uttons. His face and clothes were covered with blood, his
forehead was blackened as though by an explosion, his arm was
broken and hung loosely as the Senator lifted him up. For a moment
he thought that it was all over with him.

He carried him toward the fire. The appearance of the young man
was terrible. He beckoned to one of the ladies. The lady approached.
One look at the young man and the next instant, with a heart-rending
moan, she flung herself on her knees by his side.

"The Spaniard!" said the Senator, recognizing her for the first time.
"Ah! he'll be taken care of then."

There was a brook near by, and he hurried there for water. There
was nothing to carry it in, so he took his beaver hat and filled
it. Returning, he dashed it vigorously in Buttons's face. A faint
sigh, a gasp, and the young man feebly opened his eyes. Intense
pain forced a groan from him. In the hasty glance that he threw
around he saw the face of Ida Francia as she bent over him bathing
his brow, her face pale as death, her hand trembling, and her eyes
filled with tears. The sight seemed to alleviate his pain. A faint
smile crossed his lips. He half raised himself toward her.

"I've found you at last," he said, and that was all.

At this abrupt address a burning flush passed over the face and
neck of the young girl. She bent down her head. Her tears flowed
faster than ever.

"Don't speak," she said; "you are in too much pain."

She was right, for the next moment Buttons fell back exhausted.

The Senator drew a flask from his pocket and motioned to the young
girl to give some to Buttons; and then, thinking that the attention
of the Senorita would be far better than his, he hurried away to
Dick.

So well had he been treated by the Don (whom the reader has of
course already recognized) that he was now sitting up, leaning
against the driver of the diligence, who was making amends for his
cowardice during the fight by kind attention to Dick after it was
over.

"My dear boy, I saw you had no bones broken," said the Senator,
"and knew you were all right; so I devoted my first attention to
Buttons. How do you feel?"

"Better," said Dick, pressing the honest hand which the Senator
held out. "Better; but how is Buttons?"

"Recovering. But he is terribly bruised, and his arm is broken."

"His arm broken! Poor Buttons, what'll he do?"

"Well, my boy, I'll try what _I_ can do. I've set an arm before now.
In our region a necessary part