replied--

"Come, cavallero; this is idle compliment. Am I free to go?"

I wavered betwixt duty and over-politeness: a compromise offered itself.

"Lady," said I, approaching her, and looking as seriously as I could
into her beautiful eyes, "if you give me your word that you are _not a
spy_, you are free to go: your word--I ask nothing more."

I prescribed these conditions rather in a tone of entreaty than command.
I affected sternness, but my countenance must have mocked me.

My captive broke into unrestrained laughter, crying out at intervals--

"I a spy!--a spy! Ha, ha, ha! Senor Capitan, you are jesting?"

"I hope, senorita, _you_ are in earnest. You are no spy, then?--you
bear no dispatch for our enemy?"

"Nothing of the sort, mio capitan;" and she continued her light
laughter.

"Why, then, did you try to make away from us?"

"Ah, cavallero! are you not Tejanos? Do not be offended when I tell you
that your people bear but an indifferent reputation among us Mexicans."

"But your attempt to escape was, to say the least, rash and imprudent:
you risked life by it."

"_Carrambo_, yes! I perceive I did;" and she looked significantly at
the mustang, while a bitter smile played upon her lips. "I perceive it
now; I did not then. I did not think there was a horseman in all your
troop could come up with me. _Merced_! there was _one_. _You_ have
overtaken me: _you alone_ could have done it."

As she uttered these words, her large brown eyes were once more turned
upon me--not in a fixed gaze, but wandering. She scanned me from the
forage-cap on my crown to the spur upon my heel. I watched her eye with
eager interest: I fancied that its scornful expression was giving way; I
fancied there was a ray of tenderness in the glance, I would have given
the world to have divined her thoughts at that moment.

Our eyes met, and parted in mutual embarrassment--at least I fancied so;
for on turning again, I saw that her head drooped, and her gaze was
directed downward, as if some new thought occupied her.

For some moments, both were silent. We might have remained longer thus,
but it occurred to me that I was acting rudely. The lady was still my
captive. I had not yet given her permission to depart: I hastened to
tender it.

"Spy or no spy, senorita, I shall not detain you. I shall bear the
risk: you are free to go."

"_Gracias I cavallero_! And now, since you have behaved so handsomely,
I shall set your