the necessity of making you and your fellows prisoners, notwithstanding
your good services to-day. As it is, those of us who stick together
must be off without delay eastward. I suppose you will rather take to
the mountains."

"Indeed no, Colonel Marchbanks. I am willing to give myself up and to
take service under you if that may be allowed. And if you will take my
advice, comrades," added Antonio, turning to his companions, "you'll do
the same, for depend on it no good can come of our late style of life."

Antonio's comrades did not feel disposed to take his advice. Indeed
they had only rebelled against their late captain because of his
tyrannical nature, but were by no means desirous of changing their mode
of life. Seeing this, the colonel accepted Antonio's offer and gave his
comrades a few words of serious warning and advice, mingled with thanks
for the service they had rendered him, after which the two parties
separated and went on their respective ways, leaving the Gauchos to
fortify their village more carefully, and get into a better state of
readiness to resist the attacks alike of outlaws and Indians.

Before leaving, however, Quashy had a noteworthy interview with Susan.
It occurred at the time that Antonio and his men were holding the above
conversation with the colonel.

The negro lovers were affectionately seated on a horse-skull in one of
the huts, regardless of all the world but themselves.

"Sooz'n, my lub," said Quashy, "I's agwine to carry you off wid me."

"Quashy, my b'lubbed, I expecs you is," replied Susan, simply, passing
her black fingers through her lover's very curly locks.

"O Sooz'n, _how_ I lubs you! I know'd I'd find you. I always said it.
I always t'ought it, an' now I's dood it."

"Das so," returned Susan, with a bashfully pleased look. "I always
know'd it too. I says, if it's poss'ble for me to be found in _dis_
worl', Quashy's de man to found me."

"'Zactly so!" said the gratified negro. "Now, Sooz'n, tell me. Is you
free to go 'way wid me?"

"Yes. I's kite free. I's bin kotched by rubbers an' rescued by
Gauchos, an' stole by Injins, an' I's runned away an' found myself here,
an' dey's bin good to me here, but dey don't seem to want me much--so
I's kite free--but I's awrful heaby!"

"What's dat got to do wid it?" inquired the lover, tying a knot of
perplexity on his eyebrows.

"Why, you an' me's too heaby for one hoss, you know, an' you said you
hab on'y on