Part 36 (1/2)

'Suppose you coald Believe me, there is no time like the present Here are the tools They look quite antediluvian Do you think now that it really was a flesh-and-blood Indianhere; or was it the ghost of so down here to excavate his own old bones, or have a peep to see that they are safe?'

'Archie,' said Dugald, at last, as if he had not listened to a word of his co to-day'

'No?'

'No, ill go hoin to think this is no grave after all'

'Indeed, Dugald, and why?'

'Why, simply for this reason: Ya story of two her the hills, and were eventuallyto the tradition the slaughtering Indians were thee appearances have taken place fro-box of the ruin no Gauchos could be found bold enough to go inside it, nor would any Indian coot ht'

'And you think that--'

'I think that Indians are not far away, and that--but coh time, for at that verythele Spears were even poised ready for an attack, and only perhaps the sight of that ferocious-looking dog restrained them

No one could come more speedily to a conclusion than Moncrieff He hardly waited to hear Dugald's story before he had suet ready with five trusty Gauchos to accouns, Yaer or two

Sharp is the word, Yambo!'

In two hours hest, we all reached the cactus near the old monastic ruin Here a spear flew close past Moncrieff's head A quick, fierce glance of anger shot fro, and in a le Aof a revolver, a shriek, a second shot, and all was still Presently Moncrieff rode back, looking grim, but calm and self-possessed

There was no one near the ruin e advanced, but the Indians had been here The grave was a grave no longer in shape, but a huge hole

'Set to work, Yaald and Archie and Donald, take three s and scour the bush round here Then place sentinels about, and post yourselves on top of the red dune'

Yaly for hours and hours, but without finding anything A halt was called at last for rest and refreshreater heart than ever

I had ridden away to the red dune to carry food to s and the sentinels

The day was beginning already to draw to a close The sky all above was blue and clear, but along the horizon lay a bank of grey rolling clouds, that soon would be changed to cri sun Haere poised high in the air, and flocks of kites were sloinging their way to the eastward

From our position on the summit of the red dune we had a most extended view on all sides We could even see the tall waving poplars of our own _estancias_, and aard a vast rolling prairie of pampa land, bounded by the distant _sierras_ My eyes were directed to one level and snohite patch in the plain, which ht have been about three square miles in extent, when suddenly out from behind some dunes that lay beyond rode a party of horselance they were Indians, and that they were coht for the hill on which we stood There was not ato the back of my mule, I hurried away to warn our party

CHAPTER XXIII

A RIDE FOR LIFE

'Moncrieff!' I cried, as soon as I got within hail, 'the Indians will be on us in less than half an hour!'