nterview with Tlaloc and his wife Matlacuezc. Costal was only
too glad to agree to this proposition; and promised to find a proper
halting-place for Don Cornelio at some distance from the shores of the
lake. There was no house of any kind in the vicinity, not even the
meanest hut. This, Costal, from his perfect knowledge of the locality,
was aware of; but the night was a pleasant one, and a few hours might be
passed in the open air without any great inconvenience.

Shortly after, the cool freshness of the breeze proclaimed that the lake
was not far off; and a pleasant grove of shady palm-trees offered an
inviting shelter to Don Cornelio. It was the spot which Costal had
designed for his halting-place; and here, parting from the two acolytes,
the Captain dismounted, and prepared to make himself as comfortable as
possible during their absence. Meanwhile Costal and Clara kept on
towards the lake, and were soon lost to view under the shadows of the
forest.

Don Cornelio had not been long left to himself, ere he began to rue the
disposition thus made of him. It now occurred to him, and not without
reason, that the comrades of Gaspacho might fancy to avenge the
brigand's death, and for that purpose follow him and his two attendants
through the forest. Arroyo would now be absent from the hacienda; Don
Cornelio had heard him proclaim his intention of going in search of its
mistress; and his subalterns might pay less respect to the emissary of
Morelos than their chief.

These considerations influencing the spirit of Don Cornelio, produced
within him a certain degree of uneasiness--sufficient to make him
discontented with the position he had chosen.

Determined to get nearer to Costal--whom he looked upon almost as his
natural protector--he remounted his horse, and continued along the path
that had been taken by the other two.

After riding a few hundred yards, he discerned rising up before his face
a high hill crowned with mist; and shortly after, the woods becoming
more open, he was enabled to perceive that this hill was surrounded by a
large lake of dark, sombre aspect. Though he now looked upon both the
lake and mountain for the first time, he had no difficulty in
identifying them as the Lake Ostuta and the sacred mountain of
Monopostiac.

A belt of forest still lay between him and the lake, extending around
its southern end. Entering into the timber, he rode nearly across it,
until the reedy shore of the lake