sing any seal-stamp. A small silver coin
taken from his pocket makes the necessary impression. There does not
appear to be any name appended to the epistle, if one it is; and the
superscription shows only two words, without any address. The words are
"El Barbato."

Again ringing the bell, the same servant answers it.

"Go to the stables," commands his master, "or the corral, or wherever he
may be, and tell Pedrillo I want him. Be quick about it!"

The man bows and disappears.

"It will take them--how many days to reach the Tenawas' town, and how
many back to the Pecos?" soliloquises Uraga, pacing the floor, as he
makes his calculations. "Three, four, five. No matter. If before them
we can wait till they come. Pedrillo!"

Pedrillo has put in an appearance. He is an Indian of the tame sort,
not greatly differing from the man Manuel, with a countenance quite as
forbidding. But we have seen Pedrillo before; since he was one of the
two muleteers who conducted the _atajo_ transporting the spoil from the
caravan of the prairie traders.

"Pedrillo," directs the Colonel, "catch a couple of the best roadsters
in the corral--one for yourself, the other for Jose. Have them saddled,
and get yourselves ready for a journey of two weeks, or so. Make all
haste with your preparations. When ready, come here, and report
yourself."

The muleteer disappears, and Uraga continues to pace the floor,
apparently yet busied with a mental measurement of time and distance.
At intervals he stops before the portrait on the wall, and for a second
or two gazes at it. This seems to increase his impatience for the man's
reappearance.

He has not a great while to wait. The scrip and staff of a New Mexican
traveller of Pedrillo's kind is of no great bulk or complexity. It
takes but a short time to prepare it. A few _tortillas_ and _frijoles_,
a head or two of _chile Colorado_, half a dozen onions, and a bunch of
_tasojo_--jerked beef. Having collected these comestibles, and filled
his _xuaje_, or water gourd, Pedrillo reports himself ready for the
road, or trail, or whatever sort of path, and on whatever errand, it may
please his master to despatch him.

"You will go straight to the Tenawa town--Horned Lizard's--on the south
branch of the Goo-al-pah. You can find your way to the place, Pedrillo.
You've been there before?"

The Indian nods an affirmative.

"Take this." Here Uraga hands him the sealed paper. "See you show it