me.

It was the first intimation he had of my presence; and starting as if
hit by a bullet, he turned face towards me. The flush of anger upon his
cheek suddenly gave place to deadly pallor, and his eyes became set in
that peculiar stare that indicates an apprehension of danger. This he
must have felt keenly, for my determined look and drawn sword--to say
nothing of the surprise by which I had come upon him--were calculated to
produce that effect.

It was the first time we had stood face to face, and I now perceived
that he was a much larger man than myself. But I saw, too, that his eye
quailed, and his lip quivered, at the encounter. I saw that he was
cowed; felt that I was his master.

"You are Rafael Ijurra?" I repeated, as he had not made answer to my
first interrogation.

"_Si, senor_," he answered hesitatingly. "What want you with me?"

"You have some documents there," (he still held the papers in his hand);
"a portion of them belongs to me. I shall trouble you to hand them
over."

"Are you Captain Warfield?" he asked, after a pause, at the same time
pretending to examine the superscription upon the commissary's letter.
I saw that his fingers trembled.

"I am Captain Warfield--you ought to know by this time?"

Without noticing the insinuation, he replied--

"True--there is a letter here bearing that address. I found it upon the
road: you are welcome to it, senor."

As he said this, he handed me the commissary's order, still retaining
the other documents.

"There was an enclosure. I perceive you have it in your hand. I beg
you will make me equally welcome to that."

"Oh! a note signed Ramon de Vargas? It was an enclosure?"

"Precisely so; and of course goes along with the letter."

"Oh, certainly; here it is, senor."

"There is still another little document in your possession--a safeguard
from the American commander granted to a certain lady. It is not yours,
Senor Ijurra! I beg you will deliver it to me. I wish to return it to
the lady to whom it belongs."

This was the bitterest pill I had yet presented to him. He glanced
hastily first to the right and then to the left, as if desirous of
making escape. He would fain have done so, but I kept him under my eye,
and he saw that my hand was ready.

"Certainly there is a safeguard," replied he, after a pause, and with a
feigned attempt at laughter. "'Tis a worthless document to me; 'tis at
your service, sir captain;" and as he han