166         GOLD MINES OF THE PECOS AND THE GILA.
myself so readily sophisticating—so easily' reconciled—though conditions absolutely horrifying in themselves were presented. This consciousness would make me extremely restless then, and even the recollection of it now makes me perhaps splenetically uncharitable towards these men. The hate engendered through years of mutual wrongs had not yet in my case been kindled into a fierce devouring flame which made a hell at the heart and madness in the brain; yet this had been so with them, and with consequences such as I have described, and shall proceed to show, occurring within a few days! judge what the years of such a life must have been!
Black, who might have been a serious and unmanageable incumbrance to a design requiring great secresy, had fortunately fallen asleep, after devouring, like a famished wild beast, ah enormous meal. We set off in silence for the Rancho, accompanied by Castro and his warriors on foot. They were sent ahead with orders- to "seize, without noise, any stragglelfethey might find, to prevent the alarm being given. The moon was out very bright; but her rays penetrated feebly beneath the dense umbrage of the forest as we approached the log-bridge of which I ¦have spoken.
We had nearly reached this difficult passage, when a sudden commotion among the Indians announced that something had happened. There was a scattering, crashing, and scrambling through the thickets for a moment—a stifled cry—and they came out dragging among them a prisoner! Who should it be, trepbling in a mortal panic, but Master Antone, whose unaccountable disappearance after the capture of Davis had since been frequently commented upon in no mincing terms. Indeed, every one suspected him of too warm a sympathy for the traitor, and friendship for the old Senora ; and threats had been let fall which now, it appeared, were to be executed. I saw there would be little chance for him when Castro reported that he had heard him or some one else run from a thicket close to the Colonel's Rancho, when we came out, and that, suspecting he would make for the log, he had intercepted him. This placed Sir Braggadocio under the unpleasant imputation of having added the character of spy to his many salient qualities.    The proposition was made instanter to