humility, "I have to
apologise for requiring you to start out on a journey at such a late
hour. Duty is often an ungracious master. Luckily, your drive is not
to be a very extended one--only to the city; and you'll have company in
the carriage. The Dona Luisa will find her father at home."

Neither vouchsafed rejoinder--not a word--scarce giving him the grace of
a look. Which a little nettling him, his smooth tone changed to
asperity, as addressing himself to the soldier, he gave the abrupt
order:

"_Cabo_! take them on to the carriage."

On they were taken; as they approached it, perceiving a face inside,
pale as the moonbeams that played upon it. It was a very picture of
dejection; for never had Don Ignacio Valverde experienced misery such as
he felt now.

"'Tis you, father!" said his daughter, springing up, throwing her arms
around him, and showering kisses where tears already trickled. "You a
prisoner, too!"

"Ay, _nina mia_. But sit down. Don't be alarmed! It will all come
right. Heaven will have mercy on us, if men do not. Sit down, Luisa!"

She sat down mechanically, the Countess by her side; and the door was
banged to behind them. Meanwhile, Pepita, who insisted on accompanying
her mistress, had been handed up to the box by a _cochero_ strange to
her; one of the soldiers, pressed into the service for the occasion, a
_quondam_ "jarvey," who understood the handling of horses as every
Mexican does.

All were now ready for the road; the dismounted Hussars had vaulted into
their saddles, the "march" was commanded, and the driver had drawn his
whip to lay it on his horses, when the animals jibbed, rearing up, and
snorting in affright!

No wonder, with such an object suddenly coming under their eyes. An
oddly-shaped creature that came scrambling in through the _saguan_, and
made stop beneath their very noses. A human being withal; who, soon as
entering, called out, in a clear voice,--"Where is the Colonel?"

CHAPTER SIXTY.

"SURRENDER!"

If the carriage horses were startled by the apparition, no less so were
the Hussars formed round. Equally frightened these, though not from the
same cause. The hunchback--for it was he--had become a familiar sight
to them; but not agitated as he appeared to be now. He was panting for
breath, barely able to gasp out the interrogation, "Adone 'stael
Coronel?"

His distraught air and the tone told of some threatening danger.

"Here!" called out Santa