Nô Eusebio followed her.
On the evening of that day the greatest consternation prevailed at the Hacienda del Milagro, Doña Jesuita and Nô Eusebio had not returned.
Don Ramón ordered all the household to mount on horseback.
Provided with torches, the peons and vaqueros commenced a battue of an immense extent in search of their mistress and the major-domo.
The whole night passed away without bringing the least satisfactory result.
At daybreak, the horse of Doña Jesuita was found half devoured in the desert. Its trappings were wanting.
The ground round the carcass of the horse appeared to have been the scene of a desperate conflict of some kind.
Don Ramón, in despair, gave orders for return.
"Great Heaven!" he cried, as he re-entered the hacienda, "is it possible that my chastisement has already commenced?"
Weeks, months, years passed away, without any circumstance, lifting the corner of the mysterious veil which enveloped these sinister events, and, notwithstanding the most active and persevering researches, nothing could be learnt of the fate of Rafaël, his mother, and Nô Eusebio.