They were chatting together, when Springer’s father entered hurriedly.
“There’s a riot in the town,” he announced from the door.
“Is there? What is going on?”
“They have killed a bandit ... Pacheco, I think they told me his name was.”
“Your friend. Did you know it?” the Swiss asked Quentin.
“No,” he answered calmly. “He must have done something foolish.”
“Let’s ask about it in the streets.”
The father and son and Quentin went out to Las Tendillas. They passed from group to group, listening to the comments, and at one of them where there seemed to be a well-informed gentleman, they stopped.
“How did his death occur?” asked Springer’s father.
“Well, like this. Pacheco entered by the bridge, and crossed the city till he reached the barracks in the Plaza de la Trinidad, where it seems that the General, when he noticed the riot and uproar, and when he heard them shout ‘Long live General Pacheco!’ asked: ‘Who is that fellow they call General? I’m the only General here. ‘It’s Pacheco,’ a lieutenant answered. ‘The people are calling him a General of Liberty.’—‘The bandit?’—‘Sí, Señor.’ Then the General, seeing that the crowd was coming toward the barracks, ordered two soldiers to take their posts with their guns sticking through the cracks in the shutters. When Pacheco came opposite the barracks, he shouted several times: ‘Long live Liberty! Long live the Revolution!’ instantly two shots rang out, and the man fell from his horse, dead.”