anner of Castile. Under
this stood a figure in the uniform of a general officer, and as Harry
drew near he recognized in him the Carlist chief. At the same moment
a shout rang through the hall, a hundred rifles fell with a crash
upon the stony pavement, and then followed a loud, long cry, "Viva el
Rey!"

Harry's familiarity with Spanish had already been made known to the
chief, who now addressed him in that language. What, however, was the
amazement of Harry at learning the astounding fact that the chief
claimed to be no less a person than Don Carlos himself, and assumed
the airs and claimed the honors of royalty. In addition to this,
while the chief claimed such honors, his rude followers bestowed them
with readiness and even enthusiasm. That this could be anything else
than a pretence--that this rude chief could really be the courtly and
gallant Bourbon seemed to Harry an utter absurdity; and in addition
to this, the descriptions which he had heard of the real Don Carlos
did not at all accord with the appearance of this man. Yet, if the
claim was a false one, its very audacity showed him the possible
peril that surrounded his party; for if their captor was so
unblushing and unscrupulous a villain, what hope could they have of
escape?

Speaking then in this way as though he were Don Carlos, and assuming
at the same time the manner and style of a king, the Carlist chief
said much about his sorrow at being forced to detain them, and also
expatiated upon the difficulties of his own position. Finally, he
informed Harry that a tax had been imposed on all foreigners to help
pay the expenses of the war.

To this Harry listened attentively, and was not surprised to find
that the chief expected a money payment. Whether he called it a tax
or any other name, it amounted to the same thing, and became a ransom
for their lives. If he and his party were thus held as prisoners to
ransom, the act amounted, of course, to nothing else than brigandage,
and this Carlist chief was nothing better than a brigand. Against
being seized and held as a prisoner on such terms Harry could have
offered no end of arguments, of course, together with protests,
objections, and threats; but he had far too clear a head to think of
such a thing. He knew well the uselessness of mere arguments in a
case like this, where he had nothing stronger behind, and therefore
he sought to find out just what his position was. So, first of all,
he asked what might be