected, and have plenty of friends among the Christinos.

"I believe two-thirds of the people you meet don't care a snap which

party wins. If they are here, of course they profess to be Christinos;

if they are away in the provinces, they hold correspondence with

Carlists, that they may keep themselves safe whichever side wins.

"Altogether, I consider that the Carlists are more in earnest; the

Christinos are the more numerous, simply because they hold the capital

and the government. If the Carlists were to gain one great success, it

would be the other way. It is a game of self-interest; Don Carlos and

Christina are merely counters. Some want governments, others titles,

others posts in the ministry, others commands--there is nothing real

about it from beginning to end, except for the poor devils of soldiers

who have to fight. You will see that in a short time Cordova will

retire, and that Espartero will probably take the command; that would be

certainly welcome to the army. He is a fine fellow, and if he were

allowed he would be able to do great things; but he would no sooner be

appointed than a dead-set would be made at him, and he would be hampered

in every way. Well, I must be going. I dare say you are wondering what

is my motive in staying here. Well, I am trying to get the command of a

regiment, and a regiment, if possible, stationed here in the capital.

Adieu!" And, throwing his cloak over his shoulder, he sauntered away.

Arthur sat some time thinking. "Well, if the Legion breaks up, which I

expect it will do before long, I think I shall stay out here. If I take

a lodging and live quietly, I can do on my one hundred and twenty pounds

a year. There will be a lot to see, and probably no end of fun. I have

got eighty pounds now, so I can a little exceed my allowance. I should

certainly like to have some fun again; I have had little enough,

goodness knows! since I left England. Besides, if I were to go home now

I should have thrown away all the time that I have spent in getting up

Spanish. It is funny how they all take me for at least five- or

six-and-twenty."

The month's pay had some effect. For a short time the troops were

somewhat better off. Arthur had received a letter from General Evans

thanking him for obtaining a small proportion of the sum due, and urging

him to continue his work. Then he heard that there had been some more

fighting, that Irun had been captured by storm, and that several other

towns had either been taken or had surrendered. Two months later he

received another letter from the general saying that he was going home,

and that the Legion was about to be disbanded.

"A small body of about eight hundred men have agreed to remain here to

form a new Legion; this may succeed for a time, but I have little doubt

that they will be treated in the same way as we have been. However, it

will be open for you to join it if you are willing to do so, or you can

make your way down to Cadiz and come home by ship from there. I enclose

an order on Madrid for forty pounds for yourself and fifteen pounds for

your man, which has been lying in the hands of the paymaster here until

you should return. Should you wish it, you can, I have no doubt, enter

the Christino army with your present rank."

"That is something out of the fire anyhow," Arthur said, as he put the

order into his pocket-book. "Well, if the Legion failed, it was not

from want of pluck. Out of about six thousand, we have had over two

hundred killed and wounded officers and over two thousand three hundred

rank and file; so, though we have not achieved anything, we certainly

need not be ashamed of our fighting. Besides, at least two thousand

five hundred have died in hospital, so that half our strength is

accounted for."

Roper shortly afterwards came in.

"The Legion is disbanded, Roper, and it is open to you to go north and

embark with the rest, or to go down to Cadiz and take a passage home

from there."

"What are you going to do, sir?"

"I am going to stay here in a private capacity; I want to see the end of

the thing. I shall make this my head-quarters, and shall ride about and

see what goes on. I know a good many officers now, and they can give me

letters of introduction to others; and as I have fought for them, no

doubt I shall be well received in their army. At any rate, I have no

wish to go home at present."

"Can't I stay with you, sir?"

"I should like to have you with me certainly, but I can't afford to pay

your wages."

"Well, sir, my food would not come to much, and I like the place, and I

like the life, and above all, I like being with you. You must have

someone to look after your horse. I don't want to go home empty-handed,

and I would certainly a great deal rather not do so, but stop here if

you would keep me."

"I would keep you willingly enough, Roper, but the only question is--can

I? I must move out of this lodging and find a smaller one. One

certainly could live cheaply enough here at the cafes; no one seems to

take anything but coffee or chocolate, and a cup seems to last them for

hours. From the large number of people one meets at the cafes and sees

nowhere else, I should say that they must dine at some cheap place or at

their homes. However, we will think it over."

