ter.

So adroitly had they managed the whole matter that, upon the morning
after the final _coup_ of the robbers--the abduction of Rosita--there
was not a soul in the settlement, themselves and their two aides
excepted, that had the slightest suspicion but that real hostile Indians
were the actors!

Yes, there was one other who had a suspicion--only a suspicion--Rosita's
mother. Even the girl believed herself in the hands of Indians--_if
belief she had_.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

"Ha! ha! ha! A capital joke, by my honour!" continued Roblado, laughing
as he puffed his cigar. "It's the only piece of fun I've enjoyed since
we came to this stupid place. Even in a frontier post I find that one
_may_ have a little amusement if he know how to make it. Ha! ha! ha!
After all, there was a devilish deal of trouble. But come, tell me, my
dear Comandante--for you know by this time--in confidence, was it worth
the trouble?"

"I am sorry we have taken it," was the reply, delivered in a serious
tone.

Roblado looked straight in the other's face, and now for the first time
noticed its gloomy expression. Busied with his cigar, he had not
observed this before.

"Hola!" exclaimed he; "what's the matter, my colonel? This is not the
look a man should wear who has spent the last twelve hours as pleasantly
as you must have done. Something amiss?"

"Everything amiss."

"Pray what? Surely you were with her?"

"But a moment, and that was enough."

"Explain, my dear colonel."

"She is mad!"

"Mad!"

"Having mad! Her talk terrified me. I was but too glad to come away,
and leave her to the care of Jose, who waits upon her. I could not bear
to listen to her strange jabberings. I assure you, camarado, it robbed
me of all desire to remain."

"Oh," said Roblado, "that's nothing--she'll get over it in a day or so.
She still thinks herself in the hands of the savages who are going to
murder and scalp her! It may be as well for you to undeceive her of
this as soon as she comes to her senses. I don't see any harm in
letting _her_ know. You must do so in the end, and the sooner the
better--you will have the longer time to get her reconciled to it. Now
that you have her snug within earless and eyeless walls, you can manage
the thing at your leisure. No one suspects--no one _can_ suspect. They
are full of the Indians to-day--ha! ha! ha! and 'tis said her inamorato,
Don Juan, talks of getting up a party to pursue them!