dden by the green foliage of the trees standing around it. The point
from which it is viewed is on the summit of a low hill, at least a
league off, and in a direct line between the house itself and the
deserted Indian village. For although the returning travellers have not
passed through the latter place, but, for reasons already given,
intentionally avoided it, the route they had taken, now nearer home, has
brought them back into that, between it and the estancia.

A slow journey they have made. It is all of eight hours since, at
earliest sunrise, they rode out from among the _sumac_ trees on the bank
of the branch stream; and the distance gone over cannot be much more
than twenty miles. Under ordinary circumstances the gaucho would have
done it in two hours, or less.

As it is, he has had reasons for delaying, more than one. First, his
desire to make the journey without being observed; and to guard against
this, he has been zig-zagging a good deal, to take advantage of such
cover as was offered by the palm-groves and scattered copses of
_quebracho_.

A second cause retarding him has been the strange behaviour of his
travelling companion, whose horse he has had to look after all along the
way. Nothing has this rider done for himself, nor is yet doing; neither
guides the horse, nor lays hand upon the bridle-rein, which, caught over
the saddle-bow, swings loosely about. He does not even urge the animal
on by whip or spur. And as for word, he has not spoken one all day,
neither to the gaucho, nor in soliloquy to himself! Silent he is, as
when halted by the edge of the _sumac_ wood, and in exactly the same
attitude; the only change observable being his hat, which is a little
more slouched over his face, now quite concealing it.

But the two causes assigned are not the only ones why they have been so
long in reaching the spot where they now are. There is a third
influencing the gaucho. He has not wished to make better speed. Nor
does he yet desire it, as is evident by his actions. For now arrived on
the hill's top, within sight of home, instead of hastening on towards it
he brings his horse to a dead halt, the other, as if mechanically,
stopping too. It is not that the animals are tired, and need rest. The
pause is for a different purpose; of which some words spoken by the
gaucho to himself, give indication. Still in the saddle, his face
turned towards the distant dwelling, with eyes intently regarding it