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diff --git a/40602-8.txt b/40602-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 063ce5a..0000000 --- a/40602-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,13381 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Freebooters, by Gustave Aimard - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Freebooters - A Story of the Texan War - -Author: Gustave Aimard - -Translator: Frederic Charles Lascelles Wraxall - -Release Date: August 28, 2012 [EBook #40602] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FREEBOOTERS *** - - - - -Produced by Camille Bernard & Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org - - - - - -THE FREEBOOTERS. - -A Story of the Texan War. - -BY - -GUSTAVE AIMARD, - -AUTHOR OF "BORDER RIFLES," "THE INDIAN SCOUT," ETC. - -LONDON: - -WARD AND LOCK, - -158, FLEET STREET. - -MDCCCLXI. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -Apart from the thrilling interest of Aimard's new story, which I -herewith offer to English readers, I think it will be accepted with -greater satisfaction, as being an historical record of the last great -contest in which the North Americans were engaged. As at the present -moment everything is eagerly devoured that may tend to throw light on -the impending struggle between North and South, I believe that the story -of "THE FREEBOOTERS," which is rigorously true in its details, will -enable my readers to form a correct opinion of the character of the -Southerners. - -The series, of which this volume forms a second link, will be completed -in a third volume, to be called "THE WHITE SCALPER," which contains an -elaborate account of the liberation of Texas, and the memorable battle -of San Jacinto, together with personal adventures of the most -extraordinary character. - -L.W. - -7, DRAYTON TERRACE, - -WEST BROMPTON. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - I. FRAY ANTONIO - II. INDIAN DIPLOMACY - III. DOWN THE PRECIPICE - IV. TWO ENEMIES - V. GENERAL RUBIO - VI. THE HUNTER'S COUNCIL - VII. AN OLD FRIEND - VIII. QUONIAM'S RETURN - IX. HOSPITALITY - X. THE LARCH-TREE HACIENDA - XI. A METAMORPHOSIS - XII. THE SUMMONS - XIII. THE SIEGE - XIV. THE PROPOSAL - XV. A THUNDERBOLT - XVI. THE CONSPIRATORS - XVII. THE SPY - XVIII. THE PULQUERIA - XIX. AT SEA - XX. THE PRIZE - XXI. A STRANGE LEGEND - XXII. THE SURPRISE - XXIII. EL SALTO DEL FRAYLE - XXIV. THE LANDING - XXV. FORWARD! - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -FRAY ANTONIO. - - -All the wood rangers have noticed, with reference to the immense virgin -forests which still cover a considerable extent of the soil of the New -World, that, to the man who attempts to penetrate into one of these -mysterious retreats which the hand of man has not yet deformed, and -which preserve intact the sublime stamp which Deity has imprinted on -them, the first steps offer almost insurmountable difficulties, which -are gradually smoothed down more and more, and after a little while -almost entirely disappear. It is as if Nature had desired to defend by a -belt of thorns and spikes the mysterious shades of these aged forests, -in which her most secret arcana are carried out. - -Many times, during our wanderings in America, we were in a position to -appreciate the correctness of the remark we have just made: this -singular arrangement of the forests, surrounded, as it were, by a -rampart of parasitic plants entangled one in the other, and thrusting in -every direction their shoots full of incredible sap, seemed a problem -which offered a certain degree of interest from various points of view, -and especially from that of science. - -It is evident to us that the circulation of the air favours the -development of vegetation. The air which circulates freely round a large -extent of ground covered with lofty trees, and is driven by the various -breezes that agitate the atmosphere, penetrates to a certain depth into -the clumps of trees it surrounds, and consequently supplies nourishment -to all the parasitical shrubs vegetation presents to it. But, on -reaching a certain depth under the covert, the air, less frequently -renewed, no longer supplies carbonic acid to all the vegetation that -covers the soil, and which, through the absence of that aliment, pines -away and dies. - -This is so true, that those accidents of soil which permit the air a -more active circulation in certain spots, such as the bed of a torrent -or a gorge between two eminences, the entrance of which is open to the -prevailing wind, favour the development of a more luxuriant vegetation -than in flat places. - -It is more than probable that Fray Antonio[1] made none of the -reflections with which we begin this chapter, while he stepped silently -and quietly through the trees, leaving the man who had helped him, and -probably saved his life, to struggle as he could with the crowd of -Redskins who attacked him, and against whom he would indubitably have -great difficulty in defending him. - -Fray Antonio was no coward; far from it: in several critical -circumstances he had displayed true bravery; but he was a man to whom -the existence he led offered enormous advantages and incalculable -delights. Life seemed to him good, and he did all in his power to spend -it jolly and free from care. Hence, through respect for himself, he was -extremely prudent, only facing danger when it was absolutely necessary; -but at such times, like all men driven into a corner, he became terrible -and really dangerous to those who, in one way or the other, had provoked -in him this explosion of passion. - -In Mexico, and generally throughout Spanish America, as the clergy are -only recruited from the poorest class of the population, their ranks -contain men of gross ignorance, and for the most part of more than -doubtful morality. The religious orders, which form nearly one-third of -the population, living nearly independent of all subjection and control, -receive among them people of all sorts, for whom the religious dress -they don is a cloak behind which they give way with perfect liberty to -their vices, of which the most venial are indubitably indolence, luxury, -and intoxication. - -Enjoying a great credit with the civilized Indian population, and -greatly respected by them, the monks impudently abuse that halo of -sanctity which surrounds them, in order to shamefully plunder these poor -people under the slightest excuses. - -Indeed, blackguardism and demoralisation have attained such a pitch in -these unhappy countries, which are old and decrepit without ever having -been young, that the conduct of the monks, offensive it may seem in the -sight of Europeans, has nothing at all extraordinary for those among -whom they live. - -Far from us the thought of leading it to be supposed that among the -Mexican clergy, and even the monks we have so decried, there are not men -worthy of the gown they wear, and convinced of the sanctity of their -mission; we have, indeed, known many of that character; but -unfortunately they form so insignificant a minority, that they must be -regarded as the exception. - -Fray Antonio was assuredly no better or worse than the other monks whose -gown he wore; but, unluckily for him, for some time past fatality -appeared to have vented its spite on him, and mixed him up, despite his -firm will, in events, not only opposed to his character but to his -habits, which led him into a multitude of tribulations each more -disagreeable than the other, and which were beginning to make him -consider that life extremely bitter, which he had hitherto found so -pleasant. - -The atrocious mystification of which John Davis had rendered the poor -monk a victim, had especially spread a gloomy haze over his hitherto so -gay mind; a sad despondency had seized upon him; and it was with a heavy -and uncertain step that he fled through the forest, although, excited by -the sounds of combat that still reached his ear, he made haste to get -off, through fear of falling into the hands of the Redskins, if they -proved the victors. - -Night surprised poor Fray Antonio ere he had reached the skirt of this -forest, which seemed to him interminable. Naturally anything but -hard-working, and not at all used to desert life, the monk found himself -greatly embarrassed when he saw the sun disappear on the horizon in a -mist of purple and gold, and the darkness almost instantaneously cover -the earth. Unarmed, without means of lighting a fire, half-dead with -hunger and alarm, the monk took a long glance of despair around him, and -fell to the ground, giving vent to a dull groan: he literally did not -know to what saint he should appeal. - -Still, after a few moments, the instinct of self-preservation gained the -mastery over discouragement, and the monk, whose teeth chattered with -terror on hearing re-echoed through the forest the lugubrious roaring of -the wild beasts, which were beginning to awaken, and greeted in their -fashion the longed-for return of gloom--rose with a feverish energy, -and suffering from that feverish over-excitement which fear raised to a -certain pitch produces, resolved to profit by the fugitive rays that -still crossed the glade, to secure himself a shelter for the night. - -Opposite to him grew a majestic mahogany tree, whose interlaced branches -and dense foliage seemed to offer him a secure retreat against the -probable attack of the gloomy denizens of the forest. - -Assuredly, under any other circumstances than those in which he found -himself, the bare idea of escalading this immense forest would have -appeared to the monk the height of folly and mental aberration, owing -first to his paunch, and next to his awkwardness, of which he felt -intimately convinced. - -But it was a critical point: at each instant the situation grew more -dangerous; the howling came nearer in a most alarming manner; there was -no time to hesitate; and Fray Antonio did not do so. After walking once -or twice round the tree, in order to discover the spot which offered him -the greatest facility for his ascent, he gave vent to a sigh, embraced -the enormous and rugged trunk with his arms and knees, and painfully -commenced his attempted climb. - -But it was no easy matter, especially for a plump monk, to mount the -tree, and Fray Antonio soon perceived this fact at his own expense; for -each time that, after extraordinary efforts, he managed to raise himself -a few inches from the ground, his strength suddenly failed him, and he -fell back on the ground with lacerated hands and torn clothes. - -Ten times already had he renewed his efforts, with the desperation -produced by despair, without seeing them crowned with success; the -perspiration poured down his face; his chest panted; he was in a state -to produce pity even in his most obstinate enemy. - -"I shall never succeed in mounting it," he muttered sadly; "and if I -remain here, I am a lost man, for within an hour I shall be infallibly -devoured by some tiger in search of its supper." - -This final reflection, which was incontestably true, restored a fresh -ardour to the monk, who resolved to make a new and supreme attempt But -this time he wished to take all his precautions; consequently, he began -collecting the dead wood round him and piling it at the foot of the -tree, so as to form a scaffolding high enough for him to reach, without -any great difficulty, a branch sufficiently low for him, while careful -to remain awake, to hope to spend the night without fear of being -devoured--an alternative for which the worthy monk did not feel the -slightest inclination. - -Soon, thanks to the vivacity of his movements, Fray Antonio had a -considerable heap of wood piled up around him. A smile of satisfaction -lit up his wide face, and he breathed again, while wiping away the -perspiration that poured down his face. - -"This time," he muttered, calculating with a glance the space he had to -cover, "if I do not succeed, I shall be preciously clumsy." - -In the meanwhile the last gleams of twilight, so useful to the monk, had -entirely disappeared; the absence of the stars, which had not yet shown -themselves, left a profound obscurity in the sky, which was even more -obscure under the covert; all was beginning to be blotted out, only -allowing here and there a few clumps of trees to be distinguished, as -they designed their gloomy masses in the night, or a few patches of -water, the result of the last storm, which studded the forest with paler -spots. The evening breeze had risen, and could be heard soughing through -the foliage with a sad and melancholy plaintiveness. - -The dangerous denizens of the forest had quitted their lurking places, -and crushed the dead wood, as they eagerly came on, amid a deafening -current of catlike howls. The monk had not an instant to lose, if he did -not wish to be attacked on all sides at once by the wild beasts, whom a -lengthened fast rendered more terrible still. - -After taking a searching glance around him in order to assure himself -that no pressing danger threatened him, the monk devotedly crossed -himself, fervently recommended himself to Heaven with a sincerity he had -probably never evinced before, and then, suddenly making up his mind, -began resolutely climbing up the pile of wood. After several -unsuccessful attempts, he at last reached the top of this fictitious -mount. - -He then stopped for a minute to draw breath; indeed, thanks to his -ingenious ideas, Fray Antonio was now nearly ten feet from the ground. -It is true that any animal could easily have overthrown this obstacle; -but for all that, this beginning of success revived the monk's courage, -the more so because, on raising his eyes he saw a few paces above him, -the blessed branch toward which he had so long extended his arms in -vain. - -"Come!" he said, hopefully. - -He embraced the tree once more, and recommenced his fatiguing -clambering. Either through skill or accident Fray Antonio at length -managed to seize the branch with both hands, and clung to it with all -his strength. The rest was as nothing. The monk assembled by a supreme -effort all the vigour his previous attempts had left him, and raising -himself by his arms, tried to get astride on the branch. Owing to his -energetic perseverances, he had raised his head and shoulders above the -branch, when all at once he felt a hand or a claw fasten round his right -leg, and squeeze it as in a vice. A shudder of terror ran over the -monk's body: his blood stood still in his veins; an icy perspiration -beaded on his temples, and his teeth chattered fit to break. - -"Mercy!" he exclaimed in a choking voice, "I am dead. Holy virgin, have -pity on me." - -His strength, paralyzed by terror, deserted him, his hands let loose the -protecting branch, and he fell in a lump at the foot of the tree. -Fortunately for Fray Antonio, the care he had taken in piling up the -dead wood to a considerable extent broke his fall, otherwise it would -probably have been mortal: but the shock he experienced was so great -that he completely lost his senses. The monk's fainting fit was long: -when he returned to life and opened his eyes again, he took a frightened -glance around, and fancied he must be suffering from a horrible -nightmare. - -He had not stirred from the spot, so to speak: he still found himself -by the tree, which he had tried so long to climb up in vain, but he was -lying close to an enormous fire, over which half a deer was roasting, -and around him were some twenty Indians, crouching on their heels, -silently smoking their pipes, while their horses, picketed a few yards -off, and ready to mount, were eating their provender. - -Fray Antonio had seen Indians several times before, and had stood on -such intimate terms, indeed, with them, as to be able to recognize them. -His new friends were clothed in their war garb, and from their hair -drawn off their foreheads, and their long barbed lances, it was easy to -recognize them as Apaches. - -The monk's blood ran cold, for the Apaches are notorious for their -cruelty and roguery. Poor Fray Antonio had fallen from Charybdis into -Scylla; he had only escaped from the jaws of the wild beasts in order to -be in all probability martyred by the Redskins. It was a sad prospect -which furnished the unlucky monk with ample material for thoughts, each -more gloomy than the other, for he had often listened with a shudder to -the hunters' stories about the atrocious tortures the Apaches take a -delight in inflicting on their prisoners with unexampled barbarity. - -Still, the Indians went on smoking silently, and did not appear to -perceive that their captive had regained his senses. For his part, the -monk hermetically closed his eyes, and anxiously preserved the most -perfect tranquillity, in order to leave his dangerous companions, so -long as he could, in ignorance of the state in which he was. - -At length the Indians left off smoking, and after shaking the ash out of -their calumets, passed them again through their girdle; a Redskin -removed from the fire the half deer which was perfectly roasted, laid it -in abanijo leaves in front of his comrades, and each drawing his -scalping knife, prepared for a vigorous attack on the venison, which -exhaled an appetizing odour, especially for the nostrils of a man who, -during the whole past day, had been condemned to an absolute fast. - -At this moment the monk felt a heavy hand laid on his chest, while a -voice said to him with a guttural accent, which, however, had nothing -menacing about it. - -"The father of prayer can open his eyes now, for the venison is smoking, -and his share is cut off." - -The monk, perceiving that his stratagem was discovered, and excited by -the smell of the meat, having made up his mind, opened his eyes, and sat -up. - -"Och!" the man who had before spoken said, "My father can eat; he must -be hungry, and has slept enough." - -The monk attempted to smile, but only made a frightful grimace, so -alarmed did he feel. As however, he was really hungry as a wolf, he -followed the example offered him by the Indians, who had already -commenced their meal, and set to work eating the lump of venison which -they had the politeness to set before him. The meal did not take long; -still it lasted long enough to restore a little courage to the monk, and -make him regard his position from a less gloomy side than he had -hitherto done. - -In truth, the behaviour of the Apaches toward him had nothing hostile -about it; on the contrary, they were most attentive in serving him with -what he needed, giving him more food so soon as they perceived that he -had nothing before him: they had even carried their politeness so far -as to give him a few mouthfuls of spirit, an extremely precious liquid, -of which they are most greedy, even for their own use, owing to the -difficulty they experience in obtaining it. - -When he had ended his meal, the monk, who was almost fully reassured as -to the amicable temper of his new friends, on seeing them light their -pipes, took from his pocket tobacco and an Indian corn leaf, and after -rolling a _pajillo_ with the skill which the men of Spanish race -possess, he conscientiously enjoyed the bluish smoke of his excellent -Havana tobacco, _costa abajo_. - -A considerable space of time elapsed thus, and not a syllable was -exchanged among them. By degrees the ranks of the Redskins thinned: one -after the other, at short intervals, rolled themselves in their -blankets, lay down with their feet to the fire, and went to sleep almost -immediately. Fray Antonio, crushed by the poignant emotions of the day, -and the enormous fatigue he had experienced, would gladly have imitated -the Indians, had he dared, for he felt his eyes close involuntarily, and -found immense difficulty in contending against the sleep that -overpowered him. At last the Indian who hitherto had alone spoken, -perceiving his state of somnolency, took pity on him. He rose, fetched a -horsecloth, and brought it to the monk. - -"My father will wrap himself in this fressada,[2]" he said, employing -the bad Spanish in which he had hitherto spoken; "the nights are cold, -and my father needs sleep greatly, he will, therefore, feel warmed with -this. Tomorrow, a Chief will smoke the calumet with my father in -council. Blue-fox desires to have a serious conversation with the father -of prayer of the Palefaces." - -Fray Antonio gratefully accepted the horsecloth so graciously offered by -the Chief, and without attempting to prolong the conversation, he -wrapped himself up carefully, and lay down by the fire so as to absorb -the largest amount of caloric possible. Still the Indian's words did not -fail to cause the monk a certain degree of anxiety. - -"Hum!" he muttered to himself, "That is the reverse of the medal. What -can this Pagan have to say to me? He does not mean to ask me to christen -him, I suppose? especially as his name appears to be Blue-fox, a nice -savage name, that. Well, heaven will not abandon me, and it will be day -tomorrow. So now for a snooze." - -And with this consolatory reflection the monk closed his eyes: two -minutes later he slept as if never going to wake again. - -Blue-fox, for it was really into the hands of that Chief the monk had so -unexpectedly fallen, remained crouched over the fire the whole night, -plunged in gloomy thought, and watching, alone of his comrades, over the -common safety: at times, his eyes were fixed with a strange expression -on the monk who was fast asleep, and far from suspecting that the Apache -Chief was so obstinately engaged with him. - -At sunrise Blue-fox was still awake: he had remained the whole night -without once changing his position, and sleep had not once weighed down -his eyelids. - - -[1] See "Border Rifles," same publishers. - -[2] "frazada." - - - - -CHAPTER II - -INDIAN DIPLOMACY. - - -The night passed calm and peaceful. At the moment when the sun appeared -on the horizon, saluted by the deafening concert of the birds, hidden -beneath the foliage, Blue-fox, who had hitherto remained motionless, -extended his right arm in the direction of the monk, who was lying by -his side, and gently touched him with his hand. This touch, slight as it -was, sufficed, however, to arouse Fray Antonio. - -There are moments in life when, although the body reposes, the mind -retains all its delicate perceptions and vigilance; the monk was in a -similar situation. The gentleness the Apaches displayed towards him on -the previous night was so extraordinary, and opposed to their usual -habit of treating white men, their inveterate foes, that the monk, -despite the coolness which formed the basis of his character, understood -that the strange conduct of the men into whose power he had fallen must -result from very powerful motives, and that, in spite of the pretended -friendship they showed him, he would do well to keep on his guard, in -order to be able to make head against the storm, from whatever quarter -it might come. - -In consequence of this reasoning, while taking advantage of the friendly -feeling of the Indians, he craftily watched their movements, only -yielded to sleep with great circumspection, and then slept with one eye -open, to employ the vulgar expression. Hence at the first signal he was -ready to respond to the Indian's summons with a vivacity that brought an -equivocal smile upon the latter's stern features. The Redskins are -physiognomists by nature; and, in spite of the tranquillity the monk -affected, Blue-fox had, from certain signs that never deceive, guessed -the secret alarm that internally devoured him. - -"Has my brother slept well?" the Indian asked in his hoarse voice; "The -Wacondah loves him, has watched over his sleep, and kept Nyang, the -genius of evil, away from his dreams." - -"I have, indeed, slept well, Chief, and I thank you for the cordial -hospitality you have been pleased to grant me." - -A smile played round the Indian's lips, as he continued:-- - -"My father is one of the Chiefs of prayer of his nation, the God of the -Palefaces is powerful, He protects those who devote themselves to His -service." - -As this remark required no answer, the monk contented himself by bowing -in the affirmative. Still, his anxiety increased; beneath the Chiefs -gentle words he fancied he could hear the hoarse voice of the tiger, -which licks its lips ere devouring the booty it holds gasping in its -terrible claws. - -Fray Antonio had not even the resource of pretending not to understand -the dangerous speaker, for the Chief expressed himself in bad Spanish, a -language all the Indian tribes understand, and which, despite their -repugnance to use it, they still employ in their dealings with the white -men. - -The morning was magnificent; the trees, with their dew-laden leaves, -seemed greener than usual; a slight mist, impregnated with the soft -matutinal odours, rose from the ground, and was sucked up by the -sunbeams, which with each moment grew warmer. The whole camp was still -sunk in sleep; the Chief and the monk were alone awake. After a moment's -silence, Blue-fox continued:-- - -"My father will listen," he said; "a Chief is about to speak; Blue-fox -is a Sachem, his tongue is not forked, the words his chest breathes are -inspired by the Great Spirit." - -"I am listening," Fray Antonio replied. - -"Blue-fox is not an Apache, although he wears their costumes, and leads -one of their most powerful tribes on the war trail; Blue-fox is a Snake -Pawnee, his nation is as numerous as the grains of sand on the borders -of the great lake. Many moons ago, Blue-fox left the hunting grounds of -his nation, never to return to them, and became an adopted son of the -Apaches; why did Blue-fox act thus?" - -The Chief interrupted himself. The monk was on the point of answering -that he did not know the fact, and cared very little about learning it, -but a moment's reflection made him understand the danger of such an -answer to a man so irritable as the one he was now talking with. - -"The brothers of the Chief were ungrateful to him," he replied with -feigned interest, "and the Sachem left them; after shaking off his -moccasins at the entrance of their village." - -The Chief shook his head in negation. - -"No," he answered, "the brothers of Blue-fox loved him, they still weep -for his absence; but the Chief was sad, a friend had abandoned him, and -took away his heart." - -"Ah!" said the monk, not at all understanding. - -"Yes," the Indian continued; "Blue-fox could not endure the absence of -his friend, and left his brothers to go in search of him." - -"Of course you have found the person again, Chief, to whom you devoted -yourself?" - -"For a long time Blue-fox sought, but did not succeed in obtaining any -news of him; but one day he at length saw him again." - -"Good, and now you are re-united?" - -"My father does not understand," the Indian answered drily. - -This was perfectly correct. The monk did not understand a syllable of -what it pleased the Chief to tell him--the more so, as this obscure -narrative interested him but very slightly; and while the Apache was -speaking, he was cudgelling his brains to discover the motives for this -confidence. The consequence was that most of the words uttered by the -Chief struck his ear, but only produced an empty sound, whose meaning -did not reach his mind; but the peremptory accent with which Blue-fox -uttered the last sentence, aroused him, and while recalling him to a -feeling of his present position, made him comprehend the danger of not -seeming to take an interest in the conversation. - -"Pardon me, Chief," he eagerly answered; "on the contrary, I perfectly -understand; but I am subject to a certain absence of mind completely -independent of my will, which I hope you will not feel offended at, for -I assure you it is no fault of mine." - -"Good, my father is like all the Chiefs of Prayer of the Palefaces, his -thoughts are constantly directed to the Wacondah." - -"So it is, Chief," the monk exclaimed, delighted at the way in which his -apology was accepted; "continue your narrative, I beg, for I am now -most anxious to listen to it." - -"Wah! My father constantly traverses the prairies of the Palefaces." - -"Yes, for the duties of my office oblige me to--" - -Blue-fox quickly interrupted him. - -"My father knows the pale hunters of these prairies?" - -"Nearly all." - -"Very good; one of these hunters is the friend so deeply regretted by -Blue-fox." - -"Who is he?" the monk asked. - -The Indian did not seem to hear the question, for he went on-- - -"Very often the Redskin warrior has been led a short distance from his -friend by the incidents of the chase, but never near enough to make -himself known." - -"That is unfortunate." - -"The Chief would like to see his friend, and smoke the calumet of peace -with him at the council fire, while conversing about old times, and the -period when, as children of the same tribe, they traversed together the -hunting grounds of the Sachem's terrible nation." - -"Then the hunter is an Indian?" - -"No, he is a Paleface; but if his skin is white, the Great Spirit has -placed an Indian heart in his bosom." - -"But why does not the Chief frankly go and join his friend, if he knows -where he is? He would be probably delighted to see him again." - -At this insinuation, which he was far from anticipating, the Chief -frowned, and a cloud momentarily crossed his face; but the monk was too -little of an observer to remark this emotion: he had asked the question, -as he would have done any other, unmeaningly, and simply to show the -Chief by replying that he was an attentive listener. After a few -seconds, the Indian reassumed that apathy which the Redskins rarely put -off, and only when taken by surprise, and continued-- - -"Blue-fox does not go to meet his friend, because the latter is not -alone, and has with him enemies of your Chief." - -"That is different, and I can understand your prudence." - -"Good," the Indian added, with a sardonic smile, "wisdom speaks by the -mouth of my rather; he is certainly a Chief of prayer, and his lips -distil the purest honey." - -Fray Antonio drew himself up, and his alarm was beginning to be -dissipated; he saw vaguely that the Redskin wished to ask something of -him--in short, that he wanted his help. This thought restored his -courage, and he tried to complete the effect he fancied he had produced -on his Machiavellian questioner. - -"What my brother is unable to do, I can undertake," he said, in an -insinuating voice. - -The Apache gave him a piercing glance. - -"Wah!" he replied, "Then my father knows where to find the Chiefs -friend?" - -"How should I know it?" the monk objected; "You have not told me his -name yet." - -"That is true; my father is good, he will forgive me. So he does not yet -know who the Pale hunter is?" - -"I know him, perhaps, but up to the present I am ignorant whom the Chief -alludes to." - -"Blue-fox is rich; he has numerous horses; he can assemble round his -totem one hundred warriors, and ten times, twenty times more. If my -father is willing to serve the Sachem, he will find him grateful." - -"I ask nothing better than to be agreeable to you. Chief, if it lies in -my power; but you must explain: clearly what I have to do, in order that -I may make no mistake." - -"Good; the Sachem will explain everything to his father." - -"In that way, nothing will be easier." - -"Does my father believe so?" - -"Well, I do not see what can prevent it." - -"Then my father will listen. Among all the Pale hunters, whose moccasins -trample the prairie grass in all directions, there is one who is braver -and more terrible than the rest; the tigers and jaguars fly at his -approach, and the Indian warriors themselves are afraid to cope with -him. This hunter is no effeminate Yori; the blood of the Gachupinos does -not flow in his veins; he is the son of a colder land, and his ancestors -fought for a lengthened period with the Long Knives of the East." - -"Good," the monk said; "from what the Chief tells me, I see that this -man is a Canadian." - -"That is the name given, I think, to the nation of my friend." - -"But among all the hunters I am acquainted with, there is only one who -is a Canadian." - -"Wah!" said the Chief, "Only one?" - -"Yes; his name is Tranquil, I think, and he is attached to the -Larch-tree hacienda." - -"Wah! That is the very man. Does my father know him?" - -"Not much, I confess, but still sufficiently to present myself to him." - -"Very good." - -"Still, I warn you, Chief, that this man, like all his fellows, leads an -extremely vagabond life, being here today and gone tomorrow; so that I -am in great doubt as to where I should seek him." - -"Wah! my father need not trouble himself about that; the Sachem will -lead him to the camp of the Tiger killer." - -"In that case, very good; I will undertake the rest." - -"My father must carefully retain in his heart the words of Blue-fox. The -warriors are awaking; they must know nothing. When the hour arrives, the -Chief will tell my father what he wants of him." - -"As you please, Chief." - -The conversation broke off here. The warriors were really awaking, and -the camp, so quiet a few moments previously, had now the aspect of a -hive, when the bees prepare at sunrise to go in search of their daily -crop. At a sign from the Chief, the hachesto, or public crier, mounted a -fallen tree, and twice uttered a shrill cry. At this appeal all the -warriors, even those still lying on the ground, hastened to range -themselves behind the Chief. A deep silence then prevailed for several -minutes; all the Indians, with their arms folded on their chest, and -their faces turned to the rising sun, awaited what the Sachem was about -to do. - -The latter took a calabash full of water, which the hachesto handed him, -and in which was a spray of wormwood. Then raising his voice, he -sprinkled toward the four cardinal points, saying-- - -"Wacondah, Wacondah! Thou unknown and omnipotent spirit, whose universe -is the temple, Master of the life of man, protect thy children!" - -"Master of the life of man, protect thy children!" the Apaches repeated -in chorus, respectfully bowing. - -"Creator of the great sacred Tortoise, whose skill supports the world, -keep far from us Nyang, the genius of evil! Deliver our enemies to us, -and give us their scalps. Wacondah! Wacondah! Protect thy children!" - -"Wacondah! Wacondah! Protect thy children!" the warriors repeated. - -The Sachem then bowed to the sun, and then towards the contents of the -calabash, saying-- - -"And thou, sublime star, visible representative of the omnipotent and -invincible Creator, continue to pour thy vivifying heat on the hunting -grounds of thy Red Sons, and intercede for them with the Master of life. -May this clear water I offer thee be grateful. Wacondah! Wacondah! -Protect thy children!" - -"Wacondah! Wacondah! Protect thy children!" the Apaches repeated, and -followed their Chief's example by kneeling reverently. The latter then -took a medicine rod from the hachesto, and waved it several times over -his head, while shouting in a loud voice-- - -"Nyang, spirit of evil, rebel against the Master of life; we brave and -despise thy power, for the Wacondah protects us!" - -All the congregation uttered a loud yell, and rose. When the morning -prayer had been said, and the rites performed, each man began attending -to his daily duties. - -Fray Antonio had witnessed with extreme astonishment this sacred and -affecting ceremony, whose details, however, escaped his notice, for the -words uttered by the Chief had been in the dialect of his nation, and -consequently incomprehensible to the monk. Still, he experienced a -certain delight on seeing that these men, whom he regarded as -barbarians, were not entirely devoid of better feelings, and religious -faith. - -The expiring campfires were rekindled, in order to prepare the morning -meal, while scouts started in every direction, to assure themselves that -the road was free, and no enemy on the watch. The monk, being now -completely reassured, and beginning to grow accustomed to his new -position, ate with good appetite the provisions offered him, and made no -objection to mount the horse the Chief indicated to him, when they -prepared to set out on the termination of the meal. - -Fray Antonio was beginning to find that the savages, who had been -represented to him in such gloomy colours, were not so wicked as they -were said to be, and he was almost inclined to believe that they had -been calumniated. In truth, their hospitality had never once been in -default; on the contrary, they had apparently studied to please him. - -They rode on for several hours along tracks marked by the wild beasts, -forced, through the narrowness of the paths, to go in Indian file, that -is to say, one behind the other; and although the monk perceived that -the Sachem constantly kept by his side, he did not feel at all alarmed -by it, remembering the conversation they had in the morning. - -A little before midday the band halted on the bank of a small stream, -shadowed by lofty trees, where they intended to wait till the great heat -had passed over. The monk was not at all vexed at this delay, which -enabled him to rest in the cool. During the halt Blue-fox did not once -address him, and the monk made no attempt to bring on a conversation, as -he much preferred enjoying a siesta. - -At about four P.M. the band mounted, and set out again; but this time, -instead of going at a walking pace, they galloped. The Indians, by the -way, only recognize these two paces; they consider trotting an -absurdity, and we confess that we are somewhat of their opinion. The -ride was long; the sun had set for more than two hours, and still the -Indians galloped. At length, at a signal from their Chief, they halted. -Blue-fox then went up to the monk, and drew him a little aside. - -"We shall separate here," he said; "it would not be prudent for the -Apaches to go further: my father will continue his journey alone." - -"I?" the monk said, in surprise; "You are jesting, Chief--I prefer -remaining with you." - -"That cannot be," the Indian said, in a peremptory voice. - -"Where the deuce would you have me go at this hour, and in this -darkness?" - -"My father will look," the Chief continued, stretching out his arm to -the south-west, "does he see that reddish light scarce rising above the -horizon?" - -Fray Antonio looked attentively in the direction indicated. "Yes," he -said, presently, "I do see it." - -"Very good; that flame is produced by a campfire of the Palefaces." - -"Oh, oh! are you sure of that?" - -"Yes; but my father must listen; the Palefaces will receive my father -kindly." - -"I understand; then I will tell Tranquil that his friend Blue-fox -desires to speak with him, point out where he is, and--" - -"The magpie is a chattering and brainless bird, which gabbles like an -old squaw," the Chief roughly interrupted him; "my father will say -nothing." - -"Oh!" the monk said, in confusion. - -"My father will be careful to do what I order him, if he does not wish -his scalp to dry on the lance of a Chief." - -Fray Antonio shuddered at this menace. - -"I swear it, Chief," he said. - -"A man does not swear," the Chief remarked, brutally; "he says yes or -no. When my father reaches the camp of the Palefaces, he will not allude -to the Apaches; but when the Pale hunters are asleep, my father will -leave the camp and come to warn Blue-fox." - -"But where shall I find you?" the monk asked, piteously, beginning to -perceive that he was destined to act as the spy of the savages in one of -their diabolical machinations. - -"My father need not trouble himself about that, for I shall manage to -find him." - -"Very good." - -"If my father is faithful, Blue-fox will give him a buffalo skin full of -gold dust; if not, he must not hope to escape the Chief; the Apaches are -crafty, the scalp of a Chief of prayer will adorn the lance of a Chief; -I have spoken." - -"You have no further orders to give me?" - -"No." - -"Good-bye, then." - -"Till we meet again," the Apache said, with a grin. - -Fray Antonio made no reply, but uttered a deep sigh, and pushed on in -the direction of the camp. The nearer he drew to it, the more difficult -did it appear to him to accomplish the sinister mission with which the -Apache Chief had intrusted him; twice or thrice the idea of flight -crossed his mind, but whither could he go? And then it was probable that -the Indians placed but slight confidence in him, and carefully watched -him in the gloom. - -At length the camp appeared before the monk's startled eyes, as he could -not draw back, for the hunters had doubtless perceived him already; he -decided on pushing forward, while desperately muttering-- - -"The Lord have mercy upon me!" - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -DOWN THE PRECIPICE. - - -The romancer has an incontestable advantage over the historian. Not -being obliged to restrict himself to historical documents, he bases his -work chiefly on tradition, and revels in those incidents of private life -disdained by cold and severe history, which is constrained to describe -only great events, and is not permitted to descend to the frequently -trivial causes which not only prepared, but actually brought them about. - -Frequently, after a long journey, the traveller, fatigued by the vast -horizons incessantly unrolled before him, and rendered giddy by the -sharp air of the elevations along which he has been riding, looks down -on the plain, and his eye rests with indescribable pleasure on those -modest points in the landscape which at the outset he despised. In the -same way the romancer halts at the familiar episodes of the great poem, -and listens to the simple stories told him by those who were actors in -the scenes merely indicated by history. Such stories complete the dry -and stern narrative of great wars, but historians dare not transcribe -them. - -It is true that in these stories ignorance is nearly always perceptible, -and prejudice very frequently; but life is found in them, for if the -narrators tell inexactly what happened, they at any rate say frankly how -they felt, what they heard and saw themselves, and the errors they -sometimes involuntarily make are not falsehoods, but relative truths, -which it is the duty of the romancer to classify and put in their proper -place. - -We have several times visited the narrow defile where the Border Rifles -and the Mexicans fought the action we described in a previous volume.[1] -Bending over the precipice, with our eyes fixed on the yawning abyss -beneath us, we heard the narrative of the strange incidents of that -battle of giants, and if we had not been certain of the veracity of the -narrator, we should certainly have not only doubted but completely -denied the possibility of certain facts which are, however, rigorously -true, and which we are now about to impart to the reader. - -The Border Rifles saw with a shriek of horror the two men, intertwined -like serpents, roll together over the precipice; the flashes of the -fire, which was beginning to die out for want of nourishment, after -devastating the crests of the hills, threw at intervals a lurid light -over this scene, and gave it a striking aspect. - -The first moment of stupor past, John Davis, mastering with difficulty -the emotion that agitated him, sought to restore courage, if not hope, -to all these men who were crushed by the terrible catastrophe. John -Davis enjoyed, and justly so, a great reputation among the Borderers. -All know the close friendship which attached the Americans to their -chief: in several serious affairs he had displayed a coolness and -intelligence which gained him the respect and admiration of these men: -hence they immediately responded to his appeal, by grouping silently -round him, for they understood intuitively that there was only one man -among them worthy of succeeding the Jaguar, and that he was the North -American. - -John Davis had guessed the feelings that agitated them, but did not -allow it to be seen: his face was pale, his appearance sad: he bent a -thoughtful glance on the rude, determined men who, leaning on their -rifles, gazed at him mournfully, and seemed already tacitly to recognize -the authority with which he was, probably, about to invest himself. - -Their expectations were deceived, at least, temporarily. Davis, at this -moment, had no intention of making the Borderers elect him as their -chief: the fate of his friend entirely absorbed him, and all other -considerations disappeared in the presence of the one idea. - -"Caballeros," he said, in a melancholy tone, "a terrible misfortune has -struck us. Under such circumstances, we must summon up all our courage -and resignation, for women weep, but men revenge themselves. The death -of the Jaguar is not only an immense loss for ourselves, but also for -the cause we have sworn to defend, and to which he has already given -such great proof of devotion. But, before bewailing our chief, so worthy -in every respect of the sorrow which we shall feel for him, we have one -duty to accomplish--a duty which, if we neglect it, will cause us -piercing remorse at a later date." - -"Speak, speak, John Davis, we are ready to do anything you order us," -the Borderers exclaimed unanimously. - -"I thank you," the American continued, "for the enthusiasm with which -you have replied to me: I cannot believe that an intellect so vast, a -heart so noble, as that of our beloved Chief can be thus destroyed. God, -I feel convinced, would not thus have broken a cause for which we have -so long been struggling with such devotion and self-denial. Heaven will -have performed a miracle in favour of our Chief, and we shall see him -reappear among us safe and sound! But whatsoever may happen, should this -last hope be denied us, at any rate, we must not abandon like cowards, -without attempting to save him, the man who twenty times braved death -for each of us. For my part, I swear by all that is most sacred in the -world, that I will not leave this spot till I have assured myself -whether the Jaguar be dead or alive." - -At these words a buzz of assent ran along his hearers, and John Davis -continued, "Who knows whether our unhappy Chief is not lying crushed, -but still breathing, at the foot of this accursed abyss, and reproaching -us for our cowardly desertion of him?" - -The Border Rifles declared, with the most energetic oaths, that they -would find their Chief again, dead or alive. - -"Good, my friends," the American exclaimed; "if he be unhappily dead, we -will place his body in the ground and protect his remains, so dear to us -on many accounts, from the insults of wild beasts: but, I repeat to you, -one of those presentiments which never deceive, because they come from -God, tells me that he is still alive." - -"May Heaven hear you, John Davis," the Borderers shouted, "and restore -us our Chief." - -"I am going to descend the precipice," the American said; "I will -inspect its most secret recesses, and before sunrise we shall know what -we have to hope or fear." - -This proposal of John Davis' was greeted as it deserved, by enthusiastic -shouts. When the excitement of the hearers had slightly calmed, the -American prepared to carry out his design. - -"Permit me a remark," said an old wood ranger. - -"Speak, Ruperto, what is it?" Davis answered. - -"I have known the spot where we now are for a long time, and have often -hunted deer and antelopes here." - -"Come to facts, my friend." - -"You can act as you please, John Davis, on the information I am about to -give you; by turning to the right, after marching for about three miles, -you get round the hills, and what appears to us from here a precipice, -is, in fact, only a plain, very enclosed, I allow, but easy to traverse -on horseback." - -"Ah, ah," John said thoughtfully, "and what do you conclude from that, -Ruperto?" - -"That it would be, perhaps, better to mount and skirt the hills." - -"Yes, yes, that is a good idea, and we will take advantage of it; take -twenty men with you, Ruperto, and proceed at full speed to the plain you -allude to, for we must not throw away any chance; the rest of the band -will remain here to watch the environs, while I effect the descent of -the barranca." - -"You still adhere to your idea, then?" - -"More than ever." - -"As you please, John Davis, as you please, though you risk your bones on -such a black night as this." - -"I trust in Heaven, and I hope it will protect me." - -"I hope so too for your sake; but I must be off--here's luck." - -"Thanks, the same to you." - -Red Ruperto then went off, followed by twenty borderers, who -spontaneously offered to accompany him, and soon disappeared in the -darkness. The descent John Davis was preparing to make, was anything but -easy. The American was too experienced a wood ranger not to know, and -hence took all proper precautions. He placed in his belt next his knife -a wide and strong axe, and fastened round his waist a rope formed of -several _reatas_. Three men seized the end of the rope, which they -turned round the stem of a tree, so as to let it out without a shock, -whenever the American desired it. As a final precaution, he lit a branch -of ocote wood, which was to serve as his guide during his perilous -descent, for the sky was perfectly black, which rendered the gloom so -thick that it was impossible to see anything two paces away. His last -measures taken with the coolness that distinguishes men of his race, the -North American pressed the hands held out to him, tried once again to -restore hope to his comrades by a few hearty words, and kneeling on the -brink of the abyss, began slowly descending. - -John Davis was a man of tried courage, his life had been one continued -struggle, in which he had only triumphed through his strength of will -and energy; still, when he began descending into the barranca, he felt -chilled to the heart, and could not repress a slight start of terror, -which ran over all his limbs like an electric flash. Still, he fought -against this emotion, which is nothing but that instinct of -self-preservation which duty has placed in the heart of every man, the -bravest as the most cowardly, and continued his descent. - -Although he was fastened round the waist, it was no easy task to go down -this almost perpendicular wall, to which he was compelled to cling like -a reptile, clutching at every tuft of grass or shrub he came across, or -else he had been carried away by the wind, which blew furiously, and -would have crushed him like a nutshell against the sides of the abyss. - -The first minutes were the most terrible to the bold adventurer; the -feet and hands must grow accustomed to the rude task imposed on them, -and they only gradually learn to find, as it were instinctively, their -resting places; and this remark, which may appear erroneous to certain -persons, who, fortunately for themselves, have never been obliged to try -the experiment, will be recognized as rigorously true by all travellers -who have been compelled to ascend or descend mountains. After a few -minutes, when the mind remains at liberty, the body assumes of its own -accord the necessary equilibrium, the feet find secure resting places, -and the hands settle unhesitatingly on the grass or roots which offer -them the indispensable degree of resistance. - -John Davis had hardly gone ten yards down, ere he found himself on a -wide ledge covered with thick shrubs; hitherto the descent had been -extremely rapid. Lighting himself by the torch, the American traversed -in every direction this species of esplanade, which was about a dozen -paces in circumference; and, on carefully examining the thick shrubs -which covered it, the adventurer perceived that the tops had been broken -as if they had received a tremendous blow. - -Davis looked around him. He soon concluded that this enormous gap could -only have been made by the fall of two bodies: this remark gave him good -hope, for at so slight a distance from the mouth of the abyss, the two -enemies must have been full of life; the rapidity of their fall must -have naturally been arrested by the shrubs; they might have met at -various distances similar obstacles, and consequently have undergone -several comparatively harmless falls. This hypothesis, erroneous though -it was, still might be true. - -John Davis continued his descent; the slope became constantly less -abrupt, and the adventurer met within his passage, not merely shrubs, -but clumps of trees, grouped here and there. Still, as John Davis found -no further traces, a fear fell upon him, and painfully contracted his -heart; he was afraid lest the shrubs, through their elasticity, might -have hurled the two unhappy men into space, instead of letting them -follow the slope of the precipice. This thought so powerfully occupied -the American's mind, that a deep discouragement seized upon him, and for -some moments he remained without strength or will, crouching sadly on -the ground. - -But Davis was a man of too stern a character, and endowed with such an -energetic will, to give way for any length of time to despair: he soon -raised his head, and looked boldly around him. - -"I must go on," he said in a firm voice. But, at the moment when he -prepared to continue his descent, he suddenly gave a start of surprise, -and uttered a cry as he rushed quickly toward a black mass, to which he -had hitherto paid but slight attention. - -We once again ask our readers' pardon for the improbability of the -following detail; but we repeat that we are not explaining, but -narrating, confining ourselves to telling the truth, without pretending -to discuss the greater or less possibility of facts, which, however -extraordinary they may appear, are exactly true. - -The white-headed eagle, the most powerful and the best provided of the -birds, ordinarily builds its nest on the sides of barrancas, at the top -of the loftiest trees, and chiefly those denuded of branches to a -considerable height, but they are never found on rocks. This nest, -strongly built, is composed of sticks from three to five feet in length, -fastened together and covered with Spanish braid, a species of -cryptogamic plant of the lichen family, wild grass, and large patches of -turf. When the nest is completed, it ordinarily measures from six to -seven feet in diameter, and at times the accumulation of materials there -is so considerable--for the same nest is frequently occupied for a -number of years, and receives augmentations each season--that its depth -equals its diameter. As the nest of the white-headed eagle is very -heavy, it is generally placed in the centre of a fork formed by the -fortuitous meeting of several large branches. - -John Davis, by the help of his torch, had just discovered a few yards -from him, and almost on a level with the spot where he was standing, an -eagle's nest, built on the top of an immense tree, whose trunk descended -for a considerable depth in the precipice. - -Two human bodies were lying stretched across this nest, and the American -only required one glance to assure himself that they were those of the -Jaguar and the Mexican Captain. They were perfectly motionless, and -still fast locked in each other's arms. - -It was not at all an easy undertaking to reach this nest, which was -nearly ten yards from the sides of the precipice; but John Davis did not -give in on that account; now that he had found the body of his Chief -again, he was determined to learn, at all risks, whether he were alive -or dead. But what means was he to employ to acquire this certainty? How -reach the tree, which oscillated violently with every gust? After ripe -reflection, the American recognized the fact that he could never climb -the tree alone; he therefore placed his hands funnel-wise to his month, -and gave the shout agreed on with his comrades. The latter drew up the -reata, and after half an hour of unheard of fatigue, Davis found himself -again among his comrades. - -The Border Rifles crowded round him eagerly to ask the details of his -expedition, which he hastened to give them, and which were received with -shouts of joy by all. Then happened a thing which proves how great was -the affection all these men bore their Chief; without exchanging a word, -or coming to any agreement, all procured torches, and, as if obeying the -same impulse, began descending the abyss. - -Through the multiplicity of torches, which spread abroad sufficient -light, and, before all, the skill of these men, accustomed since -childhood to run about the forests, and clamber up rocks and precipices -in sport, this descent was effected without any further misfortunes to -deplore, and the whole band was soon assembled at the spot whence the -American had first discovered the nest of the white-headed eagle. - -All was in the same state as Davis left it: the two bodies were still -motionless, and still intertwined. Were they dead, or only in a faint? -Such was the question all persons asked themselves, and no one could -answer it. All at once a loud noise was heard, and the bottom of the -barranca was illumined by a number of torches. Ruperto's party had -arrived. Guided by the flashes they saw running along the sides of the -precipice, the latter soon discovered the nest, and the truth was -revealed to them. - -The arrival of Ruperto and his comrades was a great comfort to the -Americans, for now nothing would be more easy than to reach the nest. -Four powerful adventurers, armed with axes, glided along the side of the -precipice to the foot of the tree, which they began felling with hurried -strokes, while John Davis, and the men with him, threw their reatas -round the top branches of the tree, and gradually drew it towards them. -The tree began gracefully bending, and at length lay on the side of the -barranca, without receiving any very serious shock. - -John Davis immediately entered the nest, and drawing his knife from his -belt, bent over the body of the Jaguar, and put the blade to the young -man's lips. There was a moment of profound anxiety for these men; their -silence was so complete, that the beating of their hearts might be -heard. They stood with their eyes obstinately fixed on the American, -daring scarcely to breathe, and, as it were, hanging on his lips. At -length John rose, and placed the knife near a torch; the blade was -slightly tarnished. - -"He lives, brothers, he lives!" he shouted. - -At these news the Border Rifles broke out into such a howl of joy and -happiness, that the nightbirds, startled in their gloomy hiding places, -rose on all sides, and began flying heavily backwards and forwards, -while uttering discordant and deafening cries. But this was not all: the -next point was to get the Jaguar out of the precipice, and let him down -into the gorge. We have said that the two bodies were closely -intertwined. The adventurers felt but slender sympathy for Captain -Melendez, the primary cause of the catastrophe, which had so nearly -proved fatal to the Jaguar; hence they were not at all eager to assure -themselves whether he were dead or alive; and when the moment arrived to -find means for conveying the body of their Chief into the barranca, a -very serious and stormy discussion arose on the subject of the Mexican -officer. The majority of the adventurers were of opinion that the -easiest way of separating the two bodies was by cutting off the -Captain's arms, and throwing his body into the abyss, to serve as food -for wild beasts. Those who were more excited talked about stabbing him -at once, so as to make quite sure that he did not recover. Some even had -seized their knives and machetes to carry out this resolution, but John -Davis suddenly interfered. - -"Stop!" he shouted, eagerly, "the Jaguar lives; he is still your Chief, -so leave him to treat this man as he thinks proper. Who knows whether -the life of this officer may not be more valuable to us than his death?" - -The adventurers were not easily induced to spare the Captain, and -adhered for a while to their proposal of stabbing him, after cutting off -his arms. Still, owing to the influence he enjoyed with the band, Davis -succeeded in making them listen to reason, and they began arranging how -to get the bodies down. - - -[1] See Border Rifles, same Publishers. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -TWO ENEMIES. - - -In the great work of creation, God indubitably most profoundly set the -seal of his omnipotence in the heart of forests. The ocean, despite its -immense extent, offers sailors only a despairing monotony, or sudden -upheavals, which fill the mind with a secret and invincible terror. The -mountains which stud the globe, and elevate to immense heights their -serrated peaks, covered with eternal snow, only inspire terror, and -represent to the astonished eyes of the tourist a terrific maze of chaos -and travailing nature. - -But when you reach the verge of one of those splendid oases of verdure -which are called virgin forests, you undergo involuntarily an impression -of religious contemplation and gentle melancholy at the sight of these -thousand arches of foliage, intertwined like the ceiling of an old -Gothic church, in which the moss-clad trunks of centennial oaks -represent the clustered columns, rising at one spot only a few feet from -the ground, at others soaring to the skies. - -Then, animated by the purer air, breathing with the full power of the -lungs, attracted and fascinated by the mobile and infinite perspectives -that open out on all sides--feeling the movement easier on the soft -carpet of soil and dust accumulated by departed ages, the traveller's -step grows freer, his glance more piercing, and his hand more firm, and -he begins sighing for the hazardous and masculine life of the desert. -The further he proceeds beneath these shifting shadows, while life is -as noisy all around as a rising tide, the more does the freshness which -circulates through the foliage purify the blood, and strengthen the -limbs; and he comprehends more and more the irresistible attractions of -the forest, and the religious love the wood rangers have for it. - -Men habituated to a desert life are never willing to quit it again; for -they understand all its voices, have sounded all its mysteries, and to -them the forest is a world which they love much as the sailor does the -sea. When a glowing sun enlivens the wild and picturesque landscape, -when the glistening snow on the far-off peaks stands out like a silver -ribbon above the masses of verdure, when the birds twitter among the -leaves, the insects buzz on the grass, and the wild beasts in their -unknown lairs, add their solemn sounds to the concert;--at such a moment -all invites reverie and contemplation, and the wood rangers feel -themselves the nearer to God, because they are the further from man. - -These bold explorers of the desert are picked men, and powerfully built, -kept constantly in movement, and forced each second into a contest with -the obstacles that incessantly arise before them. No danger terrifies -them, no difficulty arrests them; perils they brave, difficulties they -surmount as if in sport; for, hurled by the divine will beyond the pale -of common law, their existence is only a succession of strange incidents -and feverish adventures, which cause them to live a century in a few -moments. - -The hesitation of the Border Rifles was short; for these half-savage -men, an obstacle to be overcome could only prove a stimulus for their -minds, so fertile in resources. - -The two wounded men, securely fastened on cross pieces of wood by -reatas, were let down in turn to the bottom of the precipice, and laid -on the bank of a small stream, which ran noiselessly through this plain, -forming the most capricious windings. John Davis, fearing some outbreak -on the part of his angry comrades, himself undertook to let the Captain -down, in order to be certain that no accident would happen to him. - -When the wounded men had been removed from the eagle's nest, which had -so miraculously saved them, the adventurers glided along the cliff with -singular address and rapidity, and the whole band was soon collected on -the bank of the stream. As is frequently the case in a mountainous -country, the bottom of the barranca was a rather wide prairie, sheltered -between two lofty hills, which enclosed it on the right and left, thus -forming a species of gorge, which, at the spot where the fight took -place, was really a gulf of great depth. - -John Davis, without losing a moment, lavished on the Jaguar all the -attention his state demanded; while Ruperto, though much against the -grain, did the same for the Mexican Captain, by the American's -peremptory orders. - -During the various events we have described, the whole night had slipped -away, and the sun rose at the moment the adventurers completed their -perilous descent. The country then resumed its real aspect, and what had -appeared by the flickering light of the torches a desolate and arid -desert, became a charming and smiling landscape. - -The sun has enormous power over the human organisation: it not only -dispels those sombre phantoms which are produced by the darkness, but -also revives the mind and restores to the body its elasticity and -vigour, which have been neutralised by the piercing cold of night. With -day, hope and joy returned to the heart of the adventurers; a joy -rendered more lively still by the sight of the cases hurled over the -previous night by the Mexicans, and which, though crushed by their fall, -had lost none of their precious contents. Hence, the heroic courage and -devotion of the Mexicans had no other result than allowing them to die -bravely at their posts, for their sacrifice had not obtained the -anticipated result. - -The prairie soon assumed a lively aspect, to which it certainly was not -accustomed; the adventurers lit fires, erected jacals, and the camp was -formed in a few minutes. For a very lengthened period Davis' efforts to -bring his friend to life remained sterile; still, the Jaguar had -received no wound; he did not seem to have a limb broken; his syncope -resulted solely from the moral effect of his horrible fall. - -For all that, the American, far from giving in, redoubled his care and -attention, and at length, saw his efforts crowned with success. The -Jaguar made a weak movement, his lips parted as if he were about to -speak, he raised his hand to his brow, gave a deep sigh, and partly -opened his eyes, but closed them instantly, probably dazzled by the -brilliant sunlight. - -"At length he is saved!" the American exclaimed, joyously. - -The adventurers surrounded their Chief, anxiously watching his every -movement. The young man soon opened his eyes again, and, helped by -Davis, managed to sit up. A slight patch of red was visible on his -cheekbones, but the rest of his face retained an ashen and cadaverous -hue. He looked slowly round him, and the absent expression of his glance -gradually changed into a gleam of intelligence. "Drink!" he muttered in -a hollow and inarticulate voice. - -John Davis uncorked his flask, bent over the wounded man, and placed it -to his lips. The latter drank eagerly for two or three minutes, and then -stopped with a sigh of relief. - -"I fancied I was dead," he said. - -"By Heaven!" John Davis remarked, "It was a close shave." - -"Is Captain Melendez still alive?" - -"Yes." - -"What state is he in?" - -"No worse than your own." - -"All the better." - -"Shall we hang him?" Ruperto remarked, still adhering to his notion. - -The Jaguar started, frowned, and then shouted with greater strength than -he might be supposed to possess-- - -"On your life, not a hair of his head must fall; you answer for him to -me body for body." - -And he added in a low voice, unintelligible by the hearers, "I swore -it--" - -"'Tis a pity," Ruperto went on. "I am certain that hanging a Mexican -Captain would have produced an excellent effect through the country." - -The Jaguar made a sign. - -"All right, all right," the adventurer continued; "if it is not pleasant -to you, we will say no more about it. No matter, that is a funny notion -of yours." - -"Enough," the young man said; "I have given my orders." - -So soon as he was alone. Captain Melendez let his head fall on his -hands, and tried to re-establish the balance in his mind and arrange his -ideas, which the shock he had received had utterly disordered. Still he -gradually yielded to a species of lethargy, the natural result of his -fall, and soon fell into a deep sleep. - -He slept peacefully for several hours, nothing happening to disturb his -repose; and when he awoke he found himself quite a new man; the -restorative sleep he had enjoyed had completely rested his nervous -system, his strength had returned, and it was with an indescribable -feeling of joy that he rose and walked a few steps on the prairie. With -calmness of mind courage returned, and he was ready to recommence the -contest. He noticed, too, with a certain degree of pleasure, that the -adventurers left him at perfect liberty, and did not appear to pay any -attention to him. - -Ruperto returned, but this time he had put off his mocking air, and -carried some provisions in a basket. The adventurer offered them to the -Captain with rough politeness, in which, however, the desire to be -agreeable was perceptible. The Captain readily accepted the food, and -ate with an appetite that surprised himself after so serious a fall. - -"Well," Ruperto remarked, "did I not tell you that you would be soon -cured? It is just the same with the Captain--he is as fresh as a -floripondio, and was never better in his life." - -"Tell me, my friend," Don Juan answered, "may I be allowed to speak with -the Chief?" - -"Very easily--the more so, as it seems that he has something to say to -you." - -"Indeed." - -"Yes, and he even ordered me to ask you if you would allow him an -interview after dinner." - -"Most heartily; I am entirely at his orders; especially," the Captain -added, with a smile, "since I am his prisoner." - -"That is true; well, eat quietly, and while you are doing so I will -convey your message." - -Hereupon Ruperto left the Captain, who did not require the invitation to -be repeated, but vigorously attacked the provisions placed before him. -His meal was soon over, and he had been walking up and down for some -time, when he saw the Jaguar approach. The two men bowed ceremoniously, -and examined each other for some moments with the greatest attention. - -Up to this moment they had hardly seen one another; their interview of -the previous evening had taken place in the darkness, and then fought -obstinately; but they had found no time to form mutual opinions as they -now did with the infallible glance of men who are accustomed to judge in -a second, persons with whom they have dealings. The Jaguar was the first -to break the silence. - -"You will excuse, Caballero," he said, "the rusticity of my reception: -banished men have no other palace save the dome of the forests that -shelter them." - -The Captain bowed. - -"I was far from expecting," he said, "so much courtesy from--" - -He stopped, not daring to utter the word that rose to his lips, through -fear of offending the other. - -"From bandits, I suppose, Captain?" the Jaguar replied, with a smile. -"Oh, no denial, I know what we are called at Mexico. Yes, Caballero, at -the present day we are outlaws, border ruffians, freebooters; tomorrow, -perhaps, we shall be heroes and saviours of a people; but so the world -goes; but let us leave that. You wished to speak to me, I heard." - -"Did you not also evince a desire, Caballero, to have an interview with -me?" - -"I did, Captain; I have only one question to ask you, though--will you -promise me to answer it?" - -"On my honour, if it be possible." - -The Jaguar reflected for a moment, and then continued-- - -"You hate me, I suppose?" - -"What makes you imagine that?" - -"How do I know?" the Jaguar replied, with embarrassment; "a thousand -reasons, as, for instance, the obstinacy with which you sought to take -my life a few hours agone." - -The Captain drew himself up, and his face assumed a stern expression -which it had not worn hitherto. - -"I pledge you my word to be frank with you, Caballero," he said. - -"I thank you beforehand." - -"Between yourself and me, personally, no hatred can exist--at any rate, -not on my side; I do not know you, I only saw you yesterday for the -first time; never, to my cognizance, have you come across my path -before, hence I have no reason to hate you. But beside the man there is -the soldier; as an officer in the Mexican army--" - -"Enough, Captain," the young man sharply interrupted him; "you have told -me all I desired to know; political hatreds, however terrible they may -be, are not eternal. You do your duty as I believe I do mine--that is -to say, as well as you possibly can, and to that I have no objection. -Unfortunately, instead of fighting side by side, we are in opposite -camps; fatality decrees it so; perhaps, some day these unhappy -dissensions will cease, and then, who knows whether we may not be -friends?" - -"We are so already, Caballero," the Captain said, warmly, as he held out -his hand to the Jaguar. - -The latter pressed it vigorously. - -"Let us each follow the road traced for us," he said; "but if we defend -a different cause, let us maintain, when the contest is raging, that -esteem and friendship which two loyal enemies ought to feel, who have -measured their swords and found them of equal length." - -"Agreed," said the Captain. - -"One word more," the Jaguar continued. "I must respond to your frankness -by equal frankness." - -"Speak." - -"I presume that the question I asked surprised you?" - -"I confess it." - -"Well, I will tell you why I asked it." - -"What good will that do?" - -"I must; between us two henceforth there must be nothing hidden. In -spite of the hatred I ought to feel for you, I feel myself attracted to -you by a secret sympathy, which I cannot explain, but which urges me to -reveal to you a secret on which the happiness of my life depends." - -"I do not understand you, Caballero; the language seems strange to me. -Explain yourself, in Heaven's name." - -A feverish flush suddenly covered the Jaguar's face. - -"Listen, Captain, if you only know me today for the first time, your -name has been ringing in my ears for many months past." - -The officer fixed an inquiring glance on the young man. - -"Yes, yes," the latter continued, with increasing animation, "she ever -has your name on her lips--she only speaks of you. Only a few days -back--but why recall that? Suffice it for you to know that I love her to -distraction." - -"Carmela?" the Captain muttered. - -"Yes," the Jaguar exclaimed, "you love her too!" - -"I do," the Captain replied, simply, as he looked on the ground with an -air of embarrassment. - -There was a lengthened silence between the two men. It was easy to -discover that each of them was having an internal fight; at length the -Jaguar managed to quell the storm that growled in his heart, and went -on, in a firm voice-- - -"Thanks for your loyal answer, Captain; in loving Carmela you take -advantage of your good right, just as I do; let this love, instead of -separating, form a stronger link between us. Carmela is worthy of the -love of an honourable man; let us each love her, and carry on an open -warfare, without treachery or trickery; all the better for the man she -may prefer. She alone must be judge between us; let her follow her -heart, for she is too pure and good to deceive herself and make a bad -choice." - -"Good!" the Captain exclaimed, enthusiastically; "You are a man after my -own heart, Jaguar, and whatever may happen, I shall always think with -gladness that I have pressed your honest hand, and am worthy of being -counted among your friends. Yes, I have a deep and sincere love for -Carmela; for a smile from her rosy lips I would joyfully lay down my -life; but I swear that I will follow the noble example you give me, and -the struggle shall be as honourable on my side as on yours." - -"Viva Cristo!" the young man said with frank and simple delight, "I was -sure we should end by coming to an understanding." - -"To produce that," the Captain remarked, with a smile, "we only needed -the opportunity for an explanation." - -"Canarios, I trust that it will not be repeated under similar -conditions, for it is a perfect miracle that we are still alive." - -"I am not at all anxious to repeat the experiment." - -"Nor I either, I swear to you. But the sun is rapidly declining on the -horizon: I need not tell you that you are free, and at liberty to go -wherever you please, if it is not your intention to remain any length of -time with us: I have had a horse got ready which you will permit me to -offer you." - -"I gladly accept it: I do not wish to have any false pride with you, and -afoot in these regions, which are quite strange to me, I should feel -greatly embarrassed." - -"That need not trouble you, for I will give you a guide to accompany -you, till you get in the right road." - -"A thousand thanks." - -"Where do you propose going? Of course, if my question be indiscreet, I -do not expect you to answer it." - -"I have nothing to hide from you; I intend joining General Rubio as -quickly as possible, to whom I must report the accident that has -happened to the conducta de plata, and the terrible catastrophe of which -I have been the victim." - -"It is the fortune of war, Captain." - -"I do not reproach you; I merely say it was an unfortunate affair." - -"Had it been possible to save the conducta by courage and devotion, you -would have doubtless done it, for you performed your duty worthily." - -"I thank you for this praise." - -"It will be easy for you to reach General Rubio's camp before sunset." - -"Do you think so?" - -"I am sure of it, for you are only three leagues at the most from it." - -"So near as that? Had I but known it," the Captain said in a tone of -regret. - -"Yes, but you were ignorant of the fact. But, nonsense, what good is it -returning to that, you will take your revenge some day or the other." - -"You are right; what is done cannot be undone, so I will be off." - -"Already?" - -"I must." - -"That is true." - -The Jaguar made a signal to a borderer standing a short distance off. - -"The Captain's horse," he said. - -Five minutes later, this borderer, who was no other than Ruperto, -reappeared, leading two horses, one of which was a magnificent mustang, -with delicate limbs, and flashing eye. The Captain reached the saddle at -one leap, and Ruperto was already mounted. The two enemies, henceforth -friends, shook hands for the last time, and after an affectionate -parting, the Captain let his horse go. - -"Mind, no tricks, Ruperto!" the Jaguar said in a peremptory voice to the -adventurer. - -"All right, all right!" the latter growled in reply. - -The horsemen left the prairie. The Jaguar looked after them as long as -he could see them, and then returned thoughtfully to the jacal, which -served as his tent. