What vexed Roblado most was, that he was no longer able to take the field--nor was he likely to be for several weeks. His wound, though not dangerous, would oblige him to sling his arm for some time, and to manage a horse would be out of the question. The strategic designs of the Comandante and himself would have to be carried out by those who felt far less interest in the capture of the outlaw than they did. Indeed, but for the arrival of a brace of lieutenants, sent from division head-quarters at Santa Fe, the garrison would have been without a commissioned officer fit for duty. These new-comers--Lieutenants Yafiez and Ortiga--were neither of them the men to catch the cibolero. They were brave enough--Ortiga in particular--but both were late arrivals from Spain, and knew nothing whatever of border warfare. The soldiers were desirous of hunting the outlaw down, and acted with sufficient zeal. The stimulus of a large reward, which was promised to them, rendered them eager of effecting his capture; and they went forth on each fresh scout with alacrity. But they were not likely to attack the cibolero unless a goodly number of them were together. No one or two of them--including the celebrated Sergeant Gomez--would venture within range of his rifle, much less go near enough to lay hands upon him. The actual experience of his prowess by some of them, and the exaggerated reports of it known to others, had made such an impression upon the whole troop, that the cibolero could have put a considerable body of them to flight only by showing himself! But in addition to the skill, strength, and daring which he had in reality exhibited--in addition to the exaggeration of those qualities by the fancy--the soldiers as well as people had become possessed with a strange belief-- that was, that the cibolero was under the protection of his mother-- under the protection of the "diablo"--in other words, that he was _bewitched_, and therefore invincible! Some asserted that he was impervious to shot, spear, or sabre. Those who had fired their carbines at him while on the bridge fully believed this. They were ready to swear--each one of them--that they had hit the cibolero, and must have killed him had he not been under supernatural protection!