e of gay
reproach, "What! Don Fabian! does not the neighbourhood of those
places, so fertile in gold, give new vigour to your limbs?"

"No," replied Fabian, "for I shall not go a step further in that
direction till sunrise."

"Ah!" said Bois-Rose, "and why not?"

"Why? Because this is a cursed place--a place where he--whom before you
I loved as a father--was assassinated; because a thousand dangers
surround you, and I have already exposed you too much by making you
espouse my cause."

"What are these dangers that we three together cannot brave? Can they
be greater than what we have just passed through? And if it please Pepe
and I to incur them for you, what then?"

"These dangers are of all kinds," replied Fabian, "why deceive oneself
longer? Does not everything prove that Don Estevan knows also of the
existence of the Golden Valley?"

"Well, and what do you conclude from that?"

"That three men cannot prevail against sixty."

"Listen, my child," replied Bois-Rose with some impatience, "it was
before engaging in this enterprise that we should have made these
reflections; now they are too late, and why do you not think to-day as
you did yesterday?"

"Because yesterday I was blinded by passion; because affection has now
taken its place; because I do not hope to-day what I hoped yesterday."

The contradictory passions which agitated his heart did not permit
Fabian to explain more clearly to the Canadian the alternations of his
wishes.

"Fabian," said Bois-Rose solemnly, "you have a holy but terrible duty to
perform, and duty must be done; but who tells you that the expedition
commanded by Don Estevan will take the same path as ourselves? And, if
it does, so much the better; the murderer of your mother will fall into
your hands."

"The guide conducting them," replied Fabian, seeking to hide his real
sentiments, "can only be that miserable Cuchillo. Now, if I am not
wrong, the valley must be known to him; in any case, we should await the
return of daylight before entangling ourselves in a country we know
nothing about, and in which these adventurers may prove enemies as
formidable as the Indians. Do you not think so, Pepe?"

"Nearly all night, the wind has brought to our ears," replied he, "the
sound of filing, which proves that the troop has been engaged with the
Indians; it is not therefore probable that any one can be in advance of
us. I must say that my opinion is, that we should without loss of