"Why, I have no doubt he will lead us a long chase. We must do the best we can to follow his trail. I came back to provision the men so that we can keep on for a sufficient time. The rascals have gone out of the valley by the upper pass, and perhaps have taken to the mountains. So thinks Gomez. We shall have to follow, and endeavour to overtake them. We must send express to the other settlements, so that the cibolero may be captured if he make his appearance in any of them. I don't think he will attempt that." "Why?" "Why! because it appears the old witch is still alive! and, moreover, he will hang around here so long as he has any hopes of recovering the sister." "Ha! you are right; he will do so. He will never leave me till she--" "So much the better; we shall have all the finer opportunity of laying hands on him, which, believe me, my dear colonel, will be no easy matter. The fellow will be watchful as a wolf, and on that superb horse of his can escape from our whole troop. We'll have to capture him by some stratagem." "Can you think of none?" "I have been thinking of one." "What?" "Why, it is simply this--in the first place, for the reasons I have given, the fellow will hang around the settlement. He may visit now and then the old _hechicera_, but not often. The other would be a better decoy." "You mean her?" Vizcarra indicated the direction of the room in which Rosita was confined. "I do. He is said to be foolishly fond of this sister. Now, were she in a place where he could visit her, I'll warrant he would come there; and then we could trap him at our pleasure." "In a place!--where?" eagerly demanded Vizcarra. "Why, back to her own neighbourhood. They'll find some residence. If you will consent to let her go for a while, you can easily recover her--_the more easily when we have settled with him_!" "Consent, Roblado!--it is the very thing I desire above all things. My mind will not be easy while she is here. We are both in danger if such a report should get in circulation. If it should reach certain ears, we are ruined--are we not?" "Why, _now_ there is some truth in what you say, Garcia's death must be reported, and the cause will be inquired into. We must have _our_ story as plausible as it can be made. There must be no colour of a suspicion--no rumour! It will be well to get her off our hands for the present." "But how--that it is that troubles me--how, without increasing the chances of suspicion? If we send her home, how is it to be explained? That would not be the act of _Indians_? You said you had some plan?" "I _think_ I have. But first tell me, colonel, what did you mean by saying she was _mad_?" "That she was so; is so still,--so says Jose,--within the hour, muttering strange incongruities--knows not what is said to her. I tell you, Roblado, it terrified _me_." "You are sure she knows not what is said to her?" "Sure of it."