The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-24


shut out the smallest glimmcring OF
light from those who passed beneath
their shade. At some distance from MS
orderly, the cautious priest left his ald-de-
camp In nearly rs uncerenlOnlous man
ner a. he had done the soldier, and pro-
ceeded alone to spot OF smooth turf, shell
tered BY trees and shrubs, surrounded by
steep rocks, and accessible only by one
narrow and difficult path, more fitting for
the feet OF goats than Of horses and men.
He unsaddled his charger, and, after care;
fully covering him with blanket, fastened
on his nose-bag, containing IN ample iced
OF corn. He then took from his valise an
iron pot, Il fragment OF bread and some
chocolate. He collected few sticks and
| lii fire, and, fetching some water from u
neighboring rivulet, procured himself, in
very few minutes, a cup OF chocolate.
Having eaten his frugal supper, he took Il
large draught OF cold water, and stretch
Ing himself under tree was in al instant
asleep.
indefatigable Merino was agnin in the sud.
die and on his road back to the bivouac OF
his troops; calling, on his way, for his aid
de-camp and orderly. TWAS past midnight,
and the sky, which the sunset had left clear
and starry, was now Overspread with
clouds which rendered the darkness com.
plete, especially in the neighbOrhood OF
the mountains. The Cura, however, SEEM
ed nowise embarrassed by this circum-
stance; but guided his horse through the
most intricate and difficult paths with as
much facility as II he had been in broad
daylight ON q good road. Having arrived
at the biyouac, and satisfied himself Of its
well-being, and OF the aIertneSs OF the sen
tries, he turned his horses head south;
and soon finding himself on some tolera'
bly, open country, he struck into canter,
which shortly brought him to the vicinity
OF tho Canine Real, or highway from Bur
Cos to Madrid, on which Aranda del Due
70 is situated. Here he halted, and, dis
mounting, listened attentively; but for
some minutes no sound broke the silence
OF the night. He had laid his'hand on the
horses name to remOunt, when the regu-
lar monotonOus noise produced by the
march OF a body OF troops became audible.
The Cura sprung into the saddle, and with
his two companions retired behind brok-
on hedge. which borderGd part OF the road.
The noise increased, and shortly appeared
coming from the direction OF Amanda, Il
score Of cavaliers, whose small black shap-
skas. and long lances, denoted them to be
Poles OF the French imperial guard
These were followed at short interval,
by nearly two hundred more, and by Il
battalion of infantry, also Poles, OF which
nation there were vast number serving
with the French armies in Spain, "Quo
son rsos2"S exclaimed Merin0, us soon rs
the first horsemen came in sight; ana,
when their near approach enabled him to
distinguish tho character al tho troops bis
voice trembled with savage eXrltatlOn, las he
turned to his aid-de.camp with the words,
iiSan Franceses. He allowed the whole
column to pass him, carefully noting their
horse, gailopped Off TO the corral.
Tho highropd, which tho FRENCH troops
were following In northerly direction,
passed on the eastern side OF the village in
which we introduced MerinO to the read
or. and whence the country lane or cross
road by which tho spanldrtls arrived at
their bIvouac ground, led westward. The
lane debouched on the sort OF heath or
waste before mentioned, at the further ex-
tremity OF which was pine wood; whilst
tho corral and fields in which the CNrGs
band had stationed itself, was more to the
south. It will be understood by this de-
Scription of the ground, that Merino in q
Tow minutes pEnler nrross the rountry
reached his troops; whilst it would take
the French nearly an hour to arrive at the
same point by the more circuitous route
they were following. Before they had en-
tered the village, the Cura hal returned to
Tho corral, and called to q person ~ the
garb OF q pountryman, who. was lying
wrappOd in n woollen rug at tho entrance
Of the building, Julian" "Senor? an
swered the peasant and sprung to his feet.
Merino whispered few words in his car,
and the man Immediately started off at
full spced,
When the French arrived at tho village
In which they expected to find Merino,
their first care was to place sentrles round
the houses, which were but few in num-
Der, and general search thon en-
sued for the Important prisoner whom
thew expected to make. Meanwhile
tho aIcado, and some others of the
inhabitants, were brought before the COM
manding-ohicer of the expedition; but to
all his questions as TO when they Ind last
soon Mer;no, and where no was to be
found, they replied in manner but little
calculated to assist the search, They dc:
cIarcd themselves entirely unucqunintcd
with the Cura's places Of resort, and that
for months he had not been in their neigh
borhood. To promises aud offers OF re-
ward they opposed protOstNtIons OF lgnor;;
amos; and to imOnaVes Und blows o logged
silence. The French colonel, who had fully