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -GENERAL RUBIO. - - -As the opportunity offers itself, let us say a few words about the -military organization of the United States of Mexico, an organization as -singular as all the rest of the machinery by means of which the strange -government of this eccentric Republic does its work. - -A military uniform generally pleases the masses; a soldier's life has -something in it so independent of ordinary life, that all nations more -or less allow themselves to be carried away and seduced by the glitter -of embroidery and epaulettes, the rolling of drums, and the shrill notes -of the bugles. Young nations, especially, like to play at soldiering, to -make standards flutter, horses curvet, and mighty sabres flash. - -The struggle of Mexico with Spain lasted ten years, constant, feverish, -and obstinate: it was fertile in terrible events and striking incidents. -The Mexicans, held by their oppressors in the most complete subjection, -were as simple at the beginning of the revolution as at the period of -the conquest: the majority did not know how to load a gun, and none of -them had ever had firearms in their hands. Still, excited by the ardent -desire for liberty which boiled in their hearts, their progress in -military tactics was rapid, and the Spaniards soon learned at their own -expense that these wretched guerillas, commanded by priests and curates, -who at the outset were only armed with lances and arrows, became at -length capable of responding to their platoon fire, dying bravely -without yielding an inch, and inflicting terrible defeats upon them. The -enthusiasm and hatred of the oppressors had made soldiers of all the men -capable of bearing arms. - -When the independence was proclaimed and the war ended, the part played -by the army was at an end in a country which, without immediate -neighbours, had no foreign intervention to apprehend in its internal -affairs and had no invasion to fear. The army, therefore, ought to have -laid down the arms which had so valiantly achieved the liberty of the -country, and returned peaceably home. Such was its duty, and such was -expected; but this was a great mistake. The army felt itself strong and -feared; hence it wished to keep the place it had assumed, and, impose -conditions in its turn. - -Having no longer enemies to combat, the Mexican army constituted itself, -or its private authority, the arbiter of the destinies of the country it -had been called out to defend: in order to secure promotion among the -officers, the army made revolutions. Then commenced that era of -pronunciamentos, in which Mexico is fatally ensnared, and which is -leading it irresistibly to that gulf in which its independence, so -dearly acquired, and even its nationality, will be finally wrecked. - -From the sub-lieutenant to the general of division, each officer made a -stepping stone of a pronunciamento to gain a step--the lieutenant to -become captain; the captain, colonel; the colonel, general; and the -general, president of the Mexican Republic. There are generally three to -four presidents at once; often enough there are five, or even six; a -single president would be regarded as an extraordinary phenomenon--a -_rara avis._ We believe that since the proclamation of Independence no -single president has governed the country for six consecutive months. -The result of this state of things is, that the army has fallen into -extreme discredit; and while the profession of arms was honourable at -the period of the struggle against the Spaniards, it is exactly the -reverse now. The army is, therefore, necessarily recruited from the -lowest classes of society, that is to say, from bandits, leperos, and -even the villains condemned for robbery or assassination. - -All these men, on reaching certain grades, merely change their uniform, -while retaining in the new rank where accident places them their vices -and low habits; hence young men of good family are not at all inclined -to accept an epaulette, and despise a profession regarded with so little -honour by the respectable classes of society. In a corps so badly -organised, where discipline does not exist, and military education is a -nullity, any _esprit de corps_ must be unknown, and that is the case. -And yet this army has been good, and it counts magnificent exploits on -its books; its soldiers and officers displayed great bravery in the -critical phases of the War of Independence. - -But at the present day everything is dead, the feeling of duty is -despised, and honour--that powerful stimulus to the soldier--is -trampled under foot. Duelling, that necessary evil to a certain point to -make the soldier respect the cloth he wears, is forbidden under the -severest penalties; and if you horsewhip a Mexican officer, or call him -a coward or a scoundrel, the only risk you run is of being treacherously -assassinated. - -It needs a lengthened apprenticeship to become a soldier and obtain the -proper spirit; it is only after long and serious study, when he has -suffered great privations, and looked death several times in the face, -that a man acquires that knowledge and coolness which enable him to -sacrifice his life without calculation, and fulfil the duties of a true -soldier. - -Most of the Mexican generals would blush at their ignorance if they -found themselves face to face with the lowest non-commissioned officer -of our army; for they know absolutely nothing, and have not the least -idea of their art. With Mexican officers all is reduced to this: -changing the scarf. The colonel wears a red one, the brigadier-general's -is green, and that of the general of division white. It is for the -purpose of obtaining the last colour that all the pronunciamentos are -made. - -Badly clothed, badly fed, and badly paid, the Mexican troops are a -scourge to the civilian population, whom they shamelessly and pitilessly -squeeze upon the slightest pretext. From what we have written, it is -easy to see how an armed corps thus disorganised must be dangerous to -everybody, for it knows no restraint, and lives beyond the law which it -despises. The present state of Mexico proves the incontestable truth of -our assertions. - -We have not wished to enter into personalities, but treated the question -generally, seeking to show what it is really. There are, we allow, some -officers of merit--a few truly honourable men--in this unhappy army; but -they are pearls lost in the mud, and the number is so limited, that if -we quoted all their names, we should not reach a hundred. This is the -more sad, because the further Mexico goes, the nearer it approaches the -catastrophe; and, ere long, the evil that undermines this fair country -will be incurable, and it will sink for ever--not under the blows of -strangers, but assassinated by its own children. - -General Don José Maria Rubio was in no way distinguished from the herd -of Mexican officers, but he possessed over those who surrounded him the -immense advantage of being a soldier of the war of Independence, and in -him experience amply compensated for his lack of education. His history -was simple, and may be told in a few words. - -Son of an evangelista or public writer at Tampico, he had with great -difficulty learned a little reading and writing under the auspices of -his father; this pretence at education, slight as it was, was destined -to be of great utility to him at a later date. The great uprising, of -which the celebrated Fray Hidalgo was the promoter, and which -inaugurated the revolution, found young José Maria wandering about the -neighbourhood of Tampico, where he gained a livelihood by the most -heterogeneous trades. The young man--a little bit of a muleteer, a -little bit of a fisherman, and a good deal of a smuggler--intoxicated -by the smell of gunpowder, and fascinated by the omnipotent influence -Hidalgo exercised over all those who approached him, threw his gun over -his shoulder, mounted the first horse he came across, and gaily followed -the revolutionary band. From that moment his life was only one long -succession of combats. - -He became in a short time, thanks to his courage, energy, and presence -of mind, one of the guerillas most feared by the Spaniards; always the -first in attack, the last to retreat. Chief of a cuadrilla composed of -picked men, to whom the most daring and wild expeditions appeared but -child's play, and favoured by constant good luck, for fortune ever loves -the rash, José Maria soon became a terror to the Spaniards, and his mere -name inspired them with indescribable terror. After serving in turn -under all the heroes of the Mexican war of Independence, and fighting -bravely by their side, peace found him a brigadier-general. - -General Rubio was not ambitious; he was a brave and honest soldier, who -loved his profession passionately, and who needed to render him happy -the roll of the drum, the lustre of arms, and military life in its -fullest extent. When he fought, the idea never occurred to him that the -war would end some day or other; and hence he was quite surprised and -perfectly demoralised when peace was made and independence proclaimed. - -The worthy General looked round him. Everybody was preparing to retire -to the bosom of his family, and enjoy a repose do dearly purchased. Don -José Maria might perhaps have desired nothing better than to follow the -example; but his family was the army, and he had, or at least was -acquainted with, no other. During the ten years' fighting which had just -elapsed, the General had completely lost out of sight all the relations -he possessed. His father, whose death he learned accidentally, was the -sole person whose influence might have brought him to abandon a -military career, but the paternal hearth was cold. Nothing attracted him -to the province, and he therefore remained under the banner, though not -through ambition. We repeat that the worthy soldier did himself justice, -and recognised the fact that he had attained a position far superior to -any he might ever have dared to desire; but he could not live alone or -abandon old friends with whom he had so long suffered, combated--in a -word, shared good and evil fortune. - -The different Chiefs, who immediately began coveting power, and -succeeded each other in the presidential chair, far from fearing the -general, whose simple and honest character was known to them, on the -contrary sought his friendship, and lavished on him proofs of the most -frank and real protection; for they felt convinced that he would never -abuse their confidence in him. - -At the period when the Texans began agitating and claiming their -independence, the Mexican Government, deceived at the outset by the -agents appointed to watch that state, sent insufficient forces to -re-establish order, and crush the insurgents: but the movement soon -assumed such a distinctly revolutionary character, that the President -found it urgent to make an effective demonstration. Unfortunately it was -too late; the dissatisfaction had spread: it was no longer a question of -suppressing a revolt, but stifling a revolution, which is not at all the -same thing. - -The President of the Mexican Republic then learned at his own cost that, -in every human question, there is something more powerful than the brute -force of bayonets: it is the idea whose time has come and hour struck. -The troops sent to Texas were beaten and driven back on all sides; in -short, they were compelled to treat with the insurgents, and withdraw -ignominiously. - -The government could not, and would not, accept such a dishonouring -check inflicted by badly-armed and undisciplined bands, and they -resolved to make a last and decisive effort. Numerous troops were massed -on the Texan frontiers; and to terrify the insurgents, and finish with -them at one blow, a grand military demonstration was made. - -But the war then changed its character: the Texans, nearly all North -Americans, skilful hunters, indefatigable marchers, and marksmen of -proverbial reputation, broke up into small bands, and instead of -offering the Mexican troops a front, which would have enabled them to -outmanoeuvre and crush them, they began a hedge war, full of tricks and -ambushes, after the manner of the Vendeans, the first result of which -was to enormously fatigue the soldiers by compelling them to make -continual marches and counter-marches, and produced among them -discouragement and demoralization, by compelling to fight against a -shifting foe, whom they knew to be everywhere, and yet could never -seize. - -The position became more and more critical. These outlaws, branded with -the epithets of bandits, border ruffians, and freebooters, whom they -affected to confound with the villains who congregate in these -countries, and whom they obstinately treated as such by granting them no -quarter, and shooting them without trial wherever they were captured: -these men, now disciplined, hardened, and strong in the moral support of -their fellow citizens, who applauded their successes, and put up vows -for them, had boldly raised the flag of Texan independence, and after -several engagements, in which they decimated the troops sent against -them, compelled the latter to recognize them as the avowed defenders of -an honourable cause. - -Among the numerous generals of the republic, the president at length -chose the only man capable of repairing the successive disasters -undergone by the government. General Don José Maria Rubio was invested -with the supreme command of the troops detached to act against Texas. -This choice was most lucky; the general, an honest man and brave -soldier, was incapable of selling himself, however great the price -offered. Hence there was no reason to fear treachery from him, from -which others, less susceptible or more avaricious than he was, had not -recoiled. As an old soldier of the war of Independence, and ex-guerilla, -Don José Maria was thoroughly conversant with all the tricks, and was -the very man to fight with advantage against the foes that awaited him. - -Unfortunately, this selection was made very late. Still, the General, -while perfectly comprehending the immense responsibility he assumed, -accepted without a murmur the rude task imposed on him. Certain men have -the incontestable privilege of being born for the positions they occupy; -their intellect seems to grow with the situation; made for great things, -they ever remain on a level with events, whatever the nature of the -latter may be. The General possessed this precious faculty; at the first -glance he judged his enemies with that coolness which renders old -soldiers so strong, and his plan was formed in a few minutes. - -He immediately changed the tactics employed by his predecessors, and -adopted a system diametrically opposite. Instead of fatiguing his troops -by purposeless marches which had no result, he seized on the strongest -positions, scattered his troops through cantonments, where they -supported each other, and in case of need could all he assembled under -his orders within four-and-twenty hours. - -When these precautions were taken, still keeping his forces in hand, he -prudently remained on the defensive, and instead of marching forward, -watched with indefatigable patience for the opportunity to fall on the -enemy suddenly and crush him. - -The Texan Chiefs soon comprehended all the danger of these new and -skilful tactics. In fact, they had changed parts; instead of being -attacked, the insurgents were obliged to become the assailants, which -made them lose all the advantages of their position, by compelling them -to concentrate their troops, and make a demonstration of strength, -contrary to their usual habits of fighting. - -To the young officers who murmured at the plan adopted by the general, -and made sarcastic remarks on his prudence, the latter replied with a -smile that there was no hurry, that war was a game of skill in which the -cleverest man won; and that he must not, for the sake of little lustre, -let himself be led away to compromise the success of an enterprise -which, with a little patience, must lead to certain success. The result -proved that the general reasoned correctly, and that his plan was good. - -The insurgents, reduced to inactivity by the system the new Chief of the -Mexican army adopted, tried several times to attack his entrenchments, -and draw him out; but the general contented himself with killing as many -of them as he could, and would not move a step forward. - -The conducta de plata intrusted to Captain Melendez had an immense -importance in the eyes of the needy government at the capital; the -dollars must at all hazards reach Mexico in safety; the more so, because -for some time past the arrival of coin from Texas had become desperately -irregular, and threatened to leave off altogether ere long. - -General Rubio found himself reluctantly compelled to modify temporarily -the line he had traced; he did not doubt that the insurgents, advised of -the passage of the conducta, would make the greatest efforts to -intercept and seize it, for they also suffered from a great want of -money, and the millions sent to Mexico were of the utmost importance to -them. Hence their plans must be foiled, and the conducta saved. For this -purpose the General collected a large body of troops, placed himself at -their head, and advanced by forced marches to the entrance of the -defile, where, from the reports of his spies, he knew that the -insurgents were ambuscaded; then, as we have seen, he sent off a sure -man (or whom he supposed to be) to Captain Melendez, to warn him of his -approach, and put him on his guard. - -We have narrated in the "Border Rifles" what took place, and how truly -worthy the General's express was of the confidence placed in him. - -The Mexican camp stood in the centre of a beautiful plain, facing the -defile through which the conducta must pass, according to the General's -instructions. It was evening, and the sun had set for about an hour. Don -José Maria, rendered anxious by the Captain's delay, and beginning to -suspect a mishap, had sent off scouts in different directions to bring -him news, and a prey to an agitation, which each moment that passed -augmented, was walking anxiously about his tent, cursing and swearing in -a low voice, frowning and stopping every now and then to listen to those -thousand noises which arise at night without apparent cause, and pass as -if borne on the wings of the Djinns. - -General Don José Maria Rubio was still a young man; he was about -forty-two, though he seemed older, through the fatigues of a military -life, which had left rude marks on his martial and open countenance; he -was tall and well-built; his muscular limbs, his wide and projecting -chest denoted great vigour; and though his close-shaven hair was -beginning to turn grey, his black eye had a brilliancy full of youth and -intelligence. - -Contrary to the habits of Mexican general officers, who, under all -circumstances, make a great display of embroidery, and are gilded and -plumed like charlatans, his uniform had a simplicity and severity which -added to his military appearance, and gave him that aspect of reflection -and majesty which is so befitting the chief of an army. - -A sabre and a pair of holster pistols were carelessly thrown across a -map on the table in the centre of the room, over which the General -frequently bent in his agitated walk. The gallop of a horse, at first -distant, but which rapidly drew nearer, was heard. The sentinel outside -the tent challenged, "Who goes there?" - -The horseman stopped, leapt to the ground, and a moment later the -curtain of the tent was thrust aside, and a man appeared. - -It was Captain Don Juan Melendez. - -"Here you are, at last!" the General exclaimed, as his countenance grew -brighter. - -But on noticing the impression of sorrow spread over the officer's -features, the General, who had walked two steps toward him, stopped, and -his face again assumed an anxious look. - -"Oh, oh!" he said, "What can have happened? Captain, has any mishap -occurred to the conducta?" - -The officer bowed his head. - -"What is the meaning of this, Caballero?" the General continued, -angrily; "Have you suddenly grown dumb?" - -The Captain made an effort. "No, General," he answered. - -"The conducta! Where is the conducta?" he went on, violently. - -"Captured!" Don Juan replied, in a hollow voice. - -"Viva Dios!" the General shouted, as he gave him a terrible glance, and -stamped his foot: "The conducta captured, and yourself alive to bring me -the news?" - -"I could not get myself killed." - -"I really believe, Heaven pardon me!" the General said, ironically, -"that you have not even received a scratch." - -"It is true." - -The General walked up and down the tent in the utmost agitation. "And -your soldiers, Caballero," he went on, a minute later, stopping before -the officer, "I suppose they fled at the first shot?" - -"My soldiers are dead, General." - -"What do you say?" - -"I say, General, that my soldiers fell to the last man defending the -trust confided to their honour." - -"Hum, hum!" the General remarked, "Are they all dead?" - -"Yes, General, all lie in a bloody grave; I am the only survivor of -fifty brave and devoted men." - -There was a second silence. The General knew the Captain too well to -doubt his courage and honour. He began to suspect a mystery. - -"But I sent you a guide," he at length said. - -"Yes, General, and it was that guide who led us into the trap laid by -the insurgents." - -"A thousand demons! If the scoundrel----" - -"He is dead," the Captain interrupted him, "I killed him." - -"Good. But there is something about the affair I cannot understand." - -"General," the young man exclaimed, with some animation, "though the -conducta is lost, the fight was glorious for the Mexican name. Our -honour has not suffered; we were crushed by numbers." - -"Come, Captain, you are one of those men above suspicion, whom not the -slightest stain can affect. If necessary, I would give bail for your -loyalty and bravery before the world. Report to me frankly, and without -any beating round the bush, all that has happened, and I will believe -you; give me the fullest details about this action, in order that I may -know whether I have to pity or punish you." - -"Listen, then, General. But I swear to you that if after my report the -slightest doubt remains in your heart as to my honour and the devotion -of my soldiers, I will blow out my brains in your presence." - -"Speak first, Caballero, we will see afterwards what your best course -should be." - -The Captain bowed, and began an exact report of what had taken place. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -THE HUNTER'S COUNCIL. - - -We will now return to Tranquil, whom we have too long neglected. The -Canadian had left his friends two musket shots from the Texan -encampment, intending, were it required, to call in Carmela: but that -was not necessary; the young man, though unwillingly, had consented to -all the Canadian asked of him, with which the latter was delighted, for -without knowing exactly why, he would have been sorry to facilitate an -interview between the young people. - -Immediately after his conversation with the leader of the Freebooters, -the hunter rose, and, in spite of the Jaguar's efforts to retain him, -left the camp. He then remounted his horse, and, only half satisfied by -his conversation with the Jaguar, returned thoughtfully to the spot -where his friends were camping. The latter were awaiting him anxiously, -and Carmela especially was suffering from a terrible uneasiness. - -It was a strange fact, which women alone can explain, that the maiden, -perhaps unconsciously, entertained toward the Jaguar and Captain -Melendez feelings which she was afraid to analyze, but which led her to -take an equal interest in the fate of those two men, and fear a -collision between them, whatever the result might have proved. But for -all that, it is certain that if she had been obliged to explain the -reason which impelled her to act thus, she would have been unable to -answer; and had anybody told her that she loved one or the other, she -would have energetically protested; under the honest conviction that she -spoke the truth. - -Still, she felt herself, perhaps from different motives, irresistibly -attracted toward them. She started at their approach; the sound of their -voices caused her an internal thrill of happiness; if she remained long -without news of them, she grew sad, pensive, and anxious; their presence -restored her all her gaiety and birdlike freedom. - -Was it friendship, or was it love? Who can answer? - -Tranquil found his friends comfortably located in a narrow clearing, -near a fire, over which their next meal was cooking. Carmela, a little -apart, questioned with an impatient glance the path by which she knew -the hunter must arrive. So soon as she perceived him, she uttered a -suppressed cry of delight, and made a movement to run and meet him; but -she checked herself with a flush, let her head droop, and concealed -herself timidly behind a clump of floripondios. - -Tranquil peacefully dismounted, took the bridle off his horse, which he -sent with a friendly slap on the croup to join its comrades, and then -sat down by the side of Loyal Heart. - -"Ouf!" he said, "Here I am, back again, and not without difficulty." - -"Did you run any dangers?" Loyal Heart asked, eagerly. - -"Not at all; on the contrary, the Jaguar received me, as he was bound to -do, that is, as a friend; and I have only to complain of his courtesy; -besides, we have known each other too long for it to be otherwise." - -Carmela had softly come up to the hunter; she suddenly bent her graceful -head down to him, and offered him her forehead to kiss. - -"Good day, father," she said, demurely, "you have already returned?" - -"Already!" Tranquil answered, as he kissed her and laughed, "Hang it, -girl, it seems as if my absence did not appear to you long." - -"Pardon me, father, I did not mean that," she said, in great confusion. - -"What did you mean, then, my child?" - -"Oh, nothing." - -"Yes you did, you little rogue! But you cannot deceive me, with all your -tricks; I am too old a fox to be taken in by a girl." - -"You are unkind, father," she answered, with a pout, "you always give a -false meaning to what I say." - -"Only think of that, seņorita! Well, do not be in a passion, I have -brought you good news." - -"Do you mean it?" she said, clasping her hands joyfully. - -"Would you doubt my word?" - -"Oh, no, father." - -"Very good, so now sit down by my side and listen." - -"Speak, speak, father," she exclaimed eagerly, as she took the seat -allotted her. - -"You seem to take great interest in Captain Melendez, my child?" - -"I, father!" she exclaimed with a start of surprise. - -"Hang it! I fancy a young lady must feel a lively interest in a person, -to take such a step for his sake as you have done." - -The maiden became serious. - -"Father," she said a moment later with that little, resolute tone spoilt -children know so well how to assume; "I could not tell you why I acted -as I did; I swear that it was against my will, I was mad; the thought -that the Captain and the Jaguar were about to engage in a mortal combat, -made me chill at heart; and yet I assure you, now that I am cool, I -question myself in vain to discover the reason which urged me to -intercede with you to prevent that combat." - -The hunter shook his head. - -"All that is not clear, Niņa," he replied; "I do not at all understand -your arguments. Hang it! I am only a poor woodranger, possessing no more -learning than I have drawn from the great scenes of nature I constantly -have before my eyes, and a woman's heart is to me a closed book, in -which I could not decipher a line. Still, girl, believe me, take care, -and do not play imprudently with weapons whose strength and mechanism -you are ignorant of; though the antelope be so light and active when it -is leaping from rock to rock on the verge of precipices, the moment -arrives when it grows giddy, its head turns, and it rolls into the -abyss--I have often seen similar catastrophes in the forests. Take care, -my girl, take care, and believe in the old hunter's experience." - -Carmela pensively leant her blushing brow on the Canadian's shoulder, -and lifted to him her large blue eyes full of tears. - -"I am suffering, father," she murmured sadly. - -"Good Heavens! My child, you are suffering, and did not tell me--are you -ill?" he exclaimed anxiously; "How imprudent it was of you to be out in -the desert by night." - -"You are mistaken, father," she replied with a faint smile; "I am not -ill, it is not that." - -"What is it then?" - -"I do not know, but my heart is contracted, my bosom is oppressed. Oh, I -am very unhappy!" - -And hiding her head in her hands, she burst into tears. Tranquil looked -at her for a moment with an astonishment mingled with terror. - -"You, unhappy!" he at length exclaimed as he smote his head -passionately. "Oh, whatever has been done to her, that she should weep -thus!" - -There was a silence of some minutes' duration, when the conversation -seemed to take a confidential turn. Loyal Heart and Lanzi rose quietly, -and soon disappeared in the chaparral. Tranquil and the maiden were -hence alone. The hunter was suffering from one of those cold fits of -passion which are so terrible because so concentrated; adoring the girl, -he fancied in his simple ignorance that it was he who, without -suspecting it, through the coarseness and frivolity of his manner, -rendered her unhappy, and he accused himself in his heart for not having -secured her that calm and pleasant life he had dreamed for her. - -"Forgive me, my child," he said to her with emotion; "forgive me for -being the involuntary cause of your suffering. You must not be angry -with me, for really it is no fault of mine, I have always lived alone in -the desert, and never learned how to treat natures so frail as those of -women; but henceforth I will watch myself. You will have no reason to -reproach me again. I promise you I will do all you wish, my darling -child--well, does that satisfy you?" - -By a sudden reaction, the maiden wiped away her tears, and bursting into -a joyous laugh, threw her arms round the hunter's neck, and kissed him -repeatedly. - -"It is you who should pardon me, father," she said in her wheedling -voice, "for I seem to take pleasure in tormenting you, who are so kind -to me; I did not know what I was saying just now; I am not unhappy, I do -not suffer, I am quite happy, and love you dearly, my good father; I -only love you." - -Tranquil looked at her in alarm; he could not understand these sudden -changes of humour, whose cause escaped him. - -"Good Heavens!" he exclaimed, clasping his hands in terror; "My daughter -is mad!" - -At this exclamation, the laughing girl's gaiety was augmented. The -silvery sound of her laugh would have made a nightingale die of envy. - -"I am not mad, father," she said, "I was so just now when I spoke to you -in the way I did, but now the crisis has past; forgive me, and think no -more about it." - -"Hum!" the hunter muttered, as he raised his eyes to Heaven in great -embarrassment; "I desire nothing more, Niņa; but I am no further on than -I was before, and on my word I understand nothing of what is passing -through your mind." - -"What matter, so long as I love you, father? All girls are so, and no -importance must be attached to their caprices." - -"Good, good, it must be so since you say it, little one. But for all -that, I suffered terribly, your words rent my heart." - -Carmela lovingly kissed him. - -"And the Jaguar?" she asked. - -"All is arranged; the Captain has nothing to fear from him." - -"Oh, the Jaguar has a noble heart; if he has pledged his word, he may be -trusted." - -"He has given it to me." - -"Thanks, father. Well, now that all is arranged according to our -wishes--" - -"Your wishes?" the hunter interrupted. - -"Mine or yours, father--is that not the same thing?" - -"That is true, I was wrong--go on." - -"Well, I say, call your friends, who are walking about close by, I -suppose, and let me eat, for I am dying of hunger." - -"Are you?" he said eagerly. - -"Indeed, I am; but I was ashamed to tell you." - -"In that case you will not have long to wait." - -The Canadian whistled; and the two men, who probably only awaited this -signal, made their appearance at once. The venison was removed from the -fire, laid on a leaf, and all seated themselves comfortably. - -"Hilloh!" Tranquil said all at once, "Why, where is Quoniam?" - -"He left us shortly after your departure," Loyal Heart made answer "to -go to the Larch-tree hacienda, as he told us." - -"All right, I did not think of that; I am not anxious about my old -comrade, for he will manage to find us again." - -Each then began eating with good appetite, and troubled themselves no -further about the Negro's absence. It is a noteworthy fact, that men -whom the life they lead compels to a continual employment of their -physical faculties, whatever may be the circumstances in which they are, -or the dangers that surround them--always eat with a good appetite, and -sleep soundly, so indispensable for them is the satisfaction of these -two material wants, in order that they may successfully resist the -incessant incidents of their existence, which is so varied, and full of -accidents of every description. - -During the hunter's meal, the sun had set, and night invaded the forest. -Carmela, exhausted by the various events of this day, retired almost -immediately to a light jacal of leaves which Loyal Heart had built for -her. The maiden needed to restore order in her ideas, and take a few -hours' rest, the privation from which had over-excited her nervous -system, and caused the crisis which had fallen on her a few hours -previously. - -When they were alone, the hunters laid in a stock of dead wood, which -would keep the fire in all night then, after throwing on some handfuls -of dry branches, they sat down in Indian fashion, that is to say, with -their back to the flame, so that their eyes might not be dazzled by the -light, and they could distinguish in the gloom the arrival of any -unwelcome guest, man or wild beast. When this precaution had been taken, -and the rifles laid within hand reach, they lit their pipes and smoked -silently. - -It is specially at night, when the sounds of day die out to make room -for the mysterious rumours of the darkness, that the desert assumes a -grand and imposing appearance, which affects the mind, and leads it into -those gentle and melancholy reveries which are so full of charm. The -purer night air refreshed by the breeze which passes through the -branches and gently agitates them; the murmuring of the water among the -lilies; the confused buzz of myriads of invisible insects; the silence -of the desert interrupted by the melodious and animated sounds; and that -busy hum of the great flood of life which comes from God and passes away -incessantly to be constantly renewed--all these things plunge the -strong-hearted man involuntarily into a religious contemplation, which -those to whom the grand scenes of nature are unknown, cannot imagine. - -The night was cold and clear; a profusion of light flashed from the -millions of stars that studded the dark olive sky, and the moon poured -on the earth her silvery rays which imparted a fantastic appearance to -objects.--The atmosphere was so pure and transparent that the eye could -distinguish, as in bright day, the surrounding landscape. Several hours -passed thus, and one of the three men, seduced as they were by the -splendour of the night, thought of taking that rest which, however, was -so necessary after the fatigues of the day. - -"Who will keep watch tonight?" Lanzi at length asked, as he passed the -stem of his pipe through his belt; "We are surrounded by people amongst -whom it is wise to take precautions." - -"That is true," said Loyal Heart; "do you sleep, and I will watch for -all." - -"One moment," the Canadian said; "if sleep does not too greatly -overpower you. Lanzi, we will profit by Carmela's absence to hold a -council. The situation in which we are is intolerable for a girl, and we -must make up our minds to some course at once. Unluckily, I know not -what to do, and your ideas will hardly suffice, I fear, to get me out of -my embarrassment." - -"I am at your orders, Tranquil," Lanzi answered; "let us hold a council, -and I will make up for it by sleeping faster." - -"Speak, my friend," said Loyal Heart. - -The hunter reflected for a moment, and then continued-- - -"Life is rough in the desert for delicate natures: we men, accustomed -to fatigue, and hardened to privations, not only support it without -thinking of it, but even find delight in it." - -"That is true," Loyal Heart observed; "but the dangers that men such as -we can bear, it would be unjust and cruel to inflict on a woman,--a -maiden who has hardly emerged from childhood, and whose life has -hitherto passed exempt from care, privations, or fatigue of any -description." - -"Yes," Lanzi supported him. - -"That is the very point," Tranquil continued; "though it will cost me a -pang to part with her, Carmela can no longer remain with us." - -"It would kill her," said Loyal Heart. - -"It would not take long, poor little darling," Lanzi pouted. - -"Yes: but to whom can I trust her now that the venta is destroyed?" - -"It is a difficult point," Lanzi observed. - -"Stay," said Loyal Heart, "are you not tigrero to the Larch-tree -hacienda?" - -"I am." - -"There you have it," the Half-breed exclaimed. "That is a good idea. It -would not have occurred to me." - -"What idea?" the Canadian asked. - -"The master of the hacienda," Loyal Heart continued, "will not refuse to -receive Carmela in his house." - -The hunter shook his head in denial. "No, no," he said, "if I once asked -the favour of him, I feel certain he would consent; but it cannot be." - -"Why?" - -"Because the owner of the Larch-tree is not the man we need to protect a -girl." - -"Hum!" Loyal Heart said, "Our situation is growing more complicated, for -I know nobody else who would take charge of her." - -"Nor I either, and that is what vexes me. Listen!" Loyal Heart suddenly -exclaimed, "I do not know. Heaven pardon me, where my head was that I -did not think of it at once. Do not be alarmed: I know somebody." - -"Speak, speak." - -"Come," the half-breed said aside, "this Loyal Heart is really a capital -fellow, for he is full of good ideas." - -"For reasons too long to tell you at this moment, but which I will -confide to you some day," the young man continued, "I am not alone in -the desert, for my mother and an old servant of my family live about -three hundred miles from where we now are with a tribe of Comanches, -whose Chief adopted me a few years back. My mother is kind, she loves me -madly, and will be delighted to treat your charming child as a daughter. -She will watch over her, and give her those maternal attentions which -only a woman can offer, especially when that woman is really a mother, -and constantly trembles for the safety of a son to whom she has -sacrificed everything. Every month, on the same day, I abandon the -chase, mount my mustang, and, traversing the desert with the speed of an -arrow, I go and see my mother, with whom I remain for some time among -the tribe. This is about the period when I am wont to proceed to the -village; so, will you let me guide you there? Coming with me, the -Indians will receive you kindly, and my mother will thank you for -confiding your daughter to her." - -"Loyal Heart," the Canadian answered, with emotion, "your offer is that -of an honest, upright man. I accept it as frankly as you make it; by the -side of your mother my daughter will be happy, and she will have nothing -to fear. Thanks." - -"Loyal Heart," the half-breed said, eagerly, "I know not who gave you -the name you bear; but, canarios, he was well acquainted with you, I -declare." - -The two men smiled at Lanzi's outbreak. - -"Now, that is settled," he continued, "you want me no longer, I suppose? -If so, good night; my eyelids prick as if they were full of thorns." - -He wrapped himself carefully in his zarapé, stretched himself on the -ground, and a minute later was fast asleep. It is probable that the -worthy man wished to make up for lost time, for he saw plainly that he -had been of no use in the council. - -"When do we start?" the Canadian asked. - -"The road is a long one," Loyal Heart answered. "We have more than three -hundred miles to ride; Carmela is exhausted by the fatigue she has -endured for some time past, and perhaps we should do well to grant her a -day or two of rest to regain the requisite strength to endure the new -fatigues that await her during the long journey we are about to -undertake." - -"Yes, you are right; this journey, which would be as nothing to us, is -enormous for a girl; let us remain here a couple of days--the camp is -good, and the spot well selected. There is nothing to hurry us; it is -better to act prudently, in order that we may not have at a later date -to regret precipitation, which may prove fatal to her whom we desire so -greatly to protect." - -"During the time we spend here our horses will regain their fire and -vigour, and we can profit by the rest to get some provisions together." - -"Well said, brother; that is settled; in two days we will set out, and I -hope that Heaven will be so merciful as to permit us to reach our -journey's end safe and sound." - -"Heaven will not turn against us, brother, you may be sure." - -"I am well aware of that," the Canadian answered, with that simple faith -which characterised him; "hence you see me quite happy. You cannot -imagine how anxious I feel, and what an immense service you have just -rendered me." - -"Do not speak about that, for are we not sworn friends?" - -"No matter, I must thank you once more, my heart is so full that it must -overflow; but now that we understand each other thoroughly, go and -sleep, my friend; night is drawing on apace, and you must need rest." - -"On the contrary, you must lie down, my friend, for do you not remember -I said I would keep watch?" - -"No, no." - -"But you must be tired to death, my friend." - -"I? Nonsense; I have a body of iron and nerves of steel; weariness has -no effect on me." - -"Still, my friend, human strength, however great it may be, has its -limits, beyond which it cannot go." - -"That is possible, my friend. I will not discuss that question with you, -but merely limit myself to saying that joy has robbed me of sleep. I am -as wide awake as an opossum, and in vain should I try to close my eyes. -No, I require to reflect a little on all this, and I propose doing so, -while you, who are naturally calmer, will sleep." - -"As you insist on it, I will give way." - -"Very good; you are becoming reasonable," Tranquil said, with a smile. -"Good night, brother." - -"Good night!" Loyal Heart answered. - -The young man, in the face of the resolve so clearly made by the -Canadian, thought it useless longer to resist, the more so, as he was -beginning to feel great inclination for sleep. He, therefore, lay down, -and was soon sound asleep. Tranquil had spoken the truth; he required to -isolate himself for some hours, in order to go over the events which -during the last few days had fallen upon him so unexpectedly, and broken -up that placidity of life to which he had grown gently accustomed for -some years past. - -The hours passed away one after the other, but the hunter, plunged in -his reflections, felt no desire for sleep. The stars were beginning to -go out, the horizon was crossed by pale bands, the breeze grew sharper -and colder; all foreboded, in fact, the approach of dawn, when suddenly -a slight noise, resembling that produced by the fracture of a withered -branch, smote on the hunter's practised ear, and caused him to start. -The Canadian, without stirring, raised his head and listened, while -softly placing his hand on the rifle that lay by his side. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -AN OLD FRIEND. - - -Tranquil was too old and too crafty a wood ranger to let himself be -surprised. With his eyes obstinately fixed on the spot whence the sound -that had aroused him came, he tried to pierce the darkness, and -distinguish any movement in the chaparral which would permit him to -form probable conjectures as to the visitors who were arriving. - -For a long period the noise he had heard was not repeated, and the -desert had fallen back into silence. But the Canadian did not deceive -himself. Up to all Indian tricks, and knowing the unbounded patience of -the Redskins, he continued to keep on his guard; still, as he suspected -that in the darkness searching glances were fixed on him and spying his -slightest movements, Tranquil yawned twice or thrice, as if overcome by -sleep, drew back the hand he had laid on his rifle barrel, and -pretending to be unable to resist sleep any longer, he let his head sink -on his chest with a natural movement. - -Nothing stirred. An hour elapsed ere the slightest rumour disturbed the -silence of the forest. Still, Tranquil felt confident that he had not -deceived himself. The sky grew gradually brighter, the last star had -disappeared, the horizon was assuming those fiery red tints which -immediately precede the appearance of the sun: the Canadian, weary of -this long watching, and not knowing to what he should attribute this -inaction on the part of the Redskins, resolved at last to obtain the -solution of the enigma. He therefore started suddenly to his feet and -took up his rifle. - -At the moment he prepared to go on the discovery, a noise of footsteps -near him, mingled with the rustling of leaves, and the breaking of dry -branches, smote his ear. - -"Ah, ah!" the Canadian muttered, "It seems they have made up their mind -at last; let us see who these troublesome neighbours are." - -At the same instant, a clear feminine voice rose harmoniously and -sonorously in the silence. Tranquil stopped with a start of surprise. -This voice was singing an Indian melody, of which this was the first -verse-- - -"I confide my heart to thee in the name of the Omnipotent. -I am unhappy, and no one takes pity on me; -Still God is great in my eyes." - -"Oh!" the hunter muttered, with a nervous quivering, "I know that song, -it is that of the betrothed of the Snake-Pawnees. How is it that these -words strike my ear so far from their hunting grounds? Can a detachment -of Pawnees be wandering in the neighbourhood? Oh, no! That is -impossible. I will see who this singer is who has awaked with the sun." - -Without further hesitation, the hunter walked hurriedly toward the -thicket, from the centre of which the melody had been audible. But at -the moment he was about to enter it, the shrubs were quickly parted, and -two Redskins entered the clearing, to the amazement of the Canadian. - -On coming within ten paces of the hunter the Indians stopped, and -stretched their arms out in front of them, with fingers parted in sign -of peace; then, crossing their arms on their chest, they waited. At this -manifestation of the peaceful sentiments of the newcomers, the Canadian -rested the butt of his rifle on the ground, and examined the Indians -with rapid glance. - -The first was a man of lofty stature, with intelligent features and open -countenance; as far as it was possible to judge the age of an Indian, -this man seemed to have passed the middle stage of life. He was dressed -in his full warpaint, and the condor plume, fastened above his right -ear, indicated that he held the rank of a Sachem in his tribe. - -The other Redskin was not a man, but a woman, twenty years of age at the -most; she was slim, active, and elegant, and her dress was decorated in -accordance with the rules of Indian coquetry: still, her worn features, -on which only the fugitive traces of a prematurely vanished beauty were -visible, shewed that, like all Indian squaws, she had been pitilessly -compelled to do all those rude household tasks, the whole weight of -which the men lay on them, regarding it as beneath their dignity to -interfere. - -At the sight of these two persons, the hunter involuntarily felt an -emotion, for which he could not account; the more he regarded the -warrior standing before him, the more he seemed to find again in this -martial countenance the distant memory of the features of a man he had -formerly known, though it was impossible for him to recall how or where -this intimacy had existed; but overcoming his feelings, and -comprehending that his lengthened silence must appear extraordinary to -the persons who had been waiting so long for him to address to them the -compliments of welcome, which Indian etiquette demands, he at length -decided on speaking. - -"The Sachem can approach without fear and take his seat by the fire of a -friend," he said. - -"The voice of the Pale hunter rejoices the heart of the Chief," the -warrior answered; "his invitation pleases him; he will smoke the calumet -of friendship with the Pale hunter." - -The Canadian bowed politely; the Sachem gave his squaw a sign to follow -him, and he crouched on his heels in front of the fire, where Loyal -Heart and Lanzi were still asleep. Tranquil and the warrior then began -smoking silently, while the young Indian squaw was busily engaged with -the household duties and preparing the morning meal. The two men allowed -her to do so, not noticing apparently the trouble she took. - -There was a lengthened silence. The hunter was reflecting, while the -Indian was apparently completely absorbed by his pipe. At last he shook -the ash out of the calumet, thrust the stem through his belt, and turned -to his host-- - -"The Walkon and the Maukawis," he said, "always sing the same song; the -man who has heard them during the moons of spring recognizes them in the -moons of winter, it is not the same with man; he forgets quickly; his -heart does not bound at the recollection of a friend; and if he meet him -again after many moons, his eyes do not see him." - -"What does the Chief mean?" the Canadian asked, astonished at these -words, which seemed to convey a reproach. - -"The Wacondah is powerful," the Indian continued; "it is he who dictates -the words my breast breathes; the sturdy oak forgets that he has been a -frail sapling." - -"Explain yourself, Chief," the hunter said, with great agitation; "the -sound of your voice causes me singular emotion; your features are not -unknown to me; speak, who are you?" - -"Singing-bird," the Indian said, addressing the young woman, "you are -the _cihuatl_ of a Sachem; ask the great Pale hunter why he has -forgotten his friend--the man who, in happier times, was his brother?" - -"I will obey," she answered, in a melodious voice; "but the Chief is -deceived; the great Pale hunter has not forgotten the Wah-rush-a-menec -of the Snake Pawnees." - -"Oh!" Tranquil exclaimed, warmly, "Are you really Black-deer, my -brother? My heart warned me secretly of your presence, and though your -features had almost faded from my memory, I expected to find a friend -again." - -"Wah! is the Paleface speaking the truth?" the Chief said, with an -emotion he could not quite conceal; "Has he really retained the memory -of his brother, Black-deer?" - -"Ah, Chief," the hunter said, sadly; "to doubt any longer would be an -insult to me; how could I suppose I should ever meet you here, at so -considerable a distance from the wigwams of your nation?" - -"That is true?" the Indian remarked, thoughtfully; "my brother will -forgive me." - -"What!" Tranquil exclaimed, "Is that charming squaw I see there, the -Singing-bird, that frail child whom I so often tossed on my knee?" - -"Singing-bird is the wife of a Chief," the Indian answered, flattered by -the compliment; "at the next fall of the leaves forty-five moons will -have passed since Black-deer bought her of her father for two mustangs -and a panther skin quiver." - -Singing-bird smiled gracefully at the hunter, and went on with her -duties. - -"Will the Chief permit me to ask him a question?" Tranquil went on. - -"My brother can speak, the ears of a friend are open." - -"How did the Sachem learn that he would find me here?" - -"Black-deer was ignorant of it: he was not seeking the great Pale -hunter; the Wacondah has permitted him to find a friend again, and he is -grateful." - -Tranquil looked at the warrior in surprise. He smiled. - -"Black-deer has no secret from his brother," he said, softly; "the Pale -hunter will wait; soon he shall know all." - -"My brother is free to speak or be silent; I will wait." - -The conversation ceased here. The Sachem had wrapped himself in his -buffalo robe, and did not appear disposed, to give any further -explanation at present. Tranquil, restrained by the duties of -hospitality, which in the desert prohibit any interrogation of a guest; -imitated the Chiefs reserve; but the silence had lasted but a few -minutes, when the hunter felt a light hand laid on his shoulder, while a -soft and affectionate voice murmured in his ear:--"Good morning, -father." - -And a kiss completed the silence. - -"Good-morning, little one," the hunter replied, with a smile; "did you -sleep well?" - -"Splendidly, father." - -"And you have rested?" - -"I no longer feel fatigued." - -"Good; that is how I like to see you, my darling girl." - -"Father," the inquisitive maiden said, as she looked around, "have -visitors arrived?" - -"As you see." - -"Strangers?" - -"No, old friends, who, I hope, will soon be yours." - -"Redskins?" she asked with an instinctive start of terror. - -"All of them are not wicked," he answered with a smile: "these are -kind." Then, turning to the Indian woman, who had fixed her black velvet -looking eyes on Carmela with simple admiration, he called out, -"Singing-bird!" - -The squaw bounded up like a young antelope. "What does my father want?" -she asked, bowing gently. - -"Singing-bird," the hunter continued, "this girl is my daughter, -Carmela," and taking in his bony hand those of the two women, he clasped -them together, adding with emotion, "Love one another like sisters." - -"Singing-bird will feel very happy to be loved by the White lily," the -Indian squaw replied; "for her heart has already flown towards me." - -Carmela, charmed at the name which the squaw with her simple poesy had -given her, bent down affectionately to her and kissed her forehead. - -"I love you already, sister," she said to her, and holding her by the -hand, they went off together twittering like two nightingales. Tranquil -looked after them with a tender glance. Black-deer had witnessed this -little scene with that Indian phlegm which nothing even disturbs: still, -when he found himself alone with the hunter, he bent over to him, and -said in a slightly shaking voice,-- - -"Wah! my brother has not changed: the moons of winter have scattered -snow over his scalp, but his heart has remained as good as when it was -young." - -At this moment the sleeper awoke. - -"Hilloh!" Loyal Heart said gaily, as he looked up at the sun, "I have -had a long sleep." - -"To tell you the truth," Lanzi observed, "I am not an early bird either: -but nonsense! I will make up for it. The poor beasts of horses must be -thirsty, so I will give them water." - -"Very good!" said Tranquil; "By the time you have done that, breakfast -will be ready." - -Lanzi rose, leaped on his horse, and seizing the lasso of the others, -went off in the direction of the stream without asking questions -relative to the strangers. On the prairie it is so: a priest is an envoy -of God, whose presence must arouse no curiosity. In the meanwhile Loyal -Heart had also risen: suddenly his glance fell on the Indian Chief, -whose cold eye was fixed on him: the young man suddenly turned pale as a -corpse, and hurriedly approached the Chief. - -"My mother!" he exclaimed in a voice quivering with emotion, "my -mother--" - -He could say no more. The Pawnee bowed peacefully to him. - -"My brother's mother is still the cherished child of the Wacondah," he -answered in a gentle voice; "her heart only suffers from the absence of -her son." - -"Thanks, Chief," the young man said with a sigh of relief; "forgive this -start of terror which I could not overcome, but on perceiving you I -feared lest some misfortune bad happened." - -"A son must love his mother: my brother's feeling is natural; it comes -from the Wacondah. When I left the Village of Flowers, the old greyhead, -the companion of my brother's mother, wished to start with me." - -"Poor ņo Eusabio," the young man muttered, "he is so devoted to us." - -"The Sachems would not consent; greyhead is necessary to my brother's -mother." - -"They were right, Chief; I thank them for retaining him. Have you -followed my trail from the village?" - -"I did." - -"Why did you not awake me on your arrival?" - -"Loyal Heart was asleep. Black-deer did not wish to trouble his sleep: -he waited." - -"Good! my brother is a Chief; he acted as he thought advisable." - -"Black-deer is intrusted with a message from the Sachems to Loyal Heart. -He wishes to smoke the calumet in council with him." - -"Are the reasons that have brought my brother here urgent?" - -"They are." - -"Good! my brother can speak, I am listening." - -Tranquil rose, and threw his rifle over his shoulder. - -"Where is the hunter going?" the Indian asked. - -"While you tell Loyal Heart the message I will take a stroll in the -forest." - -"The white hunter will remain; the heart of Black-deer has nothing -hidden from him. The wisdom of my brother is great; he was brought up by -the Redskins; his place is marked out at the council fire." - -"But perhaps you have things to tell Loyal Heart which only concern -yourselves." - -"I have nothing to say which my brother should not hear; my brother will -disoblige me by withdrawing." - -"I will remain, then, Chief, since such is the case." - -While saying these words, the hunter resumed his seat, and said: "Speak, -Chief, I am listening." - -The methodical Indian drew out his calumet, and, to display the -importance of the commission with which he was entrusted, instead of -filling it with ordinary tobacco, he placed in it _morhichee_, or sacred -tobacco, which he produced from a little parchment bag he took from the -pouch all Indians wear when travelling, and which contains their -medicine bag, and the few articles indispensable for a long journey. -When the calumet was filled, he lit it from a coal he moved from the -fire by the aid of a medicine rod, decorated with feathers and bills. - -These extraordinary preparations led the hunters to suppose that -Black-deer was really the bearer of important news, and they prepared to -listen to him with all proper gravity. The Sachem inhaled two or three -whiffs of smoke, then passed the calumet to Tranquil, who, after -performing the same operation, handed it to Loyal Heart. The calumet -went the round thus, until all the tobacco was consumed. - -During this ceremony, which is indispensable at every Indian council, -the three men remained silent. When the pipe was out, the Chief emptied -the ash into the fire, while muttering a few unintelligible words, -which, however, were probably an invocation to the Great Spirit; he then -thrust the pipe in his girdle, and after reflecting for some moments, -rose and began speaking. - -"Loyal Heart," he said, "you left the Village of Flowers to follow the -hunting path at daybreak of the third sun of the moon of the falling -leaves; thirty suns have passed since that period, and we are hardly at -the beginning of the moon of the passing game. Well, during so short a -period many things have occurred, which demand your immediate presence, -in the tribe of which you are one of the adopted sons. The war hatchet, -so deeply buried for ten moons between the prairie Comanches and the -Buffalo Apaches, has suddenly been dug up in full council, and the -Apaches are preparing to follow the war trail, under the orders of the -wisest and most experienced Chiefs of the nation. Shall I tell you the -new insults the Apaches have dared to offer your Comanche fathers? What -good would it be? Your heart is strong, you will obey the orders of your -fathers, and fight for them." - -Loyal Heart bowed his head in assent. - -"No one doubted you," the Chief continued; "still, for a war against the -Apaches, the Sachems would not have claimed your help; the Apaches are -chattering old women, whom Comanche children can drive off with their -dog-whips; but the situation has all at once become complicated, and it -is more your presence at the council of the nation than the aid of your -arm, though you are a terrible warrior, which your fathers desire. The -Long knives of the East and the Yoris have also dug up the hatchet, and -both have offered to treat with the Comanches. An alliance with the -Palefaces is not very agreeable to Redskins; still, their anxiety is -great, as they do not know which side to take, or which party to -protect." - -Black-deer was silent. - -"The situation is, indeed, grave," Loyal Heart answered; "it is even -critical." - -"The Chiefs, divided in opinion, and not knowing which is the better," -Black-deer continued, "sent me off in all haste to find my brother, -whose wisdom they are aware of, and promise to follow his advice." - -"I am very young," Loyal Heart answered, "to venture to give my advice -in such a matter, and settle so arduous a question. The Comanche nation -is the queen of the prairies; its Chiefs are all experienced warriors; -they will know better than I how to form a decision which will at once -protect the interests and honour of the nation." - -"My brother is young, but wisdom speaks by his mouth. The Wacondah -breathes in his heart the words his lips utter; all the Chiefs feel for -him the respect he deserves." - -The young man shook his head, as if protesting against such a mark of -deference. "Since you insist," he said, "I will speak; but I will not -give my opinion till I have heard that of this hunter, who is better -acquainted with the desert than I am." - -"Wah!" said Black-deer, "the Pale hunter is wise; his advice must be -good; a Chief is listening to him." - -Thus compelled to explain his views, Tranquil had involuntarily to take -part in the discussion; but he did not feel at all inclined to take on -himself the responsibility of the heavy burden which Loyal Heart tried -to throw off his own shoulders. Still, he was too thoroughly a man of -the desert to refuse giving his opinion in council, especially upon so -important a question. After reflecting for some moments, he therefore at -length decided on speaking. - -"The Comanches are the most terrible warriors of the prairie," he said, -"no one must try to invade their hunting grounds; if they make war with -the Apaches, who are vagabond and cowardly thieves, they are in the -right to do so; but for what good object would they interfere in the -quarrels of the Palefaces? Whether Yoris or Long knives, the Whites have -ever been, at all times, and under all circumstances, the obstinate -enemies of the Redskins, killing them wherever they may find them, -under the most futile pretexts, and for the most time simply because -they are Indians. When the coyotes are tearing each other asunder on the -prairie, do the Indians try to separate them? No. They say, let them -fight it out--the more that fall, the fewer thieves and plunderers will -there be in the desert. To the Redskins the Palefaces are coyotes -thirsting for blood. The Comanches should leave them to devour each -other; whichever party triumph, those who have been killed will be so -many enemies the fewer for the Indians. This war between the Palefaces -has been going on for two years, implacably and obstinately. Up to the -present the Comanches have remained neutral; why should they interfere -now? However great the advantages offered them may be, they will not be -equivalent to a neutrality, which will render them stronger and more -dangerous in the sight of the Whites. I have spoken." - -"Yes," Loyal Heart said, "you have spoken well, Tranquil. The opinion -you have offered is the only one the Comanches ought to follow, an -interference on their part would be an act of deplorable folly, which -the Sachems would soon regret having committed." - -Black-deer had carefully listened to the Canadian's speech, and it -appeared to have produced a certain impression on him; he listened in -the same way to Loyal Heart, and when the latter had ceased speaking, -the Chief remained thoughtful for a while, and then replied-- - -"I am pleased with the words of my brothers, for they prove to me that I -regarded the situation correctly. I gave the council of the Chiefs the -same advice my brothers just offered. My brothers have spoken like wise -men, I thank them." - -"I am ready to support in council," Loyal Heart remarked, "the opinions -the white hunter has offered, for they are the only ones which should -prevail." - -"I think so too. Loyal Heart will accompany the Chief to the callis of -the nation?" - -"It is my intention to start on my return tomorrow; if my brother can -wait till then, we will start together." - -"I will wait." - -"Good; tomorrow at daybreak we will follow the return trail in company." - -The council was over, yet Tranquil tried vainly to explain to himself -how it was that Black-deer, whom he had left among the Snake Pawnees, -could now be an influential Chief of the Comanche nation; and the -connection between Loyal Heart and the Chief perplexed him not a bit -less. All these ideas troubled the hunter's head, and he promised -himself on the first opportunity to ask Black-deer for the history of -his life since their separation. - -As soon as Lanzi returned with the horses, the hunters and Carmela sat -down to breakfast, waited on by Singing-bird, who performed her duties -with extreme grace. