the Mission."

"You left her there--safe?"

"Wal, I left her in her father's arums, whar I reckon she'll be safe
enough. But whar's Jupe?"

"He's here--somewhere behind."

"All right! That accounts for the hul party. Now let's back, and see
what's chanced to the rest o' this ruffin crew. So, Jim Borlasse, good
bye!"

With this odd leave taking, he turns away, wipes the blood from his
bowie, returns it to its sheath, and once more climbing into his saddle,
rides off to rejoin the victorious colonists.

On the ground where the engagement took place, a sad spectacle is
presented. The smoke has drifted away, disclosing the corpses of the
slain--horses as well as men. All the freebooters have fallen, and now
lie astretch as they fell to stab or shot; some on their backs, others
with face downward, or doubled sideways, but all dead, gashed, and
gory--not a wounded man among them! For the colonists, recalling that
parallel spectacle in the Mission courtyard, have given loose rein to
the _lex talionis_, and exacted a terrible retribution.

Nor have they themselves got off unscathed. The desperadoes being
refused quarter, fought it out to the bitter end; killing several of the
settlers, and wounding many more; among the latter two known to us--
Heywood and Dupre. By good fortune, neither badly, and both to recover
from their wounds; the young Creole also recovering his stolen treasure,
found secreted at the camp on Coyote creek.

Our tale might here close; for it is scarce necessary to record what
came afterwards. The reader will guess, and correctly, that Dupre
became the husband of Jessie, and Helen the wife of Clancy; both
marriages being celebrated at the same time, and both with full consent
and approval of the only living parent--Colonel Armstrong.

And on the same day, though at a different hour, a third couple was made
man and wife; Jupe getting spliced to his Jule, from whom he had been so
long cruelly kept apart.

It is some years since then, and changes have taken place in the colony.
As yet none to be regretted, but the reverse. A Court-House town has
sprung up on the site of the ancient Mission, the centre of a district
of plantations--the largest of them belonging to Luis Dupre; while one
almost as extensive, and equally as flourishing, has Charles Clancy for
owner.

On the latter live Jupe and Jule; Jupe overseer, Jule at the head of the
domestic department; while on the former reside two