A few days after his arrival at Madrid, Arthur had written home.

"My dear Uncle,

"You will be surprised to see by the heading of this letter that I am at

Madrid. But my first piece of news is, that I am now a captain,

nominally upon the staff of General Evans, but actually on detached

duty, a duty which is likely to keep me here for some time--in fact,

until the Legion is disbanded. Therefore you need feel no further

anxiety as to my safety. I am here to endeavour to worry the government

into sending stores and pay for the Legion. To this end I call upon the

minister of war every few days. The first time, he saw me: since then he

has always been too busy. I have also called upon the prime minister,

and have spoken to him with what he considered indecent warmth, and I

don't expect to do much good in the future. However, here I am.

"I am at present in an hotel. The food is good, the bed is soft. I

have with me my good friend Roper, of whom I have spoken to you in

almost every letter I have written. When the good fellow found that I

was coming here, he threw up his sergeant's stripes to accompany me as

my servant; it is a great comfort having him with me. I have been made

a member of the principal club here, and have already made several

acquaintances, so I have no doubt that I shall have a pleasant time. I

am not going to tell you about Madrid, because you can, if you choose,

find a much better description of it in books than I can give you.

Please send the next remittances, which will probably be the last, to

some mercantile house here.

"You will be glad to hear that though I failed in getting the arrears of

pay for the Legion, I have been informed that I can draw monthly for the

pay due to me while here. As living at an hotel is not dear, this and

my allowance will suffice very well for my requirements. I have seen

Colonel Wylde, the British commissioner, who is a very charming man. Of

course he has been doing the very best he can for the Legion, but he is

very frequently away with the army. I will explain how it is that I am

in charge here on a mission of real importance. Major Hawkins, who was

chief of the mission, was killed in a skirmish with the Carlists that we

had on our way down. He was a very nice fellow, and I was very sorry at

his death. I don't, of course, know yet whether they will send another

field-officer to take his place or leave me in charge. I rather hope

they won't send one. I don't think they would be wrong to leave it to

me, for cheek is very useful in this sort of work, and I flatter myself

that I shall stir them up a good deal--more than an older man would be

likely to do. Certainly I shall not be inclined to take 'No' for an

answer. I will write shortly again.

"With love to you all,

"Your affectionate Nephew."

*CHAPTER VIII*

*A DESPERATE ADVENTURE*

As Roper's desire to stay with Arthur remained unchanged, the latter

gladly accepted his offer. One of the horses was at once sold, and they

removed into smaller lodgings, consisting only of a tiny kitchen, one

sitting-room with a fold-up bed in a corner, and a closet just large

enough to hold a bed for Roper. Arthur was obliged to buy a suit of

dress clothes, some white shirts, and two suits of ordinary clothes.

They lived on terms of perfect equality when indoors, except that Roper

carried out their simple cooking at breakfast and supper, while in the

middle of the day they went to a quiet trattoria in the suburbs; and

after a week's experience Arthur found to his satisfaction that, even

with the hire of stables and the horse's forage, they were living well

within his income.

There was, of course, some surprise among his acquaintances at the

substitution of civilian clothes for his uniform. It made no

difference, however, in the cordiality of his reception, for he had

become by this time a popular character, especially with the ladies, who

appreciated his frank boyishness and freedom from formality, so unusual

among their own people.

Colonel Wylde had taken a great fancy to the lad, and said to him one

day: "I have been thinking over your case, Hallett. Of course I was not

empowered to offer you any specific position, but I am permitted to

despatch messengers to any point where I may be unable to go myself. I

wrote a month since to say that operations were being carried on over so

wide a field that I found it impossible to give attention to all points.

I stated that an English officer named Captain Hallett had come down

here as General Evans's agent. You were now unemployed, and would, I was

convinced, prove a valuable assistant; and I asked that I might be

permitted to appoint you as my aide, with the same rank as that which

you held under General Evans in the Legion. I said that you were well

mounted, and that the expense would be so very slight that I strongly

recommended your appointment, as I was sure you would gladly act under

me without any extra appointments except the pay of your rank and forage

allowance for your horses, and the other usual field allowances, which

will altogether make your pay about one pound a day. I have to-day

received a reply authorizing your appointment with the rank of a captain

in the army."

