! I shall have that horse yet, or I much mistake.
Oh! if I could find this place before the hour of meeting, then my game
were sure. But no, nothing said of the place--yes, the _old_ place.
Hell and furies! they have met before--often--often--oh!"

A groan of agony broke from the speaker, and he paced to and fro like
one bereft of his senses.

"Shall I tell Vizcarra now," he continued, "or wait till it is over? I
shall wait. It will be a dainty bit of news along with supper. Perhaps
I may garnish the table with the ears of the cibolero. Ha! ha! ha!"

And uttering a diabolical laugh, the ruffian took down his sabre and
buckled the belt around his waist. He then armed himself with a pair of
heavy pistols; and, after looking to the straps of his spurs, strode out
of the room.

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.

It wanted but an hour of midnight. There was a moon in the sky, but so
near the horizon, that the bluff bounding the southern side of the
valley threw out a shadow to the distance of many yards upon the plain.

Parallel to the line of the cliffs, and close in to their base, a
horseman could be seen advancing up the valley from the lower end of the
settlement. His cautious pace, and the anxious glances which he at
intervals cast before him, showed that he was travelling with some
apprehension, and was desirous of remaining unseen. It was evident,
too, that this was his object in keeping within the shadow of the cliff;
for on arriving at certain points where the precipice became slanting
and cast no shadow, he would halt for a while, and, after carefully
reconnoitring the ground, pass rapidly over it. Concealment could be
his only object in thus closely hugging the bluffs, for a much better
road could have been found at a little distance out from them.

After travelling for many miles in this way, the horseman at length
arrived opposite the town, which still, however, was three miles distant
from the cliff. From this point a road led off to the town,
communicating between it and a pass up the bluffs to the left.

The horseman halted, and gazed awhile along the road, as if undecided
whether to take it or not. Having resolved in the negative, he moved
on, and rode nearly a mile farther under the shadow of the bluffs.
Again he halted, and scanned the country to his right. A bridle-path
seemed to run in the direction of the town, or towards a point somewhat
above it. After a short examination the horseman see