e would confront the enemies whom he was burning
to reach. The impetuous pace of a horse excites a man to the greatest
degree; horse and rider react upon each other, and Fabian in his
excitement forgot the inequality of numbers, therefore the spectacle
which met his eyes was one that caused him a bitter disappointment.

As already stated, a bridge composed of trunks of trees roughly cut,
joined the two steep banks, between which roared the Salto de Agua.
This bridge, broad enough for a horse to pass over, rested at each end
on the bare rock without anything to secure it, and the strength of a
few men might overturn the trees and render the crossing impossible.

Just as Fabian reached the bridge, four horses, urged on by their
riders, were pulling vigorously, with ropes attached to the trees, which
at that moment yielding, fell with a crash into the torrent.

Fabian uttered a cry of rage. A man turned round--it was Don Estevan,
but Don Estevan separated from him by an impassable barrier, and looking
triumphantly at him.

Fabian, his clothes torn to pieces by the brambles, and his face so
transformed by fury as to be scarcely recognisable, rushed forward in
his blind rage to cross the river. But his horse reared violently and
refused to proceed.

"Fire on him!" cried Don Estevan, "or the madman will derange all our
plans. Fire, I tell you!"

Three carbines were already pointed at Fabian, when at some distance
behind him loud voices were heard, and Pepe and the Canadian appeared.
At the sight of these formidable rifles, the outlaws hesitated; Fabian
made a new effort, but the frightened horse plunged and reared as
before.

"Fire!" again cried Don Estevan.

"Woe to him who does!" shouted the Canadian, "and you, Fabian, in
heaven's name, retire!"

"Yes, it is I, Fabian!" cried the Count, in a voice which drowned the
thunder of the torrent and the cries of the hunters, "Fabian, who comes
to avenge his mother's blood upon the infamous Don Antonio de Mediana!"

Then, while his voice still sounded in the ears of Don Estevan, who for
the first time in his life stood motionless with terror, the impetuous
young man drew his knife and pricked his horse with it.

This time the animal gave a furious leap across the gulf and reached the
opposite bank; but one of his feet slipped, and after a short struggle
he fell backwards, both horse and rider disappearing in the flood. A
cry of anguish burst from the Canadian and o