Herrera approached the officer commanding the guard over the prisoner, spoke a few words to him, and returned to Baltasar.
"You will please to accompany me," said he.
Baltasar complied, and captive and captor advanced to the horses.
"This is mine," said Colonel Villabuena, laying his hand upon the neck of a powerful bay charger.
Without saying another word, Herrera raised the sheepskin covering the holsters, and withdrew from them a brace of pistols, which he carefully examined. They were handsomely mounted, long-barrelled, with a small smooth bore, and their buts were inlaid with a silver plate, upon which a coronet and the initials E. de V. were engraved.
"These pistols, I presume, are also yours?"
"They are so," was the answer.
"You will observe, sir," continued Herrera, showing the pistols to the officer on guard, who had followed him, "that I have taken these pistols from the holsters of this officer, Colonel Baltasar de Villabuena, who acknowledges them to be his. Look at them well; you may have to recognise them on a future day. I shall forthwith explain to the general-in-chief my motives for taking possession of them."
The officer received the pistols, examined them carefully, and returned them to Herrera. Baltasar looked on with a perplexed and uneasy air. Just then the brigadier, who was to command the column proceeding to Pampeluna, rode into the plaza. The drums beat, and the troops stood to their arms.
"Return to your place," said Herrera, sternly, to the prisoner. "We shall shortly meet again."