ession
of countenance, and long snaky tresses of hair hanging down over his
shoulders, like thongs of smoked leather.

"Speak!" commanded Arroyo, as he entered. "Thou bearer of evil tidings,
what have you to tell us now?"

"Perhaps, Senor Captain," responded the brigand, who, notwithstanding
his habitual air of importance, was evidently cowed by the scowl of his
superior, "perhaps I have some good news as well?"

"First, then, deliver your bad ones!"

"Well, then, Senor Captain, there are not enough of us to take this
hacienda by assault. The den of coyotes has proved stronger than we
expected; and I am sent to ask for a reinforcement of men."

"Who has sent you?--Lieutenant Lantejas?"

"Lieutenant Lantejas will never send another message. This morning his
head was nailed over the gate of the hacienda along with that of
Sergeant Yanez."

"Tripes of the fiend!" exclaimed the guerilla leader, "Yanez, too!"

"Their heads are not the only ones, Captain. Besides them are those of
Salinas and Tuerto, to say nothing of Matavidas, Sacamedios, and
Piojento, who were taken prisoners and hung alive by the feet from the
parapet of the building. We had to fire at them and kill them with our
carbines, in order to put an end to their sufferings."

"They deserved it--a fig for their lives! Why did they allow themselves
to be taken alive?"

"That's just what I told them," said Gaspacho, with an air of assent.
"I warned them that your honour would be very angry about it. But they
did not mind what I said for all that."

"So then there are now only forty-four of you laying siege to the
accursed place?"

"Your pardon, Captain. I did not yet mention four others who have been
hung up by the necks. Upon these we were not obliged to spend our
powder--as they were dead enough already."

"_Carajo_!" vociferated the brigand with a furious accent. "Ten of my
men gone already! _Demonios_! Am I to lose this band like the other?
Go on! You have given me enough of ill news. Let me hear some of what
you call good ones!"

"Yesterday evening a horseman approached the hacienda riding towards it,
as if he had nothing to do but present himself at the gate and be
admitted. Before getting near, however, he was seen by two of our
videttes, who at once charged upon him. After a fight, in which the
horseman made a fierce resistance, he managed to escape."

"_Carajo_!--the stupids!"

"Don't be angry with the poor fellows, Seno