nded by orange
trees.

"Since the attack which had resulted in my becoming an inmate of the
hacienda, more care had been taken to guard against future attempts of a
like nature. The great gates were closed at sundown, and some attempt
was made at keeping a regular watch or guard during the night. At first
the sentinels were tolerably vigilant, but the lazy rancheros soon
wearied of their unaccustomed duties, and before long the detail of a
guard was omitted, and affairs subsided into their accustomed quiet.

"The American trappers had departed, and all seeming favorable for the
accomplishment of my plan, I was not long in putting it into execution.
I had taken pains to become familiar with the internal arrangements of
the mansion, and knew exactly where the different members of the
household slept. Selecting a night when there was no moon, I picked out
two of the fleetest mustangs from the corral, and secured them, fully
prepared for flight, among a clump of trees at a short distance from the
hacienda.

"During my residence among the Camanches, I had become familiar with a
certain herb possessing strong narcotic properties. This I had searched
for and found without difficulty, and with it I had managed to drug a
portion of the food prepared for the evening meal, so that at a
comparatively early hour, the entire household was wrapped in profound
slumber. My preparations were all completed, and when I deemed that the
proper hour had arrived, I descended from the _azotea_, where I had been
lying in wait; and noiselessly entered the apartments of the family.
Reaching that occupied by Don Rafael, I sought his bedside, and placing
one hand over his month, I stabbed him to the heart, and he died with
scarcely a struggle. Quickly transferring his scalp to my belt, I
proceeded with my bloody work, passing from room to room, until eight
victims had perished beneath my blows, and eight bleeding scalps
garnished my waist.

"Knowing that I had but little time to spare, I now prepared for flight.
Hastily collecting such articles of use or ornament as would be likely
to seem of great value in the eyes of the Indians, and such as I could
easily carry, I made them into a pack of small compass, and returning to
the _azotea_, I lowered them to the ground with a lariat, which I had
previously placed there. I then sought the apartment of Guadalupe.
Entering it without noise, I beheld her, by the dim light of a night
lamp, reclining upo