one
feeling was powerfully dominant in his breast--namely, that Pedro must
be saved at all hazards. Of course Quashy and Antonio followed him.

The sudden appearance of the two strangers did not cause much surprise
among the band who followed the prisoner, for, besides their being in
the company of one whom they knew, the men who had been gathered
together by Cruz on this occasion were not all known to each other.
What they knew for certain was, that the country was up in arms because
of some political convulsion, and that Cruz was a great leader, who knew
how to make the most of such circumstances for the benefit of himself
and his followers.

In a state of feverish anxiety, but with a calm outward appearance,
Lawrence marched on, quite incapable of forming any plan of rescue, but
not incapable of prayer, or of forming a resolve to do _something_,
though he should die in the attempt. On reaching the corral, he saw
Cruz, and recognised him at once. The bandit chief was obviously in
haste, for he at once ordered Conrad--or, as we still prefer to call
him, Pedro--to be placed with his back against the corral, and the
firing-party to draw up in front of him at about twenty yards distance.

Pedro offered no resistance while being led towards the mud wall of the
corral. There was neither bravado nor fear in his bearing. Evidently
he had made up his mind to die like a Christian, and had given up all
hope of deliverance from the foes by whom he was surrounded. But
friends were near whom he little dreamed of.

Having up to that point kept his eyes on the ground, he had not observed
Lawrence; and the first intimation he had of his presence was on hearing
his voice as he stepped forward, placed his tall and stalwart frame in
front of him, and said sternly to the firing-party--

"Villains! you will have to send your bullets through _my_ breast before
they harm Conrad!"

"Yes, an' troo dis buzzum too," cried Quashy, planting himself in front
of Lawrence, and glaring defiance in his own peculiar and powerful
manner.

"What! two more enemies?" exclaimed Cruz, with a look of pleased
surprise and triumph; "seize them, men; but no,--stay, we can as easily
kill the three birds at one shot. Ready!"

The firing-party cocked and raised their guns, but were suddenly
arrested by seeing the wall of the enclosure behind Pedro lined, as if
by magic, with human heads, all of which carefully levelled an equal
number of muskets.