indeed, the adventurous little band
were within a hair's-breadth of stumbling upon patrols and pickets of
the enemy; more than once, whilst they lay upon their faces in the long
fern, or stood concealed amongst trees, parties of cavalry rode by
within pistol-shot; but nevertheless all encounters were happily
avoided, and it was not till the first grey light of morning, and within
a short league of Pampeluna, that they fell in with a Carlist battalion,
occupied in posting the advanced pickets. Skirmishing ensued, and the
Carlists, superior in number, pressed their opponents vigorously, until
Herrera and the Mochuelo placed themselves at the head of the guerillas
and charged with the bayonet. The Carlists gave way and were pursued for
a short distance, when the Mochuelo, not deeming it prudent to follow
them further, ordered the recall to be sounded. A quarter of an hour
afterwards he and his men were safely under the cannon of Pampeluna.

The morning sun was brightly shining when Herrera entered the town. At
that early hour the streets had few occupants besides the market people,
who walked briskly along, balancing their vegetable stores upon their
heads, and chattering noisely in the Basque tongue; at a stable-door
some Andalusian dragoons groomed their horses, gaily singing in chorus
one of the lively seguidillas of their native province; here and there a
'prentice boy, yawning and sleepy-eyed, removed the shutters from his
master's shop. The dew lay in glistering beads upon the house-tops;
there was a crispness in the air, a cheerful freshness in the appearance
of all around him, that was in jarring discord with Herrera's gloomy
and desponding mood, as, with fevered pulse and haggard looks, he guided
his wearied horse towards Count Villabuena's quarters. He came in sight
of the house; its upper windows had just caught the first sunbeams; the
balconies were filled with plants, whose bright blossoms and fresh
contrasted pleasantly with the ancient stone-work of the heavy facade;
on a myrtle spray, a bird, capriciously deserting the greenwood for the
city, trimmed his feathers and carolled a lively note; every thing about
the dwelling seemed so gay and cheerful, that Herrera involuntarily
checked his horse, and felt inclined to turn back. For the second time a
messenger of evil, how could he break his sad intelligence to the
Count--by what arguments console his heart-broken old man under this new
and bitter disappointmen