infant, partook of the Gaucho spirit, and, although little more
than four years of age, had succeeded in catching his first pig.
Violence seemed to have reached a white heat in the heart of that little
pig! Besides giving vent to intensified shrieking, it dragged its
captor along, in a state of blazing triumph, until it overturned him,
snapped the twine, and got away.

But cupid was not to be balked of his prey. With a staggering rush to
where several horses were standing ready bridled, he caught hold of the
tail of a meek-looking animal, and scrambled by means of that appendage
on to its back. Seizing the bridle, he uttered a wild though tiny
shout, and dashed away after the fugitive.

Whether he recaptured it or not Lawrence never found out, for at that
moment a subject of greater interest claimed his attention.

Besides the hut in which they had spent the night, there were several
other huts near the corral, and Lawrence now perceived that the place
was a sort of hamlet, surrounded by a small ditch by way of defence.
While our hero was glancing round him he observed that Quashy stopped
suddenly, and gazed at something in front of him as if transfixed with a
surprise which threw quite into the shade all his previous expressions
of astonishment, and convinced his master that he had not yet fathomed
half the depth of meaning that could be thrown into that sable
countenance. Quashy bent slightly forward, extended his arms, spread
out his ten fingers, opened his mouth, and tried to speak.

"S-S-Soo--!" he began, and gasped.

"S-Soo--Sooz'n!" he shouted.

Yes, there she stood, in the doorway of a hut, as black as life, and
with a glare of joyful surprise that was only surpassed by that of her
admirer.

A moment later they recovered. They rushed into each other's arms, and
their lips met.

Pistols and carbines! what a smack it was!

In his joy Quashy lifted Susan fairly off her feet and danced with her
until he was exhausted, then he set her down and danced round her.

Susan had recovered her composure by that time. Whether Quashy's mode
of treatment is characteristic of negroes of the Pampas we do not
pretend to say, but the girl stood there with a modestly pleased
expression of face, while Quashy continued to dance round her.

Susan's modesty and blackness were alike set off by her costume, which
consisted of a short white frock, while her simple adornments were a
pair of gold ear-rings and a necklace o