Plaza, the loud viva which rent the air appeared
to proclaim that the revolution was
accomplished and Milcarrambas saved.

Not yet, however. For, a rumour began to
spread among the crowd that the National
Guard were under arms, and marching against
the assembly of patriots with the intention of
dispersing it, and crushing the aspirations of
the party of order and enlightenment with fire
and sword. Many of the more timid began to
slink off, as a force of upwards of a hundred
armed men in uniform—red shirts and straw
hats—entered the Plaza at a rapid pace, and
forming along one side of it in a formidable though
rather irregular line, began to fix bayonets in
obedience to the hoarse orders of their
commanding officer. It was then that Don Ramon
Redondo showed that his friends had not been
deceived in him, and that he was indeed the
man of the crisis. Spurring his mule, he dashed
fearlessly forward towards the bristling line, and
addressed the stern warriors in one of those
short and touching orations for which he was
famous, beginning, "Companions in arms!"
and concluding with an invitation to the officers
to dine with him, and an exhortation to the
soldiers to fraternise with the people, and to quench
their thirst at his expense. None of the
orations recorded by Livy, ever produced such an
instantaneous effect; the heroes of the National
Guard piled arms as one man, and rushed with
enthusiasm to the nearest fountain of pulqué.

All obstacles being now overcome, the victorious
vindicators of order—such of them at least
as were able to walk steadily—proceeded to the
residence of Don Juan Cachorro, in order to
secure the person of the oppressor. Some
carpers may be of opinion that this step ought to
have been taken at an earlier stage of the
revolution; but the saviours of their country knew
better. The governor of Milcarrambas had the
reputation of being a man of bad temper, and
was known to possess a pair of Colt's revolvers,
which he might have been ill-advised enough to
use had any hope of preserving his authority
remained to him. Every one, therefore, felt
rather relieved when it was ascertained that
Don Juan, upon hearing of the defection of the
National Guard, had mounted his horse and
retired precipitately into the country.

This was the crowning garland of victory.
The citizens gave themselves up without restraint
to feasting and revelry, and the town resounded
until a late hour with the noise of rockets, blank-
cartridge, enlightened sentiments, and ecstatic
vivas.

Long before evening, the vessel consigned to
Messrs. Smith, Jones, and Lecarottier, had
quietly dropped anchor in the port, and, without
undergoing the odious formality of a custom-house
officer's visit, had begun to discharge her valuable
cargo, under the personal superintendence
of one of the partners of that respectable firm.

A week passed, during which Señor Redondo
repented bitterly of having allowed himself to
be seduced from the quiet sphere of private life.
He found that the cares of state interfered with
his regular hours of refreshment and repose, and
threatened to ruin his digestion. The populace
and the citizen soldiery were unwilling to return
at once to their ordinary avocations after the
exciting interlude of political strife they had
enjoyed, and were deeply discontented to find
that the drinking-shops were no longer open on
credit.

Perhaps Don Ramon was not very sorry when
he learned that his enemy was about to re-enter
the town, at the head of an overwhelming force
of two hundred men, recruited in the
neighbouring districts. The friends at whose instigation
the revolution had been accomplished offered
no encouragement to active resistance, and he
fled beyond seas on board the Pepita, the night
before his rival's triumphant restoration to
power. His pardon was granted a month afterwards,
upon security being given for peaceful
behaviour, and the payment of a moderate fine.
Don Juan Cachorro also attempted to enforce
the customs dues from Messrs. Smith, Jones,
and Lecarottier; but those gentlemen
indignantly declared that if any such outrage were
committed, they would apply for protection to
the commanders of the Bulldog and the
Renommée sloops-of-war, belonging to the Pacific
squadrons of their respective countries. As it
was well known that the officers in question
would not hesitate to bombard the town, it
was judged prudent to stop proceedings against
the peaceful merchants. So, Milcarrambas soon
settled down into its usual state of contented
inactivity and dreamy repose, and Don Ramon
gave dinner-parties as before.

NEW WORK
BY SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON.

NEXT WEEK
Will be continued (to be completed in six months)

A STRANGE STORY,

BY THE
AUTHOR OF "MY NOVEL," " RIENZI," &c. &c.

Now ready, in 3 vols. post 8vo,
FOURTH EDITION of

GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.

Just published, price 5s. 6d., bound in cloth,
THE FIFTH YOLUME
OF
ALL THE YEAR ROUND.

Containing from Nos. 101 to 126, both inclusive.
The preceding Volumes are always to be had.

The right of Translating Articles from ALL THE YEAR ROUND is reserved by the Authors.