Wood Rangers: The Trappers of Sonora

When Don Augustin Pena returned, he found his daughter alone, and still kneeling; he waited until her prayer was finished. The news of Don Estevan's death so entirely occupied t...

On the frontiers of the America there exists a terrible law, yet it is not this clause alone which renders it so--"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, blood for blood." The applicatio...

An instant of stupor succeeded to the murder so suddenly accomplished. Don Antonio did not stir; Fabian seemed to forget that the bandit had only hastened the execution of the s...

About a fortnight after the events just related, other scenes were taking place in a part of the desert which extends from Tubac to the American frontier. But before referring t...

The camp was already in motion, and confusion reigned everywhere; there was a general movement among these intrepid men, who were accustomed to such surprises, and who had alrea...

Her head veiled by a silk scarf which partly concealed the luxuriant tresses of her dark hair as they fell in luxuriant clusters upon her bosom, Dona Rosarita's countenance gave...

Let us now glance at the spot occupied by the Blackbird. The fires lighted on the banks threw at first so strong a light that nothing could escape the eyes of the Indians, and a...

For a time the listeners heard nothing beyond those commonplace speeches exchanged between lovers--when the young man, doubtful of his position, makes himself heard in reproache...

While the Indians, united in council, were deliberating on the means of attacking the camp of the gold-seekers, let us see how the three men on the island were occupied.

The Hacienda del Venado--like all buildings of this kind situated upon the Indian frontier, and of course exposed to the attacks of the savages--was a species of citadel, as wel...

The darkness was no longer that of midnight--the outlines of the different objects began to be visible, and the peaks of the hills looked like domes or fantastic turrets in the...

It was not long before the spectators, who awaited this terrible conflict, perceived the jaguars advancing toward the crest of the ridge. All at once, however, the two made an a...

For twenty years the murderer of the Countess de Mediana had gone unpunished. For twenty years the justice of heaven had remained suspended; but the time of its accomplishment w...

As the Canadian uttered the generous oath, wrung from him by indignation, it seemed to him that a supplicating voice reached him. "Is not the poor wretch calling for aid?" And h...

After the cries of triumph which announced the capture of the unlucky white man, there was a moment of profound silence. The men on the island exchanged looks of consternation a...

Sonora, naturally one of the richest provinces of Mexico, is also one of the least known. Vast tracts in this State have never been explored; and others have been seen only by t...

The little bay of Ensenada, thus confided to the vigilance of Pepe the sleeper, was mysteriously shut in among the cliffs, as if nature had designed it expressly for smugglers--...

After a short journey, fatigue and suffering overcame the wounded man; and as it was imperative that he should not become acquainted with the situation of the Golden Valley, or...

Six months have elapsed since the three hunters, without deigning to carry with them a single grain of the treasures of the valley of gold, directed their steps, following the c...

The foremost man, who was the "Blackbird" himself, had reached a place where the water began to be deep, as the last man was just leaving the bank. But just as Fabian was about...

After having followed Don Estevan, at the invitation of the latter, inside the hovel, Cuchillo closed behind him the wattle of bamboos that served as a door. He did this with gr...

It is not known how long Pepe remained at his post to await the return of the stranger: when the cock was heard to crow, and the aurora appeared in the eastern horizon, the litt...

Don Estevan and Cuchillo, on leaving the ground of the combat, returned to the alley of granadines; but for some time not a word passed between them. Don Estevan was buried in a...

The chamber set apart for the Senor Don Estevan de Arechiza was undoubtedly the best in the house; and, notwithstanding the little progress that luxury has made in the state of...

"You have now, in common with us," replied Bois-Rose, "become possessed of a secret which we have long since known. I have my reasons for wishing that the knowledge of this secr...

By the light of the fire Don Estevan could be seen walking in the direction whence proceeded the cries of the jaguar that was approaching on the right. He appeared calm as if go...

On arriving at the chateau, the alcalde ordered the door of the Countess's chamber to be burst in--for it was still bolted inside. On entering the apartment a picture of confusi...

