of horsemen at
his heels.

These seem to be better matched, or rather the bull has not run off so
well, as all overtake him at once, riding past him in their headlong
speed. Most unexpectedly the animal turns in his tracks, and runs back,
heading directly for the stand!

Loud screams are heard from the poblanas in the carretas--from the
senoras and senoritas. No wonder. In ten seconds the enraged brute
will be in their midst!

The pursuing horsemen are still far behind him. The sudden turning in
their headlong race threw them out of distance. Even the foremost of
them cannot come up in time.

The other horsemen are all dismounted. No man on foot will dare to
check the onward rush of a goaded bull!

Confusion and loud shouting among the men, terror and screaming among
the women, are the characteristics of the scene. Lives will be lost--
perhaps many. None know but that they themselves may be the victims!

The strings of carretas filled with their terrified occupants flank the
stand on each side; but, running farther out into the plain, form with
it a sort of semicircle. The bull enters this semicircle, and guided by
the carretas rushes down, heading directly for the benches, as though
determined to break through in that direction. The ladies have risen to
their feet, and, half-frantic, seem as though they would leap down upon
the very horns of the monster they dread! It is a fearful crisis for
them.

Just at this moment a man is seen advancing, lazo in hand, in front of
the carretas. He is afoot. As soon as he has detached himself from the
crowd, he spins the lazo round his head, and the noose shooting out is
seen to settle over the horns of the bull.

Without losing a moment the man runs to a small tree that stands near
the centre of the semicircle, and hastily coils the other end of the
lazo around its trunk. Another moment, and he would have been too late.

The knot is scarcely tied, when a heavy pluck announces that the bull
has reached the end of his rope, and the foiled brute is now seen thrown
back upon his hips, with the _lazo_ tightly noosed over his horns. He
has fallen at the very feet of the spectators!

"_Bravo! viva_!" cried a hundred voices, as soon as their owners had
sufficiently recovered from their terror to call out.

"_Viva. Viva_! Carlos the cibolero!"

It was he who had performed this second feat of skill and daring.

The bull was not yet conquered, however. He was