'The traveller stayed at La Purisima all night, and set out early in
the morning to ride the last forty miles that separated him from his
bride. But Juan and two other robbers were lying in wait for him
behind a great rock that stood at the entrance of a lonely canyon.
They appeared on horseback, one behind the unfortunate man and two in
front, so that he could escape neither way. They finally succeeded
in lassoing the horse and throwing him to the ground with his rider,
who defended himself bravely with his knife, but was finally killed
and robbed, Juan taking his clothes and trappings, and the other two
dividing the contents of his purse. They could not have buried their
victim as successfully as usual, or else they were surprised, and had
to escape, for the body was found; and Juan, whom the padres had
begun to view with suspicion, was nowhere to be found about the
Mission. Troops were sent out in pursuit of him, for this particular
traveller was a high official, and it was necessary that his death
should be avenged. They at last heard that Juan had been seen going
towards Santa Ynez Mission, and, pursuing him thither, they came upon
him as he was driving a band of horses into a corral, and just in the
act of catching his own horse, a noble and powerful animal, called
Azabache, because of his jet-black colour. The men surrounded the
corral, and ordered him to surrender. He begged them to wait until
he had saddled Azabache, and then they might shoot them both down
together.
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