tracted my gaze, and sent the blood
curdling to my heart.

Away in the rear of the advancing drove I saw a small party, distinct
from the rest. Their light dresses fluttering in the wind told me that
they were not Indians. They were women; they were captives!

There appeared to be about twenty in all; but my feelings were such that
I took little heed of their number. I saw that they were mounted, and
that each was guarded by an Indian, who rode by her side.

With a palpitating heart I passed my eye over the group from one to the
other; but the distance was too great to distinguish the features of any
of them. I turned towards the chief. He was standing with the glass to
his eye. I saw him start; his cheek suddenly blanched; his lips
quivered convulsively, and the instrument fell from his fingers to the
ground! With a wild look he staggered back, crying out--

"Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu! Oh, God! Thou hast stricken me now!"

I snatched up the telescope to assure myself. But it needed not that.
As I was raising it, an object running along the opposite side caught my
eye. It was the dog Alp! I levelled the glass, and the next moment was
gazing through it on the face of my betrothed!

So close did she seem that I could hardly restrain myself from calling
to her. I could distinguish her pale, beautiful features. Her cheek
was wan with weeping, and her rich golden hair hung dishevelled from her
shoulders, reaching to the withers of her horse. She was covered with a
serape, and a young Indian rode beside her, mounted upon a showy horse,
and dressed in the habiliments of a Mexican hussar!

I looked at none of the others, though a glance showed me her mother in
the string of captives that came after.

The drove of horses and cattle soon passed up, and the females with
their guards arrived opposite us. The captives were left back on the
prairie, while the warriors rode forward to where their comrades had
halted by the brow of the barranca.

It was now bright day; the fog had cleared away, and across the
impassable gulf the hostile bands stood gazing at each other!

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

NEW MISERY.

It was a most singular rencontre. Here were two parties of men,
heart-foes to one another, each returning from the country of the other,
loaded with plunder and carrying a train of captives! They had met
midway, and stood within musket range, gazing at each other with
feelings of the most bitter hostility