ost touch the
earth. But between them and the ground is a figure extended at full
stretch; the body of a man to all appearance dead; which at a glance the
gaucho knows to be that of his master!

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

A SILENT FELLOW-TRAVELLER.

Another sun is rising over the Chaco, and its rays, red as the
reflection from a fire, begin to glitter through the stems of the
palm-trees that grow in scattered topes upon the plains bordering the
Pilcomayo. But ere the bright orb has mounted above their crowns, two
horsemen are seen to ride out of the _sumac_ grove, in which Ludwig
Halberger vainly endeavoured to conceal himself from the assassin Valdez
and his savage confederates.

It is not where any of these entered the thicket that the horsemen are
coming out, but at a point some half-mile further up the branch stream,
and on its higher bank, where it reaches the general level of the upper
plain. Here the _sumac_ trees cover the whole slope from the water's
edge to the crest of the bordering ridge, on this ending abruptly.
Though they stand thinly, and there is room enough for two horsemen to
ride abreast, these are not doing so, but one ahead, and leading the
other's horse by a raw-hide rope attached to the bitt ring.

In this manner they have ascended the slope, and have now the great
plain before them; treeless, save here and there a tope of palms or a
scattering of willows around some spot where there is water; but the
taller timber is behind them, and soon as they arrive at its edge, he
riding ahead reins up his horse, the other stopping at the same time.

There is still a belt of bushes between them and the open ground, of
stunted growth, but high enough to hinder their view. To see over them,
the leading horseman stands up in his stirrups, and looks out upon the
plain, his glances directed all around it. These, earnestly
interrogative, tell of apprehension, as of an enemy he might expect to
be there, in short, making a reconnaissance to see if the "coast be
clear."

That he judges it so is evinced by his settling back into his saddle,
and moving on across the belt of bushes; but again, on the skirt of this
and before issuing out of it, he draws bridle, and once more makes a
survey of the plain.

By this time, the sun having mounted higher in the heavens, shines full
upon his face, showing it of dark complexion, darker from the
apprehension now clouding it; but of honest cast, and one which would
other