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -QUONIAM'S RETURN. - - -The meal did not take long; each of the guests, busied with secret -thoughts, ate quietly and silently. Tranquil, though he did not dare ask -any questions of Black-deer or Loyal Heart, for all that, burned to -learn by what concourse of extraordinary events these two men, who had -started from diametrically opposite points, had eventually grown into -such close intimacy. - -Nor did he understand any better how a white man of a pure race, young, -and who appeared to have received a certain education, had so completely -given up relations with men of his ideas, to adopt, as Loyal Heart had -done, the mode of life of the Redskins, and become, as it were, a part -of one of these nations. - -But the tiger killer was too well acquainted with prairie manners to try -and lead the conversation to a topic which might perhaps have displeased -his comrades, and which, at any rate, would have displayed a curiosity -on his part unworthy of an old wood ranger; he therefore contented -himself with cudgelling his brains to try and strike a spark which might -guide him to the discovery of the truth, without permitting himself the -slightest allusion to a subject which he longed to know all about. - -Carmela felt a great friendship for Singing-bird, and so soon as the -meal was ended, led her off to the jacal, where both began chattering. -In accordance with the arrangements the hunters had made, Loyal Heart -and Tranquil took their rifles, and entered the forest on opposite -sides, to go in quest of game. Black-deer and Lanzi remained behind to -protect the women in the slightly probable event of an attack. - -The two men, lying on the ground side by side, slept or smoked with that -apathy and careless indolence peculiar to men who despise talking for -the sake of talking, and thus expending energy which they may require at -any moment. Several hours passed away thus, nothing occurring to trouble -the calmness and silence that reigned over the bivouac, except at -intervals the joyous laughter of the two young women, which vibrated -harmoniously on the ears of the hunters, and brought a slight smile to -their lips. - -A little before sunset the hunters returned, almost simultaneously, -bending beneath the weight of the game they had killed. Loyal Heart, -moreover, had lassoed a horse, which he brought in for Black-deer, who -had not one. The sight of this animal caused the adventurers some alarm, -and numerous conjectures. It was not at all wild; it had allowed Loyal -Heart to approach it without difficulty, who made a prisoner of it -almost without opposition. Moreover, and this increased the restlessness -of its new owners, it was completely equipped in the Mexican fashion. - -Tranquil concluded from this, after reflecting for a moment, that the -freebooters had attacked the conducta de plata, and the animal, whose -rider had probably been killed, had escaped during the action. But which -side had gained the day, no one was able to conjecture. - -After a rather lengthy discussion, it was at last agreed that so soon as -night had completely set in, Black-deer should go reconnoitring, while -those who remained in the camp redoubled their vigilance, through fear -of a surprise, either from the border ruffians or the Mexican soldiers; -for although the adventurers were known to both parties, they justly -feared the excesses to which they might give way in the intoxication of -victory. - -This fear, correct perchance as far as the troops were concerned, was -not at all so with the men commanded by the Jaguar, and merely proved -that the worst, and at the same time most erroneous opinion was -entertained of them. - -The sun was just disappearing behind the dense mass of lofty mountains -that marked the horizon, when the hurried paces of a horse were heard a -short distance off. The hunters seized their weapons, and posted -themselves behind the enormous boles of the sumach trees that surrounded -them, in order to be ready for any event. At this moment the cry of the -blue jay was repeated twice. - -"Take your places again at the fire," Tranquil said, "'tis a friend." - -In fact, a few moments later, the branches cracked, the shrubs were -smartly thrust aside, and Quoniam made his appearance. After nodding to -the company, he dismounted, and sat down by the side of the -Panther-killer. - -"Well, gossip," the latter asked him at once; "what news have you?" - -"Plenty," he answered. - -"Then, I suppose, you have been reconnoitring?" - -"I did not have the trouble to ask questions; I only required to listen -in order to learn in an hour more news than I could have discovered in a -year." - -"Oh, oh," the Canadian said, "eat something, compadre, and when your -appetite is satisfied, you will tell us all you have learnt." - -"I wish for nothing better, especially as there are sundry matters it is -as well for you to know." - -"Eat then without further delay, that you may be able to talk to us all -the sooner." - -The Negro did not let the invitation be repeated, and began vigorously -attacking the provisions which Tranquil had put aside, and which Loyal -Heart now spread on the ground. The hunters were eager to hear the news -of which Quoniam stated himself to be the bearer; after all they had -been able to see during the past few days, they must possess -considerable importance. Still, however great their curiosity might be, -they succeeded in hiding it, and patiently waited till the Negro had -finished his meal. The latter, who suspected what thoughts were crossing -their minds, did not put their patience to a long trial; he ate with the -proverbial rapidity of hunters, and had finished in a twinkling. - -"Now I am quite at your service," he said, as he wiped his mouth on the -skirt of his hunting shirt, "and ready to answer all your questions." - -"We have none to ask you," Tranquil said; "we wish you, gossip, to give -us a short narrative of all that has happened to you." - -"Yes, I fancy that will be the best; in that way it will be clearer and -more easy for you to show the conclusions you think the most suitable." - -"Excellently reasoned, my friend; we are listening to you." - -"Do you know why I left you?" Quoniam began. - -"Yes, I was told, and approved of it highly." - -"All the better, because I fancied for a moment that I did wrong in -going without informing you, and I was on the point of returning." - -"You would have done wrong." - -"At present I am convinced of that, and congratulate myself on having -pushed forward. It is not a long ride from here to the Larch-tree -hacienda in a straight line; my horse is good; I went straight ahead, -and covered the distance in eight hours." - -"That was good riding." - -"Was it not? But I was in a hurry to join you again, and most anxious -not to lose any time on the road. When I reached the Larch-tree, there -was a great confusion at the hacienda. The peons and vaqueros collected -in the patio were talking and shouting all together, while the Capataz, -the Major-domo, and even the Signor Haciendero himself, pale and -alarmed, were distributing arms, raising barricades before the gates, -placing cannon on their carriages--in short, taking all the precautions -of men who expect an attack at any moment. It was impossible for me to -make myself heard at first, for everybody was speaking at once--women -crying, children screaming, and men swearing. I might have fancied -myself in a madhouse, so noisy and terrified did I find everybody; at -length, however, by going from one to the other, questioning this man, -and bullying that one, I learned the following, which enabled me to -comprehend the general terror; the affair, I swear to you, was worth the -trouble." - -"Out with it, friend," Loyal Heart exclaimed, with ill-restrained -impatience. - -Quoniam had never during life raised any pretensions to be an orator. -The worthy Negro, who was naturally very modest, even experienced a -certain difficulty in speaking at all. The hunter's unexpected -interruption troubled him so that he stopped short, and was unable to -find a single word. Tranquil, who had so long known his comrade, hastily -interposed. - -"Let him tell his story in his own way," he said to Loyal Heart; "if -not, it will be impossible for him to reach the end. Quoniam has a way -of telling things peculiar to himself; if interrupted, he loses the -thread of his ideas, and then he grows confused." - -"That is true," said the Negro; "I do not know whence it comes, but it -is stronger than I: when I am stopped, it is all up with me, and I get -in such a tangle that I cannot find my way out." - -"That arises from your modesty, my friend." - -"Do you think so?" - -"I am sure of it, so do not alarm yourself any more, but go on in the -full confidence that you will meet with no further interruption." - -"I am most ready to go on, but I have forgotten where I left off." - -"At the information you had succeeded in obtaining," Tranquil said, -giving Loyal Heart a look which the latter understood. - -"That is true: this, then, is what I learned:--The conducta de plata, -escorted by Captain Melendez, was attacked by the Border Rifles, or the -Freebooters as they are now called, and after a desperate fight, all the -Mexicans were killed." - -"Ah!" Tranquil exclaimed, in stupor. - -"All," Quoniam repeated; "not one escaped; it must have been a frightful -butchery." - -"Speak lower, my friend," the hunter remarked, as he looked in the -direction of the jacal, "Carmela might hear you." - -The Negro gave a nod of assent. - -"But," he continued, in a lower key, "this victory was not very -productive to the Borderers, for the Mexicans had been careful to hurl -the gold they carried into a barranca, whence it was impossible to get -it out." - -"Well played, by Heaven!" the Canadian exclaimed; "The Captain is a -brave fellow." - -"Was so, you mean," said Quoniam. - -"That is true," the Canadian remarked, sadly; "but go on, my friend." - -"This victory fired the mine; the whole of Texas has risen; the towns -and pueblos are in full revolt, and the Mexicans are pursued like wild -beasts." - -"Is it so serious as that?" - -"Much more than you suppose. The Jaguar is at this moment at the head of -a real army; he has hoisted the flag of Texan independence, and sworn -that he will not lay down arms till he has restored liberty to his -country, and driven the last Mexican beyond the frontier." - -There was a moment of stupor among his audience. - -"Is that all?" Tranquil at length asked. - -"Not yet," Quoniam made answer. - -"Have you further bad news to tell us?" - -"You shall judge for yourself, my friend, when I have told you all I -know." - -"Speak, then, in heaven's name!" - -"This is the information I have picked up. Considering that you would -not be sorry to hear these important news as speedily as possible, I -hastened to finish my business with the Capataz. I had some difficulty -in finding him, as he was so busy; so soon as I got hold of him, instead -of giving me the money I asked him for, he answered me that I must be -off at once, and tell you to come to the hacienda as soon as you could, -for, under the circumstances, your presence there was indispensable." - -"Hum!" said Tranquil, without any further explanation of his thoughts. - -"Seeing," Quoniam went on, "that there was nothing more to expect of the -Capataz, I took leave of him and remounted my horse; but just as I was -leaving, a great noise was heard outside, and everybody rushed to the -gates, uttering shouts of joy. It seems that General Don José Maria -Rubio, who commands the province, considers that the position of the -hacienda is a very important point to defend." - -"Of course," Tranquil said; "the Larch-tree commands the entrance of the -valley, and as long as it remains in the power of the Mexicans, insures -the entry of their troops into the state." - -"That is it, though I do not remember the term they employed." - -"Was it, strategetical position?" - -"The very thing." - -"Yes, the hacienda, built at the period of the conquest, is a perfect -fortress; its thick, battlemented walls, its situation on an elevation -which cannot be commanded, and which on one side holds under its guns -the mountain passes, and on the other the valley de los Almendrales, -render it a point of the utmost importance, which can only be carried by -a regular seige." - -"That is what everybody said down there; it seems, too, that such is -General Rubio's opinion, for the cause of all the disturbance I heard -was the arrival of a large body of troops commanded by a Lieutenant -Colonel, who had orders to shut himself up in the hacienda, and defend -it to the last extremity." - -"In that case war is declared?" - -"Of course." - -"Civil war," Tranquil continued, mournfully, "that is to say, the most -odious and horrible of all; a war in which fathers fight against sons, -brothers against brothers, in which friend and foe speak the same -tongue, issue from the same stem, have the same blood in their veins, -and through that very reason are the more inveterate and rend each other -with greater animosity and rage; civil war, the most horrible scourge -that can crush a people! May God grant in his mercy that it be short; -but, since divine patience is at length wearied, and the Omnipotent has -permitted this fratricidal struggle, let us hope that right and justice -may remain victorious, and that the oppressors, who are the cause of all -these misfortunes, may be for ever expelled from a territory which they -have too long sullied by their unworthy and odious presence." - -"May God grant it!" his hearers replied, in a deep voice. - -"But how did you succeed in escaping from the hacienda after the arrival -of the troops, Quoniam?" Tranquil continued. - -"I saw that, if I amused myself by admiring the uniform and fine -appearance of the troops, when order was slightly restored, the gates -would be closed, and my hopes of escaping foiled for a long time. -Without saying a word, I dismounted, and leading my horse by the bridle, -glided through the mob so cleverly, that I at length found myself -outside. I then leaped into the saddle, and pushed straight ahead. I was -only just in time, I declare, for five minutes later all the gates were -closed." - -"And then you came straight here?" - -Quoniam smiled cunningly. "Do you think so?" he said. - -"Hang it! I suppose so, at least." - -"Well, you are mistaken, gossip; I did not return straight here: and yet -it was not my inclination that prevented it, I assure you." - -"What happened, then?" - -"You will see, for I have not finished yet." - -"Go on, then; but be brief, if that is possible." - -"Every man does what he can, and you have no right to ask more of him." - -"That is true, speak as you think proper." - -"Never," the Negro continued, "did I gallop in such good spirits; my -horse stretched out, so that it was a pleasure to see; and it seemed as -if the poor brute understood my impatience to get away from the -hacienda, so fast did it race. This ride lasted thus, without -interruption, for nearly five hours; at the end of that period I thought -it advisable to grant my horse a few minutes' rest, that it might regain -its breath, for animals are like men precisely--if you overwork them, -they break down all at once; and that would have happened to me had I -not been careful to stop in time. I therefore allowed my horse to rest -for two hours; then, after rubbing it down, I started again, but had not -yet reached the end of my adventures. I had scarce galloped an hour -longer ere I fell into a large party of horsemen, armed to the teeth, -who suddenly emerged from a ravine, and surrounded me ere I had even -time enough to notice them. The meeting was anything but agreeable--the -more so, as they did not appear at all well disposed toward me; and I do -not exactly know how I should have got out of the hobble, had not one of -the men thought proper to recognize me, though I do not remember ever to -have met him before, and burst out, 'Why, it is a friend; 'tis Quoniam, -Tranquil's comrade!' I confess that this exclamation pleased me; a man -may be brave, but there are circumstances in which he feels frightened, -and this is what happened to me at that moment." - -The hunters smiled at the Negro's simple frankness, but were careful -not to interrupt him, as they felt instinctively that he had reached the -most interesting point of his long and prolix narration. - -"At once," the latter continued, "the manner of these men changed -entirely; they became most polite and attentive, in proportion as they -had been, previously brutal. 'Lead him to the commandant,' said one of -them the others approved, and I gave in, because resistance would have -been folly. I followed without any remark, the man who led me to their -Chief, though inwardly cursing the wasps' nest into which I had fallen. -Fortunately I had not far to go. Can you guess, Tranquil, who this Chief -was to whom I was led?" - -"The Jaguar," the hunter answered. - -"What!" the Negro exclaimed, in amazement, "Have you guessed it? Well! I -swear to you that I did not suspect it in the least, and was greatly -surprised at seeing him. But I must do him the justice of saying that he -received me very well; he questioned me about a good many matters, which -I answered as well as I could--where I came from, what was doing at the -hacienda, where I was going, and so on. In short, he conversed with me -for more than an hour; then, doubtless, satisfied with the information I -had given him, he left me free to continue my journey, and began his -own. It seems that he is going straight to the Larch-tree hacienda." - -"Does he intend to lay siege to it?" - -"That is his intention, I believe; but, although he is at the head of -nearly twelve hundred determined bandits, I do not think his nails, and -those of his comrades, will be hard enough to dig a hole in such stout -walls." - -"That is in God's hands. Have you finished your narrative?" - -"Very soon." - -"Go on, then." - -"Before restoring me to liberty, the Jaguar inquired after you and Doņa -Carmela with considerable interest. Then he wrote a few words on a piece -of paper, which he handed me, with a recommendation to be sure and give -it you so soon as I rejoined you." - -"Good Heaven!" Tranquil exclaimed, in agitation, "And you have delayed -so long in executing your commission!" - -"Was I not obliged to tell you first what had happened to me? But there -is no time lost, for here is the paper." - -While saying this, Quoniam drew a paper from his pocket, and offered it -to Tranquil, who almost tore it out of his hands. The Negro, convinced -that he had carried out his commission excellently, did not at all -comprehend the hunter's impatience; he looked at him for a moment with -an air of amazement, then shrugged his shoulders almost imperceptibly, -filled his pipe, and began smoking, not troubling himself further about -what was going on around him. - -The hunter quickly unfolded the paper; he turned it over and over in his -hands with an air of embarrassment, taking a side glance every now and -then at Loyal Heart, who had drawn a burning log from the fire, and now -held it within reading distance, for night had completely set in. This -went on for some minutes; at length, Loyal Heart, understanding the -reason of the hunter's hesitation, resolved on speaking to him. - -"Well," he said, with a smile, "what does your friend Jaguar write?" - -"Hum!" said the hunter. - -"Perhaps," the other continued, "it is so badly written that you cannot -make out his scrawl. If you permit me, I will try." - -The Canadian looked at him. The young man's face was calm; nothing -evidenced that he had a thought of making fun of the hunter. The latter -shook his head several times, and then burst into a hearty laugh. - -"Deuce take all false shame!" he said, as he gave him the letter. "Why -should I not confess that I cannot read? A man whose life has been spent -in the desert ought not to fear confessing an ignorance which can have -nothing dishonouring for him. Read, read, my lad, and let us know What -our doubtful friend wishes." - -And he took the log from the young man's hands. - -Loyal Heart took a rapid glance at the paper. "The letter is laconic," -he said, "but explicit. Listen: - -"'The Jaguar has kept his word. Of all the Mexicans who accompanied the -conducta, only one is alive free and unwounded--Captain Don Juan -Melendez de Gongora. Will the friends of the Jaguar have a better -opinion of him?'" - -"Is that all?" Tranquil asked. - -"Yes." - -"Well," the hunter exclaimed, "people may say as they please, but, by -Heavens! The Jaguar is a fine fellow." - -"Is he not, father?" a gentle voice murmured in his ear. - -Tranquil started at this remark, and turned sharply round. Carmela was -by his side, calm and smiling. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -HOSPITALITY. - - -We have said that night had fallen for some time past, and it was quite -dark under covert. In the black sky a chaos of clouds, laden with the -electric fluid, rolled heavily along. Not a star glistened in the vault -of heaven; an autumnal breeze whistled gustily through the trees, and at -each blast covered the ground with a shower of dead leaves. - -In the distance could be heard the dull and mournful appeals of the wild -beasts proceeding to the drinking place, and the snapping bark of the -coyotes, whose ardent eyes at intervals gleamed like incandescent coals -amid the shrubs. At times lights flashed in the forest and ran along the -fine marsh grass like will-o'-the-wisps. Large dried up sumach trees -stood at the corners of the clearing, in which the bivouac was -established, and in the fantastic gleams of the fire waved like phantoms -their winding sheets of moss and lianas. A thousand sounds passed -through the air; nameless cries escaped from invisible lairs, hollowed -beneath the roots of the aged trees; stifled cries descended from the -crests of the quebradas, and our adventurers felt an unknown world -living around them, whose proximity froze the soul with a secret terror. - -Nature was sad and melancholy, as when she is in travail with one of -those terrible overthrows so frequent in these regions. In spite of -themselves, the hunters underwent the influence of this discomfort of -the desert. There are black hours in life, in which, either through the -action of external objects, or the common and mysterious disposition of -the inner being, that _me_ which cannot be defined, the strongest men -feel unconsciously mastered by a strange contagion of sadness which they -seem to breathe in the air, and which overpowers them without power of -defence. The news brought by Quoniam had further augmented this tendency -of the hunters to melancholy; hence the conversation round the fire, -ordinarily gay and careless, was sad and short. Everyone yielded to the -flood of gloomy thoughts that contracted his heart, and the few words -exchanged at lengthened intervals between the hunters generally remained -unanswered. - -Carmela alone, lively as a nightingale, continued in a low voice her -conversation with Singing-bird, while warming herself, for the night was -cold, and not noticing the anxious sideglances which the Canadian at -times gave her. At the moment when Lanzi and Quoniam were preparing to -go to sleep, a slight crackling was heard in the shrubs. The hunters, -suddenly torn from their secret thoughts, raised their heads quickly. -The horses had stopped eating, and with their heads turned to the -thicket, and ears laid back, appeared to be listening. - -In the desert, everything has a reason; the wood rangers, accustomed to -analyse all the rumours of the prairie, know and explain them without -ever making a mistake; the rustling of the branch on which the hand -rests, the noise of the leaf falling on the ground, the murmur of the -water over the pebbles--nothing escapes the marvellous sagacity of these -men, whose senses have acquired an extraordinary delicacy. - -"Someone is prowling round us," Loyal Heart muttered in a voice not -above a breath. - -"A spy, of course," said Lanzi. - -"Spy or no, the man who is approaching is certainly a white," said -Tranquil, as he stretched out his arm to clutch the rifle lying by his -side. - -"Stay, father," Carmela said eagerly, as she seized his arm; "perhaps it -is a poor wretch lost in the desert, who needs help." - -"It may be so," Tranquil replied after a moment's reflection; "at any -rate, we shall soon know." - -"What do you intend doing?" the girl exclaimed, terrified at seeing him -rise. - -"Go and meet the man, and ask him what he wants, that is all." - -"Take care, father." - -"Of what, my child?" - -"Suppose this man were one of the bandits who traverse the desert?" - -"Well, what then?" - -"And he were to kill you?" - -The Canadian shrugged his shoulders. - -"Kill me, girl, nonsense! Reassure yourself, my child, whoever the man -may be, he will not see me unless I deem it necessary. So let me alone." - -The maiden tried once more to prevent his departure, but the Canadian -would listen to nothing. Freeing himself gently from Carmela's -affectionate clutch, he picked up his rifle and disappeared in the -chaparral with so light and well-measured a step, that he seemed rather -to be gliding on a cloud, than walking on the grass of the clearing. - -So soon as he reached the centre of the thicket, from which the -ill-omened sound he had heard came, the hunter, ignorant as he was as to -how many enemies he had to deal with, redoubled his prudence and -precautions: after a hesitation which lasted only a few seconds, he lay -down on the ground, and began gently crawling through the grass, without -producing the slightest rustling sound. - -We will now return to the monk, whom we left proceeding toward the -hunters' bivouac, accompanied by Blue-fox. The Apache Chief, after -giving him the instructions he thought best adapted to inspire him with -a wholesome terror, and compel him to serve his plans, left him alone, -and disappeared so suddenly, that the monk could not guess in what -direction he had gone. When he was alone, Fray Antonio took a timid -glance around him; his mind was perplexed, for he could not conceal from -himself how delicate and difficult of accomplishment was the mission -with which the Chief had entrusted him, especially when dealing with a -man so clever and well versed in Indian tricks as the tiger killer. - -More than once the monk cursed the malignity of his planet which led him -into such traps, and seemed to take a delight in accumulating on his -head all the annoyances and tribulations possible. For a moment, he -thought of flight, but he reflected that he was doubtless carefully -watched, and that at the slightest suspicious movement he attempted, the -invisible guardians who were watching him would suddenly appear before -him, and compel him to carry out the adventure to the end. - -Fortunately for himself, the monk belonged to that privileged class of -men whom even the greatest annoyances but slightly affect, and who, -after feeling wretched for a few moments, frankly make up their minds, -saying to themselves that when the moment arrives in which they run a -risk, an accident will perhaps draw them from their trouble, and turn -matters to their advantage, in lieu of crushing them. - -This reasoning, false though it be, is employed more frequently than may -be supposed by a number of people, who, after saying to themselves "when -it comes, we shall see," push boldly onwards, and, extraordinary to say, -generally succeed in getting out of the hobble, without the loss of too -many feathers, and without themselves knowing what they did to have so -lucky an escape. - -The monk, therefore, resolutely entered the covert, guiding himself by -the light of the fire as a beacon. For some minutes he went on at a -tolerable pace, but gradually as he approached, his alarm returned; he -remembered the rough correction Captain Melendez had administered to -him, and this time he feared even worse. - -Still, he was now so near the bivouac that any backsliding would be -useless. For the purpose of granting himself a few minutes' further -respite, he dismounted, and fastened his horse to a tree with extreme -slowness: then, having no further plausible pretext to offer himself for -delaying his arrival among the hunters, he decided on starting again, -employing the most minute precautions not to be perceived too soon, -through fear of receiving a bullet in his chest, before he had time to -have an explanation with the persons he visited at so awkward an hour. - -But Fray Antonio, unluckily for himself, was extremely obese; he walked -heavily, and like a man accustomed to tread the pavement of a town; -moreover, the night was extremely dark, which prevented him seeing two -yards ahead, and he could only progress with outstretched hands, -tottering at each step, and running against every obstacle that came -across his path. - -Hence he did not go far, ere he aroused the persons he desired so much -to surprise, and whose practised ear, constantly on the watch, had at -once noticed the unusual sound which he had himself not noticed. Fray -Antonio, extremely satisfied with his manner of progression, and -congratulating himself in his heart at having succeeded so well in -concealing himself, grew bolder and bolder, and began to feel almost -entirely reassured, when suddenly he uttered a slight cry of terror, and -stopped as if his feet had been rooted in the ground. He had felt a -heavy hand laid on his shoulder. - -The monk began trembling all over, though not daring to turn his head to -the right or left, for he was persuaded in his heart that his last hour -had arrived. - -"Hilloh, Seņor Padre, what are you doing in the forest at such an hour?" -a hoarse voice then said to him. - -But Fray Antonio was unable to answer; terror had rendered him deaf and -blind. - -"Are you dumb?" the voice went on a minute after in a friendly voice. -"Come, come, it is not wise to traverse the desert at so late an hour." - -The monk did not reply. - -"Deuce take me," the other exclaimed, "if terror has not rendered him -idiotic. Come, bestir yourself, canarios." - -And he began shaking him vigorously. - -"Eh, what?" the monk said, in whom a species of reaction was beginning -to take place. - -"Come, there is some progress, you speak, hence you are not dead," -Tranquil went on joyously, for it was he who had so cruelly frightened -the monk; "follow me, you must be frozen, don't let us remain here." - -And passing his arm through the monk's, he led him away; the latter -followed him passively and mechanically, not able yet to understand what -was happening to him, but still beginning to regain a small amount of -courage. In a few minutes, they reached the clearing. - -"Ah!" Carmela exclaimed in surprise; "Fray Antonio! By what accident is -he here, when he started with the conducta de plata?" - -This remark made the hunter prick his ears; he examined the monk -attentively, and then compelled him to sit down by the fire. - -"I trust that the good father will explain to us what has happened to -him," he muttered. - -Everything, however, has an end in this world; and the monk for some -time past had seemed destined to pass, with the greatest rapidity and -almost without transition, from the extremest terror to the most -complete security. When he was a little warmed, the confusion produced -in his ideas by the sudden meeting with the hunter gradually yielded to -the cordial reception given him; and Carmela's gentle voice breaking -pleasantly on his ear, completely re-established the balance of his -mind, and dismissed the mournful apprehensions that tormented him. - -"Do you feel better, holy Father?" Carmela asked him, with much -sympathy. - -"Yes," he said, "I thank you, I am now quite comfortable." - -"All the better. Will you eat? Would you like to take any refreshment?" - -"Nothing at all, I thank you, for I have not the least appetite." - -"Perhaps you are thirsty, Fray Antonio; if so, here is a bota of -refino," said Lanzi, as he offered him a skin more than half full of the -comforting liquid. - -The monk permitted himself to be persuaded sufficiently to prove that he -was no lover of ardent spirits; then he allowed himself to be convinced, -and seizing the bota, drank a hearty draught of the generous fluid. This -libation restored him all his coolness and presence of mind. - -"Then," he said, as he turned the bota to the half-breed, and gave vent -to a sigh of relief, "Heaven preserve me; were the Evil One to come now -in person, I feel capable of holding my own against him." - -"Ah, ah!" said Tranquil, "It seems, my good father, as if you were now -completely restored to the possession of your intellectual faculties." - -"Yes, and I will give you the proof whenever you like." - -"Hang it! You challenge me. I did not dare cross-question you before; -but, as it is so, I will no longer hesitate." - -"What do you wish to know?" - -"A very simple matter: how it is that a monk finds himself at such an -hour alone in the heart of the desert?" - -"Nonsense," Fray Antonio said, gaily. "Who told you that I was alone?" - -"Nobody; but I suppose so." - -"Do not make any suppositions, brother, for you would be mistaken." - -"Indeed!" - -"Yes, as I have the honour of telling you." - -"Still, when I met you, you were alone." - -"Granted." - -"Well?" - -"The others were further off, that's all." - -"What others?" - -"The persons who accompanied me." - -"Ah! And who are they?" - -"That is the question----Nonsense," he said, a minute after, as if -holding a conversation with himself, "the most disadvantageous reports -are current about me. I am accused of a number of bad actions; suppose I -were to try and do a good one, that might change my luck. Who knows -whether I may not be rewarded at a later date? At any rate, here goes." - -Tranquil and his comrades listened in extreme surprise to the monologue -of the monk, not knowing exactly what to think of this man, and half -inclined to deem him mad. The latter perceived the impression he -produced on his hearers. - -"Listen," he said, in a stern voice, and with a slight frown, "form what -opinion of me you like, that is a matter of indifference to me; still I -do not wish it to be said, that I requited your cordial hospitality by -odious treachery." - -"What do you mean?" Tranquil exclaimed. - -"Listen to me. I uttered the word treachery, and perhaps I was wrong, -for nothing proves to me that it is so; still, all sorts of reasons lead -me to suppose that it is nothing else persons tried to force me into -committing for your injury." - -"Explain yourself, in Heaven's name; you speak in enigmas, and it is -impossible to understand you." - -"You are right, so I will be clear: which of you gentlemen bears the -name of Tranquil?" - -"It is I." - -"Very good. Owing to certain circumstances, the recital of which would -not at all interest you, I unluckily fell into the hands of the -Apaches." - -"Apaches!" Tranquil exclaimed, in surprise. - -"Good Lord, yes," the monk continued; "and I assure you that when I -found myself in their power, I did not feel at all comfortable. Still, I -was wrong to be alarmed; far from inventing for me one of those -atrocious tortures which they mercilessly inflict on the whites who are -so unhappy as to become their prisoners, they treated me, on the -contrary, with extreme gentleness." - -Tranquil fixed a scrutinising glance on the monk's placid face. - -"For what purpose did they that?" he asked, with a suspicious accent. - -"Ah," Fray Antonio went on, "that I could not comprehend, though I am -perhaps beginning to suspect it." - -The hearers bent toward the speaker with an expression of impatient -curiosity. - -"This evening," the monk went on, "the Chief of the Redskins himself -accompanied me to within a short distance of your bivouac; on coming in -sight of your fire he pointed it out to me, saying, 'Go and sit down at -that brasero. You will tell the great Pale hunter that one of his oldest -and dearest friends desires to see him.' Then he left me, after making -the most horrible threats if I did not obey him at once. You know the -rest." - -Tranquil and his comrades regarded each other in amazement, but without -exchanging a word. There was a rather long silence; but Tranquil at -length took on himself to express aloud the thought each had in his -heart. - -"'Tis a trap," he said. - -"Yes," Loyal Heart remarked; "but for what purpose?" - -"How do I know?" the Canadian muttered. - -"You said, Fray Antonio," the young man continued, addressing the monk, -"that you suspected the motives of the Apaches' extraordinary treatment -of you?" - -"I did say so," he replied. - -"Let us know that suspicion." - -"It was suggested to me by the conduct of the pagans, and by the clumsy -snare they laid for you; it is evident to me that the Apache Chief -hopes, if you consent to grant the interview he asks, to profit by your -absence to carry off Doņa Carmela." - -"Carry me off!" the maiden exclaimed, with a start of horror, surprised -and alarmed at once by this conclusion, which she was far from -anticipating. - -"The Redskins are very fond of white women," the monk continued, coolly; -"most of the incursions they make into our territory are undertaken for -the purpose of carrying off captives of that colour." - -"Oh!" Carmela exclaimed, with an accent of indomitable resolution, "I -would sooner die than become the slave of one of those ferocious -demons." - -Tranquil shook his head sadly. "The monk's supposition appears to me -correct," he said. - -"The more so," Fray Antonio confirmed him, "because the Apaches who made -me prisoner are the same that attacked the Venta del Potrero." - -"Oh, oh," said Lanzi, "in that case I know their Chief, and his name; he -is one of the most implacable enemies of the white men. It is very -unlucky that I did not succeed in burying him under the ruins of the -venta, for Heaven is my witness that such was my intention." - -"What is the fellow's name?" the hunter asked, sharply, evidently -annoyed at his verbiage. - -"Blue-fox!" said Lanzi. - -"Ah," Tranquil said, ironically and with a dark frown, "I have known -Blue-fox for many years, and you, Chief?" he added, turning to -Black-deer. - -The name of the Apache Sachem had produced such an impression on the -Pawnee, that the hunter was startled by it. The Indians retain under all -circumstances an apathetic mask, which they consider it an honour not to -remove, whatever may happen; but the mere name of Blue-fox, pronounced -as if by accident, was sufficient to melt that indifference, and cause -Black-deer to forget Indian etiquette. - -"Blue-fox is a dog, the son of a coyote," he said, as he spat on the -ground disdainfully; "the gypačtes would refuse to devour his unclean -carcase." - -"These two men must have a mortal hatred for each other," the Canadian -muttered, as he took a sideglance at the inflamed features and sparkling -eyes of the Indian Chief. - -"Will my brother kill Blue-fox?" the Pawnee asked. - -"It is probable," Tranquil answered; "but in the first place, let us try -to play this master rogue a trick, who fancies us stupid enough to be -caught in the clumsy snares he lays in our path. Be frank, monk, have -you told us the truth?" - -"On my honour." - -"I should prefer any other oath," the Canadian said ironically, in a low -voice. "Can you be trusted?" - -"Yes." - -"Is what you said to us about your return to honest courses sincere?" - -"Put me on my trial." - -"That is what I intend to do; but reflect ere answering. Do you really -intend to be of service to us?" - -"I do." - -"Whatever may happen?" - -"Whatever may happen, and whatever the consequence may be of what you -ask of me." - -"That will do. I warn you that, in all probability, you will be exposed -to serious perils." - -"I have told you that my resolution is formed; speak, therefore, without -further hesitation." - -"Listen to me, then." - -"I am doing so. Have no fear of finding me recoil, so cut it short." - -"I will try to do so." - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE LARCH-TREE HACIENDA. - - -Though the report made by Quoniam was in every respect true, the Negro -was ignorant of certain details of which we will now inform the reader, -because these events are closely connected with our story, and clearness -renders it indispensable that they should be made known. We will, -therefore, return to the Larch-tree hacienda. - -But, in the first place, let us explain the meaning of this word -"hacienda," which we have employed several times in the course of this -narrative, and which several authors have employed before us, without -understanding its significance. - -In Sonora, Texas, and all the old Spanish colonies generally, where the -land is, as it were, left to anyone who likes to take possession of it -and cultivate it, there may be found at immense distances, and broadcast -like almost imperceptible dots over the waste lands, vast agricultural -establishments, each as large as one of our counties. These -establishments are called haciendas, a word we improperly translate by -farm, which has not at all the same meaning. - -Immediately after the conquest, the Cortez, Pizarros, Almagros, and -other leaders of adventurers hastened to repay their comrades by -dividing among them the lands of the conquered, following, perhaps -without suspecting it, the example which had been given them a few -centuries previously by the leaders of the Barbarians, after the -break-up and dismemberment of the Roman Empire. - -The conquerors were few in number, the shares were large; and the -majority of these ragged conquerors, who in their own country had not -even a roof to shelter their heads, found themselves all at once masters -of immense domains, which they immediately set to work turning to -account, laying down the sword without regret to take the pick, that is -to say, compelling the Indians who had become their slaves to clear for -them the land they had stolen. - -The first care of the new possessors of the soil was to erect, in -positions easy to defend, houses, whose lofty, thick, and embattled -walls rendered them thorough fortresses, behind which they could easily -defy any attempted revolt on the part of their slaves. The inhabitants -had been allotted like the ground; each Spanish soldier received a -considerable number as his share; arms cost nothing. There was no lack -of stone, and hence the buildings were constructed of vast proportions, -and of such extreme strength, that even at the present day, after the -lapse of several centuries, these haciendas are an object of admiration -to the traveller. - -Slaves alone, for whom the measure of time no longer exists, and whose -only hope is death, can undertake and complete these Cyclopean -buildings, of which we, men of another age, cannot understand the -existence on the globe, where they stand at various spots, like dumb and -touching protests. - -At the haciendas, in addition to agriculture, which, especially at the -present day, has greatly fallen off, owing to the incessant invasions of -the Indian bravos, the breeding of cattle and horses is carried on to a -considerable extent. Hence, each of these farms contains an infinity of -servants of all descriptions, peons, vaqueros, etc., and resembles a -small town. - -The owners of these establishments are consequently men belonging to the -highest society, and the richest and most intelligent class in the -country. The majority prefer residing in the cities, and visit only at -long intervals their haciendas, the management of which they entrust to -the major-domo and capataz, who are themselves semi-savages, whose life -is spent in riding constantly from one end to the other of the hacienda. - -The Larch-tree hacienda, but a short distance from the mountains whose -passes it commanded, was therefore of great strategetical value to both -the parties now disputing the possession of Texas. The insurgent chiefs -understood this as well as the Mexican generals did. - -After the total destruction of the detachment commanded by Captain -Melendez, General Rubio hastened to throw a powerful garrison into the -Larch-tree. As an old soldier of the Independence, accustomed to the -incessant struggles of a people that desires to be free, he had divined -the revolution behind the insurrection, on seeing that for ten years -past these insurgents, though incessantly conquered, seemed to grow from -their ashes again to return more obstinate and powerful than before, and -expose their chests to the pitiless bullets of their oppressors. - -He was aware that the inhabitants only awaited the announcement of a -success, even though problematical, to rise to a man, and make common -cause with the daring partisans, branded by their enemies with the name -of Border ruffians, but who in reality were only the forlorn hope of a -revolution, and apostles acting under a holy and noble idea. Far from -offering Captain Melendez reproaches, which he knew that the latter did -not deserve, the General pitied and consoled him. - -"You have your revenge to take, Colonel," he said to him, for this -grade, long deserved by the young officer, had just been given him by -the President of the Republic; "your new epaulettes have not yet smelt -powder. I propose giving you a splendid opportunity for christening -them." - -"You will fulfil my wishes, General," the young officer replied, "by -entrusting me with a perilous enterprise, my success in which will -serve to wipe out the shame of my defeat." - -"There is no shame, Colonel," the General replied, kindly, "in being -conquered as you were. War is only a game like any other, in which -chance often declares for the weaker side; let us not despond at an -insignificant check, but try, on the contrary, to cut the comb of these -cocks who, pluming themselves on their ephemeral triumph, doubtless -imagine that we are terrified and demoralised by their victory." - -"Be assured, General, that I will help you to the best of my ability. -Whatever be the post you confide to me, I will die at it before -surrendering." - -"An officer, my friend, must put off that impetuosity which so well -becomes the soldier, but it is a grave fault in a Chief trusted with the -lives of his fellow men. Do not forget that you are a head, and not an -arm." - -"I will be prudent, General, as far as the care for my honour will -permit me." - -"That will do, Colonel--I ask no more." - -Don Juan merely bowed in response. - -"By-the-bye," said the General, presently, "have these partisans any -capable men at their head?" - -"Very capable, General; thoroughly acquainted with guerilla fighting, -and possessing a bravery and coolness beyond all praise." - -"All the better, for in that case we shall reap more glory in conquering -them. Unfortunately, they are said to wage war like perfect savages, -pitilessly massacring the soldiers that fall into their hands; indeed, -what has happened to you is a proof of it." - -"You are mistaken, General. Whatever these men may be, and the cause for -which they fight, it is my duty to enlighten and disabuse you, for they -have been strangely calumniated; it was only after my repeated refusals -to surrender that the action began. Their Chief even offered me my life -at the moment when I hurled myself with him into the yawning abyss at -our feet. When I became their prisoner they restored me my sword, gave -me a horse and a guide, who brought me within musket shot of your -outposts: is that the conduct of cruel men?" - -"Certainly not, and I am pleased to see you thus do justice to your -enemies." - -"I merely declare a fact." - -"Yes, and an unlucky one for us; these men must consider themselves very -strong to act thus. This clemency of theirs will attract a great number -of partisans to their ranks." - -"I fear it." - -"And I too. No matter, the moment has arrived to act with vigour; for, -if we do not take care, within a week the very stones of this country, -of which we are still the masters, will rise to expel us, and the ground -will grow so hot under our feet, that we shall be compelled to fly -before these undisciplined masses of badly armed _guasos_, who harass us -like swarms of mosquitoes." - -"I await your orders, General." - -"Do you feel strong enough to mount again?" - -"Perfectly." - -"Very good, then. I have prepared three hundred men, cavalry and -infantry; the latter will mount behind the horsemen, in order not to -delay the march, which must be rapid, for my object is that you should -reach the hacienda before the insurgents; and fortify yourself there." - -"I will reach it." - -"I count on you. Two mountain guns will follow your detachment, and will -prove sufficient; for, if I am rightly informed, the hacienda has six in -good condition. Still, as ammunition may run short, you will take -sufficient with you to last for a fortnight. At all risks, the hacienda -must hold out for that period against all the attacks the insurgents may -make." - -"It shall hold out, I swear it to you, General." - -"I trust entirely to you." - -The General walked to the entrance of the tent and raised the curtain. - -"Summon the officers told off for the expedition," he said. - -Five minutes later the officers appeared; nine in number--two captains -of cavalry, two of infantry, two lieutenants, and two alferez or second -lieutenants, and a captain, lieutenant, and alferez of artillery. The -General looked for a moment searchingly at these men, who stood serious -and motionless before him. - -"Caballeros," he at length said, "I have carefully chosen you from the -officers of my army, because I know that you are brave and experienced; -you are about to carry out, under Colonel Don Juan Melendez de Gongora, -a confidential mission, which I would not have given to others whose -devotion to their country was less known to me. This mission is most -perilous. I hope that you will accomplish it like brave men, and return -here with glory." - -The officers bowed their thanks. - -"Do not forget," the General continued, "that you owe your soldiers an -example of subordination and discipline; obey the Colonel as myself in -all he may order for the good of the service and the success of your -enterprise." - -"We cannot desire a better Chief than the one your Excellency has -selected to lead us," one of the Captains answered; "under his orders we -are certain of performing prodigies." - -The General smiled graciously. - -"I count on your zeal and bravery. Now, to horse without further delay, -for you must have left the camp within ten minutes." - -The officers bowed and retired. Don Juan prepared to follow them. - -"Stay," the General said to him; "I have one final recommendation to -give you." - -The young man walked up to him. - -"Shut yourself up carefully in the place," the General went on. "If you -are invested, do not attempt any of those sallies, which often -compromise the fate of a garrison, without positive advantage. Content -yourself with vigorously repulsing attacks, sparing the blood of your -soldiers, and not expending your ammunition needlessly. So soon as my -final arrangements are made, I will march in person to your help; but -you _must_ resist till then, at any cost." - -"I have already told you I will do so, General." - -"I know that you will. Now, my friend, to horse, and may you be -fortunate." - -"Thanks, General." - -The Colonel bowed, and immediately withdrew to place himself at the head -of the small band, which, collected a short distance off, only awaited -his arrival to start. The General was standing in the doorway of his -tent to witness their departure. Don Juan mounted, drew his sabre, and -turned toward the motionless detachment. - -"Forward!" he commanded. - -The squadrons at once started, and began drawing out in the darkness -like the black folds of an ill-omened serpent. The General remained in -the doorway of his tent for some time, and when the last sound had died -away in the night, he pensively re-entered the tent, and let the curtain -fall behind him, muttering in a low and sad voice-- - -"I have sent them to death, for Heaven fights on the side of our -adversaries." - -And, after shaking his head several times with an air of discouragement, -the old soldier of the war of Independence fell into an equipal, hid his -face in his hands, and plunged into serious reflections. - -In the meanwhile, the detachment rapidly continued its march. Thanks to -the Mexican fashion of mounting infantry _en croupe_, the troops carried -out their movements with a rapidity that seemed almost prodigious, the -more so as American horses go very quickly, and endure great fatigue -without injury. - -The Americans of the South are generally very harsh to their horses, to -which they pay no attention. Never in the interior does a horse pass the -night, whatever the weather may be, otherwise than in the open air. -Every morning it receives its ration for the whole day, marching -frequently fourteen, or even sixteen hours, without stopping or -drinking; when evening arrives, the harness is removed, and it is left -to find its food where it can. On the Indian border, where there is much -to fear from the Redskins, who are great admirers of horses, and display -admirable skill in stealing them, certain precautions are used at -night; the horses are picquetted in the interior of the bivouac, and -feed on the pea vines, the young tree shoots, and a few measures of -maize or other corn, which is given with extreme parsimony. Still, in -spite of the careless way in which they are treated, we repeat that -these horses are very handsome, vigorous, remarkably docile, and of -great speed. - -Colonel Melendez arrived at an early hour in sight of the hacienda, for -his troops had made a forced march through the night. With a rapid -glance the experienced Chief of the Mexicans examined the neighbourhood, -but the plain was deserted. - -The Larch-tree hacienda stood like an eagle's nest on the top of a -hillock, whose abrupt sides had never been smoothed, as the steepness of -their ascent was regarded as a means of defence in the event of an -attack. Thick walls turned yellow by time, at each angle of which could -be seen the threatening muzzles of two guns peering out, gave this -strongly-built house the appearance of a real fortress. - -The Mexicans increased their already rapid pace, in order to reach the -hacienda before the gates were opened, and the ganado let out. The scene -presented by this magnificent plain at sunrise, had something imposing -about it. The hacienda, whose roof was still veiled in mist; the gloomy -forests in the distance, which ran with almost imperceptible undulations -along the spurs of the sierra; the silvery thread of a small stream, -which wound with capricious meanderings through the plain, and whose -waters sparkled in the hot sunbeams; the dumps of larches, sumachs, and -Peru trees, which rose here and there from amid the tall grass, and -agreeably broke the monotony of the plain, while from the thickets rose -the joyous song of the birds saluting the return of day--in a word, all -seemed to breathe repose and happiness in this abode momentarily so -tranquil. - -The Mexicans reached the hacienda, whose gates were not opened till the -inhabitants were well assured that the newcomers were really friends. -They had already heard of the general insurrection occasioned by the -surprise of the conducta de plata, and hence the Major-domo, who -commanded in the absence of Don Felipe de Valreal, proprietor of the -hacienda, kept on his guard. - -This Major-domo, whose name was Don Felix Paz, was a man of about -five-and-forty at the most, tall, well-built, and powerful; he had, in -truth, the appearance of a perfect _hombre de a caballo_, an essential -condition for fulfilling his onerous duties. This Major-domo came in -person to receive the Mexican detachment at the gate of the hacienda. -After congratulating the Colonel, he informed him that so soon as he -received the news of the general revolt of the province, he had brought -all his cattle in, armed the servants, and rendered the guns on the -platform serviceable. - -The Colonel complimented him on his diligence, established his troops in -the outhouses destined for the peons and vaqueros, took military -possession of all the posts, and, accompanied by the Major-domo, made a -strict inspection of the interior of the fortress. Don Juan Melendez, -being well acquainted with the carelessness and sloth of his fellow -countrymen, expected to find the hacienda in a wretched state, but was -agreeably deceived. This large estate, situated on the limits of the -desert, as it were between civilisation and barbarism, was too exposed -to the unforeseen attacks of Redskins and bandits of every description -who congregate on the border, for its owner not to watch with the -utmost care over its defence. This wise foresight was at this moment of -a great utility for the siege which, in all probability, they would have -to withstand ere long. - -The Colonel found but very little to alter in the arrangements made by -the Major-domo; he contented himself with cutting down several clumps of -trees which, being situated too near the hacienda, might shelter -sharpshooters, who could annoy their artillery men. At each entrance of -the hacienda barricades were erected by his orders, composed of branches -interlaced, and outside the walls the arms of all the healthy men were -called into requisition, to dig a deep and wide trench, the earth from -which, thrown up on the side of the hacienda, formed a breast-work, -behind which the best shots in the garrison were placed. The two -mountain guns brought by the Colonel remained horsed, so that they might -be transported to the point of danger. Finally, the Mexican flag was -haughtily hoisted on the top of the hacienda. - -Counting the servants, to whom Don Felix had distributed arms, the -garrison amounted to nearly four hundred men, a sufficient force to -resist a coup de main, especially in so good a position as this; there -was plenty of ammunition and food; the Mexicans were animated by the -best spirit, and the Colonel, therefore, felt certain of being able to -hold out for a fortnight against troops more numerous and experienced -than those the insurgents had at their disposal. - -The works of fortification were carried on with such great activity, -that they were completed within twenty-four hours of the Colonel's -arrival at the hacienda. The scouts, sent out in all directions, came -back without any fresh news of the insurgents, whose movements were so -cleverly veiled, that, since the affair of the conducta, they seemed to -have disappeared without leaving a trace, and buried themselves in the -bowels of the earth. - -This complete want of news, far from reassuring the Colonel, on the -contrary, augmented his anxiety. This factitious tranquillity, this -gloomy silence of the landscape, seemed to him more menacing than if he -had heard of the approach of the enemy, whose masses, however, he felt, -by a species of secret intuition, were gradually drawing in round the -post he had been selected to defend. - -It was the second day after the arrival of the Mexicans at the -Larch-tree; the sun was disappearing behind the mountains in masses of -gold; night would soon set in. Colonel Melendez and the Major-domo, -leaning on one of the battlements of the platform, were absently gazing -out on the immense landscape unrolled at their feet, while conversing -together. Don Juan had in a few minutes appreciated the loyalty and -intelligence of the Major-domo; hence these two men, who thoroughly -understood each other, had become friends. - -"Another day past," said the Colonel, "and it has been impossible for us -yet to learn the movements of the insurgents. Does not that appear -extraordinary to you, Don Felix?" - -The Major-domo sent forth a cloud of smoke from his mouth and nostril, -took his husk cigarette from his mouth, and quietly flipped away the -ash. - -"Very extraordinary," he said, without turning his head, and continuing -to look fixedly at the sky. - -"What a singular man you are! Nothing disturbs you," Don Juan went on -half angrily, "Have all our scouts returned?" - -"All." - -"And still brought no news?" - -"None." - -"By Heaven! Your coolness would make a saint swear! What are you looking -at so fixedly in the sky? Do you fancy you can find the information we -require there?" - -"Perhaps so," the Major-domo replied seriously. Then extending his hand -in a north-east direction, he said-- - -"Look there." - -"Well?" the Colonel said looking in the direction indicated. - -"Do you see nothing?" - -"On my honour, no." - -"Not even those flocks of herons and flamingos flying in large circles, -and uttering shrill cries which you can hear from here?" - -"Certainly I see birds; but what have they in common----?" - -"Colonel," the Major-domo interrupted him, turning and drawing himself -up to his full height; "prepare to defend yourself; the enemy is there." - -"What--the enemy? you are mad, Don Felix; look out in the last gleams of -day, the plain is deserted." - -"Colonel, before becoming Major-domo at the Larch-tree hacienda, I was a -wood ranger for fifteen years; the desert is to me a book, every page of -which I can peruse. Watch the timid flight of those birds, notice the -numberless flocks which are constantly joining those we first perceived; -those birds, driven from their nests, are flying haphazard before an -enemy who will soon appear. That enemy is the insurgent army, whose -masses will soon be visible to us, probably preceded by fire." - -"Rayo de Dios, Don Felix," the Colonel suddenly exclaimed; "you are -right, look there!" - -A red line, momentarily growing wider, suddenly appeared on the extreme -verge of the horizon. - -"Did the flight of the birds deceive us?" the Major-domo asked. - -"Forgive me, friend, a very excusable ignorance, but we have not a -moment to lose." - -They went down at once; five minutes later the defenders of the hacienda -lined the tops of the walls, and ambushed themselves behind the exterior -intrenchments. The Texan army, now perfectly visible, was deploying on -the plains in heavy columns. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -A METAMORPHOSIS. - - -We must now go back for some days, and return to the encampment of the -hunters, whom we left in a most awkward position, watched by the -vigilant eye of the Apaches, and compelled to trust temporarily to Fray -Antonio, that is to say, to a man for whom, in his heart, not one of -them felt the slightest sympathy. Still, had it been possible to read -the monk's mind, their opinion about him would probably have been -completely changed. - -A revolution had taken place in this man's mind, and he had been -unconsciously overcome by that influence which upright natures ever -exert over those which have not yet been entirely spoiled. However, -whatever was the cause of the change which had taken place almost -suddenly in the monk's ideas, we are bound to state that it was sincere, -and that Fray Antonio really intended to serve his new friends, whatever -the consequences might be to himself. - -Tranquil, accustomed, through the desert life he led, to discover with a -certain degree of skill the true feelings of persons with whom accident -brought him in contact, thought it his duty to appear to trust, under -present circumstances, entirely on the monk, though he might not give -perfect credence to his protestations of devotion. - -"Are you brave?" he asked him, continuing the conversation. - -Fray Antonio, surprised by the sudden question, hesitated for a moment. - -"That depends," he said. - -"Good; that is the answer of a sensible man. There are moments when the -bravest is afraid, and no man can answer for his courage." - -The monk gave a sign of assent. - -"We have," Tranquil continued, "to cheat the cheater, and play at -diamond cut diamond with him; you understand me?" - -"Perfectly. Go on." - -"Very good. Return to Blue-fox," - -"What?" - -"Are you afraid?" - -"Not exactly; but I fancy he may proceed to extremities with me." - -"That is a risk to be run." - -"Well, be it so," he exclaimed resolutely, "I will run it." - -The Canadian looked fixedly at him. - -"That will do," he said to him. "Here, take these, and, at any rate, if -you are attacked, you will not die unavenged." - -And he put a brace of pistols in his hand. The monk examined them -attentively for a moment, turning them over so as to assure himself that -they were in good state, then he hid them under his gown with a start of -joy. - -"I fear nothing now," he said; "I am going." - -"Still I must explain to you----" - -"For what good purpose?" the monk interrupted him. "I will tell Blue-fox -that you consent to have an interview with him; but, as you do not care -to go alone to his camp, you prefer seeing him without witnesses in the -middle of the prairie." - -"That will do, and you will bring him with you to the spot where I shall -be waiting." - -"I will try, at any rate." - -"That is what I mean." - -"But where will you wait for him?" - -"On the skirt of the forest." - -"All right." - -"One parting hint." - -"Out with it." - -"Keep a few paces from the Chief, not before or behind, but on his right -hand, if possible." - -"Very good; I understand." - -"Well, I trust you will succeed." - -"Oh, now I fear nothing, as I am armed." - -After uttering these words, the monk rose and walked away with a quick -and firm step. The Canadian looked after him for some time. - -"Is he a traitor?" he muttered. - -"I do not think so," Loyal Heart answered. - -"May Heaven grant it!" - -"What is your plan?" - -"It is simple: we can only triumph over the enemies who surround us by -stratagem; hence, that is the only thing I intend employing. We must -escape from these red demons at all hazards." - -"That is true. But, when we have succeeded in throwing them out, where -shall we go?" - -"We must not dream, in the present excited state of the country, of -making a long journey across the desert with two females; it would be -running certain ruin." - -"That is true; but what can we do?" - -"It is my intention to proceed to the Larch-tree hacienda. There, I -fancy, my daughter will obtain the best protection for the present." - -"Permit me to remind you that yourself refused to have recourse to -that." - -"That is true; hence I only resolve on it when in a fix. As for you----" - -"Oh, I will accompany you," Loyal Heart quickly interrupted him. - -"Thanks," the Canadian exclaimed, warmly. "Still, in spite of all the -pleasure your generous offer occasions me, I cannot accept it." - -"Why not?" - -"Because the nation which had adopted you claims your help, and you -cannot refuse it." - -"It will wait; besides, Black-deer will make my excuses." - -"No," the Chief said, distinctly; "I will not leave my Pale friends in -danger." - -"By Jove!" Tranquil exclaimed joyously, "As it is so, we shall have some -fun; hang it all, if five resolute and well-armed men cannot get the -best of a hundred Apaches. Listen to me, comrades: while I go ostensibly -to the meeting I have granted Blue-fox, follow me in Indian file, and be -ready to appear directly I give you the signal by imitating the cry of -the mockingbird." - -"All right." - -"You, Lanzi and Quoniam, will watch over Carmela." - -"We will all watch over her, friend, trust to us," said Loyal Heart. - -Tranquil gave his comrades a parting farewell, threw his rifle over his -shoulder, and left the encampment. He had hardly disappeared ere the -hunters lay down on the ground, and crawled on his trail, Carmela guided -by Singing-bird forming the rearguard. The maiden felt an involuntary -shudder run over her limbs as she entered the forest. This night march, -whose issue might prove so fatal, terrified her, and suggested gloomy -forebodings, which she feared to see realised at every step. - -In the meanwhile Fray Antonio continued his journey, and soon emerged -from the forest. Far from his resolution being shaken, the nearer he -drew to the Apaches he felt it, on the contrary, become firmer. The monk -was eager to prove to the hunters that he was worthy the confidence they -placed in him; and if at times the thought of the dangers to which he -exposed himself crossed his mind, he drove it off, being determined to -risk his life, if needed, in saving Doņa Carmela, and preventing her -falling into the hands of the cruel enemies who were preparing to seize -her. - -Fray Antonio had gone hardly five hundred yards from the forest, when a -man suddenly emerged from a thicket and barred his passage. The monk -suppressed with difficulty a cry of terror at this unexpected -apparition, and started back. But immediately regaining his coolness, he -prepared to sustain the terrible contest that doubtless menaced him, for -he had recognised Blue-fox at the first glance. The Chief examined him -in silence, fixing on him his deep black eye with an expression of -suspicion which did not escape the monk. - -"My father has been a long time," he at length said, harshly. - -"I could not be any quicker," the monk answered. - -"Wah! My father returns alone; the great Pale warrior was afraid; he did -not accompany my father." - -"You are mistaken, Chief; the man you call the great Pale hunter, and -whom I call Tranquil, was not afraid, and did not refuse to accompany -me." - -"Och! Blue-fox is a Sachem; his eye pierces the thickest darkness; -though he may look he sees nothing." - -"That is probably because you do not look in the right direction, that's -all." - -"My father will explain. Blue-fox desires to know how his Pale friend -carried out the mission the Sachem confided to him." - -"I took the best advantage possible of my meeting with the hunter, in -order to carry out the orders I had received." - -"My father will pardon me, I am only a poor Indian without brains; -things must be repeated to me several times before I can understand -them. Will the great Pale hunter come?" - -"Yes." - -"When?" - -"At once." - -"Where is he then?" - -"I left him over there, at the verge of the forest. He is waiting for -the Chief." - -Blue-fox started at this remark, and fixed on the monk a glance which -seemed trying to read the most secret thoughts of his heart. - -"Why did he not accompany my father here?" he said. - -The monk assumed the most simple look possible. - -"On my faith, I do not know," he answered; "but of what consequence is -it?" - -"It is pleasanter to converse on the prairie." - -"Do you think so? Well, it is possible. For my part I do not see any -difference between here and there." - -This was said with such apparent carelessness, that, in spite of all his -craft, the Chief was deceived. - -"Has the great Pale hunter come alone?" - -"No," Fray Antonio replied, boldly. - -"If that be so, Blue-fox will not go." - -"The Chief will reflect." - -"What is the use of reflecting? The father has deceived his Red friend." - -"The hunter could not come alone." - -"Why not?" - -"Because he did not wish to leave in the forest the girl who accompanies -him." - -The Indian's face suddenly brightened, and assumed an expression of -extraordinary cunning. - -"Wah!" he said, "And no other person but the young Pale virgin -accompanies the hunter?" - -"No. It seems that the other white warriors who were with him left him -at daybreak." - -"Does my father know where they are gone?" - -"I did not inquire. That does not concern me. Every man has enough -business of his own without troubling himself about that of others." - -"My father is a wise man." - -The monk made no reply to this compliment. - -These words were rapidly exchanged between the two men. Fray Antonio had -answered so naturally, and with such well-played frankness, that the -Indian, whose secret thoughts the Mexican's answers flattered, felt all -his suspicions vanish, and went, head down, into the snare so adroitly -laid for him. - -"Och!" he said, "Blue-fox will see his friend." - -"The father can return to the camp of the Apache warriors." - -"No, thank you, Chief," the monk answered, resolutely, "I prefer -remaining with people of my own colour." - -Blue-fox reflected for an instant, and then replied, with an ironical -smile playing round his thin lips-- - -"Good; my father is right. He can follow me, then." - -"It is evident," the monk thought to himself, "that this accursed pagan -is devising some treachery. But I will watch him, and at the slightest -suspicious movement I will blow out his brains like the dog he is." - -But he kept these reflections to himself, and followed the Chief with an -easy and perfectly indifferent air. In the moonbeams, which allowed -objects to be distinguished for a considerable distance, they soon -perceived, on the extreme verge of the forest, the dark outline of a man -leaning on a rifle. - -"Ah," the Chief said, "we must make ourselves known." - -"That need not trouble you. I take it on myself to warn the hunter when -the time arrives." - -"Good," the Indian muttered, and they continued to advance. - -Blue-fox, though he placed confidence in his companion, only advanced, -however, with extreme caution and prudence, examining the shrubs, and -even the smallest tufts of grass, as if assuring himself that they -concealed no enemy. But, with the exception of the man they perceived -before them, the place seemed plunged in profound solitude; all was calm -and motionless; no unusual sound troubled the silence. - -"Let us stop here," said Fray Antonio, "it would be imprudent for us to -advance further without announcing ourselves, although the hunter has -probably recognized us already; for, as you perceive, Chief, he has not -made the slightest move." - -"That is true, but it is as well to be cautious," the other replied. - -They stopped at about twenty yards from the covert, where Fray Antonio -placed his hands funnel-wise on either side his mouth, and shouted at -the full extent of his lungs-- - -"Hilloh! Tranquil, is that you?" - -"Who calls me?" the latter immediately answered. - -"I--Fray Antonio. I am accompanied by the person you are expecting." - -"Advance without fear," Tranquil replied. "Those who seek me without any -intention of treachery have nothing to fear from me." - -The monk turned to the Apache Chief. "What shall we do?" he asked him. - -"Go on," the latter replied, laconically. - -The distance which separated them from the hunter was soon covered; and -the Mexican becoming an impromptu master of the ceremonies, presented -the two men to each other. The Sachem took a searching glance around -him. - -"I do not see the young Pale girl," he said. - -"Did you wish to speak to her or to me?" the Canadian answered, drily. -"I am ready to listen to you. What have you to say to me?" - -The Indian frowned; his suspicions were returning; he gave a menacing -glance at the monk, who, obeying the advice given him, had insensibly -withdrawn a few steps, and was preparing to be an apparently calm -witness of the coming scene. Still, after an internal conflict of some -seconds, the Sachem succeeded in mastering the wrath that agitated him, -and assumed an affable and confiding countenance. - -"I only wished to speak to my brother," he replied, in an insinuating -voice; "Blue-fox has for many moons desired to see again the face of a -friend." - -"If it were really as the Chief says," the hunter continued, "nothing -could have been more easy. Many days have succeeded one to the other; -many years have been swallowed up in the immense gulf of the past, since -the period when, young and full of faith, I called Blue-fox my friend. -At that period he had a Pawnee heart; but now that he has plucked it -from his bosom, to exchange it for an Apache heart, I know him no -longer." - -"The great hunter of the Palefaces is severe to his Red brother," the -Indian answered, with feigned humility, "What matter the days that have -passed, if the hunter finds again his friend of the olden time?" - -The Canadian smiled disdainfully as he shrugged his shoulders. - -"Am I an old woman, to be deceived by the smooth words of a forked -tongue?" he said. "Blue-fox is dead; my eyes only see here an Apache -Chief, that is to say, an enemy." - -"Let my brother remove the skin from his heart, he will recognise a -friend," the Indian continued, still in a honeyed voice. - -Tranquil involuntarily felt impatient at such cynical impudence. - -"A truce to fine speeches, whose sincerity I do not believe in," he -said. "Was he my friend who a few days ago tried to carry off my -daughter, and at the head of his warriors attacked the calli in which -she dwelt, and which is now reduced to ashes?" - -"My brother has heard the mockingbird whisper in his ear, and put faith -in its falsehoods; the mocker is a chattering and lying bird." - -"You are more chattering and lying than the mocker," Tranquil exclaimed, -as he violently stamped the butt of his rifle on the ground. "For the -last time I repeat to you that I regard you not as a friend, but as an -enemy. Now, we have nothing more to say to one another, so let us -separate, for this unpleasant conference has already lasted too long." - -The Indian took a piercing glance around him, and his eye sparkled -ferociously. - -"We will not part thus," he said, as he walked two or three steps nearer -the hunter, who still remained motionless. The latter attentively -followed his every movement, while affecting the most perfect -confidence. - -As for Fray Antonio, through certain signs that do not deceive men -accustomed to Indian tricks, he understood that the moment for acting -vigorously was fast approaching, and while continuing to feign the most -perfect indifference to the interview of which he was witness, he had -quietly drawn the pistols from under his gown, and held them cocked in -his hand, ready to employ them at the first alarm. The situation was -growing most awkward between the two speakers: each was preparing for -the struggle, although the faces were still calm and their voices -gentle. - -"Yes," Tranquil continued, without displaying the slightest emotion, "we -will part thus, Chief, and may Heaven grant that we may never find -ourselves face to face again." - -"Before separating, the hunter will answer one question." - -"I will not, for this conversation has lasted too long already. -Farewell!" - -And he fell back a pace. The Sachem stretched forth his arm to stop him. - -"One word!" - -"I will not," the Canadian replied. - -"Then die, miserable dog of a Paleface," the Chief exclaimed, at length -throwing off the mask and brandishing his tomahawk with extreme -rapidity. - -But at the same instant a man rose like a black phantom behind the -Apache Chief, threw his arms round his body, and lifting him with -wondrous strength, hurled him to the ground, and placed his knee on his -chest, ere the Sachem, surprised and alarmed by this sudden attack, had -attempted to defend himself. - -At the yell uttered by Blue-fox, some fifty Apache warriors appeared as -if by enchantment, but almost at the same moment the hunter's comrades, -who, although invisible, had attentively followed the incidents of this -scene, stood by the Canadian's side. Fray Antonio, from whom they were -far from expecting such resolution, brought down two Apaches with his -pistols, and rejoined the Whites. - -Two groups of implacable enemies were thus opposed; unfortunately, the -hunters were very weak against the numerous foes that surrounded them on -all sides. Still, their firm demeanour and flashing eyes evidenced their -unbending resolution to let themselves be killed to the last man, sooner -than surrender to the Redskins. - -It was an imposing spectacle offered by this handful of men surrounded -by implacable foes, and who yet seemed as calm as if they were peaceably -seated round their campfire. Carmela and Singing-bird, suffering from -sharp pangs of terror, pressed all in a tremor to the side of their -friends. - -Blue-fox still lay on the ground, held down by Black-deer, whose knee -compressed his chest, and neutralised all the tremendous efforts he made -to rise. The Apaches, with their long barbed arrows pointed at the -hunters, only awaited a word or a sign to begin the attack. A silence of -death brooded over the prairie: it seemed as if these men, before -tearing each other to pieces, were collecting all their strength to -bound forward and rush on each other. Black-deer was the first to break -the silence. - -"Wah!" he shouted, in a voice rendered hoarse with passion, as he -brandished over his enemy's head his scalping knife, whose blade emitted -sinister gleams; "at length I meet thee, dog, thief, chicken heart; I -hold my vengeance in my hands; at last thy scalp will adorn my horse's -mane." - -"Thou art but a chattering old woman; thy insults cannot affect me, so -try something else. Blue-fox laughs at thee; thou can'st not compel him -to utter a cry of pain or make a complaint." - -"I will follow thy advice," Black-deer shouted, passionately, and seized -his enemy's scalp lock. - -"Stop, I insist," the Canadian shouted, in a thundering voice, as he -seized the arm of the vindictive Chief. - -The latter obeyed. - -"Let that man rise," Tranquil continued. - -Black-deer gave him a ferocious glance, but made no reply. - -"It must be so," the hunter said. - -The Comanche Chief bent his head, restored his enemy to liberty, and -fell back a pace. With one bound Blue-fox sprang up; but, instead of -attempting flight, he crossed his arms on his chest, resumed that mask -of impenetrable stoicism which Indians so rarely doff, and waited. -Tranquil regarded him for a moment with a singular expression, and then -said--- - -"I was wrong just now, and my brother must pardon me. No, the memories -of youth are not effaced like clouds which the wind bears away. When I -saw the terrible danger that menaced Blue-fox, my heart was affected, -and I remembered that we had been for a long time friends. I trembled to -see his blood flow before me. Blue-fox is a great Chief, he must die as -a warrior in the sunshine, he is free to rejoin his friends; he can -go." - -The Chief raised his head. - -"On what conditions?" he said, drily. - -"On none. If the Apache warriors attack us, we will fight them; if not, -we will continue our journey peacefully. The Chief must, decide, for -events depend on his will." - -Tranquil, in acting as he had done, had furnished an evident proof of -the profound knowledge he possessed of the character of the Redskins, -among whom any heroic action is immediately appreciated at its full -value. It was a dangerous game to play, but the situation of the hunters -was desperate, despite their courage; if the fight had begun, they must -have been naturally crushed by numbers, and pitilessly massacred. For -the success of his plan the Canadian could only calculate on a good -feeling on the part of Blue-fox, and he had staked his all. - -After carefully listening to Tranquil's remarks, Blue-fox remained -silent for some minutes, during which a violent combat went on in his -heart; he felt that he was the dupe of the snare into which he had tried -to draw the hunter by reminding him of their old friendship; but the -murmurs of admiration, which his warriors were unable to suppress, on -seeing the Canadian's noble deed, warned him that he must dissimulate, -and feign a gratitude which he was far from experiencing. - -The power of an Indian Chief is always very precarious; and he is often -constrained, in spite of himself, to bow before the demands of his -subordinates, if he does not wish to be overthrown and have a new Chief -set up immediately in his place. Blue-fox, therefore, slowly drew his -scalping knife from his belt, and let it fall at the hunter's feet. - -"The great White hunter and his brothers can continue to follow their -path," he said; "the eyes of the Apache warriors are closed, they will -not see them. The Palefaces can depart, they will find no one on their -road till the second moon from this; but then they must take care; an -Apache Chief will set himself on their trail, in order to ask back from -them the knife he leaves them, and which he will require." - -The Canadian stooped down and picked up the knife, which he passed -through his belt. - -"When Blue-fox asks me for it, he will find it there," he said, as he -pointed to it. - -"Och! I will manage to take it again. Now, we are even. Farewell!" - -The Chief then bowed courteously to his enemies, made a prodigious bound -back, and disappeared in the lofty grass. The Apache warriors uttered -their war yell twice, and almost immediately their black outlines -disappeared in the gloom. Tranquil waited for a few minutes, and then -turned to his comrades. - -"Now, we will set out," he said; "the road is free." - -"You got out of the scrape cleverly," Loyal Heart said to him; "but it -was a terrible risk." - -The Canadian smiled, but made no further reply. Then they started. