“Report, sergeant!”
“Five hundred or more hostiles are camped on the Fernandez rancho. They are dancing and putting on their paint. I followed when Señor Lopez and Rojerio Rocha took the women there. Four troopers escorted them.”
“I am aware of that.”
“Two rancho overseers were found knifed. I made an investigation and found the hostile camp. Lopez and the four soldiers rode into the cañon where the camp is located and were slain——”
“All?”
“All,” said Cassara.
“The others?”
“Señor Rocha rode toward the cañon as I was starting to return to the house to make an attempt to rescue the women. The hostiles seized him and took him back to the house. Before I could cover the distance they were in the patio—fully two hundred of them. I knew it would be useless to attempt a rescue then, so rode to report.”
“And the women——”
“Were in the house, comandante!” Sergeant Cassara said.