appeared in the distance.

"The horse he will be riding," said Gertrudis, at the moment
interrupting her devotions, "will be his bay-brown. He knows how much I
admire that beautiful steed--his noble war-horse that carried him
through all his campaigns against the Indians. I have often taken the
flowers from my hair to place them upon the frontlet of the brave
bay-brown. Oh! _Virgen Santissima_! O Jesus! sweet Lord! Don Rafael!
my beautiful! my loved! who will bring you to me?" cried the young
girl--her wild, passionate ejaculations mingling with the words of her
prayer.

The plain was every moment becoming less visible to the eye, as the
twilight deepened into the shadows of night, when all at once it was
re-illuminated by the pale rays of the moon. Still no horseman could be
seen either near or afar off--nothing but the tall, dark palm-trees that
stood motionless in the midst of the silent savanna.

"He has been warned in time," suggested Marianita, in hopes of
tranquillising her sister. "Most likely he will not have set out
to-day."

"Oh, no--no!" cried Gertrudis, wringing her hands in anguish; "you are
wrong. I know Don Rafael too well. I judge his heart by my own. I am
sure he would try to be here this very evening. Another day would be
too long for him. He would brave every danger, if only to see me a few
hours sooner--I know he would. I know he will be coming at this
moment!"

Just then a noise as of distant thunder was heard mingling with the
metallic notes of the bell; and simultaneous with this ominous dialogue,
between the hoarse muffled rumbling of the waters and the lugubrious
clanging, a sheen of reddish light was seen to gleam suddenly over the
moon-whitened plain, and, as it glared far into the distance,
illuminating the dark forms of the palm-trees. It was proceeding from
the beacon fires which Don Mariano had caused to be kindled both on the
platform of the hacienda and on the higher ridge behind it--in hopes
that their light might serve as a guide to those who might be still
wandering upon the plain.

Both the eye and the ear were thus warned of the threatening danger;
and, as the people moved around the blazing fires, their shadows,
magnified to gigantic proportions, were projected far out upon the
savanna.

The moments passed slowly, amidst fearful and ominous sounds. The
muffled roar of the inundation was every instant heard more distinctly,
as the exasperated flood came r