William Hepworth Dixon, White Conquest: Volume 1

[72] the waist, and whirled her round and round till he was tired. Then, at a signal from their chief, they filed out of the saloon, pointing their poignards at the men, and kissing their fingers to the women, as they bowed adieu.

Later in the night they broke into a ranch outside the town, where Capitan Senati outraged a female, and his lieutenant, Moreno, stole a gentleman's watch. A cry was raised in the streets, some rangers of the city mounted their horses, and a city marshal, riding in front of these rangers, followed the retreating brigands to their haunts. Senati shot the marshal dead; and as a challenge to the town, rode back with his company into Los Angeles, where he plundered several houses, and carried off a bevy of Mexican girls.

Fifteen hundred dollars were offered for the person of Capitan Senati, to be paid by the jailer of Los Angeles for his body, whether alive or dead. This money tempted Moreno, a man who had been in trade, and learnt to set more store on gold than others of his gang. With fifteen hundred dollars he might buy the finest horse and give the biggest dance in Los Angeles. That money should be his!