"I desire ardently for my part," Loyal Heart said, with a bow, "that the slight cloud which has arisen between you and Tranquil may be dispersed like the vapour driven away by the morning breeze, in order that I may become better acquainted with you; as you wish it, I will listen to your conversation." "Thanks, Caballero. Now speak, Tranquil, I am ready to listen to the charges you fancy you have to bring against me." "Unluckily," said Tranquil, "the strange life yon have led since your arrival in these parts gives occasion for the most unfavourable surmises; you have formed a band of adventurers and border-ruffians, outlawed by society, and living completely beyond the ordinary path of civilized peoples." "Are we prairie-hunters and wood-rangers obliged to obey all the paltry exigencies of cities?" "Yes, up to a certain point; that is to say, we are not allowed to place ourselves in open revolt against the institutions of men who, though we have separated from them, are no less our brothers, and to whom we continue to belong by our colour, religion, origin, and the family ties which attach us to them, and which we have been unable to break. "Be it so, I admit to a certain extent the justice of your reasoning; but even supposing that the men I command are really bandits, border-ruffians as you call them, do you know from what motives they act? Can you bring any accusation against them?" "Patience, I have not finished yet." "Go on, then." "Next, in addition to this band of which you are the ostensible Chief, you have contracted alliances with the Redskins, the Apaches among others, the most impudent plunderers on the prairie; is that so?" "Yes, and no, my friend; in the sense that the alliance which you charge me with never existed until the present hour; but this morning it was probably concluded by two of my friends with Blue-fox, one of the most renowned Apache Chiefs." "Hum! that is an unlucky coincidence." "Why so?" "Are you aware what your new allies did last night?" "How should I? Since I do not know where they are, and have not even received the official report of the treaty being made." "Well, I will tell you; they attacked the Venta del Potrero, and burned it to the ground." The Jaguar's savage eye emitted a flash of fury; he bounded to his feet, and convulsively seized his rifle. "By Heaven!" he shouted, loudly, "Have they done that?" "They did; and it is supposed at your instigation." The Jaguar shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. "For what object?" he said. "But Doña Carmela, what has become of her?" "She is saved, thank Heaven!" The young man heaved a sigh of relief. "And you believed in such infamy on my part?" he asked, reproachfully. "I do not believe it now," the hunter replied. "Thanks, thanks! but by Heaven! The demons shall pay dearly, I swear, for the crime they have committed; now go on."