around, Don
Cornelio beheld two horsemen riding out on the bank where he and Clara
had halted. One of them carried behind him a pair of canvas alforjas,
which appeared to have some large roundish objects inside. Merely
exchanging a brief salute, the horsemen were passing on; when the
Captain, in hopes of obtaining some information from them, inquired if
the hacienda of San Carlos was far distant.

"No," replied one, "only about a quarter of a league."

"Are we likely to be well received there?" further asked Don Cornelio.

"Ah!" replied the second horseman, "that depends--"

The muttered voice, and the distance which he had already gained,
hindered Don Cornelio from perceiving the tone of irony in which he
spoke; but almost at the same instant the speaker elevated his voice to
a high pitch, though only the last words were heard with distinctness.

These were, "_Mejico e independencia_."

The phrase was well-known to Don Cornelio.

"What word came before it?" inquired he of his companion; "_viva_, was
it not?"

"No, it was _muera_," replied the negro.

"You are mistaken, I think, Clara."

"No, I repeat it,--it was _muera_!"

Not having inquired from the horsemen whether San Carlos was in the
power of the royalists or insurgents, Don Cornelio remained as undecided
upon that point as ever.

A considerable time passed, and still Costal did not return.

"Suppose I gallop forward a bit," suggested Clara, "and see whether I
can meet him?"

The Captain having become uneasy about the prolonged absence of Costal,
assented to this proposition; but at the same time directed the black to
return in a quarter of an hour, if Costal did not make his appearance
within that time.

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX.

DON CORNELIO A CAPTIVE.

Almost as soon as Clara had ridden out of sight, Don Cornelio began to
count the minutes. The quarter of an hour appeared a whole one; and,
when it had passed, with no signs of either returning, he became more
than uneasy--he felt alarm.

In order to create some distraction for his thoughts, he rode gently
forward--on the same path by which his two companions had gone. Not
meeting either, he kept on for another quarter of an hour. Becoming
still more alarmed, he was about to make a halt, when he saw lights that
seemed to go and come along the summits of the trees that appeared at
some distance before him. These lights had flashed into view at a turn
of the road.

On looking more at