diff options
Diffstat (limited to '43188-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 43188-0.txt | 6650 |
1 files changed, 6650 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/43188-0.txt b/43188-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..21c60f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/43188-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6650 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43188 *** + +THE HARLEQUIN OPAL + +A ROMANCE + + +BY + +FERGUS HUME + +_Author of "The Island of Fantasy," "Aladdin in London," etc._ + + +VOLUME II + + + Once a realm of Indian glory, + Famed in Aztec song and story, + Fabled by Tradition hoary + As an earthly Paradise; + Now a land of love romances, + Serenades, bolero dances, + Looks of scorn, adoring glances, + Under burning tropic skies. + + +LONDON +W. H. ALLEN & CO., LIMITED +13, WATERLOO PLACE, S.W. +1893 + +WYMAN AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND REDHILL. + + + + + PROEM. + + + The stone had its birth in the nurturing earth, + Its home in the heart of the main, + From the coraline caves it was tossed by the waves + On the breast of an aureate plain; + And the spirits who dwell in the nethermost hell + Stored fire in its bosom of white; + The sylphs of the air made it gracious and fair + With the blue of the firmament's height. + + The dull gnomes I ween, gave it glittering sheen, + Till yellow as gold it became; + The nymphs of the sea made the opal to be + A beacon of emerald flame. + + The many tints glow, they come and they go + At bidding of spirits abhorr'd, + When one ray is bright, in the bosom of white, + Its hue tells the fate of its lord. + For yellow hints wealth, and blue meaneth health, + While green forbodes passing of gloom, + But beware of the red, 'tis an omen of dread, + Portending disaster and doom. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected +without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have +been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with +underscores: _italics_. The cover of this ebook was created by the +transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain. + + + + +INDEX. + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I.--AWAY TO THE NORTH 1 + + II.--ACAUHTZIN 21 + + III.--DON HYPOLITO XUAREZ 37 + + IV.--RIVALS 58 + + V.--IN SHADOWLAND 81 + + VI.--THE SHRINE OF THE OPAL 104 + + VII.--AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 130 + +VIII.--AN INDIAN FESTIVAL 153 + + IX.--THE FUGITIVES 184 + + X.--FORTUNE TURNS HER WHEEL 210 + + XI.--AWAY TO THE FRONT 233 + + XII.--A NAVAL ENGAGEMENT--NEW STYLE 257 + +XIII.--WITHOUT THE WALLS 278 + + + + +THE HARLEQUIN OPAL. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +AWAY TO THE NORTH. + + Oh, leave the south, the languid south, + Its cloudless skies, its weary calms; + The land of heat, and glare, and drouth, + Where aloes bloom, and spring the palms. + There water is the best of alms, + To cool the ever-parched mouth; + Oh, with the breezes bearing balms, + Fly northward from the languid south. + + Oh, seek the bitter northern skies, + Where falls the snow, and blows the sleet; + 'Mid which the stormy sea-bird cries, + And circles on its pinions fleet. + On rocky shores the surges beat, + And icebergs crystalline arise, + Life thrills our veins with tropic heat, + Beneath the bitter northern skies. + + +Once more _The Bohemian_ was breasting the warm waves of the Pacific, +and seemed to rejoice in her freedom like a sentient thing, as she +plunged north-ward to Acauhtzin. The smoke poured black from her +wide-mouthed funnel, the blades of her propeller, lashing the waters to +foam, left behind her a long trail of white, and her sharp nose dipped +and fell in the salt brine with every pulsation of the pistons. Beneath +the folds of the Union Jack, streaming in the wind, were gathered the +Englishmen and the Cholacacans, all light-hearted and hopeful, despite +the undoubted peril of their mission. It was no light task to beard +Xuarez in his stronghold, to assert the authority of the Republic in +the teeth of his army. The mission was a valiant one, but foolhardy, +and Tim, if no one else, looked for anything but a peaceful termination +to the voyage. + +The distance to Acauhtzin was something over three hundred miles, and +as _The Bohemian_ was swirling along at the rate of seventeen knots an +hour, it was hoped she would reach her destination in fifteen hours or +thereabouts. Owing to one thing and another, the yacht had not left +Tlatonac till close on four o'clock in the afternoon; so, making all +allowance for possible accidents and stoppages, at the rate she was +going, Philip calculated that he would fetch the northern capital about +dawn. He did not wish to venture too near the port in the darkness, as +the war-ships were protecting the town, and not seeing the English +ensign, might open fire on his yacht, under the impression that she was +an enemy. With this idea the engines were slowed down during the +voyage, and _The Bohemian_ was timed to enter the port some time before +noon of the next day. + +Owing to the number of people on board (twenty-six souls, in addition +to the crew), it was somewhat difficult to provide all with +accommodation. Fortunately, however, the nights were warm and rainless, +so the soldiers made themselves comfortable on deck, and slept soundly +enough, wrapped in their military cloaks. The sailing-master of _The +Bohemian_, a tough old salt, by name Simon Benker, growled a good +deal at the way in which his spotless decks were being spoiled, but +Philip managed to smooth him down by representing the seriousness of +the situation. Benker submitted with but ill grace. The yacht was the +pride of his life, the darling of his heart, and he had no great love +for the inhabitants of Cholacaca. However, Sir Philip was master, and +gave the soldiers permission to camp out on deck, so Benker was forced +to acquiesce in the arrangement. + +The ambassadors, in company with the three Englishmen, took up their +quarters in the state-room and cabins. As there were not enough bunks, +some of them had to sleep in the saloon, so the younger members of the +party gave up the sleeping-berths to the elders, and did their best to +make shift in a rough-and-ready fashion. As they sat up late, however, +and got up early, this inconvenienced them but little, and the utmost +good humour prevailed above and below during the voyage. The crew, with +the exception of Benker, fraternised with the soldiers, and their +masters entertained the Spanish hidalgos; so, despite all +inconveniences, things went off capitally. Even Jack plucked up his +spirits now that he was on his way to rescue Dolores, and Philip's +excellent brand of champagne had a wonderful effect of keeping the +temperament of all up to what Tim called, "concert pitch." + +Don Alonzo Cebrian was a pompous old man, whose every second word was, +"I, the Intendante." He was as proud as Lucifer, and never alluded to +the rebels save by the opprobrious names of canalla, ladrons, demonios, +all of which terms were echoed regularly by Captain Velez. This young +gentleman, a good-looking spendthrift, with a rather scampish +reputation, played the part of echo to please the Intendante, whose +daughter he wished to marry for her dowry. The lady was plain, but her +father was rich; so Captain Velez was quite willing to sacrifice his +good looks and bachelor freedom on the altar of matrimony, provided he +was well paid for doing so. Don Rafael was in the highest of spirits at +the prospect of seeing Doña carmencita, and kept things going by the +liveliness of his sallies, while Colonel Garibay smoked endless +cigarettes and spoke but little. + +After an excellent dinner, which was done full justice to by the hungry +Spaniards, they all went on deck, and sat down to smoke and talk. First +and foremost, they all paid Sir Philip handsome compliments about the +beauty and speed of _The Bohemian_, and then drifted gradually into the +one subject of the hour--the war with Xuarez--the embassy to +Xuarez--the certainty of punishing Xuarez. + +"Begad! Philip," whispered Tim, who was smoking a villainous black clay +pipe, "it's all Xuarez and nothing else. Is he the only man the +Opposidores have?" + +"So it appears," replied Philip, leaning back in his chair; "the whole +row seems to hinge on Xuarez. Is that not your opinion, Don Rafael?" + +"What is that, mi amigo? I do not understand English." + +"That Xuarez is the only capable man on the side of the Opposidores?" + +"Ladrons!" interrupted Don Alonzo, with stately spite. "I, the +Intendante, think otherwise. Xuarez is clever; but, Señores, no one is +so clever as Tejada! Canalla!" + +"Canalla!" echoed Velez, removing his cigarette, "no one is so clever +as Tejada!" + +"Don José is being deceived by Xuarez," said Rafael, ruffled at this +allusion to his proposed father-in-law; "he is a pompous old fool, and, +if he is wise, will leave Acauhtzin with his family, and place himself +under the protection of the Republic." + +"He won't do that," replied Garibay, decisively; "he is of too much +service to Xuarez. The Opposidores have but little wealth, and Tejada +is a rich man." + +"Well, no matter, Señores. I, the Intendante, will arrest them both, +and carry them in chains to the Junta." + +"I am afraid that will be more difficult than you imagine, Señor," said +Rafael, dryly. "Xuarez is adored by the townspeople of Acauhtzin. He +has a passably good army, the friendship of the Indians, who are being +urged on to war by that prophetic opal, and a capital fleet. With all +these at his command, he would be a fool to yield at the mere reading +of a decree. No. This war will be a long one--a difficult one--and it +is doubtful if, in the end, Don Hypolito will not conquer." + +Garibay frowned, and looked sternly at the young man. + +"Are your sympathies with the Opposidores, Señor?" + +"By no means. I see in Xuarez a possible tyrant, an unscrupulous +scoundrel; but I am not so blinded as to overlook his talents. Already +he has scored heavily against us. The securing of the fleet, the +gaining of Acauhtzin to his interest, and all without a blow. Believe +me, Colonel, I speak truly when I say Xuarez is a foe to be dreaded." + +"He will not dare to defy the decree of the Republic," said the +Intendante, pompously. "When I read this," added Don Alonzo, tapping +his breast pocket, where lay the official paper, "he will yield." + +"Certainly!" echoed Velez, parrot-like, "he will yield. Carambo! He +dare not defy Don Alonzo!" + +"Do you think Xuarez is a second Montezuma, to yield in the presence of +his army, Señores," cried Rafael, vehemently. "I tell you no! Were he +alone, he would resist arrest. How much more so, then, when supported +by the devotion of hundreds. I am a true subject of the Republic; I +hate, dread, and scorn Don Hypolito. But I do not despise him. He will +be the Napoleon of Cholacaca. Let the Republic beware!" + +"Ah! bah!" said Colonel Garibay, while Don Alonzo snorted with +indignation. "Xuarez may be a clever man; but he is no general. Why, he +does not even make the first move!" + +"No; he bides his time. When he does move, Tlatonac will hear of it." + +"You mean, he will bombard the city?" + +"Yes, and no! I will explain. Excuse me one moment, Señores. I go for a +map of the country." + +Don Rafael ran down to the cabin; and during his absence the Intendante +and Captain Velez scoffed at the idea that Xuarez would be a dangerous +enemy. They had a duet in a braggadocio vein. + +"He will yield, Señores, when I read this decree." + +"The troops of Tlatonac alone can crush him," added Velez, confidently. + +"We will swallow these rebels at a mouthful. I, the Intendante, say +so." + +"The war will be a mere military promenade!" said his echo. + +"So said the French at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war," +interjected Philip, grimly, "but they made a mistake. What is your +opinion, Colonel?" + +"I agree with Don Rafael," replied Garibay, slowly "I am by no means +inclined to undervalue our opponent. Xuarez is as cunning as Satan, and +as ambitious. His first moves in this war have resulted to his own +advantage; therefore I am not so confident of a speedy termination to +this campaign as are these gentlemen. Fire-crackers, such as reading a +decree will not frighten a man like Xuarez!" + +"Then you think this journey useless?" asked Jack, who was of much the +same opinion himself. + +"Absolutely, Señors. I believe we are on the eve of a terrible +struggle, and to whom will result the advantage I know not." + +"If all the Junta were as faint-hearted as yourself and Don Rafael, we +would yield without a blow," said the Intendante, bitterly. + +"Without a blow," from Velez, in the same tone! "Carambo!" + +"You are wrong, Señor," cried the Colonel, with fiery earnestness, "I +am not faint-hearted. I will fight against Xuarez to the last. But is +it wise to scoff at this man as you are doing? I tell you he is a +master-spirit, such as rises once in a century, and, as such, is +all-powerful, even against the great power of the Republic. He is one +of those men who change the destinies of nations. A Napoleon, a +Garibaldi, a Washington. From my soul, Señores, I trust we shall win, +and save the Republic; but it is as well to look on both sides of the +question. Blind security is not wise. Por todos Santos, Señores," cried +Garibay, rising to his feet in his excitement, "see how this man has +already succeeded. Acauhtzin, the most important town next to the +capital, is in his hands, our fleet has gone over entirely to his side; +and have you forgotten the treachery of Marina and Pepe. A full plan of +the fortifications of Tlatonac is before him. If he can do this much, +he can do more. Till the end, I shall support the Republic, and resist +a possible Dictator; but do not sneer at Xuarez! I tell you he is a +great man!" + +This was an unexampled outburst for the ordinarily calm Colonel, and he +sank back in his chair with a look of agitation on his usually +impassive face. The Intendante and Velez were for the moment impressed; +yet, soon recovering their obstinate belief in the invulnerability of +the Republic, would have replied, but that at this moment Don Rafael +made his appearance with a small map. + +"Your pardon, Señores, that I have been so long!" apologised Rafael, +sitting down promptly, and spreading out the map on his own and +Philip's knees. "Look, now, mis amigos, and I will tell you how this +campaign will be conducted!" + +"How do you know, Señor? Are you in the confidence of Xuarez?" + +"I am a gentleman, no traitor!" replied Rafael, haughtily, to the +insulting question of the Intendante. "I know something of Don +Hypolito's plans, because he spoke of them to Don José de Tejada. +Before the revolt of the fleet, I was a visitor at the house of that +gentleman, and so learned much. Had Don José known that I would remain +true to the Republic, he would have been more cautious. As it was, he +spoke sufficiently clearly to let me understand the broad outlines of +the campaign as designed by Xuarez." + +"Bueno!" said the Intendante, politely, "I ask your pardon, Don Rafael. +And this plan." + +"Behold!" said Rafael, tracing with his finger the various points; +"here is Acauhtzin--there Tlatonac!--and at the extreme south you see +Janjalla! This last town will be attacked first." + +"And the reason?" + +"Carrai! can you not see, Señor Garibay? Between Tlatonac and Acauhtzin +are nothing but mountains--no roads, no open spaces. All giant hills, +terrible precipices, a few paths made by Indians, and inhospitable +deserts, where the land happens to be flat for a few miles. How then +can Xuarez convey his army to the capital in that direction?" + +"True, true! And most of his soldiers are dragoons." + +"Certainly, he could attack Tlatonac with Indians who are used to their +rugged country; but savages, as Xuarez well knows, can do little or +nothing against trained troops. In conjunction with his own army, they +can do something; but, alone, they are almost useless. Bueno! You see +he, will not attack from the north." + +"But why attack Janjalla instead of Tlatonac?" asked Tim, who was +anxiously following this discussion, pencil and note-book in hand. + +"Look to the south," replied Don Rafael, promptly. "No mountains +between Janjalla and Tlatonac--nothing but rich plains--broad spaces on +which armies can manoeuvre. Now, if Xuarez conveys his troops by the +war-ships south to Janjalla, he can bombard and perhaps take that +city." + +"I, the Intendante, deny that!" + +"Impossible to take Janjalla," echoed Velez, nodding his head wisely. + +Rafael shrugged his shoulders. It was next to impossible to argue with +these obstinate people who would only look at one side of the question. + +"We will grant that Janjalla falls into the power of Xuarez," said +Garibay, impatiently; "and afterwards?" + +"Afterwards," resumed the young man, "Xuarez will garrison the town, +and concentrate all his troops there." + +"Thus leaving Acauhtzin open to attack," said Jack, satirically. + +"By no means. The war-ships will prevent our troops getting to that +town. We cannot get to it by land, and the sea will be blockaded by the +rebel fleet." + +"Unless the torpederas----" + +"True! unless the torpederas arrive," replied Rafael significantly; +"but it is doubtful as to whether the Junta or Xuarez will get them. +However, I am only supposing all these things being in favour of the +Opposidores." + +"Bueno! We will look at the matter from Don Hypolito's point of view," +said Philip, quietly. "His troops are concentrated at Janjalla. Between +that town and Tlatonac are open plains--and," added Philip, dryly, "the +armies of the Republic!" + +"Certainly. But let us presume, for the sake of argument, that Xuarez +makes three simultaneous attacks. With his regular army on the plains, +with the Indians from the north on Tlatonac--and from the sea by a +bombardment from the war-ships." + +"Dios!" muttered Garibay, biting his fingers; "that man is a general." + +"The troops of the Republic will conquer everywhere," said Don Alonzo, +gravely. + +"Everywhere!" repeated his umbra. + +"It is to be hoped so, Señores," said Tim, significantly, "the Republic +will need all the help she can get to defend herself in three places at +once." + +"In my opinion," observed Rafael, calmly, "there is only one way to end +the war." + +"And that is?" + +"By a naval victory. The Junta must secure the torpederas. We must have +more war-ships, and cripple Don Hypolito's power on the sea. Then he +will be unable to convey his troops to Janjalla--unable to bombard +Tlatonac, and remain shut up in Acauhtzin, where we can crush him at +our leisure." + +Garibay disagreed with this view of the matter, and accused Rafael of +looking solely at the matter from a naval point of view. A hot +discussion ensued, in which every possible attack, repulse, strategy, +and battle, was talked over far into the night. Philip and Jack grew +weary of this incessant argument, and slipped down to the saloon, where +they chatted about Dolores. Overhead they heard the hot-tempered +Spaniards arguing fiercely, and several times thought they would come +to blows so warm grew the discussion. + +"Egad, Jack! I'm glad this voyage ends to-morrow," said Philip, as they +turned in, "or they will certainly murder one another." + +A grunt was Jack's unsatisfactory reply. He was, almost asleep, and +already dreaming of rescuing Dolores from the clutches of Don Hypolito. + +After a time, those on deck grew tired of such unprofitable talk, and +one by one came down to snatch a few hours' sleep. In the space of +fifteen minutes everyone was snoring, and the yacht flew northward with +her cargo of sleeping men. Benker was in charge of the wheel, and as he +had been in these waters years before, knew every inch of the coast. +Keeping the boat about a mile from the shore, he headed her straight +for Acauhtzin, which was many miles away, in the curve of the land +where it stretched eastward into the Carribean Sea. + +It was a perfectly calm night. Stars and moon, a placid sea, and the +yacht swirling through the liquid plain with a slight roll. To the +right, the infinite expanse of the waters heaving against the horizon; +to the left, the long, low line of the coast, with its dim masses of +foliage, and here and there a snow-clad mountain peak. Benker twirled +the wheel, chewed his quid, and looked every now and then in disgust at +the sleeping forms of the soldiers encumbering the white decks of the +yacht. Moonlight and starlight, the throb of the screw, the singing of +the wind through the rigging, and the hiss of the waves seething past; +it was wonderfully beautiful. The boat sped onward like a shadow amid a +world of shadows, and the most prosaic soul would have been touched by +the profound beauty of this watery world. Not so Simon Benker. He was +used to it all, and regarded nothing but his work and the soldiers. + +Then the east began to palpitate with the coming dawn. Lines of dim +light low down on the horizon--yellow bands which melted to pale green, +and flushed to delicate rose colours. Higher and higher the coming day +dyed the sky in opaline hues, the stars fled westward, the wan moon +paling before this fierce splendour, hid her face behind a bank of +clouds. The dark world of waters became tinged with rainbow hues, then +one thick yellow shaft of light smote the zenith with heavy brilliance. +Ray after ray shot out like the spokes of a wheel, and suddenly the +intolerable glory of the sun leaped from the nether world. + +"Yonder," said Jack to Philip, who had come on deck to see the sunrise, +"yonder, my boy, is the Harlequin Opal!" + +"If it is as brilliant and as many-tinted as that," replied the +baronet, staring at the gorgeous sky and sea, "it must, indeed, be a +wonderful gem. Benker, how is she going?" + +"You have no soul," said Duval, turning away. "I am going down to have +a tub." + +He thereupon vanished again, was shortly followed by Philip, after he +had satisfied himself that _The Bohemian_ had done good work during the +hours of darkness. Afterwards they awoke their sleeping companions, and +had breakfast, when the Spaniards were introduced to several English +dishes, of which they approved greatly. + +The heavens were now a pale turquoise blue, the sun mounting towards +the zenith was already beginning to burn hotly, and all were assembled +on deck impatiently waiting to catch sight of their destination. Here +and there on the green shore, amid the forests they could see Indian +settlements, and at times light canoes skimmed the surface of the +waves. Towards eleven o'clock a white spot appeared on the land +straight ahead. Don Rafael, who was standing by Philip, touched the +young man's arm. + +"Acauhtzin!" he said, cheerfully; "we will be there in the hour." +Philip looked at his watch. + +"We left Tlatonac at four yesterday. We will reach Acauhtzin at twelve +to-day. Three hundred miles in twenty hours. That is not bad for slow +steaming. Had I kept her at full speed, she would have done it in +fifteen!" + +Tim, who had his glass up, gave an exclamation of surprise. + +"What is it, Tim?" + +"Three war-ships are lying in the harbour." + +"I thought as much," replied Philip, calmly; "we will have to run the +blockade." + +Tim pointed upward to the Union Jack. + +"If they fire on that," he said slowly, "Xuarez is not the clever man I +take him to be. What do you say, Jack?" + +"Say!" repeated Jack, who was looking ahead with clenched fists, "that +one of those three ships is _The Pizarro_, and that Dolores is on +board." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ACAUHTZIN. + + Here, where mingle rocks and sands, + Phantom-like the city stands, + Looming vague and ghostly pale, + Through the dawning's misty veil. + Day and night, and night and day, + At the foot of ramparts grey; + Just a stone-throw up the shore + Ever-hungry surges roar, + As they would rejoice to tear + From her heights that city fair, + Where, engirt by forests green, + Proud she sits, a laurelled queen; + Dim the mighty fabric gleams, + As thought-built in magic dreams, + 'Tis some palace city hoary, + Famed in song for golden glory, + Which, at dawn, will fade away, + In the traitor light of day. + + +The city of Acauhtzin was not unlike the capital in appearance, though +it differed from Tlatonac in being built on a projecting point of land, +instead of on a hill. On either side were mountains, partially +enclosing a deep basin, wherein the war-ships were anchored, and on a +tongue of rock jutting into the centre of this pool the city was built. +The walls white and glistening, arose sheer from the rocky cliffs and +above them only a few steeples and towers could be seen. The walls +encompassing the tongue of rock formed a kind of citadel, and then ran +along the inshore for some distance on each side, terminating in +well-defended forts. At the back of the city arose a high mountain, +clothed with green forests, from amidst which a mighty peak of snow +shot up grandly into the blue sky. + +Philip saw all this when the yacht was some distance away, and at once +pronounced his opinion of the place. + +"It is like Valetta," he said, handing the glass to Jack. "The city is +built, on a tongue of land, the walls rise in the same precipitous +fashion, and there are harbours on either side. Were it not for that +mighty peak, and the mountains to right and left, it would be the +Valetta of the old world." + +On the flag-tower of the principal fort floated the banner of the +insurgent leader, the same in all respects as that of the Republic, +save that the colour was red instead of yellow. The Harlequin Opal was +so interwoven with the history and superstitions of the Cholacacans +that Xuarez could not afford to dispense with so powerful a symbol, and +on the crimson ground of the flag gleamed the representation of the +stone, shooting its myriad rays. At the entrance of the harbour were +anchored two heavily armed war-ships, which Don Rafael recognised as +_The Cortes_ and _The Columbus_. His own vessel, _The Pizarro_, lay +further in to the shore, almost across the gate which pierced the wall +of the great fort, and gave admission to the city. + +With the Union Jack flying at her masthead _The Bohemian_ steamed +boldly into the harbour between the threatening bulk of the two +men-of-war. Through their glasses, those on board the yacht could see +there was much excitement at her unexpected appearance both on the +ships and on shore. A crowd of people poured out of the gate like a +swarm of bees, as _The Bohemian_, slowing down her engines, swung +gracefully to anchor beside _The Pizarro_. Just as she cleared the +war-ships at the entrance, a puff of smoke broke from the black sides +of _The Cortes_, whereat Tim uttered an exclamation of rage. + +"It's insulting the flag they are!" + +"No. Blank cartridge," replied Philip, shrewdly; "they are saluting the +Union Jack. Don Hypolito evidently wants to stand well with England. +See, they are dipping their flags." + +The three war-ships lowered their pennants for a moment, in salutation +to the English flag, and then ran them up again to the masthead. Philip +had by this time brought _The Bohemian_ directly under the guns of +the forts; so that, in any event, she would be safe. The forts could +not depress their guns sufficiently to damage her, and the war-ships +would not dare to fire lest they should injure the ramparts of the +town. + +Making everything safe by this artful manoeuvre Philip, with the +sanction of Don Alonzo, hauled down the Union Jack, to hoist the +Republican banner. At first the forts thought the English ship was +responding to their salute, and several guns thundered a welcome to the +stranger, while the crowd on the shore cheered lustily. All these +greetings, however, were changed to cries of anger when the yellow +banner of Tlatonac flew up to the masthead of _The Bohemian_. Without +doubt, had the yacht been outside, the war-ships would have opened fire +on this audacious vessel, to make her pay for such insolence; but +Philip, being safe under the walls of the fort, could fly the flag with +impunity. + +The crowd on the beach and wharf roared with rage, as they saw the +hated ensign, and recognised the fact that by this audacious piece of +strategy a band of their enemies had gained admission into the very +heart of their harbour. Had those on shore been able to get on board +_The Bohemian_ it would have gone ill with Philip and his friends; +but, fortunately, the yacht had cast anchor some distance away, by the +side of _The Pizarro_. The crew of the war-ship lined the side of +their vessel to look at the daring intruder, and seeing this, Don +Rafael, suppressing all outward signs of rage, swore fluently to +himself as he recognised the renegades. + +In a remarkably short space of time, a boat with the rebel flag hanging +over its stern pulled out from the shore, and in a few minutes came +alongside _The Bohemian_. A ladder was thrown over at once, and there +stepped on deck Don José de Tejada, accompanied by a few officers. He +recognised Don Alonzo and his friends at once, for they had been +intimates of his before the outbreak of this fratricidal war. + +"Don Rafael! Don Alonzo," said Tejada, in astonishment. "What is the +meaning of this, Señores? and how have you the hardihood to display the +flag of Tlatonac under the guns of Acauhtzin?" + +"I, the Intendante, with these gentlemen, have come hither on a mission +to Don Hypolito Xuarez from the Junta of Cholacaca." + +"Oh, you would make peace. The Junta fears the result of an appeal to +arms." + +"Carajo, no!" cried Garibay, clapping his hand to his sword. "The Junta +fears nothing; much less the rebel Xuarez." + +"Beware, Señor," said Tejada, as several of his officers muttered +angrily; "I cannot protect you, if thus you speak of our honoured +President." + +"President!" cried Rafael, in a rage. + +"Yes; the President of Cholacaca." + +"Don Francisco Gomez is President?" + +"By the will of the aristocrats," said Don José fiercely; "but Don +Hypolito Xuarez is President by the will of the people." + +"Enough of this," exclaimed the Intendante, waving his hand; "we are +here under a flag of truce. Even you, Señor, must respect that. We will +deliver our message to Xuarez, and depart unharmed." + +"That is as Don Hypolito wills it." + +"Your pardon, Señor," interposed Philip, taking off his yachting cap; +"this is an English vessel, and as such you dare not seize her." + +"I recognise no vessel as English under those colours," said Tejada, +fiercely, pointing to the opal banner. + +"Bueno! I will endeavour to remove your prejudice." + +In another moment Philip had given orders to Benker, and the Union Jack +was flying at the other masthead. + +"You must respect our neutrality now, Señor." + +Don José bit his lip, and turning to one of his officers, gave an +order. The soldier bowed, dropped over the side of the yacht, and went +ashore in the boat. + +"I have sent to tell Don Hypolito that an embassy has come from +Tlatonac," said Tejada, addressing the Intendante with marked coldness; +"in ten or fifteen minutes you shall know his decision." + +"He must receive us, Señor." + +"No doubt; but the question is, will he let you depart?" + +"By the law of nations, which recognises the white flag, he must let us +go as we came, unharmed." + +"Had you not sailed under the English ensign, you would not have got +into the harbour so easily. This boat would be now sunk by the guns of +_The Cortes_." + +"I thought as much," said Philip, easily; "therefore I flew a flag +which even you had to respect." + +"And may I ask, Señores," sneered Don José, with elaborate politeness, +"under which flag you sail? the English, the Opal, or the White?" + +"Under the white," replied Garibay, promptly. + +"Good! Then lower those two banners, and run up the white flag." + +"I'll see you hanged first!" retorted Philip, bluntly. "This is an +English vessel, and I defy you to touch it or the flag." + +Tejada blushed red with rage, for he knew that Xuarez, anxious to stand +well in his quarrel with the great nations of Europe, would not dare to +insult the Union Jack. In fact, seeing that the deputation had arrived +in an English vessel, Tejada was well assured in his own mind that it +would be received and sent away with the utmost courtesy, let their +message from the Junta be galling as it might be. Xuarez was no +barbarian, and in any case would have treated a flag of truce with +honour, but the presence of these English gentlemen, of this English +ship, put the matter beyond all doubt. + +Under these circumstances, Tejada was unable to reply to Sir Philip; +but suppressing his wrath with a great effort, bowed politely and +turned away. As he did so, Don Rafael sprang forward, as also did Jack, +both eager to learn if Dolores was in the town. + +"I will speak, amigo," said Rafael, hurriedly to Jack. "I know Don +José, as my private friend, though public enemy; he will answer me." + +"Your servant, Señor!" remarked Tejada, stiffly, finding himself face +to face with Don Rafael. + +"Señor," said the young man, taking off his sombrero with ceremonious +politeness, "we are enemies because we follow different leaders; but I +implore you, by the friendship which once existed between us, to answer +a question I would ask." + +"Surely, Señor! You were ever welcome at my table, in time of peace. As +you say, we are now enemies; but God forbid that this unhappy war +should banish all courtesies between gentlemen. What question do you +wish to put, Señor? It shall be answered." + +"Is my cousin--is Doña Dolores at Acauhtzin?" + +Tejada started, and seemed much surprised. + +"No, Señor Maraquando, she is not here. Why ask me such a strange +question?" + +"Not here!" cried Jack, who also knew Tejada well; "but she must be +here, Señor Tejada; she has been carried off from Tlatonac, taken on +board yonder vessel,"--pointing to _The Pizarro_--"and is now in +Acauhtzin with Don Hypolito." + +"I swear to you, Señor Duval, that you wrong us. You wrong Don +Hypolito," replied Don José, earnestly. "I am aware that our leader +loves Doña Dolores, and desires to marry her, but he would not carry +her off so basely. No, Señor," continued Tejada, proudly; "we are men +of honour, we do not make war on women. When Don Hypolito conquers, he +will ask for the honour of Doña Dolores' hand in due form. She is not +here, I swear." + +"Great Heavens!" cried Jack, in despair. "Can this be true?" + +"Don José," said Rafael, eagerly, "I know you to be a man of honour. I +do not doubt your word; but I feel sure that my cousin is here." + +"Señor!" + +"I do not say that you know, or are deceiving me," went on Rafael, +rapidly. "But look you, Don José. There is a zambo called Pepe, who +acted as a spy for your party at Tlatonac. The other night he decoyed +my cousin from the cathedral on board _The Pizarro_. A fisherman saw +Pepe rowing to the war-ship, with a female in his boat." + +"Bueno! That is so," interrupted Tejada, bluntly; "but the woman was a +poblana--one Marina." + +"Marina!" cried Duval, savagely. "Then I have been tricked. We have all +been wrong! Doña Dolores must be with the Indians." + +"I trust, Señor, your fears are groundless; but if Doña Dolores is with +the Indians, she will be quite safe. They reverence her as the guardian +of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." + +"Does Don Hypolito know anything about the Indians?" asked Rafael, +hurriedly. + +"That question, Señor, I am not at liberty to answer." + +Rafael cast one swift and penetrating glance at the impassive face of +the old man, and turned away with a suppressed oath. + +"Carrai!" he muttered, fiercely, to Philip, who stood by, a silent +spectator. "I believe Xuarez is in league with the Indians, and has +made them carry her off. If she is not here, she is at that hidden +temple; but, in either case, Don Hypolito is mixed up with the case." + +"In my humble opinion, she is at Acauhtzin," said Philip, quietly. "Don +José does not know all the black dealings of Xuarez's heart. Cheer up, +my dear Jack, we will soon see Don Hypolito, and wring the truth from +him." + +Jack muttered something indistinctly, and turned away, whereon Philip, +taking him kindly by the arm, led him down to the saloon, with the +intention of giving him such consolation as he was able. + +"If she is here, Xuarez must know," said Philip, earnestly; "and if he +knows, he will not be able to deceive me. I can read most faces, and it +will be strange indeed if Don Hypolito's is the first to baffle me." + +"Don José denies everything." + +"Yes; because Don José knows nothing. That old man is a pompous old +ass, like the Intendante. Many things could take place under his nose +without his being any the wiser. Drink this glass of wine, my dear lad, +and keep up your spirits. We will find Dolores yet." + +Duval was so overcome by the loss of Dolores that he submitted to +Philip's orders like a child, and obediently drank the wine poured out +for him. In most emergencies, Jack would have been ready to act at once +with a cool head, and iron nerve; but Dolores was very dear to him, and +her loss had rendered him useless for the moment--in other words, the +shock had paralysed his will. + +After Philip had succeeded in putting some heart into the poor fellow, +he insisted on his coming on deck, and they ascended thereto just in +time to see the return of the officer sent by Tejada to Don Hypolito. +The messenger walked straight up to Don José, and gave the reply of +Xuarez, on hearing which, Tejada turned towards the waiting Intendante. + +"His Excellency Don Hypolito Xuarez will see you at his palace." + +Don Alonzo almost choked with rage at hearing these terms applied to a +rebel like Xuarez, but managed to bow with tolerably good grace. He +moved towards the side of the yacht, and scrambled down into the boat +in a somewhat ungraceful fashion for an ambassador. Colonel Garibay, +Don Rafael, and the Englishmen followed, together with Tejada and his +staff. + +Tim, who had been fraternising with the rebels, showed his note-book to +Jack, filled with shorthand notes. + +"I've got no end of information," he said gleefully; "and when I get +back to Tlatonac, it goes to the _Morning Planet_ straight." + +"That is if we ever do get back," said Jack, gloomily. + +"Of course we will, you pessimist; and, what's more, we'll take back +Doña Dolores with us." + +"Do you think she is here, then, after all?" asked Duval, with reviving +hope. + +Tim winked in a vulgar fashion. + +"A word in your ear, Jack," he said, jerking his head in the direction +of the pompous Tejada. "That old man's a liar. The pretty colleen is +here, and Don José knows it? but she's not with Don Hypolito." + +"Then where do you think she is?" + +"With Rafael's sweetheart, no less; the old man's daughter." + +"Doña Carmencita?" + +"You've hit it." + +Jack would have questioned Tim further, so as to learn his grounds for +such a belief, but just then the boat touched the stone steps of the +wharf. The embassy stepped ashore, and waited till the soldiers of +Tlatonac arrived. Don Alonzo, with a due regard for the dignity of the +Republic, refused to move until his bodyguard came on shore. In a few +minutes, the soldiers landed, under the command of Captain Velez, and +thus escorted, the ambassador of the Republic moved slowly forward, +beneath the mighty arch which led into the heart of the rebel capital. + +"We've got in, Señor," whispered Rafael to Philip with sudden doubt; +"but I hope we shall be able to get out." + +Philip pointed back to the Union Jack, which could be seen in the +distance at the yacht's masthead. + +"While that flag is there I have no fear, Don Rafael." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DON HYPOLITO XUAREZ. + + A visionary? Wherefore not? All men + Who change the world are dreamers in their youth. + Thought comes before fulfilment!