90 The Venta
Iris own command only extending- to the cavalry : " The poltron who is in charge of the battalion refuses to act, alleging that lie has no orders. He says there are five hundred Car- lists in the village ; but his fears have doubtless exaggerated the number, and were there a thousand I will save Perez or die." And he was about to lead his handful of cavalry forward, when the other, whose age gave him rather more prudence than was to be found in the hot head of young Mar- tin, checked him.
" We have somewhat more than a mile to the village," he said; "the first turning on the right leads directly to it. Advance quietly up the lane I will divide the infantry on the flanks ; and, when within a hundred yards of the houses, we'll charge with the bay onet, whilst you at the same time can make a rush with the lancers."
The words were hardly uttered when the eager boy was off at a trot, scarcely attending to the advice that was shouted after him to be prudent, and let the infantry get well up before he charged. He moved up the lane, however, at a tolerably steady pace, and soon saw the infantry divided into two small and compact bodies, moving rapidly over the fields on his right and left, whilst a line of skirmishers re- plied to the sharp fire which was open- ed from the hamlet so soon as the Christinos came within range. At about two hundred yards from the nearest houses, the lane made a bend, and then leading onwards in a straight line, allowed Zurbano to see what was passing on a sort of plaza, or open space, in front of an old convent. A picket of horse and company of in- fantry were formed up, whilst two or three mounted officers, one of whom appeared to be of rank, were superin- tending a military execution. Two men, bareheaded, and with their arms tightly pinioned to their sides, were
of Armentia. [Jan.
placed on their knees opposite to a tiring party. Some confusion was apparent amongst the Carlists when Zurbano's cavalry came in sight, its approach not having been previously visible to them, owing to the narrow- ness of the lane, which was fringed with trees, and tall hedges.
" Perez ! Perez! a ellor ! "* cried, or rather screamed young Martin, the in- stant the above scene burst on his view, and, driving his spurs into his charger, he dashed at a mad gallop over the deep and broken ground, closely followed by his men. Not- withstanding their furious speed, they had scarcely got over a quarter of the distance between them and the enemy, when the fatal word "fuego" was heard, quickly followed by the rattle of a dozen muskets; the two prisoners fell on their faces, and the Carlists, giving a hasty and ill- directed volley, were in full retreat out of the village. Martin followed closely on their track, and no quarter was given to those who came within reach of his or his men's lances. The infantry, which came up a few moments later, joined in the pur- suit of the flying enemy, who were chased with great loss close under the walls of Guevara. Nearly sixty slain Carlists paid for the deaths of Perez and Quintanar, whose bodies were carried to Vittoria, and there interred. Colonel Zurbano, on learning the death of Perez, paid the tribute of a soldier's grief, short but sincere, to the memory of a daring officer and a faithful fol- lower ; and long after the incident we have narrated, he was known to remem- ber and regret the irreparable loss he had sustained in Pablo Quintanar, who had rendered him invaluable services as an unpaid spy, prompted only by his attachment to the cause he had in secret espoused, and for which he so often suffered. His memory is still cherished amongst the hardy partisans of the late war.
- A ellor ! at them ! the usual charging cry of the Spaniards.
