Though they had never allowed him to go outside the building, he perfectly remembered the path by which he and the others had reached it, on that memorable night after their escape from the chain-gang. He recalled the two steep slopes, one above the other, with a narrow shelf between, on which they encountered the sentinel, who had hailed, "_Quien viva_?" Sure to be one there now, and to such hail what answer could he make? On this he reflected while descending the upper slope. The darkness due to the overshadowing trees made it necessary for him to go slowly, so giving him time. But it did not hinder his keeping to the path. With his long arms like the tentacles of an octopus he was able to direct his course, now and then using them to grasp overhanging branches, or the parasites dependent therefrom. Withal he went cautiously, and so silently, that the sentinel--for sure enough one was there--heard no noise to warn him of an enemy behind. In his monkish garb, he was standing on the outer edge of the shelf rock, his face turned to the valley, which was just beginning to show silvery white under the rays of a rising moon. Perhaps, like Don Ruperto, he was gazing on some spot, a house endeared to him as the home of his childhood; but from which, as the leader of the Free Lances, he had been bereft by the last confiscation. Possibly he was indulging in the hope of its being soon restored to him, but least of all dreaming of danger behind. It was there, notwithstanding--in fiendish shape and close proximity. A creature squatted like a toad, human withal, saying to himself-- "What wouldn't I give for a knife with a blade six inches long!" Then, with a sudden change of thought, seeing the chance to do without the knife, making a dash forward, with the ape-like arms extended, and pushing the sentinel over! The cry that came from the latter, on feeling the impulse from behind, was stifled as he went whirling to the bottom of the cliff. CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT. ON DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. "Dead!" muttered the inhuman wretch, as he stood upon the spot late occupied by his victim, looking down over the cliff. "Dead he must be; unless a man can fall two hundred feet and still live; which isn't likely. That clears the way, I take it; and unless I have the ill luck to meet some one coming up--a straggler--it'll be all right. As sound ascends, I ought to hear them before they could _see_ me. I shall keep my ears open." Saying which he _commenced_ the descent of the _second_ slope, proceeding in the same cautious way as before.