--in the earth, + The hidden seedling hints the future flower! + So is it with this man! For years his brain + Hath dallied with a thousand fantasies, + Which had no being save within himself. + But now his dreams take shape!--with purpose firm, + He aids their due fulfilment, till therefrom + New heavens and earth are formed, and ancient things + Crashing to ruin, as foundations serve + Whereon to build earth's future destinies. + + +There was no doubt that Don Hypolito laid due stress on ceremonial +observances as necessary to consolidate his pretensions. On the ground +that Gomez had broken the constitutional rules by which he held his +position, Xuarez proclaimed himself saviour and President of the +Cholacacan Republic. Not being in possession of Tlatonac, he +constituted Acauhtzin his capital for the time being, and there assumed +all the airs of a ruler. He called himself by the title of President, +his personal staff and intimate friends constituted a kind of +revolutionary Junta, and the building in which this illegal assemblage +met for conference was dignified with the name of the Palacio Nacional. +In all respects the machinery of the lawful Government was copied at +Acauhtzin, and that town was regarded by the Opposidores as the true +capital of the country until such time as Xuarez should enforce his +pretensions by marching in triumph into the head city of the Republic. +As in the Middle Ages two Popes ruled--the one at Rome, the other at +Avignon--so the allegiance of Cholacaca was claimed by two Presidents: +Gomez at Tlatonac, Xuarez at Acauhtzin. + +The extraordinary man who avowed himself the saviour of type country +possessed in a marked degree that power of dominating all with whom he +came in contact by the personal charm of his manner. This dæmonic +influence is a peculiar characteristic of all great men, without which +they could not hope to accomplish their missions. Napoleon changed the +map of Europe, Mahomet created a religion, Cæsar consolidated the Roman +Empire, Luther tore half the civilised world from the grip of +ecclesiastical Rome. These great events sprang in the first instance +from the strong personality of the men who accomplished them, hence the +performance of what appear to be miracles. Don Hypolito Xuarez, son of +a Spanish adventurer and an Indian woman, possessed this dæmonic +influence, and gifted with such power, arose from obscurity to the full +glory of supreme power. Nowhere was his authority more noticeable than +in Acauhtzin. Years before a political adventurer, he had been accepted +by the people of that town as their deputy to the Junta. Acauhtzin, +always jealous of the superiority of Tlatonac, was desirous that the +seat of Government should be transferred thither from the city of the +opal. This ambition was fostered by the crafty Xuarez, who saw therein +a safe way of gaining the love of the northern capital. After he had +accused Gomez in the Junta of breaking the rules of the constitution, +he came northward to claim the protection of his constituents, a +protection which was freely accorded to one who had their interests so +much at heart. + +Cunning Don Hypolito saw his position and how he could better it. +Casting all his fortunes on one bold stroke, he assembled the +townspeople in the great plaza, and harangued them with all his +marvellous powers of oratory. Gomez had tampered with the sacred +constitution of Cholacaca. Gomez was therefore unworthy to occupy the +Presidential chair. One man alone could save the country, that man was +himself. Let them throw in their fortunes with his, and resort to arms +to inforce his elevation to the supreme power. Then he would transfer +the seat of Government from Tlatonac to Acauhtzin, and the northern +port would become the greatest city in Central America. Dazzled by this +vision, the townspeople elected Don Hypolito President with enthusiasm, +and vowed to stand by him to the end. That end they never for a moment +doubted would be victory over the established Government, and the +transference of the seat of power from Tlatonac to Acauhtzin. They +firmly believed in Don Hypolito as the man of the future, and when, by +a skilful stroke of diplomacy, he secured the support of the Regimiento +de Huitzilopochtli and of the fleet, his triumph was complete. He who +could do so much could do more! The admiring townsfolk swore by the +brilliant adventurer, and when the message carried by Don Alonzo +arrived at the northern capital, the crafty Mestizo was the idol of the +populace. The ironical part of the whole affair was that he had no +intention of fulfiling any promises made to his trusting constituents. + +Jack, owing to his long residence in Tlatonac, was already acquainted +with Xuarez, but both Tim and Philip were exceedingly curious to behold +this man, of whom they had heard so much, and who seemed to hold the +destinies of the Republic in the hollow of his hand. In the Great hall +of the Palacio Nacional (so called) they beheld him for the first time, +waiting to receive the emissaries of the Government. Surrounded by a +brilliant throng of officers, he alone was plainly dressed, no uniform, +no gaudy tints, no decorations, yet his personality raised him high +above those by whom he was encircled. The supporters of Xuarez were +mediocrites; Xuarez himself was a great man. + +The revolutionary leader was small of stature, ungraceful in +appearance; his legs were short, his body was long, so that he rather +waddled than walked. At first sight this ungainly figure, this +ungraceful gait, was apt to bring a smile to the lips of the onlooker, +but that smile faded before the grand countenance surmounting the +misshapen frame. It was as though the head of a Greek statue had been, +by mistake, joined on to the body of a Polynesian idol; the first was +so noble, the latter so grotesque. A Roman head, such as tradition +ascribes to the Cæsars, a Napoleonic face, calm, powerful, terrible as +the impassive countenance of the Sphinx. Broad forehead, prominent +nose, large eyes, full of fire and determination; no beard or moustache +to hide the contour of the cheeks, the strong curve of the mouth, a +skin of marble whiteness, and the whole surmounted by masses of waving +hair, dark as the eyes beneath. Such faces are seen on the coins of the +Cæsars, on the painted walls of Egyptian tombs, on the carven walls of +Assyrian palaces. They belong alone to kings, to heroes, to conquerors. +Nature marks her great men thus. When such faces of terrible calm +appear at intervals of centuries, mankind trembles, they recognise the +scourges of God, destined to whelm the world in waves of blood. Philip +came to see Xuarez--he looked, and lo! Napoleon. + +"The struggle is unequal," he whispered to Jack, as Don Alonzo unrolled +his papers. + +"Yes," replied Duval, in the same tone. "His force is too weak to stand +against the power of the Junta." + +Philip smiled scornfully. + +"What can the Junta do against that face?" he said, contemptuously. +"There stands the greatest man in Cholacaca." + +"D----n him," muttered the engineer, fiercely, "he has carried off +Dolores." + +"Silence, boys," growled Tim, in a voice of subdued thunder, "the Don's +speaking." + +The Intendante was not a particularly brave man, and hardly liked the +position in which he now found himself. His mission had appeared to be +great and grand and glorious at Tlatonac! but now it assumed quite a +different complexion. To utter threats against the rebel Xuarez, when +in the society of friends, was one thing; to order the followers of the +revolutionary President to give him up to punishment, in the middle of +his army, was another. Don Alonzo Cebrian hummed and hawed, and cleared +his throat, to get down a nasty lump which impeded his speech. Don +Hypolito saw his confusion, but said nothing, he did not even smile, +but sat serenely in his chair, impenetrable as the Sphinx. At last the +Intendante screwed up his courage and delivered the decree of the +Junta--sufficiently badly, it is true--still, he delivered it. + +"As the legally qualified representative of the Junta of Cholacaca, in +congress assembled, I hereby order those in arms against the Republic +to surrender to the Government, and to deliver up for punishment the +body of the rebel, Hypolito Xuarez, for----" + +He did not finish his sentence. A low murmur of rage arose from the +supporters of the rebel leader, and, half-drawing their swords, they +looked towards Xuarez for authority to cut down the daring man who had +thus insulted him in the midst of his army. Don Alonzo turned pale at +the sight of the half-bared weapons, and shrank back among his friends; +but Xuarez, leaning his chin on his hand, stared steadily before him +and waited. Seeing this impassive demeanour, which he was not clever +enough to know was more dangerous than an outburst of rage, Don Alonzo +regained his spirits. A more unfitted diplomatist than Cebrian could +scarcely have been chosen. + +"I need not speak at any great length," he said, rapidly. "The orders +of his Excellency Francisco Gomez are that the town of Acauhtzin +surrender to the Government, deliver up the rebel Xuarez for +punishment, and submit to the clemency of the Junta. If this is done at +once, the Junta will be lenient; if not, the opal standard will be +unfurled, and all the inhabitants of Acauhtzin will be treated as +rebels. This is the decree of Don Francisco Gomez on the part of the +Junta of Cholacaca, delivered by myself the Intendante of Xicotencatl." + +Then, Cebrian, having delivered his message sufficiently badly, rolled +up his papers with the air of a man who has done his duty, and waited +the reply of the rebel leader. All those on the side of Xuarez frowned +heavily, but made no demonstration of wrath at the insolence of the +message. They waited to hear Don Hypolito speak. The Mestizo arose to +his feet, and addressed himself, not to the emissaries of the Republic, +but to his own supporters. + +"Señores," he said, in a singularly mellow and powerful voice, "you +hear the decree of the so-called Junta of Cholacaca. Lest you should +mistake the purport of the message delivered by Don Alonzo Cebrian, I +will repeat it shortly. You are to lay down your arms, surrender my +body to the Junta, and trust to the tender mercies of your rivals of +Tlatonac for judgment. These are the conditions, which, if not +accepted, will bring on us the thunderbolts of war from a Government +who have not a navy, and scarce an army. Your answer?" + +Hitherto he had spoken in a low tone, clear and distinct, but +distinguished by no oratorical fire. At the last words, however, his +voice rang through the hall like thunder, and he repeated them with +emphasis. + +"Your answer, Señores?" + +"No! no! no! Viva Xuarez! Viva el gefe! Abaja, Gomez!" + +Don Hypolito listened to those fierce responses with a smile of +pleasure on his usually immobile face, and when the clamour died away, +arose slowly to his feet. Facing the messengers of the Republic, he +addressed them sharply, laconically. + +"You hear, Señores. Go!" + +"You refuse!" said Don Alonzo, scarcely able to believe his ears. + +"I refuse to surrender myself to your tyrants. The people of Acauhtzin +refuse to lay down their arms. Between myself and the illegal Junta now +sitting at Tlatonac, there is no friendship, no trust, no faith. They +proclaim me a rebel! I, Hypolito Xuarez, proclaim war!" + +He flung up his hand with a fiery gesture, and as he did so a hundred +swords flashed from their scabbards. + +"War!" cried those in the hall. "War! Viva Xuarez!" + +Don Alonzo tore the message of the Republic in twain, and cast the +pieces at the foot of the dais whereon Xuarez was seated. + +"So be it!" he cried, turning his back, "War!" + +"Hold!" said Xuarez, in a voice of thunder. "You came, Señores, under +the protection of the English flag. You go with the opal banner flying +at your masthead. Such a precaution was useless. I am not a barbarian +to fire on a flag of truce; but you--you, Señores, are cowards to thus +distrust an honourable foe." + +Before the Intendante could speak, Philip sprang forward, and faced the +speaker. + +"The fault, Señor, if fault it be, is mine. The vessel in which we came +is English, and, therefore, flies the English flag. In the port, I +hoisted the opal banner, to show that these gentlemen were on board, +and had come on a mission from the Junta." + +"An excellent explanation!" sneered Hypolito, frowning; "but untrue!" + +"Señor!" + +"Untrue, I say! You thought I would fire on your ship! You looked on me +as a barbaric foe! You mistrusted me!" + +"And who would not?" said Jack's deep voice savagely, "who would not +mistrust one who makes war on women?" + +"Be quiet, Jack." + +"I do not understand you, Señor Duval," said Xuarez, who knew the young +engineer quite well. "Explain!" + +"Doña Dolores, the niece of Don Miguel Maraquando, has been kidnapped +from Tlatonac! I accuse you of carrying her off." + +"I deny it, Señor! It is false," cried the rebel leader, a flush +reddening the marble whiteness of his face. "Doña Dolores is not in +Acauhtzin." + +"She may not be here, Señor, but you know where she is!" + +"I do not, Señor! You have no proof of what you say." + +"Pepe, the zambo, a spy in your pay, carried off a woman from +Tlatonac," cried Rafael, stepping forward. "That woman was my cousin, +Dolores." + +Xuarez started, and spoke rapidly to one of his officers, who thereupon +left the room. + +"Ah! you know much, Señor," he resumed, scornfully; "but you are wrong; +the zambo was my spy----" + +"Carambo!" + +"I repeat he was my spy in Tlatonac," said Xuarez, coolly; "and he left +the city with a plan of your fortifications." + +"Por todos Santos," roared Garibay, fiercely, clapping his hand on his +sword. + +"Call on whom you like, Señor Commandante! I have no reason to hide +this from you or from the Junta, else would I have kept silent. I know +when to hold my tongue, Señores; I know when to speak! I speak now! Go +back and tell your President that I have a full plan of Tlatonac in my +possession, and that I will use it to take your city, and level its +walls to the ground." + +"If you can do so!" said Garibay, tauntingly. + +"If I can do so. As you say," replied Xuarez, suddenly recognising that +this controversy was unworthy of his rank; "we need say no more on that +subject. Ha!" he added, as the officers, with a man and a woman, +entered the hall, "here is Pepe! and here, Señores, is the woman he +carried off." + +The woman threw back her rebozo. + +"Marina!" cried Jack, in despair. + +"You see, Señores," said Don Hypolito, serenely, "I am not the base one +you think me to be." + +"I'm not so sure of that," muttered Tim, under his breath. + +"But this, Señores, is outside the question. You came to me with a +message from the Junta. I have answered that message. Go! Go, and carry +back to Tlatonac my defiance and that of Acauhtzin. Sail away under +your opal flag, caballeros, and I promise you my guns will respect your +vessel. Adios. Go!" + +He pointed imperiously down the hall to where the great doors stood +wide open, and, headed by Don Alonzo, the deputation retired. Rafael +was biting his lips with rage, and Garibay was swearing under his +breath. The exit was scarcely dignified or worthy of the greatness of +the Republic. + +"I never felt so mean in my life," whispered Philip to Tim. "What a +beast the man is!" + +"And you said he was a great man!" + +"So he is. But even great men are human. Xuarez is not perfect; but I +believe he is honourable as regards rules of warfare. We can leave the +harbour in safety." + +"I doubt that, my boy," said Tim, significantly; "the man's a liar!" + +"What!" said Jack, overhearing this; "do you think that Dolores----?" + +"I think that he knows where she is." + +"Then I'll stay here till he gives her up." + +"You'll stay here a long time, then. She is not in Acauhtzin." + +"Then where is she?" + +"It's more nor I know." + +They were marching down the street on their way to the sea-gate, +surrounded by their own soldiers and a troop of the Regimiento de +Huitzilopochtli. Around this living barrier raged the populace, who had +heard of the message sent by the Republic, demanding the surrender of +Xuarez, and were mad with anger. To give up the idol of their +hearts--the man on whom the glorious future of Acauhtzin depended! It +was an insult! If they could have got at the emissaries, they would +have torn them to pieces; but, fortunately, the line of soldiers +prevented this. Don Alonzo was pale with terror, but Rafael and Garibay +swore loudly at the rebel crowd. The three Englishmen smiled scornfully +and marched serenely along, not heeding the savage howling of the mob, +which recognised them as foreigners. + +"Abajo los Americanos! Mueran los Yankies!" + +"We would have rather a hard time out there," said Philip, as Tim, his +huge frame shaking with anger, ranged alongside of him. "Keep together +boys. Where's Jack?" + +"Behind, with Don Rafael. Don't trouble, Philip; Jack Duval has his +six-shooter on him." + +"Good! I hope I am not a coward," said the baronet, serenely, as a clod +of earth hit him on the shoulder; "but I will be glad when we are safe +on board _The Bohemian_." + +"So will I. This is like Donnybrook Fair. But we're nearly outside the +town. Glory be to the saints!" + +As they approached the gate, the fury of the mob increased, and it took +all the strength of the soldiers, tramping shoulder to shoulder, to +prevent them breaking through and falling on the emissaries of the +Junta. At the gate, however, a soldier stumbled and fell, whereon, +through the gap thus formed, a torrent of men rushed, shouting wildly. +The escort fought bravely, and the rebel soldiers did their best to +save the ambassadors. It would be a disgrace to Acauhtzin to let the +mob have their will. + +Inch by inch they fought their way down to the sea-shore, surrounded by +the howling multitude. Philip knocked down a man who tried to snatch +his watch-chain, and Tim, head and shoulders above the torrent of +humanity, whacked every head he saw heartily with his heavy stick. +"When you see a head, hit it." That was Tim's rule of warfare. He +picked it up at Donnybrook Fair, and applied it practically in his +present predicament. + +At the water's edge they were hurried into several boats, and amid a +shower of stones and mud, managed to get on board the yacht. As soon as +all were on deck, Benker, without waiting for instructions, started the +boat. Philip stood at the side of the ship and shook his fist at the +shore. + +"You scoundrels!" he raged, fiercely. "You dishonourable wretches." + +"And Xuarez is a great man," scoffed Tim, wiping the blood from his +face. + +"Well," retorted Philip, viciously, "he's not responsible for this +mob." + +"When we return," swore Rafael, who stood near him, "we will level +those walls with the sand." + +By this time the yacht had passed out of the harbour, and was steaming +between the two war-ships. Don Alonzo began to recover his courage. + +"Thanks to the Holy Virgin, we are all safe, Señores," he said, in a +trembling voice. "The Junta will bitterly resent this insult shown to +the Intendante of Xicotencatl." + +Philip looked around with an alarmed expression of countenance. + +"Where's Jack?" + +"Jack!" cried Tim, in a stentorian voice. + +There was no answer. + +"Señor Juan was with me," said Rafael, quickly, "but I lost him from my +side outside the gate." + +"He must be down below," said Philip, greatly disturbed, and went off +to the cabin. In a few moments he reappeared. + +"He is not there. My God! Can he be lost?" + +The yacht was searched thoroughly, but no trace of Jack Duval could be +found. Philip wanted to put back and rescue his friend, who had been +evidently left ashore. + +"Impossible, Señor!" cried Don Alonzo, in alarm; "it is dangerous." + +"I do not care. Do you think I am going to leave my dear friend to be +torn to pieces by these savages?" raged Philip, stamping his foot. + +"The soldiers will protect him," said Garibay, who was terribly upset +at the discovery of their loss. He was very fond of Jack. + +"Did they protect us?" said Tim, who was quite beside himself with +grief and rage. "Turn her head back, Philip." + +Don Rafael, Tim, and the baronet were all in favour of doing this, but +Don Alonzo and Garibay said it would be madness. By this time they were +beyond the range of the fort guns, and in safety; but notwithstanding +the remonstrances of the terrified Intendante, Philip altered the +course of the boat, and started back to the harbour. + +"I will save Jack, if I die for it," he said, fiercely. + +Just as _The Bohemian_ approached the warships, a puff of smoke burst +from the sides of both, and two balls ricochetted across the waves. + +"Not blank cartridge this time," muttered Tim, grimly, "The dirty +cowards, to fire on an unarmed boat. And the forts!" + +One! two! three! four! A perfect cannonade thundered from the forts, +and one of the spars of the boat was carried away. The warships +repeated their fire, and, against his will, Philip was forced to stop +the engines. It was no use running into a hornet's nest. Another +quarter of a mile, nay less, and _The Bohemian_ would be smashed to +pieces. The engines were reversed, and Philip shook his fist wildly at +the town. + +"First Dolores! then Jack! Oh, cursed, cursed town!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +RIVALS. + + I this side! You that side!--a woman between us, + You love her!--I love her!--each fain would caress her. + By Paul, I will never surrender this Venus, + For I in my arms would for ever possess her. + + You say that she loves you! A lie!--for she told me + Her heart had no caring for love or for lover. + Let her but a moment behold you! behold me! + And he whom she chooses we'll quickly discover. + + Well, say!--we'll suppose it!--to you she is tender! + And goes with you thither; while I remain lonely, + Think you that this woman I thus would surrender? + Nay! she shall remain with me! mine to be only. + + Why, you are my captive! but though I can slay you! + Give over this folly--you'll find me a true man! + Nay more, you are free, honoured, wealthy--what say you? + What madman refuse you!--then lose life and woman. + + +Jack recovered his senses in complete darkness. He put his hand to his +head and heard the clank of a fetter, felt the cold iron clasp his +wrist. He moved his legs, more chains, and the unexpected discovery +that he was lying on straw. Not a ray of light anywhere to be seen. On +all sides darkness, the darkness of Egypt. Rolling heavily to one side +with a groan of pain forced from him by his aching head, he felt the +cold chill of a stone floor. Straw, chains, stones, darkness! What did +it all mean? He tried to think, but his head was confused, stunned as +with a blow. It was a blow! For at the back of his cranium he felt a +wound, his fingers were moist with his own blood. + +Slowly, slowly, his scattered senses came back to him, and he strove to +recall all that had taken place since he had left the Palacio Nacional. +Yes! he had gone down the street with the rest of his friends. Rafael +had walked by his side, Philip and Tim had marched on in front. Then +the howling mob on all sides dashing itself against the lines of +soldiers. A dragoon had fallen by the sea-gate just as they were on the +verge of safety--the mob rushed in through the gap--then he remembered +fighting desperately--a blow on the head--a cowardly blow delivered +from behind, and he remembered no more. Remembrance ceased with that +blow, it revived again here in darkness, with him lying on a straw bed +chained like a prisoner. A prisoner! Jack saw his position in a +moment--he was in prison, at the mercy of his rival, of the lover of +Dolores, of Don Hypolito Xuarez, rebel and traitor. + +"Great Heaven," moaned Jack, as the horrors of his situation slowly +dawned on his confused brain, "this must all have been designed by that +scoundrel, Xuarez. His promises that we should go unscathed were all +lies. Philip! Tim! poor Rafael! Where are they now? Perhaps in this +accursed prison." + +It was so dark that he was afraid to move lest he should fall into +danger. At length he put out his hand cautiously, and, kneeling +forward, felt all round his bed. The straw was simply thrown on the +floor in a heap, and on three sides he found nothing but the pavement, +on the fourth the massive stones of the wall. Unexpectedly his hand +touched a crock of water, and drawing this towards him, he found it +full, much to his delight, as, owing to his wound, he was consumed with +a burning thirst. After taking a good draught, he sat back on his straw +to think of what he should do next. + +Jack was always cool in time of danger. The obstacles which would have +appalled other men only sharpened his wits, and as his brain was now +clearer, he set himself to work to think over the situation. Before +doing this, however, he soaked his handkerchief in the little water +remaining at the bottom of the crock, and bound it round his head. The +cool cloth somewhat assuaged the throbbing of his wound and thus +quieted his heated brain. + +On leaving Tlatonac, Jack and his friends had doffed their fine +uniforms as likely to compromise them in the eyes of Xuarez, and +reassumed their European garb. He was, therefore, dressed in a Norfolk +jacket, with trousers of rough blue serge, these latter being tucked +into high riding-boots of untanned leather. The pith helmet he had worn +had evidently been knocked off in the struggle at the sea-gate, as his +head was bare; but, on feeling his pockets, he found everything else +was safe. Money, knife, keys, they were all there; but his revolver was +gone, a loss which he much regretted. + +The first thing he did was to remove his fetters, which he managed with +some difficulty and the assistance of his knife. Luckily they were only +of light steel, and had evidently been put on more through the +malignity of Xuarez than because they prevented his escape. Indeed, it +was a useless precaution, for, even now that they were removed, he knew +not where he was, and in which direction to turn for egress. With his +knife he managed to bend back the links of one chain so that it parted, +leaving the steel ring still on the wrist; but, with considerable pain +to his hand, he managed to slip it through the other. As regards the +rings round his ankles, Jack was unusually powerful, and, in spite of +his wound, with the strength of despair, managed to wrench the locks of +the chains asunder. The steel chains were old and badly made, else he +would not have freed himself so easily; but as it was, after +half-an-hour's hard work, he managed to get rid of the chains, and +stood up with no manacles on him, save the steel ring on his left +wrist, with a few links dangling therefrom. + +Free so far, he next placed his head against the rough damp stones of +the wall, and cautiously moved round his cell. A few steps from his bed +brought him against another wall, at right angles to the former. +Following this, he soon arrived at the other side of the prison, and +felt his way along the opposite wall. Towards the end of this, he +stumbled over a flight of squat, stone steps, projecting into the +prison, and by careful touching, managed to ascertain that those led up +to a low door of wood, clasped with iron. Beyond, a short space, and +another wall, at right angles, and so back to his straw bed, on which +he resumed his seat. + +"Fifteen by twenty," muttered Jack, taking another drink of water, "and +steps leading down from the door. Damp walls too. I guess this cage is +in the basement of one of the forts, or below the Palacio Nacional. +That cursed Xuarez! One of his men stunned me in that fight with a foul +blow, and they then clapped me in here. I wonder what he intends to do +with me. He knows I love Dolores, and am his rival; so I expect he'll +make things pretty hot for me, if he can. Well, at all events, my life +is safe, for what with Philip and Tim to stand by me, he dare not kill +me." + +Then a sudden dread entered his mind regarding Philip and the war +correspondent. + +"If they should be killed in that row, or clapped in prison also! No, I +don't believe that. Putting Philip out of the question, Xuarez is too +cunning to hurt a war correspondent of a great English paper. He wants +to stand well with the world in this struggle, and would not dare to +risk the outcry of anything happening to Tim. I expect they all got +back safely to the yacht. Xuarez could afford to let them go with his +defiance to Tlatonac. He only wanted me because I am his rival in the +affections of Dolores. The question is, has he got her in his power +also? He says 'no,' but the man's a liar, whom it is impossible to +believe. Hang this wound." + +It was burning with heat, and taking off the bandage, he dipped it into +the dregs of water remaining. Then he bound it over the wound again, +and took out his watch, which luckily had not been stolen, as it was +safely stowed inside his Norfolk jacket. With his fingers, he +delicately felt the hands. + +"Six o'clock!" he said, somewhat startled; "and we left the palace at +three. I've been three hours in this cursed hole. It must be still +light, or, rather, twilight; so, as it is here as dark as pitch, this +cell must be built far down. Hang them! do they intend to starve me?" + +He felt vainly for the traditional loaf of bread, which always +accompanies the pitcher of water in prisons, but, to his dismay, could +find none. This pointed to one of two things. Either Xuarez intended to +starve him to death, or would visit him shortly with a meal. He would +not dare to do the former, as Jack, feeling sure his friends had +escaped, knew the outcry of these against the rebel leader would be +great, did he carry his hatred so far; and as to the latter, the young +man hopefully waited, in the hope that his gaoler would soon arrive. + +"He won't come himself, I suppose," said Jack, throwing himself down on +his straw; "some soldiers will come and escort me to the upper world. +Hang it! if the man isn't a thorough blackguard, he'll let me have a +meal and a doctor. My head is aching like, to split. Even a candle +would be acceptable in this infernal gloom." + +Clearly there was nothing for it but to wait till some one entered the +cell. Jack was too wise to waste his time in kicking at the door, or +exhaust his strength in shouting for help. He was in the power of +Xuarez, and it depended on future events as to how matters would turn +out. Of one thing Jack felt confident, and that was that even if Philip +and the others reached the yacht in safety they could do nothing. + +"I guess Xuarez brought the guns to bear on _The Bohemian_, and +ordered Philip to clear out. He could do nothing against that order, so +I expect the boat is by this time on her way back to Tlatonac with the +news of my capture or death. I'll have to wait here until the Junta +captures the town, and Lord only knows when that will be. I wouldn't +mind so much if I only knew of the whereabouts of Dolores." + +Thus talking to himself, in order to keep up his spirits, this +unfortunate young man sat for some considerable time, waiting with +philosophic resignation the turn of events. By means of his watch, he +calculated that it was close on eight o'clock before he was disturbed. +Then he heard the sound of a bolt slipping out of its socket, the door +of his cell opened, and a man appeared. A man draped in a long black +cloak, flung Spanish fashion over his left shoulder, and wearing a +broad-leaved sombrero which effectually concealed his features. He +carried a lantern which illuminated the cell with a sufficiently feeble +light, but it was comforting to Jack, after the intense darkness of the +previous hours, and enabled him to see whom was his visitor. + +The stranger closed the door of the cell, descended the steps, and +advanced towards Jack, swinging the lantern to and fro so as to flash +the light into every corner of the small room. That squat figure, that +ungraceful walk; Jack recognised him at once. Notwithstanding the +sombrero, the long cloak, the silence observed by the man, his prisoner +at once saluted him by name. + +"So this is how you keep your prisoners, Don Hypolito Xuarez?" + +Xuarez started at being thus recognised so speedily, but restraining +his speech, flashed the lantern up and down Jack's tall figure as he +leaned against the wall, and started again. + +"Carambo! You are free! The chains----" + +"Are there, Señor!" + +The rebel leader looked first at the broken chains afterwards at Jack, +and seemed to regard his prisoner as a kind of Samson. He had a +profound respect for physical strength, for physical beauty; and the +splendid frame of the young Englishman, in conjunction with this +evidence of his muscles, inspired Don Hypolito with great admiration. + +"Bueno, Señor Duval!" he said, in the frank tone of a man who cherishes +no animosity, "you are a difficult person to deal with. You have broken +your chains! Had I not arrived thus opportunely, you might by this time +have broken out of prison." + +"It's not impossible, Señor," replied Jack, coolly. "You may be certain +I would not have sat down much longer doing nothing. But now----" + +"You are thinking of making use of my presence here to facilitate your +escape. Is it not so, mi amigo? If you are wise, do not try. You may +knock me down--I am but a dwarf beside you! You may steal these keys, +this lantern; but you know not the palace, you know not the guards, +and, above all, even if you did get free, you could not escape from +Acauhtzin. No, mi amigo! Here you are! here you stay, unless you agree +to my conditions." + +"Conditions!" echoed Jack, scornfully. "I think I can guess what those +conditions are, Señor Xuarez." + +"Bueno! Then I can save my breath," replied Don Hypolito, setting down +the lantern. "If you know the conditions of your release, you also know +whether to accept them or not! Speak plainly, mi amigo!" + +"Don Hypolito," observed Jack, not answering this question directly, "I +do not know whether to regard you as a knave or a fool. You must be the +former, else you had not betrayed me and my friends. You are the +latter, or you would not ask me to agree to certain conditions which +you know are quite impossible--with me?" + +"You have the great merit, Señor Duval, of candour. I admire it as a +virtue, but it can be carried too far. I do not like being called knave +or fool, as I deserve neither name." + +"Is that so? Good! I say you are both! However, I am open to argument; +so let me hear your side of the question." + +Don Hypolito laughed quietly, and eyed his rival with increased +respect. + +"I wish you were on my side, Don Juan. A man such as you would be +invaluable to me." + +"I thank you for your good opinion, Señor; but I am not on your side, +neither am I likely to be. I support the established Government of +Cholacaca." + +"You are a--but no," said Xuarez, checking himself with a sardonic +smile; "we have no time to discuss politics. All are against me now, +but when I am seated in the presidential chair, the world will be in my +favour. To-day, Señor, I am an adventurer. To-morrow I will be a +conqueror. Success is everything in the eyes of the world. However, we +need not talk of these things which do not interest you. I notice you +have not yet asked after your friends." + +"Why should I, Don Hypolito?" replied Jack, determined to show no signs +of anxiety in the presence of this man. "I know that my friends are +safe, and are at present on their way to Tlatonac." + +"It is true, but how did you guess this much, Don Juan?" + +"From what I know of your character." + +"Pardon me, Señor, no one knows my character," said Xuarez, quietly. + +"Not your real character, perhaps, but the character by which you +choose to be known to the world." + +The nonchalance of the young Englishman somewhat puzzled Xuarez. Here +was a man talking quietly with one whom he had every reason to hate and +dread. Wounded as he was, incarcerated in a gloomy cell; in doubt as to +the safety of his friends, the whereabouts of his sweetheart--Jack had +yet sufficient pluck to conceal his real feelings, and play a part +which entirely deceived even so acute an observer of human nature as +Don Hypolito. He saw that Jack was purposely holding himself back +instead of giving way to his righteous indignation, but while admiring +the self-restraint of the young man, he was doubtful as to the meaning +of such diplomatic conduct. + +Experience had taught Don Hypolito that the only way to fathom the +feelings of others was to make them talk freely, listen attentively, +and draw conclusions from chance observations. This method he now +applied to Jack, and asked him to proceed in a grave tone of voice, all +the time keeping his ears open to find out the underlying meaning of +this impassive demeanour. He discovered nothing, because there was +nothing to discover. Jack spoke truthfully and bluntly, giving voice to +his real feelings, and Xuarez, accustomed to double dealing, to double +meaning, was for once in his life utterly at fault. + +"You have started this war, Señor," said Jack with painful candour, +"entirely for your own ends. The excuse you make is that Gomez has +broken the constitution of Cholacaca. This is false, as you know well. +However, it is a good excuse upon which to work out your aims. In this +war you wish the civilised world to be on your side--to look upon you +as a great man, fitted to be the saviour of Cholacaca from a tyrannical +Government. To this end you dare not act violently towards any +representative nation of the civilised world. England is a +representative nation, and you to-day saluted her flag. You respected +the ambassadors from the Junta because they were accompanied by +Englishmen, because they came here on an English ship. One of those men +whom you thus respected is the war correspondent of a London paper, and +you wished him of write home to his journal narrating the courtesy of +Don Hypolito Xuarez, and thus interesting our nation's feelings in your +favour. The attack made by the mob was, I firmly believe, made without +your sanction. You wished the embassy to depart in safety, and they so +departed. One man, however, you desired to detain, because he was your +rival in the affections of a woman. That man is myself! So you made use +of the riot to have me knocked down in the fight, and taken here to +prison. Now that you think I am worn out with wounds, thirst, and +imprisonment, you come to offer me my liberty on two conditions. First, +that I surrender all right to the hand of Doña Dolores. Second, that I +leave Cholacaca for ever. These, Señor Xuarez, are your motives in +acting as you have done, dictated, as I said before, not, perhaps, by +your real character, but by the noble character in which you wish to +appear to the world." + +Don Hypolito listened to this long speech with rapt attention, and +could not help admiring the way in which the young man had fathomed his +motives. When Jack ended, he raised his head and proceeded to +lie--uselessly, as it afterwards proved--still he lied. + +"In a great measure, what you say is correct, Don Juan. I do wish to +stand well with the nations, of Europe, because I believe my cause to +be a just one. Gomez was elected President by the aristocrats, not by +the people. I believe in democracy. He governs so as to throw the whole +power of the state into the hands of those who would take away the +liberties of the people, won so gloriously by Zuloaga. You say I have +begun this war from a personal ambition. That may be so. I wish to be +Dictator--Supreme Dictator of the Republic, and to raise her to her +rightful position as a power in the world. These, Señor, are political +and personal questions. They need not be discussed. What you say about +the embassy is true. Had the boat of Señor Felipe entered the harbour +under the opal flag, I would have ordered the fort guns to sink her for +such audacity. She however carried the English ensign. I respected that +ensign; I received the deputation; I heard the insolent demand of the +Junta, and gave my answer. They were free to depart without hindrance +from me. The outbreak of the mob was solely due to the message sent. I +did not create the riot. I did not make use of the tumult to get you +into my power. But when in the mêlée you were stunned, my soldiers +carried you off to the Palacio Nacional. I saw an opportunity of +gaining my ends by thus having you in my power, and so put you in this +prison. Now I come to make my terms. Accept them, and you are free. +Refuse, and a terrible fate will befall you!" + +"To remain in prison here, I suppose?" said Jack, contemptuously. + +"No; worse!" + +"What, would you kill me?" + +"I will not harm a hair of your head. What your fate will be I refuse +to tell you; but if you are a wise man you will accept my offer of +freedom." + +"And accept your conditions also. The conditions being those I have +stated?" + +"Precisely! You have rare penetration, Don Juan! My conditions are as +you have guessed. Give up Doña Dolores! leave Cholacaca, and you are +free." + +"I refuse." + +"Think well, Señor," said Xuarez, coldly. "I am not a man to threaten +in vain. Your fate will be a terrible one." + +"I quite believe you capable of any enormity, Don Hypolito," retorted +Jack, with a curling lip; "but why waste any more time over the matter? +I refuse!" + +"On what grounds?" + +"On what grounds?" reiterated Jack, in a haughty tone. "Simply that it +does not suit my convenience either to give up Doña Dolores or to leave +Cholacaca at your bidding." + +Xuarez was nettled at Jack's elaborately insulting manner; but he did +not lose his temper. He was too clever a man to do that. With a sudden +change of front, he took a hint from card-players, and tried to force +Jack's hand. + +"You love Doña Dolores?" + +"That is not a question for you to ask." + +"Pardon me, Señor; I also love Doña Dolores, therefore I am interested +in your reply." + +"Are you?" said Jack, facing his questioner sharply; "then you shall +have it. I do love Doña Dolores; and, what is more, she returns that +love. One person only will she marry, and that person is myself, John +Duval!" + +"You will never marry her!" exclaimed Xuarez, vehemently. "She is +mine!