a humble sphere, they performed deeds of unheard-of valour, daring, and
impertinence.

Juan Guillen, the first of the Guillens whose memory is preserved, was a
highwayman of Villanueva.

What motives for vengeance Juan Guillen had against the Peyro family is
not known. The old folk of the period, two or three who are still alive,
always say that these Peyros devoted themselves to usury; and there is
some talk of a certain sister of Juan Guillen's, ruined by one of the
Peyros, whom they made disappear from the town.

Whatever the motive was, the fact is that one day Peyro, the father, and
his eldest son were found, full of bullet holes, in an orange orchard.

Juan Guillen was arrested; in court he affirmed his innocence with great
tenacity; but after he had been sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, he
said that there were still two Peyros left to kill, whom he would put
off until he got out of prison.

As it turned out, Guillen was set free after six years and returned to
Villanueva. The two threatened Peyros did their utmost to keep away from
the revengeful Guillen; but it did not work. Juan Guillen killed one
of the Peyros while he was watering the flowers in the balcony of his
house. The other took refuge in a remote farm-house rented to peasants
in his confidence. This man, who was very crafty, always took great
precautions about all the people that came there, and never forgot to
close the doors and windows at night.

One morning he was found in bed with his head shot to pieces by a