er for the death of the cibolero. His vanity had
been scathed as well, for he was now satisfied that Catalina was deeply
interested in the man, if not already on terms of intimacy--on terms of
love, mutually reciprocated and understood. He had visited her since
the tragical occurrence at the Presidio. He had observed a marked
change in her manner. He had thought to triumph by the malignant abuse
heaped on the _assassin_; but she, although she said nothing in defence
of the latter--of course she could not--was equally silent on the other
side, and showed no symptoms of indignation at the deed. His
(Roblado's) abusive epithets, joined to those which her own father
liberally heaped upon the man, seemed to give her pain. It was plain
she would have defended him had she dared!

All this Roblado had noticed during his morning call.

But more still had he learnt, for he had a spy upon her acts. One of
her maids, Vicenza, who for some reason had taken a dislike to her
mistress, was false to her, and had, for a length of time, been the
confidant of the military wooer. A little gold and flattery, and a
soldier-sweetheart--who chanced to be Jose--had rendered Vicenza
accessible. Roblado was master of her thoughts, and through Jose he
received information regarding Catalina, of which the latter never
dreamt. This system of espionage had been but lately established, but
it had already produced fruits. Through it Roblado had gained the
knowledge that he himself was hated by the object of his regard, and
that she loved some other! What other even Vicenza could not tell.
That other Roblado could easily guess.

It is not strange that he desired the capture and death of Carlos the
cibolero. He was as eager for that event as Vizcarra himself.

Both were making every exertion to bring it about. Already
scouting-parties had been sent out in different directions. A
proclamation had been posted on the walls of the town,--the joint
production of the Comandante and his captain, offering a high reward for
the cibolero's head, and a still higher sum for the cibolero himself if
captured alive!

The citizens, to show their zeal and loyalty, had also issued a
proclamation to the same effect, heading it with a large sum subscribed
among them--a very fortune to the man who should be so lucky as to be
the captor of Carlos. This proclamation was signed by all the principal
men of the place, and the name of Don Ambrosio figured high