The little troop of cavalry, at the head of which Antinahuel and the Linda rode, advanced rapidly and silently along the road from San Miguel towards the valley in which, the day before, the renewal of the treaties had been accomplished. At sunrise they debouched into the plain. They had scarcely advanced fifty paces when they saw a horseman coming at full speed towards them. This horseman was Black Stag: Antinahuel halted his escort.
"What is the use of this halt?" Doña Maria observed.
"Is my sister a soldier?" Antinahuel asked.
Doña Maria, mortified at this rude speech, reined in her horse and remained a few paces in the rear, so that Antinahuel was left alone at the head of his troop. At the expiration of five minutes Black Stag pulled up his horse.
"Has my father returned among his children?" he said, bowing his head as a salutation to the chief.
"Yes!" Antinahuel replied. "What has my son done during my absence?"
"I have executed the orders of my father."
"All of them?"
"All!"
"Good! Has my son received any news of the palefaces?"