--mine! Before a month is gone, she becomes my wife!" + +"Ah!" sneered Jack, with a world of meaning in his tone, "I knew you +lied when you said she was not in Acauhtzin." + +"Carrai!" cried Don Hypolito, who was beginning to lose his temper; "I +did not lie. She is not in Acauhtzin. She is----" + +"Where?" asked Duval, impetuously. + +"In a place you will never discover, Señor. Not that it matters much, +for, in any case, you will not marry her. No! You are reserved for a +worse fate!--a fate which will bitterly punish you for daring to be my +rival." + +"I am not a child, to be frightened of big words," said Jack, +scornfully, though his heart quailed at the deadly menace of the +Mestizo's tones. "My friends know I am in Acauhtzin. They will come +back for me." + +"They have already tried to do so," retorted Xuarez, triumphantly. +"When they left the harbour, I suppose they discovered you were left +behind. The boat returned; but a few shot from the forts, and the +war-ships made her retreat, and when I last saw her she was steaming +full speed for Tlatonac." + +"Yes? I knew as much. To bring back an army to level Acauhtzin to the +ground. To capture you! to rescue me!" + +"No one can rescue you!" replied Xuarez, in a sombre tone. "Your only +chance of escape is to give up Doña Dolores!" + +"To you! to you!" cried Jack, fiercely. "You who love her not for +herself, but because she is the guardian of the opal stone! Ah, yes, +Señor Xuarez! I know well what you design. You wish to marry +Dolores--to secure the opal stone, to gain over the Indians to your +cause. All ambition; there is no love. I tell you, Señor, such a thing +can never be. Dolores would sooner die than give herself up to a +villain like yourself. You will never possess Dolores--you will never +be master of the Chalchuih Tlatonac! Turn your ambitions to other +things, Don Hypolito. Dolores is not for you!" + +Don Hypolito sprang to his feet with a cry of rage. Hitherto he had +restrained himself in a most admirable manner; but now the insulting +speeches of his prisoner proved too much for even his well-trained +temper. A torrent of passion swept away all his reserve, and he burst +out into a furious speech. + +"Dolores _is_ for me! She will be mine in another week or so. She +is the guardian of the opal, and that also will be mine. When I am +possessed of the devil stone, the Indians will flock round my standard. +I have the fleet, I have an army, I will have the Indians, too, my +allies, guided by the devil stone. That, also, will be mine, and +Dolores with it. I will become Dictator of Cholacaca. I will raise her +to a pinnacle of power. She will rule the South--nay, the North also. +Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Guatemala, they will all be mine. In the +North, the United States; in the South, the Empire of the Opal, with +myself as Ruler. It is a grand----" + +"Dream!" interrupted Jack, faintly, for the pain of his wound was +telling on his frame. "It is a dream! a dream!" + +"It is no dream! Or, if a dream, it will soon turn out a reality. And +you--you low-born Englishman, would dare to bar my way to this fame. +Lie there, Señor, and wait my commands. You will die, and by a death +which will break even your spirit. You will die and be forgotten, while +I, Hypolito Xuarez, will reconstruct on this continent the Empire of +Montezuma!" + +He spoke to deaf ears, for, overcome by fatigue and pain, Duval had +fainted. Xuarez bent over him, and held the lantern to his face. It was +deadly pale, and the eyes were closed. + +"I do not want him to die," muttered the remorseless Mestizo, going +towards the door. "I shall send a doctor to look after his wound. He +shall be made whole again, but only to perish in tortures. Not for you, +Don Juan, is Dolores; not for you the opal, but death and dishonour. +You fall! I rise! My star quenches yours in its burning splendour." + +In another moment he had quitted the prison, leaving his rival +stretched out in the darkness, to all appearances lifeless and lost. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +IN SHADOWLAND. + + Weary body, aching brain, + Tortured mind, and heavy soul, + Fourfold being, one existence! + Life with troublous insistence, + To ye brings but constant dole, + Ceaseless weeping, endless pain; + Yet is all this sorrow vain + When the waves of slumber roll + Over body, over soul. + In such slumber should ye list, hence + Flies the spirit to attain + That far land of dreams and stories, + Misty realms of airy glories, + Where the body hath no being, + Nor the eyes an earthly seeing + And the mind makes no resistance + To events which overleap + Nature's laws, which bind existence; + From our sphere the spirit fleeing + Dwells but in the realm of sleep. + + +After that extraordinary interview with Don Hypolito in the prison, +Jack ceased to take any interest in earthly matters, and went for a +space into shadow-land. He was not dead, but delirious. As a captive +balloon is anchored to earth, so Jack's soul had flown into the realms +of dream, yet was held to his body by a small amount of life. + +Yet curiously enough he retained a dull impression of earthly events. +All things actually done to his body coloured his dreams and decided +his visions. As the fancies of the sleepers are determined by external +actions, so as through a veil the wounded man faintly perceived the +every-day life going on around his inert body. Through the chain +extending from body to soul which held the latter captive to earth +passed the thrills hinting at corporeal-existence, and these dominating +his spirituality whirled him hither and thither, according as they +happened. We in health feel in slumber the power of the unseen world +guiding our every action; this man, in sickness dwelt, spiritually +speaking, in the world of shadows, whereof we have no knowledge, and +therefrom felt rather than saw the happening of earthly events which +coloured his ghostly being. + +Oh those dreams, those visions apocalyptical, what agonies, what +ecstacies, what feelings did they not beget? Now of earth, now of +heaven, frequently of hell. Years afterwards, Jack remembering portions +of these fantasies, would shudder and turn pale at the mere thought of +having endured them. Wild as the visions of Ezekiel, gorgeous as the +Arabian Nights, hideous as De Quincey's dreamings, delicate and +spiritual as the songs of Aeriel, those chimeras, at once terrible and +fascinating, racked his spiritual being with the pangs of pleasure and +pain. As thus:-- + +... Darkness! the infinite darkness of chaos, before the light-creating +word was spoken by the Deity. Ages and ages and ages of gloom, of +horror, of thick opacity. No light, no glimmer, no glow to break this +all-pervading blackness. No earth beneath, no sky above, nothing but +clinging gloom on all sides. So chill, so freezing--surely hell were +not more terrible.... + +Ha! a burst of light penetrating the gloom. The word is spoken, the +light is here.... Day divides itself from night ... from the womb of +the darkness springs the faint radiance of dawn. Then the sun, the +glorious sun, rises like a god to conquer the foul fiends of shadow. +See how his arrows fly, golden and swift, from his never-empty bow ... +east, west, north, south ... and the glory of light spreads over all +creation.... I am borne along on the wings of a mighty wind blown from +the gates of the dawn ... faster and faster and faster.... I swim +through the crystalline air.... I poise myself like a bird in the +opaline glories of a whirling sphere.... In the heart of the rainbow +... still no earth ... but air and the coruscation of infinite +colours--red and yellow and green and blue.... They swirl in circles, +they shoot on all sides from a spot of brilliance as the spokes of a +wheel.... They range themselves in lines of ever-changing hues ... and +now I am blown resistlessly onward by that mighty wind.... + +The sea! gloom once more! I can see nothing but darkness, yet +penetrated by faint gleams of light.... The wash of many waves break on +my ears.... Overhead a sky veiled in clouds, beneath the black breast +of ocean, heaving restlessly in white lines of foam.... I smell the +salt brine of the ocean.... The keen wind lashes my face as with a +whip.... Ho! yeo, ho!... the sailors are at work.... Hark! the throb of +a heart. Beat! beat! beat! beat! It is the beating of the propeller +blades now striking the water ... I am in the engine-room ... the +pistons slide silently in and out of the cylinders.... Now the giant +cranks rise and fall with monotonous motion ... and yon gleaming steel +shaft, revolving rapidly, turns the screw in the dark waters without +... the hiss of escaping steam ... the whirling of wheels ... the +sudden burst of red flame from the furnace ... I am carried across the +ocean ... whither? + +Earth! at last the land.... Mother of all things, I salute thee ... +this bleak beach on which dash the waves ... the soft odour of the wind +sways the trees on yonder promontory.... I hear the measured dip of +oars ... the grating of the boat's keel on the stones.... Ha! I am in +the hands of demons ... their eyes glare as they lift me from boat to +litter.... The curtains are dropped, and I feel the swing and sway of +the litter being carried up steep heights.... + +This is a primeval forest ... green as the sea ... scarcely so restless +... the warm wind stirs the giant branches ... what crowded hues ... +and lo! the flash of brilliant flowers ... the odour of spices.... +Brilliant birds flit from branch to branch like flying gems.... I hear +the singing of choirs invisible ... the birds!... Yes, birds only.... +Garlands of flowers trail from the trees ... beneath their shadow the +grass is crowded with blossoms ... wherever I step a flower springs to +being ... those pools of still water blue as turquoise ... the Indian +conjurer!... I see him hiding amid the frondage ... look!... the +saurian!... Oh, the frightful monster.... Preadamite!... begotten in +chaos slime.... Trees! trees! trees without end.... The earth is one +vast forest, and I alone wander therein.... + +Snow!... a vast expanse of snow ... for miles and leagues.... No! it is +salt lying in thin flakes on the brown earth ... the surface glitters +in the moonlight as if it were ice.... Far and wide whirl thin white +pillars of salt in the grip of the wind.... Lot's wife! Ha! Ha! Nay, no +woman do I see, but salt on all hands ... like snow ... and moon +freezing crystals.... + +The forest again ... more trees ... birds ... odours.... Hark! a song +... 'tis the dancing-girls who sing ... I heard them call ... I see +them shake their anklets of gold ... the cymbals crash ... the trinkets +shine. Can you not hear the roll of the serpent-skin drums?... + +Oh, this interminable avenue of stone gods ... on either side the faces +of solemn sphinxes.... I am in Egypt ... I go up to offer sacrifice to +the god Thoth ... lines of sphinxes ... statues of kings with their +hands placed on their knees ... then this great flight of steps.... Up, +and up and up.... Are we going to heaven?... I will bow down to my +God.... Horror! Huitzilopochtli.... This is not my God.... I sacrifice +to Thoth.... To Isis.... Ah, you would make of me the victim.... Oh, +foul priest, knife in hand ... the stone of the sacrifice ... you raise +the obsidian knife ... Again the chant of the priests ... the light +clash of the dancing-girls' anklets ... drums ... cymbals and death.... + +I am in the tomb ... yes; fold my hands on my breast, for I have done +with life ... straight and white I lie, with cerements swathing my form +... this is a king's tomb ... these walls are painted with many colours +... yonder are gods and kings and heroes walking in long files ... here +they sacrifice to their god ... there they lead captive trains of +prisoners.... A splendid tomb, but the roof crushes me down ... oh, +Heaven! can those pillars, those caryatides support the cyclopean +architecture?... It will fall and crush me, like Samson.... Yes, I +thirst! I am dead, but I thirst.... Dives in hell ... give me.... + +... What! a woman's face?... I have seen that face before ... those +dark eyes, that smiling mouth ... it is thou! Dolores! Oh, my heart's +best love, I again find you,--in the tomb?... we have done with life +... then we were divided; but Death, more merciful, has joined us +again.... Place your cool white hand on my brow ... it burns ... it +burns.... No, no! do not leave me ... oh, I see you fade in the +darkness like a vision ... and this phantom which rises between us?... +Oh, Xuarez! liar! thief! murderer!... thus do I slay thee!... So weak; +so weary; I know nothing ... where am I?... what am I?... whither have +my visions fled?... I am dead! not in hell, nor heaven ... but where? I +know not ... I am dead ... you, Dolores ... you, Xuarez ... you all, +dreams.... I lie here dead and still ... in my ear the chant of a +slave.... Could I only turn my head ... ah! the slave rises ... he +bends over me.... Cocom!... + +"Yes, Señor, it is Cocom," said a well-known voice, as a gentle hand +skilfully adjusted the bandages. + +"Cocom!" repeated Jack, in a weak voice. "Am I dead? Do I dream? Am I +dead?" + +"No, Señor Juan. You were nearly dead, and for days you have dreamed of +many things. Now you are better, and will live." + +"Still on earth?" + +"Yes, Don Juan. Still do you live, thanks be to the gods. Teoyamiqui +has not yet brought you to her kingdom. Now, lie you still, Señor. So! +Drink this, and speak not; you are so weak." + +Jack raised his head from the pillow, and greedily drank the contents +of the cup held to his lips by Cocom. Then he closed his eyes, and fell +into a refreshing sleep, while the old Indian sat quietly by the side +of the couch, muttering some strange old song of a forgotten +civilisation. Now and then a form would glide into the room and look at +Jack sleeping in the bed, so still, so deathlike. Sometimes a man, more +often a woman, and ever beside the couch sat the stolid Cocom, watching +the face of his patient with intense interest. + +How long he slept thus Jack did not know, but when he woke from a +refreshing slumber all his delirium had departed. He felt weak, truly, +but clear-headed and calm in his mind. Opening his eyes, he listened +vaguely to the murmuring song of his attendant, and thought over the +events which had preceded his illness. The entry into Acauhtzin; the +dismissal of the deputation at the Palacio Nacional; the fight at the +sea-gate; the interview in prison with Don Hypolito; and then utter +blankness. He remembered fainting in the cell at Acauhtzin, and now he +had wakened--where? With an effort he raised his head and looked round +him. + +In his delirium he had thought he was in a tomb, and truly the room +wherein he now found himself was not unlike one of those strange +Egyptian sepulchres, houses of the dead, wherein the highest art of +that sombre civilisation was displayed. This low roof, formed of +Titanic masses of stone; these heavy walls, gaudy with mural paintings, +representing gods, kings, heroes strange sacrifices, and mystical +ceremonies; all were redolent of the land of the Nile. Through a narrow +slit in the wall filtered a pale light; skins of jaguar and puma +carpeted the stone floor; rich coverlets of featherwork lay over the +couch, and the entrance was draped with gaudy tapestries, dyed with +confused tints, hinting at barbaric art. Jack, for the moment, thought +he was indeed in Egypt, when, suddenly, at the side of the room he saw +the hideous image of Huitzilopochtli, and heard the monotonous chant of +his Watcher. Then, his true situation came vividly to his mind; this +was a room in some Indian dwelling, yonder was the fierce god of the +Aztecs, and by his bedside knelt Cocom. + +"Where am I?" asked the young man, raising himself on his elbow, and +looking at the Indian with a puzzled expression of countenance. + +"In good hands, Señor," was the evasive answer. + +"Yes, yes! I know that. But am I still in Acauhtzin?" + +"No. You are many miles from Acauhtzin." + +"But I was there last night." + +Cocom shook his head, and, producing a cigarette, lighted it carefully, +blew some smoke through his nostrils, and looked steadily at Jack with +his melancholy eyes. + +"You were there five days ago, Señor." + +"What do you mean, Cocom?" + +"Ah! the Señor forgets that he has been ill. For five days he has been +in the land of everlasting darkness. Cocom has watched many hours by +this couch and listened to the crying of the Señor. You have seen +visions and heard voices, Don Juan. On the borders of Teoyamiqui's land +have you been, yet not within her kingdom. But Cocom knows many things, +and by his art has cheated the goddess of one Americano. You are out of +danger now, Señor, and I, Cocom, have cured you." + +"Mucha gracias!" murmured Jack, patting the Indian on the shoulder with +a weak hand; "but tell me where I am now." + +"Where does your memory fail, Don Juan?" + +Jack passed his hand across his brow. The confusion of his brain had +departed. His senses were clear now, and he could recall everything up +to a certain point. + +"I remember the embassy from Tlatonac to Acauhtzin--the fight at the +sea-gate. There I was struck down, and recovered my senses in prison. +With Don Hypolito I held a long conversation, and, I suppose, fainted +with his voice still in my ears. I wake here at a place you tell me is +far from Acauhtzin, and find you by my side--you, Cocom, whom I +supposed to be at Tlatonac!" + +"Listen, Don Juan," said Cocom, with great deliberation. "I will tell +you many things that have taken place since your soul was in the realm +of shadows. When you became insensible at Acauhtzin, a doctor was sent +to attend to you by Don Hypolito. That doctor did what he could for +you, but thought you would die as your soul was not within your body. +Wildly did you cry, Don Juan, and many strange things did you say. +Then, by the order of Don Hypolito, you were carried away on board a +war-ship down the coast. At a certain point your body was taken ashore +in a boat, and there delivered to certain people, who expected your +coming. Having been placed on a litter, you were carried through the +forest, across the salt desert, and again through the forest till you +were placed on that bed. For two days have you tossed and turned, and +cried, and fought. But now you are well, Don Juan--you will live; +thanks be to the gods." + +Jack listened to all this as in a dream. The explanation fitted in with +those vague visions which had haunted his delirious brain. The +darkness--that was the cell at Acauhtzin; the light came when he was +carried on board the war-ship. Then the sea-vision, the landing on the +coast--that mirage of a tropical forest--the snowy plains of salt, and +the climbing of many steps up to an antique temple. A sudden thrill +shot through his enfeebled frame as he recalled the vision of the +sacrifice, he recollected Cocom's last words referring to the gods, he +glanced terrified at the frightful image of Huitzilopochtli, and +turning slowly towards the Indian, repeated his often-asked question, +the answer to which he already guessed. + +"What is this place?" + +Cocom arose to his feet, drew himself up to his full height, and +pointed majestically towards the idol. + +"The temple of Huitzilopochtli! The shrine of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." + +"God!" cried Jack, in despair, as he recognised his position. "I am +lost!" + +He saw his peril at a glance. The threats of Don Hypolito regarding a +frightful death were not mere words. With devilish ingenuity he had +secured the death of his rival, with no possible chance of the truth +becoming known. Jack saw that Xuarez had preserved his life, had +delivered him to the Indians, to the end that he might be offered up on +the altar of the war-god, as a sacrifice to the opal. No wonder his +usually brave heart quailed at the prospect of such horrors. Captive to +remorseless savages, in the heart of an impenetrable forest, there was +no chance of a rescue by his friends. He was weak, unarmed, unfriended, +in the power of a fanatic race; there was no help for it--he must die. + +"Cocom," whispered Jack, clutching the Indian's arm, "why have I been +brought here--why did Don Hypolito deliver me to the Indians? Is it +for--for----" + +His dry lips refused to form the horrible word; but Cocom, without the +least emotion, supplied it. + +"For sacrifice! Yes, Don Juan; you are to be offered to the god." + +"Horrible! When?" + +"In three weeks. At the termination of the great cycle." + +"What do you mean?" asked Jack, with a shudder. + +"Our time," explained Cocom, with stolid apathy, "is divided into +cycles of fifty-two years. This have we received from our Aztec +ancestors. At the end of a cycle the sun will die out in the heavens, +and the earth end, if the new fire is not lighted on the altars of the +gods. When the last day of the cycle comes, you, Don Juan, will be +bound on the stone of sacrifice, your heart will be taken out as an +offering to the great gods, and on your breast will the new fire be +lighted. Then will the sun rise again, and a new cycle begin for the +earth. The gods will be appeased, and mankind will be saved." + +Jack had read of this terrible superstition in the fascinating pages of +Prescott, but he never expected that he would one day take an active +part in such a ceremony. With the hope of despair he endeavoured to +evade his doom. + +"But the body of a white man will not please the gods. Why not +sacrifice as your ancestors did, on the Hill of the Star?" + +"Hitherto, Señor, that has been done. Now, however, the gods have +spoken through the opal, and it is willed that a white man alone can +avert the end of time. A white man must be sacrificed, and you are +chosen." + +Jack shuddered, and hid his face in his hands. + +"Surely, Señor, you are not afraid!" + +"Afraid!" echoed Jack, uncovering his face, with a frown. "No, Cocom; +an Englishman is never afraid of death. But to come in such a form as +this--oh, horrible! horrible!" + +Cocom could not understand this alarm. Like all Indians, he regarded +death with stoical resignation, and would have been perfectly willing +himself to have been offered on the altar of sacrifice, seeing such a +death would admit him at once into the Paradise of the sun. But he was +very old, and therefore useless. The gods demanded a man, handsome, +young, in the flower of his age, and therefore was it certain that Jack +would be acceptable to the bloodthirsty Huitzilopochtli. + +"Did Don Hypolito know this when he delivered me to your friends?" + +"It was for that purpose he delivered you, Señor." + +"Oh, fiend! devil!" cried Jack, trying to rise in his bed. "I wish I +had my fingers round his throat!" + +"Lie quiet, Señor," said Cocom, forcing him back. "You will make +yourself ill again." + +"Why should I not, seeing I am only reserved for this frightful death?" + +"That is as it may be, Señor," observed Cocom, significantly. + +"What do you mean?" asked Duval, with sudden hope. + +"Hush!" replied the old man, laying his finger on his lips, and +glancing apprehensively around. "In this temple the very walls have +ears." + +"You can save me?" + +"Perhaps. I know not." + +"But----" + +Cocom bent over Jack on the pretence of arranging the bed-clothes, and +brought his lips close to the young man's ear. + +"Say not a word, Señor. If the priests suspect me, you are lost. I come +hither as my fathers came before me, but I worship not the devil-stone. +I am a true Catholic, Señor. The priests wanted a victim, and asked me +to betray to them Don Pedro, when he was with me beyond the walls. Then +I refused, and said I could not do so. The end of the cycle approaches, +and the priests were alarmed, so they sent to Don Hypolito, and +promised to make all the Indians help him in his war, if he procured +them a white man for a victim to the gods. Don Hypolito promised, and +two days ago sent you." + +"The fiends!" + +"Hush! I am a medicine-man, placed here by the priests to cure you; but +they think I wish to see you sacrificed. I do not. I will save you." + +"Oh, Cocom, I thank you." + +"Are you mad, Señor?" whispered the Indian, thrusting him hurriedly +back; "eyes may be on us now. The walls of this room are pierced with +secret eye-places." + +Jack recognised the wisdom of this reasoning, and sank back on his +couch. It was just as well he did so, for at that very moment the +drapery of the door was swept aside, and a man entered the room. + +He was a majestic-looking personage, much taller than the average +Indian. Indeed, he was as huge as Tim himself, but not so bulky. He +wore a long white robe, falling to his feet, over this a mantle of +gaudy leather-work. On his head was set a fresh chaplet of flowers, on +his breast burned the red glimmer of a small opal. Advancing into the +middle of the room, he swung a small incense-burner before Jack, +throwing therein some odoriferous gum, which made a thick, perfumed +smoke. After this, he cast some flowers on the couch, and muttered a +few words with uplifted hands, finally ending the ceremony by falling +on his knees. + +"What does this mean?" asked Jack of Cocom, who stood reverently on one +side, observing all this mummery. + +"Hush, Señor! He adores you as a god." + +"Devil take him and his worship," muttered Jack, crossly, in English. +Then the priest spoke in the Indian tongue, and Cocom translated his +speech to Jack. + +"Is my lord better in health?" asked the priest. + +"Tell him I am; but I don't care about being preserved for sacrifice." + +"Speak not so, Don Juan," said Cocom, in Spanish, with a look of alarm; +"you are not supposed to know anything of that. I told you on the peril +of my life." + +"Then tell him whatever lies you please!" said Duval, viciously, and, +rolling over, turned his back on the priest. + +"A bad sign!" murmured the priest, looking anxiously at Cocom. "Is my +lord angered?" + +"Nay," replied Cocom, in the Indian tongue; "my lord is much improved +in health, oh, Ixtlilxochitl; but as with all who are ill at ease, he +is fretful and wanting in courtesy." + +"It is true," replied Ixtlilxochitl, reverently. "The sick are ever +foolish. See that thou make him strong, Cocom, for the gods accept +naught but blooming health." + +"Oh, my sacred lord; he will be cured in two days from now. Cocom knows +of magic herbs whereby the favourite of Huitzilopochtli can be made +whole. Let Ixtlilxochitl be content, my lord will be pure and strong +for the sacrifice." + +"It is well," said the priest, rising from his knees. "I will leave my +lord to his sleep; but will he not vouchsafe one glance at his +servant?" + +Instructed by Cocom, Jack was forced to turn round and smile at the +priest, who knelt down to receive this mark of favour. Then he adored +Jack with more incense and flowers, after which he withdrew with +reverent genuflections. + +"The old fiend!" muttered Jack, when the drapery had again veiled the +door. "I should like to have sent a boot at his head." + +"Hush, my lord Juan." + +"Carrai! why should I? That devil-monkey does not understand Spanish." + +"No, Señor. Still, it is wiser to risk nothing." + +"You are quite right, Cocom. I place myself entirely in your hands. +Save me, and I promise you I shall not forget you." + +"Cocom will save you, for the sake of Don Miguel," said the old man, +proudly; "and for the sake of the lady Dolores." + +"Dolores!" repeated Jack, eagerly. "Do you know where she is?" + +"I know nothing at present," replied Cocom, with a meaning glance. +"Possess your soul in patience, Don Juan; all will yet be well. Don +Hypolito desires to kill you, and wed Doña Dolores. He shall do +neither. Santissima Virgen, I swear it. Be silent! No words, my lord. +Rest now, and sleep. You will need all your strength." + +"For the sacrifice?" + +"Nay, Señor, for escape!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE SHRINE OF THE OPAL. + + Lord of the humming-bird's foot! + Behold thy worshippers rising and falling in adoration + before thee, as rise and fall the restless waves of + the far-reaching ocean. + These thousands gathered from the ends of the earth, are + thine, and thine only. + We see thine image bedecked with jewels, shine like the sun + at his rising + Before thee, the stone, whereon the favoured one yields up + his life for thy glory. + Smoking hearts dost thou love, the savour of blood, the carnage + of battle. + For thou art god of war, death alone is the way to thy favour. + Spins before thee that precious stone by which thou tellest thy + wishes, + That shining, precious stone, which now burns red as the blood + of thine altars, + Crimson it gleams, hinting war! War is the fate of the future! + Oh, mighty one! Lord of the humming-bird's foot! We pray thee + give order, + That the red war light melt soon to the azure of peace, + Then will fresh victims be thine, and happiness ours, + Shout, ye people! ask peace from the lord of the humming-bird's + foot. + + +In two days, Jack was comparatively well, and able to move about +without much trouble. This almost miraculous cure was effected by Cocom +through the medium of some medicinal herbs, the curative powers of +which were known to him alone. Out of these he made two decoctions, one +for internal, the other for external application. With the latter he +bathed the wound on Jack's head, and made him drink quantities of the +former every two hours. The effect was wonderfully rapid, and Jack soon +found himself gaining strength. In the hands of a European doctor, he +would probably have been laid up for weeks; but the rude medicine of +the Indian set him on his legs in no time. The wound on his head gave +him no trouble, and healed with great quickness; a fact which Jack put +down as much to his healthy blood, and simple living, as to Cocom's +physicing. + +With renewed health and strength came a stronger desire to escape from +the horrible fate which waited him in a few weeks. When he went out, +however, and explored the strange city, in the centre of which stood +the shrine of the opal, Jack saw plainly that it would be madness to +attempt flight without the assistance of Cocom. The Indians apparently +knew this, for, treated by them more as a guest than a prisoner, he was +permitted to wander freely round the neighbourhood. Still, did he +venture too far in the direction of the belt of timber surrounding the +city, he was always followed by two or more native guards; these, when +he once more returned to the city, quietly left him. From this +espionage he plainly saw that his roaming was restricted, but not in +such a measure as to cause him any unpleasant feeling. + +As regards the behaviour of the Indians, Jack had nothing to complain +of. Indeed, they could scarcely have been more deferential. Regarded as +a kind of deity, his appearance was the signal for the most slavish +adulation. The Indians, of whom there were a goodly number in the +vicinity, threw themselves on their faces before him, as he walked +abroad, attended by Cocom. If he seated himself, they strewed flowers +at his feet, and swung censers, fragrant with copal, until he was +almost hidden by white wreaths of perfumed smoke. This popularity was +not unpleasant; but, as Jack knew it was but a prelude to the +sacrificial stone, he was anything but gratified at thus being +continually reminded of the dangerous position in which he stood. + +On recovering his health, Jack found Cocom much more reticent than when +he was acting as doctor. Several times had he been on the point of +making some important communication, but always stopped short and +refused to speak further. Jack supposed this caution was on account of +the priests, who, despite the deference of their demeanour, kept a +close watch on his actions, and on those of Cocom. The high priest, +Ixtlilxochitl, was a mild-looking old man, who treated Jack in a most +courteous manner, and frequently expressed his pleasure that the white +lord had so soon recovered his health. Such inquiries would have been +much more acceptable had not the recipient known that they were but the +outcome of Ixtlilxochitl's desire that he should be in good condition +for the sacrifice. It was no pleasant thing for Duval to know that +these courtesies came from an old gentleman who was anxiously looking +forward to taking his life. + +Under these circumstances, Jack did not wonder that Cocom was cautious, +and though for the moment the attitude of the old Indian appeared +anything but friendly, Jack quite relied on him to aid his escape. He +was anxious to escape from this buried city, where he was threatened +with so terrible a fate; he was longing to return to Tlatonac for the +purpose of reassuring his friends, who he knew would be terribly put +out by his disappearance at Acauhtzin; and, above all, he was anxious +to be free so as to search for Dolores. + +In Jack's opinion she was at Acauhtzin, as a man so vile as Don +Hypolito could no longer be believed. If she was not in the power of +the rebel leader, she would have been with the Indians. Yet here was +Jack in the very heart of this aboriginal civilisation, in the +stronghold of the opal, yet he neither saw her nor heard anything of +her. He questioned Cocom, but that wily old man replied that he knew +nothing, and as Don Hypolito had admitted that he knew where she was, +Jack felt sure that the poor girl was held a prisoner by the Mestizo at +Acauhtzin. He was therefore anxious to escape, and get back to +Tlatonac, for the purpose of urging on the war with all possible speed, +so that the northern capital should be invested within a reasonable +time, and Dolores rescued from her terrible position. Consequently, +escape was his one aim; but he saw plainly that without assistance it +would be impossible to leave this city of the opal, buried as it was in +the savage solitudes of primeval forests. + +That this famous opal shrine was in Cholacaca he knew perfectly well, +but as he had been brought hither in an unconscious state, he was quite +at a loss to lay his finger on the precise locality. Cholacaca, east to +west, was two hundred miles from mountains to sea, so the city of the +opal could not be situated out of this radius. It might be fifty, a +hundred, a hundred and fifty miles from the sea, and Jack, knowing by +his pocket-compass in which direction to go, calculated that if he +marched due east he could not fail to reach the coast. Once there, and +he could soon pick up a canoe or some light boat, in which he could get +in due time to Tlatonac. + +But to start for the coast without knowing the geography of the country +was sheer madness, and Jack stamped his foot with rage as he thought of +the miles of trackless forest which lay between him and freedom. To +push one's way through a virgin forest is difficult in any case, but to +make the attempt without arms, companions, food, and guides was quite +an impossibility. That there was some secret way to the coast was +plain, as the Indians came hither to this shrine from Tlatonac; but +that way was known only to the priests. Within a certain distance, +every new-comer was blinded with a bandage, and this was taken off in +the square, before the principal teocalli. The worshippers were +conducted into the forests with the same precautions; so, unless he +could bribe a priest to show him the secret way, Jack foresaw +absolutely no chance of gaining his freedom. + +It was a buried city, but not a ruined city, for here the aboriginal +civilisation flourished greatly, as it had done before the coming of +the Spaniards, to Anahuac. Situated in a hollow cup, on all sides arose +verdant forests of bright green, clothing the base of great mountains, +which showed their serrated peaks above the vegetation. On three sides +the city was shut in by these giant barriers, but towards the west +opened a rugged cañon, through which flowed a noisy stream. A road ran +along the west side of this freak of nature, cut out of the solid rock, +so narrow as to allow only three men to walk abreast. Above and below +were the cliffs, thousands of feet in height and depth. No foe could +enter the city by that pass, which led into the great mountains of the +interior continent; but no foe would wish to enter, for this city was +holy ground, the Mecca of the aborigines, and had preserved its +inviolability from an invasion for centuries. + +"It was built by the Toltecs, Señor," said Cocom, who acted as Jack's +cicerone. "Ages ago, you must know, this race came hither from the +North. It was they who built the great cities of Yucatan in the dark +past. Uxmal, Aké, Chichen-Itza. They reared them all. A glorious race +were my ancestors, Señor." + +"But you are not a descendant of the Toltecs, Cocom?" + +"No, Señor, I am a Maya. My ancestors ruled at Mayapan. See," added the +Indian, plucking a yellow flower sprouting out from a crevice close at +hand, "this is the plant Cocom--my name, Señor, and that of the great +kings who ruled Yucatan. The Mayas also built great cities, but Toltecs +or Mayas, Don Juan, what does it matter? I am a poor Indian crushed +under the heel of the white man." + +"You say the Toltecs built this city also?" + +"Surely, Don Juan. They came and they went; no one knows whither they +went. We are born, Señor, but we know not from whence we come. We die, +but we know not whither we go. So with the Toltecs. They came, they +went, and we know nothing more. But they left their cities behind them, +Señor, to show how great they were. In their wanderings--I speak from +the traditions of the priests--in their wanderings, Señor, they came to +this place, through yonder cañon--up the gorge, I think, for then there +was