The stranger stopped without a remark.
"Who are you? What do you want?" asked a horseman.
"I am a costeño. I have taken a long journey to see your captain, with whom I wish to speak," the stranger said.
By the pale and flickering rays of the moon the sentry tried in vain to distinguish the stranger's features; but that was impossible, so carefully was he wrapped up in his cloak.
"What is your name?" he asked, in an ill-tempered tone, when he saw that all his efforts were useless.
"What need of that? Your chief does not know me, and my name will tell him nothing."
"Possibly so, but that concerns yourself. Keep your incognito if you think proper; still, you must not be angry with me if I do not let you disturb the captain. He is at this moment supping with his officers, and certainly would not put himself out in the middle of the night to speak with a stranger."
The man could not conceal a sharp movement of annoyance.
"Possibly so, I will say in my turn," he remarked an instant later. "Listen. You are an old soldier, I think?"
"I am one still," the trooper said, drawing himself up proudly.