h unusual vehemence. Andrew and some others got up to
see what was the matter, and found a man dressed in white battling with
them, whilst one of them held him by the leg. "What the devil brought
you here, man," said one of the gipsies, after they had released him,
"at such an hour, away from the high road? Did you come to thieve? If
so, you have come to the right door?"

"I do not come to thieve; and I don't know whether or not I am off the
road, though I see well enough that I am gone astray," said the wounded
man. "But tell me, senores, is there any venta or place of entertainment
where I can get a night's lodging, and dress the wounds which these dogs
have given me?"

"There is no venta or public place to which we can take you," replied
Andrew; "but as for a night's lodging, and dressing your wounds, that
you can have at our ranchos. Come along with us; for though we are
gipsies, we are not devoid of humanity."

"God reward you!" said the man: "take me whither you please, for my leg
pains me greatly." Andrew lifted him up, and carried him along with the
help of some of the other compassionate gipsies; for even among the
fiends there are some worse than others, and among many bad men you may
find one good.

It was a clear moonlight night, so that they could see that the person
they carried was a youth of handsome face and figure. He was dressed all
in white linen, with a sort of frock of the same material belted round
his waist. They arrived at Andrew's hut or shed, quickly kindled a fire,
and fetched Preciosa's grandmother to attend to the young man's hurts.
She took some of the dogs' hairs, fried them in oil, and after washing
with wine the two bites she found on the patient's left leg, she put the
hairs and the oil upon them, and over this dressing a little chewed
green rosemary. She then bound the leg up carefully with clean bandages,
made the sign of the cross over it, and said, "Now go to sleep, friend
and with the help of God your hurts will not signify."

Whilst they were attending to the wounded man, Preciosa stood by, eyeing
him with great curiosity, whilst he did the same by her, insomuch that
Andrew took notice of the eagerness with which he gazed; but he
attributed this to the extraordinary beauty of Preciosa, which naturally
attracted all eyes. Finally, having done all that was needful for the
youth, they left him alone on a bed of dry hay, not caring to question
him then as to his road, or any oth