The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-06-28
IN ADVANCE
N UNI B E R 20

| "eNo obOub w dIOp Wn6D.
something moist, that oozed about my neck
and face, aroused me. 1 started-fully
awake in moment; and passing a hand
across my cheek, looked at it in the moon
light.
blood !" said |, springing off the bed,
while thrill ran though me. Thad not
been wounded or cut by my fall; then
from whence came this terrible moisture?
examined the pillow, and found the low
er part of it quite wet turned it, and 10,
1t was saturated with blood
| This was the reason that Martin Secco
had declined TO give me candle Nv
heart beat thick and fast; apprehension
OF something horrible came over ME, and
l remembered the stories of Pedrilo. I
also recollected that had some excellent
Spanish cigar fuses, and, tearing three or
tour blank leaves from my notebook, /
twisted them together, lit them, and sur
veyed the dmgy chamber. The boards
IN front of the bed were marked by recent
spots of blood raised the little fringe or
curtain, and guided by some terrible in
stinct, looked below, and saw-what?
Poor Jack Hall, lying there in his naval
uniform, with his epaulette torn off. and
his throat literally cut from ear to ear
Tie had found his way here before me,
and had been assassinated
Almost paralysed, continued for half
minute to gaze at this terrible spectacle,
till the paper burned down to my fingers,
and expired. | heard my heart beating
and my head span round rs I frightened
my belt and gra>ped my loaded rile.-
Before i could adopt any plan of opera
TONS, heard rustiing and whispering
IN the passage near my door; and, look
ing through crack in the pannels, saw,
within yard Of me, Martin Secco, bear
ing in one hand the rifle of ny poor friend
and in the other lighted candle, although
lie had made to me so many apologies,
about two hours before, for not having
another in the house. AS he approached
he handed it to boy, in whom discov-
Sfsa P6h PsaEa a5 5sFn ana te theq n the % Ssshsd
rcco- missed the ostler, and in the other, our
acquaintance of the noon, with the patch
on his face, and wearing the green velvet
jacket and sombrero This worthy had
pIsto. in one hand and knife in the
other. The patroua was also there, with
her wolfish eyes and enormous Basque
queue.
Outrage and assassination were impress
ed on the hard lines of all their cruel and
savage visages; and perceived at once
that, without vigorous effort, was lost
that my life was forfeited and all the
anticipations of newspaper paragraphs, "a
mysterious disappearance" in the Times
and Military Gazette, flashed upon my
mind. had youth, noble profession,
many kind friends, my regiment and home
"the best expectations" as old dowaeers
say, on one hand a horrible and sudden
death-a lonely scene of unknown BUTCH
cry, on The other
cooked the locks Of my rife, and res
olutely removed the barricade from the
door.
Take time, Juan Rosa," said the pat
roma.
Hold your tongue, old perra; I know
we'll enough what l am doing" growled
the parsonage in green, whom l now knew
to be that terrible outlaw, who, since the
Carlist war, had laughed at the carabins-
ros and alguazls, and kept all Malaga, the
Sierra de Mia, and the Vega of Grunada
astir and in terror.
Including the patrona, and the treach-
erous young rascal Pedrillo, I had five des-
perate enemies and only two bullets at
their service.
LET us prove whether the Inglesse is
asleep before we enter" said the patron,
knocking at the door gently, and placing
the candle behind him.
mo answer-he is certainly asleep"
whispered the patroua.
"Knock again." growlej Juan Rosa.
A smart blow was then given but still
made no reply. Then the patron APP
piled, his hand to the latch but before he
could open the door, fired right through
the slender panels, and shot him dead hy
one bullet, knocking over the ostler by the
other, which he received through his neck
and shoulder.
Clubbing my rife, then rushed out
and charging them in the smoke and con-
fusion, dealt Juah Rosa tremendous blow
with the butt end, which levelled him be-
side the two rulHans who lay bleeding in
the narrow passage. Escaping a pistol
shot from Juan, but receiving two desper-
ate cuts from the termagant patrona and
the wasp Pedrillo, reached the end Of
the passage, sprang through the common
hall, and found the outer door fastened.
BY main strength | tore it open, and
reached the external gallery, over which
| droppe., though it was fully twelve feet
from the ground; aud, jurt rs did so, tho
{ boy PeJrillo fired ole Of Jnan's pistols af
} ter me; but l escaped it, and ran down
the mountain slope, loading my rife ~ I
went, aud driving bullet home into each
barrel
Gray morning was spreading along the
J east. and the red flush Of the coming sun
t was briglsleniae .behind the dark towers
! Of Gibral.Faso, and sparkling on the lat
J tices Of Malaga. The aromatic plants
: were putting forlh their sweetest perfume
and the liget foliage Of the sagareane, the