tamely to conduct so brusque and
uncourteous as was that of the videttes. His resistance ended in
putting both of them _hors de combat_; but the circumstances of the
encounter, for certain reasons, had been somewhat misrepresented by
Gaspacho.

It is true that one of the two soldiers had his shoulder fractured by a
shot; but the bullet had also passed so near his heart, that the man was
dead in an hour after. As to the other, it was true that the Colonel
dashed him to the ground as described; but, before doing so, he had
taken the precaution to plunge his dagger into the breast of this second
adversary.

Although he had left both deprived of the power to give the alarm,
unfortunately the report of his pistol had betrayed his presence to the
guerilleros. In a few moments half a score of them were riding in
pursuit; for, by the orders of their chief, one half their horses were
kept saddled and bridled both day and night.

After disembarrassing himself of his two adversaries, the Colonel had
hesitated a moment, as to whether he should return on his path or
continue on to the hacienda. It was during this interval of hesitation
that the pursuing horsemen drew near, and that one of them (Pepe Lobos
by name) caught sight of and recognised him, while the snorting of
Roncador as he galloped off confirmed the guerillero in his belief.

It is likely enough that the extreme hatred which Arroyo bore for the
Colonel was at this crisis the means of saving his life. The
guerilleros, knowing the desire of their chief that Tres-Villas should
be captured alive, reflected upon the rich recompense they might expect
if they should so take him. Otherwise the volley of carbine shots,
which they would have delivered on the instant, might have terminated
the existence of their dreaded foe.

On seeing the horsemen, Don Rafael suddenly wheeled round and galloped
back as he had come. His hope lay in being able to distance his
pursuers, and afterwards find a temporary refuge in the thick forest he
had just been traversing, and through which ran the road to Huajapam.
With this purpose in view, he returned along the route at full gallop.

When he deemed himself at a sufficient distance in advance of his
pursuers, he wheeled suddenly from the road and headed his steed into
the thick underwood, through which he spurred onward, until his passage
was fairly barred up by an impenetrable network of vines and bushes.
Here he halted; and, dismou