e carriage had just turned.

The sergeant was now in a state of nervous perplexity. Although his
eyes were on the road his thoughts were not there, but all turned
inward, communing with himself. Which side ought he to take? That of
the _Liberales_ or the _Parti Pretre_? He had been upon both through
two or three alternate changes, and still he was but a _sargento_. And
as he had been serving Santa Anna for a longer spell than usual, without
a single step of promotion, he could not make much of a mistake by
giving the Republican party one more trial. It might get him the
long-coveted epaulette of _alferez_.

While still occupied with his ambitious dreams, endeavouring to decide
into which scale he should throw the weight of his sword, musket, and
bayonet, the citadel gun once more boomed out, answered by the canon of
Chapultepec.

Still, there was no cracking of rifles, nor continuous rattle of
musketry, such as should be heard coincident with that cry which in the
Mexican metropolis usually announces a change of government.

It seemed strange not only to him, but all others on guard at El Nino.
But it might be a parley--the calm before the storm, which they could
not help thinking would yet burst forth, in full fusillade--such as they
had been accustomed to.

Listening on, however, they heard not that; only the bells, bells,
bells, jingling all over the city, as though it were on fire, those of
the cathedral leading the orchestra of campanule music. And yet another
gun from the citadel, with the answering one from the "Summer Palace of
the Monctezunas."

They were fast losing patience, beginning to fear there would be no
_pronunciamento_ after all, and no chance of plundering, when the notes
of a cavalry bugle broke upon their ears.

"At last!" cried one, speaking the mind of all, and as though the sound
were a relief to them. "That's the beginning of it. So, _camarados_!
we may get ready. The next thing will be the cracking of carbines!"

They all ran to the stack of muskets, each clutching at his own. They
stood listening as before; but not to hear any cracking of carbines.
Instead, the bugle again brayed out its trumpet notes, recognisable as
signals of command; which, though only infantry men, they understood.
There was the "Quick march!" and "Double quick!" but they had no time to
reflect on what it was for, nor need, as just then a troop of Hussars
was seen defiling out from a side street, and