portunity.

So it was that, taking matters at their face value in so far as I could
conjecture the facts, I gladly gave General Wilkinson credit for the
part he seemed to have played in checkmating the alleged invasion of the
lower Mississippi by Burr.

The manner in which our host watched our faces as he read the gazette to
us, explained the discourtesy of his first greeting. It was evident that
he regarded our expedition as a reconnoitring party sent out by the
hated _Americanos_ to explore a road for the expected army of invasion.

For my part, I firmly believe it was in fact so intended by General
Wilkinson, who had been known to boast that he could take all New Mexico
in a single campaign. But whether or not he had intended to use our
discoveries to further the treasonable projects of Burr, I will leave to
the verdict of History. At the time, it was enough for me that he had
not joined forces with Burr, but, on the contrary, it would seem had
averted the possibility of the dashing Colonel's capture of New
Orleans.

CHAPTER XXII

GLIMPSES OF FATE

The day before our arrival at Chihuahua, when Lieutenant Malgares
despatched ahead a courier with letters to his wife's father and General
Salcedo, I was suddenly struck with the fact that this First of April,
like that other Day of All Fools out of Philadelphia, was bringing me to
the senorita high in hopes yet none the less uncertain. Then I had
chilled with the dread that my journey's end would find her dear
presence vanished beyond my reach; now I suffered the far more poignant
fear that I might find her heart lost to another.

With such a thought lying like a torpid snake upon my breast, it is not
strange that I slept ill that night. But I was astir in the morning no
earlier than Malgares, who betrayed the liveliest apprehension over his
coming interview with the Commandant-General. It was the first time that
he had been permitted to come south to the seat of government since
leaving it for his daring expedition into our territories, nearly a year
past. Pike and I were astonished to find that he was not beaming with
expectation of the rewards his gallant exploit deserved. Instead he rode
along between us in silence, his fine Castilian face creased with lines
of anxiety, almost of dread.

We were now passing over the last few miles of the vast
mountain-encircled plain which surrounds the city of Chihuahua and upon
which, as well as similar vast ranges