ANDALUSIAN SKETCHES. 505 



set out one morning from San Roque, soon after my first interview 

 with the miller,, and walked to the mill, determining to make it my 

 head-quarters for a day or two, and enjoy the very good sport to be 

 found, at all seasons, in the Almoraima Forest. Pepe was from home, 

 but I explained to the old female my intention of returning in the 

 evening, in the hope of being accommodated for the night. Consi- 

 dering that I am an indifferent shot, I had a successful day's sport, as 

 vide my game-book, in which I find entered under that day's date 

 woodcocks, bagged 7; snipes, 13; landrail, 1. 



When I approached the hut late in the afternoon, I found Romero 

 at the door, awaiting my arrival, and I received from him a welcome 

 greeting. "Our meal will soon be ready," said he; " and there," 

 pointing to a tolerable enough couch made up in one corner upon 

 boards and trussels, (C you will sleep soundly after your walk." Supper 

 being ended, I produced another liberal supply of my legitimate 

 cigars, with which I had taken care to supply myself. " I am well 

 pleased to see you again, Caballero" said the miller, of his own 

 accord commencing the conversation. " I am very glad to have an 

 opportunity of telling you some of the circumstances which brought 

 about the deaths in which I have been concerned ; and I particularly 

 desire to relate to you how the earliest of these terrible events 

 occurred. Did you ever hear of that of Don Tomas Iglesas, the 

 son of the escrwano (lawyer) of Los Barrios?" 



I called to recollection having been told that a young man of that 

 name had, some years since, been killed in a fray in the Cork Wood. 



" Well then," continued Pepe, " I will explain to you how that 

 happened. It is now more than six years that I first paid court to 

 Pomasina Iglesas, the most lovely maid of this province, the rose- 

 bud of Los Barrios. I need not tell you a long love tale; enough to 

 say that I gained her heart that she pledged to me her troth. What 

 happy days were then mine ! Scarcely an evening passed that I did 

 not find occasion to ride to the town. The reception given to me by 

 the family was all I could desire. The father, the old Don Henrique, 

 was my warm friend in the matter. I must admit that at that time 

 my reputation was not what it now deservedly is. Alas ! my hands 

 were then clean ! I was of course anxious that our marriage should 

 at once be celebrated. Pomasina gave her consent, but the old people 

 would not permit it until Don Tomas, their son, who held a civil 

 employment at Ecija, could obtain leave of absence to attend the 

 wedding. One night I was sitting in the large apartment of Den 

 Henrique's house, playing upon the guitar, whilst my beloved Pomn- 

 sina was gracefully moving to the measure in a bolero, accompanying 

 herself with the spirit-stirring castenets, when the door suddenly 

 opened, and two men enveloped in cloaks entered. In a moment 

 father, mother, and daughter, were embracing one of the strangers. 

 To me it appeared that he received these endearments sullenly. He 

 quickly broke away from them, and said in a harsh voice, " Have 

 you no other welcome for my friend, Don Rafael, and myself, after 

 our weary day's journey over your vile mountain roads ? Is there 

 not an olla ready ?" Soft answers to these unkind words were 

 given, and assurances of immediate refreshment, to prepare which, 



M.M, No. 101. 3 T 



