more violent _Gachupinos_ and sent prisoner to Spain,
Tres-Villas saw that all ties of attachment between Spaniards and
Creoles had been severed by the act; and that an open rupture was at
hand. Unwilling to take part against the native people, Don Luis had
thrown up his commission as captain in the vice-regal guards, left the
capital, and retired to his estate of Del Valle.

This hacienda was situated on the other side of the ridge that bounded
the plain of Las Palmas on the north, and about two leagues distant from
the dwelling of Don Mariano de Silva. These two gentlemen had met in
the metropolis; and the slight acquaintance there initiated had been
strengthened during their residence in the country.

On receiving the news of Hidalgo's insurrection, Don Luis had sent an
express messenger to his son Don Rafael, summoning him to the Hacienda
del Valle. In obedience to the order of his father, the young captain
of dragoons, having obtained leave of absence from his regiment, was on
his way thither, when he overtook upon the road the student of theology.
Nevertheless, Don Rafael had not deemed the order of his father so
pressing as to hinder him from passing a day at the hacienda of Las
Palmas, which lay directly in the route to that of Del Valle. This,
therefore, he had determined upon doing.

A word about the antecedents, which led to this resolve on the part of
the dragoon captain.

In the early part of the preceding year Don Mariano de Silva had passed
three months in the Mexican metropolis. He had been accompanied by his
daughter Gertrudis--Marianita remaining in Oajaca with a near relative
of the family. In the _tertulias_ of the gay capital the fair
_Oajaquena_ had met the dashing captain of dragoons, and a romantic
attachment had sprung up between them, mutual as sincere. To this there
could be no objection by the parents on either side: since there was
between the two lovers a complete conformity in age, social position,
and fortune. In all likelihood the romance of courtship would soon have
ended in the more prosaic reality of marriage; but just at that time the
young officer was ordered upon some military service; and Don Mariano
was also suddenly called away from the capital. The marriage ceremony,
therefore, that might otherwise have been expected to take place, thus
remained unconsummated.

It is true that up to this time Don Rafael had not formally declared his
passion to the young Creole; bu