Part 36 (2/2)
”Why? Explain yourself!”
”_Esta muerto_! He lies at the bottom of the cliff, his body crushed--”
”Who has done it? Who's betrayed us?” interrupted a volley of voices
”The hunchback, Zorillo,” answered Jose, to the astonishue between the dwarf and Santander, he had heard enough to anticipate the ghastly spectacle awaiting hieance were sier to rush from the room They but waited for a word er ence, and led hih coveringto many incidents, the _cochero's_ story was quickly told Not in the exact order of occurrence, but as questioned by his impatient listeners He ran rapidly over all that happened since their parting at the corner of the Coyoacan road, the latter events nacio and his daughter for soustin--the Condesa with thes would not have been as now Possibly they h, even as they stood, there was enough danger i over all As for themselves, both Mexican and Irish warned, and by whom That of itself was recompense for all their perils
Meanwhile those left inside the rooh they were not all there now So up the body of their , back to the place where the hunchback should be, but was not There to find confirmation of what had been said The cell untenanted; thebar filed through and broken; the file lying by it, and the chain hanging down outside
Intelligible to the it told
When once more they assembled in the Refectory, it ith chastened, saddened hearts For they had coain gathered around the table, _they_ drank the stirrup-cup, as was their wont, but never so joylessly, or with such stint
CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE
”ONLY EMPTY BOTTLES”
About the ti their coate of San Antonio de Abad was opened to per outward froh 200 of the ample room for even ten abreast
At their head rode Colonel Santander, with Major Ramirez by his side, other officers in their places distributed along the line
Soon as they had cleared the _garita_, a word to the bugler, with a note or two froallop; the white dusty road and clearthe fastest pace easily attainable And he who co that old h toHis hopes were high; at last he was likely todelayed!
For nearly an hour bridles were let loose, and spurs repeatedly plied
On along the _calzada_ swept the squadron, over the bridge Churubusco, and past the _hacienda_ of San Antonio de Abad, which gives its naal iallop along its edge, another bugle-call brought theht to do with their halting, which ca reached the spot where he had left the hunchback in charge of the two soldiers
He need not hail the of horses on the hard causeway, heard afar off, had long ago forewarned the corporal of as co in an attitude of attention
The parley was brief, and quick the action which accompanied it
”Into your saddle, _cabo_!” commanded the colonel ”Take that curiosity up behind you, and bring it along”
In an instant the corporal was mounted, the ”curiosity” hoisted up to his croup by Perico, who then sprang to the back of his own horse Once ain
The cavalcadeit there, and delay was the thing its coh the _pueblo_, its people were a-bed, seely asleep But not all Two at least were awake, and heard that unusual noise--listened to it with a tre in their frames and fear in their hearts Two ladies they were, inside a house beyond the village, on the road running south Too well they knehat itcohort was bound And theh they needed not seeing hiht revealed to theot of it, showing spitefully triumphant