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE SUMMONS. - - -Europeans, accustomed to the gigantic wars of the Old World, in which -enormous masses of two to three hundred thousand men on both sides come -into collision on the battle field, where armies have divisions of -thirty or forty thousand men, a cavalry often of sixty to eighty -thousand sabres, and in which the guns are counted by hundreds, have a -difficulty in forming an idea of the way in which war is waged in -certain parts of America, as well as the component strength of the -armies of the New World. - -In Mexico, a population of several millions can hardly collect ten -thousand men under arms, an enormous number in those countries. The -various republics which were formed on the dismemberment of the Spanish -colonies, such as Peru, Chile, New Granada, Bolivia, Paraguay, &c., -cannot succeed in assembling more than two or three thousand men under -their banners, and that, too, with immense sacrifices; for these -countries, which, territorially speaking, are each far larger than -England, are nearly deserted, being incessantly decimated by civil war, -which gnaws at them like a hideous leprosy, and left almost -uninhabitable by the neglect of the various governments, which succeed -each other with a giddy and almost fabulous rapidity. - -These governments, submitted to rather than accepted by these -unfortunate nations, although powerless for good, owing to their -precarious duration, are omnipotent for evil, and profit by it to -plunder the people, and load their creatures with riches, not troubling -themselves about the abyss they are opening beneath their feet, and -which, daily growing deeper, will eventually swallow up all these -accidental nationalities, which will be dead almost ere they are born, -and have only known liberty by name, though never in a position to -appreciate its blessings. - -Texas, at the period when it claimed its independence, in a contest of -ten years, so obstinately, counted over its entire territory only a -population of six hundred thousand--a very weak and modest amount, when -compared with the seven million of the Mexican confederation. Still, as -we have remarked in a preceding chapter, the Texan population was -composed, in a great measure, of North Americans--energetic, -enterprising men, of known courage, who, annoyed by the long lasting -tyranny the Federal government exercised over them, through jealousy and -narrowness of views, had sworn to be free at any price, and took up arms -in order to guarantee the possession of their estates, and their -personal security. - -The combat had been going on for ten years; at first timid and secret, -it had gradually widened, holding in check the Mexican power, and at -length attained that final and supreme period when the alternative is -victory or death. - -The surprise of the conducta, so skilfully managed by the Jaguar, had -been the electric spark destined to definitively galvanize the country, -and make it rise as one man for this modern Thermopylae. The independent -chiefs, who were fighting all along the border, had, at the unexpected -news of the decisive success obtained by the Jaguar, assembled their -_cuadrillas_, and, by common agreement, and through an heroic impulse, -ranged themselves under the banners of the youthful chieftain, and -pledged him obedience, in order to carry through the liberation of their -country. - -Thanks to the generous assistance on the part of all the Guerilla -leaders, the Jaguar suddenly found himself at the head of imposing -forces, that is to say, he collected an army of about eleven hundred -men. Our readers must not smile at the name of army given to what would -represent a regiment with us. Never before had Texas collected so many -fighting men under one Chief. And then, after all, everything is -relative in this world, and the greatest masses do not accomplish the -most brilliant exploits. Did we not see, a few years back, in Sonora, -the heroic and unfortunate Count de Raousset Bourbon, at the head of -only two hundred and fifty ragged Frenchmen, half dead with hunger and -fatigue, attack Hermosillo, a town of fifteen thousand souls, enclosed -with walls, and defended by twelve thousand regulars and six thousand -Indians, carry it _in an hour_, and enter it, sword in hand, at the head -of his soldiers, who did not themselves dare to believe in their -heroism?[1] - -The Jaguar's army was composed of men hardened by lengthened fighting, -who burned to cope with the Mexicans, and who, before all, wished to be -free! No more was needed for them to accomplish miracles. The Jaguar was -thoroughly acquainted with the character of his soldiers; he knew that -he must only ask one thing of them--an impossibility--and this he had, -consequently, determined to attempt. - -Through the wish of the new commander-in-chief, all the captains of -cuadrillas assembled in a council of war, in order to draw up a plan of -campaign. Each party gave his opinion. The debate was short, for all -entertained the same idea--and that was, to seize on the Larch-tree -hacienda, in order to cut off the communications of the Mexican army, -prevent it from receiving reinforcements from the other states of the -confederation; and, once masters of the fortress, to defeat in detail -the different Mexican detachments scattered over Texan territory. As -this plan was remarkably simple, the Jaguar resolved to carry it out -immediately. After leaving a detachment of five hundred horseman to -cover his rear, and avoid any surprise, he advanced with his main body -by forced marches on the Larch-tree, with the intention of investing and -carrying it by assault ere the Mexicans had found time to put a garrison -in it and throw up intrenchments. - -Unfortunately, despite all the diligence the Jaguar had displayed in the -execution of his plan, the Mexicans, owing to the lengthened experience -and infallible glance of General Rubio, had been more prompt than he, -and the place had been in a perfect state of defence two days ere the -Texan army appeared at the foot of its walls. - -This disappointment greatly annoyed the Jaguar, but did not discourage -him; he saw that he would have to lay siege to the Larch-tree, and -bravely made his preparations. The Americans dug up the soil with -wondrous rapidity, and a night was sufficient for them to finish the -preparatory works, and make breast-works and parapets. The Mexicans gave -no signs of life, and allowed the insurgents to establish themselves in -their lines without opposition; by sunrise all was finished. - -It was a strange spectacle offered by this handful of men, who, without -artillery or siege material of any description, boldly traced lines -round a stoutly-built fortress, admirably situated for resistance, and -defended by a numerous garrison, which was determined not to surrender. -But what in this heroic madness produced admiration, and almost stupor, -was the conviction these men had that they would eventually take the -place. This persuasion, by doubling the strength of the insurgents, -rendered them capable of accomplishing the greatest things. - -As they arrived after sunset, when the night had all but set in, the -Texans had formed an imperfect idea of the defensive state of the place -which they proposed to besiege; hence, when day broke, they eagerly -proceeded to see what enemy they would have to deal with. The surprise -was anything but agreeable to them, and they were compelled to confess -to themselves in their hearts that the job would be a tough one, and -that the intrenchments they proposed to carry had a formidable -appearance. This surprise was changed almost into discouragement when -the fortress haughtily hoisted the Mexican flag, saluting it with -several rounds of grapeshot, which fell into the centre of the camp, and -killed and wounded some fifteen men. - -But this movement of weakness was but short; a reaction speedily took -place in these energetic men, and it was with hurrahs and shouts of joy -that they displayed the colours of Texan independence. For valid reasons -they did not accompany the hoisting of their flag by cannon shots, but -they saluted it with salvos of musquetry, whose well-sustained fire gave -back to the besieged the death they had scattered through the camp. - -The Jaguar, after attentively examining the fortifications, resolved to -proceed according to rule, and summon the place to surrender before -beginning the siege seriously. Consequently, he hoisted a white flag on -the top of the entrenchments, and waited; a few moments later, a flag of -the same colour appeared on the breastwork thrown up outside the place. - -The Jaguar, preceded by a trumpeter, followed by two or three officers, -left the camp and climbed up the hill on which the hacienda was -situated. A number of officers equal to his own had left the place and -advanced to meet him. On arriving at about an equal distance from the -two lines, the Jaguar halted, and in a few minutes the Mexican officers, -commanded by Don Felix Paz, joined him. After the usual compliments had -been exchanged with extreme politeness, the Major-domo asked-- - -"With whom have I the honour of speaking?" - -"With the Commander-in-Chief of the Texan army," the Jaguar answered. - -"We do not recognise any Texan army," the Major-domo said drily. "Texas -forms an integral portion of Mexico; her army, the only one she ought to -possess, is Mexican." - -"If you do not know the one I have the honour of commanding," the Jaguar -said with a smile of superb irony, "ere long, please Heaven, it will -have made so much noise, that you will be compelled to recognise it." - -"That is possible; but for the present we do not know it." - -"Then, you do not wish to parley?" - -"With whom?" - -"Come, Caballero, suppose we are frank with one another--are you -willing?" - -"I wish for nothing better." - -"You know as well as I do that we are fighting for our independence." - -"Very good. In that case you are insurgents?" - -"Certainly, and feel proud of the title." - -"Hum! We do not treat with insurgents, who are placed beyond the pale of -the law, and who, as such, cannot offer us any serious guarantee." - -"Caballero," the Jaguar exclaimed with ill-disguised impatience, "I have -the honour of remarking that you insult me." - -"I am very sorry for it; but what other answer than that can I give -you?" - -There was a momentary silence; the vigorous resistance offered him made -the Jaguar feel seriously alarmed. - -"Are you the Fort-Commandant?" he asked. - -"No." - -"Why did you come, then?" - -"Because I was ordered to do so." - -"Hum! And who is the Governor of the place?" - -"A Colonel." - -"Why did he not come in person to meet me?" - -"Because he probably did not think it worth while to put himself out of -the way." - -"Hum! That way of behaving seems to me rather lax, for war has laws -which every man is bound to follow." - -"Maybe, but it is not war in this case, that must not be let out of -sight." - -"What is it then, in your opinion?" - -"Insurrection." - -"Well, I wish to speak with your Commandant, for I can only treat with -him. Are you disposed to let me see him?" - -"That does not depend on me, but on him." - -"Very good. Can I trust to your delivering my message to him?" - -"I do not see why I should not." - -"Be kind enough, then, to return at once to him, and I will wait for you -here, unless you permit me to enter the fortress." - -"That is impossible." - -"As you please; I will, therefore, await your reply here." - -"Very well." - -The two men bowed courteously, and took leave of each other. Don Felix -Paz re-entered the fortress, while the Jaguar, sitting on the trunk of a -felled tree, examined with the greatest attention the fortifications of -the hacienda, the details of which he could easily survey from the spot -where he now was. The young man leaned his elbow on his knee, and let -his head rest on his hand; his eyes wandered over the surrounding -objects with an expression of indefinable melancholy; gradually a gloomy -sadness seized on his mind; while indulging in his thoughts, external -objects disappeared from his sight, and isolating himself completely, he -gave way to the flood of bitter recollections which rose from his heart -to his brain, and removed him from the preoccupations of his present -situation. - -For a long time he had been plunged in this species of prostration, when -a friendly voice smote his ear. The Jaguar, suddenly drawn from his -reverie by the sound of a voice which he fancied he recognised, threw up -his head sharply, and gave a start of surprise on recognising Don Juan -Melendez de Gongora, for it was really the Colonel who was now -addressing him. The Texan Chief rose, and spoke to his officers. - -"Back, Caballeros," he said; "this gentleman and myself have matters to -talk about which no one must hear." - -The Texans withdrew out of earshot. The Colonel was alone, for on -recognising the Jaguar, he had ordered his escort to await him at the -base of the intrenchments. - -"I meet you here again then, my friend," the Jaguar said sadly. - -"Yes," the young officer answered; "fatality seems determined to keep us -in constant opposition." - -"On examining the height and strength of your walls," the Independent -continued, "I had already recognized the difficulties of the task forced -on me; these difficulties have now grown almost into impossibilities." - -"Alas, my friend, fate wills it so, we are forced to submit to its -caprices; and while in my heart deploring what takes place, I am yet -resolved to do my duty as a man of honour, and die in the breach, with -my breast turned toward you." - -"I know it, brother, and cannot feel angry with you; for I too am -resolved to carry out the difficult task imposed on me." - -"Such are the terrible exigencies of civil war, that the men most -inclined to esteem and love one another, are compelled to be foes." - -"God and our country will judge us, friend, and our consciences will -absolve us; men are not combating, but principles fatally placed in -opposition." - -"I was not aware that you were the Chief of the insurrectionary bands -that have invested the place, although a secret foreboding warned me of -your presence." - -"That is strange," the Jaguar muttered, "for I also felt the foreboding -to which you allude; that is why I so strongly insisted on having an -interview with the Commandant of the hacienda." - -"The same reason urged me, on the contrary, not to show myself; but I -thought I must yield to your entreaty, and hence here I am; I swear to -you that I should have wished to avoid this interview, which is so -painful to both of us, in consequence of our mutual feelings." - -"It is better that it should have taken place; now that we have had a -frank explanation, we shall be better fitted to do our duty." - -"You are right, friend; it is perhaps better that it should be so; let -me press your honest hand for the last time, and then each of us will -resume his part." - -"Here is my hand, friend," the young Chief made answer. - -The two men heartily shook hands, and then fell back a few paces, making -a signal to their respective escorts to rejoin them. When the officers -were ranged behind the Chiefs, the Jaguar ordered his bugler to sound -the summons; the latter obeyed, and the Mexican trumpet immediately -replied. The Jaguar then advanced two paces, and courteously took off -his hat to the Colonel. - -"With whom have I the honour of speaking?" he asked. - -"I am," the officer replied, returning the salute, "Colonel Don Juan -Melendez de Gongora, invested by General Don José Maria Rubio, -Commander-in-Chief of the Mexican forces in Texas, with the military -government of the Larch-tree hacienda, which present circumstances have -raised to the rank of a first class fortress; and who may you be, -Caballero?" - -"I," the Jaguar answered, as he drew himself up, and placed his hat -again on his head, "am the Supreme Chief of the Confederated Army of -Texas." - -"The men who take that name, and the person who commands them, can only -be regarded by me as traitors and fosterers of rebellion." - -"We care little, Colonel, what name you give us, or the manner in which -you regard our acts. We have taken up arms to render our country -independent, and shall not lay them down till that noble task is -accomplished. These are the proposals I think it my duty to make you." - -"I cannot and will not treat with rebels," the Colonel said, clearly and -distinctly. - -"You will act as you please, Colonel; but humanity orders you to avoid -bloodshed, if possible, and your duty imperiously commands you to listen -to what I have to say to you." - -"Be it so, Caballero, I will listen to you, and then will see what -answer I have to give you; but I must ask you to be brief." - -The Jaguar leaned the point of his sabre on the ground, and giving a -clear and piercing glance at the Mexican staff, he continued, in a loud, -firm, and accentuated voice-- - -"I, the Commander-in-Chief of the Liberating Army of Texas, summon you, -a Colonel in the service of the Mexican Republic, whose sovereignty we -no longer recognise, to surrender to us this Larch-tree hacienda, of -which you entitle yourself the Governor, and which you hold without -right or reason. If, within twenty-four hours, the said hacienda is put -into our hands, with all it contains, guns, ammunition, material of war, -and otherwise, the garrison will quit the place with the honours of war, -under arms, with drums and fifes playing. Then, after laying down their -arms, the garrison will be free to retire to the interior of Texas, -after making oath that during a year and a day they will not serve in -Texas against the Liberating Army." - -"Have you ended?" the Colonel asked, with ill-disguised impatience. - -"Not yet," the Jaguar coldly answered. - -"I must ask you to make haste." - -On seeing these two men exchange savage glances, and placed in such a -hostile position face to face, no one would have supposed that they were -fond of each other, and groaned in their hearts at the painful part fate -compelled them to play against their will. The truth was, that in one -military fanaticism, in the other an ardent love of his country, had -imposed silence on every other feeling, and only permitted them to -listen to one, the most imperious of all--the sentiment of duty. The -Jaguar, perfectly calm and firm, continued in the same resolute accent-- - -"If, against my expectations, these conditions are refused, and the -place obstinately defends itself, the Army of Liberation will -immediately invest it, carry on the siege with all the vigour of which -it is capable, and when the hacienda is captured, it will undergo the -fate of towns taken by assault; the garrison will be decimated, and -remain prisoners till the end of the war." - -"Very good," the Colonel replied, ironically; "however harsh these -conditions may be, we prefer them to the former; and if the fate of -arms betray us, we will endure without complaint the law of the -conquerors." - -The Jaguar bowed ceremoniously. - -"I have only to withdraw," he said. - -"One moment," the Colonel said, "You have explained to me your -conditions, so it is now your turn to hear mine." - -"What conditions can you have to offer us, since you refuse to -surrender?" - -"You shall hear." - -The Colonel looked round him with a glance of assurance; then, crossing -his arms on his chest, and drawing himself up with the air of sovereign -contempt for those who surrounded him, began speaking in a sharp and -sarcastic voice-- - -"I," he said, "Don Juan de Melendez de Gongora, Colonel in the service -of the Mexican Republic, considering that the majority of the -individuals assembled at this moment at the foot of my walls are poor, -ignorant men, whom bad example and bad counsel have led into a revolt, -which they detest in their hearts--for I know that the Mexican -Government has ever been just, kind, and paternal to them; considering, -moreover, that possibly the fear of the severe chastisement which they -have deserved by their culpable conduct keeps them, against their desire -and will, in the ranks of the rebels; employing the prerogative given me -by my title of governor of a first class fortress, and a field officer -in the Mexican army, I promise them, that if they immediately lay down -their arms, and, as a proof of sincere repentance, surrender to me the -Chiefs who deceived them and led them into revolt--I promise them, I -repeat, a complete pardon and oblivion of the faults they may have -committed up to today, but only on this condition. They have till sunset -of the present day to make their submission; when that period is passed, -they will be regarded as inveterate rebels, and treated as such---that -is to say, hanged without trial, after their identity has been proved, -and deprived in their last moments of the consolations of religion, as -being unworthy of them. As for the Chiefs, as traitors, they will be -shot in the back, and their bodies fastened by the feet on gibbets, -where they will remain as food for birds of prey, and serve as an -example to those who may venture in their track. Reflect, then, and -repent, for such are the sole conditions you will obtain of me. And now, -Caballeros," he said, turning to his officers, "we will return to the -fort, as we have nothing more to do here." - -His hearers had listened with increasing surprise to this strange -address, uttered in a tone of sarcasm and haughty contempt, which had -filled the hearts of the Jaguar's comrades with gall, while the Mexican -officers looked at each other with a laugh. By a sign, the Jaguar -imposed silence on his comrades, and bowed respectfully to the Colonel. - -"Your will be done," he said to him. "God will judge between us; the -bloodshed will fall on your head." - -"I accept the responsibility," the Commandant remarked, disdainfully. - -"Then, the words you have just uttered are serious?" - -"They are." - -"You are quite resolved on opposing us?" - -"Of course." - -"Your resolution will not change?" - -"It is immovable." - -"We will fight, then," the Jaguar exclaimed, enthusiastically. "_Viva la -patria, viva la Independencia!_" - -This cry, repeated by his comrades, was heard in the camp, and taken up -with extraordinary enthusiasm by his comrades. - -"_Viva Mejico!_" the Colonel said. - -He then retired, followed by his officers. On his side, the Jaguar -returned to his camp, resolved to attempt a vigorous hand stroke on the -place. On both sides preparations were made for the implacable struggle -that was about to begin between members of the same family and children -of the same soil; a homicidal and fearful struggle, a hundredfold more -horrible than a foreign war! - - -[1] See the "Gold-Seekers," same publishers. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE SIEGE. - - -While all this was going on, the hunters, as we mentioned before, -resumed their journey, so soon as the Apaches disappeared. The night was -clear, and the hunters marched in Indian file, that is to say, one after -the other; still, through a prudential motive, Carmela was placed -pillion-wise behind Tranquil, while Singing-bird rode with Black-deer. - -The Canadian had whispered a few words to Lanzi and Quoniam, upon which -the two men, without replying, dug their spurs in, and started at a -gallop. - -"When you have ladies with you," Tranquil said, with a laugh to Loyal -Heart, "it is necessary to take precautions." - -The hunter, however, did not ask him for any explanation, and the four -men continued their march in silence. During the whole night nothing -occurred to disturb their journey; the Apaches kept their word -faithfully, and had really withdrawn. Tranquil had not for a moment -doubted their promise. At times the hunter turned to the maiden, and -asked her with ill-disguised anxiety if she felt fatigued, but Carmela -constantly replied in the negative. A few minutes before sunrise, he -bent down to her for the last time. - -"Courage," he said, "we shall soon arrive." - -The girl attempted to smile, but this long night spent on horseback had -crushed her; she could not even find the courage to answer, so -annihilated was she, and Tranquil, anxious for his daughter, hurried on. -Still in the sunbeams, whose warmth caressed her, the maiden felt -newborn, her courage returned, and she drew herself up with a sigh of -relief. The journey, then, became more gay; for each, on this much -desired appearance of day, had forgotten his fatigue and the emotions of -the past night. Two hours later they reached the base of a hill, halfway -up which was a natural grotto. - -"Our friends are expecting us there," said Tranquil. - -A few moments later, the little band entered the grotto on horseback, -without leaving any traces of its passage. This grotto, like many others -in that country, possessed several entrances, and through this -peculiarity it often served as a refuge to the wood rangers, who, being -thoroughly conversant with all its windings, could easily escape from -the search of any enemies who might have followed their trail. It was -divided into several compartments, without visible communication with -each other, and formed a species of maze, which ran with inextricable -windings under the whole of the hill. On the prairie the name of the -Jaguar's grotto had been given it. - -The two hunters, sent forward by the Canadian, were seated by an -enormous fire of heather, and quietly roasting a magnificent haunch of -venison, as they silently smoked their pipes. Although they must have -been waiting a long time for their friends, on the arrival of Tranquil -and his comrades they contented themselves with a slight bow, and did -not evince the slightest desire to know what had occurred since their -departure, for these men had lived so long on the desert, that they had -grown to assume all the Indian habits. Tranquil led the two females into -a grotto a considerable distance from the principal one. - -"Here," he said in a gentle whisper, "you must speak as little as -possible, and as low as you can, for you never know what neighbours you -may have; pay great attention to this piece of advice, for your safety -depends on it. If you require me, or have an inclination to join us, you -know where we are, and it is an easy matter for you to come; good-bye." - -His daughter caught him by the arm for a moment, and whispered in his -ear. He bowed in reply, and went out. When the two females found -themselves alone, their first impulse was to fall into each other's -arms. This first emotion past, they lay on the ground with that feeling -of comfort which is experienced when you have sighed during a long -period for a rest, the want of which you greatly feel. At the expiration -of about an hour, Tranquil returned. - -"Are we going to start again?" Carmela asked hurriedly, with an -ill-disguised agitation. - -"On the contrary, I expect to remain here till sunset." - -"Heaven be praised!" the maiden exclaimed. - -"I have come to tell you that breakfast is ready, and that we are only -awaiting your presence to begin our meal." - -"Eat without us, my dear papa," Carmela answered; "at this moment we -have more need of sleep than anything else." - -"Sleep if you like; I have brought you, however, male clothing, which I -must ask you to put on." - -"What, father, dress ourselves as men?" Carmela said in surprise, and -with a slight repugnance. - -"You must, child--it is indispensable." - -"In that case I will obey you, father." - -"Thank you, my daughter." - -The hunter withdrew, and the two young women soon fell asleep. Their -sleep lasted a long time, for the sun was beginning to sink beneath the -horizon, when they awoke, completely recovered from their fatigue. -Carmela, fresh and rosy, felt no effects of the long sleeplessness of -the preceding night; and the Indian girl, stronger, or more hardened, -had not suffered so much as her companion. The two girls then began, -while chattering and laughing, to prepare everything necessary for the -disguise the hunter had recommended them. - -"Let us begin our toilette," Carmela said gaily to Singing-bird. - -At the moment when they were removing their dresses, they heard the -noise of footsteps near them, and turned like two startled fawns, -thinking that Tranquil was coming to see whether they were awake yet; -but a couple of words distinctly pronounced, caused them to listen, and -stand quivering with emotion, surprise, and curiosity. - -"My brother has been a long time," the voice had said, which seemed to -belong to a man standing scarce three paces from them; "I have been -expecting him for two hours." - -"By Heaven, Chief, your remark is perfectly correct; but it was -impossible for me to come sooner," another person immediately answered, -whose strongly pronounced accent proved to be a foreigner. - -"My brother will speak without loss of tune." - -"That is what I intend doing," - -At this moment Tranquil came up. The young women laid the forefinger on -their lips, recommending silence; the hunter understood what this meant, -and advanced on tiptoe to listen. - -"The Jaguar," the second speaker continued, "desires most eagerly that, -in accordance with the promise you made him, you should join his army -with your warriors." - -"Up to the present that has been impossible." - -"Blue-fox!" Tranquil muttered. - -"I warn you that he accuses you of breach of faith." - -"The Pale Chief is wrong; a Sachem is not a chattering old woman who -knows not what he says. This evening I shall join him with two hundred -picked warriors." - -"We shall see, Chief." - -"At the first song of the mankawis, the Apache warriors will enter the -camp." - -"All the better. The Jaguar is preparing a general assault on the fort, -and only awaits your arrival to give the signal of attack." - -"I repeat to my brother that the Apaches will not fail." - -"Those confounded Mexicans fight like demons; the man who commands them -seems to have galvanized them, they second him so well. There was only -one good officer in the Mexican army, and we are obliged to fight -against him. It is really most unlucky." - -"The Chief of the Yoris is not invulnerable. The arrows of the Apaches -are long--they will kill him." - -"Nonsense," the other said ill-temperedly; "this man seems to have a -charm that protects him. Our Kentuckian rifles are wonderfully true, and -our marksmen possess a far from common skill; but no bullet can hit -him." - -"While coming to this grotto, Blue-fox raised the scalp of a Chief of -the Yoris." - -"Ah!" the first speaker observed with indifference. - -"Here it is; this man was the bearer of a necklace." - -"A letter, by Heavens!" the other exclaimed anxiously; "What have you -done with it? You have not destroyed it, I trust?" - -"No, the Chief has kept it." - -"You did well. Show it to me, perhaps it is important." - -"Wah! It is some medicine of the Palefaces; a Chief does not want it; my -brother can take it." - -"Thanks!" - -There was a moment's silence, during which the hearts of the three -hearers might have been heard beating in unison, so great was their -anxiety. - -"By Jove!" the white man suddenly burst out; "A letter addressed to -Colonel Don Juan Melendez de Gongora, Commandant of the Larch-tree, by -General Rubio. You were in luck's way, Chief. Are you sure that the -bearer of this letter is dead?" - -"It was Blue-fox who killed him." - -"In that case I feel confident, for I can trust to you. Now, this is -what you must do: so soon as----" - -But while speaking thus, the two men had withdrawn, and the sound of -their voices was lost in the distance, so that it was impossible to hear -the termination of the sentence, or guess its purport. - -The two women turned round. Tranquil had disappeared, and they were -again alone. Carmela, after listening to this strange conversation, of -which accident allowed her to catch a few fragments, had fallen into a -profound reverie, which her companion, with that sense of propriety -innate in Indians, was careful not to disturb. - -In the meanwhile, time slipped away, the gloom grew denser in the -grotto, for night had set in; the two young women, afraid to remain -alone in the obscurity, were preparing to rejoin their companions, when -they heard the sound of footsteps, and Tranquil entered. - -"What!" he said to them, "Not ready yet? Make haste to put on your -masculine attire, for every minute is an age." - -The girls did not allow this to be repeated; they disappeared in an -adjoining compartment, and returned a few minutes later, entirely -disguised. - -"Good," the Canadian said, after examining them for a moment; "we are -going to try and enter the Larch-tree hacienda. Now follow me, and be -prudent." - -The eight persons left the grotto, gliding along in the darkness like -phantoms. - -No one, unless he has tried the experiment, can imagine what a night -march on the desert is, when you are afraid each moment of falling into -the hands of invisible enemies, who watch you behind every bush. -Tranquil had placed himself at the head of the little party, who marched -in Indian file, at times stooping to the ground, going on his hands and -knees, or crawling on his stomach so as to avoid notice. - -Doņa Carmela, in spite of the extraordinary difficulties she had to -surmount, advanced with admirable courage, never complaining, and -enduring, without seeming to notice them, the scratches of the roots and -brambles, which lacerated her hands, and caused her atrocious suffering. -After three hours of gigantic effort in following Tranquil's trail, the -latter stopped, and had them look around them. They raised their heads, -and found themselves in the camp of the Texan insurgents. All around -them, in the moonbeams, they could see the elongated shadows of Indian -sentries, leaning on their long lances, motionless as equestrian -statues, who were watching over the safety of their Paleface brothers. -The young women felt a thrill of terror run over their persons at this -sight, which was not of a nature to reassure them. - -Fortunately for them, the Indians keep very bad guard, and most -generally only place sentries to frighten the enemy. On this occasion, -as they knew very well, they had no sortie to apprehend on the part of -the Larch-tree garrison, the sentinels were nearly all asleep; but the -slightest badly-calculated move, the merest false step, might arouse -them, for these men, who are habituated in keeping their senses alive, -can hardly ever be taken unawares. - -At about two hundred yards at the most from the adventurers were the -advanced works of the Larch-tree, gloomy, silent, and apparently, at -least, abandoned or plunged in sleep. Tranquil had only stopped to let -his comrades fully understand the imminent danger to which they were -exposed, and urge them to redouble their caution, for, at the slightest -weakness, they would be lost. After this they started again. They -advanced thus for one hundred yards, or about half the distance -separating them from the Larch-tree, when suddenly, at the moment when -Tranquil stretched out his arms to shelter himself behind a sandhill, -several men, crawling in the opposite direction found themselves face to -face with him. There was a second of terrible anxiety. - -"Who goes there?" a low and menacing voice asked. - -"Oh!" he said; "We are saved! It is I--Tranquil the Tigrero." - -"Who are the persons with you?" - -"Wood rangers, for whom I answer." - -"Very good; pass on." - -The two parties separated, and crawled in opposite directions. The band -with which the hunters exchanged these few words was commanded by Don -Felix Paz, who, more vigilant than the Texans, was making a round of the -glacis to assure himself that all was quiet, and no surprise need be -feared. It was very lucky for Tranquil and his companions that the -Jaguar, in order to do honour to Blue-fox, had this night intrusted the -camp guard to his warriors, and that, confiding in the Redskins, the -Texans had gone to sleep, with that carelessness characteristic of -Americans; for, with other sentries than those through whom they had -glided unseen, the adventurers must infallibly have been captured. - -Ten minutes after their encounter with Don Felix, which might have -turned out so fatally for them, the hunters reached the gates, and at -the mention of Tranquil's name a passage was at once granted them. They -were at length in safety within the hacienda, and it was high time that -they should arrive; a few minutes longer and, Carmela and her companion -would have fallen by the wayside. In spite of all their courage and -goodwill, the girls could no longer keep up, their strength was -exhausted. Hence, so soon as the danger had passed, and the nervous -excitement, which alone sustained them, ceased, they fell down -unconscious. - -Tranquil raised Carmela in his arms, and carried her to the interior of -the hacienda; while Black-deer, who, in spite of his apparent -insensibility, adored his squaw, hurried up to restore her to life. - -The unexpected arrival of Tranquil caused a general joy among the -inhabitants of the hacienda, who all had a deep friendship for this man, -whose glorious character they had had so many opportunities of -appreciating. The hunter was still busied with his daughter, who was -just beginning to recover her senses, when Don Felix Paz, who had -finished his rounds, entered the cuarto, with a message from the Colonel -to the Canadian, begging the latter to come to him at once. - -Tranquil obeyed, for Doņa Carmela no longer required his assistance--the -maiden had scarce regained her senses, ere she fell into a deep sleep, -the natural result of the enormous fatigue she had endured during -several days. While proceeding to the Colonel's apartments, Tranquil -questioned the major-domo, with whom he had been connected for several -years, and who had no scruples about answering the hunter's queries. - -Matters were far from being well at the Larch-tree; the siege was -carried on with an extraordinary obstinacy on both sides, and with many -strange interludes. The insurgents, greatly annoyed by the artillery of -the fort, which killed a great many of them, and to which they could not -reply, owing to their absolute want of cannon, had adopted a system of -reprisals, which caused the besieged considerable injury. This simple -system was as follows: The insurgents, who were mostly hunters, were -exceedingly skilful marksmen, and renowned as such in a country where -the science of firing is carried to its extreme limits. A certain number -of these marksmen sheltered themselves behind the epaulments of the -camp; and each time a gunner attempted to load a piece, they infallibly -shot away his hands. - -This had been carried so far, that nearly all the gunners were _hors de -combat_, and it was only at very long intervals that a gun was fired -from the fort. This isolated shot, badly aimed, owing to the -precipitancy with which the men laid the gun, through their fear of -being mutilated, caused but insignificant damage to the insurgents, who -applauded, with reason, the good result of their scheme. - -On the other hand, the fort was so closely invested, and watched with -such care, that no one could enter or quit it. It was impossible for -those in the fort to understand how it was that the adventurers had -managed to slip in after traversing the whole length of the enemy's -camp. We must state, too, in order to treat everybody with justice, that -the adventurers understood it less than anybody. - -The garrison of the hacienda lived, then, as if they had been roughly -cut off from the world, for no sound transpired without, and no news -reached them. This situation was extremely disagreeable to the -Mexicans; unfortunately for them, it was daily aggravated, and -threatened to become, ere long, completely intolerable. Colonel -Melendez, since the beginning of the siege, had proved himself what he -was, that is to say, an officer of rare merit, with a vigilance nothing -could foil, and a trustworthy bravery. Seeing his gunners so cruelly -decimated by the Texan bullets, he undertook to take their place, -loading the guns at his own peril, and firing them at the insurgents. - -Such courage struck the Texans with so great admiration, that although -it would several times have been easy for them to kill their daring foe, -their rifles had constantly turned away from this man, who seemed to -find a delight in braving death at every moment. The Jaguar, while -closely investing the fort, and eagerly desiring to carry it, had given -peremptory orders to spare the life of his friend, whom he could not -refrain from pitying and admiring, as much for his courage as for his -devotion to the cause he served. - -Although it was near midnight, the Colonel was still up; at the moment -when the hunter was brought to him, he was walking thoughtfully up and -down his bedroom, consulting from time to time a detailed plan, of the -fortifications that lay open on a table. - -Tranquil's arrival caused him great satisfaction, for he hoped to obtain -from him news from without. Unfortunately, the hunter did not know much -about the political state of the country, owing to the isolated life he -led in the forests. Still, he answered with the greatest frankness all -the questions the Colonel thought proper to ask him, and gave him the -little information he had been enabled to collect; then he told him the -various incidents of his own journey. At the name of Carmela the young -officer was slightly troubled, and a vivid flush suffused his face; but -he recovered, and listened attentively to the hunter's story. When the -latter came to the incident in the grotto, and the fragment of -conversation he had overheard between the Apache Chief and the Texan, -his interest was greatly excited, and he made him repeat the story. - -"Oh, that letter," he muttered several times, "that letter; what would I -not give to know its contents!" - -Unhappily, that was impossible. After a moment, the Colonel begged -Tranquil to continue his story. The hunter then told him in what way he -had managed to cross the enemy's lines and introduce himself into the -fort. This bold action greatly struck the Colonel. - -"You were more fortunate than prudent," he said, "in thus venturing into -the midst of your enemies." - -The hunter smiled good-temperedly. - -"I was almost certain of succeeding," he said. - -"How so?" - -"I have had a long experience of Indian habits, which enables me to make -nearly certain with them." - -"Granted; but in this case you had not Indians to deal with." - -"Pardon me, Colonel." - -"I do not understand you, so be kind enough to explain." - -"That is an easy matter. Blue-fox entered the Texan camp this evening, -at the head of two hundred warriors." - -"I was not aware of it," the Colonel said, in surprise. - -"The Jaguar, to do honour to his terrible allies, confided to them the -camp guard for this night." - -"Hence?" - -"Hence, Colonel, all the Texans are sleeping soundly at this moment, -while the Apaches are watching, or, at least, ought to be watching over -the safety of their lives." - -"What do you mean by ought to be watching?" - -"I mean that the Redskins do not at all understand our manner of -carrying on war, are not accustomed to sentinel duty, and so everybody -is asleep in the camp." - -"Ah!" said the Colonel, as he began once more, with a thoughtful air, -the promenade he had interrupted to listen to the hunter's story. - -The latter waited, taking an interrogative glance at Don Felix, who had -remained in the room till it pleased the Commandant to dismiss him. A -few minutes passed, and not a syllable was exchanged; Don Juan seemed to -be plunged in serious thought. All at once he stopped before the hunter, -and looked him full in the face. - -"I have known you for a long time by reputation," he said, sharply. "You -pass for an honest man, who can be trusted." - -The Canadian bowed, not understanding to what these preliminaries -tended. - -"I think you said the enemy's camp was plunged in sleep?" the Colonel -continued. - -"That is my conviction," Tranquil answered; "we crossed their lines too -easily for it to be otherwise." - -Don Felix drew nearer. - -"Yes," the young officer muttered, "we might give them a lesson." - -"A lesson they greatly need," the Major-domo added. - -"Ah, ah!" the Colonel said, with a smile; "Then you understand me, Don -Felix?" - -"Of course." - -"And you approve?" - -"Perfectly." - -"It is one in the morning," the Colonel went on, as he looked at a clock -standing on a console; "at this moment sleep is the deepest. Well, we -will attempt a sortie; have the officers of the garrison aroused." - -The Major-domo went out: five minutes later the officers, still -half-asleep, obeyed their Chief's orders. - -"Caballeros," the latter said to them, so soon as he saw them all -collected round him, "I have resolved to make a sortie against the -rebels, surprise them, and fire their camp, if it be possible. Select -from your soldiers one hundred and fifty men, in whom you can trust; -supply them with inflammable matters, and in five minutes let them be -drawn up in the Patio. Go; and before all, I recommend you the deepest -silence." - -The officers bowed, and at once left the room. The Colonel then turned -to Tranquil. - -"Are you tired?" he asked him. - -"I am never so." - -"You are skilful?" - -"So they say." - -"Very good. You will serve as our guide; unfortunately, I want two -others." - -"I can procure them for your Excellency." - -"You?" - -"Yes, a wood ranger and a Comanche Chief, who entered the fort with me, -and for whom I answer with my life; Loyal Heart and Black-deer. - -"Warn them, then, and all three wait for me in the Patio." - -Tranquil hastened to call his friends. - -"If that hunter has spoken the truth, and I believe he has," the Colonel -continued, addressing the Major-domo, "I am convinced we shall have an -excellent opportunity for repaying the rebels a hundredfold the harm -they have done us. Do you accompany me, Don Felix?" - -"I would not for a fortune leave you one inch, under such -circumstances." - -"Come, then, for the detachment must be ready by this time." - -They went out. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -THE PROPOSAL. - - -On the same night, almost at the same hour, the Jaguar, seated on a -modest oak equipal in his tent, with his elbow leaning on the table and -his head on his hand, was reading, by the light of a candle that emitted -but a dubious light, important despatches he had just received. Absorbed -in the perusal, the young Commander of the insurgents paid no attention -to the noises without, when suddenly a rather sharp puff of wind caused -the flame of the candle to flicker, and the shadow of a man was darkly -defined on the canvas of the tent. - -The young man, annoyed at being disturbed, raised his head angrily, and -looked toward the entrance of the tent, with a frown that promised -nothing very pleasant for his inopportune intruder. But at the sight of -the man who stood in the door-way, leaning on a long rifle, and fixing -on him eyes that sparkled like carbuncles, the Jaguar restrained with -difficulty a cry of surprise, and made a move to seize the pistols -placed within reach on the table. - -This man, whom we have already had occasion to present to the reader -under very grave circumstances, had nothing, we must confess, in his -appearance that spoke greatly in his favour. His stern glance, his harsh -face, rendered still harsher by his long white beard, his tall stature -and strange attire, all about him, in a word, inspired repulsion and -almost terror. The Jaguar's movement produced a sinister smile on his -pale lips. - -"Why take up your weapons?" he said, in a hoarse voice, as he struck the -palm of his hand against his rifle barrel; "had I intended to kill you, -you would have been dead long ago." - -The young man wheeled round his equipal, which brought him face to face -with the stranger. The two men examined each other for a moment with the -most minute attention. - -"Have you looked at me enough?" the stranger at length asked. - -"Yes," the Jaguar answered; "now tell me who you are, what brings you -here, and how you reached me." - -"Those are a good many questions at once, still I will try to answer -them. Who am I? No one knows, and there are moments when I am myself -ignorant; I am an accursed, and a reprobate, prowling about the desert -like a wild beast in search of prey; the Redskins, whose implacable -enemy I am, and in whom I inspire a superstitious terror, call me the -Klein Stoman; is this information sufficient for you?" - -"What?" the young man exclaimed utterly astounded, "The White Scalper!" - -"I am the man," the stranger quietly answered; "I am also known at times -by the name of the Pitiless." - -All this had been said by the old man in that monotonous and hoarse -voice peculiar to men who, deprived for a long time of the society of -their fellow men, have been restricted to a forced silence, and hence -speaking has become almost a labour to them. The Jaguar gave a start of -repulsion at the sight of this sinister man, whose mournful reputation -had reached him with all its horrors. His memory immediately recalled -all the traits of ferocity and cruelty imputed to this man, and it was -under the impression of this recollection that he said to him with an -accent of disgust he did not wish to conceal-- - -"What is there in common between you and me?" - -The old man smiled sarcastically. - -"God," he answered, "connects all men to each other by invisible bonds -which render them responsible one for the other; He willed it so, in His -supreme omniscience, in order to render society possible." - -On hearing this wild, solitary man pronounce the name of Deity, and -utter so strange an argument, the Jaguar felt his surprise redoubled. - -"I will not discuss the point with you," he said; "everyone in life -follows the path destiny has traced for him, and it does not belong to -me to judge you either favourably or unfavourably; still, I have the -right of denying any connection with you, whatever may be your feelings -toward me, or the motives that brought you hither; up to the present, we -have been strangers to each other, and I desire to remain so for the -future." - -"What do you know of it? What certainty have you that this is the first -time we have been face to face? Man can no more answer for the past than -for the future; both are in the hands of One more powerful than him, of -Him who judges of actions immediately, and for whom there is only one -weight and one measure." - -"I am astonished," the Jaguar answered, involuntarily interested, "that -the name of Deity should be so often on your lips." - -"Because it is deeply engraved on my heart," the old man said with an -accent of gloomy sorrow which spread a veil of melancholy over his -austere features. "You said yourself that you would not judge me; -retain, if you will, the evil impression which the probable false -statements of others have made on you. I care little for the opinion of -men, for I recognise no other judge of my actions but my conscience." - -"Be it so; but permit me to remark that time is rapidly slipping away, -night is advancing. I have serious business to attend to, and need to be -alone." - -"In a word, you show me the door; unluckily, I am not disposed, for the -present, to accede to your request, or, if you prefer it, obey your -orders; I wish first to answer all your questions, and then, if you -still insist on it, I will retire." - -"Take care, for this obstinacy on your part may lead to dangerous -consequences for you." - -"Why threaten a man who does not insult you?" the old man replied with -undiminished coolness; "Do you fancy that I put myself out of the way -for nothing? No, no, serious motives bring me to you; and if I am not -mistaken, ere long you will allow that the time you are unwilling to -grant me, could not be better employed than in listening to me." - -The Jaguar shrugged his shoulders impatiently; he felt a repugnance to -employ violence against a man who, after all, had in no way infringed on -the laws of politeness, and, spite of himself, a species of secret -presentiment warned him that the visit of this singular old man would be -useful to him. - -"Speak then," he said a moment after, in the tone of a man who resigns -himself to endure a thing that displeases him, but which he cannot -elude; "but pray be brief." - -"I am not so used to speaking as to find pleasure in making long -harangues," the Scalper replied; "I will only say things strictly -indispensable to be properly understood by you." - -"Do so then without further preamble." - -"Be it so. I now return to the second question you asked me: What reason -brought me here? I will tell you presently, but first answer your third -question--How I got here?" - -"In truth," the Jaguar exclaimed, "that seems to me extraordinary." - -"Not so extraordinary as you suppose; I might tell you that I am too old -a hand on the prairies not to foil the most vigilant sentries; but I -prefer confessing the truth, as it will be more profitable to you. You -have this night confided the guard of the camp to Apache dogs, who, -instead of watching, as they pledged themselves to do, are asleep on -their posts, so thoroughly that the first comer can enter your lines as -he thinks proper; and this is so true, that scarce two hours back a -party of eight went through the whole length of your camp, and entered -the hacienda, without encountering opposition from anyone." - -"Viva Dios!" the Jaguar exclaimed, turning livid with passion; "Can it -possibly be so?" - -"I am the proof of it, I fancy," the old man answered simply. - -The young Chief seized his pistols, and made a hurried movement to rush -out, but the stranger restrained him. - -"What good will it do," he said, "to pick a quarrel with your allies? It -is an accomplished fact, so it is better to undergo the consequences. -Still, let it serve you as a lesson to take better precautions another -time." - -"But these men who crossed the camp?" the Jaguar said sharply. - -"You have nothing to fear from them; they are poor devils of hunters, -who were probably seeking a refuge for the two women they brought with -them." - -"Two women?" - -"Yes, a white and an Indian; although they were dressed in male attire, -I recognized them the more easily, because I have been watching them for -a long time." - -"Ah," said the Jaguar thoughtfully, "do you know any of these hunters?" - -"Only one, who is, I believe, tigrero to the hacienda." - -"Tranquil!" the Jaguar exclaimed with aft expression impossible to -render. - -"Yes." - -"In that case, one of the females is his daughter Carmela'" - -"Probably." - -"She is now, then, at the Larch-tree?" - -"Yes." - -"Oh," he burst out, "I must at all hazards carry that accursed -hacienda." - -"That is exactly what I came to propose to you," the Scalper said -quietly. - -The young man advanced a step. - -"What do you say?" he asked. - -"I say," the old man replied in the same tone, "that I have come to -propose to you the capture of the hacienda." - -"You! It is impossible." - -"Why so?" - -"Because," the Jaguar went on with agitation, "the hacienda is well -fortified: it is defended by a numerous and brave garrison, commanded by -one of the best officers of the Mexican army, and for the seventeen days -I have been investing these accursed walls, I have been unable, despite -all my efforts, to take one forward step." - -"All that is correct." - -"Well?" - -"I repeat my proposition." - -"But how will you effect it?" - -"That is my business." - -"That is not an answer." - -"I can give you no other." - -"Still?" - -"When force does not avail, stratagem must be employed; is not that your -opinion?" - -"Yes; but one must have the necessary means in his hands." - -"Well, I have them." - -"To seize the hacienda?" - -"I will introduce you into the interior--the rest is your affair." - -"Oh, once inside, I will not leave it again." - -"Then, you accept?" - -"One moment." - -"Do you hesitate?" - -"I do." - -"When I offer you an unexpected success?" - -"For that very reason." - -"I do not understand you." - -"I will explain myself." - -"Do so." - -"It is not admissible that you have come to make such a proposal for my -sake, or that of the cause I serve." - -"Perhaps not." - -"Let us deal frankly. Whatever your character may be, you have a manner -of looking at things which renders you perfectly indifferent to the -chances, good or bad, of the struggle going on at this moment in this -unhappy country." - -"You are quite correct." - -"Am I not? You care little whether Texas be free or in slavery?" - -"I admit it." - -"You have, then, a reason for acting as you are now doing?" - -"A man always has a reason." - -"Very good; well, I wish to know that reason." - -"And suppose I refuse to tell it to you?" - -"I shall not accept your proposition." - -"You will be wrong." - -"That is possible." - -"Reflect." - -"I have reflected." - -There was a moment's silence, which the old man interrupted-- - -"You are a suspicious and headstrong boy," he said to him, "who, -through a false feeling of honour, risk losing an opportunity which you -will probably never find again." - -"I will run the risk; I wish to be frank with you; I only know you from -very ill reports; your reputation is execrable, and nothing proves to me -that, under the pretext of serving me, you may not be laying a snare for -me." - -The old man's pale face was covered by a sudden flush at these rude -words, a nervous tremor agitated all his limbs; but, by a violent -effort, he succeeded in mastering the emotion he experienced, and after -a few minutes, he replied in a calm voice, in which, however, there -remained some traces of the tempest that growled hoarsely in his heart-- - -"I forgive you," he said; "you had a right to speak to me as you did, -and I cannot be angry with you. Time is slipping away, it is nearly one -in the morning; it will soon be too late to execute the bold plan I have -formed; I will therefore only add one word--reflect before answering me, -for on that answer my resolution, depends. The motive that urges me to -offer to introduce you to the hacienda is quite personal, and in no way -affects or concerns you." - -"But what guarantee can you offer me on the sincerity of your -intentions?" - -The old man walked a step forward, drew himself up to his full height, -stamped with an accent of supreme majesty-- - -"My word, the word of a man who, whatever may be said about him, has -never failed in what he owes himself; I swear to you on my honour, -before that God in whose presence you and I will probably soon appear, -that my intentions are pure and loyal, without any thought of treachery. -Now, answer, what is your resolve?" - -While uttering these words, the old man's attitude, gestures, and race -were imprinted with such nobility and grandeur, that he seemed -transfigured. In spite of himself, the Jaguar was affected: he felt -himself led away by this accent, which seemed to him to come straight -from the heart. - -"I accept," he said in a firm voice. - -"I expected it," the old man replied; "in young and generous natures -good feelings always find an echo. You will not repent the confidence -you give me." - -"Here is my hand," the young man said passionately; "press it without -fear, for it is that of a friend." - -"Thanks," the old man said, as a burning tear beaded on his eyelashes; -"that word repays me for much suffering and sorrow." - -"Now, explain your plan to me." - -"I will do so in two words; but, ere we discuss the plan we shall adopt, -collect noiselessly three or four hundred men, so that we may be able to -start immediately we have come to an understanding." - -"You are right." - -"I need not advise you to be prudent; your men must assemble in the -utmost silence. Take no Redskins with you, for they would be more -injurious than useful. I am not desirous to be seen by them, for you -know that I am their enemy." - -"Do not trouble yourself, I will act as you wish." - -The Jaguar went out, and remained away for about a quarter of an hour; -during that time the White Scalper remained motionless in the centre of -the tent, leaning pensively on his rifle barrel, the butt of which -rested on the ground. Soon could be heard outside something like the -imperceptible buzzing of bees in a hive. It was the camp awakening. The -Jaguar came in again. - -"Now," he said, "the order is given; within a quarter of an hour, four -hundred men will be under arms." - -"That is a longer period than I need for what I have to say to you; my -plan is most simple, and if you follow it point for point, we shall -enter the hacienda without striking a blow; listen to me attentively." - -"Speak." - -The old man drew an equipal up to the table at which the Jaguar was -standing, sat down, placed his rifle between his legs, and began-- - -"For very many years I have known the Larch-tree hacienda. Owing to -events too long to tell you, and which would but slightly interest you, -I was resident in it for nearly a year as Major-domo. At that period the -father of the present owner was still living, and for sundry reasons had -the greatest confidence in me. You are aware that at the period of the -conquest, when the Spaniards built these haciendas, they made them -fortresses rather than farmhouses, as they were compelled to defend -themselves nearly daily against the aggressions of the Redskins; now, -you must know that in such a fortress there is a masked gate, a secret -sally port, which, if necessary, the garrison employ, either to receive -reinforcements or provisions, or to evacuate the place, should it be too -closely invested." - -"Oh," the Jaguar said, smiting his forehead, "can the hacienda have one -of these sally ports?" - -"Patience, let me go on." - -"But look," the young man objected, "here is the detailed plan of the -Larch-tree, made by a man whose family have lived there for three -generations from father to son, and there is nothing of the sort marked -on it." - -The old man gave a careless glance at the plan the young man showed him. - -"Because," he replied, "the secret is generally known to the owner of -the hacienda alone; but let me finish." - -"Speak, speak." - -"These sally ports, so useful at the time of the conquest, became -eventually perfectly neglected, owing to the long peace that reigned in -the country; then, by degrees, as they served no purpose, the -recollection of them was totally lost, and I am convinced that the -majority of the hacienderos at the present day are ignorant of the -existence of these secret gates in their habitation; the owner of the -Larch-tree is one of the number." - -"How do you know? Perhaps the gate is blocked up, or at least defended -by a strong detachment." - -The old man smiled. - -"No," he said, "the gate is not stopped up, nor is it guarded." - -"Are you certain?" - -"Did I not tell you that I have been prowling about the neighbourhood -for some days?" - -"I do not remember it." - -"I wished to assure myself of the existence of this gate, which an -accident led me to discover in former days." - -"Well?" - -"I have sought it, found it, and opened it." - -"Viva Dios!" the Jaguar shouted joyfully; "In that case the hacienda is -ours." - -"I believe so, unless a fatality or a miracle occur--two things equally -improbable." - -"But where is this gate situated?" - -"As usual, at a spot where it is the most unlikely to suspect its -existence. Look," he added, bending over the plan, "the hacienda, being -built on a height, runs a risk in the event of a long siege of seeing -its wells dry up--does it not?" - -"Yes." - -"Very good. The river on this side runs along the foot of the rocks on -which its walls are built." - -"Yes, yes," said the young man, who was eagerly following the -indications made by the old man. - -"Judging rightly," he went on, "that on this side the hacienda was -impregnable, you contented yourself with establishing on the river bank -a few outposts, intended to watch the enemy's movements." - -"Any flight on that side is impossible--in the first place, owing to the -height of the walls; and next, through the river, which forms a natural -trench." - -"Well, the gate by which we shall enter is among those very rocks, -almost on a level with the water; it opens into a natural grotto, the -entrance of which is so obstructed by creepers, that from the opposite -bank it is impossible to suspect its existence." - -"At length," the Jaguar exclaimed, "this redoubt, which has hitherto -been one of the links of the heavy chain riveted round Texas, will be -tomorrow one of the most solid barriers of her independence. May Heaven -be praised for permitting so brilliant a triumph to crown our efforts!" - -"I hope to see you master of the place before sunrise." - -"May Heaven hear you!" - -"Now, we will start whenever you please." - -"At once, at once." - -They then left the tent. According to the Jaguar's orders, John Davis -had roused four hundred men, chosen from the boldest and most skilful -fellows of the force. They were drawn up a few paces from the tent, -motionless and silent. Their rifles, whose barrels were bronzed lest -they might emit any denunciatory gleams in the moonbeams, were piled in -front of them. - -The officers formed a group apart. They were conversing together in a -low voice, with considerable animation, not at all understanding the -orders they had received, and not knowing for what reason the Chief had -them awakened. The Jaguar advanced toward them, and the officers fell -back. The young man, followed by the Scalper, entered the circle, which -at once closed up again. John Davis, on perceiving the old man, whom he -at once recognised, uttered a stifled cry of surprise. - -"Caballeros," the Jaguar said, in a low voice, "we are about to attempt -a surprise, which, if it succeed, will render us masters of the hacienda -almost without a blow." - -A murmur of surprise ran round the circle. - -"A person in whom I have the most entire confidence," the Jaguar -continued, "has revealed to me the existence of a secret gate, not known -to the garrison, which will give us access to the fort. Each of you will -now take the command of his men. Our march must be as silent as that of -Indian warriors on the war trail. You have understood me fully, so I -count on your aid. In the event of separation, the watchword will be -_Texas y libertad_ To your posts." - -The circle was broken up, and each officer placed himself at the head of -his men. John Davis then went up to the Jaguar. - -"One word," he said to him, bending to his ear to speak. "Do you know -who that man is, standing close to you?" - -"Yes." - -"Are you sure?" - -"It is the White Scalper." - -"And you trust to him?" - -"Entirely." - -The American tossed his head. - -"Was it he who revealed to you the existence of the sally port by which -we are to enter?" - -"Yes." - -"Take care." - -In his turn, the Jaguar shrugged his shoulders. - -"You are mad," he said. - -"Well, that is possible," John replied; "but for all that, I will watch -him." - -"As you please." - -"Well, let us be off." - -The American followed his Chief, casting a parting look of suspicion on -the old man. The latter did not seem to trouble himself at all about -this aside. Apparently indifferent to what went on around him, he -waited, quietly leaning on his rifle, till it pleased the Jaguar to give -the command for departure. At length, the word "march" ran from rank to -rank, and the column started. - -These men, the majority of whom were accustomed to long marches in the -desert, placed their feet so softly on the ground, that they seemed to -glide along like phantoms, so silent was their march. At this moment, as -if the sky wished to be on their side, an immense black cloud spread -across the heavens and interrupted the moonbeams, substituting, almost -without transition, a deep obscurity for the radiance that previously -prevailed, and the column disappeared in the gloom. A few paces ahead of -the main body, the Jaguar, White Scalper, and John Davis marched side by -side. - -"Bravo!" the young man muttered; "Everything favours us." - -"Let us wait for the end," the American growled, whose suspicions, far -from diminishing, on the contrary were augmented from moment to moment. - -Instead of leaving the camp on the aide of the hacienda, whose gloomy -outline was designed, sinister and menacing, on the top of the hill, the -Scalper made the column take a long circuit, which skirted the rear of -the camp. The deepest silence prevailed on the plain, the camp and -hacienda seemed asleep, not a light gleamed in the darkness, and it -might be fancied, on noticing so profound a calm, that the plain was -deserted; but this factitious calm held a terrible tempest, ready to -burst forth at the first signal. - -These men, who walked on tiptoe, sounding the darkness around them, and -with their finger placed on the rifle trigger, felt their hearts beat -with impatience to come into collision with their enemies. It was a -singular coincidence, a strange fatality, which caused the besiegers and -besieged to attempt a double surprise at the same hour, almost at the -same moment, and send blindly against each other men who on either side -advanced with the hope of certain success, and convinced that they were -about to surprise asleep the too confident enemy, whom they burned to -massacre. - -So soon as they had left the camp, the insurgents drew near the river, -whose banks, covered with thick bushes and aquatic plants, would have -offered them, even in bright day, a certain shelter from the Mexicans. -On coming within about half a league of the entrenchments, the column -halted; the Scalper advanced alone a few yards, and then rejoined the -Jaguar. - -"We shall have to cross the river here," he said; "there is a ford, and -the men will only be up to their waists in water." - -And, giving the example, the old man stepped into the bed of the river. -The others followed immediately, and, as the Scalper had announced, the -water was only up to their waists. They passed threes in front, and -closing up the ranks, so as to resist the rather strong current, which, -without these precautions, might have carried them away. Five minutes -later, the whole band was collected in the interior of the grotto, at -the end of which was the secret door. - -"The moment has arrived," the Jaguar then said, "to redouble our -prudence; let us avoid, if it be possible, bloodshed. Not a word must be -uttered, or a shot fired, without my orders, under penalty of death." -Then, turning to the White Scalper, he said, in a firm voice--"Now, open -the door!" - -There was a moment of supreme anxiety for the insurgents, who awaited -with a quiver of impatience the downfall of the frail obstacle that -separated them from their enemies. