ng himself at
her feet, confessing that, without her, he could no longer live.

It was to steel his soul against this temptation, and enable him to keep
the oath he had sworn, that Don Rafael now repaired to his father's
grave.

CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE.

THE CAPTURE OF SAN CARLOS.

A few minutes sufficed for the performance of his sacred duty; and Don
Rafael, returning to the courtyard, placed himself at the head of his
troopers--already in their saddles. There were eighty in all ordered
upon the expedition--only a small garrison of twenty men being left--
just sufficient to defend the fortress. Two pack-mules accompanied the
party--one carrying a small howitzer, while the other was laden with the
necessary _caisson_ of ammunition.

At a given signal the great gate of the hacienda was thrown open, and
the troopers filing through, passed on down the avenue at a rapid trot,
and in silence.

A dozen or so of light cavalry went in advance of the main body--for the
purpose of reconnoitring the ground--and at the head of these was Don
Rafael himself with the Lieutenant Veraegui.

On the way the Lieutenant, in brief language, rendered an account to his
superior of the events that had happened since his last despatch to
him--to all of which Don Rafael listened far from attentively. Absorbed
in his thoughts, he sat abstractedly in his saddle until after they had
forded the Ostuta.

On the other side of the river the advance guard halted to give the main
body time to come up; and here Don Rafael ordered the domestic of Don
Fernando to be brought into his presence.

"Do you know," said he, addressing the man, "if there be any road by
which we can get round the hacienda, and approach it from the opposite
side?"

The domestic replied in the affirmative. He knew a path by which he
could conduct the troopers to the rear of the building, and by which
they might advance up to the very walls without their approach being
discovered.

"Go ahead then along with the scouts!" directed Don Rafael. "It is
necessary we take these robbers by surprise, else they may get off from
us as they have done before."

The guide obeyed the order, and placing himself at the head of the
advance guard, the march was resumed.

The path by which the domestic conducted them made a detour round the
foot of the hill, upon which the hacienda stood, and where, but a few
hours earlier, Don Cornelio Lantejas had seen the flames shining so
bright