. The muleteer staggered back
against a huge bowlder and bowed his head, his arms hanging limply at
his sides. The officer considered a moment, laughed contemptuously and
rode on, his rag-tag, wooden-faced squad following him closely.

As the soldiers passed from his sight around a bend in the trail the
muleteer leaned forward, hand on the knife in his belt, and stared
malevolently at the rocks on the bend; and then hastened to help his two
companions unpack the load of faggots and let the mule arise. The little
animal did not get up. Both its front legs were broken by the rocky
crevice into which they had been forced. The unfortunate Pueblo Indian
knelt swiftly at the side of the little beast and passed his hands along
the slender legs. He shook his head sorrowfully and stroked the burro's
flank. Suddenly leaping to his feet, knife in hand, he took two quick
steps along the trail, but yielded to his clinging and frightened
friends and dejectedly walked back to the suffering animal. For a moment
he stood above it and then, changing his grip on the knife, leaned
quickly over.

Patience had seen the whole tragedy and her eyes were brimming with
tears. As the muleteer bent forward she turned away, sobbing. The
throaty muttering of her guide brought him back to her mind and she
called him to her.

"Sanchez!" she exclaimed, taking a purse from her bosom. "Take this
money to him. It will buy him another burro."

The Mexican's teeth flashed like pearls and he nodded eagerly. In a
moment he was clambering down the rocky mountain side and reached the
trail as the noisy _carreta_ lumbered past the waiting _atejo_. He need
not have hastened, for each mule had seized upon the stop as a valuable
moment for resting and was lying down under its load. Here was work for
the angry muleteers, for every animal must be unloaded, kicked to its
feet and loaded anew.

Sanchez slid down the last rocky wall, flung up his arms and showed the
two gold pieces, making a flamboyant speech as he alternately faced the
wondering muleteer and turned to bow to the slender figure outlined
against the somber greens of the mountain nook. Handing over the money,
he slapped the Indian's shoulder, whirled swiftly and clambered back the
way he had come.

The Indian seemed dazed at his unexpected good fortune, staring at the
money in his hand. He glanced up toward the mountain niche, raised a
hand to his forelock, and then pushed swiftly back from his eage