gitated. He put into my hand a letter from my father.

"It will give you terrible news, I fear," he said, "as mine did to me.
Your sister never reached our house, though she undoubtedly left her
home about the time you expected she would do. Don Fernando, after
waiting for some time and not seeing her, sent to your father to
ascertain if she was coming, and received the intelligence that she had
already set off! It was at first hoped that she might have gone to
Castle Concannan; but though she called there to pay a visit to our
aunts, she again left it; and after that no traces of her or her
attendants could be discovered. Oh, what can have happened to her?
Cannot you suggest anything to relieve the anguish of my mind?"

"I will see what my father says," I answered; but, alas! his letter only
confirmed the account Don Carlos had given me.

We then told my elder cousin of the alarming intelligence we had
received; but he could afford no hope: broken-hearted himself, he could
only fancy that some dreadful fate had overtaken my young sister.

We had no time, however, to dwell on our anxiety, for news was received
that the Spanish generals Morales and La Torre had concentrated their
forces on the plains of Carabobo; and in a council of war it was decided
that they should be immediately followed and attacked. Marching at a
speed which hardy troops such as ours alone could have accomplished,
late at night we reached the foot of a range of hills lying between us
and the Spanish army--which amounted to above seven thousand men, while
our forces numbered little more than five thousand. We had a British
legion, commanded by the gallant Colonel McIntosh; and our llaneros, we
flattered ourselves, counted for something.

The intervening ground consisted of rocky hills, densely covered with
trees, through which one narrow path alone was known as leading to the
plains of Carabobo. The enemy having obtained notice of our approach,
had, our spies informed us, so placed their artillery as completely to
command it.

I was seated in the evening round the camp-fire, with Don Carlos, his
brother, the doctor, the padre, and several of my brother-officers, when
I saw an Indian approaching. At first I thought he was one of those who
had accompanied the army as guides across the plain, but as he made his
way directly up to me I recognised him by his appearance as belonging to
the tribe of our friend Kanimapo.

"I would speak to yo