“No!” answered Roblado. “I did think so at first—that is, the men thought so, and I was deceived by their reports. I am now convinced they were not Indian bravos, but some of those Tagno friends of his: for it appears the padré was right—he had a suspicious connexion. That of itself might have been sufficient cause for us to have arrested him long ago; but now we need no cause. He is ours, when we can catch him.”
“How do you propose to act?”
“Why, I have no doubt he will lead us a long chase. We must do the best we can to follow his trail. I came back to provision the men so that we can keep on for a sufficient time. The rascals have gone out of the valley by the upper pass, and perhaps have taken to the mountains. So thinks Gomez. We shall have to follow, and endeavour to overtake them. We must send express to the other settlements, so that the cibolero may be captured if he make his appearance in any of them. I don’t think he will attempt that.”
“Why?”
“Why! because it appears the old witch is still alive! and, moreover, he will hang around here so long as he has any hopes of recovering the sister.”
“Ha! you are right; he will do so. He will never leave me till she—”
“So much the better; we shall have all the finer opportunity of laying hands on him, which, believe me, my dear colonel, will be no easy matter. The fellow will be watchful as a wolf, and on that superb horse of his can escape from our whole troop. We’ll have to capture him by some stratagem.”
“Can you think of none?”
“I have been thinking of one.”
“What?”