eral so strict a
disciplinarian as a young one.

"What a brute that Lieutenant is!" thought Aunt Maria. "Make those poor
fellows carry those monstrous packs? Nonsense and tyranny! How different
from Mr. Coronado! _He_ fairly jumped at my idea."

Thurstane stepped over to Coronado and said, "You are very kind to relieve
my men at the expense of your animals. I am much obliged to you."

"It is nothing," replied the Mexican, waving his hand graciously. "I am
delighted to be of service, and to show myself a good citizen."

In fact, he had been quite willing to favor the soldiers; why not, so long
as he could not get rid of them? If the Apaches would lance them all,
including Thurstane, he would rejoice; but while that could not be, he
might as well show himself civil and gain popularity. It was not
Coronado's style to bark when there was no chance of biting.

He was in serious thought the while. How should he rid himself of this
rival, this obstacle in the way of his well-laid plans, this interloper
into his caravan? Must he call upon Texas Smith to assassinate the fellow?
It was a disagreeably brutal solution of the difficulty, and moreover it
might lead to loud suspicion and scandal, and finally it might be
downright dangerous. There was such a thing as trial for murder and for
conspiracy to effect murder. As to causing a United States officer to
vanish quietly, as might perhaps be done with an ordinary American
emigrant, that was too good a thing to be hoped. He must wait; he must
have patience; he must trust to the future; perhaps some precipice would
favor him; perhaps the wild Indians. He offered his cigaritos to
Thurstane, and they smoked tranquilly in company.

"What route do you take from here?" asked the officer.

"Pass Washington, as you call it. Then the Moqui country. Then the San
Juan."

"There is no possible road down the San Juan and the Colorado."

"If we find that to be so, we will sweep southward. I am, in a measure,
exploring. Garcia wants a route to Middle California."

"I also have a sort of exploring leave. I shall take the liberty to keep
along with you. It may be best for both."

The announcement sounded like a threat of surveillance, and Coronado's
dark cheek turned darker with angry blood. This stolid and intrusive brute
was absolutely demanding his own death. After saying, with a forced smile,
"You will be invaluable to us, Lieutenant," the Mexican lounged away to
where Texas Smith wa