e officer who had asked him
the way, and by the student as his _compagnon du voyage_ of yesterday--
Don Rafael Tres-Villas.

Shortly after, the two boats reached the foot of the Sierra; and the
traveller with the mule disembarked. Mounting into his saddle, he
saluted those who remained in the other boat; and then rode away, amidst
the words oft repeated by Don Mariano and his daughters--

"_A dios! a dios! Senor Morelos! a dios_!"

The two barges now returned towards the hacienda, arriving there nearly
at the same time as the canoe which carried the student of theology, the
Indian, and the negro.

Don Cornelio had now a better opportunity of observing the rich freight
carried in the larger of the two boats. The drapery of purple silk
which covered the seats and fell over the sides of the barge, threw its
brilliant reflections far out upon the water. In the midst of this
brilliance appeared the young ladies, seated and bending languidly upon
their oars. Now and then Marianita, in plunging her oar-blade into the
water, caused the pomegranate flowers to rain down from her hair, as she
shook them with bursts of laughter; while Gertrudis, looking from under
the purple wreath, ever and anon cast stealthy glances at the cavalier
who was seated by the side of her father.

"Senor Don Mariano!" said Costal, as the barge drew near, "here is a
guest whom I have taken the liberty to bring to your hospitable
mansion."

As the Indian delivered this speech he pointed to the student of
theology still seated in the canoe.

"He is welcome!" rejoined Don Mariano; and then, inviting the stranger
to disembark, all except Costal, Clara, and the servants, landed from
the boats, and passed out of sight through the front gateway of the
hacienda.

These taking the boats around the battlements of the building, entered
the enclosure by a gate that opened towards the rear.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

RAFAEL AND GERTRUDIS.

As already stated, Don Luis Tres-Villas, the father of Don Rafael, was a
Spaniard. He was one of those Spaniards, however, who from the first
had comprehended the necessity of making liberal political concessions
to the Creoles--such as those accorded to them by the enlightened Don
Jose Iturrigaray. Even the interest of Spain herself demanded these
reforms.

Don Luis, himself an officer in the vice-regal guard, had been one of
the most devoted partisans of Iturrigaray; and when the latter was
arrested by the