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -A THUNDERBOLT. - - -We will now return to the hacienda. - -The Colonel and the Major-domo went down to the Patio, where they found -assembled the one hundred and fifty men selected for the execution of -the surprise, which the Colonel proposed to attempt on the rebel camp. -Tranquil, according to the orders he had received, after assuring -himself that Carmela was enjoying a sound and refreshing sleep, hastened -to tell Loyal Heart and Black-deer what the Colonel expected from them. -The two men immediately followed their friend into the Patio, where the -soldiers were already assembled. - -The Colonel divided his men into three detachments, each of fifty men: -he took the command of the first, keeping the Canadian with him; Don -Felix, having Loyal Heart for guide, had the command of the second; and -the third, at the head of which was placed a captain, an old soldier of -great experience, was directed by Black-deer. These arrangements made, -the Colonel gave the order for departure. The detachments at once -separated, and left the hacienda by three different gates. - -The Colonel's plan was extremely simple; descend unheard to the rebels' -camp, enter it, and fire it on three different sides; then, profiting by -the disorder and tumult occasioned by this surprise, rush on the rebels -with shouts of "Viva Mejico!" prevent them rallying or extinguishing the -fire, massacre as many as possible, and afterwards effect an orderly -retreat on the hacienda. - -At the moment when the Mexicans left the hacienda, the same thing -happened to them as to the insurgents, who left their camp at the same -moment, that is to say, they were suddenly enveloped in thick darkness. -The Colonel bent down to Tranquil, and said to him good-humouredly-- - -"This is a good omen for the success of our expedition." - -The Jaguar was saying the same thing to White Scalper almost -simultaneously. - -The three detachments silently descended the hill, marching in Indian -file, and taking the greatest care to stifle the sound of their -footsteps on the ground. On coming within a certain distance of the -Texan entrenchments, they halted, with one accord, to take breath, like -tigers, which at the moment of leaping on the prey they covet, draw -themselves up, in order to take a vigorous impetus. The soldiers -wheeled, so as to present a rather extensive line; then each lay down on -the sand, and at the signal, muttered in a low voice by the guides, they -began crawling like reptiles through the tall grass, cutting passages -through the bushes, advancing in a straight line, and clearing -obstacles, without thinking of turning them. - -We have said that White Scalper, no doubt with the intention of causing -the Larch-tree garrison to feel greater security, and persuade them that -all was quiet in camp, had objected to the Apache sentries being -aroused, for he considered their vigilance quite unnecessary,--not -supposing for a moment that the Mexicans would dare to leave their -lines of defence and take the initiative in a sally. The direction the -old man had given to the detachment he guided, by drawing it away from -the approaches of the fortress, had also favoured the Colonel's plans, -which, without that, would have been, in all probability, foiled. - -Still, the Canadian hunter was too prudent and accustomed to the tricks -of Indian war not to assure himself previously that there was no trap to -apprehend. Hence, on arriving about fifteen yards from the breastworks, -he ordered a halt. Then, gliding like a serpent through the shrubs and -dead trees that covered the ground at this spot, he pushed forward a -reconnoissance. Loyal Heart and Black-deer, to whom he had given -detailed instructions how to act before leaving the hacienda, executed -the same manoeuvre. The absence of the scouts was long, or, at least -appeared so to all these men, who were so impatient to bound on the -enemy and begin the the attack. At length Tranquil returned, but he was -anxious and frowning, and a gloomy restlessness seemed to agitate him. -These signs did not escape the Colonel's notice. - -"What is the matter with you?" he asked him. "Are the rebels alarmed? -Have you noticed any signs of agitation in their camp?" - -"No," he replied, with his eyes obstinately fixed before him, as if he -wished to pierce the gloom and read the mysteries it contained. "I have -seen nothing, noticed nothing; the deepest calm, apparently, prevails in -the camp." - -"Apparently, do you say?" - -"Yes; for it is impossible that this calm can be real, for most of the -Texan insurgents are old hunters, accustomed to the rude fatigues of a -desert life. I can just understand that, during the first part of the -night, they might not notice the gross neglect of the Apache sentries; -but what I cannot in any way admit is, that during the whole night not -one of these partisans, to whom prudence is so imperiously recommended, -should have got up to make the rounds and see that all was in order. -Above all, I cannot understand this of the Jaguar--that man of iron, who -never sleeps, and who, though still very young, possesses all the wisdom -and experience which are usually the appanage of men who have passed -middle life." - -"And you conclude from this?" - -"I conclude that we should, perhaps, do better by not continuing this -reconnoissance further, but return at full speed to the hacienda; for, -unless I am greatly mistaken, this gloomy night covers some sinister -mystery which we shall see accomplished ere long, and of which we may -fall the victims, unless we take care." - -"From what you say to me," the Colonel made answer, "I see that you -rather give me the expression of your own personal opinions than the -result of important facts you may have seen during your reconnoissance." - -"That is true, Colonel; but, if you will permit me to speak so, I would -observe that these opinions emanate from a man for whom, thanks to his -experience, the desert possesses no secrets, and whom his presentiments -rarely deceive." - -"Yes, all that is true; and, perhaps, I ought to follow your advice. My -resolution has possibly been premature, but now, unfortunately, it is -too late to recall it. Withdrawing is an impossibility, for that would -prove to my soldiers that I was mistaken, which is not admissible. We -must, at any cost, accept the consequences of our imprudence, and push -on, no matter what happens. Still, we will redouble our prudence, and -try to accomplish our scheme without incurring too great a risk." - -"I am at your orders, Colonel, ready to follow you wherever you may -please to lead me." - -"Forward, then, and may Heaven be favourable to us!" the young officer -said, resolutely. - -The order was whispered along the line, and the soldiers, whom this long -conference had perplexed, and who were afraid they should be obliged to -turn back, received it joyfully, and advanced with renewed ardour. The -ground that separated them from the breastwork was soon covered, and the -entrenchments were escaladed ere a single Apache sentry had given the -alarm. - -Suddenly, from three different points of the camp an immense flame shot -up, and the Mexicans rushed forward, shouting "_Viva Mejico!_" as the -insurgents, who, hardly awake yet, ran hither and thither, not -understanding these flames which surrounded them, and these terrible -yells which sounded in their ears like a funereal knell. - -For nearly an hour the contest was a chaos; smoke and noise covered -everything else. According to the American custom, most of the -insurgents had their wives and children with them: hence, from the first -moment the fight assumed gigantic and terrible proportions. The country -was covered with a confused medley of startled women, who called to -their husbands or brothers, Apache horsemen galloping among the -terrified foot soldiers and overthrown tents, from which rose the cries -of children and the groans of the wounded. All around the camp an -immense line of smoke bordered the flames kindled by the Mexicans, who -bounded forward like wild beasts, uttering fearful yells. All these -united sounds formed a chorus of inexpressible horror, whose echo -extended to the extreme verge of the horizon as sad and mournful as that -of the rising tide. Such are the fearful results of civil wars: they let -loose and aggravate all the evil passions of man; the latter forget -every human feeling in the hope of attaining the object they desire, and -incessantly push onward, not caring whether they stumble over ruins or -wade through blood. - -Still, when the first feeling of surprise had passed, the insurgents -began gradually rallying, in spite of the incessant efforts of the -Mexicans, and the resistance was organized to a certain extent. Colonel -Melendez had gained his object, the success of his plan was complete, -the losses of the Texans in men and ammunition were immense; he did not -wish, with the few troops he had under him, to advance further into a -blazing camp, where they walked under a vault of flames, running the -risk of being struck at each moment by the ruins of the powder -magazines, which exploded one after the other with a terrible noise. - -The Colonel took a triumphant glance at the ruins piled up around him, -and then ordered the retreat to be sounded. The Mexicans had allowed -their ardour to carry them in every direction; some, in spite of the -repeated warnings of their Chief, were already too far off for it to be -possible for them to fall in directly. These must be waited for, -therefore. - -The three detachments formed in a semicircle, firing on the insurgents, -who profited by the moment of respite chance afforded them to become -constantly more numerous. They then noticed the small strength of their -assailants, and rushed resolutely upon them. The Mexicans, now united, -wished to effect their retreat, but at each instant their position -became more difficult, and threatened to become even critical. The -Texans, who were still the more numerous, with rage in their hearts at -having allowed themselves to be thus surprised, and burning for -vengeance, vigorously pressed the Mexicans, who, compelled to retreat -inch by inch, and keep a front constantly to the enemy, were on the -point of being outflanked, in spite of the heroic resistance they -opposed to the assailants. - -Colonel Melendez, seeing the danger of the position, collected forty -resolute men, and placing himself at their head, rushed on the -insurgents with an irresistible impetuosity. The latter, surprised in -their turn by this vigorous attack, which they were far from expecting, -recoiled, and at length fell back some hundred yards to reform, closely -pursued by the Colonel. - -This lucky diversion gave the main body of the Mexicans time to gain -ground, and when the Texans returned to the charge with fresh ardour, -the propitious moment had passed, and the Mexicans were definitively -protected from any assault. - -"_Viva Dios!_" the Colonel said, as he rejoined his company; "the affair -was hot, but the advantage remains with us." - -"I did not see the Jaguar during the whole action," the Canadian -muttered. - -"That is true," the young man replied, "and is most strange." - -"His absence alarms me," the hunter said sadly; "I should have preferred -his being there." - -"Where can he be?" the Colonel remarked, suddenly turning thoughtful. - -"Perhaps we shall learn only too soon," the Canadian replied with a -shake of the head, foreboding misfortune. - -All at once, and as if chance had wished to justify the hunter's sad -forebodings, an immense noise was heard in the hacienda, amid which -could be distinguished cries of distress, and a well-sustained musketry -fire. Then, a sinister glare rose above the Larch-tree, which it -coloured with the hues of fire. - -"Forward! Forward!" the Colonel cried; "The enemy have got into the -fort!" - -At the first glance, the young officer understood what had taken place, -and the truth at once struck his mind. All rushed toward the hacienda, -inside which an obstinate contest seemed to be raging. They soon reached -the gates, which, fortunately for them, still remained in the hands of -their comrades, and rushed into the patio, where a horrible spectacle -offered itself to their sight. This is what had happened. - -At the moment when White Scalper prepared to break in the door with the -lever, the clamour made by the Mexicans in firing the camp, reached the -ears of the Texans assembled in the grotto. - -"_Rayo de Dios!_" the Jaguar shouted; "What is the meaning of that?" - -"Probably the Mexicans are attacking your camp," the old man quietly -answered. - -The young Chief gave him an ugly look. - -"We are betrayed," said John Davis, as he cocked a pistol, and pointed -it at the old man. - -"I am beginning to believe it," the Jaguar muttered, all his suspicions -coming back. - -"By whom?" the White Scalper asked with a smile of contempt. - -"By you, you villain!" the American answered roughly. - -"You are mad," the old man said with a disdainful shrug of his -shoulders; "if I had betrayed you, should I have led you here?" - -"That is true," said the Jaguar; "but it is strange, and the noise is -unceasing. The Mexicans are doubtless massacring our companions; we -cannot abandon them thus, but must hurry to their assistance." - -"Do nothing of the sort," the Scalper sharply exclaimed. "Hasten, on the -contrary, to invade the fortress, which I doubt not is abandoned by the -greater part of its defenders; your companions, so soon as they have -rallied, will be strong enough to repulse their assailants." - -The Jaguar hesitated. - -"What is to be done?" he muttered with an undecided air, as he bent an -enquiring glance on the men as they passed round him. - -"Act without loss of a moment," the old man eagerly exclaimed, and with -a vigorously dealt stroke he broke in the door, which fell in splinters -to the ground; "here is the way open, will you recoil?" - -"No! No!" they shouted impetuously, and rushed into the gaping vault -before them. - -This vault formed a passage wide enough for four persons to march -abreast, and of sufficient height for them not to be obliged to stoop; -it rose with a gentle incline, and resembled a species of labyrinth, -owing to the constant turns it took. The darkness was complete, but the -impulse had been given, and no other noise was audible save that of the -panting breathing of these men, and their hurried footsteps, which -sounded hollow on the damp ground they trod. After a twenty minutes' -march, which seemed to last an age, the Scalper's voice rose in the -gloom, and uttered the single word, "Halt!" All stopped. - -"Here we shall have to make our final arrangements," the Scalper -continued; "but in the first place let me procure you a light, so that -you may know exactly where you are." - -The old man, who seemed gifted with the precious privilege of seeing in -the darkness, walked about for some minutes in various directions, -doubtless collecting the ingredients necessary for the fire he wished to -kindle; then he struck a light, lit a piece of tinder, and almost -immediately a brilliant flame seemed to leap forth from the ground, and -illumined objects sufficiently for them to be distinguished. The Scalper -had simply lighted a fire of dry wood, probably prepared beforehand. - -The Texans looked curiously around them, so soon as their eyes, at first -dazzled by the bright flames of the fire, had grown accustomed to the -light. They found themselves in a very large, almost circular vault, -somewhat resembling a crypt; the walls were lofty, and the roof was -rounded in the shape of a dome. The ground was composed of a very fine -dry sand, as yellow as gold. This room seemed cut out of the rock, for -no sign of masonry was visible. - -In the background, a staircase of some twenty steps, wide, and without -bannister, mounted to the roof, where it terminated, and it was -impossible to distinguish whether there were any trapdoor or opening. -This trap doubtless existed, but time had covered its openings with the -impalpable dust, which it incessantly wears off even the hardest -granite. After attentively examining the vault by the aid of a blazing -log, the Jaguar returned to the old man, who had remained by the fire. - -"Where are we?" he asked him. Each curiously extended his ear to hear -the Scalper's answer. - -"We are," he said, "exactly under the patio of the hacienda; this -staircase ends in an opening I will point out to you, and which leads -into a long-deserted corral, in which, if I am not mistaken, the wood -stores of the hacienda are now kept." - -"Good," the Jaguar answered; "but before venturing into what may be an -adroitly laid trap, I should like, myself, to visit the corral of which -you speak, in order to see with my own eyes, and assure myself that -things are really as you say." - -"I ask nothing better than to lead you to it." - -"Thank you; but I do not see exactly how we shall manage to open the -passage of which you speak, without making a noise, which will -immediately bring down on us the whole of the garrison, of which I am -excessively afraid, as we are not at all conveniently situated for -fighting." - -"That need not trouble you; I pledge myself to open the trap without -making the slightest noise." - -"That is better; but come, time presses." - -"That is true. Come." - -The two men then proceeded to the flight of stairs. On reaching the top, -the White Scalper thrust his head against the ceiling, and after several -attempts a slab slowly rose, turned over, and fell noiselessly on its -side, leaving a passage large enough for two men to pass together. White -Scalper passed through this opening. With one bound the Jaguar stood by -his side, pistol in hand, ready to blow out his brains at the first -suspicious movement. But he soon perceived that the old man had no -intention of betraying him, and, ashamed at the suspicion he had -evidenced, he hid his weapon. - -As the Scalper had stated, they found themselves in an abandoned -corral--a sort of vast stall, open to the sky, in which the Americans -keep their horses; but this one was quite empty. The Jaguar went up to a -door behind which he heard the sound of footsteps and the clanking of -arms, and assured himself that nothing was more easy than to burst this -door open. - -"Good," he muttered; "you have kept your word; thank you." - -The Scalper did not seem to hear him; his eyes were fixed on the door -with a strange intensity, and his limbs trembled, as if he had been -attacked by ague. Without attempting to discover the cause of his old -comrade's extraordinary emotion, the Jaguar ran to the opening, over -which he bent down. John Davis was standing on the top step. - -"Well?" he asked. - -"All goes well. Come up, but do not make any noise." - -The four hundred Texans then rose one after the other from the vault. -Each, as he came out of the trap, silently fell in. When all had entered -the corral, the Jaguar returned the slab to its place. Then, returning -to his comrades, said in a low but perfectly distinct voice: - -"Our retreat is now cut off; we must either conquer or die." - -The insurgents made no reply; but their eyes flashed such fire, that the -Jaguar comprehended that they would not give way an inch. It was a -moment of terrible suspense while White Scalper was forcing the door. - -"Forward!" the Jaguar shouted. - -All his comrades rushed after him with the irresistible force of a -torrent that is bursting its dykes. - -Very different from the Texans, whose camp had so easily been invaded, -the Mexicans were not asleep, but perfectly awake. By orders of the -Commandant, so soon as he had left the hacienda the whole garrison got -under arms, and fell in the patio, ready, if need was, to go immediately -to the aid of the expeditionary corps, still, they were so far from -expecting an attack, especially in this manner, that the sudden -apparition of this band of demons, who seemed to have ascended from the -infernal regions, caused them extraordinary surprise and terror, and -during some time there was an inextricable confusion. - -The Texans, skilfully profiting by the terror their presence caused, -redoubled their efforts to render it impossible for their enemies to -offer any lengthened resistance. But, shut up as they were in a court -without an outlet, the very impossibility of flight gave the Mexicans -the necessary courage to rally and fight courageously. Collected round -their officers, who encouraged them by voice and example, they resolved -to do their duty manly, and the combat began again with fresh obstinacy. - -It was at this moment that Colonel Melendez and the soldiers who -followed him burst into the patio, and by their presence were on the -point of restoring to their party the victory which was slipping from -them. Unfortunately, this success arrived too late: the Mexicans, -surrounded by the Texans, were compelled, after a desperate resistance -and prodigies of valour, to lay down their arms, and surrender at -discretion. - -For the second time Don Juan Melendez was prisoner to the Jaguar. As on -the first occasion, he was compelled to break his sword, conquered by -fatality rather than by his fortunate enemy. - -The first care of the Jaguar, so soon as he was master of the fort, was -to give strict orders that the females should not be insulted. The -conditions imposed on the conquered by the Chief of the Texan army were -the same as he had offered them at the outset. The Mexicans, persuaded -that the Texans were no more than half savage men, were agreeably -surprised at this lenity, which they were far from expecting, and -pledged themselves without hesitation to observe scrupulously the -conditions of the capitulation. The Mexican garrison was to leave the -hacienda at daybreak. - -The preliminaries of the surrender had scarce been agreed on between the -two leaders ere piercing cries were suddenly heard from the building -occupied by the women. Almost immediately the White Scalper, who had -been lost out of sight during the excitement of the combat, emerged from -these buildings bearing across his shoulders a woman whose long hair -trailed on the ground. The old man's eyes flashed, and foam came from -his mouth. In his right hand he brandished his rifle, which he held by -the barrel, and fell back step by step, like a tiger at bay, before -those who tried in vain to bar his passage. - -"My daughter!" Tranquil shrieked, as he rushed toward him. - -He had recognised Carmela; the poor child had fainted, and seemed dead. -The Colonel and the Jaguar had also recognised the maiden, and by a -common impulse hurried to her aid. - -The White Scalper, recoiling step by step before the cloud of enemies -that surrounded him, did not reply a word to the insults poured upon -him. He laughed a dry and sharp laugh, and whenever an assailant came -too near him, he raised his terrible club, and the imprudent man rolled -with a fractured skull on the ground. - -The hunters and the two young men, recognising the impossibility of -striking this man without running the risk of wounding her they wished -to save, contented themselves with gradually contracting the circle -round him, so as to drive him into a corner of the court, where they -would be enabled to seize him. But the ferocious old man foiled their -calculations; he suddenly bounded forward, overthrew those who opposed -his passage, and climbed with headlong speed up the steps leading to the -platform. On reaching the latter, he turned once again to his startled -enemies, burst into a hoarse laugh, and leaped over the breastwork into -the river, bearing with him the young girl, of whom he had not loosed -his hold. - -When the witnesses of this extraordinary act of folly had recovered from -the stupor into which it threw them, and rushed on the platform, their -anxious glances in vain interrogated the river--the waters had reassumed -their ordinary limpidness. White Scalper had disappeared with the -unhappy victim whom he had so audaciously carried off. To accomplish -this unheard-of ravishment he had surrendered the Larch-tree hacienda to -the Texan army. What motive had impelled the strange man to this -unqualifiable action? The impenetrable mystery that enveloped his life -rendered any supposition impossible. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -THE CONSPIRATORS. - - -More fortunate than dramatic authors, the romancers, being bound by no -rules of time and place, can, at their pleasure, transport their action -and characters from one country to another, and then return to their -starting point, not having any account to give of the time that has -elapsed, or of the space they have traversed. Employing in our turn this -privilege, we will momentarily quit the Indian border, on the skirt of -which our story has hitherto passed, and crossing at a leap over about -two hundred miles, beg the reader to follow us to Galveston, in the -centre of Texas, four months after the events we chronicled in our last -chapter. - -At the period when our story is laid, that city, in which General -Lallemand wished to found the _Champ d'Asyle_--that sublime Utopia of a -noble and broken heart--was far from that commercial prosperity which -the progress of civilization, successive immigrations, and, most of all, -the speculations of bold capitalists, have caused it to attain during -the last few years. We shall therefore describe it such as it was during -our stay in America, leaving out of sight the enormous transformations -it has since undergone. - -Galveston is built on the small sandy islet of St. Louis, which almost -closes up the mouth of the Rio Trinidad. At that time the houses were -low, mostly built of wood, and surrounded by gardens planted with -fragrant trees, which impregnated the atmosphere with delicious odours. - -Unfortunately there is one thing that cannot alter--the climate and the -nature of the soil. The suffocating heat that almost continually -prevails in the town corrodes the earth and changes it into an -impalpable dust, in which you sink up to the knees, and which, at the -least breath of air, penetrates into the eyes, mouth, and nostrils; -myriads of mosquitoes, whose stings are extremely painful; and, above -all, the bad quality of the water, which the inhabitants collect with -great difficulty in plank reservoirs during the rainy season, and which -the sun renders boiling--these grievous occurrences, especially for -Europeans, render a residence at Galveston insupportable, and even most -dangerous. - -The Texans themselves so greatly fear the deadly influence of this -climate that, during the torrid heat of summer, rich persons emigrate by -hundreds to the mainland, so that the town, which becomes almost -suddenly deserted by this momentary departure, assumes a look of sad -desolation which is painful to behold. - -About four in the afternoon, at the moment when the rising sea breeze -began to refresh the atmosphere, a little Indian canoe, made of beech -bark, left the mainland, and vigorously impelled by two men supplied -with wide sculls, proceeded toward the city and pulled alongside the -plank quay, which served at that time as the landing place. So soon as -the canoe was stationary, a third person, carelessly reclining in the -stern sheets, rose, looked round him as if to recognise the spot where -he was; then, taking a spring, he landed on the quay. The canoe -immediately turned round, though not a syllable had been exchanged -between the scullers and the passenger they had brought. - -The latter then pulled his hat over his eyes, wrapped himself carefully -in the folds of a wide zarapé of Indian fabric and striking colour, and -proceeded hastily towards the centre of the city. After a walk of a few -minutes the stranger stopped in front of a house, whose comfortable -appearance and well-tended garden showed that it belonged to a person -who, if not rich, was in easy circumstances. The door was ajar; the -stranger pushed it, entered, and closed it after him; then, without any -hesitation, like a man sure of what he was about, he crossed the garden, -in which he met nobody, entered the passage of the house, turned to the -right, and found himself in a room modestly, though comfortably -furnished. - -On reaching this room the stranger fell into a butaca with the air of a -tired man delighted to rest after a long journey, took off his zarapé, -which he placed on the equipal, threw his hat upon it, and then, when he -had made himself comfortable, he rolled a husk cigarette, struck a light -with a gold mechero he took from his pocket, lit his papelito, and was -soon surrounded by a dense cloud of bluish and fragant smoke, which rose -above his head and formed a species of halo. - -The stranger threw his body back, half closed his eyes, and fell into -that gentle ecstasy which the Italians call the _dolce far niente_, the -Turks, _kief_, and for which we northerns, with our more powerful -constitutions, have found no name, for the simple reason that we do not -know it. - -The stranger had reached about the half of his second cigarette when -another person entered the room. This man, who did not appear to take -the slightest notice of the previous arrival, behaved, however, -precisely as he had done: he also took off his zarapé, reclined on a -butaca, and lit up a cigarette. Presently the garden sand creaked -beneath the footsteps of a third visitor, followed immediately by a -fourth, and then by a fifth; in short, at the end of an hour twenty -persons were assembled in this room. They all smoked with apparent -carelessness, and since their arrival had not exchanged a syllable. - -Six o'clock struck from a clock standing on a sideboard. The last stroke -of the hour had scarce ceased vibrating ere the company, as if by common -agreement, threw away their cigars, and rose with a vivacity that -certainly was little to be expected after their previous carelessness. -At the same moment a secret door opened in the wall, and a man appeared -on the threshold. - -This man was tall, elegant, and aristocratic, and appeared to be young. -A half-mask of velvet concealed the upper part of his face; as for his -attire, it was exactly similar to that of the other persons in the room, -but a brace of long pistols and a dagger were passed through the girdle -of red China crape which was wound tightly round his waist. At the -appearance of the stranger a quiver ran, like an electric current, -through the lines of visitors. The masked man, with head erect, arms -crossed on his chest, and body haughtily thrown back, gave his audience -a glance, which could be seen flashing through the holes in the velvet. - -"It is well," he at length said, in a sonorous voice; "you are faithful -to your promise, Caballeros, not one of you have kept us waiting. This -is the eighth time I have assembled you during the month, and each time -I have found you equally prompt and faithful; thanks, in the name of the -country, Caballeros." - -His auditors bowed silently, and the stranger continued, after a slight -pause-- - -"Time presses, gentlemen; the situation is growing with each moment more -serious; today we have no longer to attempt an adventurous stroke; the -hour has arrived to stake our heads resolutely in a glorious and -decisive game. Are you ready?" - -"We are," they all answered unanimously. - -"Reflect once more before pledging yourselves further," the Mask -continued, in a thrilling voice: "this time I repeat to you, we shall -take the bull by the horns, and have a hand-to-hand fight with it; of -one hundred chances, ninety-eight are against us." - -"No matter," the person who first entered the room said, haughtily; "if -two chances are left us, they will be sufficient." - -"I expected no less from you, John Davis," the stranger said, "you have -ever been full of devotion and self-denial; but, perhaps, among our -comrades some may not think as you do entirely. I do not regard this as -a crime, for a man may love his country and yet not consent to sacrifice -his life to it without regret; still, I must have perfect confidence in -those who follow me; they and I must have but one heart and one thought. -Let those, then, who feel a repugnance to share in the task we have to -perform tonight withdraw. I know that if prudence urges them to abstain -this time, under circumstances less desperate I should find them ready -to support me." - -There was a lengthened silence, and no one stirred; at length the -stranger said, with an expression of joy which he did not try to -conceal-- - -"Come, I was not mistaken; you are brave fellows." - -John Davis shrugged his shoulders. - -"By heaven!" he said, "The trial was useless; you ought to have known -long ago what we are." - -"Certainly I knew it, but my honour commanded me to act as I have done. -Now, all is said: we shall succeed or perish together." - -"Very good, that is what I call speaking," the ex-slave dealer said, -with a hearty laugh; "the partisans of Santa Anna must have to hold -their own; for, if I am not greatly mistaken, ere long we shall cut them -into stirrup leathers." - -At this moment a shrill whistle, although rather remote, was heard: a -second whistle, still nearer, replied. - -"Gentlemen," the stranger said, "we are warned of the approach of an -enemy; perhaps it is only a false alarm, still the interest of the cause -we defend imperiously ordains prudence. Follow John Davis, while I -receive the troublesome fellow who is intruding on us." - -"Come," said the American. - -The conspirators, for they were no other, displayed some hesitation, for -they felt a repugnance to hide themselves. - -"Leave me," the stranger went on, "you must." - -All bowed and left the room after John Davis by the secret door, which -had offered passage to their Chief, and which closed upon them without -displaying a sign of its existence, as it was so carefully hidden in the -wall. A third whistle, close by, was heard at this moment. - -"Yes, yes," the Chief said, with a smile, "whoever you may be, you can -come now; if you possessed the craft of the opossum and the eyes of the -eagle, I defy you to discover anything suspicious here." - -He took off his mask, concealed his weapons, and lay back in a butaca. -Almost immediately the doors opened, and a man appeared. It was Lanzi, -the half-breed; he was dressed like the sailors of the port, with -canvas trousers drawn in round the hips, a white shirt, with a blue -turned down collar, with a white edging, and a tarpaulin hat. - -"Well," the Chief asked, without turning, "why did you warn us, Lanzi?" - -"It is highly necessary," the other answered. - -"Is it serious, then?" - -"You shall judge for yourself. The governor is coming hither with -several officers and a company of soldiers." - -"General Rubio?" - -"In person." - -"Hang it!" the conspirator said, "Are we threatened with a domiciliary -visit?" - -"You will soon know, for I hear him." - -"Very good; we shall see what they want of us. In the meanwhile take -this mask and these weapons." - -"The weapons too?" the other said in surprise. - -"What shall I do with them? That is not the way in which I must fight -them at this moment. Be off, here they are!" - -The half-breed took the mask and pistols, pressed a spring, and -disappeared through the door. The garden gravel could now be heard -creaking under the footsteps of several persons. At length the door of -the saloon was thrown open, and the General entered, followed by four or -five officers, who, like himself, were in full dress. The General -stopped on the threshold, and took a piercing glance around; the Chief -had risen, and was standing motionless in the centre of the apartment. - -General Rubio was a thorough man of the world. He bowed politely, and -apologized for having thus entered the house without being announced; -but he found all the doors open, and no servant had come up to him. - -"These excuses are useless, Caballero," the young man answered; "the -Mexican government has for a long time accustomed us to its -unceremonious way of behaving toward us; besides, the governor of the -city has the right, I presume, to enter any house when he thinks proper, -and if he does not find the door open, to have it opened, either with a -masterkey or a crowbar." - -"Your remarks, Caballero," the General answered, "breathe an irritation -that must be regretted. The state of effervescence in which Texas is at -this moment would be more than sufficient to justify the unusual step I -am taking with you." - -"I know not to what you are pleased to allude, Seņor General," the young -man remarked, coldly; "it is possible that Texas may be in a state of -effervescence, and the annoyances the government have put on it would -completely justify this; but as concerns myself, personally, I might -perhaps have a right to complain of seeing my house invaded by an armed -force, without any previous summons, when nothing authorizes such an -arbitrary measure." - -"Are you quite sure, Caballero, that I have not the right to act as I am -doing? Do you consider yourself so free from suspicion that you really -consider this measure arbitrary?" - -"I repeat to you, Caballero," the young man continued, haughtily, "that -I do not at all understand the language you do me the honour of -addressing to me. I am a peaceable citizen; nothing in my conduct has, -as far as I know, aroused the jealous solicitude of the government; and -if it pleases its agents to make me undergo ill-deserved annoyance, it -is not in my power to oppose it otherwise than by protesting -energetically against the insult offered me. You have force on your -side, General, so do as you think proper; I am alone here, and shall not -attempt in any way to resist the measures you may think proper to take." - -"That language, Caballero, evidently comes from a man assured of his -safety." - -"You are mistaken, General; it is that of a free man, unjustly -insulted." - -"It may be so, but I shall not discuss the point with you. You will -permit me, however, to remark, that for a man so justly indignant, and -apparently solitary, you are very carefully guarded; for, if the house -be empty, as you state, the environs are guarded by friends of yours, -who, I must allow, perform admirably the commission with which they were -intrusted, by warning you sufficiently early of unexpected visits for -you to take your precautions in consequence, and render it an easy -matter to get rid in a twinkling of persons whose presence here might -compromise you." - -"Instead of speaking thus in enigmas, General, it would be better, -perhaps, to have a clear explanation; then, knowing the charge brought -against me, I might attempt to defend myself." - -"Nothing is more easy, Caballero; still, you will allow me to remark -that we have been talking together for some time, and you have not yet -offered me a chair." - -The young chieftain gave the General an ironical glance. - -"Why should I employ toward you those conventional forms of politeness, -General? From the moment when, without my authority, and against my -will, you introduced yourself into this house, you should have -considered yourself as quite at home. It is I, then, who am the stranger -here, and in that position I am no longer permitted to do the honours of -this house." - -"Caballero," the General answered, with a movement of impatience, "I am -grieved to find in you this stiffness and determination to quarrel. When -I entered this house, my intentions with respect to you were, perhaps, -not so hostile as you suppose; but, since you force me to a clear and -categorical explanation, I am prepared to satisfy you, and prove to you -that I am acquainted not only with your conduct, but with the plans you -entertain and are carrying out, with a tenacity and boldness which, if I -did not take, would lead inevitably to their speedy realization." - -The young man started, and a flash burst from his wild eye at this -direct insinuation, which revealed to him the danger with which he was -menaced; but immediately regaining his presence of mind, and -extinguishing the fire of his glance, he replied, coolly-- - -"I am listening to you, General." - -The latter turned to his officers. - -"Do as I do, seņores," he said, as he sat down; "take seats, as this -caballero refuses to offer them to us. As this friendly conversation may -be prolonged for some time yet, it is unnecessary that you should -fatigue yourselves by listening to it standing." - -The officers bowed, and seated themselves comfortably on the butacas -with which the apartment was furnished. The General continued, after a -few moments of reflection, during which the young man looked at him -carelessly, while rolling a husk cigarette: - -"And in the first place, to proceed regularly, and prove to you that I -am well-informed of all that concerns you," he said, purposely laying a -stress on the words, "I will begin by telling you your name." - -"In truth, General, you should have begun with that," the young man -said, negligently. - -"You are," the General went on, quietly, "the famous Chief whom the -insurgents and Freebooters have christened the Jaguar." - -"Ah, ah!" he remarked, ironically, "So you know that, Seņor Governor?" - -"And a good many more things, as you shall see." - -"Go on," he said, as he threw himself back with the graceful negligence -of a friend on a visit. - -"After giving a powerful organization to your revolt on the Indian -border by seizing the Larch-tree hacienda, and allying yourself with -certain Comanche and Apache tribes, you understood that, to succeed, you -must give up that guerilla warfare, which I confess you had carried on -for some time with considerable success." "Thanks," said the Jaguar, -with an ironical bow. - -"You therefore entrust the temporary command of your bands to one of -your comrades, and yourself come into the heart of Texas, with your most -faithful associates, in order to revolutionize the coast, and deal a -great blow by seizing a seaport. Galveston, by its position at the mouth -of the Trinidad river, is a strategical point of the utmost importance -for your plans. For two months past you have been concealed in this -house, which you have made the headquarters of your insurrection, and -where you are making all the preparations for the audacious enterprise -you wish to attempt. You have at your disposal numerous emissaries and -faithful conspirators; the government of the United States supply you -with abundance of arms and ammunition, which you think you will soon -have need of. Your measures have been so well taken, and your -machinations carried on with such great skill; you fancy yourself so -nearly on the point of success, that hardly an hour back you convened -here the principal members of your party, in order to give them their -final instructions. Is it so? Am I correctly informed? Answer me, -Caballero." - -"What would you have me answer, Caballero," the young man said, with a -delightful smile, "since you know all?" - -"Then, you confess that you are the Jaguar, the Chief of the -Freebooters!" - -"Canarios, I should think so." - -"You also allow that you came here with the intention of seizing the -city?" - -"Incontestably," the other said, with an air of mockery; "it does not -allow the shadow of a doubt." - -"Take care," the General remarked drily; "it is a much more serious -matter than you seem to think." - -"What the deuce would you have me do General? It is not my fault. You -enter my house, without giving me notice, with a crowd of officers and -soldiers; you surround my residence, carry it by storm, and when you -have finished this pretty job worthy of an alguazil, without showing me -the slightest scrap of paper authorising you to act in that way, you -tell me to my face that I am the Chief of the bandits, a conspirator, -and Lord knows what; and then you request me to prove it. On my faith! -Any other in my place would act as I am doing; like me, he would bow to -the weight of so great a military force and such an entire conviction. -All this seems to me so extraordinary and novel, that I am beginning to -doubt my own identity, and I ask myself if I have not been hitherto -deceived in believing myself, Martin Gutierrez, the ranchero of Santa -Aldegonida, in the State of Sonora, and if I am not, on the contrary, -the ferocious Jaguar, of whom you speak to me, and for whom you do me -the honour of taking me. I confess to you, General, that all this -perplexes me in the highest degree, and I should feel greatly obliged if -you would kindly bring me to some settled conviction." - -"Then, Caballero, up to the present you have been jesting!" the General -said hastily. - -The Jaguar began laughing. - -"_Cuerpo de Cristo_," he replied. "I should think so. What else could I -do in the face of such accusations? Discuss them with you? You know as -well as I do, General, that it is useless to attempt to overthrow a -conviction. Instead of telling me that I am the Jaguar, prove it to me, -and then I will bow to the truth. That is very simple, it appears to -me." - -"Very simple, indeed, Caballero; I hope to be able soon to give you that -certainty." - -"Very good; but till then, I would observe that you entered my house in -a way contrary to law, that the domicile of a citizen is inviolable, and -that what you have done today, only a juez de letras, armed with a legal -warrant, was empowered to do." - -"You would possibly be correct, Caballero, if we lived in ordinary -times; but at this moment such is no longer the case; the State is in a -state of siege, the military power has taken the place of the civil -authority, and alone has the right to command and have carried out those -measures that relate to the maintenance of order." - -The young man, while the General was speaking, had taken a side glance -at the clock. When the governor ceased he rose, and bowing -ceremoniously, said: - -"To be brief, be kind enough, then, to explain to me categorically, and -without further circumlocution, the motives for your presence in my -house; we have been talking a long time and I have not yet been able to -read your intentions. I should, therefore, feel obliged by your making -them known to me without delay, as important business claims my presence -abroad; and if you insist on staying here, I shall be compelled to leave -you to yourselves." - -"Oh, oh! You change your tone, I fancy, Caballero," the General said, -with a little irony. "I will tell you the motives you desire to learn; -as for your leaving the house without me or my sanction, which is the -same thing, I fancy you would find it rather difficult." - -"Which means, I presume, that you look upon me as a prisoner, General?" - -"Nearly so, Caballero. When your house has been carefully searched, and -we are convinced there is nothing suspicious in it, I may, perhaps, -permit you to be put aboard a ship which will carry you far away from -the territory of the Mexican Confederation." - -"What! Without a warrant, by your mere will?" - -"By my mere will: yes, Caballero." - -"_Canarios_, Seņor General, I see that your government has preserved the -healthy Spanish traditions, and is deliciously arbitrary," the Jaguar -said, mockingly; "the only question is whether I shall voluntarily -submit to such treatment." - -"You must have already perceived that force is not on your side, at -least for the present." - -"Oh, General, when a man has right on his side, force can soon be -found." - -"Try it, then, Caballero; but I warn you that it will be at your own -risk and peril." - -"Then you will employ force to coerce a single, unarmed man in his own -house?" - -"That is my intention." - -"Oh! If that be so, I thank you, for you leave me free to act." - -"What do you mean by that remark, Caballero?" the General asked, with a -frown. - -"What do you mean by yours, Seņor Governor? I consider that all means -are good to escape an arbitrary arrest, and that I shall employ them -without the slightest hesitation." - -"Try it," the officer said, ironically, - -"When the moment for action arrives, I shall not wait for your -permission to do so, General," the Jaguar replied, with equal sarcasm. - -Although this was the first time General Rubio and the Jaguar had met, -the Governor of Galveston had long been acquainted with the reputation -of the man with whom he had to deal; he knew how fertile in resources -his mind was, and the audacious temerity that formed the basis of his -character; personally he owed him a grudge for carrying off the conducta -de plata, and capturing the Larch-tree, hence he entertained a lively -desire to take an exemplary revenge on his bold adventurer. - -The tone in which the Jaguar uttered the last words caused the General a -moment's anxiety; but after taking a glance round him, he was reassured. -In fact, owing to the precautions taken by the old soldier, it seemed -materially impossible that his prisoner could escape, for he was alone, -unarmed, in a house surrounded by soldiers, and watched by several -resolute officers; he, therefore, regarded his answer as bravado, and -took no further notice of it. - -"I absolve you beforehand," he said disdainfully, "for any efforts you -may make to escape." - -"I thank you, General," the Jaguar answered, with a ceremonious bow. "I -expected nothing else from your courtesy; I make a note of your -promise." - -"Be it so. Now, with your permission we are about to commence our -domiciliary visit." - -"Do so, General, pray do so; if you desire it, I will myself act as your -guide." - -"In my turn I thank you for this obliging offer, but I do not wish to -put your kindness to a trial; the more so, as I am thoroughly acquainted -with this house." - -"Do you think so, General?" - -"Judge for yourself." - -The Jaguar bowed without replying, and carelessly leant his elbow on the -couch upon which the clock stood. - -"We will first begin with this saloon," the General continued. - -"You mean that you will finish with it," the young man remarked, with an -ironical smile. - -"Let us look first at the secret door in that wall." - -"What! You know it then?" - -"It seems so." - -"Hang it all! You are better informed than I supposed." - -"You do not know all yet." - -"I hope so; judging from the commencement, I expect some extraordinary -discoveries." - -"Perhaps so. Will you make the spring work yourself, Caballero, or would -you prefer my doing it?" - -"On my word, General, I confess that all this interests me so hugely -that, until fresh orders, I desire to remain a simple spectator, in -order not to trouble my pleasure." - -This continued irony produced an involuntary impression on the General; -the calm and coldly mocking attitude of the young man troubled him in -his heart; he feared a snare, without knowing when or how it would -reveal itself. - -"Pay attention, Caballero," he said in a menacing tone to the Jaguar; "I -know for a fact that when I arrived you had a large party assembled -here; on my entrance, your comrades fled by that door." - -"That is true," the young man said with a nod of assent. - -"Take care," the General continued, "that if assassins are hidden behind -that door, the blood shed will fall on your head." - -"General," the Jaguar said seriously, "press the spring, the passage is -empty; I require no aid but my own to deliver myself from your clutches -when I think proper." - -The Governor no longer hesitated; he walked resolutely to the wall, and -pressed the spring; his officers had followed him, ready to aid him if -any danger presented itself. The Jaguar did not stir. The door opened, -and displayed a long and completely deserted corridor. - -"Well, General, have I kept my word?" the Jaguar said. - -"Yes, Seņor, I must concede it. Now, Caballeros," the General continued, -addressing his officers, "draw swords, and forward!" - -"One moment, if you please," said the Jaguar. - -"What do you want, Seņor?" - -"You will remember that I warned you you would end your domiciliary -visit with this room?" - -"Well?" - -"I will keep that second promise as I did the first." - -At the same instant, and ere the General and his officers could account -for what was happening, they felt the flooring give way beneath their -feet, and they rolled to the bottom of a vault, of slight depth, it is -true, but buried in the most intense gloom. - -"A pleasant journey!" the Jaguar said with a laugh, as he closed the -trap again. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -THE SPY. - - -While these events were occurring, the sun had set, and night almost -immediately succeeded day. So soon as the Jaguar had closed the trap on -his prisoners, he proceeded toward the masked door to rejoin his -comrades; but a sound of footsteps he heard outside, made him change his -plans; he shut the door again, and returned to his old position to await -the newcomer. The latter did not delay long. Although the night was too -dark to allow the Jaguar to recognise his features, by the sparkling of -his gold lace, and the clank of his spurs and steel scabbard on the -pavement, he saw that he was once more in the presence of a Mexican -officer high in command. At the end of a moment, however, the Jaguar's -eyes, gifted possibly with that precious quality possessed by animals of -the feline race to see through the darkness, appeared to have recognised -the stranger. The young man frowned, and gave a start of -disappointment. - -"Is there no one here?" the officer asked, as he stopped in the doorway -with very excusable hesitation. - -"Who are you, and what do you want?" the Jaguar answered, disguising his -voice. - -"That is a curious question," the officer continued, as he stepped -forward with his hand on his sabre hilt; "first have this room lighted -up, which looks like a cut-throat's den, and then we will talk." - -"It is not necessary for what we have to say to each other, you can -leave your sabre at rest; although this house is dark, it is no -cut-throat den, as you seem to believe." - -"What has become of General Rubio and the officers who accompanied him?" - -"Am I their keeper, Colonel Melendez?" the Jaguar asked in a sarcastic -tone. - -"Who are you, who appear to know me and answer so strangely?" - -"Perhaps a friend, vexed at seeing you here, and who would be glad were -you elsewhere." - -"A friend would not hide himself as you are doing." - -"Why not, if circumstances compel him?" - -"A truce to this exchange of puerile speeches; will you answer my -question, yes or no?" - -"Which question?" - -"The one I asked you about the General." - -"Suppose I refuse?" - -"I shall know how to compel you." - -"That is haughty language, Colonel." - -"Which I shall support by deeds." - -"I do not think so: not that I doubt your courage, Heaven forbid, for I -have long known it." - -"Well! What will prevent me?" - -"You have not the means to carry out your wishes." - -"They are easily found." - -"Try it." - -While speaking, the Colonel had mechanically taken a couple of steps -into the room. - -"I shall soon return," he said, as he laid his hand on the door latch. - -The Jaguar only answered by a hoarse laugh. The door was closed, in vain -did the Colonel try to open it; it resisted all his efforts. - -"I am your prisoner, then?" he said, addressing the young man. - -"Perhaps so; it will depend on yourself." - -"You wish me to fall into the same snare into which the General and his -officers probably fell before me. Try it, Seņor; still I warn you that I -am on my guard, and will defend myself." - -"Your words are harsh, Colonel. You gratuitously insult a man of whom, -up to the present, you have no cause to complain, and whom you will -regret having attacked when you know him." - -"Tell me the fate of my companions, and what your intentions are with -regard to myself." - -"My intentions are better than yours, Colonel; for, if you had me in -your power, as I have you in mine, it is probable that your General, if -not yourself, would make me pay dearly for the imprudence I have -committed; but enough of this, we have lost too much time already. -General Rubio and his officers are my prisoners, and you feel in your -heart that I can do what I please with you; withdraw the soldiers who -surround my house, pledge me your word of honour that no attempt shall -be made on me by the Mexican Government for four-and-twenty hours, and I -will immediately restore you all to liberty." - -"I know not who you are, Seņor; the conditions you wish to impose on me -are those a conqueror would offer to enemies reduced to impotence." - -"What else are you at this moment?" the young man interrupted violently. - -"Be it so; but I cannot take it on myself to accept or decline these -conditions, as the General alone has the right to form a determination -and pledge his word." - -"Then, ask himself what his intentions are, and he will answer you." - -"Is he here, then?" the Colonel exclaimed eagerly, as he moved a step -forward. - -"It is of little consequence to you where he is, provided he hear and -answer you; do not stir from where you are; one step further, and you -are a dead man; what is your resolve?" - -"I accept." - -"In that case speak to him." - -The Jaguar worked the spring that opened the trap, and displayed the -entrance of the vault into which the Mexican officers had been so -suddenly hurled; but the darkness was so intense, that the Colonel could -perceive nothing, in spite of his efforts to try and distinguish a -gleam; he merely heard a slight sound produced by the grating of the -trap in its groove. The Colonel understood that he must get out of the -difficulty as well as he could. - -"General," he said raising his voice, "can you hear me?" - -"Who speaks?" the General answered immediately. - -"I, Colonel Melendez de Gongora." - -"Heaven be praised!" the General shouted; "in that case all goes well." - -"On the contrary, all goes ill." - -"What do you mean?" - -"That, like yourself, I am in the hands of the accursed insurgents who -have captured you." - -"Mil Demonios!" the old soldier shouted angrily. - -"Are you all right?" - -"Bodily, yes; my officers and myself have received no wounds; I must -confess that the demon who played us this trick was so far civil." - -"Thanks, General," the Jaguar said in a tone of mockery. - -"Ah, Salteador," the General exclaimed in a rage; "I swear by Heaven -that we shall settle our accounts some day." - -"I hope so too, General; but for the present, believe me, you had better -listen to what Colonel Melendez has to say to you." - -"I suppose I must," the Governor muttered. "Speak, Colonel," he added -aloud. - -"General, we are offered our liberty on condition," the Colonel -immediately replied, "that we pledge our word of honour to attempt -nothing against the man whose prisoner we are." - -"Or against his adherents, whoever they may be," the Jaguar interrupted. - -"Be it so, or against his adherents, during the next twenty-four hours, -and that the house shall be left free." - -"Hum:" said the General, "that requires reflection." - -"I give you five minutes." - -"Demonios! That is very short; you are not at all generous." - -"It is impossible for me to grant a longer period." - -"And suppose I refuse?" - -"You will not do so," - -"For what reason?" - -"Because you are furious with me, and hope to avenge yourself some day." - -"Excellently reasoned; but supposing I _do_ refuse?" - -"In that case, I will treat you and yours exactly as you intended to -treat me and mine." - -"That is to say?" - -"You will be all shot within a quarter of an hour." - -There was a mournful silence. No other sound could be heard but the dry -and monotonous one produced by the escapement of the clock. These men, -collected without seeing each other, in so narrow a space, felt their -hearts beat as if to burst their chests; they trembled with impotent -rage, for they recognised that they were really in the hands of an -implacable foe, against whom any struggle was mad, if not impossible. - -"Viva Dios!" the Colonel shouted; "better to die than surrender thus!" - -And he rushed forward with uplifted sabre. Suddenly a hand of iron -clutched him, threw him down, and he felt the point of his own sword, -which he had let fall, slightly prick his throat. - -"Surrender, or you are a dead man," a rough voice shouted in his ear. - -"No; mil Demonios!" the Colonel said, furiously; "I will not surrender -to a bandit; kill me." - -"Stop," the Jaguar said, "I insist." - -The man who held the Colonel down left him at liberty, and the latter -rose, ashamed and partly stunned. - -"Well," the young man continued, "do you accept, General?" - -"Yes, demon," the latter replied passionately; "but I shall revenge -myself." - -"Then, you give me your word as a soldier that the conditions I impose -on you will be legally carried out by you?" - -"I give it; but who guarantees me that you will act honourably on your -side?" - -"My honour, Seņor General," the Jaguar answered, proudly; "my honour, -which, as you know, is as unsullied as your own." - -"Very good, Seņor, I trust to you as you do to me. Must we surrender our -swords?" - -"General," the Jaguar answered nobly, "a brave soldier never separates -from his weapons; I should blush to deprive you of yours. Your -companions, like yourself, can keep their swords." - -"Thanks for that courtesy, Caballero, for it proves to me that every -good feeling is not dead in your heart. Now I am waiting for you to -supply me with the means for leaving the place into which you made me -fall so skilfully." - -"You shall be satisfied, Seņor General. As for you, Colonel, you can -retire, for the door is now open." - -"Not before I have seen you," the officer answered. - -"What good would that do, since you have not recognised me?" the young -man said, reassuming his natural voice. - -"The Jaguar!" the Colonel ejaculated in surprise. - -"Ah! I might have expected that; I shall certainly remain now," he -added, with a singular inflection in his voice. - -"Very good," said the Chief, "remain." - -He clapped his hands, and four peons entered with lighted candelabra. So -soon as the saloon was lit up, the young officer perceived the General -and his aides-de-camp standing up in the vault. A criado brought a -ladder to the trap, and the Mexicans ascended--half-pleased, -half-ashamed. - -"Gentlemen," the insurgent continued, "you are free. Any other in my -place would, doubtless, have profited by the bad position in which you -were, to impose on you conditions far harder than those I demanded of -you; but I only understand a fair fight, steel against steel, chest -against chest. Go in peace, but take care, for hostilities have begun -between us, and the war will be rude." - -"One word before separating," said the General. - -"I listen, Caballero." - -"Whatever may be the circumstances under which we may meet at a later -date, I shall not forget your conduct of this day." - -"I dispense you from any gratitude on that account, General; the more -so, because if I acted thus it was for reasons entirely strange to you." - -"Whatever be the motive of your conduct, my honour urges me to remember -your conduct." - -"As you please; I only ask you to remember our conditions." - -"They shall be punctually carried out." - -The Jaguar, upon this, bowed to the General; the latter returned his -salute, and, making a sign to his officers to follow him, left the -room. The young Chief listened attentively to the sound of the retiring -footsteps, and then drew himself up. - -"What!" he exclaimed with surprise, on perceiving the Colonel, "are you -still here, Seņor Don Juan?" - -"Yes, brother," the latter answered, in a sad voice, "I am still here." - -The Jaguar walked rapidly up to him, and took his hand. - -"What have you to say to me, brother?