lume of feathers in her hair, and a cloak of skins
over her shoulders. The horses were found behind a clump of trees; and
mounting, they first took a westerly direction,--then circling round,
they finally, giving the reins to their horses, galloped at full speed
to the eastward, and happily met with us in the way I have described.

Norah was a good horsewoman, and declared herself well able to move on
without further delay. We accordingly proceeded eastward, till the
approach of night warned us to encamp. We of course took every
precaution against surprise; for though the Spaniards had been so
signally defeated, some roving bands of Indians attached to their cause
might possibly discover and attack us. We had not only sentries placed
round the camp, but we sent out vedettes to patrol the neighbourhood,
and thus give due notice of the approach of an enemy. A hut was built
for Norah; and Don Carlos and I lay down outside, that, in case of any
sudden surprise, we might be at hand to protect her.

The first watch of the night had passed by, when a shot was heard, and
one of the vedettes came galloping in with the announcement that he had
descried a body of men approaching the camp, and that, as he galloped
off, he had been pursued by several horsemen. We of course ordered the
men to be ready to leap into their saddles for the attack which we fully
expected to be made; and Norah's horse was brought up, that she might be
able to mount, if necessary, at a moment's notice. She took the
announcement very calmly, as if it was quite a matter of course.

While these preparations were being made, the padre rode up and offered
to go forth in the direction in which the strangers had been seen, and
ascertain who they were.

"They may be enemies, but they may possibly be friends; and unless we
learn the truth, we may be knocking our heads together before we
discover it," he observed. "I have had so many bullets flying about my
ears of late, and have got off scot-free, that I am not afraid of any
they may fire at me."

Though we were unwilling to expose the padre to danger, his offer was of
too much value to be refused. We accordingly begged him to do as he
proposed; and bidding us not to be anxious about him, he rode off in the
direction from which the vedette had come.

We waited, fearing every instant to hear the sound of a shot; but the
silence of night remained unbroken. I had directed my men not to fire
till they re