The fire, fed by the wind, soon extended itself; and in a very short time the rancho was enveloped in flames.
The besieged gave vent to a cry of horror; the besiegers replied by a shout of triumph.
After all, the mashorqueras had no reason to complain; it was meted to them as they would have meted to others: they were undergoing the lex talionis.
In the meanwhile, the position of the besieged grew intolerable. Blinded by the smoke and scorched by the fire, which ran up the walls in long tongues of flame, calcining as they licked them, a sortie became inevitable, if they would not be burnt alive.
The lieutenant ordered the door to be unfastened: he opened it suddenly, and threw himself, followed by his men, into the thickest ranks of the assailants.
The latter opened their ranks to receive them, then closed in upon them, and surrounded them with a circle of steel.
At the moment when the last morsel of wall crashed into the fiery furnace, the last mashorquera fell, with his head cloven to the chine. All had fallen around Don Torribio, who had fought to the last moment with the desperate frenzy which makes a man almost invincible.
The sun rose in his majesty, illumining the savage depths of the Pampas.
The arrieros and wagoners, cowed by the night's work, and dreading the consequences, hastened to span the oxen to the heavy galeras, and load their mules. Anxious to quit the place, they were soon dispersing in all directions. Don Guzman and his peones remained masters of the field.
Soon after the attack commenced, Don Guzman was surprised that he did not see his brother near him; but he did not attach much importance to the fact, being more seriously occupied with other matters. Now, when the affray was over, he burned with desire to see his wife. He was amazed that Don Diego had not brought her to him as soon as all danger for her was over.