he very end she herself desires, and might have
proposed to them. The same instinct, however, prompts her to feign
ignorance of it, as evinced by her interrogative rejoinder:--

"How can Nacena assist you? In what way?"

"By helping us to get the paleface out of her prison." It is Gaspar who
speaks. "She is imprisoned, is she not?"

"She is."

"And where is she kept?" further questions the gaucho.

Cypriano trembles as he listens for the answer. He fears, half
expecting it to be, "In the _toldo_ of the _cacique_."

It is a relief to him, when Nacena, pointing towards the dark object
bound to the scaffold-post, says: "She has charge of the paleface
captive."

"_Bueno_!" ejaculates Gaspar with delight in his eyes, as in those of
Cypriano. "Nothing could be better than that. And now that we have
Shebotha here, no one will be guarding the prisoner--will there?"

"Alas, yes!" responds the Indian girl, her words with their tone telling
that she has entered into the spirit of their enterprise.

"Who?" interrogates Gaspar. "What is he--if it be a man?"

"Yes, a man. A white man, like yourselves; one who has been long with
our tribe--a captive taken many years ago from some of the countries
south. He is Shebotha's own slave, and watches over the paleface when
she is out of the _toldo_."

Again the gaucho ejaculates, "_Bueno_!" adding, in _sotto voce_, to his
two companions, "It seems better still; a bit of rare good luck; that
is, if this white man, whoever he be, isn't grown Indianised, as I've
known some to be." Then to the girl. "Shebotha's slave, you say? In
that case, he should be wanting to regain his liberty, and we may give
him the chance. If need be, we can take him along, too. You
understand, Nacena?"

"I do."

"Then you agree to assist us?"

"Say yes!" urges Cypriano.

"_My_ sister, Nacena!" adds Ludwig.

In response to their united appeals, she points to the sorceress,
saying--

"Her vengeance is to be dreaded. If I do as you wish me, Shebotha--"

"Won't hurt a hair of your head," says Gaspar, interrupting. "Nor
can't. She'll not be near enough to do you any injury. That worthy
woman is on the eve of a long journey, to be made in our company, if you
agree to assist us in getting the paleface away. You do agree to it,
_amiga mia_?"

The girl fully comprehending, and relieved at the thought of the dreaded
sorceress being taken out of the way, at length not only signifies
as