The first impulse of the cibolero was to gallop forward and mingle in the fight,--of course, taking side with the Wacoes. The sound of the conflict roused his blood, and the sight of the robbers who had so lately ruined him rendered him eager for revenge. Many of them were mounted upon the very mules they had taken from him, and Carlos was determined to have some of them back again. He was about to put spurs to his horse, and dash forward, when a sudden change seemed to occur in the conflict that decided him to remain where he was. The Panes were giving way! Many of them were seen wheeling out of the plain, and taking to flight. As Carlos looked down the hill, he saw three of the Pane warriors in full run, making up to the spot where he stood. Most of the band were still fighting, or had fled in a different direction; but these, cut off from the rest, came directly up the hill at a gallop. The cibolero had drawn his horse under the cover of some trees, and was not perceived by them until they were close to the spot. At this moment the war-cry of the Wacoes was heard directly in their rear, and Carlos saw that two mounted warriors of that tribe were in pursuit. The fugitives looked back, and, seeing only two adversarios after them, once more wheeled round and gave fight. At their first charge one of the pursuers was killed, and the other-- whom Carlos now recognised as the Waco chief--was left alone against three assailants. The whip-like crack of the cibolero's rifle sounded on the air, and one of the Panes dropped out of his saddle. The other two, ignorant of whence the shot had come, continued their onset on the Waco chief, who, dashing close up, split the skull of one of there with his tomahawk. His horse, however, bore him rapidly past, and before he could wheel round, the remaining Pane--an active warrior--rushed after and thrust his long spear into the back of the chief. Its head passed clear through his body, completely impaling him; and with a death-whoop, the noble Indian fell from his horse to the ground. But his enemy fell at the same time. The arrow of the cibolero was too late to save, though not to avenge, the Waco's fall. It pierced the Pane just at the moment the latter had made his thrust, and he fell to the ground simultaneously with his victim, still clutching the handle of the spear! A fearful group lay dead upon the sward; but Carlos did not stay to contemplate it. The fight still raged in another part of the field, and, putting spurs to his horse he galloped off to take part in it.