"I am indeed obliged to you, colonel!" Arthur exclaimed in delight. "I

would most gladly have placed myself under your orders even without the

pay, though I do not say that that will not be acceptable. But I could

not get work that I should like better. I cannot tell you how much I am

obliged to you."

"I feel that I spoke for myself as well as for you, Captain Hallett. It

is impossible for me to keep my eyes everywhere, and you will, in fact,

double my utility. There are only two other commissioners out here, a

number altogether insufficient to cope with all that is going on.

Indeed, very many regrettable things occur owing to a want of

supervision. When one or other of us happens to be present, we can

insist upon the articles of the convention we brought about between the

parties being observed; but if we are not there, a great deal of

shooting in cold blood still takes place. You will, of course, have to

provide yourself with an undress staff uniform. You can send a tailor

here to see mine. It would not do for you to use your own; that is

known to be a Christino one; and as you may have to go into the enemy's

lines, you must therefore be easily recognized as one of us. You had

better get high boots and breeches, and, of course, a cocked hat. These

will not cost you anything like so much as they would at home; people

work much more cheaply here. By the way, I have larger stables than I

require, so you may as well keep your horses there."

"I suppose I may put my man into uniform too, sir; it is more

convenient, and would look better."

"Yes, I think so. My own two orderlies belong to the 13th Dragoons; if

you like, I will accept him as a recruit in that corps and put him on

the pay-sheet; but you must get his uniform."

With renewed thanks Arthur took his leave and hurried back to his rooms.

"I have great news, Roper," he said. "Colonel Wylde has obtained

permission for me to act as his assistant, and you are to enlist in the

13th Dragoon Guards so as to ride with me in uniform. So we can shift

out of these little lodgings again, and needn't look upon every penny

before we spend it."

"That is good news indeed!" Roper exclaimed. "And I shall be more

useful to you now, for during the past four months I have learned to

talk Spanish quite well, from having been so much in the barracks with

the soldiers."

"Well, in the first place we have to be measured for our uniforms, and

we are to send the tailor to Colonel Wylde to see the patterns. Then we

will look out for lodgings. The two horses are to be taken to the

colonel's stables, so that we shall save that expense. The whole thing

is entirely his doing, and I am tremendously obliged to him."

Three days later the arrangements were completed; comfortable lodgings

were taken, and they had shifted into them. The uniforms had come home

and been found satisfactory, and Arthur had reported himself as ready

for service.

"I shall be going up to the north again myself," the colonel said.

"When I do so, you had better start out for the east. The war is being

conducted with great ferocity there, and it is much to be desired that

the Conventions agreed to last year shall be enforced, or at any rate,

that an effort should be made to enforce them. Cabrera is a brave and

skilful commander, but his cruelties are abominable. He was always

cruel; but the atrocious action of Nogueras, in causing his mother to be

seized and shot, has closed his heart to all feeling of mercy. He

shoots women who fall into his hands as well as men; and on one occasion

he shot no fewer than eighty-five sergeants in cold blood. I fear

greatly that no remonstrances would be of any avail with a man who seems

to revel in bloodshed. I do not say that he has not had terrible

provocation; and if he were to get hold of Nogueras, I should not blame

him if he cut him into small pieces. I do not think, therefore, that it

will be of any use your trying to influence him. You may, however,

attempt to persuade the various Christino chiefs in Aragon and Valencia.

I know that their position is difficult. They are urged by the friends

and relatives of the men murdered by the Carlists to make terrible

reprisals when they get the opportunity, and in consequence the war is

becoming one of extermination. I have no hope that you will be able to

do much, but you can at least try. I shall be glad to be able to

report, even in one or two instances, that efforts have been made by the

Christinos to mitigate the horrors of the struggle."

The next day Arthur again wrote home.

