ls, both dogs and horses, and, moreover, would have stripped the
dead of their equipments, which were of some value. Indians? No.

There was not much difficulty in deciding who had committed this murder.
Where the skeletons of the dogs were found the ground was soft, and
there were hoof-tracks that did not belong to the horses of the hunters.
These were recognised by several. They were the tracks of the
well-known horse of Carlos the cibolero.

Beyond a doubt Carlos had done the deed. It was known that he and the
yellow hunter had not been on friendly terms, but the contrary. They
had met and quarrelled, then; or, what was more likely, Carlos had found
the hunters asleep by their camp-fire, had stolen upon them, and thus
effected his purpose. The mulatto had been shot dead at once, and had
fallen into the fire, for part of the body was consumed to a cinder!
His companion, attempting to make his escape, had been pursued and
overtaken by the bloodthirsty outlaw!

New execrations were heaped upon the head of the devoted Carlos. Men
crossed themselves and uttered either a prayer or a curse at the mention
of his name; and mothers made use of it to fright their children into
good behaviour. The name of Carlos the cibolero spread more terror than
the rumour of an Indian invasion!

The belief in the supernatural became strengthened. Scarce any one now
doubted that the cibolero's mother was a witch, or that all these deeds
performed by her son were the result of her aid and inspiration.

There was not the slightest hope that he would either be captured or
killed. How could he? Who could bind the devil and bring him to
punishment? No one any longer believed that he could be caught.

Some gravely proposed that his mother--the witch should be taken up and
burnt. Until that was done, argued they, he would set all pursuit at
defiance; but if she were put out of the world, the murderer might then
be brought to justice!

It is probable enough that the counsels of these and they were the
majority of the inhabitants--would have prevailed; especially as they
were openly approved of by the padres of the mission; but before the
public mind became quite ripe for such a violent sacrifice, an event
occurred which completely changed the currant of affairs.

It was on the morning of a Sunday, and the people were just coming out
of the church, when a horseman, covered with sweat and dust, galloped
into the Plaza. His habilim