It was past the hour of midnight. The lightning, that for some time had
appeared only at long intervals, now ceased altogether. Its fitful
glare gave place to a softer, steadier light, for the moon had arisen,
and was climbing up the eastern sky. Cumulus clouds still hung in the
heavens, slowly floating across the canopy; but their masses were
detached, and the azure firmament was visible through the spaces
between. The beautiful planet Venus, and here and there a solitary
star, twinkled in these blue voids, or gleamed through the filmy
bordering of the clouds; but the chiefs of the constellations alone were
visible. The moon's disc was clear and well defined, whiter from
contrast with the dark cumuli: and her beam frosted the prairie till the
grass looked hoar. There was neither mist nor mirage; the electric
fluid had purged the atmosphere of its gases, and the air was cool,
limpid, and bracing. Though the moon had passed the full, so brilliant
was her beam, that an object could have been distinguished far off upon
the plain, whose silvery level extended on all sides to the horizon.
The thick black clouds, however, moving silently over the sky,
occasioned long intervals of eclipse, during which the prairie, as
before, was shrouded in sombre darkness.
Up to this time, Garey and I had remained by the head of the little
gorge, through which we had ascended. The moon was behind us, for the
guerrilla was on the western side of the mesa. The shadow of the mound
was thrown far out upon the plain, and just beyond its well-defined edge
was the line of sentinels, thickly posted. On our knees among the low
shrubbery, we were unseen by them, while we commanded a perfect view of
the whole troop, as they smoked, chattered, shouted, and sang--for they
gave such tokens of their jovial humour.
After quietly watching them for some time, Garey left me to take a turn
round the summit, and reconnoitre the opposite or eastern side. In that
direction lay the rancheria; and if the picket was still stationed
there, we might soon expect the rescue. My rangers were not the men to
tarry, called forth on such a duty; and, under Rube's guidance, they
would be most likely to make their approach by the rear of the mound.
Garey, therefore, went in that direction to make his reconnaissance.
He had not parted from me more than a minute, when a dark object out
upon the plain attracted my glance. I fancied it was the figure of a
man; though it was prostrate and flattened against the ground, just as
old Rube had appeared when making his escape!
Surely it was not he? I had but an indistinct view of it, for it was
full six hundred yards from the mesa, and directly beyond the line of
the guerrilleros. Just then a cloud crossing the moon's disc, shrouded
the plain, and the dark object was no longer visible.