obstinate, and concluded his
monitions by presenting his bill. It amounted to the modest sum of one
hundred dollars! It was an extortion. What could I do? I stormed and
protested. The Mexican threatened me with "Governor's" justice. Gode
swore in French, Spanish, English, and Indian. It was all to no
purpose. I saw that the bill would have to be paid, and I paid it,
though with indifferent grace.

The leech disappeared, and the landlord came next. He, like the former,
made earnest entreaty to prevent me from setting forth. He offered a
variety of reasons to detain me.

"Do not go; for your life, senor, do not!"

"And why, good Jose?" I inquired.

"Oh, senor, los Indios bravos! los Navajoes! carambo!"

"But I am not going into the Indian country. I travel down the river,
through the towns of New Mexico."

"Ah! senor! the towns! no hay seguridad. No, no; there is safety
nowhere from the Navajo. Hay novedades: news this very day. Polvidera;
pobre polvidera! It was attacked on Sunday last. On Sunday, senor,
when they were all en la misa. Pues, senor, the robbers surrounded the
church; and oh, carambo! they dragged out the poor people--men, women
and children! Pues, senor; they kill the men: and the women: Dios de mi
alma!"

"Well, and the women?"

"Oh, senor! they are all gone; they were carried to the mountains by the
savages. Pobres mugeres!"

"It is a sad story, truly; but the Indians, I understand, only make
these forays at long intervals. I am not likely to meet with them now.
At all events, Jose, I have made up my mind to run the risk."

"But, senor," continued Jose, lowering his voice to a confidential tone,
"there are other ladrones besides the Indians: white ones, muchos,
muchissimos! Ay, indeed, mi amo, white robbers; blancos, blancos y muy
feos, carrai!"

And Jose closed his fingers as if clutching some imaginary object.

This appeal to my fears was in vain. I answered it by pointing to my
revolvers and rifle, and to the well-filled belt of my henchman Gode.

When the Mexican Boniface saw that I was determined to rob him of all
the guests he had in his house, he retired sullenly, and shortly after
returned with his bill. Like that of the medico, it was out of all
proportion; but I could not help myself, and paid it.

By grey dawn I was in my saddle; and, followed by Gode and a couple of
heavily packed mules, I rode out of the ill-favoured town, and took the
road for the