--have you a fresh misfortune to -announce?" - -"Alas, friend, what greater misfortune could I tell you of than that -which, by ruining our dearest hopes, has plunged us into despair?" - -"Have you received news of our friends?" - -"None." - -"Tranquil?" - -"I know not what has become of him." - -"Loyal Heart?" - -"Has also disappeared." - -"Listen, brother, this situation cannot endure long; whatever happens, -it must cease. Time fails me at this moment to explain to you certain -matters you ought to know; but we will meet tomorrow." - -"Where, and at what hour?" - -"At the Salto del Frayle, at two in the afternoon." - -"Why so far and so late, brother?" - -"Because between this and then something will happen, which I cannot -tell you at present, but which will doubtless oblige me to cross the bay -and seek shelter on the mainland." - -"I have no right to ask you for an explanation, brother; but take care. -Whatever you may attempt, you will have to deal with a rude adversary; -the General is furious against you; he has his revenge to take; and if -you furnish him with the opportunity, he will not let it slip." - -"I am convinced of it, friend, but the die is cast; unfortunately, we -follow different roads. Heaven will help the good cause. Your hand once -more, and good-bye." - -"Good-bye, brother, and it is settled that we meet tomorrow." - -"Death alone can prevent me being at the place of meeting I have -selected." - -The two political enemies, so cordially attached, shook hands and -separated. The Colonel wrapped himself in his cloak, and immediately -left the room and the house. The General, as he went away, had given the -company posted round the mansion orders to follow him, and the street -was completely deserted. The Jaguar was so intimately convinced of the -fidelity with which General Rubio would fulfil his engagements, that he -did not even take the trouble to assure himself of the fact. - -So soon as he was alone he closed the trapdoor, touched the spring of -the secret door, and left the saloon in his turn, to enter the dark -corridor through which, on the General's entrance, his friends had -disappeared at the heels of John Davis. This passage, after several -turnings, opened into a rather large room, in which all the conspirators -were assembled, silent and gloomy, waiting, with their hands on their -weapons, till the Chief claimed their assistance. - -Lanzi was standing sentry in the doorway, to prevent any surprise: the -Jaguar resumed his mask, thrust his pistols in his girdle, and entered. -On seeing him, the conspirators gave a start of joy, which was -immediately suppressed, however, at a signal from the young man. - -"My comrades," he said, in a saddened voice, "I have evil tidings to -communicate to you. Had not my measures been so well taken, we should -all have been prisoners at this moment. A traitor has slipped in among -us, and this man has given the Governor the most detailed and positive -information about our projects. A miracle has alone saved us." - -A shudder of indignation ran through the ranks of the conspirators; by -an instinctive movement they separated, giving each other sinister -glances, and laying their hands on their weapons. The vast hall, only -lighted by a smoky lamp, whose reddish light threw strange reflections -at each breath of air on the energetic faces of the conspirators, had a -mournful, and yet striking aspect. After a moment's silence the Chief -went on, in a firm and marked voice-- - -"What matter, comrades, if a cowardly spy has stepped in among us; the -hour of fear and hesitation has passed away, and we shall now go to work -in the sight of all. No more secret meetings, no more masks," he added, -violently tearing off his own and trampling it under foot; "our enemies -must know us at length, and learn that we are really the apostles of -that liberty which is about to gleam like a brilliant beacon over our -country." - -"Long live the Jaguar!" the conspirators shouted as they rushed joyfully -towards him. - -"Yes, the Jaguar," he continued in a thundering voice, "the Chief of the -Freebooters, the first man in Texas who dared to rise against our -oppressors; the Jaguar, who has sworn to make you free, and who will -keep his oath, unless death prevent him; now let the coward who has sold -us complete his work by revealing my name to the Governor, who has -already almost divined it, and will be happy to acquire the certainty at -last. This final denunciation will assuredly be paid highly, but he must -make haste, for tomorrow will be too late." - -At this moment a man burst through the conspirators, thrusting back -right and left those who barred his passage, and placed himself opposite -the young Chief. - -"Listen," he said, turning to his comrades, "and let what you are about -to hear form a profitable lesson to you:--The man who revealed the -secret of your meetings to the Governor, the man who sold you, the man, -in a word, who wished to give you up, I know!" - -"His name, his name!" all the conspirators shouted, brandishing their -weapons passionately. - -"Silence!" the Jaguar ordered, "allow our comrade to speak." - -"Do not give me that name, Jaguar, for I am not your comrade, and never -was such. I am your enemy, not your personal enemy, for I do not know -you; but the enemy of every man who tries to tear from the Mexican -Republic that Texas where I was born, and which is the most brilliant -gem of the union. It was I, I alone who sold you, I, Lopez Hidalgo -D'Avila, but not in the cowardly way you suppose, for when the moment -arrived for me to make myself known to you, I had sworn to do so; now -you know all, and I am in your power. There are my weapons," he added, -as he threw them disdainfully on the ground; "I shall not resist, and -you can do with me as you please." - -After uttering these words with a haughty accent impossible to render, -Don Lopez Hidalgo proudly crossed his arms on his chest, drew up his -head, and waited. The conspirators had listened to this strange -revelation with an indignation and rage that attained such a pitch of -violence that their will was, so to speak, paralyzed, and in spite of -themselves they remained motionless. But so soon as Don Lopez had -finished speaking, their feelings suddenly burst out, and they rushed -upon him with tiger yells. - -"Stay, stay!" the Jaguar shouted, as he rushed forward and made of his -own person a rampart for the man on whom twenty daggers were lifted; -"Stay, brothers; as this man has said, he is in our power, and cannot -escape us; although his blood be that of a traitor, let us not commit an -assassination, but try him." - -"Yes, yes," the conspirators yelled, "let us try him." - -"Silence," the Jaguar ordered, and then turning to Don Lopez Hidalgo, -who during their proceedings had remained as calm and quiet as if he -were a stranger to what was going on; "will you answer frankly the -questions I ask you?" he inquired. - -"Yes," Don Lopez simply replied. - -"Was it pure love of your country, as you call it, that urged you to -pretend to be one of us in order to betray us more securely, or was it -not rather the hope of a rich reward that impelled you to the infamous -action of which you have been guilty?" - -The Mexican shrugged his shoulders with disdain. - -"I am as rich as the whole of you put together," he replied; "who does -not know the wealthy Don Lopez Hidalgo d'Avila?" - -"That is true," one of the company remarked; "this man, I am bound to -allow, for I have been acquainted with him for many years, does not -know the amount of his fortune." - -The Jaguar's forehead was wrinkled by the effect of a little thought. - -"Then, that noble and revered feeling, the love of one's country, -instead of elevating your soul and making generous feeling spring up in -it," he continued, "has made you a coward. Instead of fighting honestly -and loyally in the daylight against us, you followed the gloomy path of -espial to betray us, and assumed the mask of friendship to sell us." - -"I only picked up the weapon yourselves offered me. Did you fight, pray, -in the open day? No, you conspired craftily in the darkness; like the -mole, you dug the underground mine that was to swallow us up, and I -countermined you. But what use is discussion? for you will no more -comprehend my assertions than I can yours. Now to the business, for I am -convinced that is the only point on which we shall agree." - -"One moment, Don Lopez; explain to me the reason why, when no suspicion -pointed to you, when no one thought of asking you to account for your -actions, you denounced yourself and trusted to our mercy:" - -"Although unseen, I overheard what passed between you and your -Governor," the Mexican coldly answered; "I saw in what way the perilous -position in which I had succeeded in placing you turned to your -advantage; I understood that all was lost, and did not wish to survive -our defeat." - -"Then you know the conditions I imposed on General Rubio?" - -"And which he was constrained to accept. Yes, I know them; I am aware, -also, that you are too clever and determined a man not to profit by the -twenty-four hours' respite which you have so adroitly gained; then I -despaired of the cause I was defending." - -"Good! Don Lopez, that is all I wished to know. When you entered our -association you accepted all the laws?" - -"I did so." - -"You are aware that you have deserved death?" - -"I know it and desire it." - -The Jaguar turned to the conspirators, who had listened, panting with -fury and impatience, to this singular dialogue. - -"Brothers," he said, "you have heard all that passed between Don Lopez -Hidalgo d'Avila and myself?" - -"Yes," they answered. - -"On your soul and conscience, is this man guilty?" - -"He is guilty," they burst forth. - -"What punishment does he deserve?" - -"Death!" - -"You hear, Don Lopez; your brethren condemn you to die." - -"I thank them; that favour is the only one I hoped and desired to -receive from them." - -There was a moment of supreme silence; all eyes were fixed on the -Jaguar, who, with his head hanging on his breast, and frowning brows, -seemed plunged in serious thought. Suddenly the young man raised his -head; a lightning glance flashed from his eyes, a strange smile curled -his lip, and he said, with a tone of bitter irony-- - -"Your brethren have condemned you to die; well, I, their Chief, condemn -you to live!" - -Don Lopez, despite all his courage, felt himself turn pale at these -cutting words; he instinctively stooped to pick up the weapons he had -previously hurled at his feet; but the Jaguar guessed his thoughts. - -"Seize that man!" he shouted. - -John Davis and two or three other conspirators rushed on the Mexican, -and, in spite of his active resistance, soon rendered him powerless. - -"Bind him," the Jaguar next ordered. - -This command was immediately carried out. - -"Now, listen to me, brothers," the Jaguar continued, in a loud -voice--"the task we have taken on ourselves is immense, and studded with -perils and difficulties of every description; we are no longer men but -lions, and those who fall into our power must eternally bear the mark of -our powerful claws. What this man has done for an object honourable in -his eyes, another might be tempted to do to satisfy a sordid passion. -Death is only the end of life, a moment to endure; many men desire it, -through weariness or disgust. Don Lopez has himself told us that he -wished to give us a profitable lesson; and he is not mistaken, for we -shall profit by it. In killing him we should but accomplish his dearest -wish, as himself said: let him live, as we desire to punish him, but let -that life he retains be such a burden to him, and so miserable, that he -may for ever regret not having fallen beneath our daggers; this man is -young, handsome, rich, and honoured by his fellow citizens; let us -deprive him, not of his riches, for that is not in our power, but of his -beauty, that flower of youth of which he is so proud, and make him the -most wretched and despicable being in creation. In that way our -vengeance will be complete; we shall have attained our object by -imprinting a just terror on the hearts of those who may be tempted -hereafter to follow his example." - -The conspirators, despite all their resolution and ferocity, experienced -a secret terror on hearing the savage words of their chief, whose gloomy -countenance reflected a terrible energy. - -"Don Lopez Hidalgo d'Avila," the Jaguar continued, in a hollow voice, -"traitor to your brothers, your false tongue will be plucked out and -your ears cut off. Such is the sentence which I, the Chief of the -Freebooters, pass on you; and in order that everybody may know that you -are a traitor, a T will be cut on your forehead between your eyebrows." - -This sentence caused a momentary stupor among the company; but soon a -tiger-like yell burst from all their panting chests, and it was with a -tremor of ferocious joy that these men prepared to carry out the -atrocious sentence pronounced by their Chief. The prisoner struggled in -vain to burst the bonds that held him. In vain he demanded death with -loud cries. As the Jaguar had said, the lion's paw was on him; the -conspirators were inexorable, and the sentence was carried, out in all -its rigour. - -An hour later, Don Lopez Hidalgo d'Avila, bleeding and mutilated, was -deposited at the door of the Governor's palace. On his chest was -fastened a large placard, on which were written in blood the two words: - -COBARDE! TRAIDOR! - -After this fearful execution, the conspirators continued their meeting -as if nothing extraordinary had interrupted them. But the Jaguar's -revenge was foiled--at least partially; for when the unhappy victim was -picked up at daybreak he was dead. Don Lopez had found the strength and -courage to dash out his brains against the wall of the house near which -he had been thrown as an unclean animal. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE PULQUERIA. - - -The same day on which we resume our narrative, on the firing of the -cannon from the fort that commands the entrance to the port of -Galveston, to announce the setting of the sun, whose glowing disk had -just disappeared in the sea, colouring the horizon with a ruddy hue for -a long distance, the town, which had, during the day, been plunged into -a mournful torpor owing to the heat, woke up all at once with lengthened -and joyous clamour. - -The streets, hitherto solitary, were peopled as if by enchantment by an -immense crowd, which emerged in disorder from all the houses, so eager -were they to breathe the fresh air of evening which the sea breeze -brought up on its humid wing; the shops were opened, and lit up with an -infinite number of coloured paper lamps. Ere long there was in this -town, where, scarce an hour earlier, such silence and solitude -prevailed, a medley of individuals of all classes and -countries--English, Spaniards, Americans, Mexicans, French, Russians, -Chinese--all dressed in their national costume: women, coquettishly -wrapped in their rebozos, darting to the right and left provocative -glances; perambulating tradesmen vaunting their merchandise, and -serenos, armed to the teeth, trying to maintain good order. And all this -crowd came and went, and stopped,--pushing and elbowing and laughing, -singing, shouting, and quarrelling, making the dogs bark and the -children cry. - -Two young gentlemen, dressed in the simple but graceful uniform of -officers of the United States Navy, who were coming from the interior of -the town, forced their way with some difficulty through the crowd that -impeded their every step on the port, as they proceeded toward the pier, -where a large number of boats of all shapes and sizes were tied up. They -had scarce reached the landing place ere they were surrounded by some -twenty boatmen, who offered their services, while exaggerating in their -praiseworthy fashion the surprising qualities and unparalleled speed of -their boats, doing so in the bastard patois which belongs to no -language, but is formed of words culled haphazard from all, and by means -of which, in every seaport, the people of the country and strangers -contrive to understand each other, and which is called in the Scales of -the Levant the linguafranca. - -After giving a careless glance at the numerous skiffs dancing before -them, the officers abruptly dismissed the boatmen by peremptorily -declining their services; but they did not get rid of them till they had -told them they had a boat of their own, and scattered some small change -among them. The boatmen withdrew, half vexed, half satisfied, and the -officers were at length left alone on the jetty. - -We have said that the sun had set for some time, and hence the night was -gloomy. Still, the two officers, in order, doubtless, to assure -themselves that the darkness concealed no spy, walked several times up -and down the jetty, while conversing together in a low voice, and -examining with the most scrupulous attention those spots which might -have afforded shelter to anyone. They were certainly alone. One of them -then drew from his breast one of those silver whistles, such as -boatswains employ on board ships, and then produced a soft and prolonged -note thrice repeated. A few moments passed, and nothing proved to the -officers that their signal had been heard. At last, a soft whistle -traversed the air and expired on the ears of the two men who were -listening, with bodies bent forward and faces turned to the sea. - -"They are coming," said one. - -"We will wait," his comrade answered laconically. - -They carefully wrapped themselves in their cloaks to guard themselves -against the damp sea breeze; they leant against an old gun that served -to tie boats up, and remained motionless as statues, without exchanging -a syllable. A few minutes passed thus; the darkness grew gradually -denser; the noises of the town insensibly died out, and the promenaders, -driven away by the coolness of the night, quitted the seashore for the -interior of the town. The beach was soon completely deserted--the two -officers alone remained leaning against the gun. - -At length a remote sound, scarcely perceptible, but which practised ears -could recognise, rose from the sea. This sound became gradually more and -more distinct; and it was easy, especially for sailors, to recognise the -sharp and cadenced sound of oars striking against the tholes and dipping -into the sea; although these oars, judging from the sound, were muffled, -and employed with the utmost caution. - -In fact, the boat itself ere long became visible. Its long black outline -stood out in the luminous line traced by the moon on the waves, as it -approached the jetty at great speed. The two officers had bent forward -curiously, but did not leave the post of observation they had selected. -On coming within pistol-shot, the boat stopped. Suddenly, a rough voice, -lowered prudently, however, rose in the silence, singing the first verse -of a song well known in these parts: - - ŋQué rumor - Lejos suena, - Qué el silencio - En la serena - Negra noche interrumpió?[1] - -The man who was singing had scarce finished these five lines ere one of -the officers took up the song in a sonorous voice; doubtless, replying -to the signal made him by the steerer of the boat: - - ŋEs del caballo la veloz carrera, - Tendido en el escape volador, - O el aspero rugir de hambrienta fiera, - O el silbido tal vez del aquilon?[2] - -There was a delay of a few seconds, during which no other sound was -audible save the monotonous break of the waves as they died away on the -beach, or the distant twanging of some jarabés or vihuelas, playing -those seguedillas and tyranas so dear to all peoples of the Spanish -race. At length, the voice which first struck up the song continued, but -this time with an intonation approaching to a threat, although the man -who spoke did not appear to be addressing anyone in particular. - -"The night is dark, it is imprudent to wander haphazard on the -seashore." - -"Yes, when a man is alone, and feels his heart die out in his bosom," -the officer who had sung answered immediately. - -"Who can flatter himself with possessing a firm heart?" the voice went -on. - -"The man whose arm is ever ready to support his words for the defence of -a good cause," the other at once replied. - -"Come, come," the sailor exclaimed, gaily, addressing his companions -this time; "lay on your oars, lads, the Jaguars are out hunting." - -"Take care of the coyotes," the officer said again. - -The boat pulled up alongside the jetty; the officers had by this time -left their place of shelter, and hurried to the end of the jetty. There -a man, dressed in sailor's garb, with an oilskin souwester, whose large -brim concealed his features, was standing motionless, with a pistol in -either hand. - -"Patria!" he said, sharply, when the officers were only two paces from -him. - -"Libertad!" they answered, without hesitation. - -"Viva Dios!" the sailor said, as he returned his pistols to the leather -belt that passed round his hips; "It is a good wind that brings you, Don -Serapio, and you too, Don Cristoval." - -"All the better, Ramirez," said the officer addressed as Serapio. - -"Have you any news, then?" his comrade asked, curiously. - -"Excellent, Don Cristoval, excellent," Ramirez answered, as he rubbed -his hands gleefully. - -"Oh, oh!" the two officers muttered, as they exchanged a glance of -satisfaction; "Tell us it, then, Ramirez." - -The latter took a suspicious glance around. - -"I should like to do so," he said, "but the place where we are does not -seem at all propitious for a conversation of the nature of the one we -have before us." - -"That is true," said Don Serapio; "but what prevents us getting into -your boat? There we can talk at ease." - -But Ramirez shook his head. - -"Yes," he said; "but then we should have to push off; and I am no more -anxious than I presume you to be, to be discovered and hailed by some -guard boat." - -"That is true," Don Cristoval objected; "we must find other and less -perilous means for conversing, without fear of indiscreet ears." - -"What o'clock is it?" Ramirez asked. - -Don Serapio struck his repeater. - -"Just ten," he answered. - -"Good: in that case we have time, since the affair does not come off -till midnight. Follow me. I know a pulqueria where we shall be as safe -as on the top of the Coffre de Perote." - -"But the boat?" Don Cristoval objected. - -"Be at your ease--it is commanded by Lucas. However clever the Mexicans -may be, he is the man to play at hide and seek with them for the entire -night; besides, he has my instructions." - -The officers bowed, but made no further remark. The three men then set -out, Ramirez walking a few paces in advance of his companions. Although -the night was so dark that it was impossible to distinguish objects ten -paces off, the sailor proceeded through the narrow and winding streets -of the town with as much certainty and ease as if traversing it in broad -daylight, in the bright sunshine. - -Close to the Cabildo, at the corner of the Plaza Mayor, stood a species -of cabin, built of ships' planks, clumsily nailed together, which -offered, in the stifling midday hours, a precarious shelter to the -leperos and idlers of all sorts, who collected there to smoke, drink -mezcal, or play at monte, that game so beloved by Spanish-Americans of -all classes. - -The interior of this suspicious rancho, honoured with the name of -pulqueria, corresponded perfectly with the miserable aspect of the -exterior. In a large room, only lighted by the dubious gleam of a smoky -candle, a number of individuals, with ferocious countenances, dressed in -filthy rags, and armed to the teeth, were collected round a few planks -laid across empty barrels, and serving as a table. These men were -drinking, and playing with that Mexican coolness which no event, however -serious it may be, succeeds in disturbing, and staking piles of gold, -which they drew from their patched calzoneras. - -It was in front of this unclean pothouse, from the broken door of which -escaped a reddish steam, laden with pestilential emanations, that -Ramirez stopped. - -"Where the deuce are you taking us?" Don Serapio asked him, with an -expression of disgust he could not master at the repulsive appearance of -this den. - -The sailor laid a finger on his lip. - -"Silence!" he said, "You shall know. Wait for me here an instant, but be -careful to keep in the shade, so as not to be seen; the customers of -this honest establishment have such numerous reasons to distrust spies, -that if they saw you suddenly appear among them, they might be capable -of playing you a trick." - -"Why enter such a den as this?" - -Ramirez smiled craftily. - -"Do you fancy, then," he said, "that if I had only some news to tell -you, I should have brought you here?" - -"Why else, then?" - -"You will soon know; but I can tell you nothing at this moment." - -"Go on, then, as it is so; still, I beg you not to keep us too long at -the door of this disgusting house." - -"All right, I will only go in and come out again." - -Then, after again recommending the officers to be prudent, he pushed the -door of the pulqueria, which at once opened, and he went in. In the -darkest corner of the room two men, almost completely hidden by the -dense cloud of smoke that rose over the heads of the gamblers, carefully -wrapped in their zarapés of Indian manufacture, with the brim of their -hats pulled down over their eyes (a very needless precaution in the -darkness where they were), and leaning on their long rifles, whose butts -rested on the floor of the room, were whispering in each other's ear, -while taking, at intervals, anxious glances at the leperos assembled a -few paces from them. - -The gamblers, fully engaged, did not dream of watching the strangers, -who, however, from their martial demeanour, and the cleanliness of their -attire, formed a striking contrast to them, and evidently did not belong -to the company that usually assembled at this rancho; hence the -strangers had very unnecessarily taken their precautions to escape from -inquisitive looks, supposing such were their object. - -Eleven o'clock struck from the Cabildo; at the same moment a form -appeared in the doorway. This man stopped, took a sharp glance round the -room, and then, after a slight hesitation, doubtless caused by the -difficulty of recognizing in the crowd the persons he wished to see, he -entered the rancho, and walked hastily toward the strangers. The latter -turned at the sound of his footsteps, and gave a start of joy on -recognizing him. We need hardly say that it was Ramirez. The three men -shook hands with an expression of pleasure which proved that with them -it was not a mere act of politeness, such as are so greatly abused in -what is called the civilized life of towns. - -"Well," Ramirez asked, "what have you done?" - -"Nothing," one of the men answered, "we were waiting for you." - -"And those scoundrels?" - -"Are already more than three parts ruined," - -"All the better; they will march with greater impetuosity." - -"They must soon see the bottom of their purses." - -"Do you think so?" - -"I am sure of it; they have been playing since eight in the morning, so -the pulquero says." - -"Without leaving off?" the sailor said, in surprise. - -"They have not ceased for an instant." - -"All the better." - -"By the bye," one of the strangers remarked, "have you come alone? Where -are the men you promised to bring?" - -"They are here, and you will see them in a moment." - -"Very good. Then it is still for this night?" - -"You must know that better than I." - -"On my honour, no." - -"Then you have not seen him?" - -"Seen who?" - -"Why, _him._" - -"No." - -"Hang it all! That is annoying," - -"I did not require to see him," - -"But it is different with me." - -"Why so?" - -"Because I have executed his orders, as they are with me." - -"That is true." - -"Viva Dios! I was obliged to employ stratagem to induce them to follow -me here." - -"Why did you not bring them in at once?" - -"I should be very sorry to do so, at least for the present. They are -cool and steady naval officers, whose smile, under all circumstances, -resembles a grimace, so close do they keep their lips. The free-and-easy -manner of our worthy associates," he added, "might possibly displease -them." - -"But when the master arrives?" - -"Oh, then the affair will rest with him alone." - -At the same moment a sharp whistle was heard outside, and the gamblers -sprang up as if they had received an electric shock. Ramirez bent down -to the two men. - -"Here he is," he said; "I shall be back directly." - -"Where are you going?" one of the strangers asked, sharply. - -"To join those who are waiting for me." - -And winding through the groups, the sailor left the pulqueria unnoticed. -Ramirez had hardly left the room, ere the door was burst open by a -violent blow, and a man rushed in. All present took off their hats, as -if by common agreement, and bowed respectfully. - -We will give, in a few words, a portrait of this new personage, who is -destined to play a most important part in this narrative. The stranger -seemed to be twenty, or two-and-twenty at the most, though he was -probably older; he was slim and delicate, but perfectly proportioned, -and all his movements were marked by indescribable grace and nobility. -His beardless face was surrounded by magnificent black ringlets, which -escaped in profusion from under his hat, and fell in large clusters on -his shoulders. - -This man had a lofty and wide forehead, intelligent and pensive, and a -deep and well-opened eye, an aquiline nose with flexible nostrils, and a -disdainful and mocking lip. All his features made up a strange, but -commanding countenance. He might be loved, but he must be feared. His -feet and hands were small, and evidenced good breeding. Dressed in the -picturesque costume of Mexican campesinos, he wore his rich clothes with -inimitable grace and ease. - -Who was he? - -His best friends, and he counted many such among the men in whose midst -he had suddenly appeared, could not say. - -In America, especially at the period when our story is laid, it was the -easiest thing in the world to conceal one's private existence: an -intelligent man suddenly revealed himself, no one caring, whence he came -or whither he went--a brilliant meteor, he traced a luminous line on the -chaos of the revolutionary struggle, which he illumined by the strange -flashes of his extraordinary deeds. Then this man--this unknown hero -disappeared as suddenly as he had arisen: night closed in round him, the -darkness grew denser and denser, and an impenetrable mystery brooded -over his birth and his grave. - -The stranger was one of these men. He and the Jaguar were thus placed in -an identical situation in the eyes of their partisans; but men live so -quickly when the hour for the supreme struggle has struck, that no one -attempted to pierce the gloom, and obtain the secret of these two young -Chieftains. - -The man with whom we are now engaged was commonly called El Alferez by -his friends and enemies. This word, which in Spanish literally signifies -sub-lieutenant, had become the name of this singular person, which he -had accepted, and to which he answered. - -Why had this strangely selected title been given him? This question, or -any other, it is impossible for us to answer--at any rate, for the -present. - -After taking a haughty and assured glance at the persons collected in -disorderly groups around him, the young man leant against a barrel, and, -with affected carelessness, said to the individuals who surrounded -him--"Well, my scamps, have you amused yourselves properly?" - -A murmur of general satisfaction ran along the ranks. - -"Good, my coyotes," he continued, with the same mocking tone; "now, I -suppose, you would like to smell a little blood?" - -"Yes," these sinister persons answered unanimously. - -"Well, console yourselves; I will let you smell it ere long, and in a -satisfactory manner. But I do not see Ramirez among you; can he have -been so awkward as to get himself hung? Although he has deserved it a -long time. I do not think him such a fool as to let himself be -apprehended by the spies of the Mexican Government." - -These words were uttered in a soft voice, harmoniously modulated, but at -the same time sharp and rather shrill. - -"I heard my name," said Ramirez, as he appeared in the doorway. - -"Yes, I mentioned it. Well, are you alone?" - -"No." - -"Are they both here?" - -"Both." - -"That is excellent. Now, if the Jaguar be as true to his word as I am to -mine, I answer for success." - -"I hold your promise, Seņor Alferez," said a man who had entered the -room some moments previously. - -"Rayo de Dios! You and your comrades are welcome; for, of course, you -are not alone." - -"I have twenty men, worth a hundred." - -"Bravo! I recognise the Jaguar in that." - -The latter began laughing. - -"They only await a signal from me to come in." - -"Let them come, let them come; time is precious, so let us not waste it -in trifling." - -The Jaguar walked to the door, and threw away the lighted cigarette he -held in his hand. The twenty conspirators entered, and ranged themselves -silently behind their Chief. Ramirez came in immediately after, followed -by the two naval officers. - -"All is clearly understood between us, Jaguar?" - -"All." - -"We act toward each other with all frankness and honesty of purpose?" - -"Yes." - -"You swear it?" - -"Without hesitation, I swear it." - -"Thanks, my friend. On my side I swear to be a faithful comrade." - -"How many men have you?" - -"As you see, thirty." - -"Who, added to the twenty I bring, give the respectable amount of fifty -men; if the affair be properly managed, they are more than we require." - -"Now, let us divide our parts." - -"Nothing is changed, I think; I will surprise the fort, while you board -the corvette." - -"Agreed; where are the guides?" - -"Here," the two men said, with whom Ramirez conversed when he entered -the pulqueria the first time. El Alferez examined them attentively for -some minutes, and then turned to the Jaguar. - -"You can start, I fancy." - -"How many men do you keep with you?" - -"Take them all; I will only keep Ramirez and the two persons to whom he -has to introduce me." - -"That is true," said the sailor. - -"Come, my coyotes," El Alferez continued, "follow your new Chief. I -place you temporarily under the orders of the Jaguar, to whom I -surrender all my claims upon you." - -The men bowed, but made no reply. - -"And now, brothers," the young man continued, "remember that you are -about to fight for the liberty of your country, and that the man who -commands you will not grudge his life for the success of the daring -stroke he is about to attempt with your aid; that ought to render you -invincible. Go." - -"Do not forget the signal--one rocket, if we fail." - -"Three, if we succeed; and we shall do so, brother." - -"May Heaven grant it." - -"Till we meet again." - -The two men shook hands, and the Jaguar quitted the pulqueria, followed -by these savage men, who marched silently behind him, like wild beasts -going in quest of prey. Ere long, none remained in the room but the two -naval officers, Ramirez, and the pulquero, who, with eyes dilated by -terror, looked at and listened to all this, without understanding -anything. El Alferez remained motionless, with his body bent forward, so -long as it was possible for him to hear the slightest sound of retiring -footsteps; when all had become silent again, he drew himself up, and -turned to his comrades, who were as attentive as himself. - -"May Heaven favour us!" he said, as he piously crossed himself. "Now, -Caballeros, it is our turn." - -"We are ready," the three men answered. - -El Alferez took a rapid glance round the room. The pulquero, either -through curiosity, want of occupation, or some other cause, was standing -motionless in a distant corner of the room, following with an attentive -glance the movements of his singular customers. - -"Hilloh!" El Alferez said to him, "come hither." - -The pulquero obsequiously doffed his straw hat, and hastened to obey -this injunction, which admitted of no reply. - -"What do you desire, Excellency?" he asked. - -"To ask you a question." - -"Pray do so." - -"Are you fond of money? - -"Well, tolerably so, Excellency," he replied, with a crafty grimace, -which doubtless had pretensions to be a smile. - -"Very good, here is an onza: when we go away, we will give you a second; -but bear in mind that you must be deaf and blind." - -"That is easy," he replied, as he pocketed the gold coin, and drew -aside. - -Since the Jaguar's departure, the two officers had been suffering from -an anxiety they did not attempt to conceal, but which El Alferez did not -appear to notice, for his face was quite radiant. In fact, the -expedition they were going to attempt in the company of the daring -partisan seemed to them not only rash but mad, especially since El -Alferez had so cavalierly given up to the Jaguar the thirty resolute -men, whose support they considered indispensable. - -"Come, come, Seņors," the young man said, with a smile, after -attentively watching them for some moments, "regain your courage; hang -it all, you look as if you had been buried and dug up again; and we are -not dead yet, I suppose." - -"That is true; but we are not much better," Don Serapio said -significantly. - -El Alferez frowned. "Can you be frightened?" he said, haughtily. - -"We are not afraid of dying, but only of failing." - -"That is my business: I answer for success on my head." - -"We are perfectly aware of what you are capable, Seņor; but we are only -four men, and after all----" - -"And the boat's crew?" - -"That is true; but they are only sixteen men." - -"They will be enough." - -"I wish it, but can hardly reckon on it." - -"Well, say whether you are resolved to obey me at all hazards?" - -"We have made the sacrifice of our lives." - -"Then, whatever happens, you will act?" - -"Whatever happens." - -"It is well--" - -El Alferez appeared to reflect for a moment, and then addressed the -pulquero, who was standing anxiously near him--"Has anything been left -with you for me?" he asked him. - -"Yes, Excellency; this evening at Oración a man brought a trunk on his -shoulders." - -"Where is it?" - -"As the man assured me that it contained articles of considerable value, -I had the chest placed in my bedroom, in order that it might be in -safety." - -"Lead me to your room." - -"Whenever you please, Excellency." - -"Seņors," El Alferez said, addressing the two naval officers and -Ramirez, "wait for me in this room; in ten minutes I will join you -again." - -And without awaiting a reply, he made a sign to the pulquero to lead the -way, and left the room with a rapid step. There was a momentary silence -with the three men; they seemed to be engaged in sad thoughts, and -looked anxiously around them. Time, which never stands still, had -rapidly advanced during the course of the events we have narrated. -Nearly the whole night had passed away, the first gleams of dawn were -beginning to whiten the smoky walls of the pulqueria, and already some -inhabitants, who had risen earlier than the others, were venturing into -the streets; ere long the sun would make its appearance. - -"Day will soon be here," Don Serapio remarked, as he shook his head -anxiously. - -"What matter?" Ramirez answered. - -"What matter, do you say?" Don Serapio replied in amazement; "but it -seems to me that one of the most important conditions for the enterprise -we are about to attempt, is darkness." - -"Certainly," Don Cristoval supported him, "if we wait till the sun has -risen, any surprise will be impossible." - -Ramirez shrugged his shoulders. - -"You do not know the man under whose orders you have voluntarily placed -yourselves," he answered; "impossible things are those he prefers -attempting." - -"You know him better than we do then, as you speak thus of him?" - -"Better than you or anyone," the sailor said with considerable -animation; "I have the greatest faith in him; for ten years I have lived -by his side, and have many times been able to appreciate all the -nobility and generosity that exist in his heart." - -"Ah," the two officers said, walking quickly up to him, "who is he, -then?" - -An ironical smile curled Ramirez's delicate lip. - -"You know as well as I do: a warm patriot, and one of the most renowned -Chiefs of the revolutionary movement." - -"Hum!" Don Sandoval remarked, "that is not what we want to know." - -"What then?" he asked with almost imperceptible irony. - -"Hang it, you say that you have lived ten years with this man," Don -Serapio went on; "you must know certain peculiarities about him which no -one else is acquainted with, and which we should not be sorry to know." - -"That is possible; unfortunately, I am utterly unable to satisfy your -curiosity on that point; if El Alferez has not thought proper to give -you certain intimate details about his private life, it is not my place -to reveal them to you." - -Don Serapio was about to reply rather sharply to the sailor, when the -door opened through which Don Alferez had gone out, and the pulquero -entered, followed by a lady. The two officers could scarce refrain from -a cry of surprise on recognising beneath this dress El Alferez himself. -The young Chief wore feminine attire with considerable grace and -reality; he walked with such ease, and appeared so accustomed to the -thousand knick-nacks of a lady's dress--in a word, the metamorphosis was -so complete, that, had it not been for the eye whose strange lustre the -young man had not quite succeeded in subduing, the three men could have -sworn that this singular being was really a woman. - -The costume of El Alferez, though not rich, was elegant, and in good -taste; his face, half concealed beneath the silken folds of his rebozo, -partly hid his haughty expression; in his right hand he held a pretty -sandalwood fan, with which he played with that graceful nonchalance so -full of skill which is only possessed by Spanish women and their -American daughters. - -"Well, Caballeros," the young man said mincingly, in a sweet and -harmonious voice; "do you not recognize me? I am the daughter of your -friend Doņa Leonora Salcedo, Doņa Mencia." - -The three men bowed respectfully. - -"Pardon me, Seņorita," Don Serapio replied as he gravely kissed the tips -of El Alferez's fingers; "we know you perfectly well, but were so far -from anticipating the happiness of meeting you here, that----" - -"Even at this moment, after hearing you speak, we dare not yet believe -in the reality of what we see." - -The pulquero looked in alarm from one to the other. The worthy man -understood nothing of what was going on, and he asked himself -confidentially were he asleep or awake. In fact, he was not far from -believing himself under a spell. - -"I do not understand your surprise, Caballeros," the feigned Doņa Mencia -said with a stress on her words; "was it not arranged some days back -between yourselves, my mother, and my husband, that we should go this -morning and breakfast with Commandant Rodriguez, on board the _Libertad_ -corvette?" - -"Of course," Don Serapio quickly exclaimed; "excuse me, Seņorita, but I -really do not know where my head is. How could I have forgotten that?" - -"I will excuse you," El Alferez replied with a smile, "but on condition -that you repair your inexplicable forgetfulness, and rather ungallant -behaviour, by offering me your arm to go on board the corvette at once." - -"The more so," Don Cristoval added, "as we have rather a long distance -to go, and I have no doubt the Commandant is expecting us." - -"Canarios! I should think he was," Ramirez ejaculated; "why, Seņor, he -sent me with a boat to take you aboard." - -"Since that is the case, I think we shall do well by starting without -further delay." - -"We are at your orders, Seņorita." - -"Stay, my good man," El Alferez added in a soft voice, and addressing -the pulquero, "take this in recollection of me." - -The good man, half stunned by what he saw, mechanically held out his -right hand, into which the mysterious adventurer carelessly let a gold -onza fall; then, taking Don Serapio's arm, he went out, preceded by Don -Cristoval and Ramirez, who hurried to get the boat ready. The pulquero -stood in his doorway, and looked after the strange visitors who had -spent the whole night in his house, as long as he could see them; then -he went in again, shaking his head thoughtfully, and muttering, as he -jingled the coin he had received--"All this is not clear; a man who is a -woman, friends who do not recognize each other after two hours' -conversation, that is preciously queer; I am certain something is going -to happen. But hang me if I mix myself up in it; it is well, in certain -circumstances, to know how to hold one's tongue; besides, it is no -business of mine; the money they gave me is good, and I have no right to -look further." - -Strengthened by this philosophic reasoning, and filled with prudence, -the pulquero closed his door, and went to bed in order to fetch up by -day the sleep his singular curiosities had made him lose during the -night. - - -[1] What rumour resounds in the distance which interrupts the placid -silence of the dark night? - -[2] Can it be the rapid gallop of a horse urged along a narrow road--or -the ferocious howling of a starving beast of prey--or, perchance, the -whistling of the north-west wind? - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -AT SEA. - - -It was about four in the morning; the dawn was beginning to mark the -horizon with wide white bands; on the extreme line of the water, a -bright red reflection, the harbinger of sunrise, announced that the sun -would soon appear. At this moment a light brig gradually emerged from -the dense fog that hid it, and could be seen sailing close to the wind -along the dangerous and rugged coast which forms the entrance of -Galveston Bay, at the mouth of the Rio Trinidad. - -It was a neat vessel of three hundred tons at the most, with a -gracefully-built hull, and its tall masts coquettishly raking. The -rigging was carefully painted and tarred, the yards symmetrically -square, and more than all, the menacing muzzles of four eight-pounder -carronades which peered out of the bulwarks on either side, and the long -thirty-two pounder swivel in the bows, indicated that, although a -man-of-war pennant might not be flying from the mainmast, it was not the -less resolved, in case of necessity, to fight energetically against the -cruisers that might attempt to check its progress. - -At the moment when we first notice the brig, with the exception of the -man at the wheel, and an individual walking up and down the poop smoking -his pipe, at the first glance the brig's deck seemed deserted; still, on -examining it carefully, fifteen men constituting the watch might have -been seen sleeping in the bows, whom the slightest signal would be -sufficient to awaken. - -"Halloh!" the walker said suddenly, as he halted near the binnacle, and -addressed the helmsman; "I fancy the wind is shifting." - -"Yes, Master Lovel," the sailor answered, as he raised his hand to his -woollen cap; "it has veered round two points." - -As the individual who answered to the pleasant name of Lovel is destined -to play a certain part in the scenes we have undertaken to describe, we -ask our readers' permission to draw his portrait. Physically, he was a -man of about fifty, nearly as broad as he was tall, and bearing a -striking resemblance to a barrel mounted on feet, but for all that -gifted with far from common strength and activity; his violet nose, his -thick lips, and highly-coloured face, with large red whiskers, gave him -a jovial appearance, to which, however, two small grey and deep-set -eyes, full of fire and resolution, imparted something skeptical and -mocking. - -Morally, he was an honest, worthy man, open-hearted and loyal, an -excellent sailor, and loving only two things, or rather beings, in the -world: his Captain, who had brought him up, and, as he often said, had -taught him to make his first splice by administering tobacco to him, and -his ship, which he had seen built, which he had gone aboard when ready -for sea, and had never quitted since. - -Master Lovel had never known either father or mother; hence he had made -the brig and his Captain his family. All his loving faculties, a long -time driven back and slumbering in his heart, were so fully concentrated -on them, that what he felt for both went beyond the limits of a -reasonable affection, and had acquired the veritable proportions of a -gigantic fanaticism. However, the Captain, of whom we shall soon speak, -amply requited the old sailor's friendship. - -"By the way, Lieutenant, I ask your pardon," the helmsman continued, -doubtless encouraged by the manner in which his officer had spoken to -him; "do you know that we have been making a precious queer navigation -the last few days?" - -"Do you think so, lad?" - -"Hang it, sir, these continued tacks, and that boat we sent ashore -yesterday, and has not yet returned--all that is rather singular." - -"Hum!" the officer said, without any other expression of his opinion. - -"Where may we be going, Lieutenant?" the sailor went on. - -"Are you very anxious to know?" Lovel asked him, with a half-sweet, -half-bitter tone. - -"Well," the other said, as he turned his quid in his mouth, and sent -forth a stream of blackish saliva, "I confess that I should not be sorry -to know." - -"Really now?--well, my boy," the old sailor said, with a crafty smile, -"if you are asked, you will answer that you do not know; in that way you -are certain of not compromising, and, before all, of not deceiving, -yourself." - -Then, after looking for an instant at the helmsman's downcast face on -receiving this strange answer, he added--"Strike eight bells, my dear; -there is the sun rising over there behind the mountains: we will call -the watch." - -And, after restoring his pipe to the corner of his mouth, he resumed his -walk. The sailor seized the cord fastened to the clapper of the bell, -and struck four double strokes. At this signal they knew so well, the -men lying in the forecastle sprang up tumultuously, and rushed to the -hatchway, shouting-- - -"Up with you, starboard watch; up, up, it is four o'clock. Starboard -watch, ahoy!" - -So soon as the watch was changed, the master gave the necessary orders -to dress the vessel. Then, as the sun was beginning to rise above the -horizon in a flood of ruddy vapour, which gradually dispersed the dense -fog, that had enveloped the brig throughout the night, like a -winding-sheet, he set a man to the foretop to look seaward, and examine -the coast they were sailing along. When all these various duties had -been discharged, the old sailor resumed his walk, taking a look every -now and then at the masts, and muttering between his teeth--"Where can -we be going? He would be very kind, if he would tell me: we are making a -regular blind man's traverse, and we shall be very lucky if we get out -of it safe and sound." - -All at once his face brightened, and a glad smile spread over it. The -Captain had just left his cabin and come upon deck. Captain Johnson was -at this period a man of hardly three-and-thirty years of age, above the -middle height; his gestures were simple, graceful, and full of natural -elegance; his features were masculine and marked, and his black eyes, in -which intelligence sparkled, gave his countenance an expression of -grandeur, strength, and loyalty. - -"Good morning, father," he said to Master Lovel, as he cordially offered -him his hand. - -"Good morning, lad," the latter replied; "did you sleep well?" - -"Very well, thank you, father. Is there anything new?" - -At this question, apparently so simple, the lieutenant drew himself up, -raised his hand to his hat, and answered deferentially-- - -"Captain, there is nothing new on board. I tacked at three o'clock, and, -according to your orders, we have been sailing as close to the wind as -we could, at a rate of six three-quarter knots an hour, under foretop -sails, and always keeping Galveston Point on the larboard quarter." - -"That is well," the Captain answered, as he took a glance at the compass -and the sails. - -In all matters connected with duty, Master Lovel, in spite of the -reiterated remarks of his Chief, constantly maintained toward the latter -the tone and manner of a subordinate to his superior. The Captain, -seeing that the old sailor could not be turned from this, ended by -paying no attention to it, and left him free to speak as he thought -proper. - -"By the way, Captain," the Lieutenant continued, with some hesitation, -"we are drawing near the gut; do you intend to pass through it?" - -"I do." - -"But we shall be sunk." - -"Not such fools." - -"Hum! I do not see how we shall escape it." - -"You will see; besides, must we not go and pick up our boat, which has -not yet returned?" - -"That is true; I did not think of it." - -"Well, you see; and our passengers?" - -"I have not seen them yet this morning." - -"They will soon come on deck." - -"A ship in sight," the watch shouted. - -"That is what I was waiting for," said the Captain. - -"To tack?" - -"On the contrary, to pass without a shot in front of the fort that -commands the entrance of the bay." - -"I do not understand." - -"All right; you soon will." - -And speaking to the look-out man, he said-- - -"In what direction is that ship?" - -"To starboard, to windward of us; it is coming out of a creek, in which -it was hidden, and steering straight down on the brig." - -"Very good," the Captain answered; then, turning to Lovel, he continued: -"This ship is chasing us; we shall, by constant short tacks, pass the -fort and the battery which crosses fire with it. The Mexicans, who are -watching us, feeling convinced that we cannot escape their cruiser, will -not take the trouble to fire at us, but let us pass through without -offering any obstacle." - -And, leaving his lieutenant astounded at this singular line of argument, -which he did not at all comprehend, the Captain went on the quarterdeck, -and leaning over the gangway, began carefully watching the movements of -the ship signalled by the lookout. An hour passed thus, without -producing any change in the respective position of the two ships; but -the brig, which had no intention of getting too far away from the -cruiser, did not carry half the sail it could. - -The men had been quietly beaten to quarters, and thirty powerful -sailors, armed to the teeth, were holding the running rigging, ready to -obey the slightest signal from their Captain. For more than an hour the -brig had been approaching the coast, and the Captain, being now -compelled to skirt a submarine reef, whose situation was not positively -known to him, ordered sail to be reduced, and advanced, sounding lead in -hand. The cruiser, on the contrary, was literally covered with canvas, -and grew momentarily larger, while assuming the imposing proportions of -a first class corvette; its black hull could be clearly distinguished, -along which ran a long white stripe, containing sixteen portholes, -through which passed the muzzles of her Paixhan guns. On the shore, to -which the brig was now close, could be seen a great number of persons of -both sexes, who, shouting, yelling, and clapping their hands, eagerly -followed the incidents of this strange chase. Suddenly a light cloud of -smoke rose from the bow of the corvette, the sound of a gun was dully -heard, and a Mexican flag was hoisted at the peak. - -"Ah, ah," Captain Johnson said, as he mechanically chumped the end of a -cigarette held between his teeth, "she has at length decided on throwing -off her incognito. Come, lieutenant, politeness deserves the same; show -her our colours; hang it all, they are worth showing." - -A minute later, a large star-spangled flag was majestically fluttering -at the stern of the brig. At the appearance of the United States -colours, so audaciously hoisted, a shout of fury was raised aboard the -Mexican corvette, which was taken up by the crowd assembled at the -point, though it was impossible to tell, owing to the distance, whether -they were shouts of joy or anger. - -In the meanwhile the sun was beginning to rise, the morning was growing -apace, and there must be an end to the affair, especially as the -corvette, confiding in her strength, and now almost within gunshot, -would not fail to open fire on the American vessel. Strange to say, the -garrisons of the fort and the battery, as the Captain had foreseen, had -allowed the brig to double the point without trying to stop it, which it -would have been most easy for them to do, owing to the crossfire. - -The Captain gave his lieutenant a sign to come to him, and bending down -to his ear, whispered something in it. - -"Eh, eh!" the lieutenant said with a hearty laugh, "That is an idea! By -Jove! We may have some fun." - -And, without saying another word, he proceeded forwards. On reaching -the swivel gun he had it unlashed and carefully loaded, adding a ball -and a grape shot to the ordinary charge. Bending over the sight he -seized the screw placed under the breech, then making a sign to the men -who stood on either side with handspikes, he began laying the gun slowly -and with the utmost precaution, scrupulously calculating the distance -that separated the two ships, and the deviation caused by the rolling. -At length, when he believed he had attained the desired result, he -seized the lanyard, fell back, and made a signal to the Captain, who was -impatiently awaiting the termination of his proceedings. - -"Attention!" the latter shouted; "Stand by, all." - -There was a moment of supreme expectation. - -"Is all clear?" - -"Yes," the lieutenant replied. - -"Ready about," the Captain ordered; "down with the helm! Ease off the -jib sheets! Sheet home top sails! Sheet home lower sails! Haul the -bowlines taut!" - -The sailors hurried to the running rigging, and the ship, obedient to -the impulse given it, majestically swung round. At the moment when it -fell, and had its bows turned toward the broadside of the corvette, -Master Lovel, who was watching for a favourable opportunity to carry out -the orders he had received, sharply pulled the lanyard and fired. The -Mexicans, confounded by this sudden aggression, which they were far from -anticipating from an enemy apparently so weak, replied furiously, and a -shower of iron and lead hurtled over the deck and through the rigging of -the American ship. The fort and battery continued to preserve the -strictest neutrality, and Captain Johnson did not take the trouble to -reply. - -"Brace up closer to the wind!" he shouted. "Haul down the sheets! We -have had fun enough, lads." - -The brig continued its course, and when the smoke had dispersed the -Mexican corvette could be perceived in a pitiable condition. The shot -fired by Master Lovel had carried away her bowsprit close by the head, -which naturally entailed the fall of the foremast, and the poor -corvette, half rendered unserviceable, and unable longer to pursue its -audacious enemy, bore up to repair hastily the worst of the damage. - -On board the brig, owing to the hurry in which the Mexicans had returned -the fire, only one man had been killed and three slightly wounded. As -for the damage, it was trifling; only a few ropes were cut, that was -all. - -"Now," the Captain said, as he came down from the quarterdeck, "in ten -minutes, father, you will tack, and when we are abreast of the fort you -will lie to, let down a boat, and let me know." - -"What!" the lieutenant could not refrain from saying, "You mean to go -ashore?" - -"Hang it," said the Captain; "why, I only came here for that purpose." - -"Are you going to the fort?" - -"Yes. Still, as it is always as well to be on the right side, you will -send into the boat the ten most resolute men of the crew, with axes, -cutlasses, muskets, and pistols. Let all be in order, and ready for -fighting." - -"I fancy those precautions will be unnecessary," said a man who had just -come on deck and walked up to the spectators. - -"Ah! it is you, Master Tranquil," the Captain replied, as he shook hands -with the old hunter; for it was he who had so unexpectedly interfered in -the conversation. "What do you say?" - -"I say," the Canadian replied, in his calm voice, "that your precautions -will probably be unnecessary." - -"Why so?" - -"Hang it! I don't know, for I am not a sailor. But look for yourself. Do -you not think as I do--that something extraordinary is taking place on -board the corvette?" - -The Captain quickly opened his telescope, and fixed it on the Mexican -ship. - -"It is true," he said, a moment later. "Oh, oh! Can our audacious -attempt have proved successful?" - -"All leads to the supposition," said the hunter, with his old stoicism. - -"By Heavens! I will ascertain." - -"What will you do?" - -"By Jupiter! Convince myself of what is taking place." - -"As you please." - -"Bear up!" the Captain ordered. - -The manoeuvre was executed. The sheets were let go, and the brig, -catching more wind in its sails, advanced rapidly toward the corvette, -on board which a strange scene was taking place at this moment, which -must interest Captain Johnson in the highest degree. But, in order to -make the reader thoroughly understand this scene, we must now return to -El Alferez and his comrades, whom we left at their departure from the -pulqueria. - -At the moment when the four men reached the jetty, although it was about -seven in the morning, the beach was nearly deserted; only a few ships' -boats were fastened up, and landing the men who were going to buy -provisions. It was, therefore, an easy matter for the conspirators to, -embark without attracting attention to their movements. At a signal -given by Ramirez, the boat which had been pulling back and forwards -during the night, came nearer land, and when the four men were seated in -the stern sheets, and Ramirez had taken the tiller, the boat started for -a small creek situated a little distance beyond the roadstead. - -The breeze, which during the night had been rather weak, had gradually -risen; the boat was easily got out to sea, sail was hoisted, and it soon -entered the creek, where the _Libertad_ was riding gently on her -anchors. Still, it was easy for a sailor to see that this ship, -apparently so quiet, was ready to slip out at a moment's notice. The -sails, though furled, were cast off, and the anchor, apeak, only needed -a turn of the capstan to be tripped. Posted craftily in this creek, like -a bird of prey in the hollow of a rock, the corvette could easily expand -its sails, and dart on any suspicious vessel signalled by the lookout. -Without uttering a syllable our friends exchanged a significant glance; -they understood one another's manoeuvring. - -The boat had scarce come within hail ere a sentry, standing in the -starboard gangway, hailed it in Spanish. Ramirez replied, and, leaning -on the tiller, made the boat describe a graceful curve, and brought her -up to the starboard accommodation ladder. The officer of the watch was -standing at the top to receive the visitors. On perceiving a lady, he -hurried down the ladder to offer his hand, and do her the honours of the -ship she was about to enter. - -To the right and left of the entrance, sailors, drawn up in file, -saluted by raising their hands to their caps, while a boatswain gave the -accustomed whistle. As we have already mentioned, the _Libertad_ was a -first class corvette. Don Manuel Rodriguez, her commandant, was an old -sailor, brought up in the Spanish Navy, and had retained its healthy -traditions: hence, his ship was kept with great care and coquettishness. -Don Serapio and Don Cristoval, themselves naval officers, could not -refrain from expressing to the officer of the watch the satisfaction -they experienced at seeing a vessel in such splendid order. - -Commandant Rodriguez, called by a midshipman, hastened on deck to -receive his guests; the boat was fastened astern of the corvette, while -its crew went forward with the sailors of the vessel. - -Like the other Spanish American Republics, the Mexican Confederation has -but few vessels; its navy is composed of but a dozen ships at the -most--consisting of corvettes, brigs, and schooners. The gravity of the -events taking place in Texas had induced the Mexican Government to send -a corvette there, in order to render themselves masters of the sea, and -prevent the United States, whose sympathies with the Texan Revolution -were notorious, from giving the insurgents help in arms, men, or money. - -Commandant Rodriguez, an energetic man, and excellent sailor, had been -chosen to carry out this dangerous mission; for two months he had been -cruising off the coast of Texas, where he had established a rigorous -blockade, and owing to his intelligent arrangements, he had managed, up -to the period we have arrived at, to stop or turn back all vessels sent -from the United States to the help of the insurgents. The latter, -reduced to their own resources, and understanding that the decisive hour -would soon strike for them, had resolved to get rid of this corvette, -which did them enormous injury, and seize it at all risks. - -The Chiefs of the insurgents had formed their plans to this effect. -During Commandant Rodriguez's rare visits to Galveston, he was adroitly -surrounded by persons who ostensibly professed a deep hatred for the -revolution, while in secret they were the active and devoted agents of -the insurgent Chiefs. Almost involuntarily the Commandant had been -induced to invite several persons to visit his corvette, and breakfast -on board; but the old sailor was a true Mexican, that is to say, -accustomed to all the tricks and treachery of a country where -revolutions have been counted by hundreds during the twenty years since -it proclaimed its so-called independence, and his prudence did not fail -him under the circumstances. Being not at all anxious to run the risk of -seeing his ship boarded, he left the roads, and anchored in a solitary -creek, in order to have his elbows at liberty; and then, instead of -inviting many persons at the same time, he merely requested Doņa Mencia, -her father, and two of her cousins, officers in the United States' -service, to pay him a visit. We know now who the persons really were who -accepted the invitation. - -The Captain frowned on seeing the number of the boat's crew; but, -reflecting that he had two hundred and fifty men aboard, he did not -think for a moment that sixteen men, apparently unarmed, would try to -seize his ship, and it was with the most smiling and affectionate air -that he received Doņa Mencia and the persons who accompanied her. - -After showing them all over the corvette, he led his guests to the stern -gallery, where a table had been laid, and a magnificent breakfast -awaited them. Only five persons sat down, the supposed young lady, her -pretended cousins, the commandant, and his first lieutenant, an old -sailor like himself, full of experience and bravery. The breakfast began -in the most cordial and frank manner; the Commandant regretted that Doņa -Mencia's father had been unable to accompany her, as he had promised, -and a most gallant conversation went on. Presently, a warrant officer -opened the door, and, at a sign from the Commandant, whispered a few -words in his ear; the latter, after excusing himself to his guests, gave -him an order in a low voice, and the officer retired as discreetly as he -had come in. - -"Seņora," the Commandant said, leaning over to the young lady seated by -his side; "are you afraid of the sea?" - -"I?" she replied with a smile, "Why do you ask, Commandant?" - -"Because," he answered, "unless you immediately leave my vessel, which, -I confess, would greatly annoy me, you will be compelled to take a trip -to sea for some hours." - -"I am the daughter and cousin of sailors, Commandant; that is as good as -saying that a trip to sea would be most pleasing to me under any -circumstances; at this moment it would be a delightful interlude, and -complete the graceful hospitality you have been kind to offer us." - -"Very good," the Commandant said gaily; "you are a true heroine, Doņa -Mencia; you fear nothing." - -"Or, at any rate, very little," she replied with an emphasis which -escaped the notice of the Commandant. - -"Will you permit me to ask, Commandant," said Don Serapio, "whether you -are starting simply to afford us the pleasure of a trip, or whether a -more serious motive obliges you to leave your anchorage?" - -"I have no secrets from you," he said simply, "and a few words will -explain the affair; for about a fortnight I have been playing a game of -chess with a brig, whose appearance is most suspicious. Its rig, and -fine lines, lead us to believe that it is a North-American privateer, -trying to land arms, and possibly men, for the insurgents." - -"Do you imagine," Don Cristoval objected, "that a privateer brig, -knowing you to be in these parts, would venture to force a passage?" - -"Yes, I do. These demons of privateers are afraid of nothing; and, -besides, during the war of independence, I myself carried out more -daring adventures than this." - -"Then, we are about to witness a sea fight?" Doņa Mencia asked timidly. - -"Oh, do not feel alarmed, Seņorita; it will not go so far as that, I -hope; this brig, which I had lost out of sight for two days, has just -reappeared, but this time with the apparent object of getting close -enough to land to send a boat ashore. I will chase it vigorously, and do -not doubt I shall compel it to put out to sea again, for it is -impossible that it should attempt seriously to oppose us." - -"Really, that is delightful!" Doņa Mencia exclaimed with a laugh; "the -fęte will be complete: a trip to sea, a chase, and, perhaps, the capture -of a vessel. You are really too kind, Commandant." - -While the conversation became more and more friendly and lively in the -state cabin, the corvette had started, and with all sail set, was -pursuing Captain Johnson's brig. - -"Halloh!" Don Cristoval suddenly asked, "What has become of our boat?" - -"It was left fastened to a buoy," the Commandant said; "we will pick it -up again when we return to our anchorage." - -"Well," Don Serapio remarked laughingly, "if the privateer should feel -inclined to fight, our sixteen men are quite at your disposal." - -"I thank you, but do not think I shall requite their assistance." - -"Who knows? No one can foresee events. Our sailors are brave, and, if it -should come to fighting, be assured they will do their share." - -Only one of the guests had remained silent during the breakfast, -contenting himself with eating and drinking; while attentively listening -to what was said around him. This guest was the lieutenant. So soon as -the ship had started, he left the table, bowed to the company, and went -on deck. - -"Your lieutenant is no talker, Commandant," Doņa Mencia observed; "he -only opened his lips to eat and drink." - -"That is true, Seņorita; but pray excuse him, he is an old sailor, but -little accustomed to society--he felt embarrassed and almost in his -wrong place with you; but few men know their profession so well as he, -or are so firm and intrepid in danger." - -At this moment a loud detonation made the vessel quiver. "Ah!" said Doņa -Mencia with a cry of terror, "What does that mean?" - -"Less than nothing, Seņorita; we have merely hoisted our flag, and fired -a blank shot, to oblige the brig to show her colours." - -"Would there be any danger in going on deck?" Doņa Mencia asked with -curiosity. - -"Not the least." - -"In that case, with your permission, we will go up and see what is -happening." - -"I am at your orders, Seņorita." - -The breakfast was over; they left the table and went up on the -quarterdeck. The ship offered to the sight of persons unacquainted with -naval affairs, a most singular and attractive appearance. The powerful -breeze had bellied the sails; the corvette bounded over the waves like a -gazelle, but did not take in a drop of water over the catheads. On deck, -the crew were standing silent and motionless by the standing rigging, -the gunners at their pieces, and the topmen at their posts. On the -forecastle Ramirez and his sixteen men were collected near the head, -apparently indifferent, but actually watching the movements of the -Mexican. At about a gunshot and a half distant, the brig could be seen, -from whose peak haughtily floated a large American flag. - -"I suspected it," said the Commandant, "it is a privateer, and has -hoisted American colours to deceive us, but we are on our guard." - -"Do you think, then, that ship is not American?" Don Serapio asked. - -"No more than you are; it is an Argentine, or Brazilian privateer." - -"Still, it appears American built," - -"That proves nothing; our ships, bought in different countries, have -nothing that causes them to be recognized, for we have no docks." - -"That is true; but look, she is going to tack." - -"Yes, the sails are beginning to shiver." - -The Mexicans fancied themselves so secure from an attack, that most of -the crew had left their quarters to follow the manoeuvres of the brig; -the sailors, perched on the yards, or leaning out of the ports, were -curiously looking on, without dreaming of the danger such a breach of -discipline might entail. In the meanwhile the brig came round, as Don -Serapio had said. Suddenly, at the moment when it completed the -manoeuvre, a detonation was heard, a shrill whistle cut through the air, -and the corvette's bowsprit, pierced by a ball, fell into the sea, -dragging with it the foremast. - -This produced an extraordinary pause and confusion on board the -corvette; the terrified sailors ran about in all directions, listening -to nothing. At length the Commandant succeeded in overcoming the tumult; -the crew recognized his voice, and at the order to fire, fifteen guns -thundered at once, in reply to the unjustifiable aggression of the -privateer. