s of his partners in crime on his mock sympathy. It
was agreed that the majority should be won over at the next council,
which they would hold that evening.

The chief returned to his prisoner during the day, and expressed a
hope that by evening, when his followers would be perfectly sober,
they would listen to reason. He doubted, however, if the sum first
named would satisfy them, and insisted that he be authorized to offer
more. To this latter proposition Don Ramon made answer, "I am
helpless to promise you anything, but if you will only place me in
correspondence with my son, all I possess, everything that can be
hypothecated shall go to satisfy your demands. Only let it be soon,
for this suspense is killing me."

An hour before dark the band was once more summoned together, with
Don Ramon in their midst. The chief asked the majority if they had any
compromise to offer to his proposition of the morning, and received a
negative answer. "Then," said he, "remember that a trusting wife and
eight children, the eldest a lad of twenty, the youngest a toddling
tot of a girl, claim a husband and a father's love at the hands of the
prisoner here. Are you such base ingrates that you can show no mercy,
not even to the innocent?"

The majority were abashed, and one by one fell back in the distance.
Finally a middle-aged man came forward and said, "Give us five
thousand dollars in gold apiece, the money to be in hand, and the
prisoner may have his liberty, all other conditions made in the
morning to be binding."

"Your answer to that, Don Ramon?" asked the chief.

"I have promised my all. I ask nothing but life. I may have friends
who will assist. Give me an opportunity to see what can be done."

"You shall have it," replied the chief, "and on its success depends
your liberty or the consequences."

Going amongst the band, he ordered them to meet again in three days
at one of their rendezvous near Agua Dulce; to go by twos, visit
the river towns on the way, to pick up all items of interest, and
particularly to watch for any movement of the authorities.

Retaining two of his companions to act as guards, the others saddled
their horses and dispersed by various routes. The chief waited until
the moon was well up, then abandoned their camp of the last ten days
and set out towards Agua Dulce. To show his friendship for his victim,
he removed all irons, but did not give freedom to Don Ramon's horse,
which was led, as before.