One of the soldiers who had accompanied the officer had now cut the
thongs that bound the surviving outrider, who was one of the family
attaches of the old gentleman, and who now busied himself about the
vehicle, at one moment attending to the lady's wants, and now to
harnessing the horse once more.
Removing his cap, and wiping the reeking perspiration from his brow,
the young officer now approached the volante and said to the lady:
"I trust, madame, that you have received no further injury by this
unfortunate encounter than must needs occur to you from fright."
As he spoke thus, the lady turned quickly from looking towards the
old gentleman, who was now on the other side of the vehicle, and
after a moment exclaimed:
"Is it possible, Captain Bezan, that we are indebted to you for this
most opportune deliverance from what seemed to be certain
destruction?"
"Isabella Gonzales!" exclaimed the young officer, with unfeigned
surprise.
"You did not know us, then?" she asked, quickly, in reply.
"Not I, indeed, or else I should sooner have spoken to you."
"You thus risked your life, then, for strangers?" she continued.
"You were the weakest party, were attacked by robbers; it only
required a glance to realize that, and to attack them and release
you was the next most natural thing in the world," replied the
soldier, still wiping the perspiration from his forehead and
temples.
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