d from his heels, and his bridle-rein, cut in two, was
shared between Blake and his faithful sergeant. Behind these three rode
another set. Sandwiched between two troopers was a man whom Sancho's
people well remembered as Nevins' clerk and assistant, despite the fact
that a bushy beard now covered the face that was smooth-shaven in the
halcyon days of the supply camp. Then came some thirty horsemen in long,
straggling column of twos, while, straight from the flank to the gate of
the corral, silent and even somber, rode the engineer, Lieutenant
Loring. To him Sancho whipped off his silver-laced sombrero and bowed,
while two jaded-looking _vaqueros_, after one long yet furtive stare,
glanced quickly at each other and sidled away to the nearest aperture in
the wall of the ranch, which happened to be the dining-room door. Loring
mechanically touched his hat-brim in recognition of the ranch-keeper's
obeisance, but there was no liking in his eye. At the gate he slowly,
somewhat stiffly, dismounted, for it was evident he had ridden long and
far. The roan with hanging head tripped eagerly, yet wearily, to his
accustomed stall, and a swarthy Mexican unloosed at once the _cincha_
and removed the horsehair bridle. Thus Sancho and the engineer were left
by themselves, though inquisitive ranch folk sauntered to the gateway
and peered after them into the corral. Over at the little clump of
willows Blake's men were throwing their carbines across their shoulders
and dismounting as they reached the old familiar spot, and Loring cast
one look thither before he spoke.

"Who were the two men who followed me?" he calmly asked, and his eyes,
though red-rimmed and inflamed by the dust of the desert, looked
straight into the dark face of the aggrieved Sancho.

"Surely I know not, Senor Teniente"--he had dropped the "capitan" as too
transparent flattery.

"Don't lie, Sancho. There's ten more dollars," and Loring tossed an
eagle into the ready palm. "That's thirty, and I shall want that horse
again in the morning."

"To-morrow, senor! Why, he will not be fit to go."

But to this observation Mr. Loring made no reply. Straight from Sancho's
side he walked down the corral, halted behind two rangy, hard-looking
steeds that showed still the effects of recent severe usage, and these
he studied coolly and thoroughly a few minutes, while peering from two
narrow slits in the ranch wall between the windows two sun-tanned
frontiersmen as closely studi