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -THE PRIZE. - - -The damage sustained by the corvette was serious; the bowsprit is the -key of the ship's rigging, its loss entailed that of the foremast, which -the main-topmast, no longer stayed, speedily followed. The utmost -disorder prevailed on board, when, as nearly always happens under such -circumstances, the crew had suddenly passed from blind confidence to -profound terror. - -The deck was encumbered with fragments of every description, yards, -spars, sails, stunsail-booms, and entangled rigging, in the midst of -which the sailors ran about distractedly, abandoning their posts, deaf -to the exhortations equally with the menaces of their officers, and -having only one thought: to escape from the death they believed -suspended over their heads. - -Still, the officers did not at all conceal from themselves the gravity -of their position, which the brig's manoeuvres rendered more -complicated, and momentarily more precarious; they did all in their -power, therefore, to restore a little courage to all these individuals, -whom terror blinded, and induce them to sell their lives dearly. - -A fresh incident occurred suddenly, which rendered the situation of the -ship, if possible, more critical and desperate. Commandant Rodriguez had -not left the quarterdeck; motionless at his post during the events we -have described, he had continued to give his orders in a firm voice, -apparently not noticing the symptoms of insubordination which, since the -catastrophe had happened, were manifest amongst the crew. With pale -face, frowning brow, and clenched teeth, the old sailor mechanically -played with the hilt of his sword, taking every now and then a cold and -resolute glance around him, while exerting his officers to redouble -their efforts to do their duty bravely. - -Doņa Mencia and the two supposititious officers of the American navy -were standing silent and attentive by his side, probably awaiting the -moment for action. At the tumult which suddenly broke out on the -forecastle, they all three started and drew nearer to the commandant -When the brig had so skilfully carried away the bowsprit of the -_Libertad_, Ramirez and his sailors were the first to sow and propagate -terror among the crew by uttering cries of terror; and running in all -directions. Their example was promptly followed. Then they changed their -tactics, and began openly accusing the commandant by asserting that he -was a traitor, who wished to ruin them, and surrender the corvette to -the insurgents. - -There is nothing, however stupid it may be, a thinker has said, which -people may not be led to believe by a certain mode of treating them. -This remark is strictly true, and this time again received perfect -application. The sailors of the _Libertad_ forgot in an instant all they -owed to the Commandant, whose constant solicitude watched over them with -paternal care, for they were urged on and excited by the perfidious -insinuations of Ramirez and his comrades. The courage they lacked to -defend themselves and do their duty as men of honour, they found again -to accuse their chief of treachery, and seizing any arms they came -across, they rushed tumultuously toward the quarterdeck, uttering -menaces and cries of revolt. - -The officers, justly alarmed, and not knowing what means to employ to -bring these men back to their duty, collected round their Commandant, -resolved to save themselves or perish with him. The old sailor was still -apparently just as calm and stoical; nothing revealed on his stern face -the agony that secretly crushed his heart. With his arms folded on his -chest, his head erect, and a steady glance, he awaited the mutineers. - -The latter soon invaded the after part of the vessel; but, after passing -the mainmast, they stopped, through a remnant of that respect which is -innate in sailors for their superiors. The quarterdeck is that portion -of the deck which is exclusively reserved for the officers: the sailors, -under no consideration, are allowed to tread it, except for the purpose -of executing a manoeuvre. - -On reaching the foot of the mainmast, then, the mutineers hesitated, for -they no longer felt on their own ground, and at length stopped: for the -mere fact of their invading this part of the deck constituted a grave -infraction of naval discipline. We have said that they stopped; but -they were like an angry sea which breaks against the foot of a dyke it -cannot dash over; that is to say, yelling and gesticulating furiously, -but yet without going an inch further. At the same time, however, they -did not fall back. - -But this hesitation and almost timid attitude of the mutineers did not -at all suit the views of those who had urged them to insubordination. -Collected in the rear of the sailors, they shouted and gesticulated -louder than the rest, trying by all means to revive the fire which was -already threatening to expire. The corvette's deck presented at this -moment the most desolating, and yet at the same time imposing -appearance. In the midst of the fragments piled up pell-mell on this -fine ship so fatally decapitated by canister shot, these men, with their -rude and fierce features, grouped in disorderly and menacing groups; -and, scarce a few yards from them, a small band of calm and resolute -officers, collected round the Commandant, who, standing on the -quarterdeck, seemed to dominate over the men. Then, a little in the -rear, Doņa Mencia and the two American officers, apparently -disinterested spectators of the events which chance compelled them to -witness, but, in reality, following with anxious glance all the -incidents of the drama that was being played before them. Assuredly a -painter would have found a magnificent subject for a picture in the -position of the different characters, and the expression that at times -lit up their masculine faces. - -And then, in the distance the lofty sails of the brig could be seen -glistening, which was rapidly approaching, doubtless with the intention -of coming, like the classic _Deus ex machina_, to unravel at the right -time this situation, which every passing moment only tended to render -the more complicated. - -There was a momentary truce between the two parties, who, like practised -duellists, had tried to discover their adversary's vulnerable point -before crossing swords. A deep silence prevailed on the deck of this -ship, where so many passions were fermenting in these hearts of bronze; -no other sound was audible save the hollow and monotonous moaning of the -sea, as it broke against the sides of the corvette, and the indistinct -sound of weapons clutched by eager hands. - -This hesitation had something sinister and startling about it, and the -Commandant resolved to put an end to it at all hazards. He understood -that he was the only person who could make an appeal to these misguided -men, who might possibly not remain dumb to the voice of duty speaking -through the lips of a man, whose noble character they had enjoyed many -opportunities of appreciating, and whom they had been so long accustomed -to respect and love. - -Commandant Rodriguez looked slowly and sadly, but yet firmly, round him, -and extending his arm in the direction of the brig, which was hugging -the wind to be able to run alongside the corvette more easily, he said, -in a loud and marked voice-- - -"My men, here comes the enemy. We have our revenge to take upon him: -then why are you not at your quarters? What do you want of me? Are you -afraid that I shall fail you when the hour for fighting arrives?" - -At this direct and firm appeal a strange quiver ran along the ranks of -the mutineers; some of them were even going to reply, when a voice was -heard from the rear: "Who tells you that we regard that vessel as an -enemy?" - -Immediately hurrahs and shouts of joy, mingled with oaths and hisses, -burst forth on all sides. - -"The man who dares to speak so," the Commandant shouted, in a voice that -for a moment quelled the tumult, "is a traitor and a coward. He does not -form part of my ship's crew." - -An indescribable tumult then broke out. The sailors, forgetting all -respect and discipline, rushed toward the quarterdeck with frightful -yells and vociferations. The Commandant, not at all disconcerted by this -hostile manifestation, seized a pistol, which a faithful sailor handed -him, coolly cocked it, and addressing the mutineers, said: "Take care. -The first who advances one step further I will blow out his brains." - -Some men are gifted with so great a magnetic power, and their influence -over the lower classes is so real, that the two to three hundred -mutineers, at the sight of this man, who alone withstood and threatened -them with a pistol, hesitated, and finally stopped, with a vague -movement of alarm. It was evident that this pistol was little to be -feared, even under the hypothesis that the Commandant carried out his -threat, since it would only kill or wound one man; still, we repeat, all -these men stopped, surprised, perhaps terrified, but certainly not able -to account for the feelings they experienced. A smile played round the -Commandant's lips; he understood that these rough and rebellious natures -had been subdued. He determined to make sure of his triumph. - -"Every man to his quarters," he said; "the topmen will get the ship -clear while the carpenters rig up a jury bowsprit." - -And leaving the quarterdeck, the Commandant advanced resolutely toward -the mutineers. The latter fell back as he advanced, without speaking or -gesticulating, but only opposing that final resistance, the most -dangerous of all, the force of inertia. It was all over with the mutiny, -however; the crew, shaken by the firm and wise conduct of their chief, -were on the point of returning to their duty, when an unexpected -incident completely changed the aspect of affairs, and put the officers -once more in the critical position from which the Commandant had -extricated them with such ease. - -We have said that Doņa Mencia and her two companions attentively -followed the incidents of this scene, in readiness to interfere, when -the moment arrived. Commandant Rodriguez had scarcely left the -quarterdeck ere the young woman, or young man, whichever it may please -the reader to call this mysterious being, rushed forward, and seizing a -telescope, fixed it on the brig, as if to feel certain of the -privateer's position, and be assured of support if required. The brig -was now only two cables' lengths from the corvette, and within a few -minutes would be within hail. - -Suddenly Doņa Mencia, throwing off her feminine character, hurriedly -tore off the dress that covered her, removed her bonnet, and appeared in -the masculine attire El Alferez had worn at the pulqueria. This -transformation had been so rapid that the officers and crew had not -recovered front the astonishment this strange metamorphosis caused them, -when the young man, drawing a pistol from his belt, cocked and pointed -it at a number of cartridges the boys had brought on deck when the -Captain beat to quarters, and which they had left lying pell-mell at the -foot of the mizzenmast during the disorder that followed the fall of the -spars. - -"Surrender!" El Alferez shouted in a thundering voice; "Surrender, or -you are dead men!" - -Don Cristoval and Don Serapio were standing on the right and left of -the young man, holding a pistol in either hand. Ramirez, for his part, -had lost no time; by his care two of the bow carronades had been dragged -from their ports and trailed on the stern, and two sailors, match in -hand, were standing motionless by them, only awaiting the signal to -fire. Ramirez and the fourteen men left him were aiming at the Mexican -sailors. The crew was taken between two fires; two hundred and fifty men -were at the mercy of twenty. The position was desperate, and the -Commandant had not even the resource of falling honourably. - -The events had occurred with such rapidity, this coup-de-main, prepared -long beforehand, had been carried out with such coolness and skill, and -all had been so thoroughly foreseen, that the Commandant, after taking a -despairing glance along the deck, was obliged to allow that he had only -one chance of escape--laying down his arms. Still he hesitated, however, -and El Alferez understood the combat that was going on in the heart of -the brave officer. - -"We are not pirates," he said, "Commandant Rodriguez, we are Texans; you -can lay down your arms without shame--not to save your life, to which -the defeat you have just suffered causes you to attach but slight value, -and which you would doubtless readily sacrifice to expiate your -misfortunes--but you are responsible before Heaven for the two hundred -and fifty men forming your crew. Why needlessly shed precious blood! For -the last time I invite you to surrender." - -At this moment a thick shadow covered the deck of the corvette; the -brig, which everyone had forgotten, had continued to advance; it had -come within pistol shot, and its lofty sails stretched out over the -vessel and intercepted the sunshine. - -"Halloo the ship!" a voice shouted from the stern of the cruiser; "Send -a boat aboard us with your captain." - -This voice sounded like a thunderclap in the ears of the Mexicans. The -brig had shortened sail, and was now lying motionless to starboard of -the corvette. There was a moment of intense silence, during which all -eyes were instinctively turned on the privateer; her yards were lined -with topmen armed with muskets and hand grenades, through the open ports -the men could be seen standing by the guns, and it literally held the -corvette under its fire. - -"Well," El Alferez continued, stamping his foot impatiently, "have you -made up your mind; yes or no?" - -"Sir," the Commandant answered, "by an infamous act of treachery you -have become master of my vessel; as any resistance is henceforth -useless, I surrender." - -And with a gesture full of dignity the old sailor drew his sword, -snapped the blade asunder, and after throwing the pieces into the sea, -retired to the stern with a calm and resigned step. - -"Captain Johnston," El Alferez shouted, "your corvette is ours; send a -boat's crew on board." - -A whistle was heard from the brig's deck; a boat was let down, and a few -minutes after, twenty privateer's men, armed to the teeth, and commanded -by the Captain in person, stepped on the corvette's deck. The -disarmament of the crew was effected without the slightest resistance, -and Commandant Rodriguez and his staff were at once transferred to the -brig, in order that the Mexican sailors, who were much more numerous -than their visitors, might be without a leader in the event of their -attempting to regain possession of the corvette by a desperate effort. -But this precaution was unnecessary, for the Mexicans had not the -slightest idea of rising; on the contrary, most of them were natives of -Texas, who found among the sailors of the brig many of their old friends -and acquaintances; in a few moments the two crews were on the most -cordial terms, and mixed up together. - -Captain Johnson resolved to profit by this fortunate circumstance; the -privateer was in a very difficult position, and literally experienced at -this moment an embarrassment of wealth; he had, without striking a blow, -captured a first class corvette, but that corvette required a crew, and -the sailors he could dispose of by taking them from his own ship to put -them aboard the prize were insufficient; the good understanding that had -almost suddenly sprung up between the two crews, therefore, supplied him -with the means of escape from the difficulty. - -Sailors, as a general rule, are men hardened to fatigue; faithful, but -unscrupulous in politics, whose questions are much too abstract for -their intellect, which is naturally limited on all affairs relating to -land. Accustomed to be sternly governed and have all the actions of -their life directed, from the gravest down to the most trivial, sailors -are only full-grown children, who appreciate but one thing--strength. A -resolute man can always do what he likes with them, if he succeed in -proving his superiority over them. - -Captain Johnson was too old a hand not to know how he should act under -the present circumstances. So soon as the disarmament was effected he -mounted the quarterdeck, took up the speaking trumpet, and making no -distinction among the sailors scattered about the deck, he ordered a -series of manoeuvres, intended to habituate the men to the sound of his -voice, and prove to them that he was a thorough sailor, which all -recognised in a few minutes. - -The orders were then executed with such rapidity and eagerness that the -corvette, almost unserviceable an hour previously, was soon under jury -masts, and in a condition to sail for any port to which it pleased its -new commander to take it. The deck had been completely cleared, the -running rigging cut during the action spliced--in short, an hour before -sunset any stranger whom accident brought aboard the _Libertad_ could -have formed no idea of what had really taken place. - -When he had obtained this result, Captain Johnson smiled in his -moustache, and ordered Master Lovel, who had followed him on board, to -pipe all hands on deck. At this familiar signal the sailors, who were -now quite submissive, gaily ranged themselves at the foot of the -mainmast, and waited patiently for their new Captain's orders. The -latter knew how to address rude fellows like these; after complimenting -them on the intelligent way in which they had comprehended his orders, -he told them that he had no intention of keeping them prisoners, for the -majority of them were Texans like himself, and as such had a claim to -his entire sympathy. Consequently, those sailors who did not wish to -serve the Texan Republic would be landed at the first place on Mexican -territory the corvette touched at; as for those who consented to remain -aboard and serve their country, their pay would be raised to twenty-five -piastres a month, and in order to prove to them the good intentions of -the Texan Government towards them, a month's pay would be distributed on -the spot in the shape of bounty. - -This generous proposition was greeted with shouts of joy by those men -who began at once to calculate how many glasses of tafia and measures of -pulque they could consume for this fabulous sum of twenty-five dollars. - -The poor fellows, ever since they had been in the Mexican service, had -only been paid in promises, and for a long time past had considered this -pay far too meagre. The Captain was aware of this circumstance, he saw -the effect he had produced, and continued in the midst of a religious -silence-- - -"Then, that is settled, my men. You are free not to remain on board, -where I have no desire to retain you as prisoners. Still, reflect on the -propositions I make you, in the name of the Government I have the honour -of serving, for I consider them in every way advantageous for you. Now, -let those who wish to enter on board the corvette pass to larboard, -while those who wish to be put ashore can remain where they are. The -purser will draw up the agreement, and pay the bounty at once." - -The Captain had installed the purser at the foot of the mizenmast, with -a table before him, and bags of dollars at his feet. This display met -with the greatest success, nothing more was wanting, and the sight of -the piastres decided even the most irresolute. At the command of "Go," -given by the Captain, the sailors crowded round the purser, who ere long -did not know whom to attend to first, so anxious were all to receive the -bounty. The Captain smiled at the result of his eloquence, but he -considered it advisable to go to the aid of the purser, and by his -orders, the sailors displayed a little less precipitation in presenting -themselves to him. - -The enlistment lasted two hours. All the sailors entered all now -joyously clinked in their horny hands the handsome piastres they had -received; and assuredly, if a Mexican ship had come up at the moment, -the new crew would have given it a rude reception, and infallibly -captured it. The result obtained by Captain Johnson was easy to foresee: -in every sailor there is something of the privateer, and ready money is -the only available argument with him. - -But Captain Johnson was a cool and methodical man, on whom enthusiasm -had but a slight effect. He was not at all intoxicated by the success he -had met with; he knew very well, that when the first effervescence had -worn off, reflection would come, and with reflection that -insubordination so natural to the sailor's character. Above all, he must -avoid giving any pretext for mutiny; and for that purpose, it was urgent -to break up the unanimity which a lengthened dwelling together had -produced among them. The means to effect this were simple, and the -Captain employed them. His own brig had a crew of one hundred and ninety -men; of these he only retained fifty, while the others went aboard the -corvette, one hundred and forty of her crew being transferred to the -brig; in this way the two crews were fused, and were completely at the -disposal of the Captain, who became their entire master. - -The various events we have described, and the incidents that followed -them, had occupied a considerable period; the whole day had slipped -away, and the organisation was not completed till an hour before sunset. -Captain Johnson gave the command of the corvette to Don Serapio, with -Don Cristoval as first lieutenant, and Ramirez as master; while he -himself retained the command of the brig. Then, when all was in order, -the Captain had the Mexican flag hoisted at the peak of the corvette, -which immediately started for Galveston. - -The Captain returned on board his own vessel, taking with him El -Alferez, to whose determination and coolness the Texan Revolutionary -Government owed the possession of a naval force. The result was grand, -and surpassed even the expectations of the insurgents. But that was not -enough: on getting aboard his brig, the Captain ordered the Texan flag -to be struck, turned upside down, and hoisted again with the Mexican -colours above it. The brig set sail, and kept up with the corvette, -being careful to keep under her guns, as if really captured by her. - -The sailors did not at all comprehend this singular manoeuvre; but, as -they had seen the Captain laugh, they suspected some stratagem, and, in -spite of the shame they felt at seeing their colours beneath those of -Mexico, they repressed their murmurs, in the hope of a speedy revenge. - -In the meanwhile, the whole population of Galveston had since morning -been plunged in the greatest anxiety. Assembled on the jetty, they had -watched the obstinate pursuit until the vessels disappeared; the sound -of cannon, repeated by the echo of the cliffs, had reached the city; a -fight had, therefore, taken place, but what the result was everybody -asked the other, and no one could answer. - -The silence of the fort had also seemed inexplicable; they could not -understand why it had not sunk the brig as it passed. Suddenly there was -an outburst of shouts and cheers, for the brig and corvette reappeared -at the entrance of the passage, with the Mexican colours proudly flying -on the two ships over the Texan flag, which was disgracefully reversed. -This delight knew no bounds when the ships were seen to anchor beneath -the guns of the battery; the Mexicans were victors, and the Texan -insurgents had suffered a defeat, from which they would not so easily -recover. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -A STRANGE LEGEND. - - -We will now return to the Jaguar, whom we left departing from the -pulqueria, and proceeding at the head of his bold companions toward the -fort of the Point. But, before going further, in order to make the -reader understand the almost insurmountable difficulties which the -Jaguar would meet with on the audacious expedition he was attempting, we -ask leave to tell him the legend current about this fortress, a legend -which has survived to this day, in all its quaint simplicity. - -The European traveller who visits for the first time Texas, and all the -coasts of Southern America generally, experiences a feeling of -indefinable sorrow at the sight of these gloomy and sinister shores, -which have witnessed so many accidents, and against which the dark waves -of the Pacific break with mysterious murmurs. All, in fact, disposes to -reverie in these poetic countries: the sky, which resembles a plate of -red-hot iron; the lofty denuded cliffs, whose capricious outline looks -as if it had been cut out by some artistic giant of past ages, and -bearing at times on their proud crests the still imposing ruins of an -old palace of the Incas, or a teocali, whose massive walls are lost in -the clouds--the ancient lurking places of those ferocious priests of the -Sun, who made all tremble around them, and raised their bloody titles -both afloat and ashore. Before the conquest, at the time when the -descendants of Quetzalcoatl, or the Serpent covered with feathers, -peacefully reigned in these countries, the thick walls of the teocalis -stifled many a groan, concealed and authorised many a crime. - -Of all the stories told us in our last journey through Texas, about -these mournful abodes scattered over the country, we will only relate -one, which has reference to the narrative we have undertaken to tell. - -It was a short while after the daring expedition, during which Columbus, -while seeking a new road to India, had found America again; the fever of -discovery had affected every imagination; each, with his eyes fixed on -the New World, which had sprung up as if by magic, rushed toward these -unknown regions with all that feverish activity we have seen suddenly -rekindled with reference to the Californian placers. - -Among the adventurers who went to try their fortunes, some were only -urged by the hope of making discoveries, while others, on the contrary, -only obeyed the thirst for gold, and renewed, on another stage, the -fabulous exploits of the Scandinavians--those bold kings of the sea, -whose life was a continued combat. Among these men was one who had made, -with the unfortunate De La Salle, that unlucky expedition, during which -he crossed over the whole of Texas. This adventurer, however, Don -Estevan de Sourdis by name, caring little for the unprofitable -adventures the brave Frenchman undertook, secretly quitted his Chief -with the vessel he commanded, and sailed quietly along the coasts of the -new land so recently discovered. - -The idea was excellent, and the profits were great: in a few months the -adventurer's vessel was filled with riches, more or less honourably -acquired. Still, for reasons best known to himself, Don Estevan felt no -desire to return to France. He therefore resolved to seek a spot where -it would be possible for him to build a fortress capable of protecting -him, and serve him as a secure retreat against the pirates who traversed -these seas in the same way as he did; he therefore began carefully -exploring the Texan coast, in order to find a suitable spot to carry out -his plans. - -Accident led him to the mouth of the Rio Trinidad, a few miles from the -spot where Galveston was built at a later date, in a wild and -uninhabited country, whose appearance attracted him at the first glance. -Like the old pirate he was, the Count admired the magnificent block of -granite that commanded the entrance of the bay he had put into; and, -seeing the importance of a citadel built on this rock, and the power it -would eventually give his family, he resolved to form his nest there. - -When his choice was made, the pirate had his vessel drawn ashore, camped -with his men at the foot of the rock, and began reflecting on the means -of carrying out his bold scheme. A good many things troubled him--in the -first place, where should he procure the stones necessary for such an -edifice; and if the stones were found, where should he get the masons to -put them together. - -Count Estevan de Sourdis and his comrades were excellent -sailors--killing, pillaging, and ravishing conscientiously each time -that the opportunity offered itself; but, as a general rule, they were -very poor masons, and nothing of architects. And then again, supposing -the stones were found, squared, and brought to the foot of the rock, -how were they to be raised to the top? This was really the -insurmountable difficulty; and any other than the bold pirate would have -renounced the execution of a plan which he recognised as impossible. - -But the Count was obstinate; he said to himself with a certain show of -reason, that the greater the difficulties to overcome, the stronger and -better protected from attack his castle would be. - -In consequence, far from recoiling, he armed his people with iron -crowbars, and began forming in the rock a path which wound round it and -was to finish at the summit. This path, three feet wide at the most, was -so steep and abrupt, that the slightest false step sufficed to hurl -those who ventured on it down an abyss, at the bottom of which they were -crushed to death. After a year of superhuman toil, the path was formed, -and the count, scaling it on his horse, at the risk of breaking his neck -one hundred times, planted his banner on the top of the rock, with a -shout of pride and joy. - -Another cry answered his, but it was so ironical and mocking that the -old pirate, whose nerves were as hard as cords, and who had never -trembled in his life, felt a shudder of terror run over all his limbs; -his hair stood erect in horror, and an icy perspiration beaded on his -temples. - -The Count turned round; a man wrapped in a large black cloak, and with a -red plumed hat on his head, was standing by his side. The man's face was -ashy, his eyes glistened with a gloomy fire, and his parched up lips -grimaced a mournful smile. The Count regarded him for a moment with -surprise; but as, after all, he was a brave sailor who feared nothing in -the world, he asked the stranger, in a firm voice, who he was, and how -he happened to be at this spot. To these two questions the unknown -answered politely that he had heard say that the Count de Sourdis was -seeking an architect capable of building him a strong and handsome -castle, and that he had come to treat with him. The chieftain bowed -courteously, and the following dialogue took place between the speakers. - -"Do you not think, master," the pirate said, "that this spot is -excellently chosen for the place I meditate?" - -"Excellency," the stranger replied, "you could not have found a better -site all along the coast." - -The pirate smiled proudly. - -"Yes," he said, "and when my castle is built, no one will be able to -assail it." - -"Oh, of course." - -"Look here," he continued, making the stranger a sign to follow him, -"this is what I propose doing." - -And walking round the plateau, he described the plan in its fullest -details: the stranger approved of it by nodding his head and smiling his -crafty smile. In the meanwhile time was passing: for about an hour day -had given way to night, and gloom had gradually invaded the rock; the -pirate, carried away by the irresistible attraction a man ever feels in -ventilating his ideas, specially to a person who seems to approve of -them, continued his demonstrations without noticing that the darkness -had grown too dense for the person he was addressing to derive great -profit from what he was saying; at length he turned to the stranger. - -"Well," he asked him, "what do you think of it?" - -"It is perfect," the other answered. - -"Is it not?" the Chief asked, with an air of conviction. - -"Yes, but--" - -"Ah," said the pirate, "there is a but then?" - -"There is always one," the stranger objected judiciously. - -"That is true," the old pirate muttered. - -"You are aware that I am an architect?" - -"You told me so." - -"Well, I have made a plan too." - -"Indeed, indeed!" - -"Yes, if you will permit me, Excellency, I shall have the honour of -submitting it to you." - -"Do so, my dear fellow, do so," the Chief said with a condescending -smile, for he was convinced in his heart that his plan was the better of -the two. - -"Directly." - -"But I have an idea." - -"What is it?" - -"Why, it is rather dark, and in order to judge of your plan--" - -"A light would be necessary, I suppose you mean, Excellency." - -"Why yes," the pirate replied, "I fancy it would prove useful." - -"Pray do not put yourself out of the way," said the stranger, "I will -procure one." - -With the greatest possible coolness, he took off the feather that -adorned his hat, and stuck it in the ground, when it suddenly burst into -a flame, just as if it had been a torch. The Count was astounded at this -marvel, but as, after all, he was a good Christian, and he was beginning -to distrust his companion considerably, he mechanically prepared to -cross himself. But the stranger eagerly caught hold of his arm. - -"Let us lose no time, Excellency," he said. - -And drawing a roll of parchment from under his cloak he unrolled and -laid it before the pirate, who was in extasies at the magnificent plan -he saw. - -"What do you, think of that, Excellency?" the architect said, in a -sweet, bitter voice. - -"Sublime!" he exclaimed, transported with admiration. - -"You are a judge," the other answered, "this is what I propose doing." - -And in his turn he began entering into the most minute details, to which -the old sailor listened with gaping mouth and flashing eyes, never -leaving off looking at the splendid fortress drawn on the parchment. -When the architect ceased speaking, the pirate was so confounded by all -he had heard, that he remained for a moment stunned, and tried in vain -to restore the regular flow of his thoughts. - -"Well," he at last asked with a certain shade of incredulity, which -involuntarily betrayed itself in his voice, "do you fancy yourself -capable of carrying out such a masterpiece?" - -"Nothing is easier." - -"But we have no building stones." - -"I will find them." - -"I have no masons." - -"I will procure them." - -"But iron, wood--in a word, all the articles necessary for such a -building, how to procure them?" - -"I will take it on myself." - -"But it will cost me a tremendous sum," said the Count, pressingly, for -fear was more and more overpowering him. - -"Pooh!" the stranger said, carelessly, and thrusting out his lower lip -in disdain, "less than nothing, a trifle." - -"And how long will you require to finish my fortress as it stands on the -parchment?" - -"Wait," the other said, calculating on his fingers, and scratching his -forehead like a man who is seeking the solution of a difficult problem; -"it is about nine o'clock, I think?" - -"About," the Count said, not at all understanding the stranger's -meaning. - -"Well! By sunrise all will be ready, and you can take possession of your -new residence." - -"What, why, you must be the demon!" the Count exclaimed in utter -stupefaction. - -The stranger rose, bowed to the pirate courteously, and answered him -with great politeness and a most gentlemanly manner. - -"In person, Excellency. On my honour," he added, "I never could leave a -worthy man in a difficulty. I was affected by your perplexity, and -resolved to come to your aid." - -"You are most kind," the old sailor muttered mechanically, not knowing -what he was saying. - -"That is my motive," said the other, with a modest bow. - -"Thanks; and you ask me--" - -"I have told you already--a mere trifle." - -"Still----" - -"We shall come to an agreement; besides, I am too much of the gentleman -to treat you as a greenhorn. Still, to keep things straight, just sign -this simple agreement." - -"Pardon me; but I cannot read. I can sign nothing; besides, you can -easily understand that I am not at all desirous to give you my soul." - -"Come, Excellency," said Mephistopheles, "you can hardly suppose that I -have any intention of taking you in?" - -"What? - -"Hang it all! Your soul has been mine for a long time, and I do not -require your authorization to take it." - -"Nonsense," said the worthy pirate, who was quite rebuffed, "do you -think our Lord will not look twice before condemning a man of my sort?" - -"Not the least in the world," the demon continued good-humouredly; "so -reassure yourself. It is not that I intend to ask of you." - -"Speak, then; and, on the word of a gentleman adventurer, I will grant -it." - -"Done!" said Satan, graciously stretching out his hand. - -"Done!" the pirate replied. - -"Come, that is settled. Well, you will surrender to me the first living -creature you address in the morning when you wake. You see that I am not -exigent, for I might have charged you much more dearly." - -Don Stephen made a face, for the first person he was in the habit of -addressing in the morning was his daughter. - -"Do you hesitate?" the demon asked in a sub-acid voice. - -The pirate sighed. The conditions seemed hard, still he must accept -them. - -"No, I don't," he said; "it is a bargain." - -"Very good; now leave me to my work." - -"As you please," the pirate answered, and prepared to go down; but, -suddenly reflecting, he added, "Tell me, can you not do me a service?" - -"With pleasure." - -"During our conversation night has fallen; it is as black as in your -domains, and I am frightfully afraid of breaking my neck in going down -to the plain." - -"Do you wish to rest?" - -"Yes; the day has been fatiguing, and I am desirous of sleep." - -"All right; nothing is easier." - -"Then, I shall have my castle tomorrow?" - -"At sunrise I promised it." - -"Thanks; and now, if you will help me----" - -"Certainly; hold on." - -And the demon, seizing the tail of the horse on which the pirate was -mounted, whirled the animal round his head, and then hurled it into -space. The pirate, slightly stunned by the rapidity of his flight, fell -without the slightest injury at the entrance of his tent; he immediately -dismounted, and prepared for bed. - -His boatswain's mate was waiting to help him in taking off his harness. -The Count threw himself anxiously on his couch, but though he might -close his eyes and turn and roll in every direction, sleep shunned him. -The mate, who was lying in the doorway of the tent, was also awake, but -through another motive; he fancied he saw strange lights running along -the rock; he heard the sound of hammers and crowbars, stone being sawn, -and the creaking of pullies--in a word, those thousand rumours produced -by masons, carpenters, and blacksmiths, when at work. - -The poor sailor, not knowing to what he should attribute what he fancied -he saw and heard, rubbed his eyes to assure himself that he was not -asleep, and then thrust his fingers in his ears--fearing, for good -reasons, that it must all be an illusion. At length, unable to doubt any -longer, he resolved to inform his Captain, and entered his tent. - -As we have said, the Count was not asleep. He rose in haste, and -followed his boatswain's mate; then, as he placed the utmost confidence -in this worthy man, who had served him for twenty years, he did not -hesitate to tell him what had passed between him and the devil, and what -he had himself promised, adding, in the most insinuating tone he could -assume, that he counted on the mate's attachment to prevent his daughter -entering the tent the next morning, as she was accustomed to do, and to -find some means of getting him out of the scrape. - -On hearing this avowal, and the proof of confidence that accompanied it, -the boatswain's mate became anxious; he was very fond of his Chief, for -he had risked his life twenty times for him; but the worthy sailor was a -Breton and excellent Christian, and was not at all desirous of placing -himself under the claws of Messire Satanas for an affair that did not at -all concern him. Still, after a few moments' reflection, his face -brightened and reassumed its ordinary look of careless gaiety, and he -said with a laugh: - -"Go and sleep, my Lord; tomorrow it will be day. After all, the demon -may not be so crafty as he looks." - -The pirate, comforted by the joyous air of his boatswain's mate, felt -more tranquil; he returned to his couch, and speedily fell asleep. The -sailor passed the whole night in prayer, and when the dawn began to -suffuse the sky with white tints, he went to the kennel, fetched a poor -mangy dog dying in a corner, thrust it into the tent, and letting fall -the curtain, waited for what would happen. The poor brute was no sooner -at liberty than it leaped into its master's bed and began licking his -face. - -"May the demon take thee, accursed animal!" the pirate shouted, awaking -with a start, and furious at having been thus disturbed in his sleep. - -A fearful blast shook the tent, a terrible yell was heard, and the dog -disappeared. The demon fled, all abashed, with the scurvy booty he had -secured. Messire Satanas had worked, however, conscientiously: a -formidable fortress now rose haughtily on the crest of the rock which on -the previous evening had been naked and deserted. The Count was -delighted, and took possession of his castle the same day. - -Still, what the demon had stated about his soul put a flea in the ear of -the worthy seigneur; and hence, without loss of time, he occupied -himself about his salvation. His first care was to establish a town near -the fortress, to which he attracted, by promises, adventurers from all -countries; then he sought a monk capable of liberating him from all his -sins; and it is probable that he found one, added the worthy Franciscan -who narrated this legend to us, in which he firmly believed, for Count -Estevan de Sourdis died in a state of grace, after leaving the greater -portion of his property to the clergy, founding two monasteries, and -building three churches. In short, the ex-pirate made a fool of the -demon to the end. - -Without attaching to this legend the perfect belief of the man who told -it us, still we were struck with admiration at the sight of the immense, -perpendicular block of granite, on the crest of which the castle boldly -stands, perched there like a vulture's nest, and we were compelled to -allow that the means employed to build it seemed to us entirely -incomprehensible. - -It was this fortress that the Jaguar had resolved to carry by surprise. -The task, if not impossible, was at the least very difficult, and it -needed all the audacious rashness of the young Chief merely to conceive -the thought of undertaking it. - -The night was dark; heavy clouds laden with electricity coursed across -the sky, and by intercepting the moonbeams rendered the gloom denser -still. The conspirators passed silently through the deserted streets of -the town like a legion of phantoms. They went on thus for a long time, -with watchful eye and finger on the rifle trigger, ready to fire at the -slightest suspicious sound; but nothing disturbed their march to the -seashore, which they reached after making a thousand windings, in order -to foil the spies who might have attempted to follow them in the -darkness. The spot where they were was a small sandy creek, sheltered on -all sides by tall cliffs; here, at a word from the Jaguar, they halted, -for the difficulties of the expedition were about to begin. The young -Chief assembled his comrades round him. - -"Caballeros," he then said, in a low voice, "we are proceeding to the -fort of the Point, which we must carry before sunrise; listen to me -attentively, and remember my instructions, in order that during the -expedition we may be exposed to no misunderstanding, which, in our -present situation, would not only be mortal to us, but cause our -comrades, who on their side are attempting a hazardous enterprise, to -lose all the fruit of their labours." - -The conspirators drew nearer in order to hear better. The swell died, -at their feet with a hollow murmur, and out at sea could be seen the -wares raised by the north-east wind, which would probably rise into a -tempest within an hour. The Jaguar continued-- - -"The fort of the Point is impregnable, or, at least, passes as such; I -have resolved to deprive it of the haughty boast, and for that purpose -have counted on you, comrades. Owing to the opinion the Mexicans have of -the strength of this citadel, they have considered it unnecessary to -keep up a numerous garrison there, convinced as they are that its -position will defend it, and that it is impossible to carry it, save by -treachery. The garrison, therefore, is only composed of thirty soldiers, -commanded by a lieutenant; it is small, and yet enormous; small, if we -force them into a hand-to-hand fight; enormous, if we are compelled to -remain at a distance. On the land side, the granite rock on which the -fort is built is so perpendicular that we could not hope to ascend -beyond one half of it; for, excepting the path cut in the rock, which is -defended at regular distances by barricades, escalading is -impracticable. We cannot, therefore, think of attacking it on that side. -But the sea is left to us, if the land fails us; if we can succeed in -landing on the narrow strip of earth which is left uncovered at low -water for about an hour at the foot of the fortress, it is probable that -we shall succeed in our enterprise; for it will never occur to the -garrison that any attempt to attack them by sea will be made on such a -night as this. That is not all--we must reach that strip of land, and -speedily too; the sea is beginning to ebb, and the moment is favourable. -This is what I propose doing." - -The conspirators, collected round their Chief, paid the most earnest -attention to his words. It was for them a question of life or death. - -"Now, my companions," the Jaguar continued, "we have no boat in which to -reach the base of the fort; the sound of oars striking against the -thowls would give the alarm, excite the suspicion of the garrison, and -reveal our presence; we must, therefore, cross by swimming; but it is -nearly a league to go; the tide runs out fast, and we shall have to -cross it at right angles; moreover, the night is dark, and the sea -rough. I will only remind you of the sharks and tintoreras we run a risk -of meeting on the way. You see, comrades, that it is a rude affair, and -it is certain that we shall not all reach the sand strip. Some of us -will remain on the road; but what matter, so long as we succeed? You are -brave men, so I have preferred to speak openly with you, and allow you -to see all the danger, than deceive you, for a peril if known is half -overcome." - -In spite of all their courage, the conspirators felt a spasm at their -hearts; still not one of them hesitated, for they had freely offered -their lives as a sacrifice; besides, they had now gone too far to -recoil; they must proceed at all risks. We must say, in praise of the -conspirators, that of all the perils enumerated by the Jaguar, only one -really alarmed them. What they most feared was the meeting with the -tintorera. - -We will explain to the reader, who is probably ignorant of the fact, -what this dangerous animal is, which possesses the privilege of -producing goose flesh in the bravest man, on the mere mention of its -name. The seas of Mexico, and especially the coasts, swarm with -dangerous fish, among which the shark holds a very honourable place. -But, though it be so dangerous, the Mexican pearl diver, who are mostly -Indians, care little for it, and bravely fight it, when the opportunity -offers. Still, there is a special sort they are extraordinarily afraid -of, and that is the tintorera. - -The tintorera is a shark of the largest size, and owes its name to a -peculiarity that reveals its presence at a considerable distance. Holes -placed near the snout of the fish distil a gluey matter, which spreads -over its whole body, and renders it brilliant as fireflies. These -phosphoric gleams are the most splendid on stormy nights, when the wind -moans and the thunder growls. The same phenomenon is produced on dark -nights; the denser the gloom, the more vivid is the furrow traced by the -tintorera. This animal, fortunately, is nearly blind, and, consequently, -cannot follow its prey by sight. They are also compelled to turn their -belly completely up on seizing their prey. In the pearl islands of the -Mexican coast there are several Indian and half-breed divers, who are -not at all afraid of fighting them, and who frequently succeed in -killing them. - -"Now," the Jaguar continued, after allowing his comrades some minutes -for reflection, "it is time for us to get ready. Listen to me. We are -about to attempt a surprise, and must therefore act accordingly. Let us -leave here our firearms, which would not only be useless, but might -prove dangerous, if a shot were fired imprudently and revealed our -presence; hence each will undress, only keeping on his trousers, and -carrying his dagger between his teeth; that will be sufficient, as -further clothing would only embarrass us in our long swim." - -The night grew more and more dark; the sea moaned sadly, under the -impulse of the _coromuel_, which was beginning to blow in gusts; the -sea wolves howled in the darkness; the _gaviota_ groaned sadly on the -top of the rocks; and from time to time the lamantine, as if jealous to -add its mournful moan to the sinister sounds of night, mingled with the -sharp sighs of the wind its accents, melancholy and plaintive as those -of a soul in pain;--all, is short, foreboded a tempest. The hour was -well chosen for a deed of darkness. - -The first emotion passed, the conspirators, galvanized, so to speak, by -the firm and confident accent of their Chief, bravely made up their -minds without observation or murmur. They threw down their weapons and -arms, and silently ranged themselves on the beach, only awaiting the -order to dash into the sea. The Jaguar, with fixed eye and frowning -brow, remained motionless for some minutes, doubtless thinking of the -immense responsibility he assumed in devoting to a probable death so -many men who placed their hopes and confidence in him. At length he made -a powerful effort over himself, a sigh escaped from his overladen -breast, and, turning to his comrades, who were calmly awaiting the order -to start, which would probably be a sentence of death to the majority, -he said in a hollow voice-- - -"Brothers, let us pray!" - -All knelt down, and the Jaguar offered up a prayer. His powerful voice -was mingled with the howls of the wild beasts and the crash of the -tempest; his companions repeated the sentences after him, with the faith -of primitive souls, who regard the belief transmitted to them by their -ancestors as the only true one. - -It was at once a touching and terrible spectacle offered by these -simple-minded, lion-hearted men, piously kneeling on this deserted shore -in the black night, while the tempest raged around them, preparing -themselves by prayer for the sacrifice of their life--alone in the -gloom, without the dazzling prestige of a brilliant sun and thousands of -spectators, but compelled to lay down their lives, and know no reward in -this world. - -When the prayer was ended, all rose to their feet. They felt stronger; -as God would henceforth be on their side, what had they to fear?--they -had made Him their accomplice. The Jaguar was the last to rise; his brow -was serene, but a febrile ardour caused his eyes to flash; he believed -in the success of his enterprise. After assuring himself that all his -comrades were ready, he ordered-- - -"Take your daggers between your teeth: Heaven protects us. Forward, -brothers, and long live liberty!" - -"Long live liberty!" the conspirators shouted. - -A dull sound was heard, as they dashed simultaneously into the sea. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -THE SURPRISE. - - -The Jaguar spoke truly when he said that the task the conspirators were -about to undertake was rude. Swimming side by side, the Texans advanced -in a straight line in the direction of the fort, which the obscurity -prevented them seeing. The sea was rough and lumpy; heavy waves poured -in, and rolled at every moment on their heads; the wind redoubled its -violence; the terrible coromuel, the scourge of these coasts, where it -causes so many shipwrecks, had risen; there was not a star in the sky to -guide these determined men. - -They swam on--not a cry, moan, or sigh revealing any fatigue or -discouragement on their part. At the head of the gloomy line formed by -the energetic heads of the conspirators, the Jaguar progressed alone. -Three-quarters of an hour passed, during which all the strength and -courage the human will possesses were expended in this struggle of -giants by these men, whom nothing could quell. Not one had broken down; -the line was still compact, and they advanced with the same vigour. -Before them, at about a musket shot distance, a denser shadow was -visible in the gloom, thrown out by the enormous mass of the fortress -they were approaching! - -Since the departure, the conspirators, with their eyes ardently fixed -ahead, had not exchanged a syllable. What could they have said? They -were perfectly aware of the probable consequences of their mad -enterprise, and fully conscious of the danger they incurred. Besides, -what was the good of speaking, when they could act? Hence they were -silent, but they acted vigorously. Still, as all the men swam like -otters, and were accustomed to the perfidious element in which they now -were, they only expended the necessary amount of strength, and were very -careful to keep the line regular. - -At length, after superhuman efforts, they succeeded in cutting through -the current that dashed with extreme rapidity and strength into the -straits. The hardest work was over; from this moment they needed only to -let themselves drift gently ashore, while careful to keep the right -direction. - -"Courage!" the Jaguar said. - -This word, the first the young man had uttered since the start, restored -the strength of his comrades and aroused their ardour again. The -fortress stood out gloomy and imposing a short distance ahead, and the -conspirators were already swimming in the shadow it cast. All at once a -cry disturbed the silence. - -"_Tintorera!_" - -A brilliant mass came to meet the conspirators, leave a long -phosphorescent trail behind it. - -"Tintorera!" a second voice shouted. - -In fact, another shark was advancing from the open sea and swimming -straight towards the conspirators, leaving a line of fire. - -"Tintorera!" a third voice said, with an indescribable accent of agony. - -Three tintoreras beset the swimmers and momentarily contracted the -circle in which they held them. The danger was serious. - -"Forward, comrades," the Jaguar said, in his calm and sympathetic voice, -"swim gently and noiselessly; you know that these monsters are almost -blind, and more than half deaf, they have not seen us. John Davis?" he -added. - -"Here!" the American answered. - -"Where are you?" - -"I am the last but one on the right." - -"Good! you will take the second tintorera and I the first. Lanzi!" - -"Lanzi has just disappeared," a voice answered. - -"Malediction!" said the Jaguar, "Can he be dead? who shall attack the -third tintorera?" - -"Do not trouble yourself, Jaguar," the well-known voice of the -half-breed answered, "I am after it." - -"Good! swim on, comrades, and leave us to cope with these monsters." - -The conspirators continued to advance silently, although they redoubled -their efforts. The Jaguar dived immediately and dashed toward the shark, -which was swimming at a moderate depth. The Chief and the monster were -soon so near that the brown fins of the tintorera grazed the shoulder of -the daring Texan, who saw the glassy eye of the shark, half covered by a -membrane, fixed upon him with an expression of cold malignity. - -The Jaguar remounted to the surface of the water and clutched his -dagger, at the same instant the monster's silvery belly was visible, as -it opened its enormous mouth, armed with terrible teeth, close set as -those of a harrow. The Jaguar drove in his dagger with all his strength, -and ripped the belly for about one-third its length. The hideous -tintorera, wounded to death, gave an enormous bound, while wildly -beating the water, and then fell back stark dead. - -The Jaguar, half blinded by the blood-stained water, and tossed about in -the whirlpool it had caused in its flurry, did not regain his senses for -more than a minute. At length, by a supreme effort, he returned to the -surface, inhaled the fresh air, and stifled a cry of triumph on seeing -near him the inanimate body of his foe the sport of the waves. Without -stopping, he took an anxious glance around. - -"It's all over," a voice said near him. - -"Is that you, Lanzi?" - -"It is," the half-bred answered, in a voice as tranquil as if he were on -terra firma. - -"Well?" - -"The shark is dead." - -"Now for the third, then. Where is John Davis? I do not see him." - -"Let us go and see." - -Not troubling themselves about their comrades, who were swimming towards -land, the two lion-hearted men dashed to the American's help. But all -was gloomy and silent around them; in vain did they cross-question the -darkness, nothing appeared, neither man nor tintorera. - -"Can he be dead?" the Jaguar muttered, in a hollow voice. - -"Oh, I cannot think so," Lanzi answered, "he is so brave and clever." - -"Suppose we hail him? He may be wounded." - -"But we shall be heard from the fort." - -"No, the wind is off shore." - -"Help, help!" a voice shouted at the moment close by. - -"That is he," said the Jaguar; "here we are, John, so have courage." - -And redoubling their efforts they proceeded in the direction whence the -cry for help had come. - -"Help, help!" the voice repeated with such an expression of agony, that -the two men felt themselves shudder, although they were so inaccessible -to fears. There is in the parting cry of agony of a strong man conquered -by necessity, so poignant and crushing an expression, that it stirs the -hearer to the depths of the soul. - -"Courage, courage!" the two men repeated, redoubling their already -prodigious efforts. - -All at once they saw a black mass swirling at about a yard from them and -then sink. The Jaguar immediately plunged and brought it to the surface; -this mass, which they had been unable to discover in the darkness, was -the body of John Davis. It was high time for them to arrive; the -American, finding himself conquered in the obstinate struggle he had so -long sustained against death, was sinking. Still, he had not entirely -lost his senses; being held above water, he inhaled the fresh air, and -was soon in a condition to answer the questions his comrades asked him. - -"Are you wounded?" said the Jaguar. - -"Yes." - -"What's the matter?" - -"I fancy my shoulder bone is put out; the monster, in dying, dealt me a -blow with his tail which all but made me faint. Had it not been for you, -I was lost. But good bye, and thanks; lose no further time with a man -who is half dead." - -"We shall not abandon you if you do not abandon yourself, John. Lanzi -and I, two powerful men, are ready to do everything to save you." - -"We are too far from land." - -"You are mistaken, we are almost touching it; a few more strokes and we -shall find ground; let us act." - -"Be it so, as you insist on it." - -"Can you support yourself in the water by putting one hand on Lanzi's -shoulder and the other on mine?" - -"I will try, brother." - -"Come on then." - -John Davis, stifling the horrible sufferings he underwent, succeeded in -doing what the Jaguar asked him, and all three then advanced towards the -shore, which was, in truth, no great distance off, and, in spite of the -darkness, its outline could be distinctly marked. But, in spite of all -his courage, Davis's sufferings were so atrocious, that he felt his eyes -grow dim and his strength all at once fail him. - -"No," he said, "it is impossible and letting loose the support that had -hitherto kept him up, he sunk. - -"Cuerpo de Cristo!" the Jaguar exclaimed, with a sublime outburst of -grief, "I will save him or perish with him." - -He plunged boldly seized his friend by his black hair, and mounting -again with him, held his head above water, while he swam gently with his -right hand. Lanzi had in no way attempted to oppose the heroic action of -the Chief of the Freebooters, but at the same time had not deserted him; -he swam close to him, ready to come to his aid if needed. - -Fortunately for the Jaguar, the enormous mass of rock on which the fort -was built neutralized the effects of the wind, and produced a factitious -calm which allowed the young man to reach with his precious burden the -narrow tongue of land, where his comrades were already awaiting him; but -on landing he fainted. Human strength has limits which it cannot -surpass; so long as the danger endured, the Jaguar had struggled -energetically, but, once it was over, and his friend saved, he had been, -compelled to confess himself conquered, and rolled on the sand with -terror. - -The conspirators were terrified at the condition in which they saw their -Chief, for what could they do without him--what would become of them? -Lanzi reassured them by stating what had happened, and then all crowded -round the young man and the American, whose condition was far more -serious, since he had received an injury. - -As we have said, only fatigue and moral over-excitement had caused the -Jaguar's fainting fit. Thanks to the eager and intelligent attention of -his comrades, he speedily regained his senses, and returned to full -possession of his faculties. Time pressed, and they must act without -delay, if they did not wish to be surprised by the return of the tide. -So soon as the Jaguar had recovered, his first care was to count his -comrades; nine were missing. These nine men had died without venting a -cry or uttering a complaint; when fatigue crushed them, they had sunk -sooner than claim assistance, which would probably have occasioned the -loss of their comrades by compelling them to offer assistance, which -would have exhausted their strength in a few moments. Great causes alone -produce such acts of devotion. - -The conspirators were at the very foot of the rock, at the top of which -the fort was built. It was a great step made, but it was as nothing so -long as the rock was not escaladed. But how to attempt that feat on a -dark night and with a coromuel, which every moment blew with greater -force, and threatened to hurl to destruction the man who was so rash as -to venture to attempt such an ascent! - -Still, they must act, and the Jaguar did not hesitate. He had not risked -his own life and that of his comrades to be arrested by any obstacle, -whatever its nature might be; impossibilities themselves must not stay -him, for, although he might be killed, he would not recoil an inch. -Still the means he had at his disposal were extremely limited; he had -but a silken cord about a hundred fathoms in length rolled round his -body, and his comrades had no other weapons than their daggers. - -The persons who have read the early scenes of this story will doubtless -remember the portrait we drew of the Jaguar. Although still very young, -or at least appearing so, he joined exceptional strength to marvellous -agility and skill; his adventurous character found delight in -extraordinary things, and impossibilities alone offered any attraction -to him. After reflecting for a few moments, he advised his comrades to -lie down at the foot of the rock, lest they should be blown away by the -coromuel, which was raging at the moment, passed two daggers through his -belt, and began examining with the most scrupulous attention the rock he -wished to attack. - -This granitic mass, whose base was bathed in the sea and beaten by the -waves, had never been seriously investigated by anyone, for who had any -interest in such a thing? The Jaguar alone, since the thought had -occurred to him of carrying the fort by surprise, had, on several -occasions and for hours together, examined it with a telescope. -Unluckily, through fear of exciting suspicions, he could only inspect it -from a long distance, and hence many details escaped his notice, as he -perceived at once when he began a serious investigation. - -In fact, this rock, which at a distance seemed to form an almost -perpendicular wall, was hollowed out at several points, and fissures had -been opened by time--that great demolisher, which wears away the hardest -granite. Though the ascent was still extremely difficult, it was not -impossible; the Jaguar welcomed this certainty with a quick start of -delight. - -"It is all right, brothers," he said to his comrades, "so take courage; -now, I entertain firm hopes of success." - -And he prepared to mount. Lanzi followed him. - -"Where are you going?" the Jaguar asked him. - -"With you," the half-breed answered, laconically. - -"For what good? One man is sufficient for what I am going to do." - -"Yes," he answered; "but two are better." - -"Well, come on, then." And then, turning to his attentive comrades, he -added, "so soon as the rope falls, cling on to it without fear." - -"Yes," the conspirators said. - -The Jaguar then planted his dagger in a crevice above his head, and with -the help of his hands and feet, raised himself sufficiently to thrust in -a second dagger above the first. The first step was taken; from dagger -to dagger the Jaguar reached, in a few minutes, a species of platform -about two square yards in width, where it was possible to draw breath. -Lanzi arrived almost with him. - -"Well," said the latter, "this trip is rather amusing; it is only a pity -that it is so dark." - -"All the better; on the contrary," the Jaguar replied, "we need not fear -a dizziness." - -"By my faith, that is true," said the half-breed, who cared as little -for a dizziness as he did for a grain of sand. - -They examined the spot where they were. It was a species of hollow, -probably excavated by time in the sides of the rock. Unfortunately, over -this hollow the rock formed a projection, rendering any further ascent -impossible. While the Jaguar was seeking on either side the means to -continue his climb, the half-breed, thinking it useless to fatigue -himself, sat down quietly in the crevice to shelter himself from the -wind. - -The end of the hollow was covered by a thick curtain of shrubs, against -which Lanzi leaned with the confiding delight of a man who is glad to -rest himself, if only for a moment, after his fatigue; but the shrubs -gave way under his weight, and the half-breed fell down at his full -length. - -"Hilloa!" he said, with that magnificent coolness which never deserted -him, "What's this?" - -"Will you be quiet?" the Jaguar exclaimed, as he hurried up, "or we -shall be found out. What has happened to you?" - -"I do not know. Look for yourself." - -The two men then advanced with outstretched arms, owing to the darkness. - -"Why, it is a grotto. Viva Dios!" the Jaguar exclaimed a moment later. - -"It looks to me very like one," said the half-breed, with his old -coolness. - -In fact, this excavation, which at a distance appeared a narrow fissure, -concealed the entrance to a natural grotto, completely masked by the -shrubs which accident had planted there, and which an equally great -accident had enabled the half-breed to discover. What was this passage -through? Did it go up and down? And was it known to the garrison? Such -were the questions which the adventurers asked themselves, and they -naturally could not answer them. - -"What shall we do?" Lanzi asked. - -"Por Dios! That is not difficult to guess," the Jaguar replied; "we will -explore this cave." - -"That is my opinion too; but I think there is a matter of inquiry to do -before that." - -"What is it?" - -"Whatever this cave may be, and no matter where it ends, it is certain -that it will, at any rate, offer us an excellent shelter. Supposing, at -any rate, as is possible, that we cannot succeed in effecting the ascent -of the rock this night, we will hide ourselves here during tomorrow, and -be ready to finish on the following night what we shall not have time -to effect during the present one." - -"That is an excellent idea," the Jaguar remarked, "and we will -immediately carry it into effect." - -The young man unfastened the rope round his hips, and after securely -attaching one end round a point of rock, and a stone to the other end, -that the wind might not blow it about, he let it fall. In a few minutes -the rope stiffened--the conspirators watching on the beach had seized -it. Ere long a man made his appearance, then a second, and so on till -all reached the platform. As they arrived, Lanzi sent them into the -grotto. - -"And John Davis?" the Jaguar asked reproachfully; "have you abandoned -him?" - -"Certainly not," the conspirator who mounted last answered. "Upon -leaving I was careful to put the rope several times round his body, in -spite of his objections. We only succeeded in overcoming his obstinacy -by persuading him that the weight of his body would keep the rope taut, -and facilitate my ascent." - -"Thank you," said the Jaguar. "Now, lads, to work; we must not abandon -our brother." - -At the Chiefs order, or rather entreaty, eight or ten men seized the -rope, and the American was soon hoisted on to the platform. - -"What is the use of taking so much trouble about me?" he said. "I can be -of no service to you: on the contrary, I shall only be in the way, and -impede your operations. It would have been better to leave me to die; -the rising tide would have formed my winding sheet." - -The Jaguar made no answer, but had him conveyed into the grotto, where -he was laid down on the ground. The young Chief then collected his -comrades, and explained to them how, by a providential accident, Lanzi -had discovered the entrance of the grotto. Still, it had not yet been -explored, and it was of urgency to find out in what direction it ran. -"Unfortunately," the young man added, "the darkness is dense, and we -have no means of procuring fire." - -"Listen, Jaguar," John Davis said, who had attentively followed the -Chiefs remarks; "I will give you fire." - -"You!" the young man said with a start of delight; "but no, that is -impossible." - -In spite of his sufferings the American attempted to smile. - -"What! You a wood ranger," he said, "did not think of that! And yet it -is very simple. Just feel in the right-hand pocket of my calzoneras, and -take out a packet." - -The Jaguar hastily obeyed; he drew out a small parcel about seven inches -in length, carefully wrapped up in shagreen and tied with thread. - -"What does this parcel contain?" he asked in some curiosity. - -"A dozen _cabos_, which I brought with me on the chance," the American -calmly replied. - -"Candles! _Viva Dios!_" the young man exclaimed with delight; "that is a -brilliant idea. You are an invaluable man, John. But," he added sadly a -moment later, "of what use will they be?" - -"To light us, of course." - -"Unfortunately, all our matches are damped by the sea." - -"Not mine. Do you imagine, Jaguar, that I am the man to neglect any -precautions, and do things by halves? Feel in the left-hand pocket of my -calzoneras, friend." - -The Jaguar did not allow the intimation to be repeated. He found a -second parcel smaller than the first, equally preserved from the wet, -containing a gold mechero with its flint and steel. - -"Oh," the young Chief said, "now we are saved!" - -"I hope so," the American said, as he fell back on the ground, where he -remained motionless, conquered by pain. - -A few minutes later, four candles were lighted, and illumined the -interior of the grotto. The conspirators restrained with difficulty a -cry of terror, for, thanks to the precautions taken by John Davis, they -were saved, but not in the sense meant by the Jaguar. This grotto -extended a long distance; its walls were lofty, and it seemed to ascend; -but in the centre was an opening, stretching across about two-thirds of -its width, and whose depth appeared enormous: one step further into the -interior of the cavern, and the conspirators would have disappeared in -the abyss. - -There are some dangers which go beyond the range of all human foresight, -and which, through that very reason, render the most intrepid man frozen -with terror. These men, who for some hours past had risked their lives -twenty times in a mad struggle, and who only lived yet through a -miracle, shuddered on thinking of the horrible danger they had escaped -by a providential accident. - -"Oh!" the Jaguar exclaimed with an expression impossible to render, "It -is evident that Heaven is on our side, and we shall succeed. Follow me, -brothers, for you must be as anxious as myself to hold the clue of this -enigma." - -All rushed after him. The cave took several windings, but, contrary to -what is generally found in most natural grottos, it did not appear to -have any other arteries save the one in which the conspirators found -themselves. - -The latter went on, following their leader step by step. The deeper they -got into the cavern, the ruder became the ascent. The Jaguar advanced -with extreme caution and doubt, for it seemed to him impossible that -this passage should be unknown to the Commandant of the garrison. On -reflection he supposed--and with some semblance of truth--that this cave -had been excavated, in earlier times, by human hands, and that the abyss -into which he and his comrades had all but fallen, was nought else than -a well, intended to supply the garrison in the event of a siege. - -He soon obtained a proof that his surmises were correct, for after -marching for a few minutes longer, the conspirators were arrested by an -iron-bound door, which barred their way. At a sign from the Jaguar, they -remained motionless, with their hands on their dagger hilts. The moment -for action had arrived: this door evidently opened into the fort. - -The Jaguar examined the lock for an instant, and then ordered the lights -to be put out, which was immediately obeyed, and the conspirators were -again in darkness. This door, which was very old, and probably had not -been opened for a long series of years, could not offer any serious -resistance. The young Chieftain thrust the point of his dagger between -the bolt and the staple, and pressed on it. The staple fell to the -ground, but the door still resisted; it was fastened on the other side -by strong bolts. - -There was a moment of extreme anxiety and discouragement for the -conspirators. How was the door to be opened? Must they turn back, and -lose all the profit of such perils overcome, and difficulties incurred? -The position was serious; but, as we have said, the Jaguar was a man who -only took a delight in impossibilities. He lit a candle again, and -examined the door with the most minute attention. The wood, acted upon -by age and damp, fell off in scales, and melted into dust at the -slightest effort. - -When the candle had been again extinguished, the young man knelt down -before the door, and began cutting it with his dagger, taking the -greatest care to make no noise for fear of alarming the garrison; for -though he was convinced that this door opened into the fort, he could -not know to what point it led. After ten minutes of slow and continued -toil, the whole lower part of the door was removed. The Jaguar crawled -through the orifice, and, not trying to discover where he was, he got -up, felt for the bolts, drew them one after the other, and quietly -opened the door, through which his comrades silently slipped. - -The conspirators then groped their way along the walls, not wishing to -light a candle, for fear of giving an alarm, and trusting to chance to -lead them in the right road. They were justified in doing so, for Lanzi -reached a door, which he mechanically pushed, and which was ajar. This -door opened into a long corridor lighted by a lamp, and the insurgents -boldly entered the passage, after taking the precaution to take down the -lamp and put it out. - -It was now about half-past four in the morning, and day was beginning to -break. At the end of the passage, the Jaguar perceived a motionless -shadow leaning against the wall. At an order from his Chief, the -half-breed glided like a serpent up to this shadow, which was nothing -less than a sentry, who was quietly asleep, with his musket by his side, -and on coming within reach, the half-breed bounded like a tiger at the -throat of the sleeper, whom he threw down without giving him time to -utter a cry. The poor fellow was bound and gagged, ere he was -sufficiently awake to understand what was happening to him. - -This sentry was stationed at the entrance of a guard-room, in which some -fifteen soldiers were sleeping. The post was carried, without a blow, by -the insurgents, who bound the soldiers, and took possession of their -arms. The expedition was going on famously; but unluckily, while the -scene we have referred to was taking place in the guard-room, the sentry -in the passage, who had been neglected, succeeded in loosing his bonds -and giving the alarm. The position had become serious. - -"Come," the Jaguar said quickly, "it seems as if we shall have a fight -of it. Well, several of you are now armed: comrades, remember my -orders--no quarter!" - -The insurgents, not at all anxious to be besieged in the guard-room, -where it would have been easy to overpower them, then went out. At the -moment when they appeared in the passage, they perceived some thirty -soldiers, at the head of whom three officers in uniform marched, coming -boldly to meet them. - -"Fire!" the Jaguar thundered, "and then forward!" - -Ten muskets were discharged, the three officers fell, and the Texans -rushed ferociously on the soldiers. The latter, terrified by this -furious attack, and seeing their leaders dead, offered but a weak -resistance; after a few minutes of hand-to-hand fighting, sustained -rather to save the military honour than in the hope of conquering the -assailants, they asked leave to capitulate. - -The Jaguar ordered a suspension of fighting, and ordered the garrison to -lay down their arms, which they readily did. During the short fight, the -Texans had lost eight men killed at the bayonet point. The fort of the -Point, which was supposed to be impregnable, had been surprised by -twenty-five men only armed with daggers. But these twenty-five fought -for a holy and great idea--they were resolved to conquer or perish. The -Jaguar had accomplished the task which had been allotted to him in the -vast plan conceived by the Texan insurgents, and the capture of the fort -must inevitably lead to the surrender of the town, if El Alferez -succeeded in making himself master of the _Libertad_ corvette. - -We have seen how, on his side, that Chief had behaved, and what result -he had achieved. