Page:Infernal secret, or, The invulnerable Spaniard.pdf/12

 aided in like manner by supernatural agency ?" asked Don Alphonso. “I doubt it not, my lords," replied Theodore, " and will hasten to impart the same to the noble Donna, who may hold herself prepared for every supernatural attack by bearing ever on her person the crucifix she wears." Rosa now staggered into the apartment, pale and trembling, and addressed Theodore, remarked, she saw the stranger signor at her lady's feet, and heard her compelled to promise to meet him at ten o'clock this very night." —The signors stood aghast, and recollecting they had no common enemy to deal with, Antaldi sought the chief inquisitor of Spain to defend him in these awful emergencies.

We must now request our readers to accompany us to the outskirts of Madrid untill we stop at a lone spot, overgrown with brambles, on either side of the pass, (which was seldom crossed except by way-lost travellers, who seldom lived to describe it, so numerous was the band of desperadoes who inhabited this dreary refuge,) were overhanging rocks, thickly clothed with long coarse weeds, from which the ruffians frequently took aim at the unsuspecting traveller. A rude cross or two, with inscriptions of entreaty to pray for the murdered, made this naturally lone and fearful spot more fearful and repulsive still. Here, then, at early morn, the terror of Madrid, the fearful Montilla, led forth the brother of the wretch who expired immediately after the dreadful disclosure he had made in the family of the Marquis Antaldi. Montilla now addressed the wondering robber thus :—" Thy life is spared, and thy fate is bound to mine; dare not even in thy thought to flinch from thy blood signed agreement, or by the terrors of this my right arm, whose power thou hast witnessed, I will extend thee a corpse upon the earth, Recollect, thou art not now to learn my power; I snatched thee from