
The story opens on the winding road that snakes through Las Cumbres, a breathtaking stretch of Mexican highlands where mist‑clad peaks rise and fall like a living tapestry. Two horsemen, dressed as wealthy hacendados, pause beside a clear mountain stream, their polished cigars drifting smoke into the cooling air. Their presence, both relaxed and imposing, hints at a world where beauty and danger share the same horizon.
Both riders are heavily armed—revolvers, double‑barrel rifles, knives, even a lasso—suggesting a life accustomed to sudden conflict. The elder, a rugged, charismatic figure with striking black eyes, commands respect, while his younger companion carries an air of aristocratic poise. As they converse and take in the scenery, the listener senses the undercurrent of a guerrilla existence, where loyalty, survival, and the rugged landscape shape every decision.
Language
en
Duration
~11 hours (660K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at Free Literature (back online soon in an extended version, also linking to free sources for education worldwide ... MOOC's, educational materials,...)
Release date
2013-12-14
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1818–1883
Best remembered for fast-paced adventure novels set in the American West and Mexico, this 19th-century French writer turned years of travel into stories full of scouts, frontier conflict, and dramatic escapes. His books helped feed Europe's fascination with the Wild West.
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