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -EL SALTO DEL FRAYLE. - - -The expeditious way in which the Jaguar had gained the capture of the -castle, by firing, without any previous summons, on the Commandant of -the garrison and his officers, was, perhaps, not strictly loyal, or -recognized by the military code; but we must not forget that the Jaguar -and his men were placed without the pale of the law by the Mexicans, -that they were regarded as wild beasts, and a considerable reward -offered for their heads. - -Placed in such a position, the Texan insurgents must regard themselves -as freed from any courteous obligation toward their enemies, and in fact -were so. Until they were permitted to treat on equal terms with their -old masters, they had only one thing to regard, namely, the object to -be attained: under the present circumstances they had attained it, and -no more could be asked of them. - -The Jaguar's first care, so soon as he was in possession of the -fortress, was to have John Davis installed in a comfortable and airy -room; then he sent several men to the creek whence the expedition had -started, to fetch the clothes and anything the conspirators had left -there. - -During the works necessitated by the new occupation and an exact -inspection of the important fortress the Texans had succeeded in -seizing, day had broke, and the sun risen. The Jaguar, after taking all -the necessary precautions to prevent himself being surprised in his -turn, took a telescope, and went up to the platform of the castle. From -this point the eye surveyed an immense landscape, and a magnificent -panorama was unrolled. On one side were the undulating Texan plains, -which lofty mountains enclosed on the horizon; on the other, the sea -with its grand and mysterious immensity. - -The Jaguar first looked carelessly through the telescope at the town of -Galveston, which was beginning to wake up, and whose streets were -growing gradually peopled; next at the mainland, and the entrance of the -Rio Trinidad, which was still plunged in a mournful solitude. Then, -turning, he fixed the glass on the sea, and attentively examined the -horizon. Lanzi, carelessly lounging on a gun carriage, was rolling a -husk cigarette with all the serious attention he generally devoted to -this important operation. - -"Lanzi!" the Jaguar suddenly said, as he hurried to him. - -"Well!" he answered, raising his head, but not otherwise disturbing -himself. - -"Do you know what has become of the Mexican flag we found in the -commandant's room?" - -"Indeed I do not." - -"You must go and enquire at once, my good fellow. So soon as you have -got it, bring it to me." - -"Very good." - -The half-breed rose and left the platform; in the meanwhile, the Jaguar, -who was leaning over the parapet, seemed deeply interested. In fact, the -chase of the privateer by the corvette was beginning at this moment! and -the two vessels appeared under full sail. - -"Oh, oh," the Jaguar muttered, "how will it end? The brig is very small -to carry so large a vessel by storm! Nonsense," he added after a little -reflection, "we have seized the fort, then why should they not capture -the corvette?" - -"I see nothing to prevent it," a voice said at his elbow. - -The Jaguar turned and saw the half-breed standing by his side, with a -roll of bunting under his arm. - -"Well," he asked him, "where is the flag?" - -"Here it is." - -"Now, my friend, yon will hoist the flag on that staff; but, in order -that our comrades may not mistake our meaning, mind and fasten a dagger -to the top of the flag. The inhabitants of Galveston will not notice -this addition, while our friends, who have an interest in carefully -examining what goes on here, will immediately understand what it -signifies." - -Lanzi punctually carried out the order given him, and five minutes -later, the Mexican banner, surmounted by a dagger, was majestically -floating from the flagstaff. The Jaguar soon obtained the certainty that -his signal was understood, for the brig, closely pursued by the -corvette, waited till it had come within pistol shot of the fort ere it -tacked, which it assuredly would not have done had there been any cause -of fear. - -During the greater part of the day, the Jaguar followed with the -greatest interest the progress of the two ships, and witnessed the final -incidents from his observatory. At about two in the afternoon, however, -he went down into the interior of the fort, and, after recommending the -greatest vigilance to his friends, he armed himself, threw a zarapé over -his shoulders, and quitted the castle. By Lanzi's care, a horse had been -prepared for him near the foot of the rock: the Jaguar bounded into the -saddle, and after giving one glance at the fortress, he dug in the -spurs, and started at a gallop. The Jaguar was proceeding to the Salto -del Frayle, where, on the previous evening, he had appointed to meet Don -Juan Melendez de Gongora. - -The coasts of Mexico are probably the most varied of all those in the -New World. The seaboard of Texas especially is so strangely broken up, -that the mind loses itself in trying to discover what accident or -antediluvian cataclysm could have been powerful enough to produce these -bold gaps and sudden fissures in the tall cliffs that border it. - -Not far from Galveston, on the seashore, there is a rather wide road, -whose capricious windings follow for a considerable distance the crest -of the cliffs. This road is usually followed by the muleteers and -travellers of every description proceeding to Mexico. Being wide and -convenient, it might justly pass as excellent in a country where the -highways of communication are--or, at least, were--completely unknown, -for at the present day, Texas possesses fine carriage roads, and long -iron way. But at one spot, the road to which we allude suddenly breaks -off: the cliff, cleft as if by a giant's sabre stroke, displays a -yawning abyss, about ten feet wide, and some seven hundred feet deep. At -the base of this fissure the sea constantly breaks in fury, producing a -hollow and monotonous sound. On the other side of the gap the road -begins again. - -In Europe, where government is necessarily occupied in improving the -means of communication, a remedy would easily have been found for this -interruption by throwing a bridge across the fissure, but in America it -is not so. The governments have something else to do than trouble -themselves about the general welfare: in the first place, they have to -raise as much money as they can by taxation; and next, defend themselves -against _pronunciamentos_ and ambitious men constantly on the watch to -overthrow them. The result is, that all goes on as it best can, and each -gets out of a hobble, in the best way he can contrive it. - -Fortunately, the horses and mules, more intelligent than men, have -produced a remedy for this neglect, thanks to that instinct of -self-preservation which God has bestowed on them. Nothing is more -curious than to see the passage of the fissure by a recua of mules. -These animals come up gently, stretching over their necks, sounding the -ground at each step, and sniffing all around with signs of the most -lively alarm. On reaching the edge of the gap, they stiffen their front -legs, bend the hind ones, and toss their heads; then all at once they -take their spring, and fall on the other side upon all four feet, -without ever making a mistake. - -Still, it is necessary that the man who is astride them should -completely lay aside his own will, and abandon them entirely to their -infallible instinct. If he attempt to guide them, it is all over: man -and steed roll to the bottom of the precipice, which both reach in small -pieces. - -As for the name of the Salto del Frayle or the Monk's Leap, which this -spot bears, the following is the motive for it, according to the local -chronicle. It is stated (we affirm nothing, and in no way guarantee the -veracity of the legend)--it is stated, we say, that a few years after -the settlement of the Spaniards in Texas, a Franciscan monk, the Pater -Guardian, or Prior, of his monastery, being accused of insulting a -maiden whose confessor he was, escaped from the hands of the alguazil -sent to seize him, and fled across country. After a very long chase, and -when closely pursued by the soldiers, who were furious at their -inability to capture him, he reached the edge of this gap. Taking a -glance at the abyss, the poor monk felt he was a lost man; recommending -his soul to his patron saint, and calling Heaven to bear witness to his -innocence, he leaped boldly across. The soldiers who arrived at this -moment distinctly saw two angels supporting the monk under the arms, and -they laid him in safety upon the other bank. - -The soldiers naturally fell on their knees, and implored the blessing of -the holy man, whose innocence was thus distinctly proved to them. The -latter turned to them with a radiant face, blessed them with emotion, -and then disappeared, to the sound of celestial music, in a cloud of -purple and gold. Such was the story the soldiers told on returning from -their expedition. Whether they spoke truly or falsely, no one ever knew; -but one thing is certain, that from that moment nothing more was ever -heard of the monk. The populace, who are always lovers of the -marvellous, put the most entire faith in this story, and an annual -procession was instituted, at which we had the honour of being present, -and which, at each anniversary of the worthy prior's miraculous leap, is -performed with great ceremony, in the presence of an immense crowd which -has arrived from very part of Texas. - -Whatever may be thought as to the authenticity of this story, it is -certain that this spot is called the Monk's Leap, and it was here that -the Jaguar had given the meeting to Colonel Don Juan Melendez. The sun -had sunk almost level with the horizon when the young man reached the -gap. He looked around him; the road was deserted, so he dismounted, -hobbled his horse, lay down on the ground, and waited. - -He had been there about a quarter of an hour, when the sound of a horse -galloping reached his ear; he rose and looked round. He soon saw a -horseman turning a corner of the road and recognized the Colonel. On -reaching the Jaguar he bowed and leaped to the ground. - -"Pardon me, my friend," he said, "for having kept you waiting, but it is -a long distance from Galveston to this spot; and you and your comrades -give us so much to do, that, Viva Dios! we have not an instant to -ourselves." - -The young man smiled. - -"You are quite forgiven, Colonel," he said; "have you received any more -bad news?" - -"Neither good nor bad, but in truth very disagreeable; we learn that a -corps of freebooters has been formed, of which you are strongly -suspected to be the Chief, and which at this moment is ravaging the -whole country." - -"Have you heard no more than that?" - -"Not up to the present." - -"Well, before we part, I will give you some news, which, if I am not -mistaken, will deeply annoy you." - -"What do you mean, my friend? Explain yourself." - -"Not at this moment. We have not come here to discuss politics, but our -own affairs. Let us proceed regularly. We shall always have time enough -to return to politics." - -"That is true; but answer me one question first." - -"What is it?" - -"Is the news you have to tell me really serious?" - -The Jaguar frowned and stamped his foot on the ground with suppressed -violence. - -"Extremely serious," he said. - -There was a moment's silence; at length the young man walked up to the -Colonel and laid his hand on his shoulder. - -"Don Juan," he said to him in a kindly voice, "listen to me for a -moment." - -"Speak, my friend." - -"Don Juan," he continued, "why do you so obstinately defend a lost -cause? Why shed your generous blood in the service of tyranny? Texas -wishes to be free, and will be so! Count the capable men who serve in -your ranks; with the exception of two, perhaps three, there is not -another you can mention: Mexico, exhausted by the revolutions which -incessantly overthrow it, has at its disposal neither men nor money -enough to assume a vigorous offensive: the very name of Mexican is -odious to the Texans. On all sides the people are rebelling against you; -it is a constantly rising tide, which breaks down every dyke. You are -surrounded: within a month your army will be disgracefully expelled from -our territory. Reflect, my friend, for there is yet time; return your -sword to its scabbard, and leave fate to accomplish its task." - -"Listen to me in your turn, friend," the Colonel answered, in a mournful -voice. "What you have just said to me I knew as well as you do. I have -felt for a long time past that the ground trembles beneath our feet, and -that we shall ere long be swallowed up by the revolution; I therefore -form no illusion to the fate that awaits us. But I am a soldier, my -friend, I have taken an oath: that oath I must keep, at all risks. -Moreover, I am a Mexican--do not forget that fact; I must, therefore, -regard this question from a point of view diametrically opposed to -yours. Besides," he added, with feigned gaiety, "we are not yet in the -state you imagine. You have certainly taken from us a few pueblos, but -we still have the towns, and hold the sea. You sing victory too soon; -the Texan revolution is as yet only in the state of insurrection. At a -later date, when it holds a strong town, and its government is -constituted, we shall see what is to be done; but for the present there -is no cause to despair, my friend, and you have not made the progress -you fancy." - -"Perhaps so," the Jaguar answered, with an equivocal accent that caused -the Colonel to reflect. "I thought it my duty to speak to you as a -friend, and give you some disinterested advice; if you will not take it, -you are quite at liberty to neglect it." - -"Do not feel annoyed; my remarks can have nothing to wound your -feelings. I had no intention of vexing you when I spoke as I did. But -put yourself for a moment in my place; if I had made you the same -proposals you offered me, what would your answer have been?" - -"I should have refused, by Heaven!" the young man exclaimed, -impetuously. - -The Colonel began laughing. - -"Well, I acted as you would have done. What harm do you see in that?" - -"That is true; you were right, and I am an ass! Forgive me, my friend. -Besides, was it not agreed that political questions should never -separate us? Let us, therefore, return to the object of our interview, -which is of much greater importance to us, and temporarily leave the -Mexicans and Texans to settle matters as they can." - -For some minutes the Colonel's eyes had been fixed on the sea, and he -had listened to his friend's remarks with a very absent air. - -"Why," he suddenly said, "look there, my friend." - -"What is it?" - -"Do you not see?" - -"What do _you_ see, let me ask in return?" - -"Hang it! I see the _Libertad_ corvette, which has first anchored under -the guns of the Point Fort, bringing with her a privateer brig, which -she has, in all probability, captured off the coast." - -"Do you think so?" the Jaguar asked, sarcastically. - -"Look for yourself!" - -"My friend, I am rather like St. Thomas." - -"What do you mean?" - -"That as long as I am not completely convinced, I shall attach but very -slight faith to the testimony of my eyesight." - -These words were uttered with such a singular intonation, that, in -spite of himself, the Colonel felt ashamed. "What can you mean?" he -asked. - -"Nothing but what I say," the Jaguar answered. - -"Still, I fancy I cannot be mistaken. I can very distinctly see the -Mexican flag over the reversed Texan colours." - -"It is true," the Jaguar said, coldly, "but what does that prove?" - -"What do you say?--'What does that prove?'" - -"Yes." - -"Are you so ignorant of naval matters, then, as not to know what takes -place on board a vessel after an engagement?" - -"I beg your pardon, friend, but I know all about it. But I know, too, -that what we see may be the result of a stratagem, and that the brig, -after capturing the corvette, may have an interest in concealing the -fact." - -"Come, come," the Colonel said, with a laugh, "that is carrying optimism -a little too far. Let us leave the corvette and brig, and return to our -own affairs." - -"Well, I think you are in the right; for, judging from the turn the -conversation has taken, we should presently be unable to understand one -another at all." - -During this conversation the sun had set, and night completely fallen. -The two gentlemen passed their horses' bridles over their arm to prevent -them straying, and then walked slowly, side by side, in the direction of -the Rio Trinidad. The night was clear, the sky studded with a profusion -of flashing stars, and the atmosphere of marvellous transparency; it -was, in a word, one of those American nights that conduce to gentle -reverie. - -The young men yielded involuntarily to the intoxicating charm of this -exquisite evening; yielding to their thoughts, neither dreamed of -resuming a conversation suddenly broken off by a bitter remark. For a -long time they walked on thus, till they reached an angle in the road, -where the track they were following divided into several branches. Here -they halted. - -"We must separate here, Don Juan," the Jaguar said, "for we probably do -not follow the same road." - -"That is true, friend, and I regret it," the Colonel answered, sadly, -"for I should be so happy if I had you constantly by my side." - -"Thanks, friend, but you know that is impossible; let us, therefore, -profit by the few moments left us to be together. Well, what have you -done?" - -"Nothing, alas! For a soldier is the slave of discipline; in a period of -war, more especially, it is impossible for him to leave his corps. I -have, therefore, been unable to obtain any information. Have you been -more fortunate?" - -"I can hardly say, yet; still, I hope. Tranquil has this very night to -give me certain information, which will perfect that I have myself -obtained." - -"And is Tranquil here?" - -"He arrived today, but I have not yet been able to see him." - -"Then you imagine----?" the Colonel said, eagerly. - -"This is what I have succeeded in finding out. Remark that I assert -nothing; I am at this moment merely the echo of certain rumours, which -may be well founded, but can also be false." - -"No matter; speak, my friend, in Heaven's name." - -"About six weeks ago, according to what my spies tell me, a strange man -arrived in this country, bringing a girl with him. This man has -purchased a rancho, of no great value, situated a few leagues from -here, nearly on the seashore. He paid cash for it, shut himself up in -the rancho with the girl, and since then no one has seen them. The man -has immured himself in his property, to which nobody has admission; but -whether this man be the White Scalper, and the maiden Carmela, no one is -able to state positively, and I would not venture to affirm it. Several -times I have prowled round the abode of this mysterious being, but have -not succeeded in seeing him: windows and doors are constantly closed, -nothing is heard of what takes place in this strange house, which, -through its isolated position, is, to a certain extent, protected from -indiscreet visitors. This is what I had to tell you, perhaps tomorrow I -shall have learned more." - -"No," Don Juan answered, pensively, "that man cannot be the White -Scalper, or the maiden Carmela." - -"What makes you think so?" - -"The mystery with which the man surrounds himself. The White Scalper, -you must not forget, is a man for whom the nomadic life of the desert -possesses too great charms for him to be willing to shut himself up. And -then, what would be his reason for doing so? To keep a young girl -prisoner? But Doņa Carmela is no frail and timid woman, weakened by the -mephitic air of cities, without will or strength. She is a brave and -courageous maiden, with a resolute heart and strong arm, who would never -have consented thus to bow her head beneath the yoke. A man, however -strong he may be, is very weak, believe me, when he finds himself in -presence of a woman, who says to him boldly--No! Woman, through the mere -fact that she has generally only one thought at a time, is greatly -superior to us, and nearly always attains the object she desires. And -then again, for what reason can the White Scalper, who had in his hands -a thousand unknown desert hiding places to conceal his captive from -sight, have retired without any plausible motive to the vicinity of a -town, in a populous country, where he must expect to attract suspicion -and arouse attention? No, it is evident to me that you are mistaken." - -"Perhaps you are right; still, it is my duty to clear up the affair, and -I will do so." - -"Certainly, you will act prudently by doing so. I confess that, were it -possible, I should be happy to accompany you on your expedition. For -even supposing, as I believe, that this man is not the White Scalper, it -is probable that the mystery with which he surrounds himself conceals a -crime, and that if your expedition does not meet with the result you -suppose, it will have, at any rate, served to liberate a maiden who is -the victim of odious tyranny." - -"Who knows?" - -"Only one man, in my opinion, could put you on the trail of her we have -so unfortunately lost, through the numerous relations he maintains with -the Indians." - -"Whom do you mean?" - -"Loyal Heart--" - -"That is true. He was brought up by the Indians, and one of their tribes -has adopted him. He would be better able than anybody to supply us with -information." - -"Why have you not applied to him, then?" - -"For the very simple reason that, on the day after the capture of the -Larch-tree hacienda, Loyal Heart left us to return to his tribe, whither -serious matters recalled him." - -"That is annoying," the Colonel said thoughtfully. - -"I know not why, but I feel convinced that this hunter, with whom I am -but very slightly acquainted, as I only conversed with him once, and -that but for ten minutes--I am convinced, I say, that this hunter may -prove extremely useful to us in our search for the unfortunate Carmela." - -"Perhaps you are right, Colonel. This night, as I told you, I am to see -Tranquil, and shall have a serious explanation with him. He is as -interested as we are, perhaps more so, in the success of our researches. -He is a man of extreme prudence, and thoroughly conversant with the -desert; I shall see what he says to me." - -"Insist, I beg, friend, on establishing a friendly connection with Loyal -Heart." - -"I shall not fail; besides, Tranquil is sure to know where to find him." - -"That is probable. Now, I can speak to you with open heart, my friend. -Honour alone has hitherto kept me at my post; I desire to recover my -liberty, and only await an honourable occasion to send in my -resignation. I should not like to abandon my comrades in arms at a -critical moment; but I swear to you on my honour, friend, that on the -day when I am free, and that day is approaching I hope, I will join you, -and then we shall find Carmela again, even at the risk of my life." - -The Colonel uttered these words with a fire and animation which made his -friend start involuntarily, and aroused in his heart a lively feeling of -jealousy. Still, the Jaguar had sufficient power over himself to conceal -the emotion he felt, and he replied in a calm voice: - -"May Heaven grant that it may speedily be so, my friend. What could we -two not do?" - -"Then you intend to make the expedition you told me of this night?" the -Colonel continued. - -"It is not I, though I shall probably be present, but another person who -will direct it." - -"Why not you?" - -"Tranquil desires it so; he is Carmela's father, and I must yield to his -wishes." - -"That is true. Now, when and how shall we meet again? I have the -greatest desire to learn what may occur tonight; whatever be the result -of the expedition, I trust to be informed of what you have done. -Unfortunately, I fear it will be very difficult for us to meet again." - -"Why so?" - -"Why, my friend, you know as well as I do, the truce made between -General Rubio and yourself expires tonight." - -"Well?" - -"I presume you do not intend returning to Galveston?" - -"For the present, no; but I hope to do so shortly." - -"Let us not trust to probabilities, for we run too great a risk of -deceiving ourselves." - -The Jaguar burst into a laugh. - -"You are perfectly right," he said; "still, it is important that we -should meet within the next twenty-four hours." - -"Certainly." - -"If I cannot enter Galveston, you can leave it, I suppose?" - -"Oh, of course." - -"Well then, the matter is easily arranged; I will tell you a spot where -you will be certain of finding me." - -"Take care, my friend, be prudent; I will not conceal from you that the -General is furious at having fallen into the trap you so cleverly laid -for him, and will do all in his power to seize your person." - -"I expect so; but do not be alarmed, he will not succeed." - -"I hope so, friend; but believe me, do not be too confident." - -"I defy him to come and take me at the spot where I shall be within an -hour, and where I shall be delighted to welcome you, if you are inclined -to pay me a visit." - -"And where is this privileged spot, my friend?" - -"The Fort of the Point." - -"What!" the Colonel said, suddenly stopping and looking him in the face; -"Of course you are joking." - -"Not the least in the world." - -"What! You give me the meeting at the Fort of the Point?" - -"Yes." - -"Why, that is impossible." - -"Why so?" - -"Oh, you must be mad, my friend!" - -"Remember that the fort has been in my hands for the past twelve hours," -the Jaguar coldly interrupted him. "I surprised it last night." - -"Ah!" the Colonel exclaimed, in stupor. - -"Did I not tell you that I had serious news to impart to you?" the young -man continued; "Would you like, now, to learn the second item?" - -"The second!" the Colonel repeated, utterly astounded; "And what can the -second item be? After what I have just heard, I can expect anything." - -"The second item is this: the _Libertad_ corvette has been boarded by -the privateer brig, with which it and chored at sunset beneath the guns -of the fort." - -At this unexpected revelation the Colonel staggered like a drunken man; -he turned pale as a corpse, and his limbs were agitated by a convulsive -movement. - -"Woe, woe!" he exclaimed in a choking voice. - -The Jaguar felt moved with pity at the sight of this true and poignant -grief. - -"Alas! my friend," he said gently, "it is the fortune of war." - -"Oh, Galveston, Galveston!" the Colonel said in despair, "that city -which the General has sworn never to surrender!" - -After a moment's silence, the Colonel mounted his horse. - -"Let me go," he said; "I must immediately impart these frightful news to -the Governor." - -"Go, my friend," the Jaguar answered affectionately; "but, remember, -that you will find me at the Fort of the Point." - -"We are accursed!" the Colonel cried wildly, and burying his spurs in -the sides of his horse, which snorted with pain, he started at full -gallop. - -"Poor friend!" the Jaguar muttered sadly, as he looked after him, "The -news has quite upset him." - -After this reflection, the young man mounted and went back to the fort, -which he reached about half an hour later. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -THE LANDING. - - -Immediately on reaching his anchorage, Captain Johnson, after conversing -for a moment privately with El Alferez, gave orders that Commandant -Rodriguez and his officers should be brought into his presence. The -Commandant, despite the politeness with which he had been treated, and -the kindness the privateer's men had shown him, could not forgive them -the way in which they had seized his vessel; he was sad, and had -hitherto only answered the questions asked him by disdainful silence, or -insulting monosyllables. When the officers of the corvette were -assembled in the cabin, Captain Johnson, turning politely to the -Mexicans, said: - -"Gentlemen, I am really most sorry for what has occurred. I should be -glad to set you at liberty immediately, but your Commandant's formal -refusal to pledge himself not to serve against us for a year and a day, -obliges me, to my great regret, to keep you prisoners, at least -temporarily. However, gentlemen, be assured that you will be treated as -Caballeros, and everything done to alleviate the sorrow this temporary -captivity must occasion you." - -The officers, and even the Commandant, bowed their thanks, and the -Captain continued: - -"All your property has been placed in the boat I have ordered to be got -ready, to convey you ashore. You will, therefore, lose nothing that -belongs to you personally; if war has terrible claims, I have tried, as -far as lay in my power, to spare you its bitterest conditions. If -nothing retains you here, be kind enough to get ready to land." - -"Would it be indiscreet, Captain, to ask you whither you have given -orders to have us taken?" Commandant Rodriguez asked. - -"Not at all, Commandant," the Captain replied; "you are about to be -taken to the Port of the Point, whose walls will serve as your prison, -until fresh orders." - -"What!" the old sailor exclaimed in astonishment; "The Fort of the -Point?" - -"Yes," the Captain answered with a smile; "the fort which some of my -friends seized, while I had the honour of boarding your fine corvette, -Commandant." - -The Captain could have gone on talking thus for some time: the old -officer, confounded by what he had just heard, was incapable of -connecting two ideas. At length, he let his head fall wearily on his -chest, and making his officers a sign to follow him, went on deck. A -boat, with a crew of ten men, was balancing at the starboard -accommodation ladder, which the Commandant, still silent, entered, and -his staff followed his example. - -"Push off!" El Alferez ordered, who was holding the yoke lines. - -The boat started and speedily disappeared. For some minutes the cadenced -sound of the oars dipping in the water could be heard, and then all -became silent again. The Captain had watched the departure of his -prisoners; when the boat had disappeared in the gloom, he gave Master -Lovel orders to weigh and stand out to sea, and then returned to his -cabin, where a man was waiting for him. It was Tranquil, the old -Tigrero. - -"Well!" the hunter asked. - -"They have gone, thank Heaven!" the Captain said, as he sat down. - -"Then we are at liberty?" - -"Quite." - -"When shall we land?" - -"This night; but is your information positive?" - -"I believe so." - -"Well, we shall soon know how matters stand." - -"May Heaven grant that we succeed!" - -"Let us hope it. Do you think the coast is guarded?" - -"I fear it, for your vessel must have been signalled all along the -shore." - -"Do you know whether the Mexicans have other ships observing the ports, -in addition to the corvette we have captured?" - -"I think they have three more, but smaller than the _Libertad_." - -"Hang it all! We must act prudently, then; however, whatever may happen, -I will not desert so old a friend as yourself when unfortunate. We have -still three hours before us, so try and sleep a little, for we shall -have a tough job." - -Tranquil smiled at this recommendation; but to please his friend, who -had already laid himself down in his bunk, in the position of a man -preparing to sleep, he wrapped himself in his zarapé, leant back in his -chair, and closed his eyes. - -The night, which at the beginning had been very bright and clear, had -suddenly become dark and stormy; black clouds surcharged with -electricity covered the whole of the sky; the breeze moaned sadly in the -rigging, and mingled with the dash of the waves against the sides of the -vessel. The brig was sailing slowly close to the wind, the only sails it -carried being double-reefed topsails, the fore staysail, and the -spanker. - -At the moment when the helmsman struck the two double strokes on the -bell, indicating ten o'clock, Captain Johnson and Tranquil appeared on -deck. The Captain was dressed in a thick blue pilot coat, a leathern -belt, through which were passed a cutlass, a pair of pistols and an axe, -was fastened round his waist; a cloak was thrown over his shoulders, and -a broad-brimmed felt hat completely concealed his features. The -Canadian wore his hunter's garb, though, through the dangerous nature of -the affair, he had added a brace of pistols to his ordinary armament. - -The Captain's orders have been carried out with that minute -consciousness which Master Lovel displayed in everything connected with -duty. The boarding netting was braced up, and the running rigging -secured as if for action. At the starboard ladder the longboat was -tossing with its crew of thirty men, all armed to the teeth, and holding -their oars aloft ready to dash into the water. They were, however, -muffled, so as to stifle, as far as possible, the sound of rowing, and -foil the vigilance of the Mexicans. - -"That is well, lads," the Captain said, after giving a pleased glance at -their preparations, "let us be off. Mind, father," he added, turning to -Father Lovel, "that you keep a good watch. If we are not on board again -by four in the morning, stand out to sea, and do not trouble yourself -further about us; for it will be useless to wait for us longer, as we -shall be prisoners of the Mexicans; and any lengthened stay in these -waters might compromise the safety of the brig. Be of good cheer, -though, for I have hopes of success." - -And after kindly pressing the old sailor's hand, he went down to the -boat, seated himself in the sternsheets by the side of the hunter, took -up the yoke lines, and said, in a low voice, "Push, off!" - -At this command the painter was cast off, the oars dashed together into -the sea, and the boat started. When it had disappeared in the fog, -Master Lovel ran at full speed to the stern of the brig, and leaned over -the taffrail. "Are you there?" he said. - -"Yes," a suppressed voice answered him. - -"Get ready," the Master added, and then said to an old sailor, who had -followed him: "You know what I recommended to you, Wells," he said; "I -reckon on you, and intrust the lookout to you." - -"All right, Master," the sailor answered, "you can cut your cable -without fear, I will keep a bright lookout." - -"All right; get in, men, and double-bank the oars." - -Some forty sailors, who were well armed, like their predecessors, let -themselves down, one after the other, by a rope that hung over the -taffrail, and got into a second boat, which Master Lovel had ordered to -be quietly got ready, and of which he took the command. He started at -once, and steered after the Captain's pinnace, whose direction he was -pretty well acquainted with, saying every now and then to the rowers, in -order to increase their speed, "Give way, my lads, give way, all!" and -he added, as he chewed his enormous quid, with a cunning smile, "It was -very likely I should let my old fellow have his face scored by those -brigands of Mexicans, who are all as crafty as caimans." - -So soon as he had left the ship, the Captain, leaving on his right hand -a small fishing village, whose lights he saw flashing through the -darkness, steered for a jutting-out point, where he probably hoped to -disembark in safety. After rowing for about three-quarters of an hour, a -black line began to be vaguely designed on the horizon in front of the -boat. The Captain gave his men a sign to rest on their oars for a -moment, and taking up a long night glass, he carefully examined the -coast. In two or three minutes he shut up the glass again, and ordered -his men to give way. - -All at once the keel of the pinnace grated on the sand: they had reached -land. After hurriedly exploring the neighbourhood, the crew leaped -ashore, leaving only one man as boat keeper, who at once pushed off, so -as not to be captured by the enemy. All was calm, and a solemn silence -reigned on the coast, which was apparently deserted. The Captain having -assured himself that, for the present, at any rate, he had nothing to -fear, concealed his men behind some rocks, and then addressed Tranquil. - -"It is now your turn, old hunter," he said. - -"Good!" the latter replied, not adding another word. - -He left his hiding place, and walked forward, with a pistol in one hand, -and a tomahawk in the other, stopping at intervals to look around him, -and listen to those thousand sounds, without any known cause, which at -night trouble the silence, though it is impossible to guess whence they -come, or what produces them. On getting about one hundred yards from the -spot where the landing was effected, the hunter stopped, and began -gently whistling the first strains of a Canadian air. Another whistle -answered his, and finished the tune he had purposely broken off. -Footsteps were heard, and a man showed himself. It was Quoniam, the -Negro. - -"Here I am," he said. "Where are your men?" - -"Hidden behind the rocks close by." - -"Call them up, for we have not a moment to lose." - -Tranquil clapped his hands twice, and a moment later the Captain and his -men had rejoined him. - -"Where is the person we have come to deliver concealed?" the Captain -asked. - -"At a rancho about two miles from here. I will lead you to it." - -There was a moment's silence, during which the Captain studied the -Negro's noble face, his black flashing eye, which glistened with -boldness and honour; and he asked himself whether such a man could be a -traitor? Quoniam seemed to read his thoughts, for he said to him, as he -laid his hand on the Canadian's shoulder-- - -"If I had intended to betray; you, it would have been done ere now. -Trust to me, Captain; I owe my life to Tranquil. I almost witnessed the -birth of the maiden you wish to save. My friendship and gratitude answer -to you for my fidelity. Let us start." - -And without saying anything further, he placed himself at the head of -the band, which followed him along a hollow way that ran between two -hills. - -While the incidents we have just described were taking place on the -beach, two persons, male and female, seated in a room, modestly, though -comfortably, furnished, were holding a conversation, which, judging from -the angry expression of their faces, seemed to be most stormy. These two -persons were Carmela and the White Scalper. - -Carmela was half reclining in a hammock; she was pale and suffering, her -features were worn, and her red eyes showed that she had been weeping. -The White Scalper, dressed in the magnificent costume of a Mexican -Campesino, was walking up and down the room, champing his grey -moustaches, and angrily clanking his heavy silver spurs on the floor. - -"Take care, Carmela!" he said, as he suddenly halted in front of the -young woman, "you know that I crush all who resist me. For the last time -I ask you: Will you tell me the reason of your constant refusals?" - -"What good to tell you?" she answered, sadly, "for you would not -understand me." - -"Oh! This woman will drive me mad," he exclaimed, clenching his fists. - -"What have I done, now?" Carmela asked with ironical surprise. - -"Nothing, nothing," he answered, as he resumed his hurried walk. Then at -the end of a moment, he returned to the maid and said, "You hate me -then?" - -Carmela replied by shrugging her shoulders, and turning away from him. - -"Speak!" he said, seizing her arm, and squeezing it fiercely in his -powerful hand. - -Carmela liberated herself from his grasp, and said bitterly: - -"I fancied that since you left the western prairies, you contented -yourself with ordering your slaves to torture your victims, and did not -descend to the part of hangman." - -"Oh!" he said, furiously. - -"Come," she continued, "this farce wearies me, so let us bring it to a -finale. I know you too well now, not to be aware that you would not -hesitate to proceed to odious extremities, if I would not submit to your -wishes. Since you insist on it, I will explain my thoughts to you." - -Drawing herself up to her full height, and fixing on him a bright and -challenging glance, she continued in a firm and distinct voice-- - -"You ask me if I hate you? No, I do not hate you, I despise you!" - -"Silence, wretched girl!" - -"Yourself ordered me to speak, and I shall not be silent till I have -told you all. Yes, I despise you, because, instead of respecting a poor -girl whom you, coward as you are, carried off from her relations and -friends you, torture her, and become her executioner. I despise you, -because you are a man without a soul; an old man who might be my father, -and yet you do not blush to ask me to love you, under some ignoble -pretext of my resemblance with some woman I have no doubt you killed." - -"Carmela!" - -"Lastly, I despise you, because you are a furious brute, who only -possess one human feeling, 'the love of murder!' because there is -nothing sacred in your sight, and if I was weak enough to consent to -your wishes, you would make me die of despair, by taking a delight in -breaking my heart." - -"Take care, Carmela!" he exclaimed furiously, as he advanced a step -toward her. - -"What, threats!" she continued in a loud voice. "Do I not know that all -is ready prepared for my punishment. Summon your slaves, Master, and bid -them torture me! But know this, I will never consent to obey you. I am -not so abandoned as you may feel inclined to suppose; I have friends I -love, and who love me in return. Make haste, for who knows whether I may -not be liberated tomorrow, if you do not kill me to day?" - -"Oh, this is too much," the White Scalper said in a low and inarticulate -voice, "so much audacity shall not pass unpunished. Ah! you reckon, -foolish child, on your friends! But they are far away," he said with a -bitter laugh; "we are safe here, and I shall make you yield to my -will." - -"Never!" she exclaimed with exaltation, and rushing toward him, she -stopped almost within grasp, adding,-- - -"I defy you, coward who threaten a woman!" - -"Help!" the White Scalper exclaimed, with a tiger yell. - -All at once the window was noisily burst open and Tranquil entered. - -"I think you called, Seņor?" he said, as he leaped into the room and -advanced with a firm and measured step. - -"My father! My father!" the poor girl shrieked, as she threw herself -into his arms with delight; "you are come at last!" - -The White Scalper, utterly astonished and startled by the unexpected -appearance of the hunter, looked around him in alarm, and could not -succeed in regaining his coolness. The Canadian, after lovingly replying -to the maiden's warm greeting, laid her gently on the hammock, and then -turned to the White Scalper, who was beginning to come to himself again. - -"I ask your pardon, Seņor," he said with perfect ease, "for not having -advised you of my visit; but you are aware we are on delicate terms, -and, as it is possible that if I had written, you would not have -received me, I preferred bringing matters to the point." - -"And pray what may you want with me, Seņor?" the Scalper drily asked. - -"You will permit me to remark, Seņor," Tranquil replied still with the -same placid air, "that the question appears to me singular at the least -in your mouth. I simply wish to take back my daughter, whom you carried -off." - -"Your daughter?" the other said ironically. - -"Yes, Seņor, my daughter." - -"Could you prove to me that this young person is really your daughter?" - -"What do you mean by that remark?" - -"I mean that Doņa Carmela is no more your daughter than she is mine; -that consequently our claims are equal, and that I am no more obliged to -surrender her than you have a right to claim her." - -"That is very vexatious," the hunter said mockingly. - -"Is it not?" the White Scalper said. - -Tranquil gave an ironical smile. - -"I fancy you are strangely mistaken, Seņor," he said with his old -calmness. - -"Ah!" - -"Listen to me for a few moments. I will not encroach on your time, which -no doubt is valuable. I am only a poor hunter, Seņor, ignorant of -worldly affairs, and the subtleties of civilization. Still, I believe -that the man who adopts a child in the cradle, takes care of it, and -brings it up with a tenderness and love that have never failed, is more -truly its father than the man who, after giving it life, abandons it and -pays no farther attention to it; such is my idea of paternity, Seņor. -Perhaps I am mistaken; but, in my idea, as I have no lessons or orders -to receive from you, I shall act as I think proper, whether you like it -or no. Come, my dear Carmela, we have remained here too long as it is." - -The maiden bounded to her feet, and placed herself by the hunter's side. - -"One moment, Seņor," the Scalper exclaimed; "you have learned how to -enter this house, but you do not yet know how to leave it." - -And seizing two pistols lying on a table, he pointed them at the hunter, -while shouting--"Help! help!" - -Tranquil quietly raised his rifle to his shoulder. - -"I should be delighted at your showing me the road," he said peaceably. - -A dozen slaves and Mexican soldiers rushed tumultuously into the room. - -"Ah, ah!" said the Scalper, "I fancy I have you at last, old -Tiger-killer." - -"Nonsense," a mocking voice replied; "not yet." - -At this moment the Captain and his men dashed through the window which -had afforded the Canadian a passage into the room, and uttered a fearful -yell. An indescribable medley and confusion then began: the lights were -extinguished, and the slaves, mostly unarmed, and not knowing with how -many enemies they had to deal, fled in all directions. The Scalper was -carried away by the stream of fugitives, and disappeared with them. The -Texans took advantage of the stupor of their enemy to evacuate the -rancho, and effect their retreat. - -"Father," the maiden exclaimed, "I felt certain you would come." - -"Oh!" the hunter said with ineffable delight, "you are at length -restored to me." - -"Make haste! Make haste!" the Captain shouted; "Who knows whether we may -not be crushed by superior forces in an instant?" - -At his orders, the sailors, taking the maiden in their midst, ran off in -the direction of the seashore. In the distance, drums and bugles could -be heard calling the soldiers under arms, and on the horizon the black -outline of a large body of troops hurrying up, with the evident -intention of cutting off the retreat of the Texans, could be -distinguished. Panting and exhausted, the latter still ran on; they -could see the coast; a few minutes more and they would reach it. All at -once a band, commanded by the White Scalper, dashed upon them, -shouting-- - -"Down with the Texans! kill them! kill them!" - -"Oh, my God!" Carmela exclaimed, falling on her knees, and clasping her -hands fervently; "will you abandon us?" - -"Lads," the Captain said, addressing his sailors, "we cannot talk about -conquering, but we will die." - -"We will, Captain," the sailors answered unanimously, as they formed -front against the Mexicans. - -"Father," said Doņa Carmela, "will you let me fall alive into the hands -of that tiger?" - -"No," said Tranquil, as he kissed her pale forehead; "here is my dagger, -child?" - -"Thanks!" she replied, as she seized it with eyes sparkling with joy. -"Oh, now I am certain of dying free." - -Lest they should be surrounded, the Texans leant their backs against a -rock, and awaited with levelled bayonets the attack of the Texans. - -"Surrender, dogs!" the Scalper shouted contemptuously. - -"Nonsense!" the Captain answered; "you must be mad, Seņor. Do men like -us ever surrender?" - -"Forward!" the Scalper shouted. - -The Mexicans rushed on their enemies with indescribable rage. A heroic -and gigantic struggle then began, a combat impossible to describe of -three hundred men against thirty: a horrible and merciless carnage, in -which none demanded quarter, while the Texans, certain of all falling, -would not succumb till buried under a pile of hostile corpses. After -twenty minutes, that lasted an age, only twelve Texans remained on their -legs. The Captain, Tranquil, Quoniam, and nine sailors, remained alone, -accomplishing prodigies of valour. - -"At last!" the Scalper shouted, as he dashed forward to seize Doņa -Carmela. - -"Not yet," Tranquil said, as he dealt a blow at him with his axe. - -The Scalper avoided the blow by leaping on one side, and replied with -his machete; Tranquil fell on his knee with a pierced thigh. - -"Oh!" he said in despair; "She is lost! My God, lost!" - -Carmela understood that no hope was left her; she therefore placed the -dagger against her bosom, and said to the Scalper--"One step further, -and I fall dead at your feet!" - -In spite of himself, this savage man, terrified by the resolution he saw -flashing in the maiden's eye, hesitated for a second, but, reassuming -almost immediately his old ferocity, he shouted--"What do I care, so -long as you belong to no one else!" - -And he rushed toward her, uttering a fearful yell. Terrified at the -immense danger to which his daughter was exposed, the hunter collected -all his strength, and by a superhuman effort, once more stood menacingly -before his enemy. The two men exchanged a terrible glance, and rushed on -each other. - -Carmela, almost dead with terror, lay stretched out between the two -foes, forming with her person a barrier they did not dare to pass, but -over which they crossed their machetes, whose blades met with an -ill-omened clang. Unfortunately, Tranquil, weakened by his wound, could -not, despite his indomitable courage, sustain this obstinate contest for -any length of time, and consequently he only delayed for a few moments -the fearful catastrophe he wished to prevent. He understood this; for, -while wielding his machete with far from common dexterity, and not -allowing his enemy time to breathe, he looked anxiously around him: -Quoniam was fighting like a lion by his side. - -"Friend!" he said in a heart-rending voice; "in the name of what you -hold the dearest, save her--save Carmela!" - -"But yourself?" - -"Well," the hunter said nobly, "it is no matter what becomes of me, -providing that she escapes this monster, and is happy." - -Quoniam hesitated for a moment; a feeling of regret and pain rendered -his face gloomy. But at a last glance from the hunter, a glance laden -with an expression of despair impossible to describe, he at length -decided on obeying him, and lowering his axe, which was dripping with -blood, and red up to the wood, he stooped down to the maiden. But she -suddenly started up, and bounding like a lioness, shrieked frenziedly-- - -"Leave me! leave me! He is dying for me, and I will not abandon him." - -And she resolutely placed herself by her father's side. At this movement -of the girl, for whom they were fighting so desperately, the two men -fell back a step, and lowered the points of their machetes; but this -truce was but of shout duration, for after a moment of respite, they -rushed once more on each other. Then, Texans and Mexicans recommenced -the fight with new fury, and the contest went on more terrible than -before. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -FORWARD! - - -In the meanwhile, Master Lovel made his men row vigorously, in order to -reach land as soon as possible. But whatever desire he might have for -haste, it was impossible for him to reach the shore so soon as he might -have wished, for not knowing the coast, and steering, as it were, -blindly, his boat ran several times upon submarine reefs, which caused -him to lose a considerable amount of time by forcing him to change his -course; hence, when he at last reached the shore, the Captain had landed -long before. - -The old sailor had his boat tied up to the Captain's, in order that they -could be used if required, and then leaped ashore, followed by his men, -and advanced cautiously inland. He had not proceeded many yards, -however, ere a tremendous noise reached his ears, and he saw the sailors -who accompanied the Captain debouch from the hollow way in disorder, and -closely pursued by Mexican soldiers. - -Master Lovel did not lose his heart under these critical circumstances: -instead of rushing into the medley, he ambushed his men behind a clump -of Peru and mahogany trees that stood a short distance off, and prepared -with perfect coolness to make a diversion in favour of his comrades when -the favourable moment arrived. - -The Texans, with their backs to a rock, not ten yards from the sea, were -fighting desperately against an immense number of enemies. A minute -later, and all would have been over, but suddenly the cry of "Forward! -_Texas y Libertad!_" was raised in the rear of the Mexicans, -accompanied by a tremendous noise and a deadly discharge, almost at -point-blank range, scattered terror and disorder through their ranks. It -was Master Lovel effecting his diversion, in order to save his Captain, -or his adopted son, as he called him in his simple devotion. - -The Mexicans, who already believed themselves victors, were terrified at -this unforeseen attack, which, owing to the vigour with which it was -carried out, they supposed to be made by a considerable body of these -terrible freebooters, commanded by the Jaguar, whose reputation was -already immense in the ranks of the American army. Persuaded that the -Texans had landed in force, and had only given way in order to make them -fall more surely into the trap, they hesitated, fell back in their turn, -and finally being seized with a panic terror which their officers could -not succeed in mastering, they broke and fled in all directions, -throwing their arms away. - -The Texans, revived by the providential arrival of the old sailor, and -excited by their Captain's voice, redoubled their efforts. Tranquil tied -a handkerchief round his thigh, and supported by Quoniam, who, during -the action, had not left him for an instant, he retreated to the boats, -leading Carmela, and followed by the Captain and his brave sailors. The -latter, like lions at bay, turned at each instant to dash with axes and -bayonets at the few soldiers their officers had at length succeeded in -rallying, but who did not venture to press too closely the terrible -adversaries, whom, since the beginning of the action, they had learned -to appreciate and consequently to fear. - -Still fighting, the sailors at length reached the boats prepared for -their reception. Captain Johnson ordered the wounded to be placed in the -launch, and getting into the other boat with Tranquil, Quoniam, and the -sound men, he put off from the shore, towing the boat that served as an -ambulance. This daring retreat, effected under the enemy's fire, was -carried out with admirable precision and skill. One part of the crew of -the pinnace fired at the Mexicans who lined the beach, while the other -portion pulled vigorously in the direction of the brig. - -Ere long the coast disappeared in the fog, the shouts of the enemy -became less distinct, the shots ceased, the lights flashing on the shore -died out one after the other, and all grew silent again. - -"Ah!" the Captain said with a sigh of relief, as he offered his hand to -Master Lovel, "without you, father, we were lost." - -"Aha!" the old sailor answered with a hearty grin, and rubbing his hands -joyously, "I suspected that if you had a secret from me, it was because -you meditated some act of folly, so that is why I came after you." - -The Captain merely replied to his worthy mate's remark by a fresh -squeeze of the hand. Carmela, with her hands clasped and eyes raised -above, was praying fervently, while returning thanks to Heaven for her -miraculous deliverance. - -"This is the girl you have saved," Tranquil said; "it is to you I owe -the recovery of my daughter, and I shall not forget it, Captain." - -"Nonsense, old hunter," the Captain said, laughingly, "I only kept the -promise I made you; did I not pledge myself to help you, even at the -risk of my life?" - -"And you were uncommonly near losing your stake," Master Lovel observed. -"After all, though," he added gallantly, "though I am no connoisseur, I -can perfectly understand a man risking his skin to board so neat a -corvette." - -This sally restored the gaiety of the sailors, which the grave events -that had occurred had temporarily dissipated. - -"Are we really out of danger, father?" the maiden asked with a shudder -of fear, which she was unable to conceal. - -"Yes, my child; keep your spirits up," the hunter answered, "we are now -in safety." - -At this very moment, the sailors, as if wishing to confirm the -Canadian's assurance, or perhaps with the wish to mock the enemies they -had so barely escaped, struck up one of those cadenced songs which serve -to mark time, and the words of which each repeats as he lays out on his -oars. Master Lovel, after turning and returning several times the -enormous quid that swelled his right cheek, made a signal to the crew of -the pinnace, and struck up in a rough voice a stanza, which all repeated -in chorus after him. This song, which was as interminable as a sailor's -yarn, would, in all probability, have lasted much longer, if the Captain -had not suddenly ordered silence by an imperious gesture. - -"Is a new danger threatening us?" Tranquil inquired anxiously. - -"Perhaps so," the Captain replied, who had for some time been scanning -the horizon with a frowning brow. - -"What do you mean?" the hunter asked. - -"Look!" the Captain said, extending his hand in the direction of the -fishing Tillage, to which we before alluded. - -Tranquil hastily took up the night glass: a dozen large boats, crowded -with soldiers, were leaving a small creek, and pulling out to sea. The -water was lumpy, the breeze blew strongly, and the over-crowded long -boat advanced but slowly, as it was compelled to tow the pinnace. The -peril which they fancied they had escaped, burst out again in a -different shape, and this time assumed really terrific proportions, for -the Mexicans were rapidly approaching, and would soon be within gunshot. - -The brig, whose tall masts were visible, was, it is true, only two -cables' length, at the most, from the Texan boats, but the few men left -on board were not nearly sufficient to make the requisite manoeuvres to -enable the brig to help its boats effectually. The position grew with -each moment more critical, and the Captain sprang up. - -"Lads," he said, "the ten best swimmers among you will jump into the -sea, and go to the ship with me." - -"Captain," the hunter exclaimed, "what do you propose doing?" - -"To save you," he simply answered, as he prepared to carry out his -design. - -"Oh, oh," Master Lovel said hastily, "I will not allow such an act of -madness." - -"Silence, sir," the Captain interrupted him rudely. "I am the sole -commander." - -"But you are wounded!" the Master objected. In fact, Captain Johnson had -received an axe stroke, which laid open his right shoulder. - -"Silence! I tell you. I allow no remarks." - -The old sailor bowed his head, and wiped away a tear. After squeezing -the hunter's hand, the Captain and his ten sailors leaped boldly into -the sea, and disappeared in the darkness. At the news of fresh danger, -Carmela had fallen, completely overwhelmed, in the bottom of the boat. -Master Lovel, leaning out, tried to discover his chief. Heavy tears -coursed down his bronzed cheeks, and all his limbs were agitated by a -convulsive quivering. The Mexicans approached nearer and nearer; they -were already close enough for the number of their boats to be -distinguished, and a schooner was already leaving the creek, and coming -up under press canvas, to ensure the success of the attack. - -At this moment a mournful cry, desperate as the last shriek of a dying -man, came over the waters, and terrified all the men whom no danger -could affect. - -"Oh, the unhappy man!" Tranquil cried, as he rose and made a move to -leap overboard. But Lovel seized him by the waist belt, and in spite of -his resistance, compelled him to sit down again. - -"What are you about?" he asked him. - -"Well," Tranquil replied, "I want to pay my debt to your captain; he -risked his life for me, and I am going in return to risk mine to save -him." - -"Good!" the Master exclaimed, "By heaven! You are a man. But keep quiet, -that doesn't concern you; it is my business." - -And ere Tranquil had time to answer him, he plunged into the waves. The -Captain had presumed too much on his strength, he was hardly in the -water ere his wound caused him intolerable suffering, and his arm was -paralyzed. With that tenacity which formed the basis of his character, -he tried to contend against the pain, and overcome it, but nature had -proved more powerful than his will and energy, a dizziness had come -over his sight, and he felt himself slowly sinking. At this moment he -uttered that parting cry for help to which Lovel had responded by flying -to his aid. Ten minutes passed, minutes of agony, during which the -persons who remained in the boat scarce dared to breathe. - -"Courage, my lads," the panting voice of Lovel was suddenly heard -saying, "he is saved!" - -The sailors burst into a shout of joy, and laying on their oars, -redoubled their efforts. A frightful discharge answered them, and the -balls flattened against the sides of the pinnace and dashed up the water -around. The Mexicans, who had come within range, opened a terrible fire -on the Texans, but the latter did not reply. - -A dull noise was heard, followed by cries of despair and imprecations, -and a black mass passed to windward of the long boat. It was the brig -coming to the assistance of its crew, and in passing it sunk and -dispersed the enemy's boats. - -When she set foot on the deck of the brig, Carmela, at length succumbing -to her emotions, lost her senses. Tranquil raised her in his arms, and, -aided by Quoniam and the Captain, carried her hastily down to the cabin. - -"Captain," a sailor shouted, as he rushed after him, "the Mexicans, the -Mexicans!" - -While the Texans were engaged in taking their wounded aboard, feeling -convinced that the Mexican boats had been all, or at any rate the -majority of them, sunk by the brig, they had not dreamed of watching an -enemy they supposed crushed. The latter had cleverly profited by this -negligence to rally, and collecting beneath the bows of the brig, had -boldly boarded her, by climbing up the main chains, the spritsails, and -any ropes' ends they had been able to seize. Fortunately, Master Lovel -had the boarding nettings triced up on the previous evening, and through -this wise precaution on the part of the old sailor, the desperate -surprise of the Mexicans did not meet with the success they anticipated -from it. - -The Texans, obeying the voice of their Captain, took up their weapons -again and rushed on the Mexicans, who were already all but masters of -the forepart of the ship. Tranquil, Quoniam, Captain Johnson, and Lovel, -armed with axes, had flown to the front rank, and by their example -excited the crew to do their duty properly. There, on a limited space of -ten square yards at the most, one of those fearful naval combats without -order or tactics began, in which rage and brutal strength represent -science. A horrible struggle, a fearful carnage, with pikes, axes, and -cutlasses; a struggle in which each wound is mortal, and which recalls -those hideous combats of the worst days of the middle ages, when brute -strength alone was the law. - -The White Scalper had never before fought with such obstinacy. Furious -at the loss of the prey he had so audaciously carried off, half mad with -rage, he seemed to multiply himself, rushing incessantly with savage -yells into the densest part of the fight, seeking Carmela, and longing -to kill the man who had so bravely torn her from him. Accident seemed -for a moment to smile on him, by bringing him suddenly face to face with -the Captain. - -"Now for my turn," he exclaimed with a ferocious shout of joy. - -The Captain wised his axe. - -"No, no!" said Tranquil, as he threw himself hurriedly before him; "this -victim is reserved for me; I must kill this human-faced tiger. Besides," -he added, with a grin, "it is my profession to kill wild beasts, and -this one will not escape me." - -"Ah," the White Scalper said, "it is really fatality which brings you -once more face to face with me. Well, be it so! I will settle with you -first." - -"It is you who will die, villain!" the Canadian replied. "Ah, you -carried off my daughter and fancied yourself well concealed, did you? -But I was on your trail; for the last three months I have been following -you step by step, and watching for the favourable moment for vengeance." - -On hearing these words the Scalper rushed furiously on his enemy. The -latter did not make a movement to avoid him; on the contrary, he seized -him in his powerful arms, and tried to throw him down, while stabbing -him in the loins with his dagger. These two men, with flashing eyes and -foaming lips, animated by an implacable hatred, intertwined breast to -breast, face to face, each trying to kill his adversary, caring little -to live provided that his enemy died, resembled two wild beasts -determined to destroy each other. - -Texans and Mexicans had ceased fighting as if by common accord, and -remained horrified spectators of this atrocious combat. At length the -Canadian, who had been severely wounded before, fell, dragging his enemy -down with him. The latter uttered a yell of triumph, which was soon -converted into a groan of despair: Quoniam rushed madly upon him, but, -unfortunately, he had miscalculated his distance, and they both fell -into the sea, which closed over them with a hollow and ill-omened -sound. - -The Mexicans, deprived of their Chief, now only thought of flight, and -rushed in mad disorder to their boats; a moment later, they had all -quitted the brig. Quoniam reappeared, the worthy Negro was dripping with -water. He tottered a few paces and fell by the side of Tranquil, to whom -Carmela and the Captain were paying the most assiduous attention, and -who was beginning to recover his senses. A few minutes later the hunter -felt strong enough to try and rise. - -"Well!" he asked Quoniam, "Is he dead?" - -"I believe so," the Negro replied; "look here," he added, as he offered -him a small object he held in his hand. - -"What is it?" the hunter asked. - -Quoniam shook his head mournfully. "Look at it," he said. - -After having attentively regarded the Negro for an instant, whose -features expressed singular despondency, strange in a man of this stamp, -he asked him in alarm:-- - -"Are you seriously wounded?" - -The Negro shook his head. - -"No," he said, "I am not wounded." - -"What is the matter, then?" - -"Take this," he said, stretching his arm out a second time, "take this -and you will know." - -Astonished at this singular persistence, Tranquil stretched out his arm, -too. - -"Give it here," he said. - -Quoniam handed him an article which he seemed anxious to conceal from -the persons present; the Canadian uttered a cry of surprise on seeing -it. - -"Where did you find this?" he asked anxiously. - -"When I rushed on that man, I know not how it was, but this chain and -the articles attached to it were placed, as it were, in my hand. When I -fell into the sea, I clung to the chain; there it is, do what you please -with it." - -Tranquil, after again examining the mysterious object, concealed it in -his chest, and gave vent to a profound sigh. All at once, Carmela -started up in horror. - -"Oh, look, look, father!" she shrieked, "Woe, woe, we are lost!" - -The hunter started at the sound of the girl's voice, and his eyes filled -with tears. - -"What is the matter?" he asked in a weak voice - -"The matter is," the Captain said rudely, "that unless a miracle take -place, we are really lost this time, as Doņa Carmela says." - -And he pointed to some thirty armed boats, which were pulling up and -converging round the brig, so as to enclose it in a circle, whence it -would be impossible for it to escape. - -"Oh! Fate is against us!" Carmela exclaimed in despair. - -"No, it is impossible," Tranquil said quickly; "God will not abandon us -thus!" - -"We are saved!" Master Lovel shouted; "we are saved! Look, look! The -boats are turning back!" - -The crew burst into a shout of joy and triumph; in the beams of the -rising sun, the _Libertad_ corvette could be seen passing through -Galveston straits, hardly two cannon shots' distance from the brig. The -Mexican boats pulled at full speed in the direction of land, and soon -all had disappeared. The brig drifted down to the corvette, and both -returned to their old anchorage, which they reached an hour later. - -The two ships had scarce let their anchor fall, ere a boat came -alongside the brig, from the fort, containing; the Jaguar and El -Alferez. The prisoners had been handed over to the Jaguar, who, while -ordering them to be closely watched, thought it advisable to let them -move freely about the fortress. - -The success of the two hazardous expeditions attempted by the Texans, -had given the cause they defended a great impulse. In a few hours the -revolt had become a revolution, and the insurgent Chiefs men whose -existence must henceforth be recognised. The Jaguar desired to push -matters on actively, and wished to profit by the probable discouragement -of the Mexicans to secure the surrender of the town without a blow, if -it were possible. - -In his conversation with Colonel Melendez, the young Chief had purposely -startled him with the news of the success of the two expeditions, -calculating for the success of future operations on the stupor General -Rubio would experience on being told of them. But ere undertaking -anything, the Jaguar desired a conference with his friends, in order to -settle definitively the way in which he must behave under such serious -circumstances, as he was not at all anxious to assume the responsibility -of the undertaking that might be formed. This was acting not only with -prudence, but also with perfect self-denial, especially after the way in -which he had behaved since the commencement of hostilities, and the high -position he had attained among his party. - -But as the heart of even the purest and most honourable man is never -exempt from those weaknesses inherent in human nature, the Jaguar, -though perhaps not daring to avow it to himself had another motive that -urged him to go aboard the brig so speedily. This motive, of a -thoroughly private nature, was the desire to learn as soon as possible -the result of the expedition attempted by Captain Johnson and Tranquil -against the rancho of the White Scalper. - -Hence, the young man had scarce reached the deck, ere, without returning -the salutes of his friends who hurried to greet him at the ladder, he -enquired after Tranquil, feeling justly surprised at not seeing him -among the persons assembled. The Captain gave him no other answer than a -sign to follow. The young man, not understanding this reserve, though -feeling seriously alarmed, went below, where he saw Tranquil reclining -in a berth, and a weeping female seated on a chair by his side. The -Jaguar turned pale, for in the female he recognized Doņa Carmela; his -emotion was so extreme, that he was obliged to lean against the -partition lest he should fall. At the sound of his approaching -footsteps, the maiden raised her head. - -"Oh!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands with joy, "It is you! You have -come at last then!" - -"Thanks, Carmela," he replied in a gasping voice; "thanks for this -kindly greeting! It proves to me that you have not forgotten me." - -"Forget you, to whom, next to my father, I owe everything! Oh, you know -that was impossible." - -"Thank you once again. You do not, you cannot know how happy you render -me at this moment, Carmela. My whole life, employed in your service, -would not suffice to repay the good you do me. You are free at last! -Brave Tranquil, I felt sure that he would succeed!" - -"Alas, my friend, this success costs him dear." - -"What do you mean? I trust that he is not dangerously wounded?" - -"I fear the contrary, my friend." - -"Oh! We will save him." - -"Come hither, Jaguar," the hunter then said in a feeble voice; "give me -your hand, that I may press it in mine." - -The young man walked quickly up to him. - -"Oh, with all my heart!" he said, as he held out his hand. - -"The affair was a tough one, my friend," the Canadian went on; "that man -is a lion." - -"Yes, yes, he is a rude adversary; but you got the better of him at -last?" - -"Thanks to Heaven, yes; but I shall keep his mark all my life, if God -permit me to rise again." - -"Canarios! I trust that will soon happen." - -The hunter shook his head. - -"No, no," he answered, "I am a connoisseur in wounds, through having -inflicted a good many, and received more than my proper share: these are -serious." - -"Have you no hopes of recovery, then?" - -"I do not say so, I merely repeat that many days will pass ere I can -return to the desert," the hunter replied, with a stifled sigh. - -"Nonsense, who knows? Any wound that does not kill is soon cured, the -Indians say, and they are right. And what has become of that man?" - -"In all probability he is dead," Tranquil said, in a hollow voice. - -"That is all for the best." - -At this moment Captain Johnson opened the door. - -"A boat, bearing a flag of truce, is hailing the brig; what is to be -done?" he asked. - -"Receive it, Sangre de Dios! my dear Johnson. This boat, if I am not -mistaken, is a bearer of good news." - -"Our friends would like you to be present to hear the proposals which -will doubtless be made." - -"What do you say, Tranquil?" the young Chief asked, turning to the old -hunter. - -"Go, my boy, where duty calls you," the latter answered; "I feel that I -need repose. However, you will not be away long." - -"Certainly not, and so soon as I am at liberty again I will return to -your side, but merely to have you carried ashore; your condition demands -attention you cannot obtain here." - -"I accept, my friend, the more so as I believe the land air will do me -good." - -"That is settled then," the Jaguar said, joyously; "I shall be back -soon." - -"All right," Tranquil replied, and fell back in his berth. - -The young man, after bowing to Carmela, who returned the salute with a -gentle and sad glance, left the cabin with the Captain and returned on -deck. - -[In our next volume, "THE WHITE SCALPER," we shall again come across all -the characters of this long history, for the great stake is about to be -played for: liberty and tyranny are at length face to face, and the -destiny of a people will probably depend on the fate of a battle.] - -THE END. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Freebooters, by Gustave Aimard - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FREEBOOTERS *** - -***** This file should be named 40602-8.txt or 40602-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/6/0/40602/ - -Produced by Camille Bernard & Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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