668 



THE CATALAN CAPUCHIN. 



turned out the guard, and despatched two patrols to reconnoitre : the 

 remainder stood with their hands on their bridles in the court-yard, 

 their spirited steeds stamping impatiently on the paved enclosure, and 

 champing their heavy bits. It was not long before the patrols re- 

 turned, and accompanied by another horseman bearing the lance and 

 flag of the Republic. They all drew up at the head-quarters and 

 the stranger, leaping from his foaming horse, without preamble or 

 ceremony, put into Llanero's hand a sealed packet. 



It proved to be an estafelte from Angostura, bringing despatches 

 from the Liberator himself to the Major Llanero. Eagerly did the 

 Major break the seal, and peruse the document, which he found to be 

 pretty nearly as follows : 



" The Liberator is given to understand, that, at the village of San-Luis, or 

 somewhere in its neighbourhood, resides a Catalan Capuchin, called Brother 

 Juan de Dios. As this person has rendered himself obnoxious to the govern- 

 ment by misleading the people respecting imaginary successes obtained by 

 the Spanish, and is otherwise a declared enemy to the Republic, you are com- 

 manded, on the receipt of this, to arrest the" said Catalan Capuchin, Juan 

 de Dios, and cause him immediately to pass the Caroni. 



" To Major Llanero, 

 Commandant of San-Juan." 



The Caroni is a small river flowing into the Orinoco, about twenty 

 leagues from Angostura, and was formerly the boundary of the mis- 

 sions, or cultivated farms belonging to the Catalan Capuchins ; but 

 Llanero, as we have hinted before, knowing nothing of the geography 

 of this part of the country, had never heard the name of the river in his 

 life. But a luminous idea struck him. He had not forgotten the song he 

 learned at Angostura, nor the lesson he had received touching its 

 poetical though somewhat obscure interpretation. " So, so," thought 

 the major, " I am no longer a mere soldier of the state I am a con- 

 fidential agent of the Liberator he speaks to me in parables ; but he 

 knows his man a word to the wise I see it all he wants this fel- 

 low to be put out of the way the despatch might have been intercepted. 

 A word to the wise yes, yes," muttered the major, quite satisfied 

 with his shrewd interpretation of the Liberator's wishes " I see 

 Lieutenant-Colonel Colonel and Aide-de-camp is certain. Hollo ! 

 guard, there ! bring me the alcalde immediately." 



ft Why, major, he has been in bed these three hours," said a tall, 

 swarthy serjeant. 



" Silence, sirrah ! how dare you answer me ? Drag him out, 

 then, and bring him within five minutes." 



The alcalde, a little, shrivelled old man, arrived within the time, 

 trembling, and pale as death, at such an unusual summons. He was 

 more than suspected of being a royalist himself, and now dreaded 

 some disclosure, perhaps, affecting his life. 



" Sennor Alcalde," said the major, without thinking it necessary 

 to apologize to the functionary for so peremptory a summons, " you 

 must provide a guide to take a corporal and four men to San-Luis, to 

 arrest the capuchin that lives somewhere in that quarter. Let him be 

 here in a quarter-of-an-hour." 



" But, Senor Major/' faltered the little alcalde, " I really have 

 so little knowledge " 