"My dear Uncle,

"I have a wonderfully good piece of news to give you. I told you in my

last letter that, now the Legion was disbanded, I intended to stay here

for a time on my allowance and savings. Now all this is changed, for

Colonel Wylde has obtained for me the appointment of Assistant British

Commissioner, with the temporary rank of captain in Her Majesty's

service. Isn't that splendid! There is excellent pay and allowances,

so I shall be able to live like a fighting cock. This will be my

head-quarters, but I shall generally be with one or other of the armies

in the field; and it will be, I know, a satisfaction to you all that I

shall not be called upon to take any part in the fighting, but shall be

merely a spectator of the fray. Now, even you will think that I am not

doing wrong in staying in Spain. I am very much at home here, and have

many friends and acquaintances, for you know by this time I speak

Spanish really like a native.

"The family I am most intimate with is that of Count Leon de Balen. He

is a young man of about five-and-twenty, with three young sisters, the

eldest of whom is about the age of sixteen. Leon has been in England

and speaks English fairly, and is very English in his ways, and doesn't

keep his sisters bottled up, as most of these Spaniards do; and I visit

there just as I should at any English house where I was intimate. Roper

is, of course, with me. He has been nominally enlisted in an English

dragoon regiment, and wears the uniform. I am having an English staff

uniform made for me, and were you here you would see me swaggering down

the streets as if they belonged to me; I really feel as if I were

somebody. I hope to hear that you are all pleased, and that even you

agree that could not possibly do better for myself than remain here till

the end of the war. How long that will be, goodness only knows! I

shall be in no hurry, for it is just the life, of all others, to suit

me. Love to all.

"Your affectionate Nephew."

In due time the answer arrived:

"My dear Arthur,

"We are all delighted at the receipt of your letter. We should, of

course, be extremely glad to have you back with us, but at the same time

we cannot but recognize that you could not do better for yourself than

you are doing. I do not know that personally I am extraordinarily

gratified that you should be holding a commission as captain in Her

Majesty's service, and as Assistant British Commissioner in Spain; but I

am bound to say that your aunt and cousins seem to be filled with an

altogether excessive pride in the position you have gained. The girls

have been going about among their friends crowing like little gamecocks,

and even your aunt, ordinarily a tranquil and quietly-disposed woman,

appears to be quite puffed up.

"However, joking aside, we are all highly gratified--I certainly admit

that I myself am highly gratified too--and feel that you could not do

better for yourself than remain for three or four years, by which time,

I hope, the war will be finished. You will, as you say, see what is

going on without running any serious risks; and when you are in Madrid I

can quite imagine that, with your official position, you will lead a

very pleasant life. I almost feel, Arthur, that you are getting

altogether beyond advice, and are now able to go on your own way. I can

only say, therefore, that we shall be all very glad to have you back

again with us, and I hope that every trace of the unpleasantness which

necessarily resulted from our last interview will be altogether

forgotten.

"Your affectionate Uncle."

That evening Arthur called at the house of the young Count Leon de

Balen. It was one of the houses at which he had become most intimate.

The count had little of the reserve and hauteur common to most Spanish

nobles. He had from the first taken a great fancy to Arthur, and had

made the latter at all times welcome to his house. It had been one of

the first to which he had been invited after his arrival at Madrid, and

was one of the few which were always open to him.

"I have been taken to task several times," the young man said one day

with a laugh, "for inviting a man, and that man a foreigner and a

heretic, so familiarly to my house. Two years ago I was for a few

mouths with our embassy in London, and I came to like your ways very

much. It was very pleasant to be able to make calls at houses without

ceremony, and I made many friends. It seemed to me in all respects

better, for young people get to know each other and to like each other.

Young men and young women in your country meet and talk and dance

together, and are good friends, without thinking of marriage; whereas

here girls are for the most part shut up until a marriage is arranged

for them. Of course I hold, as other people do, that young ladies

should not go out alone, and should always be accompanied by a duenna;

but in their own house, and under their parents' eyes, I can see no

occasion for strictness. I might have some hesitation in giving a young

Spaniard a general invitation to my house, because he would not

understand it, and would think that I wished to introduce him as a

suitor to one of my sisters; but with an Englishman it is different.

You laugh and talk with them as if they were your own, and I think it is

very good for them, and that they are as pleased to see you as I am."

