aspiring hopes. Eybar was next surrendered, the garrison of Durango fled,
and Salvatierra was evacuated.

Victory seemed to have perched upon the banners of the Navarrese, town
after town falling in rapid succession into their hands, and the crown of
Spain appeared likely soon to change hands. Zumalacarregui proposed next
to march upon Vittoria, which had been abandoned with the exception of a
few battalions, and thence upon the important city of Burgos, where he
would either force the enemy to a battle or move forward upon Madrid. So
rapid and signal had been his successes that consternation filled the army
of the queen, the soldiers being in such terror that little opposition was
feared. Bets ran high in the Carlist army that six weeks would see them in
Madrid, and any odds could have been had that they would be there within
two months. Such was the promising state of affairs when the impolitic
interference of Don Carlos led to a turn in the tide of his fortune and
the overthrow of his cause.

What he wanted most was money. His military chest was empty. In the path
of the army lay the rich mercantile city of Bilboa. Its capture would
furnish a temporary supply. He insisted that the army, instead of crossing
the Ebro and taking full advantage of the panic of the enemy, should
attack this place. This Zumalacarregui strongly opposed.

"Can you take it?" asked Carlos.

"I can take it, but it will be at an immense sacrifice, not so much of men
as of time, which now is precious," was the reply.

Don Carlos insisted, and the general, sorely against his will, complied.
The movement was not only unwise in itself, it led to an accident that
brought to an end all the fair promise of success.

The siege was begun. Zumalacarregui, anxious to save time, determined to
take the place by storm as soon as a practicable breach should be made,
and on the morning of the day he had fixed for the assault he, with his
usual daring, stepped into the balcony of a building not far from the
walls to inspect the state of affairs with his glass.

On seeing a man thus exposed, evidently a superior officer, to judge from
his telescope and the black fur jacket he wore, all the men within that
part of the walls opened fire on him. The general soon came out of the
balcony limping in a way that at once created alarm, and, unable to
conceal his lameness, he admitted that he was wounded. A bullet, glancing
from one of the bars of the balcony window