n the night, the probability was that they were in but small
force,--some weak band of robbers. Had it been otherwise, they would
have long since boldly shown themselves by daylight, and carried on
their depredations on a much larger scale.

During all this time the mother and sister of the cibolero lived in
their lone rancho without any protection, and were, perhaps, less in
dread of the Indians than any other family in the whole valley. This
was to be attributed to several causes. First, their training, which
had taught them to make light of dangers that terrified their less
courageous neighbours. Secondly, their poor hut was not likely to tempt
the cupidity of Indian robbers, whose design was evidently plunder.
There were too many well-stocked ranchos a little farther up the valley.
The Indians would not be likely to molest them.

But there was still a better reason for this feeling, of confidence on
their part, and that was somewhat of a family secret. Carlos, having
traded with all the neighbouring tribes, was known to the Indians, and
was on terms of friendship with nearly every one of their chiefs. One
cause of this friendship was, that Carlos was known to them as an
_American_. Such was their feeling in regard to Americans that, at this
time, and for a long period after, both the trappers and traders of that
nation could pass through the whole Apache and Comanche range in the
smallest parties without molestation, while large caravans of Mexicans
would be attacked and robbed! It was only long after that these tribes
assumed a fierce hostility against the Saxon whites; and this was
brought about by several acts of barbarism committed by parties of the
whites themselves.

In his dealings with the Indios bravos, then, the cibolero had not
forgotten his little rancho at home; and he had always counselled his
mother and sister not to fear the Indians in his absence, assuring them
that these would not molest them.

The only tribe with which Carlos was not on friendly terms was the
Jicarilla, a small and miserable band that lived among the mountains
north-east of Santa Fe. They were a branch of the Apaches, but lived
apart, and had little in common with the great freebooters of the
south--the _Mezcaleros_ and _Wolf-eaters_.

For these reasons, then, the little Rosita and her mother, though not
entirely without apprehension, were yet less frightened by the current
rumours of the time than their neighbours.