"Oh, senor capitan!--for I perceive you are the chief--it is a strange story. Shall I tell it to you?" "As you please about that. I came here to capture a gang of _ladrones_; or kill them, if need be. I only want to know which are the thieves, and which the honest men. There does not appear to be any great difference between them?" "O caballero! why should you say that? Surely you do not mistake the honourable capitan Moreno for a _salteador_? A worthy young gentleman who but ten minutes ago was standing up to be wedded to one of the fairest and most Christian ladies in our good city of Puebla--the daughter of Don Eusebio--" "Villa-Senor. I know all that. But how came it to pass? Why was the ceremony here? Why not in her father's house?" "You astonish me, senor! What can you know?" "Never mind what. Tell me, I entreat--I command you--how it is that this marriage--interrupted as I perceive it has been--was taking place here--among the mountains?" "Senor capitan; you are welcome to know all. Alas! there is now no reason for keeping the scheme concealed." "A scheme! There was a scheme?" "Si, senor! It was contrived between the young people themselves. Don Eusebio was against their being united--so much, that to prevent it he was taking his daughter to a convent--that of La Concepcion, in the capital; which I may be permitted to say to you, a stranger, is the most fashionable of our nunneries. Pobre Dolores! Can you blame her for using means to escape from such a fate? Even I, a _religio_, do not scruple to say it was wrong. To think of immuring such a fair creature within the dull walls of a cloister!" "I acknowledge to having been in the confidence of the _amantes_; and even assisted them to contrive their little scheme; which, alas! has proved so unsuccessful. Ah, worse than that: since it has brought ruin to all engaged in it!" "What was it?" I asked, impatiently, having but slight sympathy with the regrets of the priest. "Well, senor, it was this. The gallant youth whom you see there--alas, I fear the victim of his gallantry--with half a dozen of his friends, disguised as _salteadores_, were to capture the _diligencia_, and gain possession of the Senorita Dolores,--as also of her sister who accompanied her; another lady as fair--some say fairer--than she; and, with all respect to the gentle Dolores, I am myself of this opinion. "Need I say that the plan so far was eminently successful? "_Pues, senor_! It had been arranged that I was to be one of the travelling party; which, from my office of _sacristan_ to the family of the Senor Don Eusebio, was easily brought about. I too was to be taken prisoner by the sham bandits!