have passed the river before
the time stipulated, heard the neighing of horses in the town and
supposed that some of the troops were leaving it. In order, therefore,
to create suspicion and confusion among the enemy, he ordered a body
of men near the river to fire straggling shots as if small parties were
engaged at the outposts.

Mahony hearing these sounds sent word that whatever collision might have
occurred it was the result of no breach of the terms of capitulation
on his part, and that, depending implicitly on the honor of an English
general, he could not believe that any foul play could take place.
Peterborough sent back his compliments by the officer who brought the
message, with expressions of gratification at the good understanding
which prevailed between them, and at the same time he proposed that
Mahony, for the security of the inhabitants of Murviedro, and to prevent
his troops being molested as they retired from the town, should permit
a regiment of English dragoons to cross the river and to form a guard
at the gates, offering at the same time to deliver up a number of his
officers as hostages to the Spanish for the loyal fulfillment of the
terms.

In an evil hour for himself Mahony consented to the proposal. When
the Spaniards saw Peterborough's dragoons advancing without opposition
through the difficult pass, and up to the very gates of the town, their
suspicions of the treachery of their leader became a certainty. The
Spanish officers each got his company or troop together as quickly as
possible and hurried across the plain to the camp of the duke, where
they spread a vague but general panic. The officers accused Mahony
of treachery to the Spanish general, and the national jealousy of
foreigners made their tale easily believed; but Peterborough had taken
another step to secure the success of his diabolical plan against the
honor of his wife's relative.

He made choice of two Irish dragoons, and persuaded them by bribes
and promises of promotion to undertake the dangerous part of false
deserters, and to tell the tale with which he furnished them. They
accordingly set out and rode straight to the camp of the Duke of Arcos
and gave themselves up to the outposts, by whom they were led before
the Spanish general. Questioned by him, they repeated the story they had
been taught.

The statement was that they had been sitting drinking wine together
under some rocks on the hillside, close to where the confer