The Heart's Secret; Or, the Fortunes of a Soldier: a Story of Love and the Low Latitudes.

have the patient reader follow us on the main road between Alquezar and Guiness. It is as level as a parlor floor, and the tall foliage, mostly composed of the lofty pa

m here and there over the verdant and luxuriant undergrowth, the mahogany tree, the stout lignumvit, the banana, the fragrant and beautif

and what a bewitching mingling of heliotrope and wild honeysuckle is combined in the air! how the gaudy plumed parrot pauses on his perch beneath the branches of the plantain tree, to inhale the sweets of the hour; while the chirps of the pedoreva

cs of nature about him; how often, how very often, is the still, heavenly influence that reigns in fragrant f

triders of a volante, which had just been attacked on the road. The traces that attached the horse to the vehicle had been cut, and the postilion lay senseless upon the ground from a sword wound in their h

enacted about her. At her side stood the figure of a tall, stately man, whose hat had been knocked over his head in the struggle, and whose white hairs gave token of his age. Two of the robbers, who had

volante. There were in all some thirteen of them, but three already lay dead in the road, and the other ten, who had some sharp wounds distributed among them, now standing together, seemed to be querying whe

rasping the hilt of his well-tempered sword, and showing to his enemies, by the stern, deep resolve they read in his eye, that they had not yet conquered him. Fortunately their pistol

s of time, and the robbers, having evidently made up their minds to take the lives of the two persons now in th

ll and strength that showed he was no stranger to its use, and that there was danger in

villains held back in dismay at the noble appearan

ains? do you fear a good sw

panish infantry, dashed up to the spot at full speed, while one of them, who seemed to be the leader of the party, leaped from his horse, and before the others could follow his example, was engaged in a desperate hand to hand conflict with the robbers. Twice he discharged his pistols with fatal effect, and now

ss at the outset-having shot two, and mortally wounded a third. In this critical state of affairs, the remaining banditti concluded that discretion was the better part of valor, and m

ose rascals, and but three of you," said the old gentleman,

lied the officer (for such it was now apparent he was), as he wiped the gore from his r

outrider, who was one of the family attaches of the old gentleman, and who now busied himself about

piration from his brow, the young officer now

further injury by this unfortunate encount

ng towards the old gentleman, who was now on the oth

debted to you for this most opportune delivera

laimed the young officer

s, then?" she asked

lse I should sooner

life, then, for stra

lize that, and to attack them and release you was the next most natural thing in the wo

sabella, with undisgu

in Be

the old don, as surprise

lied the soldier, bowi

zal

ance could have brought you so fortunately to o

usiness trip to the south side of the island, where we had been s

events we owe our lives to you, sir," said Don Gonza

as to permit of proceeding forward on the road. The bodies of the servants were disposed of, and

how pale

my c

ale!" said Isabella, r

u speak of

r; see, there he stan

has worked hard with those

ve done so, and we are ready," c

nzales or her father, left his well-trained animal in the road, and hastened to his offic

to the volante, and acted as postilion, to drive towards him whom his

u are ill, I fear;

es; drive on, sir, and I w

eft arm and side, father,"

r severely, Captain Be

unlucky thrusts of those Montaros," he replied,

be done for him?" sa

be. Here, captain, take my seat in the volante, and Isabella, whom you have served at

ut after gently refusing for a while to rob Don Gonzales of his seat in the volante, he was forced to accept it ev

ce, to observe or realize any peculiarity of appearance in any other respect, or to question the propriety of placing him so intimately by the side of his lovely child. Isabella had never told her father, or indeed any one, of the circumstance of her having met Captain Bezan on the Plato

the soldier, realizing his

here," said Isabella Gonzales, as she offered

unded officer, faintly; for he was now really very

ur courage up till we can gain the aid of some expe

ain Bezan to pursue his way to his barracks, which he did, not, however, until he had, like a faithfu

ip, were too common an occurrence to create any great wonder or curiosity among the inhabitants of the city. But Captain Bezan had got wounds th