, 1886-06-09

ret forth ON my journey. All went well
the first day; we lunched at an inn on an
omelctte, with tomato sauce, a piece OF
sausage, that excellent bread that every
body eats in Spain, and some fruit. The
landscape was charming, the temperature
very mild, for the road run along the sea
and passes at the foot of the mountains
through some OF the most picturesque
scenery | have every beheld. We lodged
Mt n comfortable hotel, and resumed our
journey Mt an early hour in the morning.
We were now in the very midst of the
Sierra Nevadas. Tn country became
more and more savage. The road wound
around the mountain side, with fathom-
less chasms on one side and and n wall of
perpendicular rocks on the other. At
each turn n new panorama met the eye,
and | passed from one cnchantmcnt to'an-
other. From time to time ! perceived
some armed men on the heights who
seemed to be sentinels, but having ques-
toned my attendants they told me they
were shepherds watching their flocks. All
at once at a turn in the rond | saw u horse
man n few steps before me, escorted by
two men similarly mounted and armed. !
pressed up my horse and coming up with
him wished him goodsdny. The horseman
who had but himself at my left to con
tinue along the road with me, said in eX-
ceuent French: Il am delighted, sir, to
meet Il stranger. and above all II French
man. | had no reason TO hide my origin
nor the object Of my journey, and, ms at
the first glance | had made up my mind
that | was quite able to resist an attack by
my %neighbor, we fell into conversation.
As went along noticed that my un-
known wore with much distinction u
handsome costume of garnet velvet
braided with black, hat his leggins were
finely embroidered, and that his arms
were magnificent.
"rhcn you have no fear of meeting brig
andsl' he asked.
why" | replied, II have heard of none
but Samarilla's band, and according to
what | have heard of him believe | have
no reason to fear II meeting with him. |
am II foreigner. | have nc great amount
of money, and Samnriiia would reap no
great profit or glory by robbing me. Be
sides. | am "a friend of one of his friends
who formerly gave him work in his mine
when he was pursued by the officers of
the law, and should | myself to
him | believe he would do me no harm.
Samarilla is n gentleman. myself am
an old soldier N officer, and | am told
that it would only be necessary to show
him my passport to be Immediately set at
liberty"
"You may be right as to yourself, - lie
returned, but as l am a Spaniard | have
no wish to meet him, and | hope as long
as we travel together we shall not nave
that ill luck. However, do not delude
yourself as to your forces and arms, for
resistance would be absurd and useless;
my men and yours would be of no avail
before an attack by a force ten times their
number"
The conversation continued thus for
nearly two hours. My companion was
marvelously familiar with the country.
He told me the names of the different
peaks, showed me in the distance Granada
and the Sierra Nevada with its crests of
snow in midsummer. Finally he said that
before quitting us he wanted to offer me
some refreshments.
We went into an inn at the edge
OF the bed of the Cocin, a little
stream usually dry, where he ordered Il
sort of biscuit, which"he placed in a glass
Of fresh water, making n drink that |
found to be delicious. He took a like
drink himself and then threw a piece of
gold on the table.
Without waiting for the change, we re
mounted, and at the next turn OF the road
my unknown shook my hand warmly,
wished me n pleasant journey, and left me
with these words: "Recollect that in Spain
brigands exist only in novels and the i'm
agination of towards and he was off at q
gallop.
Two hours later | entered Granada. l
saw the king, attended the festivities OF
the court and Il ball ut the Alhambra, then
returned to Malaga by rail enchanted with
my journey through the mountains and
bewildered by the splendor of Granada.
| hurried to thank NJ. c. and to assure
him of my perfect satisfaction with my
travelling companions. | praised their
ferocious appearance, and declared that
they would have defended me most val
iantly if | had encountered the brigands
led even by the famous Samarilla himself.
Really" he replied, lit seems to me
that you have no right to complain of my
terrible friend who offered you refresh
ments and with whom you were so conf
dental. On my word you have made n
conquest, and to-day you can travel
through the whole country with no risk of
harm"
"What!T | cried, my unknown compan-
on
WAS Samarilla himself. And his is
what you said to him"
lie then repeated the conversation with
the genial stranger so accurately tina [
realized at once that only the latter could
have related it to him. The following
winter, at Seville, | narrated my adven-
ure to several friends.
alt is easy to prove the identity Of your
companion said one of them. Come
with me tomorrow. and | will show you
II portrait Of Samarilla. His photograph
is in the hands of the authorities"
The next day l recognized my mountain
traveller perfectly, and felt that | could
count on one protector more in the world.
In Spain 1t is prudent to believe in bri-
gands, and wise to say nothing i'll Of them.
Paris Figaro.