, as gallant gentlemen, we must take the women along with us.
To abandon them to the mercy of the savages, without making an effort to
save them, were absolute poltroonery, and would never bear reporting in
the settlements. Therefore, we must do our best to take the ladies
along. Of course, we can't be blamed for not being able to save our
male prisoners. Their fate, I fear, will be for each to get half a
dozen Comanche spears thrust through his body, or it may be a dozen.
It's sad to think of it, but such misfortunes cannot always be avoided.
They are but the ordinary incidents of frontier life. Now, _senor
ayadante_, do you comprehend my scheme?"

"Since I am at length permitted to speak, I may say I do--at least, I
have an obscure comprehension of it. Fairly interpreted, I take it to
mean this. You have arranged with the Horned Lizard to make a
counterfeit attack upon our camp--to shoot down or spear our poor devils
of soldiers, if need be?"

"Not the slightest need of his doing that, nor any likelihood of his
being able to do it. They'll run like good fellows at the first yell of
the Indians. Have no apprehensions about them."

"In any case, the Horned Lizard is to settle the question with our
captives, and take the responsibility off our hands. If I understand
aright, that is the programme."

"It is."

CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE.

A BOOTLESS JOURNEY.

Having returned to his original design--the scheme of atrocity so coolly
and jestingly declared, Uraga takes steps towards its execution.

The first is, to order his own horse, or rather that of Hamersley, to be
saddled, bridled, and tied behind his own tent. The same for that
ridden by Roblez. Also the mustang mare which belongs to Adela
Miranda--her own "Lolita"--and the mule set apart for the _mestiza_.
The troop horses already caparisoned are to remain so.

Ignorant of their object, the troopers wonder at these precautions,
though not so much as might be expected. They are accustomed to receive
mysterious commands, and obey them without cavil or question.

Not one of the ten but would cut a throat at Gil Uraga's bidding,
without asking the reason why.

The picket placed on a spin of the cliff has orders to signal if any one
is seen coming up the creek. If Indians appear he is to gallop into the
camp, and report in person.

The alarm thus started will easily be fostered into a stampede, and at
the onslaught of the savages the lancers will r