"For _Dios_! I never saw her before," replied the captain; "she must be the sister of this fellow: yes--hear them! they address each other as brother and sister! She _is_ pretty!" "_Ay de mi_!" sighed the Comandante. "What a godsend! I was growing dull--very dull of this monotonous frontier life. With this new excitement, perhaps, I may kill another month. Will she last me that long, think you?" "Scarcely--if she come and go as easily as the rest. What! already tired of Inez?" "Poh! poh! loved me too much; and that I can't bear. I would rather too little if anything." "Perhaps this blonde may please you better in that respect. But, see! they are off!" As Roblado spoke, Carlos and his sister had moved forward to the carreta which held their aged mother, and were soon in conversation with her. The Comandante and his captain, as well as a large number of the spectators, followed, and crowded around to listen. "She wants to persuade me against it, mother," Carlos was heard to say. He had already communicated his design. "Without _your_ consent, I will not. But hear me, dear mother; I have half pledged myself, and I wish to make good my pledge. It is a _point of honour_, mother." The last phrase was spoken loudly and emphatically in the ear of the old woman, who appeared to be a little deaf. "Who wants to dissuade you?" she asked, raising her head, and glancing upon the circle of faces. "Who?" "Rosita, mother." "Let Rosita to her loom, and weave rebosos--that's what she's fit for. You, my son, can do great things--deeds, ay, deeds; else have you not in your veins the blood of your father. _He_ did deeds--_he_--ha! ha! ha!" The strange laugh caused the spectators to start, accompanied, as it was, with the wild look of her who uttered it. "Go!" cried she, tossing back her long flax-coloured locks, and waving her arms in the air--"go, Carlos the cibolero, and show the tawny cowards--slaves that they are--what a free American can do. To the cliff! to the cliff!" As she uttered the awful command, she sank back into the carreta, and relapsed into her former silence. Carlos interrogated her no further. The expressions she had let slip had rendered him somewhat eager to close the conversation; for he noticed that they were not lost on several of the bystanders. The officers, as well as the priests and alcalde, exchanged significant glances while she was uttering them. Placing his sister once more in the carreta, and giving her a parting embrace, Carlos leaped to the back of his steed, and rode forth upon the plain. When at some distance he reined in, and bent his eyes for a moment upon the tiers of benches where sat the senoras and senoritas of the town. A commotion could be observed among them. They had heard of the intended feat, and many would have dissuaded the cibolero from the perilous attempt.