existence allowed them but
scanty opportunity of enjoying.

The house occupied by Count Villabuena was nearly in the centre of one
of the irregular lines of detached buildings that formed the village.
About eighty yards further off, on the opposite side of the road, from
which they receded, and were partially screened by some barns and a
plantation of fruit-trees, there stood two houses united under one roof.
They were of the description usually inhabited by peasants of the richer
sort, and consisted of a ground floor, an upper story, and above that a
sort of garret under the tiles, which might serve as the abode of
pigeons, or perhaps, in case of need, afford sleeping quarters for a
farm-servant. In one of these houses, in which a number of soldiers were
billeted, a guard-room had been established, and in the other, before
the door and beneath the side-windows of which sentries were stationed,
the prisoners were confined. They had been brought to this village
immediately after their capture, as to a place of security, and one
little likely to be visited by any Christino column. Zumalacarregui had
accompanied them thither, but had marched away on the following day,
leaving only a few wounded men and a company behind him. He had now
again returned, to give his troops a day or two's repose, after some
harassing marches and rapid movements. Count Villabuena had accompanied
the general upon this last expedition, but not without previously
ascertaining that Herrera was well cared for, and that the wound in his
arm, which was by no means a severe one, was attended to by a competent
surgeon. The prisoners were lodged in a room upon the upper floor, with
the exception of Herrera, to whom, in consideration of his suffering
state, was allotted a small chamber near the apartment of his comrades,
the side window of which overlooked the open country. This casement,
which was about fifteen feet from the ground, was guarded by a sentry,
who had orders to fire upon the prisoners at the first indication of an
attempt to escape.

Whilst the Conde de Villabuena gazed on the temporary prison, of which
he commanded a view from his balcony, and meditated how he should
overcome the almost insuperable difficulties that opposed themselves to
Herrera's rescue, there emerged from the door of the guard-room a man,
whose gait and figure the Count thought he knew, although he was too far
distant to discern his features. This man was in a sort of h