Santiago, all of whom belonged to Don Martin's party.... And in fact
Miguel wrote to the governor and his Madrid friends; in five or six days
came the decapitation of the tobacconist and Don Matias, and shortly
after that of the _alcaide_, there being named in place of them three
other individuals, who swore by Don Servando's beer. This gentleman,
when he received the news, found it in him to smile and drink three
schooners without breathing.

His friends perceived in that smile and the absorption of the three
schooners such a great and deep mystery, that they looked at each other,
filled with faith and enthusiasm for their chief.

But the Casona party were bold enough in spite of being in opposition,
and they proclaimed to the four winds the candidacy of Corrales, who,
having been minister several times, enjoyed much notoriety in the
country, although he had no official power to back him. The fact was
that he was master of the _ayuntamientos_ of Agueeria and Villabona, and
that the combined vote of these districts fully counterbalanced the
majority which his opponents might raise against him in Serin. The
election was by universal suffrage, but both parties had perfectly
calculated their forces. Consequently, the first question on the carpet
that night in Don Servando's office, the dismissal of the _alcaide_
having been obtained, was the suspension of the municipal governments
above mentioned, and this had to be done before the opening of the
electorial period.

They were there discussing the most suitable methods of carrying out
this plan, when one of the numerous spies whom Don Servando kept in the
village came into the room and informed them that Don Martin had booked
for the following day in the _Ferrocarrilana_.

This bit of news caused deep perturbation among those present, and it
was immediately understood, though no one dared to ask the question of
him, that Don Servando would join him in this journey, since such had
been the custom from time immemorial. As soon as Don Martin made a move
from the village, his rival packed his valise, and followed him wherever
he went, taking it for granted that when he went away it must be for
_something_, and this something could not be else than some harm for
himself or his friends. When Don Servando undertook a journey, his enemy
Don Martin did the same; everybody in the town knew this custom, and no
one saw anything strange in it.

In truth, as soon as all had taken th