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Her beauty had not failed to make impression upon the heart of Aguara, long before his having become cacique. He has loved her too, in days gone by, ere he looked upon the golden-haired paleface. Both children then, and little more yet; for the Indian girl is only a year or two older than the other.
"Quite sure," is the confident rejoinder; "more than once I've observed Aguara's free behaviour towards my cousin; and once would have thrashed the impudent redskin, but for uncle interfering. He was afraid it might get us into trouble with Naraguana." "But did father himself know of it? I mean about Aguara and Francesca?" "No. I rather think not. And I disliked telling him."
"Deceived!" she echoes, the blush upon her cheeks mounting up to her brow, and becoming deeper red. "Brother! Had any one but you asked that question, I would Deceived! No; your sister would die before that could have been. As you seem to know all, I will no longer conceal the truth from you. You speak of Aguara. I loved him; ah! love him still.
"No!" she exclaims, starting back with an expression of horror upon her countenance. "Never, never! If Aguara be untrue to me, it is no fault of the paleface. I know that; and have no vengeance for her. But for him ah! if he have deceived me, it is not she, but he should suffer punishment. And punished he shall be by my brother."
A wild cry tells that it has pierced the body of Aguara; then drawn instantly back and given a second thrust, it passes through that of the vaqueano both dropping from their horses dead, as if by a bullet through the brain!
Never did mistaken men more rejoice at their mistake than do they, when, on the band of Indian braves galloping up to the ground, they behold at its head, and evidently in command of it, not the cacique Aguara, but the sub-chief, Kaolin, and beside him his sister Nacena!
The first, as can be seen at a glance, is the pursuing party of Tovas youths led by Aguara; while the sun shining upon gilt buttons, with the glittering of lance blades and barrels of guns, tells the other to be a troop of soldiers, beyond doubt the looked for cuarteleros!
No more is it strange that Aguara, engrossed with the subject of conversation between him and the vaqueano, leaves them free to their frollicking. Nothing occurs to change the behaviour either of the two who are in front, or those following, until the horses of the former have forded the stream, and stepped out on the bank beyond.
There is a girl riding by his side, a beautiful girl, at a glance recognisable as Nacena he himself being her brother, Kaolin. They and their party are also pursuing. Though not to retake, the paleface captive; instead, to protect her the object of their pursuit being Aguara himself.
"After all, it may bring him into trouble," suggests the more sage of the speakers, adding, "ay, and ourselves as well every one of us." "How that," inquires the other. "Well; you know, if Naraguana had been living, he would never have allowed this." "But Naraguana is not living, and who is to gainsay the will of Aguara?
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