"Enough of that!" Red Cedar shouted as he roughly smote the table with his clenched fist. "I will not hear another word on the subject."
At this moment two smart blows were heard on the carefully-bolted door.
The three men started, and Red Cedar broke off.
"Shall I open?" Andrés asked.
"Yes," Fray Ambrosio answered: "hesitation or refusal might give an alarm. We must foresee everything."
Red Cedar consented with a toss of his head, and the ranchero went with an ill grace toward the door, which was being struck as if about to be beaten in.
[CHAPTER II.]
THE CUCHILLADA.
So soon as the door was opened two men appeared on the threshold. The first was Curumilla; the other, wrapped up in a large cloak, and with his broad-brimmed hat drawn over his eyes, entered the room, making the Indian chief a sign to follow him. The latter was evidently a Mexican.