t approaching the mouth of the cave, and
running upon a fresh scent.

Carlos drew up his horse and listened. He dare proceed no farther. He
dared not recall the dog. His voice would have been heard if any one
were near. He reflected that he could do no better than wait till the
dog should return, or by his attack give some sign of what he was after.
It might, after all, be the grizzly bear, or some other animal, he was
pursuing.

The cibolero sat upon his horse in perfect silence--not unprepared
though for any sudden attack. His true rifle lay across his thighs, and
he had already looked to its flint and priming. He listened to every
sound, while his eyes pierced the dark recesses of the ravine before and
around him.

For only a few moments this uncertainty lasted, and then back down the
chasm came a noise that caused the listener to start in his saddle. It
resembled the worrying of dogs, and for a moment Carlos fancied that
Cibolo had made his attack upon a bear! Only a moment did this illusion
last, for his quick ear soon detected the voices of more dogs than one;
and in the fierce confusion he distinguished the deep-toned bark of a
_bloodhound_!

The whole situation became clear to him at once. His enemies had been
awaiting him in the cave--for from it he was certain that the sounds
proceeded.

His first instinct was to wheel his horse and gallop out of the canon.
He waited a moment, however, and listened.

The worrying noise continued, but, amid the roar find barking of the
dogs, Carlos could distinguish the voices of men, uttered in low hurried
tones, as if addressing the dogs and also one another.

All at once the conflict appeared to cease, for the animals became
silent, except the hound, who at intervals gave out his deep loud bray.
In a moment more he, too, was silent.

Carlos knew by this silence that Cibolo had either been killed upon the
spot, or, having been attacked by men, had sheered off. In either case
it would be of no use waiting his return. If alive, he knew that the
dog would follow and overtake him. Without further delay, therefore, he
turned his horse's head, and galloped back down the ravine.

CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN.

On arriving at the month of the ravine he halted--not in the middle of
the plain, but under the shadow of the rocks--the same rocks where the
hunters had placed themselves in ambush. He did not dismount, but sat
in his saddle, gazing up the canon, and list