The first thing which Rosita did, after the noise without had ceased,
was to glide forth and peep through the cactus-fence. She had heard the
bugle again, and she wished to be sure that the intruders were gone.
To her joy, she beheld the troop some distance off, defiling up the
valley.
She ran back into the house and communicated the intelligence to her
mother, who had again seated herself, and was quietly smoking her pipe
of _punche_.
"Dastardly ruffians!" exclaimed the latter. "I knew they would be gone.
Even an old woman and a dog are enough. Oh, that my brave Carlos had
been here! He would have taught that proud Gachupino we were not so
helpless! Ha! that would Carlos!"
"Do not think of it any more, dear mother; I don't think they will
return. You have frightened them away,--you and our brave Cibolo. How
well he behaved! But I must see," she added, hastily casting her eyes
round the room; "he may be hurt. Cibolo! Cibolo! here, good fellow!
Come, I've got something for you. Ho, brave dog!"
At the call of her well-known voice the dog came forth from his
hiding-place, and bounded up, wagging his tail, and glancing kindly in
her face.
The girl stooped down, and, passing her hands through his shaggy coat,
examined every part of his body and limbs, in fear all the while of
meeting with the red stain of a bullet. Fortunately the sergeant's aim
had not been true. Neither wound nor scratch had Cibolo received; and
as he sprang around his young mistress, he appeared in perfect health
and spirits.
A splendid animal he was,--one of those magnificent sheep-dogs of New
Mexico, who, though half-wolf themselves, will successfully defend a
flock of sheep from the attack of wolves, or even of the more savage
bear. The finest sheep-dogs in the world are they, and one of the
finest of his race was Cibolo.
His mistress, having ascertained that he was uninjured, stepped upon the
banqueta, and reached up towards a singular-looking object that hung
over a peg in the wall. The object bore some resemblance to a string of
ill-formed sausages. But it was not that, though it was something quite
as good for Cibolo, who, by his sparkling eyes and short pleased
whimpers, showed that he knew what it was. Yes, Cibolo had not to be
initiated into the mysteries of a string of tasajo. Dried buffalo-meat
was an old and tried favourite; and the moment it reached his jaws,
which it did immediately after, he gave proof of this by the earnest
manner in which he set to work upon it.
The pretty Rosita, still a little apprehensive, once more peeped through
the cactus-fence to assure herself that no one was near.
But this time some one _was_ near, and the sight did not cause her any
fear,--quite the contrary. The approach of a young man in a blue manga,
mounted upon a richly-caparisoned horse, had a contrary effect
altogether, and Rosita's little heart now beat with confidence.
This young horseman was Don Juan the ranchero. He rode straight up to
the opening, and seeing the guera cried out in a frank friendly voice,
"_Buenos dias, Rosita_!"