Part 16 (1/2)

Before very long we reach a broad river, and in we plunge, the horseirths I give the reins offorward, jump on board the caravan to keep the ladies coht the ford But the ladies are in no way afraid; they are enjoying thee, which is open Old Jenny is in an easy-chair and buried to the nose in her guanaco robe She isto herself, and as I bend down to listen I can catch the words: 'Dearie me! Dearie yptian darkness! Showers of golochs! Chariots and horsemen! Dearie me! Dearie me!'

But we are over at last, and our whole cavalcade looks sweeter and fresher for the bath

Presently we reach a corral, where two h in all conscience; their baggy breeches and ponchos are in sad need of repair, and a visit to a barber would add to the respectability of their appearance They look excited, wave their aron, and there are but tords intelligible towith a strange feeling of uneasiness I never felt before

'_Los Indios! Los Indios!_'

Moncrieff points significantly to his armed men and s and shutting their hands in a way that to me is very mysterious And so they disappear

CHAPTER XI

THE TRAGEDY AT THE FONDA

I could not help wondering, as I glanced at aunt whether she had heard and understood theIf she did she n But aunt is a M'Crihland chief

She would not _show_ fear even if she _felt_ it Yes, the brave may feel fear, but the coward alone is influenced by it

Old Jenny had gone to sleep, so I said good-bye to aunt, nodded to Aileen, and went back to ress that day, though we did not hurry We stopped to feed our cattle, and to rest and feed ourselves The jolting had been terrible on so very low indeed, and as we soon caround, with a view of the country round us for ht

The horses and e of sentry Gauchos No fear of their wandering off far They atered not an hour ago, and would be fresh by daybreak

Now, Moncrieff had been too long in the wilds to neglect precautions while ca out I had taken an early opportunity to-day to interview our leader concerning the report that Indians were abroad

'Ah!' he answered, 'you heard and understood what that half-breed said, then?'

'Just a word or two He appeared to give us a warning of some kind Is it of any account?'

'Well, there's always some water where the stirkie drowns; there's always some fire where you see smoke; and it is better to be sure than sorry'

I could elicit no more infor to any one, not even htest alarht tend to make them sleep less soundly?

However, as soon as the halt was lad to see that Moncrieff took every precaution against a surprise The caravan was ered' around it The fire was lit and the dinner cooked close beside a sheltering _barranca_, and as soon as this uished

'Then caether for prayer Even the Gauchos were suh I fear paid but little attention, while Moncrieff, standing bare-headed in the midst of us, read a chapter froht of the western sky Then, still standing--

'Brothers, let us pray,' he said

Erect there, with the twilight shadows falling around him, with open eyes and face turned skywards, with the sunset's after-glow falling on his hard but co fro thesimplicity of a little child's, yet it was in every way the prayer of awith his God; in every tone thereof was breathed belief, reliance, gratitude, and faith in the Father

As he finished, Dugald pressedA star had shone out from behind a little cloud, and soel's eye, and that it would watch over us all the live-long night Our evening service concluded with that loveliest of hy--