The dragoons, who were marching four abreast, wheeled quickly into line, and led by Venceslao Viana dashed at full gallop upon the enemy, with uplifted sabres and a wild cry of "Death to the Goths!"
Evaña, galloping behind them with his sword drawn, had left the lead to Venceslao, so that he might devote his attention to protecting Don Roderigo in the melée.
But, quickly as the dragoons had performed their change of front; Asneiros had seen his danger. He halted at once, and ordered every man to dismount and form up in front of the horses. His men had not been drilled to these manœuvres, and, being unaccustomed to riding, were sore and stiff with the rapid marches of the last two days. Before he could get them clear of the horses the dragoons were upon them. In vain he shouted to them to close up and fire, a random volley did not stop the dragoons for an instant; bending low on their horses' necks, so that they could hardly be seen, the shot flew over them; the flankers on both sides of the short line of infantry were swept away and trodden underfoot; a small knot in the centre alone stood firm, beating off the horsemen with their levelled bayonets.
Asneiros, who had remained on horseback, was carried away by the rush and separated from them. As soon as he recovered command of his horse, he turned rein and tried to cut his way through the disordered dragoons, coming, in the midst of the tumult, face to face with Evaña. Muttering a fierce execration he struck at him with his sword, but Evaña parried the blow, and Venceslao Viana, spurring his horse between them, clove him to the teeth with his sabre.
"Venceslao," said Evaña, "have you seen Don Roderigo, he was with these yesterday?"
"Don Roderigo! I have not seen him. If he is with those," said Venceslao, pointing to the small knot of infantry who yet stood firm, "we must be quick to save him."
A number of the dragoons riding round this group were firing upon them with their carbines, every shot telling on the close rank. Evaña galloped up to them, shouting to them to lay down their arms; a number of them did so; the next moment the horsemen of Don Andres Zapiola poured over them like an avalanche. Behind the rush of the partidarios the dragoons closed in, cutting down without mercy any who yet kept their feet.
With an aching heart Evaña rode over the field, while Viana called his men together by the bugle and so put a stop to the slaughter. Evana searched among both dead and wounded, frequently dismounting to turn over one lying on his face, but saw nothing of Don Roderigo.
The dragoons had taken some few prisoners, he inspected them, and casting his eye upon a young man who was not dressed in uniform he called him to him.
"What is your name?" he said.