When, therefore, Arthur had no other engagement he very often went in

for a chat in the evening to the young count's, and he was naturally one

of the first he told of his new appointment.

"I congratulate you most heartily," Leon said. "I have been wondering,

since I heard that your Legion had been disbanded, what you were going

to do. I am leaving, as I told you, for one of my country estates near

Albacete, with Mercedes, and shall be away about a couple of months. If

you chance to be coming that way, I need not say how glad I shall be to

see you. Of course you don't know yet where you are likely to go, but

it may as well be there as in any other direction. Perhaps you will be

back as soon as we shall. I hope so sincerely."

On the day when Colonel Wylde left for the north, Arthur started for

Mercia. When out of the town he called Roper up to his side.

"I am heartily glad to be at work again, Roper."

"I am not sorry myself, sir. I have nothing to say against Madrid, but

one gets tired of having nothing particular to do, and especially as for

the past three or four days, since I have been in this scarlet uniform,

everyone has stared at me in the street. I shall get used to it in

time, of course, but it is rather trying at first."

"I dare say it is," Arthur laughed. "Of course I don't feel it so much.

There is not so much difference between officers' uniforms as between

those of private soldiers, at any rate not between undress uniforms. I

am a good deal more comfortable in my present dress than I was before,

for I could not but see myself that it was getting very small, and I had

almost given up wearing it."

"Yes, you keep on growing so. You were a good bit taller than I was

when you joined the Legion two years ago, and now you are pretty nearly

a head taller. You must be over six feet now, and I see these little

Spaniards look up to you as you walk along."

"Yes, I have been rather disgusted at shooting up so. I don't suppose

other people notice it; but as I was wanting to look six or seven years

older than I am, it was annoying that I should keep on growing. Well, I

think I have pretty nearly done now."

They travelled by comfortable stages down to Mercia. Arthur had several

interviews with the general in command of the forces there, and received

assurances from him that every care should be used to mitigate the

horrors of the war, but that such a passion of rage had been excited by

the massacres perpetrated by Cabrera that it was all but impossible to

keep the people in hand.

"It is to Cabrera himself that you should address yourself, senor," the

general said. "We are anxious to prosecute the war in the spirit of

civilization, but as long as he persists in carrying it on like a demon

it is plainly impossible for us to fight in kid gloves."

"I will go to Cabrera," Arthur said; "even he ought to have satisfied

his vengeance for the murder of his mother. Were I in his place I would

hunt Nogueras through the country until I found him, but it is simply

monstrous that he should continue to take vengeance upon innocent

people."

After remaining four days at Mercia, Arthur therefore turned his horse's

head north. When he neared Albacete he heard that Cabrera had been

making a raid from the Sierra de Val de Meca, and had swept down nearly

to the city, harassing the country and carrying off much booty. Arthur

was told that Cabrera had attacked and taken the Palazzo of the Count de

Balen, so half an hour after entering the town he rode out to enquire

after his friend. As they approached the house they saw smoke still

rising from it. Putting their horses to a gallop they speedily arrived

in front of the house, only, however, to find that it was a mere shell.

As Arthur alighted, a man, whom he knew by sight, came out from a small

outhouse.

"What has happened? Are the count and his sister safe?"

"Alas! no, sir," the man said. "The Carlists burst into the house

yesterday morning. The count opposed them and was struck down

desperately wounded. Donna Mercedes was carried off by them. They

sacked the palace and then set it on fire. Three or four of the men

were killed. I was away at Albacete. I found that some of the women

had carried the young count out behind the house. He is in here."

Arthur hurried in.

"My dear Leon," he said, "this is terrible news that I hear!"

"Terrible," the other said faintly. "I am wounded badly, but that is

nothing except that it will keep me a month before I am fit to act; but

it is awful to think that Mercedes has fallen into the hands of that

ruffian Cabrera. Thank God you have come! I know you will do all you

can for me."

"Assuredly I will. In the first place, do you know which way the

villains have gone?"

"Yes; they have gone up by La Roda. They will doubtless sack that

place, and Minaya, and Villar Roblebo."

"Have you fresh horses?"

