with far more
eagerness to the return of Herrera than to that of her brothers.

The autumn of 1832 arrived, and the count and his family, including
Luis, were assembled at the villa near Tudela. The attachment existing
between Rita and Luis had become evident to all who knew them; and
even the count himself seemed occasionally, by a quiet glance and
grave smile, to recognise and sanction its existence. Nor was there
any very obvious or strong reason for disapproval. The family of
Herrera was ancient and honourable; and, although Don Manuel's estates
had been confiscated when he fled the country, he had previously
remitted to England a sum that secured him a moderate independence.
The state of things in Spain was daily becoming more favourable to the
hopes of political exiles. The declining health of Ferdinand had
thrown the reins of government almost entirely into the hands of Queen
Christina, who, in order to increase the number of her adherents, and
ensure her daughter's succession to the throne, favoured the return to
Spain of the Liberal party. Although Don Manuel, who was known to be
obstinate and violent in his political views, had not yet been
included in the amnesties published, it was thought that he speedily
would be so; and then time and importunity, and an adherence to the
established order of things, might perhaps procure him the restitution
of some part of his confiscated property.

It chanced, that on the fourth day after the arrival of Luis and the
Villabuenas from Salamanca, the two latter rode over to the Ebro,
below Tudela, for the purpose of bathing. They were not good swimmers,
and were moreover unaccustomed to bathe in so rapid and powerful a
stream. A peasant, who observed two horses tied to a tree, and some
clothes upon the grass by the river side, but who could see nothing of
the owners, suspected an accident, and gave the alarm. A search was
instituted, and the dead bodies of the unfortunate young men were
found upon the sandy shore of an island some distance down the river.

This melancholy event was destined to have an important influence on
the position of Luis Herrera in the family of Count Villabuena, and on
his future fortunes. Mingled with the natural grief felt by the count
at the untimely death of his children, were the pangs of disappointed
pride and ambition. He had reckoned upon the gallant and promising
young men, thus prematurely snatched away, for the continuance and
aggrandiz