"Well," he resumed, after a struggle to regain his self-control, "I will
do my utmost to overtake you."

"We shall be very glad," returned Clara, with a singular mixture of
consciousness and artlessness.

There was an exquisite innocence and almost childish simplicity in this
girl of eighteen. It was, so to speak, not quite civilized; it was not in
the style of American young ladies; our officer had never, at home,
observed anything like it; and, of course--O yes, of course, it fascinated
him. The truth is, he was so far gone in loving her that he would have
been charmed by her ways no matter what they might have been.

On the very morning after the above dialogue Garcia's train started for
Rio Arriba, taking with it a girl who had been singled out for a marriage
which she did not guess, or for a death whose horrors were beyond her
wildest fears.

The train consisted of six long and heavy covered vehicles, not dissimilar
in size, strength, and build to army wagons. Garcia had thought that two
would suffice; six wagons, with their mules, etc., were a small fortune:
what if the Apaches should take them? But Coronado had replied: "Nobody
sends a train of two wagons; do you want to rouse suspicion?"

So there were six; and each had a driver and a muleteer, making twelve
hired men thus far. On horseback, there were six Mexicans, nominally
cattle-drivers going to California, but really guards for the
expedition--the most courageous bullies that could be picked up in Santa
Fé, each armed with pistols and a rifle. Finally, there were Coronado and