otes
between the two parties--new light is let in, floods of it, falling upon
spots hitherto dark, and clearing up points confused and obscure. The
two culprits are again cross-examined, and, with pistols held to their
heads, forced to still further confession.

The peon repeats what he has already told, without adding much, not
having much to add. With the renegade it is different. He has kept
much back concerning the part played by Uraga and his lieutenant in the
affair of the destroyed waggon train.

But with Hamersley, who speaks his own native tongue, now
cross-questioning him, and Walt Wilder to extract his testimony by the
persuasive influence of a knife-blade glistening in his eyes, he goes
further, and admits the unnatural confederation that existed between the
white and red robbers--the Mexican colonel and Comanche chief. In
short, to save his life, he makes a much cleaner breast of it than
before, this time only keeping back his own special guiltiness in being
their willing go-between.

While he is repeating his confession, all the other Rangers gather
around the group to listen to him. They stand silent, with bated breath
and brows contracted.

When at length they become possessed of the tale in all its diabolical
atrocity, all its completeness, their anger, already excited, become
almost ungovernable; and it is as much as their captain can do to
restrain them from at once starting in pursuit. Some fling their spits
in the fire with the meat upon them still untouched; others drop the
pieces roasted and partly eaten; most demanding to be led on.

The counsels of the more prudent prevail; and again tranquillised, they
recover the morsels of meat and continue their repast.

Not long, till they have reason to regret the delay and deem the
prudence misplaced. Though this arises not from any mistake on the part
of their counsellors, but from a circumstance entirely accidental.

While they are still in the midst of their meal, the sky, all day long
of cerulean clearness, becomes suddenly clouded. Not as this term is
understood in the ordinary sense, but absolutely black, as if the sun
were instantly eclipsed, or had dropped altogether out of the firmament.
Scarce ten minutes after its commencement the obscurity has reached
completeness--that of a total solar eclipse or as in a starless night.

Though troubled at the change, none of the Rangers are dismayed by it,
or even surprised. The old prairie