tonio, and there was no end of
duels about her. She used to ride wild horses, and fling the lazo like
a Comanche. But what am I talking about? That mezcal _has_ got into my
brains, sure enough. It must have been _her_ you chased? Sure as
shooting it was!"

"Probable enough," I replied, in a careless way. My companion little
knew the deep, feverish interest his remarks were exciting, or the
struggle it was costing me to conceal my emotions.

One thing I longed to learn from him--whether any of these amorous
duellists had been favoured with the approbation of the lady. I longed
to put this question, and yet the absolute dread of the answer
restrained my tongue! I remained silent, till the opportunity had
passed.

The hoof-strokes of half-a-dozen horses coming rapidly from the rear,
interrupted the conversation. Without surprise, I perceived that it was
Holingsworth and the rangers who had been left at the hacienda.

"Captain Warfield!" said the Tennessean as he spurred alongside, "my
conduct no doubt surprises you. I shall be able to explain it to _your_
satisfaction when time permits. It's a long story--a painful one to me:
you will not require it from me now. This much let me say--for good
reason, I hold Rafael Ijurra as my most deadly foe. _I came to Mexico
to kill that man_; and, by the Eternal! if I don't succeed, I care not
who kills _me_!"

"You have _not_ then--"

With a feeling of relief, I put the question, for I read he answer in
the look of disappointed vengeance that gleamed in the eyes of the
Tennessean. I was not permitted to finish the interrogatory; he knew
what I was going to ask, and interrupted me with the reply--

"No, no; the villain has escaped; but by--"

The rest of the emphatic vow was inaudible; but the wild glance that
flashed from the speaker's eye expressed his deep purpose more plainly
than words.

The next moment he fell back to his place in the troop, and with his
head slightly bent forward, rode on in silence. His dark taciturn
features were lit up at intervals by an ominous gleam, showing that he
still brooded over his unavenged wrong.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE YELLOW DOMINO.

The next two days I passed in feverish restlessness. Holingsworth's
conduct had quite disconcerted my plans. From the concluding sentences
of Isolina's note, I had construed an invitation to revisit the hacienda
in some more quiet guise than that of a filibustero; but after what had