e and spurs off, soon disappearing among the trees.

Scarce is he out of sight when another quadruped is seen galloping
after--not a horse, but a hybrid.

Walt Wilder has espied the saddled mule hitched up behind the tent--that
intended for Conchita. It is now ridden by the ex-Ranger, who, prodding
it with the point of his bowie, puts it to its best speed.

And soon after go other horsemen--the Texans who have recovered their
steeds, with some who have caught those of the troopers, rapidly bridled
and mounted them bare-back.

They who stay behind become spectators of a scene strange and tender.
Two male prisoners unexpectedly rescued--snatched, as it were, from the
jaws of death--two female captives alike saved from dishonour. A
brother embracing his sister, whose noble affection but the moment
before prompted her to share with him the first sooner than submit to
the last.

CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX.

THE CHASE.

Hamersley has his horse fairly astretch ere the fugitives, though out of
sight, are many hundred yards ahead; for the scenes and speeches
recorded occupied but a few seconds of time.

He is confident of being able to overtake them. He knows his Kentucky
charger is more than a match for any Mexican horse, and will soon bring
him up with Uraga and the other officer. If they should separate he
will follow the former.

As he rides on he sees they cannot go far apart. There is a sheer
precipice on each side--the bluffs that bound the creek bottom. These
will keep the pursued men together, and he will have both to deal with.

The ground is such that they cannot possibly escape him except by
superior speed. He can see the cliffs on each side to their bases.
There is not enough underwood for a horseman to hide in.

He hastens on, therefore, supposing them still before him.

In ten minutes more he is sure of it--they are in sight!

The timber through which the chase has hitherto led abruptly terminates,
a long grassy mead of over a mile in length lying beyond; and beyond it
the trees again obstruct the vista up the valley. The retreating
horsemen have entered upon this open tract, but not got far over it,
when Hamersley spurs his horse out of the timber tract, and pursuer and
pursued are in sight of other.

It is now a tail-on-end chase, all three horses going at the greatest
speed to which their riders can press them. It is evident that the
large American horse is rapidly gaining upon the Mexica