one's heart. No, no; _valga me dios_! no!"

The tone in which the Mexican repeated the last words had a tinge of
sadness in it--while his eyes turned upon the fire with an expression
that betrayed melancholy. It was easy to tell that he too--odd, and
even ludicrous as was his personal appearance--either was, or had been,
one of love's victims. I fancied he might have a story to tell--a love
story? and at that moment my mind was attuned to listen to such a tale.
Sure-shot had also left us--our animals picketed a few paces off
requiring his attention--and the two of us were left alone by the fire.
If the trapper's tale should prove a sentimental romance--and such are
not uncommon in the Mexican border land--the moment was opportune.
Seeing that my new acquaintance was in the communicative mood, I essayed
to draw him forth.

"You speak truly," I said. "Love _is_ a powerful passion, and defies
even the desert to destroy it. You yourself have proved it so, I
presume? You have souvenirs?"

"Ay, senor, that have I; and painful ones."

"Painful?"

"As poison--_Carrai-i-i_!"

"Your sweetheart has been unfaithful?"

"No."

"Her parents have interfered, I suppose, as is often the case? She has
been forced against her will to marry another?"

"Ah! _senor_, no. She was never married."

"Not married? what then?"

"She was _murdered_!"

Regret at having initiated a conversation--that had stirred up such a
melancholy memory--hindered me from making rejoinder; and I remained
silent. My silence, however, did not stay the tale. Perhaps my
companion longed to unburden himself; or, with some vague hope of
sympathy, felt relief in having a listener. After a pause he proceeded
to narrate the story of his love, and the sad incidents that led to its
fatal termination.

CHAPTER NINETY TWO.

GABRIELLA GONZALES.

"_Puez, Senor_!" commenced the Mexican, "your comrades tell me, you have
been campaigning down below on the Rio Grande."

"Quite true--I have."

"Then you know something of our Mexican frontier life--how for the last
half century we have been harassed by the _Indios bravos_--our _ranchos_
given to the flames--our grand _haciendas_ plundered and laid waste--our
very towns attacked--many of them pillaged, destroyed, and now lying in
ruins."

"I have heard of these devastations. Down in Texas, I have myself been
an eye-witness to a similar condition of things."

"Ah! true, _senor_. Down there--in