The sudden shock occasioned by the perception of a peril so proximate and imminent paralysed every tongue. Even the ex-herdsman himself was silent, and appeared to reflect what...

Cuchillo opened the door, outside of which appeared one of the attendants of Don Estevan. Without entering the man communicated his message--which was to Cuchillo himself--to th...

From what little he had heard and seen of Diaz he had conceived a high opinion of this person. He had observed in him a man of very different character from the crowd of adventu...

The three men kept silence as they followed with anxious eyes the movement of the floating island. Day would soon break, but the freshness of the night, which always increases a...

Cuchillo, after reaching the mountains, had halted. He had not forgotten the appearance of the place, and his heart trembled with fear and joy. After a few minutes he looked aro...

On the route from La Poza it had fallen to the lot of Cuchillo and Tiburcio to ride side by side, but for all this few words had passed between them. Although Cuchillo had not t...

"I have said then," resumed Pepe, after a time, "that I pretended to be always asleep. The _ruse_ succeeded equal to my best expectations, and one night the captain sent for me....

The new-comer was a tall man with a dark complexion, and thick black beard, costumed very similarly to the other--in vest and pantaloons of brick-red leather, felt sombrero, sas...

That evening, as usual, Don Estevan watched in his tent, while his people reposed. By the light of a smoky candle, the Spaniard, in spite of the modest appearance of his lodging...

"So you shall find," said he, "in my comrade Pepe, a man ready to join you against this Don Estevan; and, as Pepe's enemies are mine, I shall be equally your partisan. We shall...

No landscape on the Biscayan coast, presents a more imposing and picturesque aspect than the little village of Elanchovi. Lying within an amphitheatre of cliffs, whose crests ri...

In the whole course of his adventurous life, Don Estevan had never been in such danger. The plain offered him no protection against the rifles of his enemies--two at least of wh...

The Mexican senator, with his contracted, or rather egoistic views, was struck dumb by the gigantic and daring design of his companion. He could only exclaim, as he respectfully...

Behind the Hacienda del Venado--that is, to the northward of it--the surface of the country was still in a state of nature; as we have already said, the edge of the forest lay a...

The outlaw was as pale as death; the ball fired at him by the Canadian had creased his head, and it was this had caused him to fall from his horse. Doubtless Bois-Rose would the...

Far along the route these sounds accompanied the two riders--that is, the wailing of the jackals, mingled with the more fearful utterance of the great feline denizens of the des...

The motive for this hasty departure from the hacienda was unknown only to Benito and the other domestics. The cavalier adventurers were aware of its object though two of them, B...

When Pepe the Sleeper had made himself master of the secret of Captain Despierto--which he had found of such profitable service--he was not aware that the captain had held back...

When Cuchillo, after the interview just described, came forth from the hovel, the sun was no longer in the vertex of the heavens, but had commenced his downward course to the we...

In a remote chamber of the hacienda were lodged the four adventurers, Pedro Diaz, Oroche, Cuchillo, and Baraja. These gentlemen were not slow in becoming acquainted with one ano...

In the calm which succeeded to the noise of the combat, a single man rose slowly up, and by the light of a torch which he held, examined all the corpses lying at his feet, as if...

A hellish thought at this moment arose in the mind of the outlaw. Perhaps the only man in all the world who shared with him that secret, which he himself had purchased by the cr...

Alone in his chamber, Tiburcio awaited impatiently the hour named by Rosarita. From his window he cast a distracted glance over the plain that stretched away from the walls of t...

Bois-Rose, as already stated, had gone alone in a direction opposite to that taken by his comrades. His mind full of the danger with which Fabian was surrounded--Fabian restored...

The place known by the name "La Poza" was the only one, within a circle of many leagues, where at this time of the year water could be found. There was here a natural cistern or...

They were without riders. One only was mounted; and that was ridden by the driver of the troop. In short, it was a _remuda_--such as rich travellers in the north of Mexico usual...

It was now near sunset; the travellers were still about two leagues from La Poza, and the desert plains were nearly passed. Some _mezquite_ trees appeared in front thinly coveri...