erts. Only two of the former are seen--a brace of _urubus_, or "king
vultures," soaring in circles aloft--beautiful birds, but less
emblematic of life than death. A bad omen he might deem their presence;
and worse, if he but saw what they see. For, from their more elevated
position, they command a view of the plain to a much greater distance,
and see mounted men upon it; not a single party, but three distinct
groups of them, leagues distant from each other, though all round for
the _estancia_. They are approaching it by separate routes, and from
different quarters of the compass; one party coming up the Pilcomayo's
bank, and making straight for the old _tolderia_, a second moving
towards the same place on the down-river trail; while the third, away
from the river, and out upon the open plain, is heading more direct for
the _estancia_ itself. The first cohort, which is the smallest, is
composed of some forty or fifty horsemen, riding "by twos;" their
regular formation on the march, but more the uniformity in their dress,
arms, and accoutrements, telling them to be soldiers. For such they
really are--the _cuarteleros_ of Paraguay, with Rufino Valdez riding at
their head; not as their commanding officer, but in the exercise of his
more proper and special calling of _vaqueano_, or guide. Ghastly and
pallid, with his arm supported in a sling, he is on the way back to
Halberger's _estancia_, to complete the ruffian's task assigned to him
by the Dictator of Paraguay, and make more desolate the home he had
already enough ruined. But for his mischance in the _biscachera_, the
rescuers would have found it empty on their return, and instead of a
lost daughter, it would have been the mother missing.

The second band of horsemen, coming from the opposite quarter and down
the river, is no other than the pursuing party of Tovas, with Aguara at
their head. They are mostly young men, the _cacique's_ particular
friends and partisans, nearly a hundred in number, all armed with
_bolas_ and long spears. Hastily summoned together, they had started in
pursuit soon as they could catch up their horses; but with all their
speed the rescuing party had so far kept ahead, as to have arrived at
the _estancia_ some time before them. But they are pressing on for it
now, fast as their horses can carry them, urged forward by their leader,
who, in his rage, is not only determined to retake the escaped captive,
but kill cousin, brother, all who