reatment.

The sight of that hated enemy--for whom Don Rafael had so long
fruitlessly searched--stirred within him all the angry energies of his
nature, and, involuntarily uttering a wild cry, he charged forward in
pursuit.

At each moment the space between pursuers and pursued appeared to be
diminishing, and Arroyo--notwithstanding a certain brute courage which
he possessed while combating with other enemies--now felt his heart
beating convulsively against his ribs as he perceived the probability of
being overtaken by his dreaded pursuer.

For a moment there appeared a chance of his being able to save himself.
The troopers of Don Rafael, not so well mounted as their chief, had
fallen behind him several lengths of his horse; and had Arroyo at this
moment faced about with his followers, they might have surrounded the
Colonel, and attacked him all at once.

Arroyo even saw the opportunity; but terror had chased away his habitual
presence of mind; and he permitted this last chance to escape him. He
was influenced, perhaps, by his knowledge of the terrible prowess of his
enemy; and despaired of being able to crush him in so short a time as
would pass before his troopers could come up to his assistance.

The pursued party had now reached the eastern extremity of the lake.
Before them stretched a vast plain, entirely destitute of timber or
other covering. Only to the left appeared the outlines of a tract of
chapparal, or low forest.

The bandits, on looking forward, saw at a glance that the open ground
would give them no advantage. Their horses might be swifter than those
of their pursuers, but this was doubtful; and from the snorting heard at
intervals behind them, they knew that one at least was capable of
overtaking them. The bright moonlight enabled the pursuers to keep them
in view--almost as if it had been noonday; and on the broad, treeless
savanna, no hiding-place could be found. Their only hope then lay in
being able to reach the timber, and finding concealment within the
depths of the forest jungle.

To accomplish this, however, it would be necessary for them to swerve to
the left, which would give the pursuers an advantage; but there was no
help for it, and Arroyo--whom fear had now rendered irresolute--rather
mechanically than otherwise, turned towards the left, and headed for the
chapparal.

Despite the fiery passions that agitated him, Don Rafael still preserved
his presence of mind. Watching wit