"No; they have driven every horse off."

"That is unfortunate, for I made a good long journey to Albacete. When

I arrived I heard a rumour that your place had been sacked, so I rode

straight here. At any rate I must give the horses four hours' rest, and

then I will push on. Tell me how it all happened?"

"I was at breakfast yesterday when the servants came running in with the

news that a large body of horsemen were coming up at a gallop. I ran

down with Mercedes, but it was already too late to get to our horses.

They rode up, and their leader, who was, I believe, Cabrera, ordered the

men to seize my sister. I drew my sword, but I was cut down almost

before I had struck a blow. I knew nothing more until some hours later,

when I found myself lying here, where, it seems, the female servants had

brought me, and saw that the house was on fire from end to end, and that

the Carlists had gone and taken Mercedes with them. I think I was

nearly out of my mind till nightfall, then I slept for some hours,

overpowered by exhaustion. I found, when I awoke, that Monto had

returned in the evening and had been sitting by me all night. I sent

him off at once to Albacete. He returned at mid-day with a message from

the commandant there to the effect that Cabrera's force was too strong

to be attacked, and that he expected to have to defend himself. I

cannot say that I was surprised. Cabrera is so dreaded that it requires

a strong man to attempt to make head against him, and indeed when I once

got over my fury I recognized that as Cabrera might be fifty miles away

by the time my messenger got to Albacete it would be hopeless to attempt

to pursue him."

"I will set out as soon as the horses have had a rest. Fortunately, I

have not been hurrying myself so far, and they are both in good

condition. I will see Cabrera himself, and will do all in my power to

rescue your sister."

"I fear your journey will be useless, Hallett. The wretch has become a

wild beast since the murder of his mother; but I know you will do all

you can. If I were but able to travel I would go with you, and would

stab him to the heart if he refused to release her; but it will be long

before I shall be able to sit on a horse again."

"I should think the best thing you can do, Leon, is to have yourself

carried on a litter to Albacete, where your wounds can be properly seen

to."

"So far I have no one but these women to carry me. They tell me that

the whole of the men were driven off the estate and made to enter

Cabrera's ranks."

"Well, he did not go much farther than this, and there must be men to be

had from some of the villages a few miles away. I will send your man

off at once to get half a dozen of them to carry you."

"You must want something to eat, too. Will you call one of the women in

here? What have we to eat?"

"We have got some green corn, senor--some of the fields set on fire were

too green to burn--and we caught some chickens wandering about."

"Then cook some for the senor and his servant." Leon now lay for some

time without speaking. He had lost a great deal of blood, after the

departure of the Carlists, before the women ventured to go near him, and

although he had roused himself on Arthur's arrival he was now too

exhausted to talk further. After a stay of four hours Arthur started

again. It was already dark, and he would have preferred waiting till

daylight had not the count's anxiety been so great that he thought it

would be better to go, at any rate for a few miles. After travelling

for two hours they arrived at a farm. An old woman was the only

occupant; as the men had gone willingly enough with the Carlists, the

house and its belongings had not been interfered with. The horses were

put up in a shed, and the two men sat down by the fire talking.

"I have very little hope of getting Donna Mercedes out of Cabrera's

hands by fair means; it is like asking a tiger to give up a kid. My

great hope, Roper, lies rather in rescuing her myself. Of course I do

not know where she is confined, or how she is guarded. It is not likely

that they would place a very strong guard over her. You and I together

ought to be able to get her away. Of course I can form no plans until

we see the place. There will be risk in the business; that can't be

helped. I have got in and out of my bedroom at school many a time, and

can back myself to climb anywhere. It will be your business to bring the

horses round in readiness when I get her out. If you can possibly get

hold of a third animal it will be a great advantage, for we shall have

to reckon upon being pursued."

"I am ready for anything, captain. The count was always very civil to

me when he called upon you, and he never came without making me a

present. No doubt he knew by our lodging that things were not very

flourishing with you. It is just the sort of business I should like.

We have done no fighting for the past nine months, and I shall be right

glad of a skirmish."

