risoner. What the
feelings of Don Ramon Mora were that night is not for pen to picture,
for they must have been indescribable.

The following day the leader of these bandits held several
conversations with him, asking in regard to his family, his children
in particular, their names, number, and ages. When evening came they
set out once more southward, crossing the Rio Grande during the night
at an unused ford. The next morning found them well inland on the
Mexican side, and encamped in one of their many chaparral rendezvous.
Here they spent several days, sometimes, however, only a few of the
band being present. The density of the thickets on the first and
second bottoms of this river, extending back inland often fifty miles,
made this camp and refuge almost inaccessible. The country furnished
their main subsistence; fresh meat was always at hand, while their
comrades, scouting the river towns, supplied such comforts as were
lacking.

Don Ramon's appeals to his captors to know his offense and what his
punishment was to be were laughed at until he had been their prisoner
a week. One night several of the party returned, awoke him out of a
friendly sleep, and he was notified that their chief would join them
by daybreak, and then he would know what his offense had been. When
this personage made his appearance, he ordered Don Ramon released from
his fetters. Every one in camp showed obeisance to him. After holding
a general conversation with his followers, he approached Don Ramon,
the band forming a circle about the prisoner and their chief.

"Don Ramon Mora," he began, with mock courtesy, "doubtless you
consider yourself an innocent and abused person. In that you are
wrong. Your offense is a political one. Your family for three
generations have opposed the freedom of Mexico. When our people were
conquered and control was given to the French, it was through the
treachery of such men as you. Treason is unpardonable, Senor Mora. It
is useless to enumerate your crimes against human liberty. Living as
you do under a friendly government, you have incited the ignorant to
revolution and revolt against the native rulers. Secret agents of our
common country have shadowed you for years. It is useless to deny your
guilt. Your execution, therefore, will be secret, in order that your
co-workers in infamy shall not take alarm, but may meet a similar
fate."

Turning to one of the party who had acted as leader at the time of his
captur