Yet Don Diego Followed After Him With So Much
Diligence That He Very Nearly Got Up With Him.
In this emergency, as
Holguin was by no means in sufficient force to venture a battle with Don
Diego, he put the following stratagem in practice to enable him to escape,
which effectually succeeded.
During the night he detached twenty horsemen
to make an attack on the advanced guard of the enemy, with orders to take
some prisoners if possible, and then to retire. They executed their orders
successfully and made three prisoners, two of whom Holguin ordered to be
immediately hanged, and offered life and liberty with a considerable
reward in money to the third, if he would carry information to certain
persons in the army of Don Diego, who he pretended were disposed to join
him, that he intended to attack the right wing of the camp in the ensuing
night, that they might be ready to assist him. He even administered an
oath to this soldier that he would religiously keep the secret from every
one but those to whom he was directed to carry the message. Being a young
man and desirous of procuring the promised large reward, he readily
undertook the commission, and returned to the camp of Don Diego. When Don
Diego understood that this man had come back, and that his two companions
were hanged by Holguin, he suspected that mercy had been shewn him on some
private conditions; for which reason he ordered the soldier to be put to
the torture, who immediately avowed all that had been confided to him.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 733 of 796
Words from 203311 to 203577
of 221091