"I expect it will be something worse than a skirmish. If this brute

Cabrera won't give the young lady up, it will be a serious job to take

her, even if you can get another horse; for, good as ours may be, it is

probable that there are better ones in his camp. However, it is all so

vague at present that it is useless to try and form plans. One thing, I

am sure, we can say: fewer than six won't take her from us once we have

got her. We must not deceive ourselves that they will respect our

uniform. Cabrera respects nothing. And if we stand between him and his

vengeance we need not flatter ourselves that he will let us go."

"Well, sir, a man can't die better than in trying to save a woman; that

is how I look at it."

"Quite right, Roper; it is the death of all others that I would choose.

However, I have faith in ourselves, and I fancy that we shall get

through somehow, though I am pretty sure that it will be a very close

shave. I think we had better lie down till daybreak. You have given

the horses a good feed, have you not?"

"Yes, sir; I have put down half a sack of beans between them. They will

be fresh enough in the morning; till yesterday we have not travelled

more than fifteen or sixteen miles a day, and they had a week's rest at

Mercia. They could not be in better condition."

They started as soon as it began to be light, and on reaching La Roda

heard that Cabrera had rested there on the previous day, and had gone on

that morning to Banada and Villar do Navado. On arriving at Banada they

found that Cabrera had ridden on half an hour before to Villar de

Navado. This place they reached at eleven o'clock. The place was full

of Carlists. Arthur alighted in front of the principal house. He was

looked at scowlingly by the men thronging the streets, but nothing was

said to him.

"I wish to see General Cabrera," he said. "Will you say that I am one

of the British commissioners?"

After being kept waiting for two or three minutes he was asked in.

Cabrera was a powerful man with a face full of strength and energy.

"To what am I indebted for this visit, senor?" he asked as Arthur

entered.

"I have called, sir, to implore you to respect the Conventions entered

into between both parties and signed by them, and on the part of the

British government by Colonels Wylde and Lacy."

"I have nothing whatever to do with it," Cabrera said. "The Christinos

have committed great atrocities; it is my intention to revenge them

whenever possible."

"But at least, sir," Arthur said, "you do not war against women?"

"I war against my enemies, men and women. My own mother was murdered by

them, as no doubt you are aware, and for each drop of her blood I shall

take vengeance."

"But, sir, the lady whom you carried off the day before yesterday was

not the wife of a Christino general, nor in any way connected with the

war."

"Her brother was a well-known Christino," Cabrera replied, "and all the

enemies of Don Carlos are my enemies. It is well that these young

nobles at the court should learn that by supporting the government

against the king they are as much our foes as if they were fighting in

the field. I make war in toy own way; other generals may do as they

like. I refuse to have my hands tied, and I intend to inflict a heavy

lesson upon these politicians of Madrid. Against the young woman

herself I have no special quarrel, but as a member of a leading

Christino family she is an enemy, and as such she will be shot to-morrow

morning. There, sir, it is useless to talk further. My mind is

perfectly made up; and if you wish to remain till the morning to witness

the execution, you are perfectly at liberty to do so. In fact, I should

prefer it, for I wish it to be known that prisoners who fall into my

hands will be shown no mercy."

Arthur rose. "Well, sir, in taking my leave of you, I beg in the name

of my government to warn you of the consequences of making war in

defiance not only of all its rules and usages, but of humanity."

Cabrera simply waved his hand in scorn, and Arthur, turning, strode out

of the room.

"Find some place in the outskirts of the village and put up our horses,"

he said to Roper; "there I will talk with you."

A hut, from which its inhabitants had fled on the approach of the

Carlists, was soon found.

"You have brought a good allowance of beans with you, have you not?"

"Yes, sir; I have nearly half a sack."

"Give the horses a good feed, and then we will talk matters over."

He sat down on a broken chair. "As I expected, Roper, the villain is

not to be turned from his purpose: the lady is to be shot to-morrow

morning. It seems to me that there are between three and four thousand

men in and around the village. Of these, as far as I could see as we

rode in, only a hundred or so are mounted. We may take it that our

horses are better than the average; they have not been doing such long

marches, and they are really good animals. I don't know which is the

best; but I should fancy that if we get a fair start not above thirty

will keep up with us, perhaps not above twenty. That is the number we

may have to cope with. The first thing we shall have to find out is

where Donna Mercedes is confined, and how she is guarded. It is

unlikely that they will have placed more than two or three sentries over

her; they would know well enough that she could not escape by herself.

