compels me to be severe-cruel-if it please ye better. One course alone remains to be pursued; I must secure myself, my friends, my wife."

"That's her I took for the ghost," said the fosterer, apart-" and the divil a foot I would have put into the garden but for the same lady."

"Hush! Proceed, sir," I answered.

"Nothing can make us safe, but death or deportation. Walk with me, sirs. 'Twere idle to remonstrate here, or to refuse obedience to my order❞—and, with the perfect confidence that he had made no statement which he could not effectually support, the Spaniard stalked on, and the fosterer and I followed.

"Well-Mr. O'Toole," I said, as, like two convicted culprits, we sullenly retraced our steps. "A pretty kettle of fish you have made of it!"

"the game's up.

"Oh !"-groaned the fosterer The curse of Cromwell light upon the country! Is'nt it hard that a man can't slip out of a window to take a little air without having his throat cut ?" As he spoke we reached the extremity of the garden. La Pablos unclosed a door. We entered the same chamber where, two or three minutes since, we had witnessed a scene of social comfort. There the remnant of the supper stood-but the company were gone, and their places had been filled by personages of a very different, and a very dangerous exterior.

It was hard to define their appearance. Their garb was that of mariners; in all besides, they looked banditti. My impression was not singular, for the fosterer, in a whisper, declared that, "compared with these villains, the guerillas were regular gentlemen." All were armed and I should say, there was not a member of this respectable community, who, like Friar Tuck, would hesitate on resorting to the "carnal weapon," were it needed.

Our trial was shorter, even, than a drum-head court martial. Senhor Francisco stated the offence, and then simply inquired what the safety of the commonwealth demanded. The twelve judges were never so unanimous. In the multitude of counsellors there was but one opinion —and, that, though differently expressed, resolved itself into one pithy adage, namely that "dead men tell no tales."

From the apparent character of those around me, I certainly considered that I should be defunct to a moral before morning; but Mark Antony boldly demurred to the sentence: and put forward the reasons why death and execution should be stayed; but as the fosterer's plea involved a confused story about ghosts and music, I question whether it would have carried an overwhelming conviction of our innocence to the dread tribunal before whom we stood. As it turned out, however, we were not on the verge of death, but, happily, on the eve of deliverance-and in a brief space, the colour of our fortunes changed.

While the senhor was listening, and with marked incredulity, to the fosterer's defence, a noise was heard without, and the personage who bore the appearance of an English seaman, but who, from his position

at the table had eluded our former espionage, burst suddenly into the apartment.

"What the devil is all this I hear about spies, and land-loupers ?" he exclaimed. "Are these the chaps?-Egad-this here one," and he pointed to me, "looks too honest to play traitor. But, what !— Do my eyes deceive me?—Why, dash my buttons-it can't be possible but it is an old messmate by Heaven! What, Mark-am I so changed, that William Rawlings is forgotten ?"

It was indeed the brother of the fosterer's mistress; and the next moment, like Homer's heroes, their hands were locked together, and the pleasure of an unexpected meeting, was expressed in sea parlance on the one part, and an eloquent admixture of English and Irish on the other, which must have been perfectly unintelligible to the auditory, as I could but partially comprehend it.

With the host, a brief conversation put matters in excellent train. As regarded felonious designs, we received an honourable acquittal; and better far, the welcome assurance was made, that before two suns rose, if luck were on our side, we should be clear of the fortress and free as the ocean-bird itself.

We returned to our own apartments, accompanied by William Rawlings. The senhor was full of mystery and business; and, I presume, the gentlemen of the spado school were equally engaged; and, consequently, from the sailor we learned the particulars not only of our host's domestic relations, but, what was of more importance, the means and the probability of effecting an immediate escape.

