es of coarse brown cloth, and seated sideways on a scraggy
mule, in such a position that his back was to the guard-house as he
passed it. On the opposite side of the animal hung a pannier, containing
cabbages and other vegetables; the unsold residue of the rider's stock
in trade. The peasant's legs, naked below the knee, were tanned by the
sun to the same brown hue as his face and bare throat; his feet were
sandalled, and just above one of his ankles, a soiled bandage,
apparently concealing a wound, was wrapped. A broad-brimmed felt hat
shaded his half-closed eyes and dull stolid countenance, and the only
thing that in any way distinguished him from the generality of peasants
was his hair, which was cut short behind, instead of hanging, according
to the usual custom of the province, in long ragged locks over the coat
collar.

Occupied with his cigar and gossip, the sergeant vouchsafed but a
careless and cursory glance to this party, and they were passing on
without hindrance, when, from a window of the guard-house, a voice
called to them to halt.

"How now, sergeant!" exclaimed the young ensign on guard. "What is the
meaning of this? Why do these people pass without examination?"

The negligent sergeant rose hastily from his chair, and, assuming an
attitude of respect, faltered an excuse.

"Peasants, sir; market-people."

The officer, who had been on guard since the preceding evening, had been
sitting in his room, waiting the arrival of his dinner, which was to be
sent to him from his quarters, and was rather behind time. The delay had
put him out of temper.

"How can you tell that? You are cunning to know people without looking
at then. Let them wait."

And the next moment he issued from the guard-house, and approached the
peasants.

"Your name?" said he, sharply, to the first of the party.

"Jose Samaniego," was the answer. "A poor _aldeano_ from Artica, _para
servir a vuestra senoria_. These are my wife and daughter."

The speaker was an old, greyhaired man, with wrinkled features, and a
stoop in his shoulders; and, notwithstanding a cunning twinkle in his
eye, there was no mistaking him for any thing else than he asserted
himself to be.

The officer turned away from him, glanced at the rest of the party, and
seemed about to let them pass, when his eye fell upon the sturdy,
crop-headed peasant already referred to. He immediately approached him.

"Where do you come from?" said he, eyeing him with a look