"I should say that there will be one sentry outside the door, and

perhaps two inside. If there is a door or a window at the back of the

house, we need not bother about the man in front. I must do for the two

men inside. You bring the two horses round within a hundred yards of

the back of the house, and we will drop out of the window, if there is

one, or walk out of the door. First of all, we must find out the house;

then it will be your business to stroll round and choose a horse in such

a position that you can lead it off without disturbing others. You must

get it behind the side of the street on which our house stands, so that

you will not have to lead it across the street, but simply bring it and

place it with ours."

"All right, sir! I think I can answer for that part of the business. I

suppose you will not begin until half-past ten or eleven; they will be

pretty nearly all asleep by that time."

"No, I sha'n't begin before that."

They waited for a couple of hours, and then strolled out into the

village. The Carlists, knowing that they had had an interview with

their chief, paid no great attention to them, and presently Arthur

seized the opportunity of asking a woman who was standing at her door

which was the priest's house.

"It is the last house in the village on this side of the street, senor."

Arthur continued his stroll to the end of the village, and then turned

back and walked to the other end. It was the heat of the day now, and

most of the men were lying down asleep in the shade of houses and trees,

and there were but few in the street. Stopping at the priest's house,

he knocked at the door and entered.

"I am an English officer, father," he said to the priest, who was a

tall, thin old man. "My errand here is to save the life of the young

lady who has been carried off and brought here, and whom Cabrera is

going to shoot in the morning."

"It is terrible, senor!" the priest said; "it is terrible! but what can

we do? I have already seen this man, and warned him of the consequences

of so dreadful an action. He told me to mind my own business and that

he would mind his, and I was thrust bodily out of the house protesting

vainly."

"Well, father, then I take it that if you had the power you would have

the will to save this poor young lady?"

"Assuredly, my son; but I am old and feeble, and what can I do?"

"You can do much, father. I wish you to go again to Cabrera. Say that,

as a man of God, it is your duty to receive this young lady's

confession, and to stay with her, pray with her, and comfort her during

the night, and demand that he give you an order to do so."

"He cannot refuse such a request," the priest said. "The worst

malefactor has the right to have the attendance of the clergy before his

death. But how would that benefit her save by my spiritual help?"

"You will have no more to do with it, father. You will bring me the

order here, and then as soon as it gets dark I should advise you to

leave the village and walk some twenty miles away, and wait until

Cabrera has left the neighbourhood which he doubtless will do to-morrow;

the rest of the business will be my affair.

"But do you mean--" the priest began.

"I mean father, that after it is dark I shall put on your robe and hat,

if you will lend them to me. I shall present myself at the door with

the order, and when I am admitted and the door is dosed again, I shall

proceed to knock on the head any men who are inside. I don't think

there will be more than two. Having done that, I shall go to the young

ladys room and lower her down through the window. My man-servant will

be waiting behind with horses, and, if we are lucky, we shall get a long

start of them."

"I will do it," the priest said; "even if I were to be killed I would do

it. Even this monster cannot refuse to allow a priest to visit one

about to die. Possibly he might, if alone, but the very peasants under

him would call out at his refusal. Shall I go at once!"

"No; it would be best that you should go to him just as he has finished

his dinner; doubtless six or eight of his officers will be with him.

You had best write out the order before you go, so that it will only

need his signature. I rely upon your eloquence and authority to induce

him to grant it to you."

"I will obtain it," the priest said; "even the worst malefactor has a

right to the consolation of a priest."

"Thank you, father. You will have the satisfaction of having saved an

innocent girl's life. Now, in the next place, will you tell me in which

house she is confined? I have not liked to ask the question."

"She is in the house next to that in which Cabrera is quartered. There

is a sentry at the door."

"What sort of a house is it?"

"It is like the others, except that the lower windows are all barred."

"Are there windows behind?"

"Yes; I believe there are."

"Do you know whether there is a sentry behind?"