He
stood behind General San Martin's chair and looked proudly at us all.
He had a round blue cap edged with silver braid on his head, and we all
could see a large white scar on the nape of his sunburnt neck.
"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.
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