no river, no road. Here they lost their leader, and built this city +to commemorate his greatness. It is so called after him--Totatzine." + +"Oh, that was his name, no doubt." + +"Quien sabe! No; I do not know what his name was. Totatzine is a Nahua +word, meaning 'Our Great Father.' He was their father and leader, so +they called this place Totatzine. It is a monument to his memory." + +"It is a holy city!" + +"For ages, Señor, it has been sacred," replied Cocom, seriously. "Here +it was that the god Tezcatlipoca had his shrine, but when the guardians +of the opal stone fled hither, the worship of the Chalchuih Tlatonac +became the great religion here. Now the soul of the universe is +forgotten, and Huitzilopochtli alone is adored with his devil-stone." + +"Who is the soul of the universe?" + +"Tezcatlipoca! It is strange, Señor, that the name of this god means +'the shining mirror,' while the Chalchuih Tlatonac means 'the shining +precious stone,' so you see the religion has changed but little." + +"Do you not adore the old gods, Cocom?" + +The Indian looked fearfully around, as though he deemed his answer, +though delivered in Spanish, would be overheard and understood by some +lurking priest. + +"No, Señor Juan," he whispered at length. "I believe the opal can +prophesy because it is inhabited by devils, as we are told by the good +Padre, but I worship the Holy One and His virgin mother. I am a +Catholic, Señor, but once I was an adorer of Huitzilopochtli, and it is +hard to break away, Señor, from the habits of youth. I came then--I +come now, and though I am looked upon as one devoted to the old gods, +yet do I follow the faith of the good Padre!" + +"I am glad of that, Cocom. Otherwise you would not help me to escape." + +"True. The Holy Virgin has you in her care, Don Juan. I am, assuredly, +the only Catholic here in this city of the devil-stone, and I am your +friend. You will I aid to escape." + +"When?" + +"Hush! my lord. Behold, Ixtlilxochitli is at hand." + +The suave priest passed them slowly, and bent his head with abject +deference as Jack looked at him. He made as though he would have +stopped, but Duval waved his hand to intimate that he did not wish to +be disturbed. Ixtlilxochitli made a second genuflection, and resumed +his way. It was wonderful to see how these bloodthirsty idolators +obeyed the slightest wish of their proposed victim. + +"He thinks we are plotting," hinted Jack, looking after the old man +with anything but an amiable expression. + +"No. He trusts me too much. Besides, he would not care if he did guess +we were plotting, Señor, thinking, as he does, that I know not the +secret way." + +"And you do know it?" + +Cocom looked around and saw nobody. Then he turned towards Jack, and +nodded significantly. + +"Yes, Señor, I do know it." + +"Bueno! And when----?" + +"Another time, Don Juan. We have already spoken too long. Let us resume +our examination of the sacred city. It is not wise to be incautious. +Folly is loud of speech, but Wisdom is silent." + +Jack acquiesced in this view of the matter, and they walked on. He was +greatly interested in all he saw around him, as it is not given to +everyone to view a great aboriginal civilisation in its full glory. But +for the horrible fear he had of failing to escape, and thus run the +risk of being sacrificed to the war-god, he would have been quite +fascinated by this extraordinary place. Always a bit of an +archæologist, he viewed with enthusiasm these giant palaces, these +massive temples--works of a great race, still as fresh under the blue +tropic sky of to-day as when they were first reared in the dim past. +When Europe was a land of savages, this city was built; it rose in its +splendour while Greece was in her glory and Rome was not. Back, many +ages back before Christ; before David, perchance before Abraham, these +superb edifices rested majestically in this smiling valley. Still were +they inhabited, still were they the home of a race, of a religion--the +seat of a barbaric civilisation, the oracle of a faith, as they had +been in their pristine glory. The empire of Montezuma had fallen in +Mexico, the Incas were now but a name in Peru, gone were the Toltecs, +scattered the Mayas, yet the buried city of Totatzine, safe in the +midst of primeval forests, endured still, and would endure until that +fatal day, which would surely come, when the aboriginal race would +silently retreat before the conquering forces of civilisation. Here was +the last stronghold of the old gods, driven from the table-lands of +Anahuac; here smoked anew those altars overturned by the +Conquistadores; here shrieked the victim on the terrible stone of +sacrifice; and here was the shrine of the famous Opal, the Chalchuih +Tlatonac, the very mention of which thrilled the hearts of all far and +wide with superstitious dread. + +The sacred city was admirably situated for all purposes. Nothing could +be more beautiful than this majestic work of man, set like a jewel +within the green circle of the forest-clad mountains. Its health was +assured by its being fortunately placed in the genial climate of the +Tierra Templada. A vast wall built across the huge rift of the cañon +protected it from foes in the west, and the peaks, the impenetrable +forests, formed a barrier against the outside world on all other sides. +Its inviolability depended upon its remaining hidden in the shadow of +the forests; and in this isolated valley none would guess the secret of +its existence. It was veritably a buried city, secluded from the prying +gaze of mankind, and was probably the only one of its kind in the +world. Beautiful, healthy, well defended, closely hidden, this strange +town was the pride of the barbaric tribes of Central America--their +Mecca, their Jerusalem; the altar of their ancient faith, the city of +the shining precious stone. This was the true city of the opal, and not +Tlatonac, for here in the central shrine flashed the great gem on the +altar of the war-god. The paths of all savage men converged to this +place, and from here welled forth the influence of the old gods which +frustrated the efforts of the Padres to Christianise the tribes of +Central America. + +Down the eastern peaks fell a mighty torrent, which swept irresistibly +across the flat plain, and emerged from the valley through the cañon on +the west. On either side of this stream was the city built, and three +bridges of massive stone connected the one town with the other. That on +the right bank of the stream was the city of the priests, while to the +left lay the city of commerce, of dwellings, of daily life. In the +sacerdotal town a large square surrounded the vast mound whereon was +built the teocalli of the Chalchuih Tlatonac, and from this square +streets radiated--to the stream, to the mountains, to the wall, like +the spokes of a vast wheel. A similar square, with radiating streets, +formed the plan of the other town, save that the palace of the Cacique +occupied the place of the teocalli. Both towns were crowded with +Indians, but the sacerdotal portion was principally filled with +pilgrims, come to worship at the shrine of the opal, while the settled +population lived on the other side of the stream. There were large +caravansaries round the teocalli, for the accommodation of the visitors +who came from all parts of Central America; and Totatzine derived its +wealth, its splendour, its very existence, from the constant crowds +pouring in through the secret way to worship the old gods. The entrance +to that way was supposed to be in the shrine itself, but none knew the +exact place save the priests of Huitzilopochtli, and these jealously +preserved the secret on which depended their power. + +Accompanied by the faithful Cocom, who, notwithstanding his advanced +age, could bear a great deal of fatigue, Jack explored the two cities, +meeting everywhere with the greatest deference from the populace. +Unpleasant as was his position, he almost forgot his peril, in +contemplating the wonderful buildings around him. The architecture of +the houses was similar to that of ancient Egypt. Long ranges of squat +pillars, decorated with vivid hues, mural paintings, religious and +warlike in character, massive walls of reddish stone, sloping inward as +they gained height, colossal flights of steps leading up to cyclopean +door-ways, and everywhere the grotesque images of the Aztec gods. + +From the flat roofs of the houses arose truncated towers, carved rudely +with all the hideous forms of an obscure mythology. From these one +could see the vast expanse of the city, the interminable lines of the +terraces falling one below the other to the narrow streets, the great +squares crowded with people, dominated by teocalli, by palace, and far +off the sombre length of the wall stretching across the cañon, while +beyond this barrier the winding cliffs of the gulch shut out all view +of the world beyond. All was vague, awesome, terrible; the city wore a +menacing aspect, even in the cheerful sunlight, and the confused murmur +rising upward from the streets, seemed like the lamentations of +countless victims, the moaning of countless generations, tortured, +terrified, blinded by the blood-stained deities of Anahuac. + +"If the Señor so pleases, we will go to the teocalli," said Cocom, +after they had quite exhausted the commercial portion of the city, "and +there behold the opal." + +"I should like to see it, above all things," replied Jack, remembering +his first glimpse of the gem; "but I thought the priests would not let +me enter the temple." + +"You can go anywhere, Don Juan. Remember, in the eyes of the priests, +of the people, you are a deity." + +"A poor deity, seeing I am but preserved for that cursed altar. Where +will they kill me, Cocom--that is, if they get the chance?" + +"On the sacrificial stone in front of the teocalli. Your heart will be +taken out, and then, when the sacred fire is kindled, your body will be +hurled down the steps of the pyramid." + +"A very pleasant little programme," said Duval, grimly; "it is a pity +it should not be carried out; but as I propose to run away I guess it +will be Hamlet with the Dane left out. Bueno, Cocom! let us view the +shambles." + +The Indian assented, and, having crossed over the bridge, they walked +up the straight, narrow street which led to the central square. Such +people as they passed immediately prostrated themselves on the ground, +and in some cases suffered Jack to walk over them. The young engineer +felt inclined to kick them so enraged did he feel at being thus +perpetually reminded of his probable fate; but as such conduct would +scarcely be politic, he managed, though with difficulty, to restrain +himself. + +Soon they emerged from the street between two colossal carved idols of +appalling ugliness, and the square lay open before them. Like a vast +mountain arose the huge mound with five successive stages, and up to +the truncated summit, from the base, stretched a broad flight of sixty +steps. Wide and shallow was this staircase, with huge stone masks +scowling on each step. These dæmonic countenances were crowned with +twisted serpents, and had protruding tongues symbolical of life and +light. + +"Look like pantomime ogres," thought the irreverent Jack, contemplating +these horrors. "I say, Cocom," he said in Spanish, "what are these +heads meant to represent?" + +"They are god stars throwing their light over the earth, Señor. The +projecting tongues represent them doing so." + +"Bueno! I never should have thought putting out one's tongue meant such +a lot. Come, Cocom, let us ascend the steps." + +"One moment, Don Juan!" said Cocom, in a low voice, as Jack put his +foot on the lower step, "I have a reason for taking you up here." + +"To see the opal?" + +"Yes; and to see something else. Connected with your escape, Señor. We +can talk freely in the teocalli; for now it is noon, and no priest is +in the temple." + +"Good! We will have it all to ourselves. But I wonder at them leaving +the opal unguarded." + +"Santissima! It is quite safe, Don Juan! No one would steal the opal. +Even if anyone did he could not get out of the town, and if he did get +out of the town he would be killed before he reached the coast." + +"I see! Superstition is a greater safeguard than bolts or bars." + +"Promise me, Señor, you will not cry out at that which I am going to +show you," said the Indian, disregarding Jack's remark. + +"I don't know what you are going to show me, but I promise you I'll +keep silent." + +"Bueno, Señor Juan! Let us go!" + +He ascended the steps slowly, followed by Jack, who was much puzzled to +know the reason of this warning. Cocom, however, had proved himself to +be a true friend, so Duval trusted him implicitly, and was quite +satisfied that the Indian did not speak without cause. Up those +interminable steps they went, till Jack thought they would never reach +the summit, and, being still weak from illness, had to pause three or +four times during the ascent. At last they arrived at the top, and +Cocom, making Jack sit down to rest himself, went into the temple. +During the absence of the old man, his patient amused himself in +examining the teocalli, and admiring the splendid view outspread before +him. + +Far below he could see the dual city like a map, intersected by the +stream which cut it clean in two. The streets, running at right angles, +made it look like a chess-board, and on both sides of the river were +the great gaps of the squares. The surrounding green of the forests, +the grey worn peaks sharply defined against the blue sky, the +reddish-coloured city in the hollow, all made up an inexpressibly +beautiful picture. He could see the figures of men, women, and animals +moving like ants through the squares, bright-coloured dots of crawling +life. To his ear came the hoarse roar of the river dashing on its rocky +bed, the confused hum of voices, the faint cries of merchants, the thin +songs of women seated on the distant flat roofs. Hither ascended the +mingled murmur, as though the busy city exhaled a huge sigh of sorrow +and fear in the ear of their god, whose burdens were so heavy upon +them. + +Then he turned to view the teocalli, which he found not unworthy of his +regard. Indeed, the whole pyramid aroused his admiration. This vast +mound of earth, faced with a coating of adobe and covered with silvery +cement, was a feat of engineering which at the first sight appeared +somewhat startling, seeing it was the work of a barbaric race. Jack was +a civil engineer, and learned in mechanics; but it puzzled him to think +how this great mass had been built up. What armies of men must have +been employed in its construction! What architectural skill was needed! +How completely were the four sides covered with the smooth cement! This +mound, a mere mole-hill compared with the great artificial hills of +Quemada, Cholula, or Palanque, was as marvellous a work of man as the +pyramids of Egypt, and as mysterious. + +The teocalli itself was a structure of red stone, consisting of two +truncated towers, joined together by a flat-roofed building, in the +centre of which was a wide low doorway, the sides of which inclined +inward till they nearly touched at the lintel. The whole of this façade +was elaborately carved with convoluted serpents, mastodon heads, and +frequently bizarre emblems intermingled with representations of the +moon and stars. Birds, fishes, bows, arrows, and blazing suns were also +carved with wonderful skill out of this dull-hued stone, and directly +over the door itself flamed a painted opal, darting rays of divers +hues. As all these arabesques were gaudily coloured, the effect may be +imagined, and Jack's eyes ached as this grotesque confusion of crude +tints blazed in the strong sunlight. In front of the teocalli, to the +left, was a large serpent-skin drum, used for summoning the devotees of +the god; but Jack did not look so much at this as at an object which he +viewed with horrified repugnance. This was a huge block of jasper, +slanting and polished, on which many unhappy beings had been slain, on +which he himself was destined to suffer. Only by a strong effort did he +keep his eyes for a moment on this couch of death, and then averted +them with a shudder. + +Rising from his seat, he walked towards the door of the temple, and was +met at the entrance by Cocom. The Indian threw a glance down the +staircase, to see that no one was ascending, and then stood on one side +to let Jack pass into the shrine. + +"You can enter now, Señor, and speak with safety." + +It was some time before Jack's eyes became accustomed to the gloom, for +the shrine was only lighted from the door. In this vast apartment +twilight prevailed, and showed but dimly the flash of jewels, the +glitter of gold and silver. The sides were encrusted with stucco, +carved with figures of Aztec deities, which formed the court to the +terrible war-god. Teoyamiqui, the goddess of death, was there, with her +skirt of platted snakes; Teotl, the supreme deity of Anahuac; +Tlacatecolotl, his enemy, the spirit of evil; Quetzalcoatl, Tlaloc, +Centeotl, and many other gods of that terrible hierarchy. Masks formed +of turquoise stones hung on the walls, here and there were small +altars, on which burned scented gums, and, at the end of the hall, +under a canopy of richly carved and gilded wood, sat the terrible one, +the war-god Huitzilopochtli. + +His image was scarcely human, but seemed to be simply a block of wood +distorted into hideous shapes. In one hand he grasped a bow, in the +other a sheaf of arrows, delicate humming-bird feathers adorned his +left foot, and his waist was encircled by a serpent formed of precious +stones, emeralds, turquoises, pearls, all glittering dimly in the pale +twilight. Behind the god spread a sheet of solid gold, carved with the +attributes of his deity, and in front of him appeared a grotesquely +carved altar, on which rested a red object. Jack, holding his nose, for +the stench of the slaughterhouse was terrible, advanced to see what it +was. He started back, with an exclamation of horror. It was a bleeding +human heart! + +As he started back, a blue flare seemed to strike across his eyes. He +looked up, and, lo! The Harlequin Opal. Depending from the roof by a +gold thread, the great jewel twisted slowly round in front of the +altar, the height of a man from the ground. With every revolution the +colours changed, like those of a chameleon. Now would radiate a bright +green flame, then a blue ray would flash like a streak of lightning +through the gloom; at times the whole stone shone yellow as the sun, +and oftentimes a fierce tongue of red would dart from its breast. All +these changes were caused by the constant twirling of the cord by which +it was suspended, and even in the half light the splendid gem scattered +its tints on all sides with the utmost brilliance. + +Fascinated by the magnificent jewel, Jack stepped forward to examine it +closely; but, just as he laid his finger on it, he heard a voice-- + +"Beware!" + +It was a woman's voice. He turned in alarm, and saw a woman standing +near the doorway. The light fell full on her face, and Jack rushed +forward, with a loud cry of joy, to clasp her in his arms. + +It was Doña Dolores! + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. + + Time is fond of strange surprises, + Ne'er we know what is before us; + Acting as stern Fate advises, + Time is fond of strange surprises. + Empires fall, a nation rises, + Those who hated, now adore us. + Time is fond of strange surprises, + Ne'er we know what is before us. + + +It was Dolores! The lost Dolores, for whom he had sought so long, so +vainly. She lay on his breast, sobbing as though her heart would break, +and Jack was so overcome with emotion that he could not speak. Cocom, +with true delicacy, had withdrawn, and they were alone in the temple. +For some moments they could neither speak nor move, but remained locked +in one another's arms, silently, passionately, grateful for the +meeting. Behind them, the slowly revolving opal flashed out a thin +streak of blue. It was an omen of peace, of love. + +Jack, as was natural, first recovered himself, and did all in his power +to quieten the hysterical emotion of Dolores. The poor girl looked ill +and haggard, as well she might, seeing how much she had suffered during +the last fortnight. Torn from her home, from her friends, her kindred, +her lover, entombed in the sepulchre of a vast forest, with no hope of +ever being released, she had abandoned herself to despair. The +unexpected appearance of Jack was too much for her overstrained nerves, +and she utterly broke down. Duval placed her on a stone near the +doorway of the shrine, and, kneeling at her feet, strove to calm her +agitation. He was having but ill success, when Cocom appeared in the +doorway, and seeing at a glance what was the matter with the girl, at +once produced one of those mysterious medicines he constantly carried +about with him. + +"Let the Señorita drink of this," he said, thrusting a small bottle +into Jack's hand. "Cocom will watch at the staircase that none ascend. +But be speedy, Señor. Ixtlilxochitli remains not long away from the +opal." + +When the Indian withdrew, Jack forced Dolores to take some of the drink +prescribed. The effect was magical, for in a few minutes her sobs +ceased, she became composed, and her eyes brightened with joy as she +looked at her lover. Jack was still in his serge shooting-suit, high +boots and all; while Dolores, in amber skirt, lace mantilla, and dainty +shoes, looked as though she were arrayed for a ball. The Indians had +evidently treated her with great tenderness, and save for her haggard +looks, she looked little different from what she did at Tlatonac. In +their European dresses, they were out of keeping in that savage house +of worship. A strange scene, truly. The blood-stained deity, the +fantastic figures of the gods, the twirling opal, flashing sparks of +light, and at the door these most unhappy lovers, oblivious to all save +themselves. + +"Querido!" sighed Dolores, looking fondly in Jack's face; "how like an +angel do you appear to me. I thought never to see you again; but now +you are here, and I am happy. Tell of the dear ones, Juanito, of +Eulalia and Rafael. How does my dear uncle, my aunt?" + +"I have not seen them for over a week, cara," replied Jack, kissing +her; "they were much disturbed at your disappearance. We all thought +that you had been carried off to Acauhtzin, and with Don Felipe and +your brother I went up there to demand you from the base one." + +"I know all of this, mi amigo," said Dolores, quickly. "Ah! do not look +so astonished. Cocom is our friend; Cocom told me all. Of Marina +departing with Pepe in _The Pizarro_, of your journey to Acauhtzin, +and how you were betrayed to the priests by Don Hypolito." + +"You know my story, Dolores, but I do not know yours. Tell me how it +was that you were carried off. I at first suspected the Indians, but +afterwards deemed Pepe had taken you to Xuarez. I suspected him +wrongly, it seems." + +"No, Juan!" cried the girl, her eyes flashing with anger; "all this +misery was contrived by Don Hypolito. He told Ixtlilxochitli that----" + +"What!" interrupted Jack, in astonishment; "does Xuarez know the +priest? Has he been here? Is he a worshipper of that devil stone?" + +"As to that I am not certain, but he has been here frequently, and held +long conversations with Ixtlilxochitli. Don Hypolito, you know, says he +is a Mestizo. It is false; he is a pure Indian. His parents dwelt here +as worshippers of the old gods, and it was in Totatzine that he was +born. Afterwards, when he became a man, he grew weary of this buried +city, and went forth to seek his fortune. He prospered, as you know, +and now says he has Spanish blood in his veins, to gain favour with my +own people. But his heart is Indian; he is a friend of Ixtlilxochitli; +he comes here frequently. I said, querido, that I was not certain that +he worshipped the devil stone. I am wrong; I think he does. Through him +does that opal counsel war; and you were delivered to the priests to be +the victim of the cycle." + +"And in return for this handsome gift of my life, what does Don +Hypolito get?" + +"Can you not guess? Ixtlilxochitli, anxious to see the Ruler of +Cholacaca one who is a believer in the old gods, has promised to make +the Indians fight for him. He can do this by means of the opal's +prophecies. The priest thinks that if Don Hypolito becomes President, +he will restore the worship of Huitzilopochtli." + +"Ridiculous!" + +"It is not. Yet Ixtlilxochitli, who is a clever man, is completely +deceived by Don Hypolito, and believes that this will be so." + +"Now I see how Xuarez came to the sacred city," said Jack, +reflectively; "but you say it was he who carried you off?" + +"By means of the Indians, yes. Listen, Juanito. The last time Don +Hypolito was here, he told Ixtlilxochitli that he desired to marry me; +also, that if I were not carried off from Tlatonac, and placed for +safety in the opal shrine, that I would probably marry you. As you can +guess, it would never do to let the guardian of the opal marry a white +man, so, as desired by Don Hypolito, I was decoyed from Tlatonac, and +carried to this frightful place." + +"How were you decoyed?" + +"By means of your friend, Don Pedro." + +"By Pedro!" cried Jack, in surprise. "Why, what had he to do with your +kidnapping?" + +"He had nothing actually to do with it. But his name was used in this +way. Listen, mi cara; it is the strangest of tales." + +Jack nodded and settled himself to listen, whereon Doña Dolores began +her story at once, as every moment was precious. + +"When you left me on that day, Juanito, I went to the cathedral, in +order to pray for you, and to obtain from Padre Ignatius the holy relic +for your protection. With Marina did I kneel before the shrine of the +Virgin, and waited for the Padre, but he did not appear." + +"Nevertheless, he was in the cathedral all the time waiting for you in +the sacristy." + +"That is strange," observed Dolores, in some perplexity, "for I grew +weary of waiting, and sent Marina to seek Padre Ignatius in the +sacristy. As she did not return, I presumed that she could not find +him, and had perhaps gone to look for him in his own church." + +"She went neither to sacristy nor to church," explained Jack, hastily; +"she saw Pepe at the door of the cathedral, as she went to seek the +good Father, and departed with the zambo. Then she was afraid of being +punished by you, and did not return to the Casa Maraquando until late, +when we found you were missing. I expect it was fear that made her run +off to Acauhtzin with Pepe." + +"Very probably; yes, Juan, it was as you say. She did not go for the +Padre, and he, waiting in the sacristy, expected me to meet him there. +I, on my part, thinking Marina would return every moment, remained +before the shrine. Then I felt a hand touch my shoulder, and turned +round expecting to see Marina. It was a dwarf Indian, called T'ho, who +gave me a message from--as I thought--Cocom and Don Pedro." + +"But it was not Cocom who betrayed you, Dolores?" + +"No, indeed. But through the craft of Ixtlilxochitli, his name was made +use of as a decoy. This Indian, T'ho, did not speak, but gave me an +object message." + +"Dios! What is that?" + +"Do you not know, Juanito? and yet you have dwelt so long in Cholacaca. +An object message is one the meaning of which is read by certain things +delivered. For instance, querido, in this case, T'ho gave me a yellow +flower and several objects cut in bark, including an arrow, a pair of +spectacles, and a round coloured red. Now can you understand?" + +"The yellow flower meant Cocom! Is that not so? He told me to-day his +name was from such a flower." + +"Yes, that is right--the spectacles?" + +"Eh, Dolores! The spectacles! Oh, I know; Peter wears spectacles." + +"You're right, mi amigo," replied Dolores, smiling at his discovery, +"and the arrow was a hint to be swift--the rough piece of bark, +coloured scarlet, showed that some one was wounded." + +"Wait a moment, Dolores," interposed Duval, hastily; "I can read the +message now. It came presumably from Cocom, and read, 'Come quickly, +Don Pedro is wounded.'" + +Dolores clapped her hands. + +"Santissima Madre! You have guessed rightly. That was the message. At +once I obeyed it, for I thought poor Don Pedro might be dying." + +"It was kind of you, Dolores, but terribly rash." + +"I did not think it would be far away from the gates, and suspected no +evil. Besides, I had been kind to T'ho, and did not dream he would +betray me." + +"Which he did?" + +"Yes, base criminal, he did. I followed him from the church just as the +sun was setting. He led me through the streets out of the town by the +Puerta de la Culebra. No one recognised me, as I veiled my face in my +mantilla. T'ho guided me past the chapel of Padre Ignatius to the open +country----" + +"How rash of you!" ejaculated Jack, reproachfully, "how terribly rash!" + +"Yes, it was rash, Juanito! But do not be angry, querido. I did it for +the sake of Don Pedro, whom I thought was wounded." + +"Well! and what happened after that?" said Duval, kissing her, to show +he was not cross. + +"Dios!" replied Dolores, tapping her mouth with her closed fan; "I +hardly remember! I was asking T'ho where lay the poor Señor Americano, +when a cloth was flung over my head, and I was borne swiftly away. With +the shock, I suppose I must have fainted, for on recovering my senses I +found myself in an open boat going up the coast. I tried to cry out, +but was so weak that I could make no sound. Only Indians were in the +boat, and one of them held a cup of wine to my lips. It was, I think, +drugged, as I then lost all consciousness, and awoke to find myself in +Totatzine!" + +"And all this was planned by Don Hypolito?" + +"Yes, and executed by Ixtlilxochitli. I have been kindly treated since +I have been here, and have a house yonder, across the square, all to +myself, with attendants. The high priest told me I had been carried off +so that no harm might happen to me, as guardian of the opal, during the +war. He also informed me that it was the desire of the god that I +should wed with Don Hypolito." + +"Confound his impudence," muttered Jack, in his native tongue. "And +what did you reply, Dolores?" + +"I said I would never wed with the traitor Xuarez; that my heart was +given to another, to Don Juan, the Americano. Ixtlilxochitli was +terribly angry when he heard this, and swore that never would the +guardian of the opal be permitted to wed a white man. 'But I have no +fear,' said this base one, 'for Don Hypolito, the true worshipper of +the sacred opal, will aid us to secure this evil Americano, and +sacrifice him to the gods.'" + +"And Don Hypolito succeeded," said Jack, with a shudder. "The wretch! +he had made up his mind to seize me from the moment I set foot in +Acauhtzin. Oh, if I can only escape, how dearly will I make him pay for +all this treachery." + +At this moment Cocom darted in at the door. + +"Señor, the priest, Ixtlilxochitli, is climbing the steps. Hide +yourself, lady. You must not be seen with my lord." + +"Why not?" asked Jack, as they arose to their feet. + +"Can you ask, after what I have told you?" whispered Dolores, +hurriedly. "The priest knows I love you, and if we were seen together +you would be detained in prison until the day of the sacrifice. Not +even your character of a god could save you from that. Cocom contrived +our meeting here, and the priests suspect nothing. Trust to Cocom! He +will tell you our plans of escape. Adios! I must hide!" + +"When will I see you again, angelito?" said Jack, kissing her +hurriedly. + +"To-morrow night, in the secret way. Adios!" + +She ran rapidly towards the shrine, and vanished behind the image of +the war-god, while Jack followed Cocom out on to the vast platform of +the pyramid. Midway on the steps they saw the old high priest, +painfully climbing upward. + +"Will he not find Doña Dolores in there, Cocom, and thus guess we have +met?" + +"No, Señor. He but comes to see that the sacred fire burns. That the +opal yet spins before the god. If the fire should go out, or the opal +stand still, great calamities would befall the city. Only does the opal +pause when it prophesies." + +"How is it managed?" + +"Santissima! Señor, I know not. But come, let us go down. +Ixtlilxochitli will just look at the fire, and then descend, after +which the Doña Dolores can come down and regain her palace without +being seen." + +"Is the shrine thus frequently left alone?" + +"Yes, Señor. Save at festivals, it is deserted. But a priest climbs to +the temple every five hours, to see that the sacred fire burns. But +see, Ixtlilxochitli is near us. Be cautious, my lord." + +When Jack paused on his downward way, the priest coming up at once +knelt on the steps to show his reverence. + +"Tell the old fool to get up," said Jack, angrily, being weary of such +mummery. + +"My lord bids you rise, Ixtlilxochitli!" translated Cocom, more +politely. + +The priest arose, with his hands folded across his breast, and, with +downcast eyes, addressed Cocom. + +"Has my lord seen the holy shrine, and the thrice sacred Chalchuih +Tlatonac?" + +"Yes; my lord has been graciously pleased to look at these things." + +"It is well! My lord should know well the sacred shrine, so that on the +great day he be prepared to act his part, as saviour of the city, with +dignity." + +"Deuce take your dignity!" cried Jack, in a rage when this polite +speech was translated. "I say Cocom, cannot we knock this old reprobate +down the steps; he wouldn't get up again in a hurry." + +"Nay, nay, Señor! such a course would not be wise," replied Cocom, +hastily thinking that Jack was about to carry his threat into +execution. + +"What says my lord?" asked Ixtlilxochitli blandly. + +"That he will not keep you longer from the sacred offices of the god." + +"It is well! See that my lord has all things, Cocom. The city is his, +and we are his, for on his sacrifice to the holy gods does the +existence of Totatzine depend." + +Cocom did not deem it politic to translate this speech to Jack, fearing +lest the young man should thereupon carry out his threat, and kick the +old priest down the steps. Already he was so exasperated at being +perpetually reminded of his awful position, that it would take but +little more to make him kill this bland, servile priest--to punish at +least one of his enemies before he was slain himself. Many men would +have been paralysed by the thought of the sacrificial stone, but peril +only the more firmly braced Jack's nerves, and relying, as he did, on +Cocom's help, and his own energy, he was determined to escape from +Totatzine in some way or another. The meeting with Dolores had inspired +him with fresh energies; and, after leaving Ixtlilxochitli climbing the +steps, he hurried Cocom to the palace where he was living, with the +idea of hearing what plan of escape the Indian had conceived. + +Now that Duval had seen Dolores, the reserve hitherto maintained by +Cocom entirely vanished, and he professed himself eager to explain his +designs. With instinctive caution, however, he refused to converse in +the lower room, where Jack habitually slept fearing lest they should be +overheard. It is true they constantly spoke the Spanish tongue, of +which the priestly spies were woefully ignorant; but Ixtlilxochitli was +quite crafty enough to employ a coast Indian as an eavesdropper; +therefore it was wise to put any such possibility of betrayal beyond +all doubt. With this intent, they ascended to the flat roof of the +palace; but, even here, Cocom felt doubtful of being absolutely safe. +In the end, they climbed the mirador, the sole tower of the palace, +where it was quite impossible that they could be either seen or heard +from below. Crouching on his hunkers below the low wall of the tower +platform, Cocom gravely took out some cigarettes, wrapped in +maize-husks, and presented them to Jack, who was lying full-length +against the opposite parapet. In a few minutes they were smoking, and +talking earnestly. + +"The priests, Señor," said Cocom, wrapping his zarape round his thin +shoulders, "the priests say that the entrance to the secret way is in +the shrine itself on the summit of yonder teocalli. That is a lie!" + +"Then where is it, Cocom?" + +"Three bridges are there over the stream, Don Juan. The largest and +oldest bridge is that central one, which leads straight to the square +of the sacrifice. Señor, below that bridge is the secret way!" + +"How do you know, Cocom? Were you not blindfolded when you were brought +here?" + +"Yes, Señor; but I smelt water. The priests blind the eyes, and close +the ears, so that the way be not seen, nor the voice of the torrent +heard; but I, Señor, have come by the hidden way many times. It is +there. I examined it secretly one night at the peril of my life." + +"And you found out you were correct?" said Jack, anxiously. + +"Absolutely, Señor. Under the bridge the torrent has worn a deep +channel; at the very bottom the path runs eastward, and is concealed by +a stone wall made to look like the natural cliff of the stream. You go +up that path which leads to the foot of the waterfall, then along a +passage which leads upward to the thickest part of the forest. Leaving +this passage, you ascend steps, which lead to a narrow gorge, cut in +the top of the mountain--deep, very deep, Señor, is the pass; no one +can see the city therefrom. In the centre of the pass is a circular +space, whence ten passages, cut from the solid rock, lead everywhere. +Go by eight of these passages, and you fall over cliffs, for the path +ends abruptly. They are death-traps. Of the other two passages, one +leads to the sacred city, the other to the forests beyond the +mountains. In this circular place do the priests blindfold the +worshippers. Those who go out can reach that place, those who come in +the same; but, unless guided, they would go astray into the +death-traps. Therefore are they blindfolded by the priests, and led +forward in safety." + +"What a horrible idea," said Duval, shuddering; "but how am I to know +the right passage?" + +"There is a carving of the opal, throwing rays, cut at the entrance of +the passage. That is the right one. Go through that, and you come on to +a broad platform on the other side of the mountain. Steps lead down +from thence to the valley into a broad way built of old by the Toltecs. +This road ends suddenly in a wilderness of trees. Then you guide +yourself to the coast by red marks on the trunks of trees--the opal, +painted crimson, is the sign. Follow those, and you come to the +sea-shore." + +"How far is it from here to the sea-shore?" + +"Fifty miles, Señor." + +"Fifty miles!" groaned Jack, in dismay. "However can Dolores manage to +do that? and then the perils from incoming Indians!" + +"Listen, Señor. Oftentimes the priests send forth penitents who have on +them a vow of silence. I will procure dresses for my lord and Doña +Dolores. You shall be disguised as Indians under the vow of silence. +Should you meet anyone, make a sign thus, and they will permit you to +pass without question. As to the length of the way, I will give you +provisions, and you must travel to the coast as best you can. It will +take many days, but what of that? You will be free." + +"Suppose we are pursued?" + +"No, Señor; I have a plan. Beyond the great wall of the west is the +narrow path of the cañon. When you and Doña Dolores depart, I will take +your clothes through the gate, which is always open, and strew some of +them on the narrow path. I will let fall some blood of an animal down +the side of the cliff. Below rushes the torrent, white and fearful. When +the priests find out you are gone they will not search the secret way, +not thinking that it is known to anyone but themselves. No, Don Juan, +they will go beyond the wall, to the narrow path, and there they will +find your clothes, and those of Doña Dolores. They will then think that +you have fallen into the torrent, and so all search will cease." + +"That's a capital idea, Cocom! Your ingenuity is wonderful. But when +myself and Doña Dolores come to the coast, what shall we do?" + +"Wait there, Señor, in a cave I will describe to you, until I come. I +will have to remain behind so as to avert suspicion. Yes; I will tear +my hair when you have gone, and say that you have fled by the way of +the cañon; the priests will search, and think you have fallen into the +torrent. The next day, they will thrust me from the sacred city for +having not guarded you well. I will then come down to the coast, to the +cave. Once there, Señor, and we shall soon contrive some plan to get +back to Tlatonac." + +"But the priests might kill you, Cocom!" + +"Have no fear of that, Señor; I am old, my sacrifice would not be +acceptable to the gods. And again, Señor, I have secrets of herbs known +only to myself, which the priests fain would learn. Should they +threaten my life, I will tell them my secrets and go free." + +"You can never return to Totatzine?" + +"What matter," replied Cocom, indifferently. "I am very old. Soon I +will die. When I get again to Tlatonac I will worship the Virgin, and +die in my corner. Who will care? The old have no friends!" + +"You will have a friend in me, Cocom," said Jack, shaking the hand of +the old Indian. "I promise you that neither myself nor Doña Dolores +will forget this service. By the way, when do we make this attempt?" + +"To-morrow night, Señor." + +"Bueno! But why to-morrow night?" + +"At dawn, Señor, to-morrow, there will be a sacrifice to the god, and a +man will die. The priests will ask you be present so as to sanctify the +ceremony." + +"A kind of rehearsal, I suppose," said Jack, grimly. "Go on, Cocom." + +"Afterwards there will be a great festival. All day it will continue, +till sunset. It may be," continued Cocom, artfully, "that the priests +and the people will drink much; if so, it will be the better for us. In +any case, Don Juan, all will be weary, and sleep well at sunset. Then I +will disguise you and Doña Dolores as Indians, and lead you to the +secret way. By dawn you will be far down beyond the mountains. Travel +all night, Señor, so as to reach the central forests before dawn. For +it may be that the priests will look from the platform down the road of +the Toltecs, and there see you far off. But this, I think, will not be. +The whole city will sleep heavily, exhausted by the festival, and when +they waken, you, Señor, will have escaped." + +"God grant this scheme may succeed!" said Duval, rising to his feet. "I +can never thank you sufficiently for this, Cocom." + +"Bueno! You are the friend of Don Miguel, who saved my life. Be happy, +Señor; I will not fail to rescue you from the stone of Huitzilopochtli. +And now, Señor Juan, we must go down, else will the priests be +suspicious of these long talks between us." + +"There is only one thing I would like to do before I leave Totatzine," +remarked Duval, as they went down to his room. + +"And that, Señor?" + +"Is to break the neck of Ixtlilxochitli by throwing him down those +steps." + +Cocom laughed softly. It was a rare thing for this melancholy Indian to +do, but he did not love Ixtlilxochitli, and the idea amused him +greatly. + +"Come," said Duval, tapping his friend on the back, "let us go and take +the eleven. We must drink success to our scheme in a flask of +aguardiente." