ence was
held, and that Peterborough and Mahony, walking apart from the others,
came near to where they were sitting, but did not notice them, and that
they saw the earl deliver five thousand pistoles to Mahony, and heard
him promise to make him a major general in the English army, and to give
him the command of ten thousand Irish Catholics which were being raised
for the service of King Charles. They said that they were content to
receive no reward, but to be shot as spies if Mahony himself did not
give proof of treachery by carrying out his arrangements with the earl,
by sending a messenger requesting the duke to march that night across
the plain toward Murviedro to the Carthusian convent, where everything
would be arranged for their destruction by a strong ambush of British
troops.

Scarcely had the men finished their story when an aide de camp galloped
in from Mahony with the very proposition which they had reported that
he would make. Arcos had now no doubt whatever of Mahony's treason,
and instead of complying with his request, which was obviously the best
course to have been pursued, as the junction of the two armies would
thereby have been completed, the duke broke up his camp without delay
and fell back in exactly the opposite direction.

This was exactly what Peterborough had been scheming to bring about.
Mahony, with his cavalry, having delivered over the town, marched to the
Carthusian convent, and there, finding themselves unsupported, rode on
to the spot where the duke had been encamped, and finding that his army
was gone, followed it. On overtaking it Mahony was instantly arrested
and sent a prisoner to Madrid.

It is satisfactory to know that he succeeded in clearing himself from
the charge of treachery, was promoted to the rank of major general, and
was sent back with Las Torres, who was ordered to supersede the Duke of
Arcos.

The success of the earl's stratagem had been complete. Without the loss
of a single man he had obtained possession of Murviedro, and had spread
such confusion and doubt into the enemy's army that, although more than
three times his own force, it was marching away in all haste, having
abandoned the siege of Valencia, which city he could now enter with his
troops. The success was a wonderful one; but it is sad to think that
it was gained by such a treacherous and dastardly maneuver, which might
have cost a gallant officer--who was, moreover, a countryman and distant
connection