We had barely left the creek wheii we passed the fulMength im-



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24 ACROSS AMERICA ANB ASIA. [chap, ii

pression of a man's form in the sand with a pool of blood, and
at the same instant an unearthly yell from the hills behind us
showed that the Apaches, although not visible, were after us, and
felt sure of bringing us down. Our hoi^ea, however, fearing
nothing so mucb aa an Indian, almost flew over the ground and
soon brought us in sight of Titus's hacienda. This lay about two
hundred yards off from the road in a broad valley sbaded by-
magnificent live oaks.
As we rode rapidly toward the houses I was strack with the
quietness of a place generally full of life, and said so to Juan,

"It's all right," he replied J "I saw three men just now near
the house."

But as we passed the first building, a smith's shop, both horses
shied, and as we came to the principal house, a scene of destruc-
tion met our eyes.
The doora had been forced in, and the whole contents of the
house lay on the ground outside, in heaps of broken ruhbish.
Not far from the door stood a pile made of wool, com, beans, and
flour, and capping the whole a gold watch hung fi-om a stick
driven into the heap. Stooping from the saddle I took the watch
and found it still going.
As I started to dismount, to look for the bodies of the Ameri-
cans, Juan begged of me not to stop.
