ircuit, and he
found himself, still concealed by the trees, within a few paces of the
convent wall. Opposite to him was the window whence Rita had held her
conversation with the gipsy; below it, Paco saw traces of the loophole
through which he had escaped. The long grass and bushes had been cleared
away, and the rusty grating which Paco had so easily removed was
replaced by solid masonry. At none of the casements on that side of the
convent was any person visible. Both shutters and windows were open; but
Venetian blinds masked the interior of the apartments from the view of
the muleteer, who stood still and listened. Scarcely a minute elapsed,
when a loud noise, as of a door dashed violently open, reached his ears.
This was succeeded by a burst of furious vociferation in a voice which
Paco knew to be that of Baltasar. Although his tones were loud, his
utterance was so rapid and incoherent, the effect apparently of passion,
that only a word here and there was intelligible to the muleteer, and
these words were for the most part execrations. He seemed to lash
himself into the most unbounded fury against some person who had entered
the apartment in his company, and from the epithets he made use of, it
was clear that that person was a woman. At first no reply was made to
his violence, although Paco could distinguish that he put questions, and
became more and more infuriated at the silence of her to whom they were
addressed. Presently there was a momentary pause, and a female voice was
heard. The accents were distinct though tremulous.

"Never!" it said, "never! You may murder me; but that, never!"

A blasphemy too horrible to transcribe, burst from the lips of Baltasar.
A blow followed--a heavy, cruel, unmanly blow; there was a faint cry and
the sound of a fall. Paco's blood grew cold in his veins, he ground his
teeth, and his hand played convulsively with the knife in his pocket. He
looked up at the window as though he would have sprung to the assistance
of the helpless victim of Baltasar's barbarity. Again the room-door
opened, and was again violently slammed. All was now silent in the
chamber.

With heavy heart, and a countenance pale with horror and suppressed
rage, Paco left the spot, and hastened to another, whence he could see
the front of the convent. The Carlist horsemen were filing in at the
gate. Looking around him, Paco selected a lofty tree, easy of ascent; in
an instant he was amongst its branches. Thence he