gald is close at the turning-point
now, but he sees the foremost savage getting the deadly lasso ready. He
must shoot, though he has to slacken speed slightly to take better aim.

He fires. Down roll horse and man, and Dugald is saved.

They have heard that rifle-shot far away on the _estancia_. Quick eyes are
turned towards the braelands, and, dusk though it is, they notice that
something more than usual is up. Five minutes afterwards half a dozen
armed horsemen thunder out to meet Dugald. They hear his story, and all
return to alarm the colony and put the whole place in a state of defence.
Then under the guidance of Dugald they turn back once more--a party of
twenty strong now--towards the hills, just as the moon, which is almost
full, is rising and shining through between the solemn steeple-like
poplars.

To avoid the jungle, and a probable ambuscade, they have to make a long
_detour_, but they reach the ruin at last, to find all safe and sound. The
Indians know that for a time their game is played, and they have lost; and
they disappeared as quickly and mysteriously as they came leaving not a
trace behind.

The gold is now loaded on the backs of the mules, and the journey home
commenced.

As they ride down through the giant cacti two huge vultures rise with
flapping wings and heavy bodies at no great distance. It was into that
very thicket that Moncrieff rode this morning. It was there he fired his
revolver. The vultures had been disturbed at a feast--nothing more.

Great was the rejoicing at the safe return of Moncrieff and his party from
the hills. Our poor aunt had been troubled, indeed, but Aileen was
frantic, and threw herself into her husband's arms when she saw him in
quite a passion of hysterical joy.

Now although there was but little if any danger of an attack to-night on
the _estancias_, no one thought of retiring to bed. There was much to be
done by way of preparation, for we were determined not to lose a horse,
nor even a sheep, if we could help it. So we arranged a code of signals by
means of rifle-shots, and spent the whole of the hours that intervened
betwixt the time of our return and sunrise in riding round the farms and
visiting even distant _puestos_.

My brothers and I and Moncrieff lay down when day broke to snatch a few
hours of much-needed rest.

It was well on in the forenoon when I went over to Moncrieff's mansion. I
had already been told that strangers had arrived from distant _e