f
the night in the open air than beneath that inhospitable roof. Walking
tiptoe I reached the door, stepped over Don Jose, who was sleeping the
sleep of the just, and managed so well that I got outside the building
without waking him. Just beside the door there was a wide wooden
bench. I lay down upon it, and settled myself, as best I could, for the
remainder of the night. I was just closing my eyes for a second time
when I fancied I saw the shadow of a man and then the shadow of a horse
moving absolutely noiselessly, one behind the other. I sat upright, and
then I thought I recognised Antonio. Surprised to see him outside the
stable at such an hour, I got up and went toward him. He had seen me
first, and had stopped to wait for me.

"Where is he?" Antonio inquired in a low tone.

"In the _venta_. He's asleep. The bugs don't trouble him. But what are
you going to do with that horse?" I then noticed that, to stifle all
noise as he moved out of the shed, Antonio had carefully muffled the
horse's feet in the rags of an old blanket.

"Speak lower, for God's sake," said Antonio. "You don't know who that
man is. He's Jose Navarro, the most noted bandit in Andalusia. I've been
making signs to you all day long, and you wouldn't understand."

"What do I care whether he's a brigand or not," I replied. "He hasn't
robbed us, and I'll wager he doesn't want to."

"That may be. But there are two hundred ducats on his head. Some lancers
are stationed in a place I know, a league and a half from here, and
before daybreak I'll bring a few brawny fellows back with me. I'd have
taken his horse away, but the brute's so savage that nobody but Navarro
can go near it."

"Devil take you!" I cried. "What harm has the poor fellow done you that
you should want to inform against him? And besides, are you certain he
is the brigand you take him for?"

"Perfectly certain! He came after me into the stable just now, and said,
'You seem to know me. If you tell that good gentleman who I am, I'll
blow your brains out!' You stay here, sir, keep close to him. You've
nothing to fear. As long as he knows you are there, he won't suspect
anything."

As we talked, we had moved so far from the _venta_ that the noise of the
horse's hoofs could not be heard there. In a twinkling Antonio snatched
off the rags he had wrapped around the creature's feet, and was just
about to climb on its back. In vain did I attempt with prayers and
threats to restrain him.