“Somebody asked him what he had done with the captured Spanish officers.

“He shrugged his shoulders scornfully.  ’What a question to ask!  In a partisan war you do not burden yourself with prisoners.  I let them go—­and here are their sword-knots.’

“He flung a bunch of them on the table upon the flag.  Then General Robles, whom I was attending there, spoke up in his loud, thick voice:  ’You did!  Then, my brave friend, you do not know yet how a war like ours ought to be conducted.  You should have done—­this.’  And he passed the edge of his hand across his own throat.

“Alas, senores!  It was only too true that on both sides this contest, in its nature so heroic, was stained by ferocity.  The murmurs that arose at General Robles’ words were by no means unanimous in tone.  But the generous and brave San Martin praised the humane action, and pointed out to Ruiz a place on his right hand.  Then rising with a full glass he proposed a toast:  ’Caballeros and comrades-in-arms, let us drink the health of Captain Gaspar Ruiz.’  And when we had emptied our glasses:  ‘I intend,’ the Commander-in-Chief continued, ’to entrust him with the guardianship of our southern frontier, while we go afar to liberate our brethren in Peru.  He whom the enemy could not stop from striking a blow at his very heart will know how to protect the peaceful populations we leave behind us to pursue our sacred task.’  And he embraced the silent Gaspar Ruiz by his side.

“Later on, when we all rose from table, I approached the latest officer of the army with my congratulations.  ‘And, Captain Ruiz,’ I added, ’perhaps you do not mind telling a man who has always believed in the uprightness of your character what became of Dona Erminia on that night?’

“At this friendly question his aspect changed.  He looked at me from under his eyebrows with the heavy, dull glance of a guasso—­of a peasant.  ‘Senor teniente,’ he said, thickly, and as if very much cast down, ’do not ask me about the senorita, for I prefer not to think about her at all when I am amongst you.”

“He looked, with a frown, all about the room, full of smoking and talking officers.  Of course I did not insist.

“These, senores, were the last words I was to hear him utter for a long, long time.  The very next day we embarked for our arduous expedition to Peru, and we only heard of Gaspar Ruiz’ doings in the midst of battles of our own.  He had been appointed military guardian of our southern province.  He raised a partida.  But his leniency to the conquered foe displeased the Civil Governor, who was a formal, uneasy man, full of suspicions.  He forwarded reports against Gaspar Ruiz to the Supreme Government; one of them being that he had married publicly, with great pomp, a woman of Royalist tendencies.  Quarrels were sure to arise between these two men of very different character.  At last the Civil Governor began to complain of his inactivity and to hint at treachery,