was Alverado, but I judge
that you are not acquainted with it."

"No," replied Jim, "but I should say that he was a very fierce
character."

"He was. He was a bandit."

"I thought so," agreed Jim.

"This Don Alverado came from a well known Spanish family, of ancient
lineage, but impoverished fortune. He was such a wild and unruly blade
that his family were decidedly relieved when he left Spain and came to
the new world to mend his fortune, if not his ways. He landed first in
Mexico, and after a series of more or less remarkable adventures, he
came to this part of California. I knew him, or rather I knew of his
family in Spain, and for their sake I made him welcome here at my home.

"He was really a charming fellow in manner and appearance, tall, slight,
with dark eyes and hair, a typical cavalier. But the graces of his
manner did not reach down to his heart, and after a disagreeable episode
which I need not revive here, he left my rancho never to return except
as an enemy. I heard nothing further of him after his departure for
some six months. My next introduction to him was an unpleasant one.

"It consisted in the loss of a band of horses and a herd of cattle which
were driven off by a gang of raiders, thirteen in number, at the head of
which was this fellow Alverado. His depredations went on for years among
the ranchmen in this part of California. So resourceful and crafty was
this desperado that he evaded trap after trap laid for his capture.

"He had several very close calls and there were numerous battles between
the outlaws and the ranch owners, but though some of his men were shot,
he seemed to bear a charmed life. I remember one running fight over the
plain yonder, when, believing me to be absent from home, as I had been,
but returned unexpectedly from the north, this Alverado and his gang
made a bold dash to capture some horses from a field directly below the
house.

"It did not take long to get my men together and I gave the bandits a
surprise indeed. Nothing but the speed of Alverado's horse, a splendid
black stallion, saved him from capture. We got several of his men
however. At last there came the turning of the lane. Through the
treachery of one of the band we found that their rendezvous was at the
head of a small canyon in a range of foot-hills several miles south of
here.

"You will go through it tomorrow on your way south, if you carry out
your speed schedule, which with your remarkable hors