e direction, the continuous howling of
the jackals.

Again the assassin advanced--still creeping as before. Presently he saw
before him the open glade, lit up by the flame of the camp-fire. On the
edge nearest him, stood a huge button-wood tree, from whose base
extended a number of flat ridge-like processes, resembling the bastions
of a fortification. He perceived that, behind these he would be
concealed from the light of the fire; while he himself could command a
view of every object within the glade.

In another moment he was crouching under the trunk of the button-wood.
His eyes gleamed with a fierce joy, as he gazed in the direction of the
fire, around which he could distinguish the forms of three men--two of
them seated, the other stretched along the ground, and apparently
asleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

THE WOOD-RANGERS.

Behind the Hacienda del Venado--that is, to the northward of it--the
surface of the country was still in a state of nature; as we have
already said, the edge of the forest lay almost within gun-shot of the
walls; and this vast tract of woods extended for many leagues to the
north, till it ended in the great deserts of Tubac.

The only road that trended in a northerly direction, was that leading to
the Presidio of Tubac--though in reality it was not a road, but simply
an Indian trail. At a short distance beyond the hacienda, it was
crossed by a turbulent and rapid stream--the same that passed near the
house--augmented by several tributaries that joined it in the woods.
Where the road crossed it, and for a long distance above and below, this
stream partook rather of the nature of a torrent, running in a deep bed,
between rocky banks--a _canon_. Over this canon the crossing was
effected by means of a rude bridge consisting simply of the trunks of
two or three trees, laid side by side, and reaching from bank to bank.
About half-way between the hacienda and this bridge, and but a short
distance from the side of the road, was the fire which had already
attracted so much attention.

This fire had been kindled near the centre of a little glade, but its
flame cast a red glare upon the trees at a distance, until the grey bark
of the button-wood, the pale foliage of the acacias, and the scarlet
leaves of the sumac, all appeared of one colour: while the darker
llianas, stretching from tree to tree, encircled the little glade with a
series of festoons.

At the hour when Tiburcio was about