mpleted an officer had made
his appearance from a small but comfortable guard-house at the side of
the road. He was only a lieutenant, and he appeared to gaze with more
than a little awe upon the superscription of Ned's precious government
envelope. He turned it over and over, and almost smelled of it.

"Senor Carfora!" he exclaimed. "This must not be delayed for a moment!
You must ride on, if it kills you. Come in and get a dinner. We will
give you a fresh mount. Tell us the news while you are eating."

"I will do so," replied Ned, with a tremendous effort to stop shivering
and look important. "But I will say that I was told that any man
interfering with that despatch would be shot in one hour."

"Beyond a doubt!" declared the lieutenant, with emphasis. "It would
serve him right, too. This is no time for trifling with orders."

A hearty dinner by a blazing log fire made the despatch-bearer feel a
great deal better, but at the end of it no mercy was shown him. His
fresh pony was ready, and he was ordered to mount and ride. He did so
without offering any objections, and he carried with him the
lieutenant's written pass, for possible use further down the mountain.
It was a good thing to have, but he was called upon to present it only
twice, receiving in each instance positive instructions to push onward
if it killed him and his new pony.

"I can't stand this much longer!" he exclaimed, as the sun was setting.
"I'm almost beyond the snow-line. I think I'll disobey the guards a
little, but I'll keep on obeying Senora Paez. She told me on no account
to try to sleep in a large town or village. They are all military posts,
and too many questions might be asked. I'll try a hacienda, just as I
did on the other side of the mountains. Everybody wants to hear the
news."

Everybody in that region was also genuinely hospitable, and it was
barely dusk when Ned rode in at the gate of a substantial farmhouse, to
be welcomed with the utmost cordiality. Men, women, and children crowded
eagerly around him, to hear all he could tell them of the great battle
and victory of Angostura, and of the current doings in the capital city.
A warm bed was given him, and after a long sleep he awoke somewhat
better fitted for whatever else might be before him. Once more he pushed
on, but before noon of that day all signs of winter were far behind him.
He had passed through more than one considerable village, but so had
other travellers, coming or g