Thurstane had obtained orders from the post commandant to lead his party by the northern route, on condition that he would investigate and report as to its practicability for military and other transit.  He had also been allowed to draw by requisition fifty days’ rations, a box of ammunition, and four mules.  Starting thirty-six hours after Coronado, he made in two days and a half the distance which the train had accomplished in four.  Now he had overtaken his quarry, and in the obscurity had passed it.

But Sergeant Weber was an old hand on the Plains, and notwithstanding the darkness and the generally stony nature of the ground, he presently discovered that the fresh trail of the wagons was missing.  Thurstane tried to retrace his steps, but starless night had already fallen thick around him, and before long he had to come to a halt.  He was opposite the mouth of the ravine; he was within five hundred yards of Clara, and raging because he could not find her.  Suddenly Coronado’s cooking fires flickered through the gloom; in five minutes the two parties were together.

It was a joyous meeting to Thurstane and a disgusting one to Coronado.  Nevertheless the latter rushed at the officer, grasped him by both hands, and shouted, “All hail, Lieutenant!  So, there you are at last!  My dear fellow, what a pleasure!”

“Yes, indeed, by Jove!” returned the young fellow, unusually boisterous in his joy, and shaking hands with everybody, not rejecting even muleteers.  And then what throbbing, what adoration, what supernal delight, in the moment when he faced Clara.

In the morning the journey recommenced.  As neither Thurstane nor Coronado had now any cause for hurry, the pace was moderate.  The soldiers marched on foot, in order to leave the government mules no other load than the rations and ammunition, and so enable them to recover from their sharp push of over eighty miles.  The party now consisted of twenty-five men, for the most part pretty well armed.  Of the other sex there were, besides Mrs. Stanley and Clara, a half-breed girl named Pepita, who served as lady’s maid, and two Indian women from Garcia’s hacienda, whose specialties were cooking and washing.  In all thirty persons, a nomadic village.

At the first halt Sergeant Weber approached Thurstane with a timorous air, saluted, and asked, “Leftenant, can we leafe our knabsacks in the vagons?  The gentleman has gifen us bermission.”

“The men ought to learn to carry their knapsacks,” said Thurstane.  “They will have to do it in serious service.”

“It is drue, Leftenant,” replied Weber, saluting again and moving off without a sign of disappointment.

“Let that man come back here,” called Aunt Maria, who had overheard the dialogue.  “Certainly they can put their loads in the wagons.  I told Mr. Coronado to tell them so.”

Weber looked at her without moving a muscle, and without showing either wonder or amusement.  Thurstane could not help grinning good-naturedly as he said, “I receive your orders, Mrs. Stanley.  Weber, you can put the knapsacks in the wagons.”