"I lay down on the straw, and finding it wet, arose in horror, fearing that it was blood; and so I remained in the dark, praying to our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, and trembling and listening to the howling of the storm for more than an hour, when all the other sounds in that terrible posada died away.
"I was just beginning to dose when a ray of light streamed through the keyhole of my door; I heard it opened, and lo! Martin's wife, Inez Secco, appeared with a long and sharp cuchillo in her hand. A man accompanied her. He was Juan Roa de Antequera! Terror paralysed me; and she believed me to be asleep, for she felt all over my clothes--that is, my poor shirt and breeches-pockets, from which she took two quarter-duros--all I possessed in this world; and then, passing the light thrice across my face, to assure herself that I slept, the hag went away muttering--
"'Caramba! only a half-duro; this little wretch is neither worth lodging nor killing.'
"Immediately after this I heard them whispering with Martin Secco; and then they knocked at the door of old Pedro Barradas, who, like a cautious man, had fastened it on the inside.
"'Get up,' said they, 'Señor Barradas--get up--you are wanted.'
"But old Barradas either slept like a top, or he was too wary to open; for he heeded them not.
"Then I heard Juan and Martin muttering curses as they deliberately forced open the door; next there came a terrible cry of--
"'Help! Pedrillo, help! Ayuda, por amor de neustra Señora Santissima!'
"This was followed by sounds like those made by a sheep when the knife of the carnicero is in its throat; and, in the meantime, Martin's two daughters were singing as loud as they could, and dancing a bolero in the passage, to conceal these terrible sounds, which froze the blood within me."
"Go on," said Jack Hall, impatiently; "and how did you escape?"
"If the noble señors would help me to refresh my memory----"
"Ah, I comprehend," said I, tossing a peseta to him; "now fire away, Pedrillo."
"You should not encourage this young picaro, Señor Caballero," said the Spaniard, whose face was now darkened by a terrible frown; "for it is my belief that he was the mere decoy, who led poor old Pedro Barradas to that villanous posada."