Senhor La Pablos, it appeared, was a contrabandista, and did business on a most extensive scale. His principles were neither considered particularly nice, nor was he a patriot of the purest water; albeit, he hated the French with an intensity which Dr. Johnson himself would have admired. The senhor's antipathy to the invaders, arose rather from private than from public considerations. He had acquired much wealth as honestly as smugglers generally do, and, year after year, the invading commanders laid him under heavy contributions, and obliged him to disgorge extensively. Senhor La Pablos had also been blessed with a very young and a very pretty help-mate; and on a short excursion to the frontier in the course of business, on his return he received the unwelcome intelligence that the lady of his love had levanted the second day after he had bidden her a tender, but as he, "good easy man," believed, only a temporary adieu. He had replaced her loss as speedily as it could be effected-and as the successor of the lost one was equally fair, and might prove, "alas! for womankind" equally frail, he secluded her as much as possible from common gaze; and, certainly, he had never intended that we, during our brief sojourn in his hospitable mansion, should have been introduced to the family circle. "But now for more important matters," said the sailor; "it would waste time to tell you by what course of events I got connected with these contrabandistas, and shut up for the last month in this confounded for-, tress. I think escape tolerably secure-but could we but command one hundred dollars, it were certain. These Spanish smugglers are cold,

calculating scoundrels-every movement is made for a mercenary object-but if they receive the consideration for their services, they are proverbially faithful, even to death itself, in a punctual performance of what they have undertaken."

"How unfortunate !" I exclaimed. "Thrice the sum required is lying with my baggage outside, and all I am at present master of is this valueless ring, and a holy keepsake from my lady mother. Would your friends, Rawlings, deal in relics of marvellous value? for I doubt not that this I bear upon me is such."

The sailor smiled.

"They are true Catholics, I have no doubt; but I fancy they would prefer plain silver after all."

"Blessed Mary!" said the fosterer, "I wonder where the old lady got this charm,' ," for I had drawn my mother's amulet from my bosom. 66 "She told you," he continued, never to open it." "Oh, no, Mark, I was directed when necessity pressed me, to use

a free discretion."

Why, then," returned the fosterer, "we will never be in a greater mess, Mark. Open it, Hector, dear! Not that I believe in charms, although I remember an old man at home that would cure cows when they were fairly given over by the smith."

"Well, Mark, your curiosity shall be gratified." I opened the silken envelope, unfolded a sealed paper-no relic was there-but, what answered our present necessities far better-an English bank note for fifty pounds.

"Ah-long life to her ladyship-wasn't she considerate?" exclaimed Mark Antony. "Talk of relics—isn't that a beautiful one!" "But will it answer our purposes, Rawlings?" I inquired.

"Senhor La Pablos would tell you not; but you will see how soon he will discover more dollars than we require, and take his chance. But no time must be lost-'tis past midnight;—and within three hours we must succeed or fail. Get ready. When the time comes for the trial, minutes may crown or mar it," he said-left us to ourselves :and while the fosterer made up a change of linen, I sate down, and conveyed my parting adieus to my friend the voltigeur.

Rawlings was not long away. He returned, having completed every arrangement, as he said,-and the following night was named as that on which we should make the attempt that would ensure our liberty, or rivet our fetters if we failed. The fosterer and I retired, but not to sleep; and we were early afoot, and waiting for some more intelligence from the honest sailor regarding our nocturnal enterprise, when the captain of voltigeurs, as was his custom, dropped in to make his morning inquiries.

"Am I to congratulate or condole ?" said Captain Cammaran, when he made his morning call. "You are pronounced fit for service by the surgeon; my parole consequently has expired-and no doubt you will be required in a day or two to interchange it for your own."

"I won't give it," I returned.

"You are wrong, my friend," replied the voltigeur: "nothing

You will be

can result from your refusal but personal annoyance. sent into La Mota, and, I regret to say, there the prisoners are miserably inconvenienced. Think of it well, O'Halloran; escape from the fortress is nearly hopeless; why, then, add to the désagremens of captivity? Courage!—an application has already been made in your favour: why not, at least, wait patiently until an answer is returned by the minister of war?"

