The Rebel Chief

do?a Dolores had treated him with a degree of reserve which the ma

or most innocent familiarity; while remaining polite, and even gracious, she had contrived, ever since the first day they met, to raise a barrier between herself and the

rant him this meeting? What reason impelled her to act thus? Such were the questions which the count did not cease to ask himself-questions which necessarily remained unanswered. Hence the young man's anxiety, curiosity, and impatience, were aroused to the highest degree, and it was with a feeling of

ast night's scene she seemed to give to another person, all combined to deprive this interview of the slightest supposit

a Cruz, and whose firm resolution it was to withdraw, and renounce the alliance so long prepared, and which displeased him the more because it was forced on him-revolted at the supposition of this renunciation, which, without

, had inspired no other feeling but a cold indifference. There was certainly something desperate about this; for an instant he went so far as to fancy-for anger blinded him to such an extent-that he was really in love with his cousin, and he was on the point of swearing to remain deaf to the tear

surably above his surroundings, that he only felt a sort of merciful pity for the poor girl whom the bad education she had received prevented from app

g in the court, held by peons. At the door of the apartments stood a young Indian girl with pretty face, and sparkling eyes, who greeted him with a smile and a profound courtesy, as she made him a sign to enter. The count followed her; the waiting maid pa

ng herself with teasing a pretty parrot half the size of her hand,

opped in the door, experiencing an admiration mingled with such great stupefaction, that do?a Dolores after

him, "but you look so singular at

esolved to share this gaiety which he was so far from ex

set down here near me in this butaca," and wi

ng man

honour of obeying the invitatio

hank you for your kindness, and more e

ess in obeying you, cousin, I have so

h you are addressi

ffering you what you are pleased to call reproaches: you

o make trial of this noble devotion, I should expose

sincere desire to please you in everything, cousin. I pledge you my word

ur word, don Ludovic," she said, lean

my promptitude in obeying you, that

ewood perch the parrot with which she had been playing up till now, she le

o him, "I have a ser

h I shall be of

tinued, "is not of grea

the w

it may cause you

noyance I may experience, if

acienda, whether masters or servants. Still, as the roads are not, at this moment, perfectly secure, and I dare not venture to traverse them alone, I want with me, in order to protect and d

am a stranger to this country, and might l

I am a native of the country, and have no fea

t: I thank you for the honour you deign to do me

mirably, go and put on your spurs, warn your valet that he will have to accompany you, and fetch your weapons: that is

ung lady, who responded by a gr

ying my delightful cousin to some love appointment. But how was it possible to refuse her anything! I never saw her looking so lovely as today. On my s

ng on his heavy silver spurs, and throwing a sarape over his shoulders, he selected a double-barrelled gun, a straight sabre, a brace of revolvers, and thus armed went in

ing the count's arrival. Don Andrés de la Cruz was rubbing his hands i

de?" he said to the count; "I

ed to offer to accompan

ably, for her choice

ords with his future father-

careful whom you meet, Juárez' cuadrillas are beginning t

sides," she added with a charming smile aimed at the

n and get b

rn before the

enda. The count and the young lady galloped side by side. Raimba

said, when they had ridden some distance out into t

a better one," Ludov

iving him a side glance, "I ha

ession,

ood fellow, that I feel asha

eived me

"as you shall judge. I am leading y

are expecte

s you they want e

not understand you at all: I

at, my dear cousin?" she

elieve so

are beginni

so sure of

ho expects you, not only knows

he matter more puzzling

a few minutes we shall have arrived, and I d

in, I declare. I am humbly wait

n a strange land. In this country, so soon as you landed, you met one man who displayed some sympathy with you, and you

hes. You are right; there is really one man i

en I was no

upposing that it was to him

longer rememb

nd it would be my most eage

s this pers

ll, I should not like to affir

man gave a m

sk you why you entertain thi

ous gentleman; his manners are not those of everybody. As I think,

t-perhaps you are wrong-I could not answer that question; a

lar," the youn

ortant communication to make to

tell y

isplayed a desire to see you as soon as possible; that is th

ered by it, and looked at her for a moment as if he did not comprehend her. Do?a Dolores did not no

t those two men seated side by side in the shade of that clump of trees

ovic answered, s

n, who, on perceiving them, had ris