Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-03-30

the stand endwise between the bed and the
door, firmly fixing it, and thus forming barri-
cade, which none could move without awak-
ing me. To make all sure, again dropped
the ramrod into each barrel Ofmy rife, passed
a finger over the caps, unbuckIed the belt at
which my dirk dangled; and without undress-
ing, for every moment expected to hear Jack
Hall hallooing outside the house--in short, to
be prepared for anything-I threw myself
down on the coverlet, and weary and worn BY
long days ramble among the mountains,
prepared to sleep.
| For long time, species Of painful wake
fulness possessed me; the moans ofthe passing
wind, the tapping of loose board in the ex-
tcrnal gallery, the wavering shadows thrown
by the moonlight on the damp aud discolorcd
wahs-even the ticking Of my watch disturbed
me, and kept me constantly thinking Of poor
Hall unaccOuntable absence, with many fear
that he might have fallen into the hands OF
Juan of Antequera, and not few reproaches
for my having, perhaps, too easily relinquished
my search for him.
These thoughts completely obliterated any
sense Of my own immediate danger; and was
about to drop asleep, when something moist,
that oozed about my neck and face, aroused
me. ! started-fully awake in a moment !;
and, passing hand across my cheek, looked
at it in the moonlight.
I Blood = said l, springing off the bed, while
a thrill ran through me. Ihad not been woun-
ded or cut by my fall then from whence came
this terrible moisture! examined the pillow,
and found the lower part of it quite wet ]
turned it, and 10 it was saturated with bIoodl
This was the reason that Martin Secco had
declined TO give me a candle. My heart beat
thick and fast /; apprehension of something hor-
rible came over me, and | remembered the
stories of Pedrilo. also recolected that |
had some excellent Spanish cigar fuses, and
tearing three or four blank leaves from nv
notebook, twisted them together, lit them,
and surveyed the dingy chamber. The boards
in front Of the bed were marked by recent
spots Of blood; raised the fringe OF curtain,
and, guided by some terrible instinct, looked
below, and saw-whatl
Poor Jack Hall, lying there in his naval uni
form, with his epaulette torn off, and his
throat literally cut from ear to ear!
lie had found his way here before me, and
had been assassinated.
Almost paralysed, | continued for half a
minute 70 gaaa Of this terrible spectacle till
the paper burned down 10 my fingers, and ex-
pired. heard my heart beating; and my
head span round as | tightened my belt and
grasped my loaded rifle. Before | could adopt
any plan of operations, heard rustling and
whispering in the passage near my door and
looking through crack in the panels, saw,
within yard Of me, Martin Secco, bearing
in one hand the rife Of my poor friend, and in
the other a lighted candle, although he 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 a boy, in
whom discovered Pedrillo, and then the light
flashed upon two other men, in one of whom
recognised the ostler, and in the other, our ac-
quaintance Of the noon, with the patch on his
face, and wearing the green velvet jacket and
sombrerp. This worthy had pistol in one
hand and knife in the other. The patrona
was also there, with her wolfsh eyes and
enormous Basque queue.
Outrage and assassination were impressed
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 newspa-
per paragraphs, a mysterious disappearance
in the Times and Military Gazette, flashed
upon my mind had youth, noble profess
ion, many kind friends, my regiment and home,
8 the best expectations as old dowagers say,
on one hand a horrible and sudden death-a
lonely scene of unknown butchery, on the
other
cooked the locks OF my rife, and resolutely
removed the barricade from the door.
Take time, Juan Roa, said the patrona.
Hold your tongne, old perra; / know well
enough what am doing, growled the person
age in green, whom now knew to be that
terrible outlaw, who, since the Carlist war,
had laughed at the carabneros and alguazils,
and kept all Malaga, the Sierra de Mia, and
the Vega Of Granada astir and in terror.
Including the patrona, and the treacherous
young rascal Pedrillo, / had five desperate
enemies, and only two bullets at their service.
Let us prove whether the lnglesse is asleep
before we enter,' said the patron, knocking at
the door gently, and placing the candle behind
I him.
No answer-he is certainly asleep whis-
pered the patrona.
Knock again, growled Juan Roa.
A smart blew was then given; but still
made no reply. Then the patron applied his
hand 10 the latch but before he could open
the door, fred right through the slender pan
els, and shot him dead by 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 confusion,
dealt Juan Rosa tremendous blow with the
butt end, which Ievelled him beside the two
ruffians who lay bleeding in the narrow pas
sage. Escaping pistol shot from Juan. but
receiving two desperate cuts from the terma-
grant patrona and the wasp Pedrillo, reached
Il tha