the lasso with his knife--an action which caused our hero, who was
pulling back on the lariat with all his strength, to toss up his heels,
and sit down upon the rough stones of the court, very suddenly, while
Pierre, finding himself at liberty, jumped up, and ran for his life.

Mr. Winters had by this time regained his feet, and, catching up Frank's
rifle, which lay beside him on the pavement, he took a flying shot at
the robber just as he was running through the archway. Pierre's escape
was a very narrow one; for the bullet went through the brim of his
sombrero, and cut off a lock of his hair.




CHAPTER VI.

THE MYSTERIES SOLVED.


Pierre, finding himself uninjured by Mr. Winters's shot, suddenly became
very courageous, and stopped to say a parting word to that gentleman.

"Try it again," said he, with a taunting laugh. "You are a poor shot for
an old frontiersman! I will bid you good-by, now," he added, shaking his
knife at Uncle James, "but you have not seen the last of me. You will
have reason to remember"--

The Ranchero did not say what Mr. Winters would have reason to remember,
for he happened to look toward the opposite side of the court, and saw
something that brought from him an ejaculation of alarm, and caused him