ument, he agreed to it. They
talked the matter over for half an hour, and then Arthur started for
home, and the Ranchero galloped off to attend to his stock.

That night, after all his companions were asleep, Joaquin crept quietly
out of his quarters, and, after saddling his horse, rode toward the
mountains. He was gone nearly all night, but returned in time to get to
bed before the herdsmen awoke; and, when he arose with the others, none
of them knew that he had been away from the rancho. Arthur Vane must
have known something about it, however, for the next morning, as soon as
he had eaten his breakfast, he mounted his horse, and overtook Joaquin,
just as he was leaving his quarters.

"Well!" said Arthur.

The Ranchero looked suspiciously about him, and, finding that there was
no one within sight or hearing, he detached his knife and sheath from
his belt, produced a folded paper from the crown of his sombrero, and
handed them both to Arthur, saying, in a suppressed whisper:

"It's all right."

"Did you see him?" asked Arthur, eagerly.

"I did, and he says your plan is an excellent one, and he will help you
to carry it out. The black line on that paper points out the road you
are to follow; the light lines, that branch off from it, are old
bridle-paths. Look at the paper often, and you can't get lost. He has
never seen you, you know, and, when you find him, you must show him my
knife to prove that you are a friend. Bear one thing in mind, now, and
that is, you are playing a dangerous game, and if you are found out, the
country around here will be too hot to hold you. Remember that I am your
only friend in this matter, and say nothing to nobody except me."

With this piece of advice, the Ranchero galloped off, and Arthur, after
placing the knife in his belt, and putting the paper carefully away in
his pocket, rode toward the mountains.

During the next few hours, Arthur consulted his paper frequently, and,
about noon, he was standing at the base of a precipitous cliff, twenty
miles from home, examining the natural features of the place, and
comparing them with his diagram. He saw no one; but half way up the
cliff was a huge bowlder, over which peered a pair of eyes that were
closely watching every move he made; and, when Arthur whistled twice,
the eyes disappeared, and a man stepped from behind the rock, and said,
in a gruff voice:

"Who are you, and what do you want here?"

"Are you Pierre Costello?" asked A