502 ANDALUSTAN SKETCHES. 



the edges bound with red cloth, breeches of tanned leather, black 

 shining leggings curiously embossed and stitched, and the usual red 

 thick woollen sash girded round his waist. From the side pocket of 

 his breeches protuded the handle of the formidable knife, which, 

 though an illegal weapon, is possessed by every man in Spain. Pepe 

 saluted me gracefully and with urbanity, demanding my pleasure. 

 I pretended fatigue, a wish to rest myself and my horse, and a desire 

 for refreshment. I was soon seated on a low rush-bottomed chair in 

 the outer apartment ; my horse was led into a shed behind the hut, 

 disencumbered of saddle and bridle, and a liberal supply of fresh 

 chopped-straw thrown before him. During this operation, a fright- 

 ful old hag, apparently the miller's only assistant, spread upon a small 

 wooden table a coarse but clean cloth, laying thereon two large loaves 

 of bread of exquisite whiteness, and then she lifted from a charcoal 

 stove an earthern pot containing a savoury olla. My host now en- 

 tered, and without many ceremonies we proceeded in right earnest to 

 do justice to this excellent mess, qualifying it with comfortable 

 draughts from a large leathern bottle filled with very tolerable red 

 wine. Then came the cigars, and here I was not unprovided. I 

 furnished my gratified entertainer with some which he pronounced 

 to be legitimos real Havanahs. I have said that I had heard of 

 Pepe Romero ; few can reside for any length of time at Gibraltar 

 without doing so. He is the terror of the entire district, where he 

 has the character of being the most blood-thirsty villain in Spain. 

 Report says he has committed nine murders, and yet when I have 

 asked the scared narrator of these dreadful deeds for particulars, 

 some excuse for the crime, some redeeming quality of the miller, was 

 always stated. I felt, therefore, some curiosity to learn from himself 

 an account of the circumstances, and at length I ventured to say that 

 I had been told of certain events in which he had been concerned. 

 He listened to me with a significant smile, and after a short pause, 

 said " You have doubtless been informed that I am an assassin ; 

 that I deny. If I have shed blood, it has never been for hire, for 

 gold, but always in revenge of injury to which no Spaniard can sub- 

 mit, in self-defence, or to afford protection and to right the weak. 

 You shall hear how these affairs happened ; and I will tell you, first, of 

 the death of the custom-house officer, Juan Ramirez, for that is the 

 worst of all, and brought me into some trouble. 



" It is about two years since that I went to Gibraltar and purchased 

 a variety of articles I needed, packed them in the usual manner, 

 placed them on my horse, and arrived safely through the Spanish 

 lines. This ordeal overcome, I had arranged with Juan the guarda 

 (custom-house officer) on the San Roque road, for a consideration 

 paid before-hand, not to search or interfere with me. Guess, there- 

 fore, my astonishment and indignation, when I found that Ramirez, 

 instead of being at his usual post near the Almendral, and quietly 

 passing me and my cargo, was purposely absent, and in his place I 

 encountered a whole tribe of his brother shrrks, from whom, thus 

 coming unexpectedly upon me, there was no escape. I lost my 

 good horse and all my purchases. But Pepe Romero was not the 

 man to submit tamely to such a trick ! I vowed vengeance. Juan 



