“The devil take you!” said I. “What harm has the poor fellow done to you that you should denounce him? Besides, are you quite sure that he is the brigand you say he is?” “Perfectly sure; he followed me to the stable just now and said to me: ‘You act as if you knew me; if you tell that honest gentleman who I am, I’ll blow your brains out!’--Stay, señor, stay with him; you have nothing to fear. So long as he knows you are here he won’t suspect anything.” As we talked we had walked so far from the _venta_ that the noise of the horse’s shoes could not be heard there. Antonio, in a twinkling, removed the rags in which he had wrapped them, and prepared to mount. I tried to detain him by entreaties and threats. “I am a poor devil, señor,” he said; “two hundred ducats aren’t to be thrown away, especially when it’s a question of ridding the province of such vermin. But beware! if Navarro wakes, he’ll jump for his blunderbuss, and then look out for yourself! I have gone too far to go back; take care of yourself as best you can.” The rascal was already in the saddle; he dug both spurs into the horse, and I soon lost sight of him in the darkness. I was very angry with my guide, and decidedly uneasy. After a moment’s reflection, I decided what to do, and returned to the _venta_. Don José was still asleep, repairing doubtless the effects of the fatigue and vigils of several days of peril. I was obliged to shake him violently in order to rouse him. I shall never forget his fierce glance and the movement that he made to grasp his blunderbuss, which, as a precautionary measure, I had placed at some distance from his couch. “Señor,” I said, “I ask your pardon for waking you; but I have a foolish question to ask you: would you be greatly pleased to see half a dozen lancers ride up to this door?” He sprang to his feet and demanded in a terrible voice: “Who told you?” “It matters little whence the warning comes, provided that it be well founded.” “Your guide has betrayed me, but he shall pay me for it! Where is he?” “I don’t know; in the stable, I think.--But some one told me----” “Who told you? It couldn’t have been the old woman.” “Some one whom I do not know.--But without more words, have you any reason for not awaiting the soldiers, yes or no? If you have, waste no time; if not, good-night, and I ask your pardon for disturbing your sleep.” “Ah! your guide! your guide! I suspected him from the first; but--his account is made up! Farewell, señor! God will repay you for the service you have rendered me. I am not altogether so bad as you think; no, there is still something in me which deserves a gallant man’s compassion.--Farewell, señor! I have but one regret, and that is that I cannot pay my debt to you.” “In payment of the service I have rendered you, promise, Don José, to suspect no one, and not to think of revenge. Here, take these cigars, and a pleasant journey to you!” And I offered him my hand.