AN ADVENTUJIE IN SPAIN. 679 



as I bade her adieu. I, however, considered that my pistol, which I 

 had carefully loaded, would avail me more in any position of danger ; 

 but this I did not believe I was likely to fall into. 



I proceeded cheerily up the mountain, having ascertained that all 

 the footpaths, in the direction pointed out, led to the hermitages, in 

 one of which I intended to pass the early part of the n ght, and then 

 start betimes, so as to reach the summit at a proper hour in the morn- 

 ing. It was late in the afternoon that I had toiled through a thickly- 

 covered brush- wood track, which conducted me to a small open 

 space. A path led across this to another wood. I followed it, and 

 was advancing to a large cork tree, standing at the entrance of the 

 cover, when I perceived, protruding from behind it, the barrel of a 

 gun levelled at me, and, on looking attentively around, several others 

 were distinct to view. I could now have no doubt as to the pro- 

 fession of the party into whose hands I was about to fall, and I felt 

 at once how little avail, in this instance, my pocket-pistol could 

 prove. In a moment, some one on the other side of the tree spoke. 



" Stand fast on the spot where you now are ! Stir not an inch ! 

 Lay down on your face instantly, or you are a dead man !" 



Enforced as these commands were by the array of armed men, who 

 emerged from their hiding-places, there was no remedy, and I 

 obeyed. I was soon surrounded by a numerous band. One man 

 approached close to me, and ordered me to rise, which I did quickly 

 enough, feeling much humiliated at the grovelling posture I had been 

 obliged to take. The robber, who I now met face to face, was an 

 uncommonly handsome young man, dressed in the singular but 

 rather unbecoming costume of the Catalan peasantry. He evidently 

 had the command ; for, at his signal, the guns which were all di- 

 rected at me in a threatening manner, were removed. 



" Who are you, my friend ?" demanded he. 



" I am an Englishman/' I replied, " bound to Las Hermitas, to 

 pass the night." 



" Valgame Dios /" (God save me !) rejoined the bandit, with an 

 " Un Lordo Ingles /" (an English lord !) " then you have some 

 valuable watches, and plenty of money. Hand them to me !" 



I earnestly assured him that I was but a rambling English military 

 officer, without even one watch, and with only a very few dollars in 

 my possession. 



" So much the worse for you," said he. " If you have no money, 

 or cannot obtain any from Barcelona as a ransom, there is but one 

 way of proceeding, which is to shoot you through the head. Heretic 

 as I am sure you are, we will give you a few minutes to prepare 

 yourself, and then you shall sup with the angels, or otherwise, as the 

 case may be/' 



I did not at all admire the half-jest, half-earnest, tone in which 

 these words were uttered, and I heartily wished I had taken the 

 advice of my little brunette of the inn at Carmona, of whose token I 

 now bethought myself. Producing the curiously bound up lock of 

 hair, which I thrust forward towards the capitano, and assuming as 

 much as I possibly could an appearance of confidence I must confess 

 I did not really feel, " Conduct me to your chief," said I. " If you 