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +AN INDIAN FESTIVAL. + + The sacred drums of serpents' skins + Send forth their muffled roar afar; + Before the shrine the opal spins, + A changing star! + That flashes rays of rainbow light + From out its breast of cloudy white, + Rebuking sins + Which mar! + + Oh, see the maidens forward bound, + To swing and sway in dances wild, + Loose locks with fragrant chaplets crowned, + Their glances mild! + Exchanged for looks, whose frantic fires + The sacred god himself inspires, + Who thrice hath frowned, + And smiled. + + The victim! see the victim pure! + Approaches to the stone to die; + But for a space his pangs endure, + And then on high + His soul mounts upward to the sun, + For ever with that orb to run, + Of pleasure sure + For aye. + + +That evening, Jack received an invitation from Ixtlilxochitli to be +present at dawn next morning on the summit of the teocalli, to take +part in a religious ceremony of peculiar solemnity. The god +Huitzilopochtli was to be asked if it was his will that the Indian +tribes should array their ranks in battle on the side of Don Hypolito +Xuarez? Through the opal was the answer to be given. If it gleamed red +the god desired war, if blue there was to be peace in the land. Seeing +the bloodthirsty character of the deity, and the secret understanding +between his high priest and Xuarez, there was but little doubt in the +mind of Jack as to what the answer would be. Still, as he was anxious +to know how the prophecies were given, and not averse to seeing a +unique religious ceremony, he accepted the invitation of Ixtlilxochitli +with avidity. + +For many days, messages had been sent far and wide, calling on the +Indians to repair to the sacred city, and assist at the festival. The +town was filled to overflowing, and all the caravansaries in the square +of the sacrifice were crowded. Owing to the depth of the valley, the +ceremony could not take place precisely at dawn, as it was some time +before the sun rose above the peaks of the surrounding mountains. His +presence was indispensable to the ceremony, as the heart of the victim +had to be held up by the officiating priest for the benediction of his +rays. Jack rather shrank from witnessing this horrible rite, +particularly as, unless he succeeded in effecting his escape, he would +probably be forced to take part in the same function; but curiosity +triumphed over repugnance, and he looked forward eagerly to beholding +this extraordinary spectacle. + +In the grey light of dawn he was awakened by the thunder of the +serpent-skin drums, which for some hours roared continuously. Springing +out of bed, he hastily put on his clothes, and had just finished +dressing when Cocom entered the room. The old Indian was arrayed in +white cotton garments, with a chaplet of flowers on his grey locks. He +had another wreath, of red blossoms, which he held out for Jack's +acceptance--an offer which that young man promptly refused. Red was the +emblem of a dedicated victim, and Jack, knowing this, objected to being +thus distinguished. + +"Carrajo! No, mi amigo," he said, vigorously, "I am not going to be +decked out as a victim yet." + +"Ixtlilxochitli will be angry, Señor." + +"He can be as angry as the devil, for all I care. I don't intend taking +any part in this infernal idol worship. Don't they look on me as a god, +Cocom?" + +"Yes, my lord; you are supposed to be the visible representative of +Tezcatlipoca, the soul of the universe." + +"Bueno! Well, the soul of the universe is going to have his own way. +What is the use of being Tez--what's-his-name, if you can't do as you +please? Besides, I wear European clothes, and wreaths don't go with +this rig-out." + +"As you please, Don Juan. Still, it is not wise to anger the priests." + +"I'll take the risk, Cocom. By the way, I trust Doña Dolores will not +be present at this butchery to-day." + +"No, Señor! She intends to sleep many hours." + +"Poor girl, she needs rest, seeing we shall be walking all night. I +will rest this afternoon myself, Cocom." + +"It would be wise, Señor." + +"You have everything prepared?" + +"Assuredly, Señor. You will find nothing wanting." + +"Bueno! Now let us go to the teocalli." + +The immense area of the square of sacrifice was densely packed with +Indians, mostly men, as the ceremonies of the war-god were +pre-eminently of a masculine character. A few women were to be seen; +but, as a rule, they preferred the gentler worship of Tezcatlipoca, and +left the fierce adoration of Huitzilopochtli to the rulers and +warriors. These pilgrims were one and all arrayed in white-cotton robes +similar to that of Cocom, and, like him, bore wreaths of flowers on +their locks. Many of the most opulent were draped in mantles of +gorgeous feather work, and adorned their persons with collars, +earrings, girdles, and bracelets of gold set with rough gems. The +summit of the teocalli was unoccupied, as the priests in their sable +vestments were waiting for the victim at the foot of the great +staircase. A constant thunder of drums, and shrilling of discordant +trumpets, added to the wild character of the scene. + +Jack had no sooner made his appearance than the multitude, recognising +the sacred victim of the cycle, parted to let him pass through. An +immense wave of movement swept across this sea of white garments, and +all flung themselves on their faces, not even daring to look at the +august presence of the incarnate deity. Attended by Cocom, Jack passed +up the avenue, opened by religious awe in this living mass, and +ultimately gained the steps of the teocalli. Here they saw +Ixtlilxochitli, who waved his hand to intimate that they had better +ascend the staircase, which they did, without further remark. + +Seated on the parapet surrounding the platform of the pyramid, Jack +looked down on the throng of people whose dark faces were turned +upwards to the shrine of the opal, and shuddered involuntarily, as he +thought of the fanaticism which had drawn this concourse together. +Devoutly did he pray that Cocom's scheme might be successful, as it was +terrible to think that in the presence of such savages he should be +slaughtered by those wild-looking priests. + +The morning was slightly chilly, as the valley was yet in the shadow; +but, beyond the rim of the mountains, Jack could see the rays of the +rising sun shooting up in the roseate sky. He trembled and held his +breath as a single trumpet bellowed below, and leaning over the +parapet, saw that the procession of priests were now escorting the +victim up the stair-case. Cocom manifested no emotion, he was but half +civilised, after all, and the horror of the coming deed did not strike +him as particularly awful. Men must die sometime, was Cocom's +philosophic view of the matter, and as well might death take place on +the sacrificial stone as in any other way. Jack felt his flesh creep at +the idea of what he would soon behold; but Cocom, with folded arms, +stood like a statue of bronze, silent, indifferent, unmoved. + +Up the staircase climbed that ghastly procession. The victim, a +handsome young Indian, tall and slender, seemed indifferent to his +fate, and bore his part in the ceremony with becoming dignity. As he +ascended the height, one by one he threw away his ornaments and rich +robes. His chaplet of flowers, his bracelets, earrings, girdles, his +mantle of feather work, his cotton robe of white, they were all strewed +on the steps like wreckage, and when he arrived at the summit of the +teocalli, he was completely naked. With his splendid muscular +development, his immobile face, his absolute repose, standing nude by +the jasper stone of sacrifice, he looked like a magnificent bronze +statue, and Jack could not but admire the stoical resignation with +which he met his death. Ixtlilxochitli vanished through the open door +of the shrine, and the sable-clad priests, looking like demons in their +religious frenzy, held up their arms to the east. A wild, barbaric +chant flowed from their mouths, weird and ear-piercing, rising and +falling like the waves of the sea. They chanted long lines of +invocation to the sun, and were answered by a confused roar from the +multitude below. So fierce, so savage was the music, that Jack +shuddered and closed his eyes with horror. The victim made no sign. + +Then the high priest, clad in scarlet robes, and holding a knife of +itzli in his hand, came forth from the presence of the god, and made a +sign to the officiating priests. The rim of the sun was just seen above +the heights when five priests darted forward, and, seizing the +impassive victim, flung him on the altar stone. An appealing cry to +Huitzilopochtli arose from the worshippers, the drums rolled, the +trumpets bellowed, and Ixtlilxochitli rapidly opening the breast of the +young man, tore out his heart. The multitude prostrated themselves +humbly, an immense sigh exhaled upward from a thousand breasts, and +after holding the bleeding heart to the sun, now full in sight, the +high-priest flung it at the feet of the idol. Jack felt sick with +horror at the consummation of this tragedy, and closed his eyes for a +moment. When he opened them again, the dead body of the victim was +rolling down the steps of the teocalli, to plunge into the sea of white +boiling in the square. + +"Horrible!" he muttered to Cocom; "these priests are devils." + +"Hush, Señor!" replied the Indian in a low voice; "be cautious. Now +they consult the opal." + +Wiping the perspiration from his forehead, Duval, leaning on the arm of +Cocom, entered the shrine which was crowded with priests. They all made +way for him respectfully, and, as the great drum outside commenced to +roll out its thunder, knelt in the presence of the deity. Even Cocom +bowed before the god, and Jack was the only one standing. A small fire +of coals burned on the altar, and thereon Ixtlilxochitli flung +priceless gums, storax, copal, and odorous resins. A rich perfume +spread through the temple, and a thick cloud of white smoke rolled +upward, veiling the hideous face of the war-god, hiding the now rapidly +revolving opal. A chant arose, sad and melancholy as the sweeping of +the wind through trees, supplicating and sorrowful--an appeal to the +terrible deity who had been thus propitiated with blood, with the heart +of a man. + +A thin shaft of sunlight entering the temple through some unseen +opening, smote the great gem with fierce fire, causing it to glitter +with blinding splendour. Every eye was fixed on the opal, which +continued spinning incessantly, darting its rays of red and blue, and +yellow, and green. Jack, at a glance, saw how the miracle was done. The +priests cunningly twisted the gold string attached to the roof, and as +it slowly unwound itself the great gem revolved. Whether they left the +colour it was to show when still, to chance, Jack did not know, but +they must have had some trick to make it pause when they chose, for he +felt certain the red side of the stone would ultimately reveal itself. +In the semi-darkness he kept his gaze on the jewel, twirling in the +yellow glare, and heard, as in a dream, the roar of the throng far +below waiting the announcement of the god's will. The teocalli was as +an island in the midst of a sea, and against its huge base these living +waves beat without intermission. + +At first the opal spun rapidly, throwing out sparks of coloured fire, +then it gradually slowed down as the string unwound itself. Slower and +slower it twisted, sparkling a ray of emerald green, a dazzling shaft +of blue, or a glory of golden haze. At last the motion was hardly +perceptible, and the worshippers held their breaths in reverential awe. +It moved slightly, it paused, it began to revolve slowly backward, and +then, with a slow oscillation, hung motionless from the roof. From out +its white breast shot a fierce glare of violent crimson. The will of +the god was war! + +Amid a dead silence Ixtlilxochitli stalked forth to the verge of the +staircase, now wearing only his black garments, and held up his scarlet +mantle as a sign that the opal was red. A frantic shout of delight +roared upward to the sky, and the multitude below broke into a frenzy +of joy. The religious ceremonies were at an end, the festival had +commenced. + +"Por el amor de Dios, let me go back to my room," whispered Jack, in +the ear of Cocom. "If I stay here, I will assuredly smash that idol and +kick old Ixtlilxochitli down the steps." + +Unwilling to risk such a scandal, Cocom hurried his charge out of the +temple at once. Ixtlilxochitli came forward as Jack departed, evidently +expecting to be congratulated on a successful performance, but the +young engineer, with a gesture of repugnance, turned his back on the +old villain, and sprang down the steps of the teocalli. The high-priest +looked grave. This dissatisfaction of the visible deity was a bad omen. + +"This place is a hell upon earth," cried Jack, throwing himself down on +his couch. "How many victims do they sacrifice to that infernal deity, +Cocom?" + +The old man counted on his fingers. + +"Señor, about one hundred in the year, more or less." + +"How terrible!" + +"Yes, Don Juan, more were offered up in the old days. It is said by the +priests that at the dedication of the great Teocalli in Mexico seventy +thousand victims were offered to Huitzilopochtli." + +"Butchery! I tell you what, Cocom, if I get safely back, and this war +is concluded in favour of the Junta, I will get Don Francisco Gomez to +send an army to stop this sort of thing." + +Cocom smiled scornfully. + +"Nay, Señor; no army could reach the city of Totatzine. It is hidden, +and the secret way is but narrow, as you shall see. Besides, Don Juan, +I would not aid an army to come hither. The city is sacred." + +"But you do not believe in this devil-worship?" + +"No, Señor. Still, it was the religion of my fathers. I do not wish it +destroyed." + +Jack saw that his proposition was distasteful to the old Indian, so did +not make further remark, fearful of raising anger in Cocom's breast. If +this one friend refused to assist them, neither himself nor Dolores +could hope to escape. Therefore Jack was wise and held his peace. +Shortly afterwards he intimated his desire to sleep in order to prepare +for the fatigue of the midnight journey, so Cocom left him, and +departed to make all arrangements for the escape. + +All day long the festival continued. Even through the massive walls of +his room Jack could hear the shrieks and yells of the worshippers as +they maddened themselves with pulque and aguardiente. Once he had the +curiosity to ascend to the flat roof and look down on the square. It +was filled with a mass of frenzied human beings, who danced and sang, +and bellowed wildly. Some cut themselves with knives, others climbing +up to the summit of the teocalli flung themselves headlong down the +staircase. Great fires were lighted in the square, and rings of +Indians, men and women, danced round them, singing frantically. +Everywhere the priests, long-haired, sable-robed, inciting worshippers +to fresh frenzies, constantly the wild piping of barbaric music, the +rumbling of drums. It was a horrible sight, this madness of the +multitude, and after a glance or so Jack descended to his bedroom to +think over the future. + +He was anxious to regain Tlatonac and see his friends once more. Philip +and Peter, and Tim, would be grieving for his loss; but they, no doubt, +thought that he was at Acauhtzin and not pent up in this city of +devildom. Jack knew well that Philip would never have turned _The +Bohemian's_ nose south unless he had been compelled to do so. Against +the heavy guns of ships and forts the bravest man could do nothing, and +the yacht had been forced to retreat. Doubtless Philip had steamed +direct to Tlatonac, and insisted on an army being sent to Acauhtzin to +release his friend and Dolores. But this could not be; as Jack felt +sure there were no transports to take the soldiers northward by sea, +and the inland route was impossible. + +How had the war gone? Had the torpederas arrived? or had Don Hypolito +sent the war-ships filled with soldiers southward to attack Janjalla, +and from thence forced his way overland to the capital? The campaign +would probably be conducted as theorised by Don Rafael. Xuarez would +first capture Janjalla, march his troops northward across the plains to +effect a conjunction with the Indians before the walls of Tlatonac, and +then bring his war-ships up to the capital. In this way the city would +be assaulted on both sides: bombarded by the war-ships, and stormed by +the regular troops of the Opposidores and the Indian tribes. + +"I must escape," thought Duval, as he restlessly tossed and turned on +his couch. "This last order of the Opal will send an Indian army to the +walls of Tlatonac. I know all or most of the plans of Xuarez and when I +tell them to Don Francisco he may be able to thwart them. It is now two +weeks since I was taken by that infernal Don Hypolito, and we cannot +regain Tlatonac for at least another five or six days, if, indeed then. +Three weeks is a long time, and many events may have happened. I hope +those fellows are all right. Once I get back, we shall manage to baffle +Xuarez in some way." + +These thoughts were not conducive to slumber, but during the afternoon +he managed to obtain a few hours of sleep. The herbal medicines of +Cocom had completely restored him to health, and he now felt strong +enough to undergo the hardships of the journey to the coast. Dolores, +however, was delicate, and Jack dreaded to think how she would suffer. +Still, it was a case of life or death, so it was best to make the +attempt. Anything was better than the certainty of a horrible death for +one, constant imprisonment for the other. At whatever cost, they must +escape. + +"It's a case of Pike's Peak, or bust," said Jack recalling the +favourite expression of an American comrade. "I hope to the Lord we +won't bust, this trip." + +Towards sunset Cocom came to wake him for the great attempt. He brought +a very gratifying report as to the state of the population, who were +all either drunk or worn out with religious frenzy. The priests were +scarcely better, and in three hours not a soul in the sacred city would +be capable of observation or movement. It is true that in the +commercial half of the town across the torrent, many people might be on +the alert; but fortunately the entrance to the secret way was on the +sacerdotal side of the bridge, so that the two lovers could escape +unseen. Jack was delighted to hear that things promised so well, and +proceeded under the supervision of Cocom to disguise himself as an +Indian. + +It was not a particularly agreeable task, for he had to strip to the +buff, and sponge himself from head to foot with a liquid so as to +darken his skin. He was also forced to sacrifice his moustache, as the +Central American Indians have no hair on their faces. Jack sorely +rebelled against this demand, but recognising that there was no help +for it, he shaved himself clean as directed, stained his face, dyed his +hair, and at length stood out a very athletic young Indian. Being thus +physically perfect, he assumed sandals of hide, short white cotton +drawers, a loose cotton shirt, an ample scarlet woollen mantle, and a +crown of peacock's feathers. Cocom also adorned him with a plentitude +of bracelets and jingling ornaments. Thus arrayed, Jack was supposed to +be a penitent under a vow of silence, travelling to the coast with his +sister. + +"I hope, Cocom, there won't be any rain," he said, as he followed the +Indian out of the room; "it might wash the dye off." + +"No fear! no rain," replied the Indian, confidently; "the staining will +hold, Señor. Now, not a word! It is dangerous." + +So long had the perfecting of the disguise taken that it was now +considerably after eight o'clock, and the moon was shining brilliantly +in the sky. Guided by the old man, Jack stepped lightly across the +square, which was cumbered with human bodies in all kinds of positions. +Some sleeping heavily from exhaustion, others from intoxication, the +whole of the immense area looked like a battle-field strewn with dead +men. In the midst arose the huge mound of the teocalli, menacing, +formidable. Not a sound broke the stillness, save the sigh of some +sleeper, or the restless turning of another. Under the clear sky lay +the field of the dead, and as Jack stepped gently across the prostrate +bodies he could not help shuddering. + +Remembering Cocom's caution, however, he uttered no sound, but followed +the Indian towards the bridge. Here, in the shadow of the wall, they +found Dolores stained as was her lover, and fantastically tricked out +in savage finery. When she saw Jack's tall form with the nodding plumes +on his head, she could not restrain an exclamation of surprise, but in +another moment was clasped in his arms. + +"Peace, dear one," whispered Jack, fondly kissing her; "keep your heart +brave. We must not wait a moment. Alas! querida, I feel doubtful that +you will bear the fatigues of the mountains." + +"Fear not, Juanito!" she answered, hastily drying her tears; "the +Virgin will sustain and protect us in the wilderness. With thee by my +side, I have no fear." + +Cocom, impatient of this delay, made a clucking noise with his tongue, +so they at once sprang towards him. He guided them a little distance +past the bridge towards the left, and paused before a high wall, +pierced by a dozen or more gateways, with massive doors, grotesquely +carved. By some trick, known only to himself, the old man opened the +valves of one door, and motioned them to enter. On doing so, they found +themselves in an immense oblong court-yard, decorated round the walls +with nothing but huge statues of the god Huitzilopochtli. Cocom had +closed the outside door, and standing in the open court, the fugitives +could see no mode of ingress or egress. The moon shining brightly made +all things as clear as day, and all around, at intervals of a yard, +arose the mighty images, between which was but smooth wall. It was a +trap out of which no one could hope to emerge. + +"The worshippers, Señor," explained Cocom, in a low voice, "are +admitted into this court from the secret way on the right. When the +court is full, their bandages are removed, and no one can tell how he +entered, or how he can go out. This confuses all, and then the bandages +are replaced, and they are thrust out of those many doors on to the +street, and guided to the great square. When they see, they behold but +the great teocalli, and cannot tell the way by which they came. Neither +can the dwellers in Totatzine, for none are admitted to this court." + +"And the secret way?" asked Jack, anxiously. + +"Is behind one of those statues, Señor." + +Both Jack and Dolores looked blankly at the long line of hideous images +against the opposite wall. One statue was as like the other as two +peas, and it was absolutely impossible to tell which one concealed the +entrance. Jack turned to Cocom, and shook his head. + +"If my life depended on it, I could not tell." + +"Eh, Señor, your life does depend on it," said Cocom, grimly, enjoying +his little joke. "Behold!" + +He walked slowly forward, and to all appearance chose a statue at +random. Touching a spring in the protuberant stomach of the idol, the +massive image swung outward, revealing a dark passage. The two lovers +ran forward, but were stopped by Cocom. + +"That passage, Señor, ends with a precipice," he said, with emphasis; +"if you went down there, you would fall into the torrent." + +"A misleading way," said Duval, shrinking back with a shudder at the +horrible imagination of the idea. "Are there others?" + +"This, and this, and this," replied Cocom, causing several statues to +swing out of their places. "All passages you see, Don Juan; all snares +for the unwary. Let me put the images back again. So! Now, Señor, +observe. This image of Huitzilopochtli has a representation of the opal +in its forehead. That is the mark of the way throughout. See!" + +The statue swung round, and Cocom, stepping boldly into the yawning +cavity disclosed, beckoned to them to follow. With the terrified +Dolores on his arm, Jack did so, and they found themselves at the top +of a flight of damp-looking steps. Once inside, and Cocom, pressing the +spring, restored the image to its proper position; then, taking Jack's +hand, led him down the staircase. Clasping Dolores tightly, he +cautiously descended into the pitchy gloom. They seemed to be +proceeding into the bowels of the earth. Down, and down, and still +down, until the hoarse roar of the torrent struck their ears, and +emerging into a darkness little less dense than that in the passage, +they found themselves on a rocky ledge, below the huge structure of the +bridge, almost on a level with the water. At their feet swirled and +foamed the flood, raging over sharp-pointed rocks. To the right, a path +led upward in a gentle slope; to the left, a similar path descended. +Cocom pointed to this latter. + +"Another trap, Señor," he said, grimly, "ending in the cañon. Take that +path, and you would die. Follow this one to the right, and it will lead +you to the great platform beyond the mountains. From thence you can +descend by the great way, and when in the forest, track your path by +the scarlet sign of the opal. Always the opal, Señor. Go nowhere but +where that sign points." + +"I will remember," replied Jack, confidently. + +"Take this wallet, Señor. It contains food for some days, and cacao +leaves, and strong drink. It will last until you reach the cave whereof +I told you. Wait there for me, and I will come shortly. Remember always +the rule of silence--that you are both penitents--the sign thus--lip +and forehead. Now go, Señor. I depart to scatter your clothes on the +narrow way, and spread a false report of your death in the torrent, +while escaping. In four days, Señor, expect me at the cave. Adios, lady +of the precious stone, and you, Señor." + +He sprang backward into the darkness up the stair, and left the lovers +standing in that gloomy inferno, with the torrent roaring below, the +huge masonry of the bridge high above, and, to the right, that perilous +way which they must tread to reach safety. Duval expected Dolores to +give way at thus finding herself in such danger, but, to his surprise, +she was brave, and gay, and strong. + +"Come, querido," she said, cheerfully, "let us go at once. We must +reach the forests before dawn, if possible." + +"It will exhaust you terribly, angelito!" + +"Probably. Still, I must keep up, if only for your sake! Come, querido! +let us depart." + +They moved simultaneously towards the right. + +Oh, that interminable passage, long and narrow and always ascending. +They thought it would never end; but at length it terminated at the +foot of the waterfall. Down from a great height thundered great masses +of water, smashing to foam in the basin below. The spray, rising fine +and mist-like, was damp on their faces. They could not hear themselves +speak, owing to the roar. Jack grasped the hand of Dolores to give her +courage, and turned off abruptly to the right where they entered a +passage cut out of the solid rock. Still gently sloping upward, the +path lead them out into a vast clearing, girdled on all sides by great +trees. The moon shone bright as day; and across the grass ran an +indistinct track. Following this, they found a great flight of steps +leading upward under the boughs of mighty trees--pine, and oak, and +hemlock, throwing their giant branches across, and almost shutting out +the moonlight sky. The staircase was crumbled and old, but wonderfully +built of great blocks of stone. Jack could not restrain his admiration +at this Titanic work. + +"How did they do it?" he said to Dolores, as they painfully climbed up +the superb stair; "they must have known a lot about engineering, those +Toltecs. To swing these blocks into their places must have taken +derricks and complicated machinery. A wonderful work; a wonderful race. +How Philip would enjoy this!" + +"I think Señor Felipe would rather be where he is--in Tlatonac," +replied Dolores, wearily. "I would I were in the Casa Maraquando." + +"Cheer up, my heart! We will be there in a few days. Will I carry you, +cara?" + +"Dios, no! You are already laden!" + +"But you are as light as a feather." + +"Eh, Juanito. You would not find that after carrying me for an hour or +so. No; I am still able to walk. I am stronger than you think." + +They steadily climbed up the staircase, and at length entered the +narrow gorge described by Cocom. Here Jack made the girl sit down and +drink some wine, which did her so much good that in a few minutes she +declared herself ready to resume the journey. Thus fortified, they +entered the gorge, and, cautiously following its windings, at length +emerged suddenly into a circular space. So unexpectedly did they enter +that, as passages opened out in all directions, they could not tell by +which way they had come. This pit--for it was little else, hewn out of +the rock--was fifty or sixty feet in depth, and must have represented +years of toil. On all sides, innumerable passages darted out like rays, +and it was this thought that caused Jack to exclaim-- + +"It is like the opal, Dolores. This space is the stone, those passages +the rays; so it serves a double purpose--to mislead the runaway, and +yet be a symbol of the Chalchuih Tlatonac." + +Fortune favoured the fugitives, for the moon, directly overhead, sent +down her full glory into the pit. Had they arrived later, they would +probably have had to wait till dawn, as the blackness would have been +too intense to permit them to find the true outlet. But the moonlight, +by happy chance, was so strong that, after carefully examining the +sides of several entrances, Jack at length hit on the sign. A huge +crimson blot, with scarlet rays, blazed on a passage to the right. + +"Here we are, Dolores," cried Duval, joyfully, "this is the right way; +but we must be careful, and not risk a snare; one can never tell what +these infernal Indians are up to." + +With great caution they entered the tunnel indicated by the sign, and +feeling every step before them, for the whole place was intensely dark, +moved onward at a snail's pace. The tunnel wound hither and thither, +until they felt quite bewildered. For a time the passage was level, but +after a series of turnings it began to slope gently downwards, and so +continued to the entrance. + +"I hope to Heaven there are no branch tunnels," said Jack, anxiously, +"we could easily go off the main track in this gloom." + +"I am sure there are no side tunnels," replied Dolores, decisively; +"even the priests could not find their way through this place otherwise +than with one way. If there were other tunnels, they would lose +themselves, and that they would not care to risk." + +"Well, let us move on. At all events, the tunnel is getting +straighter," remarked Jack, hopefully. "I wish Cocom had given us a +torch." + +"What is that yonder?" cried Dolores, pressing his arm. "A gleam of +light." + +"Bueno! It is the exit. Come, Dolores, and say no word, lest, when we +emerge on to the platform, there should be Indians waiting there. +Remember our vow of silence." + +Encouraged by this sign of deliverance, they hurried rapidly forward, +quite certain that the ground was safe, and in a few minutes stepped +out of the tunnel's mouth on to a mighty platform, half way down the +mountain. Jack cast a swift glance to right and left, but the area of +masonry was quite bare. They were the only human beings thereon. He +turned to speak to Dolores, and found her staring motionless at the +magnificent scene before her. + +The platform, Jack guessed, was fully a quarter of a mile in length, +and enormously wide. It had first been hewn out of the living rock, and +then faced with masonry, flagged with stones. Here was adopted the same +device for misleading strangers as had been done in the court of the +gods, at the entrance from Totatzine. The whole face of the cliff, at +the back of the terrace, was perforated with tunnels, and now that they +had moved to the verge of the platform neither of them could tell which +tunnel they had come out of. Saving one, all those passages led to +death and destruction. Only one was safe, and that the tunnel +distinguished by the opal sign. No one, ignorant of that sign, could +have escaped death. + +"I don't wonder Totatzine remains hidden," said Jack, thoughtfully. +"The whole of that path is a mass of danger and snares. Now, however, +we shall have a clearer way." + +Turning towards the east, they beheld a vast stair-case sloping +downward to a broad road, at the sides of which were giant images of +the gods. In the pale moonlight they looked like demons, so frightful +were their aspects. In long lines, like pillars, they stretched away +eastward, into the forests, ending in dim obscurity. On either side, +dense foliage; away in the distance, a sea of green trees. There was +nothing but trackless woods and this great road, piercing into the +emerald profundity like a wedge. Behind, arose tall red cliffs, crowned +with ancient trees, tunnelled with black cavities. From thence spread +out the platform with its huge blocks of stone, its walls covered with +hieroglyphics, statues of fierce gods, and vast piles of truncated +towers. Below, the forests, the roadway, the staircase. + +"What a terrible place, Dolores," said Jack, drawing a long breath. "It +is like the abode of demons. Come! it is now after midnight, and the +moon will soon be setting. While we have the light, let us try to reach +the end of yonder avenue." + +"One moment, Juan," replied Dolores, drawing forth something from her +bosom. "While Cocom was with you, I went up to the shrine of +Huitzilopochtli and took in--this." + +Between her fingers, in the pale moonlight, it flashed faintly with +weak sparks of many coloured fire. Jack bounded forward. + +"The Harlequin Opal!" he exclaimed, delighted. "You have taken the +Harlequin Opal." