ure
of fearful meaning, as an appropriate finish to his speech.

"Don Mariano would not have permitted it," rejoined the other, by way of
excusing himself for having been the cause of the dragoon officer's
escape. "Once under his roof, he would never have consented to our
molesting him."

"Bah!" exclaimed the first speaker. "It's past the time when we require
to ask Don Mariano's permission. We are no longer his servants. The
time is come when the servants shall be the masters, and the masters the
servants, _Carajo_! What care I for the emancipation of the country?
What I care for is blood and plunder."

The fierce joy that blazed in the eyes of the speaker as he pronounced
the last words, told too plainly that these were his veritable
sentiments.

The second of the two brigands who, though smaller in size and of a more
astute expression of countenance, was equally characterised by an aspect
of brutal ferocity--for a moment appeared to quail before the
indignation of his companion.

"_Carajo_!" continued the first, "we have got to shift our quarters. If
that furious captain finds out that _we_ are here, he will set fire to
the four corners of the hacienda, and roast us alive in it. Fool that I
was to listen to you!"

"Who could have foreseen that he would get off so?" said the lesser man,
still endeavouring to excuse himself.

"You, _Carrai_!" thundered the bandit; and overcome by rage and chagrin
at the escape of his mortal enemy, he drew his poignard, and struck a
left-handed blow at the bosom of his associate. The latter severely
wounded, uttering a cry of pain, fell heavily from his horse.

Without staying to see whether or not he had killed his comrade, the
guerillero dashed through the gate of the hacienda; and, dismounting in
the courtyard, ran, carbine in hand, up the stone stairway that led to
the _azotea_.

Meanwhile Don Rafael and his five horsemen were ascending the hill that
sloped up from the rear of the building.

"_Santos Dios_! it is very strange!" remarked one of the troopers to a
companion. "It's the general belief that Arroyo and Bocardo have
quitted the province, but if I'm not mistaken--"

"It was they, to a certainty," interrupted the second trooper. "I know
them well, only I didn't wish to tell our captain. He is so furious
against these two fellows, that if he had only known it was they who
attacked us, we should not have had much chance of being permitted to
retreat as