He came about an hour before day-break, armed up to the teeth, but was evidently very nervous and uneasy, which I remarked to him, and asked, jestingly, if he had a presentiment of death. He affected to laugh too, but his teeth chattered in the vain attempt; and, to take off my attention, he remarked that it was time we should be on the alert. We accordingly left the village, which is nestled between two cragged peaks, that protrude from the mountain like the tusks of a javali,[228] and, ascending to the summit of the northernmost pinnacle, stationed ourselves on the look out.
The sun had not yet risen above the eastern mountains ere we heard some distant straggling shots. “That firing must be the skirmishing of Melchor’s party,” observed Beltran; “had we not better move on?”
“Our attack would be premature,” I replied; “Let him draw the garrison off some distance further, and then we shall.... Valgame Dios! the sounds appear to come nearer! there must indeed be some treason here!”
“Treason!” he exclaimed, shuddering.
“Ay, treason, Carajo!” I repeated. “See! do you not distinguish the blue jackets of the French dragoons!”
By this time a slight mist, which hung over the course of the Guadiaro, had gradually dispersed under the influence of the rising sun, and we were enabled distinctly to perceive Jacobo’s party, scattered amongst the olive groves, retiring slowly before a detachment of about equal strength of French dragoons. At the same moment we heard the distant roar of artillery; and Beltran, starting back from the edge of the precipice, exclaimed, “There is indeed, treason somewhere; I shall forthwith rejoin my band, and there await your orders.”
“Do so,” I replied quickly; “but the way through the village is circuitous. Here, Pépé—Andres,—show my good friend Beltran a shorter way down to the river:—but let me have his ears first.”
At my first word, Pépé and another stout fellow, darting from behind a rock, seized Beltran by the arms, and, holding the traitor whilst I robbed him of his ears, then pitched him headlong down the precipice.
I now hastened to my troop. Jacobo and his party had by this time reached the spot where the Guadiaro, leaving the fertile basin of Ronda, enters a narrow, tortuous valley; and, crossing to the right bank, kept down the stream; thereby passing along the front of my position, and drawing the enemy on towards the spot where Beltran’s troop was posted.
The enemy imprudently suffered themselves to be enticed into the trap thus laid for them, and, when sufficiently advanced for my purpose, I rushed down the side of the mountain, cutting off their retreat by the road along the edge of the river, whilst, at the same moment, Jacobo’s detachment, reinforced by the whole of Beltran’s band, attacked them vigorously in front.