lope. That glimpse told him that
his hopes were again blasted. The horseman was Baltasar. There could be
little doubt as to who was the companion of his flight.

In an instant Herrera was in the court. His horse stood near the gate;
he leaped into the saddle, and galloped madly down the hill. Three or
four of the guerillas had preceded him; but the captured horses of the
Carlists, on which they were mounted, were sorry beasts, and he soon
left them far in his rear. He saw Baltasar galloping at full speed up
the valley, the double burthen apparently unfelt by the vigorous animal
he bestrode. But Herrera also was well mounted, his horse fresh, and he
gained on the fugitive, gradually it is true, but still he gained on
him. Selecting the most favourable ground, and avoiding plantations or
whatever else might impede his progress, Baltasar spurred onwards,
stimulating his steed with his voice, occasionally even striking his
flanks with his sabre-flat. When dashing through the court, his
companion, or, it should rather be said, his captive, had been seen to
struggle, although the thick black veil in which her head was muffled
prevented her cries, if any she uttered, from being audible. She now
lay, as if insensible, on the left arm of the Carlist colonel. Behind
came Herrera bareheaded, with clenched teeth, his drawn sword in his
hand, in readiness to strike the very instant he should come within
reach of the ravisher. Unfortunately the distance between them
diminished but slowly, and Herrera trembled lest superior bone and
endurance on the part of his enemy's charger should yet enable him to
escape; when to his inexpressible relief he saw the horse stop, with a
suddenness that almost threw his rider on his neck, and then, on being
furiously spurred and urged forward, rear, turn round, and oppose all
the resistance of a horse brought to a leap which he is afraid or unable
to take. Whilst galloping down a rough and stony path, on one of whose
sides was a high bank, and on the other an abrupt fall in the ground,
Baltasar had come upon a deep trench or rivulet of considerable width,
and this his horse obstinately refused to cross. Casting a hasty glance
back at his pursuer, who was still far behind, Baltasar turned his
charger, and again rode him at the obstacle. Again the animal shyed, and
refused. His rider uttered a furious oath, and resolutely turned about,
as if resolved to fight now that he could no longer fly. Herrera's he