“We had a half-blood in our company, who was used as a rival to El Lobo in gathering any information that might be afloat, and at the same time, when opportunity offered, in sowing the wormwood of jealousy.  This was easy, for we collected every item in the form of presents he ever made her rival senoritas.  When these forces were working, our half-blood pushed his claims for recognition.  Our wages and prize money were at his disposal, and in time they won.  The neglect shown her by El Lobo finally turned her against him, apparently, and she agreed to betray his whereabouts the first opportunity—­on one condition.  And that was, that if we succeeded in capturing him, we were to bring him before her, that she might, in his helplessness, taunt him for his perfidy towards her.  We were willing to make any concession to get him, so this request was readily granted.

“The deserted condition of the ranchito where the girl lived was to our advantage as well as his.  The few families that dwelt there had their flocks to look after, and the coming or going of a passer-by was scarcely noticed.  Our man on his visits carefully concealed the fact that he was connected with this service, for El Lobo’s lavish use of money made him friends wherever he went, and afforded him all the seclusion he needed.

“It was over a month before the wolf made his appearance, and we were informed of the fact.  He stayed at an outside pastor’s camp, visiting the ranch only after dark.  A corral was mentioned, where within a few days’ time, at the farthest, he would pen a bunch of saddle horses.  There had once been wells at this branding pen, but on their failing to furnish water continuously they had been abandoned.  El Lobo had friends at his command to assist him in securing the best horses in the country.  So accordingly we planned to pay our respects to him at these deserted wells.

“The second night of our watch, we were rewarded by having three men drive into these corrals about twenty saddle horses.  They had barely time to tie their mounts outside and enter the pen, when four of us slipped in behind them and changed the programme a trifle.  El Lobo was one of the men.  He was very polite and nice, but that didn’t prevent us from ironing him securely, as we did his companions also.

“It was almost midnight when we reached the ranchito where the girl lived.  We asked him if he had any friends at this ranch whom he wished to see.  This he denied.  When we informed him that by special request a lady wished to bid him farewell, he lost some of his bluster and bravado.  We all dismounted, leaving one man outside with the other two prisoners, and entered a small yard where the girl lived.  Our half-blood aroused her and called her out to meet her friend, El Lobo.  The girl delayed us some minutes, and we apologized to him for the necessity of irons and our presence in meeting his Dulce Corazon.  When the girl came out we were some distance from the jacal.  There was just moonlight enough to make her look beautiful.