“In a few words, sir, the officer had revived, and from the young girl I learned that she lived some distance away, and the outlaws had sought to force from her some secret, what I did not know, and, as I felt that the villains believed I had help near, and finding out that I had not would return, I urged a quick movement to a place of safety. “The girl and the officer quickly mounted, the latter still half dazed from his wound, and I told them I would remain behind to check pursuit and then follow upon their trail. “I did remain for a while, then left, but I stuck to the trail I had been traveling, thinking that they might think there was a crowd if I followed the girl and the officer. “As I rode along I suddenly spied a glittering object on the ground, and picking it up I was surprised to find that it was a bracelet studded with gems. I will show it to you later, for I have it. “Feeling sure that the lady had dropped it, I retraced my steps and picked up their trail, only to lose it, and I am certain that they covered up their tracks to throw me off the track. “Search as I might, I could not pick up the trail of the officer and the girl, so I gave it up at last and went on to the valley, to halt at a fine ranch I came upon and there ask hospitality. “But to tell you first of this strange valley and its people. “The settlement numbers a thousand people, is an adobe village, and the dwellers there are Mexicans, with a mixture of Americans and Indians. “From Silver Lake’s settlement the ranches branch out in the valley, and there are some fine haciendas among them, the rancheros being rich in cattle and horses, and a mixture of Americans and Mexicans of the better class.” “You surprise me, Cody, and interest me greatly,” said Colonel Carr. “I was greatly surprised and interested myself, sir, during the two days and nights I was in the valley. “All seems peaceful there, too, and yet upon that valley rests a cruel curse, for it is under a ban of outlawry that is most mysterious, and the more terrible because the actors are unseen, unknown, and therefore secret foes. “Upon this strange community hangs my mission of duty that I ask to go upon.” “Well?” “I was struck with the beauty of the valley, the apparent wealth of the rancheros, and where I stopped was the home of an American, who was half Mexican, for he had had a Texan for his father, who had married a lady of Mexico. He received me with the greatest hospitality, and we became so friendly that he told me that night, as we sat together, of the ban upon the fair valley. “I questioned him closely, for I wished to know all that I could discover, and he made known, though with considerable dread at doing so, that the curse upon the community was from the deeds of a secret foe or rather foes. Who that foe was no one could tell, and yet he was most in evidence at every ranch in the valley, upon which he levied tribute or blood money, I may say, and got it.”