d.

"They are at the bottom of that precipice. We threw them there
yesterday. There they will rot. Now kill me! You will know nothing
more."

Silence and general surprise.

"You are not going to tell who were your accomplices?" said the
alferez in a threatening manner and brandishing a whip.

A scornful smile curled the lips of the culprit.

The alferez conferred for some minutes with the curate in a low
voice. Then turning to the soldiers, he ordered:

"Take him to where the dead bodies are!"

In a corner of the yard, upon an old wagon, were five bodies close
together and half covered by a filthy piece of torn matting. A soldier
on guard was pacing up and down, and constantly spitting.

"Do you recognize them?" asked the alferez, lifting the matting.

Tarsilo did not respond. He saw the dead body of Pedro, with two
others; one, his own brother, riddled with bayonet wounds, and the
other, Lucas, with the rope still around his neck. His look became
gloomy and a sigh seemed to escape from his breast.

"Do you know them?" they asked him.

Tarsilo remained silent.

There was a whistling sound and the whip came down across his back. He
trembled, and his muscles contracted. The lashes were repeated,
but Tarsilo continued impassive.

"Let them whip him till they cut him to pieces or till he makes a
declaration," cried the alferez, exasperated.

"Speak then!" said the directorcillo to him. "They will surely
kill you."

They led him back to the sala of the tribunal, where the other prisoner
was invoking God, grating his teeth and shaking on his legs.

"Do you know this man?" asked Father Salvi.

"This is the first time I have ever seen him," replied Tarsilo,
looking with a certain pity on the other.

The alferez gave him a cuff with his fist and kicked him.

"Tie him to the bench!"

Without taking off the bloody handcuffs, he was fastened to the wooden
bench. The unhappy fellow looked about him as if in search of some one,
and his eyes fell on Dona Consolacion. He smiled sardonically. Those
present were surprised and followed his glance and saw the senora. She
was biting her lips.

"I have never seen an uglier woman," exclaimed Tarsilo amid the
general silence. "I prefer to lie down on this bench as I am doing
than to lie by her side, like the alferez."

The Muse turned pale.

"You are going to whip me to death, alferez," he continued, "but
to-night I will be avenged by your woman."

"Gag him!" s