66

'My dear Cammaran," I replied, "the reasons why I should not be patient are manifold. In the first place, I am in love, and wish to return home; in the second place, I am sick of San Sebastian, and very weary of contemplating the surly features of my host Senhor La Pablos, agreeably diversified, it is true, with an occasional visit from an old Leonora, deaf as a door-post, and the attentions of an interesting male attendant, who, if he be not hanged within a twelvementh, why I'll forswear physiognomy for ever."

"Oh! indeed, and you'll have no occasion," observed Mark Antony: "the gallows is written in his face, and, as they say in Connaught, -Master Pedro is sure to spoil a market."

"Bah! my good friend, I have a remedy for all," returned Cammaran; "one poison neutralizes another - you must find another mistress: and if you are tired of your quarters, why we can look out for others which may prove more agreeable."

I shook my head.

"Well-well-don't refuse rashly. Tell them you will consider it for a day or two-and trust to the soldier's best dependence, you call it, happily, in English, the chapter of accidents. Farewell I will call early to-morrow."

"And the birds will be flown," added the fosterer, as Cammaran closed the door and bade us, as we then believed, " a last good morrow."

I never felt so impatiently as on that last day when I remained a prisoner in San Sebastian. The sun went gloomily to the ocean, the sea began to rise and break upon the beach, and with the evening as it closed, the weather became worse, and a very skyey appearance heralded a coming storm. Darkness came-the lamps were lighted the illfavoured attendant laid supper on the table, uncorked a flask of wine, and, as he always did, vanished without making a remark.

"I never will have anything but a poor opinion of that Senhor Pablos," observed the fosterer; "he's an inhospitable divil, or on the last night he had the honour of entertaining two gentlemen, he would have had the common manners to have introduced them to his wife, and taken a doch an durris with them afterwards. No matter-here's luck! —and who knows where we'll drink the same toast to-morrow evening?" "It were, indeed, difficult to say, Mark. But, hark!-footsteps are in the court-yard. 'Tis unusual. But, see the door opens. Is it possible? Why, Cammaran! This is a late hour for a visit." “It is,” said the voltigeur; "but I have a presentiment that you and I are about to part."

I felt the blood mount to my cheeks. Were then our plans known and our intended escape discovered?

66

"What mean ye, my friend?" I returned, assuming an air of indifference. 66 No, no," I continued evasively. Warmly as, through your kindness, I may have been recommended to the War-Minister's consideration, I must not hope the application will prove successful." "You mistake me. It is another chance that probably may end our acquaintance. I am on duty to-night."

"And so are we," observed the fosterer, in Irish. "The fact is, we are going to try a sortie. The general has most handsomely put the detachment under my command. If I succeed, I shall gain promotion-and if Fortune favour me, I'll sweep your works extensively before I re-enter the fortress. Well, these things are not effected without broken heads-and I have come to have a parting glass with two friends I estimate so dearly."

The occasion of the visit relieved me from desperate alarm. The Frenchman sate for an hour and then took his leave, to make the necessary arrangements for the intended sortie, which was ordered to commence at two o'clock.

Before the voltigeur had cleared the court-yard, Rawlings, attended by La Pablos, presented themselves by a private door which communicated with the garden. The sailor's looks told that affairs went prosperously.

"All is ready for our attempt. The French sally before daybreak-and in the noise and confusion on the land-side, we shall be enabled to lower ourselves from the curtain, and gain the beach. All depends upon ourselves-and for the fidelity of our associates, Senhor La Pablos holds himself responsible. You must shift your rigging, however—and here come your traps."

The ill-visaged attendant brought me two suits of clothes of such anomalous cut and composition, as left it impossible to say for which element they had been especially intended. The host and sailor drank to the success of the expedition-the bell from the tower of San Sebastian beat twelve-the fosterer told each stroke-and then put up a pious supplication to Heaven, that this might be the last time he would ever count the same!