Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-05-07

lated to young Silva the substance of sim
gular conversation which, as he layconcealed
he had overheard between the Christine COM
mander and his subordinate officer. In reply
to some inquiry Of the latter concerning the
authority of his information, with reference
to the visit OF the Carlist officer, a0h," said
the SUPERIOR in significant tone, my in
telligence must be authentic, since have
had it from on high
"What'' exclaimed the subaltern, laugh
ingly: have you got a correspondent in
heaven9''
"Why, not exactly was the reply; ''my
correspondent is yet a resident on earth, and
yet | receive his communications literally
from the clouds. At another time, however,
1 may give you further information concern
ing my celestial informant. AT present, am
not at liberty"
The peasant who related this strange con-
versation discovered nothing in it beyond an
unmeaning jocularity bordering on profanity;
but Silva, who, during his seclusion, had
naturally been specializing on the probable
channel through which the Christinos had
obtained information of his presence, con-
ceived it to convey much more than met the
ear, and to want but certain key to explain
the import of its mysterious illusions. Atew
minutes afterwards he found lying on the
floor of the hall what little reflection led
he required. This was nothing more than
scrap of paper, less than the palm Of mans
hands, greatly crumpled, as if it had been
rolled up and thrust into small pace, much
soiled and slightly burned, on which was
written, in characters almost illegible, from
the treatment it had undergone--"Silva,
lieutenant, battalion Carlist infantry,
will spend tonight at his fathers house, on
the rivers side, close to the shore. Ser
geant-- knows the spot, and can guide
party thither'' Having read this important
document, which had been accidentally drop
ped by the Christine officer, and examined its
appearance attentively, noting the burn, he
raised it to his nose when it decidedly smell
led of gunpowder He Immediately crossed
the river, and in another hour was safe with
in the Carlist lines when his first act was to
wait on the colonel of his battalion, recount
the events of the night, and acquaint him
with the suspicious he had formed.
II is necessary to state here that Silva's
battalion was posted on steep height i'm
mediately overlooking, indeed overhanging,
Bilboa, and that so closely that it terminated
on the side next the city in perpendicular
cliff, which actually formed Fart of the wall
bounding the military ground appropriated to
the use of the queens garrison in the city
SO that any object thrown from the top would
necessarily, after a descent of between three
and four hundred feet, fall within the limits
of the beleagured town. On the table land at
the top of this dizzy height Carlist sentry
was regularly stationed, whose chief business
was to observe the movements OF the Christi
no troops below, and report accordingly to
his superiors. 1t had been remarked, that
so inveterate was the hostility of the man
Murito-of whom mention has been already
made as having, at an early period of the
siege, deserted from the garrison--towards
his foruer comrades, that invariably, on being
relieved from his guard, he proceeded to the
edge of the cliff and discharged his musket az
the Christinos beneath. the great height of the
precipice precluding all danger from return
of the fire. Lieutenant Silva remembered
having made inquiry of this man concerning
the safety of the road adjoining his fathers
residence, and felt convinced that no other
individual in the Carlist camp was acquainted
with his intention of proceeding thither at all.
Nothing further of Importance transpired
that day. Towards the close of the next, 1t
happened to be Murito's turn again to mount
guard at the top of the cliff. As the hour
which would terminate his guard approached,
Lieutenant Silva and his colonel appeared
the platform, and shortly
after the relief arrived.
having been gone through, the fresh sentry
took his post, and Murto was aboutt to advance
as usual, to have shot at his friends below.
To his surprise the non-commissioned officer
of the guard seized his musket and at the
same moment he found himself in the iron
grasp of the men. The charge of his mnsket
was drawn upon the spot, when it was dis
covered that, instead of the blank end of the
the cartridge, the ball had been bitten off in
loading whilst, rammed down over the wad-
ding, was found slip of paper, containing the
words, in the handwriting of Murito-"Zu-
malacarregui is dead; the siege must soon be
raised if the garrison hold OUT This disco
very fully vindicated the justice of the suspi-
cious which Silva had formed concerning the
mysterious illusions of the Christine officer to
his intelligence received s'from on high,' and
the information communicated to him ssfrom
the clouds.'' Silva inquired whether he should
order the man to the guard-house to undergo
his trial by court-martial but the sergeant
bluntly suggested to his commander the pro-
priety of ordering out firing party on the
spot, and bringing the matter to summary
conclusion.
"Your suggestion is the better of the two,
sergeant replied the colonel, smiling grimly.
~ shall adopt neither however, but make the
fellow the bearer of his own correspondence.
Death by the bullet is the fate of brave men
and true soldiers, and ammunition is not so
plenty that can afford to waste a cartridge on
y tfdltOf. TN lilo paper W lne hcOuuurbIS
BREAST he shouted, ''and pitch him over to
convey it to his friends below"
The blood of Silva ran cold at this terrible
loom, and he attempted a remonstrance on
behalf of the miserable culprit; but the colonel
was infexibled with soruples and If they had
been, the treachery of a comrade would have
silenced them. The paper was ac-
iually pinned to the breast of the terror-palsied
wretch he was lifted from the ground, and
,arried to the edge of the cliff by half-a-dozeu
pairs of sinewy arms. The Christine sentry at
,he foot of the precipice was startled by a
piercing shrek, as one in mortal agony, in the
upper air--then followed swift rushing sound,
md then a mass of lifeless humanity lay at
lis feet
Years elapsed ere the restoration of tranquil
ity permitted the young Carlist officer again
o visit his parental home. In the interval, all
hat medical skill could effect had been dode for
he restoration of Donna Silva to her proper
mind /; but the occurrences of one fearful night
appeared to have driven reason from its throne
brewer. On the arrival of her son, however,
I was resolved by the medical advisers, with
Don Rcardo's consent, to try the effect Of his
lbrupt appearance in her presence, all other
having failed. On his introduction
o the room in which she sat, her countenance
vas bent towards the ground, and she seemed
Utterly regardless of the presence of a stranger.
He addressed her; she started to her feet at
he first accents of the voice which she had
ieemed cholxed forever amid the rushing y