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE FUGITIVES. + + The sun goes down, the twilight wanes, + With reddened spurs and hanging reins, + We urge our steeds across the plains. + + For you and I are flying far, + From those who would our loving mar, + And prison you with bolt and bar. + + Sigh not, dear one, look not so white, + My castle stands on yonder height, + We'll reach it e'er the morning's light. + + The future's joy this night is born, + I wed thee in the early morn, + And laugh my rivals twain to scorn. + + +It was fifty miles from Totatzine to the coast. Dolores being a woman, +and weak, Jack, owing to illness, not being quite so strong as usual, +they found it difficult to do more on an average than two miles an +hour. To make up for slow walking they stretched out their +pedestrianism to twelve hours between dawn and eve, thus reaching the +sea-shore in two days. They arrived at the cave spoken of by Cocom, +which was a harbour of refuge to them in their sore distress, +completely worn out, body and soul and garments. Still they felt a +certain amount of comfort in three consolations: First, they had +escaped from Totatzine with their lives. Secondly, the wallet was not +yet exhausted of meat and drink, so that they were in no danger of +starvation. Thirdly, Cocom, always supposing he would hoodwink the +priests as to his share in their escape, would arrive within twelve +hours or thereabouts. Thus fortified with food and hope, they stayed +thankfully in the cave and waited the arrival of the old Indian. + +As to the journey from platform to cave, that had been a horrible +dream, a nightmare of hardship, of weariness, of many pangs. Starting +from the terrace shortly after midnight, they had traversed the avenue +in three hours. It was five miles in length, and proceeding at the rate +of two miles every sixty minutes, it can be easily seen that they could +gain the shelter of the forest long before dawn. The great road ended +abruptly amid a confused heap of ruins, forest trees, tangled +undergrowth. Doubtless, in the old time it had continued even to the +coast, but time and the Indians had obliterated all traces of its +magnificence five miles down. The former did this because it is his +invariable custom to so treat all human works, which set themselves up +as enduring for ever; the latter played havoc with the relics of their +ancestors' magnificence, so as to hide the city of Totatzine from the +eyes of the white destroyers, who had trodden out of existence those +same ancestors. Nature had also done her share in the work of +destruction, and sent a wave of green trees across the straight line of +cause-way. Therefore, the road which began so proudly at the foot of +the great staircase ended suddenly, after five miles, in the tangled +wilderness. + +The journey from Totatzine to this point had been long and arduous. The +moon had set behind the hills so that it was now dark, and to explore +an unknown forest in such gloom would have been foolish, therefore Jack +insisted that they should take some rest. In the midst of an old palace +he constructed a bed for Dolores with the aid of his and her own cloak, +and after seeing her safely bestowed therein, lay down at the entrance +so as to act as a sleeping sentinel if such a thing be possible. +Nothing particular occurred, however, and when they awoke the sun was +already high in the heavens. Then they made a frugal breakfast and +resumed their journey. + +The way being no longer clearly defined, their progress was necessarily +slow from this point. To the right, on the trunk of a tree, appeared +the sign of a scarlet opal as before pictured on the rocks, so to the +right they went, and at once, even at these few steps from the +causeway, found themselves in the heart of a wild, tropical forest. +There was something terrible to these two civilised beings about the +primeval savagery of this vegetation and exuberant foliage. Dense, +tangled, almost impenetrable, it reminded Jack of the wood grown by +fairy power round the palace of the sleeping beauty. That forest, +however was to keep lovers out; this, alas! served to keep these lovers +in. It lay between them and the coast, quite thirty-five miles of wild +growth, and at times Dolores almost despaired of breaking through the +barrier. Not so Jack, he was hopeful of ultimate success being +strengthened in his faith by the constant appearance of the opal sign. + +On every side of them rose giant trees of hoary age, their trunks +seemingly supporting the verdant roof above-head. At times, so dense +were the leaves that sky and sun and kindly light were shut out +entirely, and they moved through a translucent twilight of tremulous +green. From trunks and boughs depended lianas like ropes binding the +forest giants together, or, dropping to the ground, formed a ladder up +which climbed the most exquisite flowers. Splendid tree-ferns drooped +their gigantic fronds on high, springing thickly from tall pillars, +rough, brown, and hairy. Below, the ground was thick with brilliant +blossoms, which seized every chance offered by rock, liana, and trunk +to climb upward to that light excluded by the sea of foliage overhead. + +At every step the forest changed its appearance, as though it were an +enchanted wood. Here, all was savagery and gloom; step forward, and lo! +a wide and sunny glade. One moment, and they were surrounded by +moss-covered rocks; the next, and a noble avenue of palms opened a +vista before them. Pools of water sparkled here and there; babbling +brooks winding capriciously in and out in wayward circles; at times, +the sudden gleam of a waterfall, threading downwards in white streaks +from a giant rock; and again, the miasma of a swamp, black and +evil-looking, in whose waters rolled the trunks of fallen trees. +Everywhere flowers bursting into bloom; everywhere new leaves swelling +into being; everywhere the exuberant life of a tropic climate. The +atmosphere was warm and damp, a clammy air permeated the woods, and the +whole place was one vast hothouse, where fecundation went on +unceasingly. Throughout, a rich perfume pervaded the air, heavy, +sickly, and languorous. + +Fortunately, Jack's sight had been rendered keen by his profession, +else it would have been difficult to have discerned the sign, on trunk +of tree, or mossy rock. Scarlet is a noticeable colour, and had the +opal sign been the only red hue in the forest, there would have been no +difficulty in the matter. But everywhere scarlet flowers made fire of +the intense emerald of foliage and grass. Dazzling masses of crimson +verbena glared fiercely in the dim gloom, vermilion blossoms burned +like lamps in the dense brushwood, wreaths of ruddy leaves made streaks +like veins overhead, and the ground blazed with the pinks and carmines +and purples of an infinite variety of blossoms. It was difficult to +pick out the red-opal sign amid this constant repetition of the same +tints; but Jack, by careful observation, managed to do so, being guided +at times by a well-defined path. Indeed, often he was tempted to ignore +the sign, and go only by the path; but, as numerous branches led off +from the omphalos of the great road, he was afraid of going astray, so +kept his reckoning by the opal alone. + +For two days they travelled through this zone of verdure, and at +length, by the salt smell in the air, became aware that they were +nearing the ocean. At times they met Indians, gaudily dressed, with +painted faces, and deadly looking weapons; but these, on observing the +scarlet mantles of the pair, and receiving the sign on lips and +forehead, stepped aside to let them pass. They recognised that these +travellers were proceeding eastward by the will of the god, under the +vow of silence. Superstition, stronger than greed or cruelty, protected +them from the savages of the wilderness. + +The journey was not dull, in spite of their anxiety and dread of being +followed. On every side the forest was full of life, and Dolores was +delighted to see the constant flashing of humming-birds, green, red and +yellow glories, which darted through the still air like flying gems. +Once they saw the yellow hide of a jaguar, black spotted, sleek, and +terrible. Jack had nothing but a knife, given to him by Cocom, and +regretted that he had not his revolver with him. A knife was but a poor +weapon to do battle with such a terrible foe. To their relief, however, +the animal only eyed them for a few minutes in startled surprise, and +then slunk away among the undergrowth. Other perils from wild animals +they had none. + +Sometimes the whole air would be alive with butterflies. Purple, yellow +spotted, azure striped, they fluttered everywhere. One would have +thought the flowers were alive, and flew from stem to stem. Peter, as +Jack thought, would have been in his element. This forest was the true +paradise of butterflies. But they had no time to admire all this skill +and fecundity of Nature. Resolutely following the opal sign, they +pushed onward through the forest. They saw on all sides the puzzle +monkey trees, with their sharp spikes; ombù trees, whose shade is so +dense; aloes, whose branches spread outward like the seven-stemmed +candlestick of the Revelation; palms, mangoes, wild fig trees; cactus, +burning with fleshy scarlet blossoms, and shallow lagunas, swampy pools +of water, filled with sedges and rushes and slimy weeds. + +The din was constant. Monkeys swung themselves from bough to bough +overhead, chattered without ceasing; parrots, gay plumaged, harsh +voiced, shrieked discordantly in their ears; the roaring of jaguars and +pumas sounded faint in the distance, like muffled thunder; and ever +rasped the stridulation of restless grasshoppers, unseen but noisy. + +Such a wealth of invention, such overpowering luxuriance, wore out the +senses, wearied the soul. Both Jack and Dolores were glad when the +sharp, salt smell of the sea struck knife-like through the enervating +atmosphere. They had been travelling since dawn, and now, at noon, on +the third day of their departure from Totatzine, they beheld the great +waste of waters, flashing like a mirror in the sun. Jack should have +greeted it as did the Hellens of Epaminondas, with a joyful cry of +"Thalatta! Thalatta!" but he had forgotten his Greek, and was too weary +to feel poetic. + +At this stage of their journey, they met with many Indians, who here +landed in order to proceed to the shrine of the opal. Dolores was much +afraid of their secret being discovered, and even Jack was somewhat +doubtful of the efficacy of the vow of silence; but, in this case, as +in others, fanaticism proved their safeguard, for they passed unharmed, +even unspoken to, through the mass of savages. On arriving at the verge +of the sea, Jack at once sought out the cave described by Cocom; and, +leading Dolores thereto, for a short space of time, they were in +safety. + +From this point, as Jack had learned in Totatzine, the city of Tlatonac +was distant about twenty miles down the coast, and as there were plenty +of canoes drawn up on the beach, it would have been easy for them to +have proceeded at once on their journey. Gratitude to Cocom, however, +prevented this, and they remained that night in the cave in order to +await his arrival. The hiding-place was a natural cavern of wide +extent, and, after making Dolores as comfortable as he could, Jack +retired to the entrance, and kept guard, lest they should be surprised +by some wandering savage. + +Throughout this perilous journey, nothing could exceed the tenderness +and chivalry with which Duval behaved towards Dolores. He was tireless +in his efforts to spare her all fatigues, in keeping up her spirits, in +guarding her from all the annoyances consequent on travelling +ill-provided through a dense forest. Dolores said nothing at the time, +but took silent note of all this courtesy, and over and over again +breathed a thankful prayer that the man whom she loved had proved +himself so noble in the hour of danger. It was a disagreeable position +to a girl brought up as she had been in strict observance of etiquette; +but Jack came triumphantly through the ordeal, and gained rather than +lost in her eyes by the nobility of his character, by the rare delicacy +of his behaviour. + +The only thing that Duval feared was that the loss of the opal might +cause the priests to mistrust Cocom's story, and send out word far and +wide that the sacred gem had been torn from the temple. It was true +that they had gained a twelve hours' start, but, owing to the delicacy +of Dolores' constitution, they had travelled very slowly to the coast, +and at any moment messengers with news of the theft might arrive on the +scene. In such an event, all the Indians on the coast would be examined +as to whether a man and woman had passed seaward in company. Owing to +their clothes being scattered in the gorge, the priests (supposing they +did not trust these signs of death) would know they were disguised as +Indians, therefore the dresses would avail them but little. Neither +would the vow of silence be of much use, as in this crisis they would +be questioned as to whom they were, to what tribe did they belong, and +as neither of them could speak a word of Indian, the situation would +become serious. The only hope, therefore, that they had of safety was +of the arrival of Cocom without delay. If he arrived next morning, all +would be well, if not, Jack discussed the advisability of taking a +canoe, and proceeding at once to Tlatonac. + +At dawn next morning they were both eating a hurried meal in the cave, +and talking over the advisability of making a retreat while it was yet +time. + +"As soon as they find out the opal is missing, the whole country will +rise in arms," said Jack, emphatically; "and every Indian will be +questioned closely, both within and without the town." + +"But the news won't reach the coast for some time, Juan." + +"I question very much if it has not reached the coast now," replied +Jack, a trifle drily. "From the end of that road are many other paths +to the coast, so swift messengers might have passed us in that way. Let +us hope, however, that this is not the case, and that Cocom will be the +first to bring the news that the opal is lost." + +"Cocom will guess that I have taken the opal!" + +"Doubtless; and the question is whether he will permit you to take it +to Tlatonac." + +"But why not, Juanito? I am the guardian of the opal. It is mine." + +"Querida, you are wrong. It is the property of Huitzilopochtli. You are +only its guardian--a mere honorary position that does not entail +possession of the stone. Its proper place, according to the Indian's +superstition, is in the shrine of Totatzine." + +"But Cocom is a Christian. He will not care about my taking it." + +"Dios! I am not so sure of that, Dolores. Cocom, by his own profession, +was brought up an idolater, and old habits cling. It is true that he +was converted by the good Padre, and I have no doubt his Catholicism is +very fair--for an Indian. But if he does not worship the war-god, he at +least believes in the prophetic quotations of the Opal; and, thus +believing, may resent it being taken from the shrine." + +"Then I will say nothing about it." + +"Useless, angelito! Cocom knows that no other person than ourselves +would dare to steal the Chalchuih Tlatonac. I was with him all the +time, so he will know it cannot be me. Naturally enough, he will think +it is you." + +"And therefore betray us?" + +"No, I do not think he will do that. After all his trouble, it would be +foolish of him to now play the traitor, for then his concurrence in our +escape would become known, and get him into bad odour with the priests. +But it is possible that he might insist on your leaving the opal +behind, to be sent back to Totatzine." + +"No," cried Dolores, decisively; "I will rather throw it into the sea. +Now that the gem is away from the shrine, those horrid priests may stop +sacrificing men to the idol. Besides," she added, naïvely "it is mine." + +"Ah! that is an all-sufficient reason," replied Duval, smiling. "Like +all women, querida, you are fond of gems, and do not like to part with +this one." + +"It is very beautiful," sighed Dolores, taking the stone from her +breast. "See how it glitters, Juanito. Ah! what is that?" + +A long, shrill whistle sounded outside the cave. + +"Cocom!" cried Jack, starting to his feet. "Hide the opal for the +present, Dolores." + +It was indeed Cocom who entered. Cocom looking much older than usual, +and quite worn out with his long journey from Totatzine. He saluted +them gravely, and wrapping himself in his zarape crouched on the floor +of the cave, with his eyes intently fixed on them both. The expression +of his face was as usual, and Jack was quite unable to decide whether +he approved of or resented the rape of the shining precious stone. + +"You look tired, Cocom," said Jack, passing him a flask of aguardiente. +"Take a drink of this. It will do you good." + +The old man greedily seized the flask, and drained it to the bottom. As +it was more than half full Jack fully expected to see him fall +helplessly intoxicated on the floor. But Cocom's head was seasoned to +strong drink, and it only made him look younger, as though the +aguardiente were a draught from the fountain of Youth. + +"Have you it, Señorita?" he asked, fixing his beady eyes on Dolores. + +"Yes," replied Dolores, off her guard. "That is, I----" + +"Bueno!" said Cocom, nodding his head. "You have the opal. I am +content." + +Jack drew a long breath of relief. Cocom's sympathy with the idolatry +of his youth was not evidently strong enough to stir him into protest +against the gem being stolen. Or perhaps he deemed that Dolores had +more right to it than Huitzilopochtli. At all events, he did not seem +ill-pleased that she was now in possession of the celebrated stone. + +"What say the priests, Cocom?" he asked anxiously. + +"They are in despair, Señor, over the loss of the sacred stone." + +"Do they know who has taken it?" + +Cocom pointed one copper-coloured finger at Dolores. + +"They knew that the Chalchuih Tlatonac is with the guardian; but they +think that the guardian and you, Señor, are at the bottom of the +cañon--in the bed of the torrent." + +"Then your ruse was successful?" + +"Yes, Señor! I strewed the clothes on the narrow path, and in the dawn +awoke the town with my cries. Ixtlilxochitli, with his priests, came to +inquire the trouble. I told them that you, Señor, had escaped. They, +not guessing you had gone by the secret way, thought you had fled alone +by the cañon. The narrow way was examined, your clothes were found, the +blood on the cliffs, the clothes of Doña Dolores. Then they knew she +had fled with you, and deemed both had fallen in the darkness over the +cliff into the torrent." + +"And the Chalchuih Tlatonac?" asked Dolores, breathlessly. + +"They discovered that loss on returning to the teocalli for the morning +sacrifice. All the priests were in despair, and Ixtlilxochitli, knowing +you had taken the sacred gem, Señor, burnt a lock of your hair to----" + +"A lock of my hair!" interrupted Jack, in surprise; "how did they get +that?" + +"Some of your hair was cut off when you were ill, and preserved in the +temple." + +"And why did they burn it?" + +"Because, by doing so, they devote your soul to Tlacatecolotl, the evil +one." + +"Oh, the Aztec devil," replied Duval, carelessly. "Much good that will +do them. I should have thought it wiser for them to look for the +stone." + +"They are looking for it, Señor, and for your body--in the bed of the +torrent." + +"I'm afraid they will be disappointed with the result of their search. +So they think we are dead?" + +"Yes, Señor. You are safe from pursuit; but I am not." + +"What do you mean?" + +Cocom withdrew his left arm from the fold of his zarape. The hand was +cut off, and nothing remained but the stump of the wrist, seared with +hot-iron. A hideous object. Dolores cried out, and hid her face in her +hands with a shudder. Jack at once understood why Cocom had acquiesced +so calmly in the theft of the opal. + +"Behold, Señor!" said the old man, shaking the mutilated wrist at Jack, +with a look of hatred; "this was my punishment for suffering you to +escape. My hand was cut off before Huitzilopochtli, and burned with +red-hot iron. Then I was shut up in prison, to wait till the god's will +was known." + +"My poor Cocom!" cried Jack, much distressed, "how you have suffered +for aiding us. Thank Heaven you have escaped!" + +"Yes, Señor. Ixtlilxochitli did not think I could leave the city; but +in the night I got out of the window of my prison, and followed you +down the secret way. With all my strength I followed, but I feel sure +that the hounds of the priests are on my track." + +"But as Ixtlilxochitli knows you are not aware of the secret way, +he----" + +"Señor," interrupted Cocom, vehemently, "he must know it now. After the +discovery of the cañon, guards were placed there. I have left the city. +One other way only could I have gone--the secret way. Believe me, +Señor, the Indians are not far behind." + +"Dios!" cried Dolores, in terror, "we will be discovered!" + +"Not so, Señorita! On my way hither, I met a friend coming from +Tlatonac to the shrine. He told me that the boat of the Americano had +gone some days since to Acauhtzin, to demand the release of Don Juan. +She returns to-day, and will pass this point at noon. There is a canoe +below, Señor! Let us depart in that canoe, and meet the steamer." + +Jack sprang to his feet, with a shout, at this prospect of deliverance. + +"Philip's yacht," he cried, joyfully; "good! We will do as you say, at +once, Cocom, and cut across the line of her passage. She will be sure +to pick us up." + +"Not now, Señor! At noon!" + +Jack went to the entrance of the cave, and looked at the altitude of +the sun. + +"It wants two hours to noon. In one hour we will start." + +"Bueno!" replied Cocom, stolidly, "let us hope the hounds of +Ixtlilxochitli will not find us. Once we see the boat of the Señor +Americano, and we are safe, if not----" + +Cocom shook his head to intimate he had grave doubts of what would be +their fate in such an event, and took another drink of aguardiente. +Jack knew that in returning Philip would keep the yacht close to the +shore, in order to avoid the war-ships of Xuarez, which generally kept +a long way to seaward. He, therefore, took up his station at the mouth +of the cave, and watched the northern horizon for the first trail of +smoke from the yacht's funnel. + +As in most tropical countries, towards the middle of the day all sounds +of life ceased, and Nature took her siesta. In the hush, the three +people in the cave heard far away a wild cry. Cocom sprang to his feet, +and hurried to the entrance to lay his hand on Jack's arm. + +"Ixtlilxochitli's hounds! Let us get away at once. Quick, Señor! We +will start now." + +"And be safe," cried Jack, excitedly, pointing towards the horizon; +"yonder is the yacht!" + +There was a speck on the horizon, but they had no time to look at it. +The cries of the Indians sounded nearer and nearer. Guided by Cocom, +they left the cave and rushed down a steep road to the beach. Hastily +selecting a large canoe, Cocom sprang in. Jack lifted Dolores over the +gunwale, and stepping in himself, pushed quickly off. Just as they got +her afloat, a crowd of Indians burst out of the woods, and made for the +beach. With keen eyes they had distinguished Cocom as the fugitive whom +they were after, and fearful of losing their prey, poured down in a +tumultuous mass. A shower of arrows fell around them, but luckily did +no damage, save one which grazed Jack's cheek. In another moment, they +were in deep water, paddling quickly from the shore. + +The Indians at once seized the remaining boats, of which there were +about a dozen, and hurriedly embarked. Impelled by powerful arms, these +boats shot out after the fugitives with great rapidity. Jack turned his +head to look for the yacht. She was steaming southward with great +speed. With the strength of despair, Jack paddled, and so did Dolores. +Cocom was but little use with his mutilated hand, but stood up in the +bow cursing their pursuers fluently in the Indian tongue. + +From the start, they had gained considerably on their pursuers, and +fortunately an accident happened, by which three of the canoes, coming +into collision, were overturned. The screams and cries of those +struggling in the water caused their comrades to pause, and during a +few minutes Jack succeeded in placing a longer distance between himself +and his pursuers. _The Bohemian_ was so near that he could see the +Union Jack flying at her masthead, the foam swirling from her bows. + +With wild yells to encourage one another, the remaining canoes started +again; but, their folly in keeping close together in a mass, impeded +their own speed. A good distance stretched between the pursuers and +pursued. Cocom stood swearing fluently, Dolores prayed loudly in +Spanish, but Jack, with teeth set hard, paddled as though the devil +were after him. To lose all when within sight of safety, it would be +too terrible; and as he forced the boat along, he kept glancing over +his shoulder to look at the course of the yacht. She was standing +closer in to shore, and the canoe would cut across her trail in ten +minutes or thereabouts. + +Those on board had evidently seen a boat was being chased by the +Indians, for the sound of a gun broke on their ears. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Jack, joyfully. "Philip sees us. Come on, you cursed +wretches, I'll escape you yet." + +Dolores flung down her paddle with a cry. She was completely worn out, +and could do no more. Jack did what he could, but the Indians rapidly +gained on them. A second gun announced that the yacht was close at +hand. So were the Indians now within bow shot. Already some were +fitting the arrows to the strings. An idea struck Jack which promised +to be their salvation. + +"Dolores, the opal! the opal! Hold it up. They dare not fire then." + +She caught his meaning at once, and as the nearest boat drew on, sprang +to her feet and held up the great gem. It flashed and sparkled in the +sun, and a cry of wonder burst from the lips of their pursuers. The +foremost warriors dropped their bows. They recognised the Chalchuih +Tlatonac, and superstition, stronger than anything else in their +natures, paralysed their arms. + +"Señor, the boat!" cried Cocom, joyfully. + +Jack turned his head. _The Bohemian_ was less, much less, than a +quarter of a mile away. Seeing this, the Indians, while forebearing to +shoot, made redoubled efforts to catch them before the yacht came up, +and thus recover the sacred gem. One boat came within two lengths, when +Jack, thinking to dodge and gain time, turned his light craft off to +the right. In another two minutes a ball ricochetted across the waves +and smashed the foremost boat to pieces. Awestruck at this unexpected +event, the others stopped paddling, and in a few minutes the canoe was +safe under the bows of the yacht. Philip, Peter, and Rafael were +looking over the side at the--as they thought--Indians. + +"Philip! Philip!" + +"Why! God! It's Jack!" + +"Dolores! Take Dolores on board first," murmured Jack; then, overcome +by all he had passed through, fell back in a faint. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +FORTUNE TURNS HER WHEEL. + + Frown, Fortune, frown, + For I am much cast down, + And tears do melancholy make my face; + In sable gown, + With sad yew-wreath as crown, + I rail at you, + Oh, Fortune, most untrue, + For that to me, you show not any grace; + Oh, la! fa! la! la! + My Lady Fortune, hear my sigh, + Be kinder to my love and I. + + Smile, Fortune, smile, + For I am gay awhile, + And laughter lurks about these lips again; + Now I beguile + My days with cheerful wile, + For from the throng, + Of shepherds gay and strong, + My love hath chosen me to be her swain; + Oh, la! fa! la! la! + My Lady Fortune hear my cry, + How happy are my love and I. + + +"Baron Munchausen!" said Philip, addressing Jack, with mock solemnity, +"this story of thine passeth the comprehension of man. 'Tis a most rare +history, and, were I the Commander of the Faithful, I would have it +written in letters of gold on purple parchment." + +It was some hours after their rescue by Philip, and _The Bohemian_ +was just entering the harbour of Tlatonac. Dolores was sound asleep in +Peter's cabin; and Jack, now transformed to a civilised being, by +washing and clothing, was seated in the state-room, narrating his +adventures to an attentive audience of three. As for Cocom, he was +squatting on the floor with a cigarette in his mouth, grunting approval +of Jack's story--which he told in Spanish, for the benefit of Rafael, +and modestly receiving the encomiums lavished on him by the listeners. +Philip and Don Rafael frequently interrupted him with exclamations of +surprise; but Peter, less skilful in understanding the Castilian +tongue, had to keep his attention fixed on every word that fell from +Jack's lips. Under the tutorship of Doña Serafina, the little doctor +had made wonderful progress, and now understood the Spanish language +fairly well. It was at the conclusion of this most extraordinary story +that Philip addressed Jack as "Baron Munchausen." + +"Por todos Santos!" exclaimed Rafael, admiringly, following Philip's +example, "it is wonderful. Mi amigo! I can never thank you sufficiently +for all you have done for my cousin. But, perchance," added the young +captain, with a twinkle in his eye, "Dolores has already thanked you +herself." + +"Dolores will thank me when we arrive at Tlatonac," retorted Jack, +sipping his wine. "Our circumstances were too perilous, Rafael, to +admit of fine compliments." + +"Don Miguel will be pleased!" remarked Peter, in fair Spanish. + +"He will be more than pleased, Don Pedro," cried Rafael, seizing Jack's +hand. "My friend, for this you have done, I feel sure my father will +grant you the desire of your heart." + +"Santissima! Let Dolores marry an Americano?" + +"And why not, Señor? You have saved her life." + +"Assuredly! But Cocom saved mine, Rafael!" + +"For that Cocom shall pass the rest of his days in peace and comfort," +said Philip, looking gratefully at the Indian. + +Cocom shook his head with mournful composure. + +"The days of Cocom are numbered, Señores. The Doña Dolores showed the +opal to the hounds of Ixtlilxochitli. By that they knew that the victim +of the cycle, that the guardian of the Chalchuih Tlatonac still live, +and have stolen the sacred stone. Cocom aided them to discover the +secret way, and Ixtlilxochitli will never forgive that betrayal. I am +lost, Señores. I shall die." + +"Es verdad!" exclaimed Rafael, earnestly, "doubtless the Indians of +Totatzine will try and kill you, Cocom. But in Tlatonac, under the +protection of the opal flag, you are safe!" + +"No, Señor Maraquando! I shall die," repeated Cocom, stolidly. + +"Not you!" interposed Jack, patting the old man on the head. "I shall +look after you, my friend. You saved my life; I shall save yours. A +fair exchange! Hark! a gun!" + +"It is from the fort," said Philip, hastily rising, "we are now in the +harbour. Come on deck, Jack. We shall be on shore in another twenty +minutes." + +They at once went up, and Jack took off his hat with a reverential +expression, when he saw the silvery walls of Tlatonac once more glisten +over the blue waters. + +"Thank God, who has preserved us through many perils!" + +"Amen!" said Philip's deep voice, behind him "Oh, Jack," he added, +placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, with deep emotion, "if you +only knew what agonies we have undergone, thinking of your fate. When +we found you were missing, I wished to go back, at any risk, and headed +the yacht for the harbour of Acauhtzin. But that cursed Xuarez turned +his guns on us, and, as _The Bohemian_ would have been smashed to +pieces, we were forced to retreat. What a cur I felt then." + +"You could not help it," said Jack, patting Philip's back, kindly. "In +an attempt to rescue me, you would only have lost your own lives." + +"I did what I could, Jack. At once I came back to Tlatonac, and +implored Don Francisco to send an army to Acauhtzin to your rescue. But +it was impossible--the torpederas had not arrived, and there were only +some merchant-ships to take men north-ward. Defended, as Acauhtzin was, +by the war-ships, such an attempt would have been foolhardy. We were +forced to remain inactive at Tlatonac, not knowing if you were dead or +alive." + +"And then the war broke out?" + +"As I told you; Don Hypolito, with his war-ship, is now besieging +Janjalla. Tim, Garibay, General Gigedo, and half the army, are there +defending it. Tim wanted to remain and search for you; but I insisted +on his going, and told him I would take _The Bohemian_ up to Acauhtzin, +under the Union Jack, to make inquiries." + +"It was lucky you did that," said Jack, with a grim smile, "or those +Indians would have killed or recaptured us for sure." + +"We did not know it was you," interposed Peter, who had been +listening,--they were conversing in English. "I saw you first, and +thought it was only a canoe of Indians being chased by others. Philip +thought he would help the supposed Indians, and fired those guns." + +"Peter nearly fainted when we saw who the Indians were," laughed +Philip, slipping his arm within that of Jack's. "However, 'all's well +that ends well;' and here you are, safe and sound with Dolores." + +"And with the opal!" + +"Good! I never thought you would have got that stone, Jack. Your luck +holds, old fellow. The possession of the opal will give confidence to +Tlatonac. Will it not, Rafael?" + +"What say you, Señor Felipe?" + +"The opal! Its possession will inspire confidence." + +"Of a certainty, mi amigo. Our men will fight like devils, now they +know the fortune of the Chalchuih Tlatonac is on the side of the Junta. +In the same way, Don Hypolito's soldiers will lose heart." + +"If they lose the war, that is all I care about. I would like to see +that fiend of a Xuarez punished," said Jack, savagely. "By the way, +Philip, I suppose you got no satisfaction at Acauhtzin this trip?" + +"No; the forts opened fire, and would not let me enter the harbour. +Luckily, the war-ships were all south, as I knew, or we would have been +smashed up." + +"The war-ships are bombarding Janjalla, you told me." + +"Yes; we hope, however, that it will hold out till the torpederas go +south." + +"Have they arrived?" + +"Yonder." + +Philip pointed to the left, and there, under the walls of the fort, lay +two long black objects, with stumpy black funnels. More than this, a +large ship of some two thousand five hundred tons was anchored close at +hand. Jack was astonished to see the change in the port since he had +last beheld Tlatonac. Then it was quiet and peaceful-looking, now, what +with ships and the two torpedo-boats, black wasps of the ocean, as they +were, lying under the walls, the walls themselves spotted with the +muzzles of heavy guns, the glitter of arms and uniforms outside the +sea-gate, and the blaring of distant trumpets, the roll of drums, the +aspect was of the most warlike character. He glanced at the +spiteful-looking torpedo-boats, and turning towards Philip, mutely +demanded an explanation. + +"You see Cholacaca is in the thick of it," said the baronet, gaily. +"You have been away close on three weeks, and during that time neither +Don Hypolito nor the Junta have been idle. The former has sent his +troops and war-ships to Janjalla, and the latter is busy fixing up the +torpederas to have a fight with _The Pizarro_ and her consorts down +south." + +"But that ship?" + +"_The Iturbide_. She is a Cuban mail steamer requisitioned by the +Junta, and turned into an armed cruiser for this war. With her and the +torpederas, Don Hypolito's fleet won't have such a pleasant time as +they think." + +"Does Don Rafael command _The Iturbide?_" + +"I, mi amigo!" cried Rafael, overhearing this question. "Not I. Yonder +torpedo-boat is under my charge, and in that, Don Juan, you must come +with me." + +"When do you go south?" + +"The day after to-morrow. At the same time regiments march by land to +Gigedo, at Janjalla. Oh, the game has begun, Juan, and the opal burns +red!" + +"It will now burn whatever colour we like," retorted Jack, shrugging +his shoulders. "I saw the way those priests managed the trick. It +was----" + +"Tim can tell us all that in the patio of Casa Maraquando," interrupted +Philip, hastily. "See, the anchor is down, so we had better go ashore +at once, and relieve the minds of Don Miguel and the ladies." + +"Cocom is already over the side," said Peter, pointing to a small canoe +skimming the waves. "You will receive an ovation on your way through +the city." + +"Greatness is thrust upon me," laughed Jack, who was wonderfully +lighthearted now that they were safe, "Where is Doña Dolores?" + +"Just coming on deck." + +The girl still wore her Indian dress, as Philip, being a bachelor, had +no feminine gear on board. She had, however, washed the paint from her +face, and looked wonderfully bright and charming in her savage +toilette. + +"Pocahontas!" said Philip, in Jack's ear, as she approached. "Lucky +man. I would I were Captain John Smith." + +"What about Eulalia?" + +"Oh, I can tell you about Eulalia," murmured Dr. Grench, a trifle +maliciously. + +"You'll do nothing of the sort, Peter," said Philip, sharply. "I will +tell Jack all about it myself. You stick to your beetles and Doña +Serafina." + +"Doña Serafina!" cried Dolores, overhearing the name. "Oh, Señor +Felipe, how I do wish to see my dear aunt." + +"In a few minutes, Señorita. See, the boat is waiting. We will all go +on shore at once." + +"There seems to be a row on shore," remarked Jack, as they climbed down +the side of the yacht. + +"Dios!" exclaimed Rafael, laughing. "Cocom has told them all. The news +is passing from mouth to mouth. Soon it will be all over the city. +Harken to the cries, mis amigos." + +"Vive el Americano! El opalo! Dios lo pague, Doña Dolores!" + +"A shout for one, a shout for all," observed Jack, philosophically. +"They should also shout, 'God reward Cocom!' for without Him we would +not be here." + +They were welcomed on shore by a frantic crowd. The Cholacacans have +all the vivacity and impulsiveness of southern nature. Nothing do they +love so much as a public demonstration; therefore, on this occasion +they gave full rein to their enthusiasm. In their eyes, Jack was a +hero, Dolores a heroine, and, accordingly, they were almost stunned +with vociferous applause. The fact that the opal, that sacred gem, so +inextricably interwoven with the traditions of the Republic, was now in +the city itself, wrought them up to a pitch of frenzy. With the +Chalchuih Tlatonac in their midst, they could not fail to conquer the +rebels; it was the palladium of the Republic, the genius of Tlatonac, +and by it would they be enabled to overwhelm their enemies. The +superstitious belief they had in the jewel was almost terrible. It +glittered on the banners of Cholacaca, it coloured the whole patriotic +feelings of the inhabitants. The opal meant victory to its possessors, +and, lo! they held it safely in the capital. + +Up to the sea-gate the lovers passed, surrounded by their friends. On +either side the vast crowd heaved like a great sea. Constant cries +saluted Jack, Dolores, the opal; and to show the public that Cocom had +spoken truly, Duval whispered a few words to his companion. In a moment +she had drawn forth the gem from her breast, and held it up in full +sight of the populace. The tumult sank to a dead stillness, as if by +magic, and everyone drew a deep breath of awe and admiration as the +splendid jewel flashed its lightnings in the sun. A crimson beam flared +forth, owing to the position in which it was held by Dolores. It burned +in her fingers like a red-hot coal. The crowd, in their superstition, +took it as a sign from heaven, and burst out into frenzied cries. + +"Guerra! Guerra! El opalo! Guerra! Abajo los rebeledes!" + +Then some excited person began chanting the national song of the opal. +In a moment the mob caught at the idea, and the great body of sound +thundered to the sky. + + Kneel at the shrine while the future discerning, + See how the crimson ray strengthens and glows; + Red as the sunset the opal is burning, + Red is prophetic of death to our foes. + +"I feel like a victorious general," said Jack, smiling at all this +enthusiasm. + +"What a pity Tim isn't here," remarked Peter, whose usually meek eyes +were flashing like stars behind his spectacles; "he does so like a +row." + +"He'll be having plenty where he is," said Philip, grimly; "but look at +that fellow going to do the Raleigh business with his zarape." + +By this time they had passed into the Calle Otumba, and a frantic young +Spaniard, rushing forward, flung his cloak on the ground for Dolores to +walk across. The idea pleased the people, and in a few moments the +whole way up to the Casa Maraquando was spread with zarapes. Then +flowers were flung before them in profusion. + +"The primrose path of dalliance," quoth Philip, laughing. "I hope these +excited people won't throw their bodies next for us to walk over. Don't +be afraid, Doña Dolores. You have your guard of honour to protect you." + +Indeed, this frenzied demonstration rather scared the girl. All the +colour faded out of her face, and slipping the opal into her bosom, she +shrank terrified against her lover. Jack took her arm within his own +and his touch gave her more confidence; but what with the singing, +shouting, cloak-flinging, flower throwing, and what not, they both felt +quite worn out, and were not at all sorry to at length arrive at the +door of the Casa Maraquando. + +The news of their arrival had preceded them, as a matter of course, and +Don Miguel, with outstretched arms, was waiting in the gateway to +receive them. Dolores, with a cry of delight, flung herself on the +breast of her uncle, who at once carried her into the patio. Then the +rest of the party followed, and the doors were shut against the mob, +which still remained in the street, terribly excited. After a time, the +tumult quietened down like a sea after a storm, and the throng streamed +into the Plaza de los Hombres Ilustres to organise a demonstration to +the honour and glory of the Chalchuih Tlatonac and its guardian. + +In the patio, Dolores was received with noisy demonstrations by Doña +Serafina, and with joyful tears by Eulalia. It was some time, however, +before Don Miguel could part from