er a low mournful whine. Flashes of sheet-lightning frequently
illumed the black sky and flung a momentary glare over our path. No
sound interrupted the stillness of the night save the slow tramp of the
horses' hoofs, and occasionally the croaking of frogs from some pool or
morass. I now bethought me that I was in Spain, the chosen land of the
two fiends, assassination and plunder, and how easily two tired unarmed
wanderers might become their victims. We at last cleared the woodlands,
and after proceeding a short distance the horse gave a joyous neigh and
broke into a smart trot. A barking of dogs speedily reached my ears, and
we seemed to be approaching some town or village. In effect we were
close to Cacabelos, a town about five miles distant from Villafranca.

It was now near eleven at night, and I reflected that it would be far
more expedient to tarry in this place till the morning than to attempt at
present to reach Villafranca, exposing ourselves to all the horrors of
darkness in a lonely and unknown road. My mind was soon made up on this
point--but I determined without my hosts, for at the first _posada_ which
I attempted to enter I was told that we could not be accommodated, and
particularly our horses, as the stable was full of water. At the second
(there were but two), I was answered from the window by a gruff voice
nearly in the words of Scripture: 'Trouble me not, the gate is already
locked, and my servants are also with me in bed; I cannot arise to let
you in.' Indeed we had no particular desire to enter, as it appeared a
wretched hovel; though the poor horses pawed piteously against the door,
and seemed to crave admittance.

We had now no choice but to resume our doleful way to Villafranca, which
we were told was a short league distant, though it proved a league and a
half. We however found it no easy matter to quit the town, for we were
bewildered amongst its labyrinths and could not find the outlet. A lad
about eighteen was, however, persuaded by the promise of a _peseta_ to
guide us, whereupon he led us by many turnings to a bridge which he told
us to cross and to follow the road, which was that of Villafranca; he
then, having received his fee, hastened from us.

We followed his directions, not, however, without a suspicion that he
might be deceiving us. The night had settled darker down upon us, so
that it was impossible to distinguish any object, however nigh. The
lightning had become mo