left
there. As the bread had been already sent in, I had no opportunity
to warn you."

"I suppose the Spanish soldier you bribed has deserted?"

"Certainly. There was nothing else for him to do. He had that long
cloak under his military greatcoat, and the sombrero flattened
inside it so that, before opening your door, he had only to stand
his musket in the corner, laying his greatcoat and shako by it, and
he was in a position to go through the streets, anywhere, as a
civilian. He has been well paid and, as he was already heartily
tired of the French service, he jumped at the offer we made him."

After chatting for some time longer, and obtaining some more
details of the proceedings of the rescue party, Ryan and Gonzales
lay down for a few hours' sleep on the couches in the room; while
their host turned into his bed, which he had vainly attempted to
persuade one or other to accept.

Chapter 16: Back With The Army.

Ryan remained four days in the flat occupied by Don Alonzo
Santobel. Leon Gonzales had left, before daybreak, to regain the
house where he was staying, with one of his friends, before the
discovery of the escape of a prisoner was made. The affair was
certain to cause great excitement, and there was no doubt that
everyone leaving the town would be strictly examined at the gates
and, not improbably, every house would be searched, and an order
issued that no one would be allowed to be out at night, after ten
o'clock, without a military pass. Three soldiers had been in turn
assassinated, and one had deserted, a prisoner had been released;
and there were evidently several persons concerned in the matter,
and it would not improbably be guessed, by the authorities, that
the actors in the plot were agents of the British officer in
command of the troops that had given them such trouble over the
whole province between Burgos and Salamanca.

Don Alonzo gave his manservant, on whose fidelity he could rely,
permission to go into the country for ten days to visit his
relations; and Ryan was installed in his place, and dressed in a
suit of his clothes; but was not to open the door to visitors, the
Spaniard himself doing so, and mentioning to those who called that
his servant had gone on his holiday. The French, indeed, instituted
a strict search among the poorer quarters. But the men who had
accompanied Don Leon were all dressed as villagers, who had come
into the town from fear of being attacked by the gueri