omise yourself.
Only stand aside, and allow the law I've just spoken of to have
fulfilment."

"But how?"

"Let our President send a party of his soldiers to arrest those
runaways, and carry them back whence they came. Now that you've
proposed to renew the treaty with us, and are hereafter to be our
allies--and, I hope, fast friends--it is only just and right you should
surrender up those who are our enemies. If you do, I can say, as his
trusted representative, that El Supremo will heap favours, and bestow
rich presents on the Tovas tribe; above all, on its young cacique--of
whom I've heard him speak in terms of the highest praise."

Aguara, a vain young fellow, eagerly drinks in the fulsome flattery, his
eyes sparkling with delight at the prospect of the gifts thus promised.
For he is as covetous of wealth as he is conceited about his personal
appearance.

"But," he says, thinking of a reservation, "would you want us to
surrender them all? Father, mother--"

"No, not all," rejoins the ruffian, interrupting. "There is one," he
continues, looking askant at the Indian, with the leer of a demon, "one,
I take it, whom the young Tovas chief would wish to retain as an
ornament to his court. Pretty creature the _nina_ was, when I last saw
her; and I have no doubt still is, unless your Chaco sun has made havoc
with her charms. She had a cousin about her own age, by name Cypriano,
who was said to be very fond of her; and rumour had it around Assuncion,
that they were being brought up for one another."

Aguara's brow blackens, and his dark Indian eyes seem to emit sparks of
fire.

"Cypriano shall never have her!" he exclaims in a tone of angry
determination.

"How can you help it, amigo?" interrogates his tempter. "That is,
supposing the two are inclined for one another. As you know, her father
is not only a paleface, but _a gringo_, with prejudices of blood far
beyond us Paraguayans, who are half-Indian ourselves. Ah! and proud of
it too. Being such, he would never consent to give his daughter in
marriage to a red man--make a _squaw_ of her, as he would scornfully
call it. No, not even though it were the grandest cacique in the Chaco.
He would see her dead first."

"Indeed!" exclaims the Indian, with a disdainful toss of the head.

"Indeed, yes," asseverates Valdez. "And whether they remain under your
protection, or be taken back to Paraguay, 'twill be all the same as
regards the senorita. There's but o