two silver medals, and other trinkets belonging to her family.  No sooner had the gipsies left the inn than she made a great outcry, declaring that the gipsies had robbed her, till she brought about her the officers of justice and all the people of the place.  The gipsies halted, and all swore that they had no stolen property with them, offering at the same time to let all their baggage be searched.  This made the old gipsy woman very uneasy, lest the proposed scrutiny should lead to the discovery of Preciosa’s trinkets and Andrew’s clothes, which she preserved with great care.  But the good wench Carducha quickly put an end to her fears on that head, for before they had turned over two packages, she said to the men, “Ask which of these bundles belongs to that gipsy who is such a great dancer.  I saw him enter my room twice, and probably he is the thief.”

Andrew knew it was himself she meant, and answered with a laugh, “Senora doncella, this is my bundle, and that is my ass.  If you find in or upon either of them what you miss, I will pay you the value sevenfold, beside submitting to the punishment which the law awards for theft.”

The officers of justice immediately unloaded the ass, and in the turn of a hand discovered the stolen property, whereat Andrew was so shocked and confounded that he stood like a stone statue.  “I was not out in my suspicions,” said Carducha; “see with what a good looking face the rogue covers his villany.”  The alcalde, who was present, began to abuse Andrew and the rest of the gipsies, calling them common thieves and highwaymen.  Andrew said not a word, but stood pondering in the utmost perplexity, for he had no surmise of Carducha’s treachery.  At last, an insolent soldier, nephew to the alcalde, stepped up to him, saying “Look at the dirty gipsy thief!  I will lay a wager he will give himself airs as if he were an honest man, and deny the robbery, though the goods have been found in his hands.  Good luck to whoever sends the whole pack of you to the galleys.  A fitter place it will be for this scoundrel, where he may serve his Majesty, instead of going about dancing from place to place, and thieving from venta to mountain.  On the faith of a soldier, I have a mind to lay him at my feet with a blow.”

So saying, without more ado he raised his hand, and gave Andrew such a buffet as roused him from his stupor, and made him recollect that he was not Andrew Caballero but Don Juan and a gentleman; therefore, flinging himself upon the soldier with sudden fury, he snatched his sword from its sheath, buried it in his body, and laid him dead at his feet.  The people shouted and yelled; the dead man’s uncle, the alcalde, was frantic with rage; Preciosa fainted, and Andrew, regardless of his own defence, thought only of succouring her.  As ill luck would have it, Clement was not on the spot, having gone forward with some baggage, and Andrew was set upon, by so many, that they overpowered him, and loaded him with heavy chains.  The alcalde