his niece, for he held her to his +breast, calling upon all the saints to shower blessings on her head. +Never had the stately Spaniard been so moved, and when he delivered his +niece over to the tender embraces of Serafina and Eulalia, he turned +towards Jack, with tears in his eyes. + +"Señor Juan," he said, in a voice of emotion, grasping the young man's +hand, "I can never repay you for what you have done. From this moment +you may command the services, and the lives of myself and those dear to +me." + +He could say no more, but, with a wave of his hand, walked to the other +end of the court to conceal his emotion. Jack was scarcely less moved, +and as for Dolores, she was being overwhelmed by her cousin and aunt. + +"Dear one," chattered the old lady, noisily; "now that thou art safe, I +vow twenty candles to the Virgin, who has thus watched over thee, and +to San Juan, who is the patron saint of your preserver." + +"I, also!" cried Eulalia, who had in some mysterious way become +possessed of the history. "I vow a jewel to San Felipe, for it was his +namesake who preserved them from the Indians." + +Jack and Philip were much gratified by these marks of attention; but +Peter, being left out in the cold, was inclined to be cross. + +"They might vow a candle or so to San Pedro," he grumbled, "seeing the +whole Church of Rome is under his care." + +"Offer him some beetles, Peter," said Jack, in the little doctor's ear; +but the suggestion was not received favourably by the entomologist. + +Having wept and cried over Dolores to their hearts' content, the ladies +proceeded to lead her away to resume her own dress; but before doing +so, both aunt and niece flung themselves on Jack's neck, and embraced +him with fervour. Duval did not mind a kiss from Eulalia, but he +objected to the aunt. Nevertheless, as he had to take the bitter with +the sweet, he passively submitted to be made much of. + +"Caro, Señor! You are an angel from heaven," cried Serafina, with +fervour. + +"As valiant as the Cid," said Eulalia, kissing Jack's bronzed cheek. + +"We will pray for you to the saints." + +"Your face shall be in my soul!" + +This last remark came from Eulalia, whereat Philip winced. Seeing this, +Jack brought the duet to a speedy end. + +"I am your servant, Señoritas! What I have done is nothing, and thanks +are rather due to Cocom than to me." + +"But without you, Don Juan, Cocom could not have saved Dolores." + +"And without the boat of Señor Felipe," added Eulalia, glancing at the +baronet, "none of the three would be here." + +Philip made a polite gesture of dissent, though in his heart he was +glad that Eulalia inclined so kindly towards him. Then Jack kissed the +hands of the ladies in a most gallant fashion, and they, after removing +Dolores once more from the arms of Don Miguel, whither she had flown, +led her out of the patio. This being done, while waiting for the +evening meal, Don Miguel demanded from Jack an account of his +adventures, a request which was at once seconded by Philip, Rafael, and +Peter, who protested that they could listen to a dozen repetitions of +his hairbreadth escapes. Thus adjured, Jack, with as much suppression +of himself as possible, narrated the events which had taken place from +the earliest period of his capture by Xuarez down to the present time +when he was rescued by Philip. Frequently the story was interrupted by +ejaculations from his auditors, and by the time the story was finished +they were all furious with Don Hypolito, particularly Señor Maraquando. + +"To think, Señor," he cried, indignantly, "that I have touched the hand +of that man. Carambo! To give up a white man to the cursed altar of +Huitzilopochtli. It is infamous! It is unheard of!" + +"But you forget, Señor, he is a pure-blooded Indian." + +"I ever thought so," said Rafael, sagely. "There were many ways about +Xuarez, my father, that were not those of a Spaniard." + +"Indian or no Indian," growled Philip, clenching his fist, "if I get +within striking distance of the scoundrel, I won't leave a whole bone +in his body." + +"Nor will I," said the meek Peter, fiercely, "fancy him wanting to lay +Jack out on a jasper stone like a corpse on a dissecting-table." + +"Be quiet, you Chamber of Horrors," said the baronet, angrily, "don't +mention such a thing." + +"There is one great good gained out of much evil," observed Don Miguel, +reflectively; "the possession of the opal strengthens us greatly +against Xuarez." + +"How so?" asked Philip, curiously. + +"Because this priest, Ixtlilxochitli, will not be able to manage the +Indians for him without the stone." + +"I am afraid, Señor, the mischief is done," said Jack, gravely, "the +opal declared war, and now the Indians will join Don Hypolito." + +"It's a pity we can't get up a counter prophecy, and make the opal +declare peace," remarked Philip, quietly; "then the Indians would take +no part in the war." + +"I fancy that is impossible," said Miguel, shaking his head. "I would +it could be so. If the Indians would only keep quiet, Xuarez would find +great difficulty in accomplishing his plans. Should Janjalla fall, and +Xuarez concentrate his own men and the Indians before Tlatonac, it will +be hard to beat them back." + +"Janjalla will not fall," cried Rafael, in a fiery tone; "there are +brave men defending it. They will hold out till reinforced. The +regiments march southward to-morrow, the torpederas and _The Iturbide_ +go the next day; and between the two we shall conquer these rebels." + +"We will try, at all events, my son," said Maraquando, smiling at the +young man's enthusiasm; "but, meanwhile, it is best to look on both +sides of the question." + +"With the opal stone in Tlatonac, we cannot fail," declared Jack. "You +have seen it, Señor Maraquando?" + +"Not yet. Dolores was too agitated to show it to me." + +"Here is my cousin," said Rafael, rising to his feet. "She brings the +opal with her." + +Before he finished the sentence, Dolores, now arrayed in her European +dress, entered the patio, followed by Doña Serafina and Eulalia +uttering cries of admiration. In her hand she carried the Harlequin +Opal, which glittered faintly in the dim light. + +"See, uncle!" cried Dolores, placing the gem in Maraquando's hand, "I +give you the luck of Tlatonac." + +"So this is the famous stone?" said Miguel, gazing at the wonderful +play of colours, "I do not wonder it is held sacred. So beautiful a +jewel I have never yet beheld." + +"There, Señor Maraquando, I disagree with you," observed Jack, in a +nervous voice; "there is a jewel still more beautiful in my +eyes--Dolores!" + +Don Miguel started and stared in amazement at the young couple, who +were now standing hand in hand before him. He could not understand the +meaning of either the attitude or speech. + +"My brother," whispered Serafina, seizing the situation with feminine +quickness, "it is love!" + +"Yes," said Jack, firmly, "it is love. I have worshipped your niece +these many months, Señor Maraquando, but I dared not to tell you of +that love, seeing I was an Englishman, a heretic. Now, however, if I +have done anything to deserve your gratitude, I ask you, in the +presence of my friends, to give your consent to the marriage of Dolores +and myself." + +Don Miguel was silent for a few moments, and then turned slowly towards +his niece. + +"Do you love Don Juan, Dolores?" + +She raised her head and looked not at her questioner, but at Jack. + +"Yes," she replied simply, "I have loved him this long time." + +"Señor," said Maraquando, with great dignity, "it is true you are not +of our race; but during the time I have known you I have seen nothing +in you but what I admire and respect. In rescuing my niece from the +Shrine of the Opal at Totatzine, you have acted like a chivalrous +gentleman. To your marriage I gladly give my consent. Take Dolores as +your wife, Señor, and with her this." + +He held out for Jack's acceptance the Harlequin Opal. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +AWAY TO THE FRONT. + + One kiss! 'tis our last one; the horses await, + And swift through the midnight I ride to my fate. + 'Tis life for thy lover, or death it may be, + But living or dying, my thought is for thee. + Who knows when my arms shall enfold thee again + The future hides ever its joy and its pain. + I leave thee for battle, my dear one, my bride, + And on, through the darkness, I ride, and I ride. + + Light hand on the bridle, light heart in my breast, + A bunch of your ribbons flaunt gay on my crest. + I go not in sorrow, but hasten with glee, + To fight for my country, my honour, and thee. + Soon wilt thou in triumph behold me, my sweet, + Return with my laurels to cast at thy feet. + I dream of a future with thee by my side, + As on, through the darkness, I ride, and I ride. + + +Jack's position was now similar to that of Tantalus. Love was within +his reach, yet he dared not to grasp it, for on the next day he was to +depart with Don Rafael for Janjalla, in the torpedera _Montezuma_. +Peter had also been invited to visit the seat of war, and although a +man of peace, decided to go, as he was anxious about Tim. That +redoubtable warrior was at Janjalla, with General Gigedo, busily +engaged in wiring sensational accounts of the siege to _The Morning +Planet_. Tim was particularly anxious that Janjalla should not fall +into the hands of Don Hypolito, as it was the spot whence started the +telegraph-wires for the south. If Xuarez captured the town, the forces +of the Junta would be driven back to Tlatonac, and as likely as not the +wires would be cut by the rebels, therefore Tim would be unable to +transmit news to England. As it was, he made good use of his time, and +took full possession of the telegraph-office in Janjalla. + +As to Philip, he decided to march by land with the Regimiento de los +Caballeros, of which corps he was now an officer. Colonel Garibay, +the commander of the regiment, was already at Janjalla, having been +sent there by President Gomez on a special message to General Gigedo. +The regiment was, therefore, under the command of Captain Velez, who +was a great admirer of Philip, and made much of him. Altogether +reinforcements amounting to close on a thousand men were now on their +way south, to assist General Gigedo in holding Janjalla, and the +torpederas, in company with the armed cruiser _Iturbide_, were to +proceed there by sea, in order to destroy, if possible, the three ships +of the enemy now bombarding the town. + +There was no doubt that the war had begun badly for the Junta, but this +was the fault of President Gomez. A more obstinate man never existed, +and having made up his mind that Xuarez would attack Tlatonac without +delay, he had foolishly withdrawn the garrison from Janjalla, Puebla de +los Naranjos, Chichimec, and other towns, for the protection of the +capital. It was in vain that Don Miguel, warned by his son, represented +that it was more than probable Xuarez would attack Janjalla first, in +order to concentrate his troops in the south, and so march them across +the plains to Tlatonac. The President refused to take this view of the +matter, and by the withdrawal of the garrisons, left the whole of +Southern Cholacaca in an unprotected condition. + +The effect of this policy was most disastrous. Warned by his spies that +but a feeble defence could be offered by Janjalla, Don Hypolito sent +southward, without delay, transports filled with troops, and a convoy +of the three war-ships. He hoped to capture and garrison Janjalla with +his own men before the Junta became aware of his design, and thus +secure an important town as the basis of his operations. At Acauhtzin +he was hemmed in by mountains, unable to march his troops overland to +the capital; but in the south, between Janjalla and Tlatonac were vast +alluvial plains, over which he could lead his army. It was his +intention to effect a conjunction with the Forest Indians before the +walls of the Opal City, and having ordered his war-ships to bombard it +by sea, thus attack the capital on two sides at once. Between two +fires, he deemed that the city would speedily yield. + +Becoming aware that the war-ships had gone south, Don Francisco +speedily saw how foolishly he had acted, and ordered five hundred men +to at once proceed to Janjalla, to defend it against the rebels. He +sent back the troops to garrison the inland towns, and thus hoped to +stretch a barrier between the rebels and the capital. The whole danger +lay in the south, for as yet the Indians were quiet, and no rising was +apprehended on their part, though Jack was doubtful as to the +advisability of trusting to appearances. He quite believed that the +campaign would be conducted by Xuarez, as had been prophesied by Don +Rafael, and could not help deploring that such an incompetent man as +Gomez was at the head of affairs. + +"If he would only leave things alone, and not interfere," he said to +Philip, on the eve of departure. "His generals know more about warfare +than he does. The man's an ass." + +"I'm with you there," replied Philip, heartily; "he has made a muddle +of things already. Who but an ass would send only five hundred men to +Janjalla, when it is about to be bombarded by three men-of-war, and +attacked by two thousand rebel troops? Even this reinforcement is not +strong enough. Sending his troops southward in these dribblets will end +in their being cut to pieces. I would not be surprised if even now +Xuarez was in possession of Janjalla, and, with such a basis for +operations, he will make it hot for the Republic." + +"What do you think ought to have been done?" + +"I was speaking to Colonel Garibay, and we both came to the same +conclusion. Don Francisco ought to have taken the warning of Rafael, +and concentrated most of the troops at Janjalla. The capital is well +defended by its forts, and can look after itself. Janjalla, on the +other hand, is in no fit state of defence to resist the heavy guns of +three ships pounding at its walls. As I take it, the great aim should +be to prevent Don Hypolito from getting a footing in the south by +capturing Janjalla. Then he would have nothing but the sea and +Acauhtzin for a field of operations. In the north, owing to the +mountains, he can do nothing, and now we have the torpederas, he cannot +have it all his own way at sea." + +"Well, and supposing he captures Janjalla?" + +Philip shrugged his shoulders. + +"The result is plain enough. Instead of mountains between this and +Tlatonac, he has nothing but plains on which he can manoeuvre his +troops. He will either capture the intervening towns or seduce them to +his cause. Then he will arrive at Tlatonac, and while he is besieging +it from the inland, his fleet will bombard it from the sea." + +"That is if the torpederas don't sink his ships." + +"Of course! I am talking of the campaign from Don Hypolito's point of +view. But one thing is certain. If he captures Janjalla, this war may +be prolonged for months. Think of the ruin that will mean to the +country." + +Philip spoke truly. Hitherto Cholacaca had enjoyed immunity from the +horrors of war. From the year 1840, when under the leadership of +Zuloaga, the Republic had thrown off the yoke of Spain, there had been +peace for a period of forty-five years. Those fratricidal wars which +constantly convulsed the communities of South America were not to be +found in the history of Cholacaca. The Republic kept well within her +borders, was at peace with her neighbours, and under the rule of wise +rulers, devoted herself to improving her material condition. + +It was true that a greater part of the country consisted of wild +forests filled with unconquered Indians, but the Cholacacans had always +been able to keep these savages at bay. The coast-line of the north, +the immense alluvial plains of the south, were thoroughly civilised, +and covered with thriving towns. The two secondary capitals, Janjalla +in the south, Acauhtzin in the north, looked up to and respected their +powerful sister city, Tlatonac, who held her seat in the central +portion of the sea-board. Yet it must be admitted that they bore a +grudge against her, as nearly all the commerce of the country poured +into her walls, from thence to be distributed over the civilised world. +Why should Tlatonac be the capital when they were each equally suited +for the post? They had rich countries behind them, they exported goods +far and wide, they had their municipal institutions, their walls, +ramparts, palaces, and magnificent churches. Why, therefore, should +they be forced to send their ships to the port of Tlatonac, there to +pay toll and custom duties? The Junta had constituted Tlatonac the +starting-point of all vessels, and according to law, ships from the +north and south were forced, both in going and coming, to report +themselves at the capital. By this means Tlatonac dominated her sister +cities, and held them firmly under her thumb. + +The reason that Tlatonac was chosen to be the capital by Zuloaga was +very plain. It was situated in the centre of the coast-line, and thus +commanded equally the north and the south. It had been the shrine of +the opal, and the traditions of that stone closely interwoven with the +history of the country. Greatest reason of all, the harbour was the +finest in Cholacaca. Moreover, roads from most of the inland towns +diverged to the capital, thus rendering communication easy; while +Janjalla, environed by swamps, and Acauhtzin girdled by forests, were +more or less shut off from the heart of the country. When inland +traders could transport their goods to Tlatonac at half the cost they +could take them to either of the other two towns, it was not likely, +from a commercial point of view, that they would ever forsake the +capital. Under the circumstances, it can well be seen that Gomez had +good reason to doubt the fidelity of Janjalla. The northern town had, +through jealousy of Tlatonac, sided with the rebels, and it was just +possible that the southern city might follow suit. The only thing in +favour of Janjalla remaining faithful was that while both towns were +jealous of the capital, they were equally jealous of one another. The +populace of Janjalla knew well that if Xuarez conquered that he would +transfer the seat of Government to Acauhtzin out of gratitude for its +help, and would certainly not assist a cause calculated to elevate a +rival city. + +The Republic was very wealthy. She exported tobacco, coffee, cacao, +cotton, rice, maize, and cattle. Her plains were covered with grain, +her mountains were rich in ores, and her population extremely +industrious. With the exception of the area covered by the forests, the +whole country was cultivated, and now the formation of a railway +through the forests, up to Acauhtzin promised the opening up of the +northern lands. Already fifty miles of railway had pierced the enormous +belt of timber lying between Acauhtzin and the capital. From the main +line, branches were to extend to the different towns, so as to connect +them with the seat of Government. Unfortunately, all this promise of +prosperity was now interrupted by the war. + +There was no doubt that Don Hypolito was a source of infinite trouble +to the country. This Indian coming from the sacred city of Totatzine, +was now revenging himself on the descendants of the Conquistadores, for +their treatment of his ancestors. He had no genuine cause for +dissatisfaction, as at the time when he raised the standard of revolt, +the country was thoroughly prosperous. The wealth gained by the exports +of the Republic was used by her Presidents to open up the interior of +the continent, and to supply Tlatonac with all the refinements of +civilisation. The army was well drilled, well clothed, well armed. The +walls of the city were built on the most approved system of engineering +science, the principal squares were lighted by electricity, millions +had been expended on drainage, in the formation of interior roads, in +the construction of the proposed railway to Acauhtzin. The Republic had +even formed the nucleus of a navy, and had already three war-ships in +hand, and two torpederas coming, when the war broke out. + +Now the war-ships had revolted to Xuarez, the northern capital was +bound to his cause, and this ambitious Indian, assuming the name and +race of a Spaniard, had plunged the country into what promised to be a +disastrous war. The effect was ruinous. Business was at a standstill, +exports were stopped, the capital was declared in a state of siege, and +the whole country resounded with the tramp of armies, the clash of +arms, the thunder of cannon. Industry was paralysed, and many of the +country-people crowding to the capital, rendered food dear. To avoid +the horrors of famine and ruin which threatened the Republic, it was +absolutely necessary that Xuarez should be crushed at once. + +President Gomez was no warrior certainly, but he was a judicious +ruler--in time of peace. He saw at once the terrible calamities likely +to ensue should the war be prolonged, and already regretted his folly +in not taking the advice of Don Miguel. So far as was possible, he +repaired his mistakes. A thousand men were sent to the relief of +Janjalla by land, and _The Iturbide_, in company with the torpederas, +left for the seat of war by sea. If the reinforcements could succour +Janjalla in time, if the torpederas could sink the rebel ships, then +there would be some hope of the war being brought to a speedy +conclusion. But as it was, the whole danger lay in the probability of +Don Hypolito capturing Janjalla, from whence he could threaten the +capital and intervening towns. + +Jack was very anxious that Philip should come with him in _The +Montezuma_, but the baronet was obstinately set on going with his +regiment. + +"I shall be in Janjalla before you, Jack; for between you and the town +lie the war-ships, while we have but to march across those easy plains +in safety." + +"Yes, if the Indians don't stop you." + +"Nonsense; there is no chance of that." + +"I am not so certain, Philip. Don Hypolito has his spies, as you know; +and when he hears that reinforcements are advancing southward, he will +probably send word to Ixtlilxochitli to have them intercepted. As you +know, the plains are fringed to the west by the forests, so the Indians +could break out from thence, and perhaps exterminate the troops." + +"What! exterminate a thousand soldiers, armed with rifles? Impossible!" + +"Well, it does seem impossible. However, as you won't come with me, go +as you please. We shall meet at Janjalla." + +"Of course. I shall see you from the walls being chased, by _The +Pizarro_ and _The Cortes_." + +They were talking in the patio of the Casa Maraquando, and Philip was +tricked out in all the bravery of his uniform. He looked remarkably +handsome and Eulalia sighed as she thought he was about to leave her. +All coquetry had been laid aside, and she had confessed that she was +deeply in love with the Americano. Philip fully returned her affection, +and intended, on returning from Janjalla, to ask Don Miguel to permit +them to be married on the same day as Jack and Dolores. Turning away +from Jack, he caught sight of Eulalia's pensive face, and heard her +plaintive little sigh. In an instant he was by her side. + +"Querida," he whispered tenderly, "you must not be sad. I go forth to +bring home laurels to lay at your feet." + +"I would rather you were at my feet, Felipe," sobbed Eulalia. "This +horrid war! I am sure you will be killed, and then I shall die. Oh yes, +mi alma, I shall assuredly die." + +They were standing in a secluded corner of the patio. Neither Don +Miguel or Serafina were in sight, so Philip, taking advantage of the +situation, kissed Eulalia once, twice, thrice. It was true Jack and +Dolores were not far off, but they were too busy with each other to +take much notice. Eulalia sobbed on Philip's breast, vowed she would +die if he left her, told him to march forth and be a hero at once, +commanded him to remain at Tlatonac, ordered him to depart for +Janjalla, and thus contradicting herself every moment, smiled and wept +in turns. Finally, she produced a little gold cross. + +"This is for thee, my own one," she whispered slipping it into his +hand. "It has been blessed by Padre Ignatius. Nought can hurt thee +while the sacred thing is on thy heart." + +Philip kissed the cross, kissed Eulalia, and swore he would never part +with it throughout the campaign. In the middle of their tender +leave-taking, a trumpet pealed forth in the Plaza de los Hombres +Ilustres. It was the signal for departure. + +"I must go! Farewell, my dear one. Watch from the azotea, and let your +face be the last thing I behold in Tlatonac." + +"Adios, mi alma," murmured Eulalia, and embraced him fondly, after +which, Philip, turning hastily away, shook hands with Jack, and kissed +the hands of Dolores and Serafina, the latter of whom had just entered +the patio. + +"Adieu, dear ladies. Good-bye, Jack. Take care of yourself, and don't +be carried off to any more Indian cities. We meet at Philippi. Adios!" + +With a wave of his hand he was gone, and Jack escorted the ladies to +the azotea to watch the regiments departing. The Plaza was crowded with +soldiers and women, the latter taking tearful leave of those marching +to the front. President Gomez, attended by a brilliant staff, among +whom Jack saw Don Miguel and his son, made a speech full of fire and +patriotism, which caused the utmost enthusiasm. Then the banners of the +different regiments were unfurled, the bands began to play the March of +Zuloaga, and the soldiers began to file out of the square by the Calle +Otumba. + +Regiment after regiment marched past, through streets wreathed with +flowers, amid tears, cheers, and wavings of handkerchiefs. The +house-tops were crowded with ladies looking down on the troops. They +made a gallant show as they tramped along with waving plumes and +glittering arms. The cavalry soldiers came first, and those on the +azotea of the Casa Maraquando saw Sir Philip riding by the side of +Captain Velez, at the head of the Regimiento de los Caballeros. The +banners streamed in the air, the horses champed their bits, and proudly +pawed the earth, and, one vast rainbow of hues, this splendid body of +men moved majestically past. Philip was riding with his drawn sword +sloping over his shoulder, and as he passed the Casa Maraquando, looked +up, and saluted the ladies. Eulalia hastily snatching a bunch of +jasmine from her breast, let it drop when he was directly underneath. +The baronet dexterously caught it, and pressing a kiss on the blossoms, +fastened them in his jacket. In another minute or so, he disappeared +round the corner of the street on the way to the Puerta de la Culebra, +from whence the troops marched southward to Janjalla. + +After the disappearance of Philip, Eulalia took no further interest in +the proceedings of the day, and retired to her room, followed by +Dolores, who strove to console her. Jack not caring for the sole +companionship of Doña Serafina, excused himself on the plea that he +wanted to ride after the troops and give Philip a message to Tim. Doña +Serafina graciously permitted him to depart, and he dashed out of the +house, flung himself on his horse, which was waiting at the door, and +was about to ride towards the Puerta de la Culebra when Don Rafael came +riding at full speed out of the Plaza! The young man seemed much +excited, and in his headlong rush knocked down two or three people, so +crowded was the street. Never heeding their cries, he raced past Jack, +waving his hand. + +"To _The Montezuma_, mi amigo! News of the war-ships." + +Anxious to know what fresh event had taken place, and fearful that +Janjalla had fallen, Jack spurred his horse after Rafael, and at a +break-neck speed they clattered down the street to the sea-gate +scattering the crowd in every direction. + +Outside the sea-gate, Rafael headed to the left, where the torpedera +_Montezuma_ was lying, and jumping off his horse, threw the reins +to a peon, and called a boat. Jack followed his example, and in a few +moments they were pulling for the torpedo-vessel. + +"Carambo mi amigo!" said Jack, breathlessly, "you ride like the devil. +What is the matter now?" + +"His Excellency has just received news that two of the war-ships have +returned to Acauhtzin." + +"What! Have they given up the siege?" + +"No. They are acting as convoy to the transports. Xuarez is sending +more troops south, and, knowing that our torpederas are not ready, +thinks that _The Pizarro_, single-handed, is sufficient to blockade +Janjalla." + +"Then he has landed his other troops?" said Jack, as they sprang on +board _The Montezuma_. "The ship guns have evidently silenced the +forts, and permitted the rebels to get on shore." + +"Precisely! But what matter? Reinforcements are now on their way by +land, and we, my friend, will start to-morrow by sea to smash up _The +Pizarro_." + +"Will the torpederas be ready?" + +"They must be ready!" cried Rafael, stamping his foot. "We may never +get such another chance. If we can only sink _The Pizarro_, it will +dishearten the troops of Xuarez now besieging Janjalla, and they can be +easily defeated." + +"If we can manage that, it will be a sad blow to Don Hypolito!" + +"Dios! so I should think," replied Rafael, laughing gaily. "He will +come south with more troops, and find Janjalla occupied by us, and his +way barred by two torpederas and _The Iturbide_. Then _The Pizarro's_ +loss won't please him. Carajo! no." + +"Bueno! But you forget _The Pizarro_ has search-lights, +torpedo-netting----" + +"Not the last, mi amigo!" interrupted Rafael quickly. "I told you +before, the netting was left behind in Tlatonac when the war-ships left +for Acauhtzin. As to the search-lights, she can keep them on _The +Iturbide_ or on the other torpedera. Then, my friend, _The Montezuma_ +will make things unpleasant for her." + +"It's a mere chance, Rafael!" + +"Quien sabe!" retorted the young man, shrugging his shoulders; "all +warfare is mere chance. Come and look over the boat." + +As the fittings of the torpederas were somewhat complicated, engineers +had been sent out from England in charge, and these, being paid heavily +by the Junta, remained to manoeuvre the boats. Among them Jack +discovered a Scotchman, from Aberdeen, with whom he struck up a +friendship. This gentleman, whose clan was Mackenzie, showed them all +over the boat, and spoke in terms of great affection of the Whitehead +torpedoes. + +"Eh, mon!" he observed to Jack, as they surveyed those triumphs of +modern warfare, "jouist gie her a shove, an' she'll smash the hail +boatie to bits--into sma' bits." + +"That is if the ship you propose to smash doesn't bring her heavy guns +to bear on this boat." + +"Hoots! hoots! mon. _The Montyzumy_ can gang her ain gait. Nineteen +knots an hour! Ma certie, it wud tack a braw gun to catch the likes o' +her." + +When they returned on deck from their inspection of the ship, a note +was brought to Rafael, from Captain Pedraza, of _The Iturbide_, +requesting his presence on board. They dropped into a boat, and were +speedily clambering up the giant sides of the cruiser. Being conducted +to the state-room, they found Captain Pedraza, surrounded by his +officers, reading a message from the President. + +"Ola mis amigos!" cried the captain, gaily, "you are just in time. +Señor Juan, I am your servant. Don Rafael, we leave Tlatonac for +Janjalla to-morrow afternoon." + +"Why in the afternoon?" + +"Carambo. So as to reach Janjalla at night. _The Pizarro_ is lying +there in the harbour, and, under cover of darkness, we may be able to +sink her either with our guns or by means of torpedoes." + +"Will the torpederas be ready?" asked Jack, for the second time. + +"You may be certain of that," said Rafael, significantly. "I will +guarantee that _The Montezuma_ will be able to start at the appointed +time." + +"And I can say the same of _The Zuloaga_," observed a slim man, in +whom Jack recognised the commander of the other torpedo-boat. "I think, +Señor, it can be looked on as certain that all three can depart." + +After this a babel of talk ensued concerning the chances of surprising +_The Pizarro_. Some proposed one place, some another, and amid all +the excitement, Jack, growing weary of the arguing, slipped out of the +saloon, and went ashore, so as to have as much time as possible with +Dolores before departure. + +He strolled along the sea-shore, and met Cocom just outside the +sea-gate. The old man saluted him gravely-- + +"Señor," he said, mysteriously approaching Jack; "beware of +Ixtlilxochitli." + +"What do you mean, Cocom?" asked Duval, rather startled. + +"The Indians, Señor, are now on the war-path--to the south," added +Cocom, significantly. + +"Great Heaven!" ejaculated the young man, horror-struck. "They intend +to surprise the reinforcements." + +"That is so, Señor. But I, Cocom, have sent runners after them to warn +the Señors." + +"Bueno! Cocom, you are the safeguard of Cholacaca!" + +"Not I, Señor; but the Chalchuih Tlatonac!" + +"Oh, I haven't much belief in that." + +"Don Juan!" said Cocom, significantly; "the Indians obeyed the stone +implicitly--it is sacred. What it speaks they do. Red is burned and war +was proclaimed. But, Señor, if it flamed blue, then would the Indians +be at peace." + +Before Jack could say a word, Cocom mysteriously slipped away, leaving +the young man sorely puzzled as to his meaning. + +"That confounded opal," he said, as he resumed his way towards the Casa +Maraquando, "it meets one at every turn. They say opals are unlucky, +and certainly the Chalchuih Tlatonac has not brought much luck to us as +yet." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A NAVAL ENGAGEMENT--NEW STYLE. + + "Wot! fightin'?" said the sailor man to me + (He was wooden-legged and close on eighty-three). + "Why, bless 'ee, sir, who knows what fightin' are, + When iron pots is classed as men-of-war, + And kittles sail the sea without a spar? + Such wessels were not seen at Trafalgar." + + "Old Nelson!" said the sailor man to me + (He was lying like a hatter, I could see). + "I was with him when the Frenchies' line we broke, + With our wooden ships and sailors' hearts of oak, + And the great three-decker's cannon's voice awoke, + Every minute as they thundered thro' the smoke." + + "Oh, blow it!" said the sailor man to me + (His language, I admit, was rather free), + "Now you sends a black torpedo, and it seeks + To hit a wessel sideways--then she leaks, + And sinks while every sailor prays and shrieks, + Wot fightin'--why, it's murder! yah! the sneaks." + + +On leaving Cocom, Jack at once went to Don Miguel and informed him of +the Indian rising. Maraquando thought but little of the affair, as it +was unlikely unarmed savages would dare to attack a force of one +thousand soldiers. Besides, the journey to Janjalla was through a +civilised and cultivated country, and an Indian raid was improbable. +Nevertheless, at Jack's urgent request, he spoke to President Gomez +about the matter, and though his Excellency took the same view as did +Maraquando, yet he sent on messengers to overtake the reinforcements +and inform them of their possible danger. + +The next day at three o'clock the vessels were to leave for Janjalla, +but when the hour came it was found that the torpederas were far from +ready. It is true _The Iturbide_ was in a state of efficiency, and +could have left Tlatonac at the appointed time, but the complicated +engines of _The Montezuma_ and _The Zuloaga_ were somewhat out of gear. +Though the engineers worked day and night to get everything in order, +yet it was not until three days had elapsed that the squadron was ready +to start. This delay made Rafael feel very uneasy lest the consorts of +_The Pizarro_ should return south before they could sink her by the +torpedoes. He reckoned out the matter with Jack. + +"Dios, mi amigo! Three days have gone since _The Cortes_ and _The +Columbus_ passed Tlatonac with the transports to the north. It is three +hundred miles to Acauhtzin, and those boats steam at the rate of twelve +knots an hour----" + +"True," interrupted Jack, significantly; "but the transports do not." + +"That is so, Juan. Let us reckon accordingly. Steaming at the rate of +twelve knots, the war-ships would probably reach Acauhtzin in +twenty-five hours. Allowing for the slowness of the transports say +thirty hours. In twenty-four hours they will be able to take in troops, +provisions, horses and guns. That makes fifty-four hours. Steaming +south to Tlatonac thirty hours. Eighty-four hours. To Janjalla from +here it is a hundred miles--say twelve hours. In all ninety-six hours. +Divide by twenty-four, that is exactly four days." + +"At that rate, the rebel ships cannot possibly reach Janjalla before +to-morrow midnight. When do we leave here?" + +"About three o'clock," said Rafael, glancing at his watch. "The +torpederas can knock out eighteen knots, but the full speed of _The +Iturbide_ is fifteen. We will reckon at that, so by leaving here at +three can reach Janjalla long before midnight." + +"Bueno! We shall have a clear twenty-four hours in which to sink _The +Pizarro_." + +"Twelve," contradicted Rafael, captiously, "we must attack in the +darkness. The less risk the better." + +"I don't see that it makes much difference," retorted Jack, grimly, "if +_The Pizarro_ can fight two torpedo boats and an armed cruiser she +is a mighty clever ship. I look upon _The Pizarro_ as lost." + +"So do I, Juan," replied Rafael, with a sad expression flitting across +his face, "she was my ship, you know. I am sorry that it falls to my +lot to sink her." + +"Perhaps she will surrender." + +"Not while she is commanded by De Galvez. He was my first lieutenant, +and is as obstinate as the devil. Dios! There is noon. We have not much +time in which to make our adieux. Go up and see Dolores, mi amigo, but +return by two o'clock." + +Jack gladly took advantage of the permission and had a long interview +with Dolores, who wept bitterly at the idea of parting with him again. +She was already low-spirited, through having comforted Eulalia, and now +that her own lover was going away broke down entirely. + +"Promise me you will take the greatest care of yourself, querido." + +"My dearest, I will ask Rafael to wrap me in cotton wool. But, indeed, +cara, you need not fear. I will be as safe on board _The Montezuma_ as +in Tlatonac." + +"But you will be gone many days." + +"A week at the most. If we succeed in sinking _The Pizarro_ we will +steam north to meet the other war-ships, and try our luck with them." + +"I will pray for you, Juanito, and I will look after the beetles of Don +Pedro." + +Jack burst out laughing at the incongruity of such coupling. + +"Has Don Pedro asked you to look after that rubbish!" + +"Yes, Juanito! I am to take the very greatest care. They are precious." + +"In the doctor's eyes they are more precious than the opal. By the way, +where is Peter?" + +"He has said farewell, and departed with my uncle. Would I could come +down to the boat, querido. But I dare not." + +"I never knew such particular people as the Tlatonacians," muttered +Jack, somewhat vexed. "Well, angelito, we must say good-bye here." + +"Will you take the opal for good fortune, Juan?" + +"I? Take the opal? My dear Dolores, I would be frightened out of my +life at carrying such a treasure with me. No! No! You keep the opal +with yourself, and yourself in Tlatonac. Then will the good fortune of +the city be assured. But I will take this ring." + +"Turquoise! rubies! pearls!" said Dolores, drawing it off her finger. +"It was my mother's, querido. Now it is yours." + +"A thousand thousand thanks, alma de mi alma!" replied Jack, slipping +it on his little finger, "it will remind me ever of you. Rubies for +your lips, pearls for your teeth, and--and----" + +"Ah! and what for turquoise?" said Dolores, seeing he was rather +nonplussed, "for my eyes?" + +"No, those are black! Well, we will say turquoise for peace. The blue +ray of the opal means peace. And now, good-bye, my dearest--my own +one!" + +"Adios, Juanito. My