The journey proved long and arduous. The feebleness of Gertrudis would not permit her to travel fast, even in her easy _litera_; and the bad state of the roads, which would scarce admit the passage of the mules, contributed to retard their advance. It was near midnight before they came within sight of the lake,--its sombre waters suddenly appearing through an opening in the trees. At the point where they approached, it was bordered by a thick forest, whose dark shadowy foliage promised them an impenetrable asylum where they might pass the night safe from discovery or pursuit. In this forest Don Mariano resolved to make halt, and wait until the light of day might enable him to discover the crossing, by which, as his servant had assured him, they might reach the by-road leading to the hacienda of San Carlos. CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE. LANTEJAS BEHEADED. The short interval of bluish light between daybreak and sunrise in the tropics was nearly over, when Captain Lantejas and his two trusty followers climbed into their saddles to proceed towards the ford of the Ostuta. A difficulty yet lay in the way of their reaching it: since before gaining the river it would be necessary for them to pass within sight of the hacienda Del Valle, and they might be seen, as they supposed, by the sentinels of the royalist garrison. As yet the three travellers were ignorant that the place was blockaded by the guerilla of Arroyo. "If we were to pass it by night," said Costal, "it would look more suspicious. Better to go in full daylight. Clara can ride ahead of us. If any one stops him, he can ask permission for a merchant and his servants who are travelling southward. If, on the other hand, he sees no one, he may ride on; and we can follow him without further ceremony." The advice was to the liking of the Captain; and they accordingly commenced advancing along the road that would conduct them past the hacienda. In about a quarter of an hour they arrived in front of it, near the end of the long avenue already mentioned. Costal and Don Cornelio halted at some distance behind while Clara rode forward; and, to make sure that no one was there, even entered the avenue itself. Not a human being could be seen. The place appeared deserted--all was silent as upon that night when Don Rafael rode up to the house to find only desolation and death. Still further to guard against surprise, Clara rode on up the avenue; but he had scarce gone a hundred paces from the main road when a soldier appeared behind the parapet of the hacienda, evidently watching his approach. The black seeing that he was discovered kept on straight for the building.