soul! My heart!" + +Jack, not trusting himself to speak further, kissed her passionately, +and hastily left the house. Fortunately, he met no one, much to his +gratification, as he was too agitated to say a word. He went to his +house, and put all his necessaries together, then, in company with +Peter, went on board _The Montezuma_. + +At three o'clock the forts saluted the squadron, and _The Iturbide_, +followed by the torpederas, stood out to sea. The crowd on the beach +watched the vessels until they were mere specks on the horizon, and +then retreated within the walls, with loudly expressed hopes that they +would return with the rebel ship in tow. The Tlatonacians expected much +more than they were ever likely to obtain. + +The three vessels stood out about ten miles from the coast, and steamed +southward at no great speed, as Pedraza did not wish to fetch Janjalla +until darkness had set in. As two warships and the transports had gone +to Acauhtzin, it was probable that _The Pizarro_ would be the only +vessel left in the harbour, and vigilant watch would be kept on board, +lest the torpederas should come on her unawares. The rebel commander +knew perfectly well that the torpederas had arrived, and would soon be +in chase of his ships; but he did not expect that they would be able to +attack while the other war-ships were away. Still, it was probable _The +Pizarro_ would make good use of her search-lights, and Pedraza, wishing +to come to close quarters unexpectedly, had to exercise the greatest +care as they drew near the harbour. + +Towards nine o'clock they were off the coast of Janjalla, and intense +excitement prevailed on board all three vessels. The plan of attack +had been settled at a general counsel on board _The Iturbide_ before +they left Tlatonac, and it was arranged as follows. _The Iturbide_ +was to steam silently into the harbour of Janjalla, followed by +he torpederas, and come to close quarters with _The Pizarro_, if +possible. Should she be discovered by the search-light of the latter, +she was then to steam boldly ahead, and concentrate the attention of +the rebels on herself. _The Pizarro_, thus being busy with the +cruiser, would not notice the torpederas, which could then steal +silently within five hundred yards, and launch a Whitehead or so. The +result would be obvious. + +The torpederas, with twin screws and powerful engines, manoeuvred with +wonderful rapidity, darting here and there in the darkness like black +sharks. Both were armed with Hotchkiss guns and four Whitehead +torpedo-tubes, while their strong search-lights protected them against +the unexpected approach of an enemy. Painted a dark colour to escape +notice, they could steal silently within striking distance of a +vessel, and sink her with one of their deadly explosives. The only +chance of safety for _The Pizarro_ lay in her sighting them at a +considerable distance, and keeping them at bay with her heavy guns; +but as she would be fully taken up with _The Iturbide_, this would be +difficult for her to do. Worst of all, she had no defence against the +rapid darting torpederas, as the nets had been left behind in +Tlatonac, when she deserted to the rebel Xuarez. + +As to the cruiser, she was a handsome vessel, with a spar deck, and +filled with bow chasers and Gatling guns. She carried a crew of ninety +men including officers, and also two hundred soldiers, who had embarked +at Tlatonac to be landed, if possible, at Janjalla. Fifteen knots was +her usual speed; but, if necessary, she could stand to seventeen. This +was the fleet of the Junta, and now manoeuvred ten miles from the +town of Janjalla, waiting the signal to pounce down on the unsuspecting +_Pizarro_. + +Fortunately the night was cloudy and dark. At intervals the moon, +emerging from behind heavy clouds, cast a pale light over the scene. It +was far down in the west, and would soon drop behind the low-lying +shore, so Pedraza, who wanted complete darkness for his project, waited +until her disappearance before he gave the signal to steam into the +harbour. All lights were extinguished on the vessel, so as to avoid +attracting the attention of the enemy, but, if necessary, the +search-lights could blaze forth in an instant. The torpederas were to +attack the warship, one on the port, the other on the starboard side. +It was now close upon midnight, and as the moon showed but half her orb +above the shore, all waited the signal in breathless silence. + +"What is to be done if we sink _The Pizarro_?" asked Jack, as he stood +by Rafael, watching for the signal from _The Iturbide_. + +"Quien sabe!" replied Maraquando, shrugging his shoulders, "I expect we +will wait in the harbour till daylight, and then see if we can land our +troops." + +"There won't be much chance of that, my Comandante," said Duval, drily; +"between us and Janjalla two thousand rebel troops lie encamped. We +cannot break through that barrier." + +"You forget, mi amigo, there are close on a thousand troops of the +Junta in the town. By this time the reinforcements must have reached +their destination, so that will make two thousand. If they attack the +rebels from Janjalla, and we land our two hundred men under cover of +_The Iturbide's_ guns, who knows but what we may not be able to crush +these scoundrels before their warships and transports arrive from +Acauhtzin." + +"Bueno! Always presuming that the reinforcements have arrived safely. I +fear the Indians." + +"Carambo! Surely a thousand well-armed soldiers are a match for a horde +of naked savages. The reinforcements are safe in Janjalla by now. I am +sure of it. Believe me, Don Juan, we shall exterminate the rebels." + +"First we shall have to exterminate _The Pizarro_, and----" + +"Hold!" interrupted Rafael joyfully, "the signal." + +A rocket shot up from _The Iturbide_ and scattered its fires in the +dark air. The moon had entirely disappeared, and an intense gloom +prevailed over land and sea. + +Hardly had the rocket's trail of fire disappeared when _The +Iturbide's_ screw began to spin and followed by the torpederas she +moved cautiously towards the harbour at half speed. At the end of an +hour all three vessels were within sight of the town. Through the +gloom sparkled the lights of Janjalla, and between them and the +incoming vessels lay the huge bulk of _The Pizarro_, the glare of her +search-lights shooting up into the dark like two gigantic swords of +pale flame. + +_The Iturbide_ was leading by three hundred yards, and crept +cautiously forward so as to pounce on her prey unawares. Whether the +noise of her screw reached the ears of those on board _The Pizarro_, +or that they marked her coming through the darkness, it is impossible +to say, but just as she steamed within eight hundred yards, the +search-lights swept round like the spokes of a wheel and in a moment +their glare revealed her whereabouts. In the radiance she stood out +like a phantom ship, and seeing that he was discovered, Pedraza +cracking on all steam, swept past _The Pizarro_ in a wide circle. + +A heavy fire was at once opened by the rebels and they doubtless +deemed that this foe was not alone, for keeping one light on the +cruiser, they swept the sea with the other in search of her possible +companions. Those on board _The Iturbide_ could hear the yell of +mingled rage and terror, as the light struck the low bulk of _The +Zuloaga_ darting through the water, evil looking and venomous. A +broadside was poured on the torpedera, now left unprotected by _The +Iturbide_ which was circling to the left in the inner part of the bay. +Owing to the dexterity of _The Zuloaga's_ manoeuvring, none of the +heavy guns could hit her. She skimmed the grey waves at full speed +like a swallow, and the search light of _The Pizarro_ was much put to +in following her. It was like a dancer in the theatre followed by the +lime light. One moment the torpedera would be swallowed up in the +gloom, the next moment the darting ray of the electric light would +stab through the darkness and pick her out. The other ray followed +_The Iturbide_, which kept steaming slowly backwards and forwards on +the port side, firing her Armstrongs whenever she got a fair chance. + +_The Zuloaga_ sent off a bow torpedo, but it passed harmlessly under +the stern of _The Pizarro_ without doing any damage. Nevertheless, the +crew of the rebel ship seemed much alarmed, as well they might be, +seeing that a single torpedo striking them amidships would sink their +iron ship in a few minutes. Foolishly enough, it never occurred to De +Galevez to sweep the starboard with his lights, and he was quite +unaware that a second torpedo-vessel was stealing up in the darkness. + +Indeed, what with following _The Iturbide_ and _The Zuloaga_ with his +search-lights, De Galevez had enough to do, and kept the torpedo boat +at bay with his heavy guns. Occasionally a shot from _The Iturbide_ +would pass through the rigging of the rebel ship, but no damage was +done, and De Galevez's great desire was to keep at a distance the +wasp-like torpedo which circled round rapidly, everywhere trying to +plant its sting. + +While this drama was taking place on the port side, _The Montezuma_, +on seeing _The Iturbide_ was discovered, moved up on the starboard at +a distance of four hundred yards. When abreast of _The Pizarro_ she +slowed down her engines and crept up within pistol range. Had it not +been for the incessant firing of the guns, those on board _The +Pizarro_ would surely have become aware of their danger. As it was, +they thought themselves safe while they kept _The Zuloaga_ at a +distance. A tremendous broadside was directed at that torpedera and at +_The Iturbide_. It was her last discharge, for the next moment she was +struck amidships by a torpedo from _The Montezuma_. + +There was a cry of frenzied fear, and the search lights flashed round +to starboard only to see _The Montezuma_ slipping back into the gloom. +Three minutes afterwards _The Pizarro_ sank. + +The vessels of the Junta at once flashed their electric rays on the +spot, and where a moment before had been a magnificent vessel, now saw +nothing but a wide expanse of cold black sea dotted with drowning men. +Boats were lowered by _The Iturbide_ and a few soldiers and sailors +were rescued, but so suddenly had _The Pizarro_ gone down that, with +the exception of half a dozen survivors, the whole crew, officers, and +soldiers, in all three hundred men, were drowned. + +It would be impossible to describe the joy on board the loyalist ships +at this successful termination of the contest. Rafael and Jack went on +board _The Iturbide_ to receive the congratulations of Pedraza for +their success, and the officers of _The Zuloaga_ also hastened to +participate in the general joy. The large state-room of the cruiser +was one mass of excited men, drinking champagne, and wildly embracing +one another. This victory would surely damp the enthusiasm of the +rebels, and raise that of the loyalists to fever pitch. Don Hypolito +had now but two ships of war, and these could not surely stand before +the valour of _The Iturbide_, with her two torpedo-vessels. The +_vivas_ were deafening, and Rafael, as commander of the boat which had +sunk _The Pizarro_, was nearly stifled by the embraces of his brother +officers. + +As soon as the excitement had somewhat subsided, all went on deck, and +_The Iturbide_ stood in to the shore with the idea of seeing how +matters stood in the rebel camp. Flying the Opal flag, lest the forts +should open fire on one of their own vessels, the cruiser turned her +lights on to the beach, and saw that it was lined with the rebel +forces, all under arms. The noise of the firing and the flashing of the +lights had attracted the attention of those on shore, and fearing that +an attack was contemplated by the enemy, those rebels encamped in front +of Janjalla were now on the alert. No one could understand the reason +of this sea-fight, as it seemed quite impossible that the torpederas +could have arrived from Tlatonac in so short a period. The general in +command of the troops of Xuarez did not know what to think, and had to +wait till dawn before he could make up his mind what course to pursue. + +As the lights of _The Iturbide_ struck the distant town, a long +line of walls, surmounted by a crowd, leaped out of the darkness. The +search-lights from the forts were flashed on to the ships, and those in +Janjalla recognising the Opal flag, cheered vociferously. They saw +three boats, each flying the ensign of Tlatonac, and no _Pizarro_. +Then they guessed what had occurred, and were glad accordingly. The +rebel soldiers on the beach stamped and swore with rage as they saw +their loss, but being without boats could do nothing save parade under +arms till dawn, so as to be prepared against a possible attack by the +victorious loyalists. + +"Bueno!" cried Captain Pedraza, who had his night glass up. "There is +one good thing, mis amigos, the Opal flag still flies over the town, so +as yet it holds out." + +"What is next to be done, Comandante?" asked Jack, who was standing +near with Rafael. + +"We must wait till dawn, Señor Americano, and then find out if the +reinforcements have arrived at Janjalla. Afterwards we will steam back +to Tlatonac, and if possible meet the _Cortes_ and _Columbus_ coming +back. In any event, we must go to Tlatonac to report this victory to +the Junta." + +"Shall you land these two hundred troops?" + +"Caranto! Why not?" + +"Because the camp of the enemy lies between the town and ourselves. Two +hundred men cannot do much against two thousand." + +"True, Señor. If it is impossible, we will not attempt it. But at dawn, +I will signal to General Gigedo to make a sally from the gates down to +the shore; our men will land, and effect a conjunction, and so with +small loss they ought to get into the town. Especially under cover of +our guns, and those of the forts." + +"I don't see what use that will be, Pedraza," interrupted Rafael, +bluntly. + +"Caro, Señor! His Excellency ordered this to be done, so it must be +done." + +"Rather a useless task, I think," said Jack, dryly. "However, I am not +sorry, as I wish to get into the town myself. But you, Señor +Comandante, what will you do?" + +"Wait till these troops are safe with Gigedo, and also ascertain if the +reinforcements have arrived. Then I shall sail north." + +"You won't wait for the warships and transports?" + +"Carajo! what use? We shall find those on our way to Tlatonac." + +After this conversation, Rafael and Jack returned on board _The +Montezuma_, the former slightly gloomy in spite of the victory so +unexpectedly achieved. + +"Caro, Juan!" he said, reflectively; "if we lose this war, it will be +through Don Francisco Gomez. He is a good politician, but a bad +general. What use is there to sacrifice two hundred men to-morrow?" + +"It's rather like the Charge of the Light Brigade, certainly," replied +Jack, with a smile; "as foolhardy and as brave." + +"What is that, mi amigo?" + +Whereupon Jack related the glorious charge to Rafael, and thereby +stirred up the excitable Spaniard to fiery enthusiasm. + +"Oh, what men are the English," he cried, stamping his foot. "It is a +story worthy of the Cid. But this to-morrow, my friend--it is rare! it +is brave! and, like your story, there is no good to be gained." + +"Perhaps Gomez wants to frighten the rebels by showing them how +dauntless are his men." + +"Dios! That is not wise. The sinking of _The Pizarro_ will frighten +them without risking two hundred lives. However, as it is ordered, it +must be done. But you, Don Juan! Will you go?" + +"Assuredly, mi amigo. I wish to see the Señor Correspondent and +Felipe." + +"But you will be killed." + +"That is as it may be. But no, Rafael. I did not escape the perils of +Totatzine to fall in a skirmish before the walls of Janjalla. But see, +mi amigo, it is nearly dawn, let us snatch a few hours' sleep." + +"Bueno!" replied Rafael, leading the way to his cabin; "but first we +must call our friends together, and toast our victory once more." + +It was done accordingly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WITHOUT THE WALLS. + + Walls of stone like mountains rise, + Grey against the morning skies; + Still the royal banner flies, + Watched with hate by rebels' eyes. + And around the ramparts grey, + In the mists an army lies. + + Set in battle's wild array, + At the dawning of the day, + Traitors to their sovereign they, + Who would loyal subjects slay. + Hold this city as a slave, + Under democratic sway. + + Cannons thunder, banners wave, + As come on the foemen brave, + 'Neath these walls to find a grave; + Yet this city shall we save, + Never let it be the prize + Of the coward, fool, and knave. + + +Shortly after dawn, Jack went on deck, to have a thorough examination +of the coast-line. The situation of Janjalla was peculiar. To the right +a shallow river meandered seaward through low-lying, swampy ground, +discharging itself sluggishly by several mouths. A desolate plain +stretched for leagues on the left to the base of distant mountains, and +between swamp and plain the city appeared built on a rocky height. +Directly in front of the walls the sandy ground fell rapidly towards +the sea, on the extreme verge of which was a compact mass of huts +forming a kind of sea-port. The wharf shot out suddenly from this +miniature town. It lay along the hollow of the beach, and above it, in +the near distance, rose the grey walls of Janjalla from the rocky +cliffs. Above these, the domes of churches, the towers of houses, and, +highest of all, the expanse of bluish sky grey with the chill mists of +morning. + +In the beach hollow, the army of Xuarez was encamped, partly in the +houses, partly in the tents which whitely dotted the desolate shore. +Owing to the rapid fall of the ground from the ramparts, the invaders +were quite safe from the cannon of the forts. These could defend the +town against the attack of ships, but were unable to be depressed +sufficiently to command the spot where the rebels were encamped, thus, +in the very jaws of danger, lay the besiegers in comparative safety. +Jack, surveying all this through a telescope, was astonished to see +that the engineers who had constructed the defences had been so foolish +as to leave this debatable ground between rampart and sea. Perhaps they +deemed that the cannon would not permit ships to approach near enough +for the disembarking of hostile troops, but they seemed to have +forgotten that the heavy guns of a man-of-war could silence the forts. +This, perhaps, had not been done, as the cannon on the ramparts still +defended the city; but there was no doubt in Jack's mind that Don +Hypolito had landed his troops under cover of a heavy fire from his +three ships directed at the forts. Once encamped on shore, and the +besiegers could bid defiance to the lines of cannon, whose balls passed +harmlessly over their heads. + +"Ola, Señor Juan," said Rafael's gay voice behind him, "you are up +early." + +"Good morning, mi amigo," replied Jack, turning with a smile. "I have +been up at least half an hour, examining the town." + +"A place forsaken of God, is it not? Dios! to think that some fools +would have this to be the capital of Cholacaca. Swamps there, sandy +plains yonder. Holy Mary! how can it compare with Tlatonac?" + +"It is the first time I have been so far south, and I don't think much +of either country or town." + +"Oh, the situation is good for defence." + +"I'm not so sure of that, Rafael. It is true that the city is built on +a rocky height, and well defended by swamp and desert; but look how +safely enemies can lie under the walls." + +"Eh! what would you, Juan? The muzzles of the guns cannot be depressed +sufficiently to sweep the beach." + +"Then why didn't the engineers build two forts right and left, in order +to command the intervening ground?" + +"Dios! And thus knock each other to pieces." + +"True. Well, then, have one fort. See, mi amigo. On the right, that +wide swamp is a sufficient protection against the approach of an enemy; +but had I constructed the defences of the town, I would have run an arm +of forts between the desert and that sea-fort. Thus a double line of +cannon would have commanded the beach, and even if an enemy did succeed +in landing in face of the fire of the town forts, they could not have +encamped there as they have done." + +"That is true, Juan," replied Rafael, who now had the telescope to his +eye. "But it is now too late to deplore the lack of defences. The +rebels have landed, and are safely bestowed within stone-throw of the +city. Look at the number of them, and all on the alert. Santissima! +they won't feel very happy this morning, now that they see _The +Pizarro_ is lost." + +"Surely," said Jack, taking no notice of this last remark, "surely +Pedraza does not intend to land two hundred men directly in front of +the town?" + +"It is foolish, I admit," answered Rafael, shrugging his shoulders; +"but what with a sally of our troops from the town, and the guns of our +boats playing on the beach, it may be managed." + +"I doubt it. Two hundred men may land under cover of our fire; but, +believe me, Rafael, fifty will not break through that living barrier +and enter the town." + +"I grant that. As I said last night, it is a useless waste of life, and +his Excellency must have surely forgotten the situation of Janjalla +when he gave such a rash command. But what else can be done, save obey +his order?" + +"Obey it, by all means, but not in the way commanded." + +"What do you mean?" + +Jack was sweeping the shore right and left with the telescope, and did +not reply for a few minutes. At length he spoke, indicating the several +points he mentioned, with his hand. + +"Behold, mi amigo," he said, pointing towards the desert, "to land +there would be foolish, as the enemy could march along to defend that +point while the boats pulled in. The same with the central position. It +is madness to land in the teeth of two thousand men. But look to the +right. Why not land the troops up the coast, and let the swamp lie +between them and the enemy?" + +"Bueno!" replied Rafael, seizing the idea at once. "But how do you +propose to enter the city?" + +"Ah, that I can't say, not knowing the geography of the place." + +"I have a map below. Come with me, Juan, and we will invent some plan, +then go on board _The Iturbide_ to interview Pedraza. I am with you in +trying to prevent this sacrifice of two hundred men by landing them in +the jaws of danger." + +They went down to the cabin, and Rafael, after hunting about for a few +minutes, found a map of the southern portion of Cholacaca. He spread it +out on the table, and they began to examine it at once. + +"Here!" said Jack, drawing his finger along the paper; "here is +Janjalla, here the swamp and river, beyond is a kind of rolling +prairie. If we land the troops here, we can march them parallel to the +river, into the interior country." + +"That is so, mi amigo! But, you see, the river is ever between the +troops and the city. If the enemy see our men marching on this side, +they can march on the other, and so keep our men from entering the +city." + +"Not if Pedraza signals to the forts. You forget that the rebels are +only safe so long as they keep in the hollow of the beach. If they +march up on the right, they expose themselves to a heavy fire. +Consequently, the forts can keep them in check, and our troops, +marching along on the right bank of the stream, can surely find some +ford by which to cross, and then gain the inland gate of Janjalla by a +detour." + +"Como, no!" exclaimed Rafael, in a lively tone rolling up the map. "It +is not at all a bad idea. Let us board _The Iturbide_, and explain +your plan to the Comandante." + +"Who commands the expedition?" asked Jack, as he hastily snatched up a +brace of revolvers and a heavy cloak. + +"Don Sebastian de Ahumada. He is a great friend of mine. In fact," +added Rafael, laughing, "he is a cousin of Doña Carmencita de Tajada." + +"My poor Rafael, your suit does not progress much in that quarter." + +"Not with Don José, perhaps; but I am content to wait till the war is +ended, so far as my angel is concerned. She will be true to me, as I to +her. By the way, mi amigo, know you that Don José is now Governor of +Acauhtzin, in the absence of Don Hypolito?" + +"No, I did not know it. Is Don Hypolito yonder?" + +"Not now. He was on board _The Cortes_, and has gone back to +Acauhtzin, but will doubtless come south again, to personally conduct +the war." + +"I should like to get a shot at him," said Jack, grimly; "the brute. I +shall never forgive him for his treachery. Well, who knows?-- + + Perhaps a recruit + May chance to shoot + Great General Bonaparte." + +"What say you?" asked Rafael, puzzled at those +lines, which were recited in English. + +"Nothing, nothing. A something to relieve my feelings. Is that boat +never going to be ready?" + +"It is ready now," said the young man, gaily; "in with you, mi amigo! +Row to _The Iturbide_ Benito! So--give way, men!" + +The oars dipped into the water as the sun arose in the east, and the +boat shot away from _The Montezuma_ over a flood of gold. Rafael was +in great spirits, and chatted gaily all the time; but Jack, thinking +of the peril of the proposed expedition, was graver. Besides, he was +anxious about the safety of Philip and Tim. + +"By the way," said Rafael, suddenly, "Don Pedro did not return with us +last night." + +"No; Pedraza asked him to sleep on board _The Iturbide_. See, there he +is, looking over the bulwarks. I can tell him by the flash of the sun +on his spectacles!" + +"Dios! How strange! Will Don Pedro go with you into the town?" + +"Certainly not," replied Jack, decisively; "it is too risky! Take him +back with you to Tlatonac." + +"Assuredly! My aunt would never forgive me if harm came to Don Pedro." + +Rafael laughed heartily at the idea, for this undutiful nephew was much +amused at the flirtation between Peter and Serafina. + +"She will marry him, Juan! I am sure of it." + +"Then we will have four weddings when the war is over, Rafael." + +"Four weddings. Por todos santos! What mean you?" + +"Myself and Dolores. Yourself and Doña Carmencita. Pedro and your aunt, +and Señor Felipe and Doña Eulalia!" + +"Eh, mi amigo!" cried Rafael, in a lively tone, "does my sister favour +that cavalier? Dios! what says my father?" + +"He does not know anything yet. But as he has consented to receive one +heretic into his family, he can surely stretch a point, and receive +two." + +"Como, no! But it may be! Who knows? Ah! Here we are at _The +Iturbide_. Come, Juan!" + +They climbed up the side of the cruiser, and were received by Captain +Pedraza and Peter. + +"Buenos dias de Dios á ustedes, Señores," said Pedraza, greeting them +heartily. "I am glad to see you both, as I wish to land these troops at +once. Señor Pedro desires to go also." + +"What nonsense, Peter," said Jack, in English, turning to his friend; +"it is too dangerous. You stay on board, and go back to Tlatonac." + +"I shall not!" returned the doctor, indignantly; "you are going, so why +should not I? Besides, I wish to see Tim, and to be certain that Philip +has arrived safely." + +"I don't want you killed, Peter," protested Jack. + +"I won't be killed any more than you will be, Jack. It's not a bit of +use your talking, I'm going with you. I have my medicine-chest with +me." + +"Oh, well, obstinacy! Have it your own way," replied Duval, touched by +this proof of Peter's friendship; "but Tim will pitch at me for +bringing you into danger." + +"Tim will be glad enough to have a doctor at hand. Why, Jack, I should +have been at Totatzine to cure you." + +"Cocom was good at a pinch." + +"A quack!" muttered Peter, scornfully. He could not forgive Cocom +having cured Jack so rapidly. It was a case of professional jealousy. + +"Señor Duval," said Pedraza, approaching Jack, "Don Rafael tells me you +and he have hit on a plan to land the troops without danger." + +Jack signified that they had some such idea in their heads, and in +company with Pedraza, they went below to look at the map. Don +Sebastian followed them, and after a long discussion, the Comandante +decided to accept the suggestion. _The Iturbide_ raised her anchor, +and steamed a short distance up the coast, so as to land the troops +beyond the swamp. Signals having been made to the torpederas, they +remained in their former position, before the town. + +When the rebels saw _The Iturbide_ moving northward, they shouted +with joy, thinking that she was about to leave the harbour; but their +delight was turned into rage as they saw boat after boat drop from her +sides, and, laden with troops, make for the shore. Numbers ran along +the beach, to the verge of the swamp, but here their progress was +stayed, as it was impossible for them to cross the quagmire. They could +only remain quiet, and gesticulate with anger, though many fired their +guns, and two cannon were brought along the shore in the hope of doing +some damage. + +As yet they were safe, from the forts being too much in the hollow; but +when Pedraza saw the cannon brought up, he opened fire with his +Armstrongs, and signalled to the torpederas. These steamed abreast of +the swamp at once, and did considerable damage with their rapid-firing +Hotchkiss guns. Under cover of this cannonade, the whole of the troops +were duly landed, in admirable order, with the utmost celerity, and +then Jack, Peter, and Don Sebastian prepared to go on shore. Pedraza +gave De Ahumada sealed orders for Gigedo from the President, and Rafael +occupied himself in saying farewell to his English friends. + +"You have your revolvers, mis amigos?" he said anxiously; "and swords? +Good! Cloaks? Ah, that is well. Have, also, these flasks of +aguardiente; you will need sustenance. The march to the inland-gate may +be a long one. Adios." + +"Adios," replied Jack, dropping over the side. "Give my love to +Dolores, when you return to Tlatonac." + +"I shall not fail. And, Don Pedro, have you any message?" + +"Si, Señor," replied Peter, in his hesitating Spanish. "Doña Dolores. +Escarabajos." + +"Beetles!" echoed Rafael, in great astonishment. "What does he mean by +beetles?" + +His curiosity was not gratified, for already the boat was making +rapidly for the shore, and Jack, standing up in the stern, was waving +his adieux to all on board. + +By this time the sun was far above the horizon, and already the heat +was becoming unpleasantly great. Don Sebastian at once formed his men +into marching order, and the little company proceeded along the bank of +the river, towards the interior of the country. Before them spread a +kind of rolling downs, with undulating hills, sparsely covered with +vegetation. Here and there patches of yellow sand streaked with fine +white dust. On one side stretched the illimitable plains, and on the +other the ground marshy and treacherous, sank imperceptibly into the +bed of the slow-flowing river. Beyond this, an interval of firm land +for some considerable distance, and then the rocky shelf on which +Janjalla was built. In front the stream meandered in an erratic manner +inland; away in the extreme distance appeared the dim line of forest, +above which arose the snowy cone of Xicotencatl. Over all arched the +cloudless blue sky, with the sun flaming hotly in the east. + +The rebels had been considerably cut up by the incessant firing of the +ships, and had wisely fallen back into their camp. When, however, they +saw the loyalists moving inland, along the bank of the stream, a troop +of cavalry, some hundreds strong, galloped towards the swamp to +intercept them, if possible. The cruiser and the torpederas were still +in their former position, and as the cavalry turned the fatal corner, +to make for the inner country, they opened a heavy cannonade. +Considerable damage was inflicted particularly by the Hotchkiss guns, +and numbers of riders were soon struggling on the ground with their +wounded horses. In a few minutes, however, the troop, nothing dismayed, +escaped beyond the line of fire, and galloped parallel with the +loyalists, between swamp and walls. + +This defile proved to be a perfect death-trap. For those within the +town, having observed the landing of the reinforcements, and the chase +by the enemy, opened fire from the forts, and shattered the compact +mass of horses and men as they steadily galloped along. At length, +however, they had to cease their fire, as the rebels artfully kept +abreast of the loyalists, and at times the balls swept across the +swamp, and played havoc with the soldiers of Don Sebastian. The only +thing to be done, therefore, was to let the cavalry go free, and trust +to a hand-to-hand combat when on the sandy plains at the back of the +town. + +Both the ships and the forts, however, were determined that no more of +the enemy should join in the pursuit, for a heavy cannonade was kept up +as another troop tried to follow, and effectually held them back. + +"Bueno!" said Don Sebastian, when he saw this. "We have but to deal +with those abreast of us; no more can follow." + +"Cavalry against infantry, mi amigo! It is unequal, particularly if we +try to cross the river." + +"Perhaps those in the town will come to our assistance," suggested +Peter, who was trudging along manfully. + +"It is probable," replied De Ahumada, when this remark was translated +into good Spanish by Jack. "See, we are now nearly at the end of the +town. Yonder is the land-gate. If we remain here, assistance may come, +and while the cavalry are defending themselves against our friends, we +may be able to cross the river." + +"Yes; that is if the cavalry don't get reinforced by their own men +coming round the other side of the town." + +"Dios!" exclaimed Don Sebastian, grimly, "reinforcements certainly can +come that way, but they will be forced to make a wide detour in order +to keep out of range of the fort-guns. By the time they come up we may +be inside the walls." + +"I fervently trust so, Señor," replied Duval, who, though no coward, +did not relish the idea of engaging two hundred infantry with double +the number of cavalry. + +The city was enclosed by walls of a considerable height, was shaped in +a triangular fashion, the base being towards the ocean, and the +land-gate at the acute angle inland. They had now walked some distance +past the gate on the other side of the river, and a wide sheet of water +rolled between them and their enemies. On all sides spread the sandy +plain, and the walls of the city rose suddenly from the flat surface in +a most unexpected fashion. On the left bank halted the cavalry of the +enemy, prepared to dispute their crossing, and Don Sebastian was sorely +puzzled as to what was the best course to pursue. + +"It is madness to cross in the face of that, Don Juan." + +"Well, if we don't cross at once they will be reinforced from the other +side, and then it will be worse." + +"Look, Jack, look!" cried Peter at this moment, "the gates are open!" + +Just as he spoke a body of cavalry debouched from the city, and came +rapidly towards the rebels. They at once turned to meet this new +danger, and thus their attention was drawn off the infantry, upon +seeing which Don Sebastian waited a few minutes until the opposing +forces clashed together, and then gave the order to cross the river. + +"Must we strip?" asked Peter, ruefully, looking at the three hundred +yards of water before him. + +"Strip! no, man!" said Jack, laughing, "unless you want to enter +Janjalla naked. You can swim. At least you could at Bedford." + +"Of course I can swim," said Peter, testily; "but I hate getting my +clothes wet." + +"Oh, hang your clothes! The river is slow-flowing, so it is easy to get +across. See! the advance files are in already. In with you!" + +Peter did not need any second admonition, but waded into the water +beside Jack and Don Sebastian. The cavalry, which otherwise would have +shot them down as they swam across, were fully occupied with the +loyalist regiment from Janjalla. Already in the extreme distance dark +masses might be seen rapidly moving along. They were the reinforcements +for the rebels making a detour on the other side of the city. There was +not a moment to be lost. + +In a remarkably short space of time the whole of the infantry had +crossed, and were now standing high and dry on the other bank. Not even +giving them time to shake the water from their clothes, Don Sebastian +made them kneel and open fire on the rebels in the rear. Fortunately +each man had piled his musket and ammunition on his head while +swimming, so their arms were in excellent condition, and their +cartridges unwetted. A fusillade burst from the line, and wrought +considerable damage in the ranks of the enemy. Taken thus between two +fires, the rebels found themselves in exceedingly hot water, but +trusting that their comrades would soon reach them, turned and tried to +ride down the infantry. The soldiers immediately sprung to their feet +and scattered widely, firing into the troop whenever they got a chance. + +Fresh troops of loyalist cavalry poured out of the gates and made for +the scene of action. What with being pretty nearly equally matched with +the cavalry, and exposed to the galling fire of the infantry, the +rebels began to lose heart, and, breaking into disorderly masses, +spread over the plain. The gates of the city were distant a quarter of +a mile, and seeing that the reinforcements of the enemy were close at +hand, Don Sebastian shouted to his men to close up and make for the +shelter of the walls. Seeing this the rebel reinforcements, darting +between the moving loyalists and the gates, tried to cut them off, but +were met in their turn by the mounted troops from Janjalla. The plain +was strewn with dead and dying, and the incessant cracking of rifles, +the yells of the combatants, and the thick clouds of pungent smoke +added to the horrors of the skirmish. + +A huge trooper rode straight at Peter, and rolled him in the dust, but +Jack being close at hand shot the horse with his revolver, and pulled +his friend out of harm's way. By this time they were near the gates, +and Peter being somewhat stunned by his knock-down, was dragged along +rapidly by Jack, who wanted to get him into shelter as speedily as +possible. + +It was now dangerous for the infantry to fire, as friend and foe were +blended in an inextricable mass; so, forming line as speedily as +possible, they ran for the gate, and at length reached it in safety. +Seeing that they were now out of danger, the cavalry of Janjalla began +to retreat towards the portal. To the left of the town, great masses of +reinforcements were moving up, and it would have been madness to have +opposed them with the small force of loyalists outside. The cavalry +galloped back, and as by this time the infantry had fled inside the +walls, the gates were closed at once. + +"Jack! Jack! Peter!" cried a well-known voice, as Tim, grimy with +gunpowder and smoke, plunged down the street towards the gate. "Are you +safe?" + +"Quite safe. But why the deuce are these men coming back? Why don't +they pour out and exterminate those devils?" + +"What!" yelled Tim, throwing up his arms in surprise. "Why they can't +be spared. There's but seven hundred men here!" + +"Seven hundred!" cried Jack, seized with a sudden qualm of fear. "But +the reinforcements--the thousand men?" + +"No reinforcements have arrived, Jack." + +"And Philip?" + +"Philip!" said Tim, in alarm. "Was he with the reinforcements? God be +gracious to me. Not a man has arrived. When did they leave Tlatonac?" + +"Four days ago." + +"Four days! One hundred miles!" + +The three friends, amid the tumult around them, with the enemy +thundering at the gate, looked at one another in silent dread. Then +Jack took off his sombrero. + +"Poor Philip!" he said, solemnly. "I was afraid of those Indians. Oh, +my poor friend!" + + +END OF VOL. II. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Harlequin Opal, Vol. 2 (of 3), by Fergus Hume + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43188 *** |