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diff --git a/44514-0.txt b/44514-0.txt index 4f0fac4..c4ae692 100644 --- a/44514-0.txt +++ b/44514-0.txt @@ -1,4 +1,4 @@ -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 *** +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 *** THE LAST OF THE INCAS: @@ -8408,5 +8408,4 @@ THE END. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Last of the Incas, by Gustave Aimard - *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 *** diff --git a/44514-h/44514-h.htm b/44514-h/44514-h.htm index b0d4c59..0269a56 100644 --- a/44514-h/44514-h.htm +++ b/44514-h/44514-h.htm @@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ v:link {color: #800000; text-decoration: none; } </style> </head> <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 ***</div> -<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 ***</div> <h1>THE LAST OF THE INCAS:</h1> @@ -8481,7 +8481,7 @@ Heaven, arrested a conqueror.</p> -<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 ***</div> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44514 ***</div> </body> </html> diff --git a/44514.json b/44514.json deleted file mode 100644 index 45b6440..0000000 --- a/44514.json +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5 +0,0 @@ -{
- "DATA": {
- "CREDIT": "Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe (Images generously made available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.)"
- }
-}
diff --git a/old/44514-8.txt b/old/44514-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 86ad830..0000000 --- a/old/44514-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8800 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Last of the Incas, by Gustave Aimard - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Last of the Incas - A Romance of the Pampas - -Author: Gustave Aimard - -Translator: Lascelles Wraxall - -Release Date: December 26, 2013 [EBook #44514] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAST OF THE INCAS *** - - - - -Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org (Images generously made -available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.) - - - - - -THE LAST OF THE INCAS: - -A ROMANCE OF THE PAMPAS. - -BY - -GUSTAVE AIMARD - - -"AUTHOR OF ADVENTURERS," "INDIAN CHIEF," "TRAIL HUNTER," - -"PIRATES OF THE PRAIRIES," "TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER," "TIGER - -SLAYER," "GOLD SEEKERS," "RED TRACK," ETC. - - -LONDON: - -CHARLES HENRY CLARKE, 13 PATERNOSTER ROW. - -1875 - - - -CONTENTS. - - - I. THE BOMBEROS - II. EL CARMEN - III. DON TORRIBIO CARVAJAL - IV. THE TREE OF GUALICHU - V. THE COUNCIL OF THE ULMENS - VI. NOCOBOTHA - VII. THE COUGARS - VIII. THE ESTANCIA OF SAN JULIAN - IX. DON SYLVIO D'ARENAL - X. THE VIRGIN FOREST - XI. THE CHASE OF ÑANDUS - XII. THE TOLDERÍA - XIII. THE PAMPERO - XIV. PREPARATIONS FOR A SIEGE - XV. A BRAVE RESOLVE - XVI. THE INVASION - XVII. THE ATTACK ON POBLACIÓN DEL SUR - XVIII. THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS - XIX. DON TORRIBIO'S HOUSE - XX. THE INDIAN CAMP - XXI. THE TOLDO OF THE GREAT TOQUI - XXII. DELILAH - XXIII. THE AGONY OF A TOWN - XXIV. THE LAST OF THE INCAS - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE BOMBEROS. - - -Patagonia is as little known at the present day as it was when Juan -Diaz de Solis and Vicente Yanez Pinzon landed there in 1508, sixteen -years after the discovery of the New World. - -The earliest navigators, whether involuntarily or not, threw over this -country a mysterious veil, which science and frequent relations have -not yet entirely removed. The celebrated Magalaës (Magellan) and his -historian, the Chevalier Pigafetta, who touched at these coasts in -1520, were the first to invent these Patagonian giants so tall that -Europeans scarce reached their girdle, who were upwards of nine feet -high, and resembled Cyclops. These fables, like all fables, have been -accepted as truths, and in the last century became the theme of a very -lively dispute among learned men. Hence the name of Patagonians (great -feet) was given to the inhabitants of this country, which extends from -the western watershed of the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean. - -Patagonia is watered, through its entire length, by the Rio Colorado in -the north, and the Rio Negro in the east-south-east. These two rivers, -through the windings of their course, agreeably break the uniformity -of an arid, dry, sandy soil, on which prickly shrubs alone grow, or -dispense life to the uninterrupted vegetation of their banks. They wind -round a fertile valley overshadowed by willow trees, and trace two deep -furrows through the midst of an almost level country. - -The Rio Negro runs through a valley surrounded by precipitous cliffs, -which the waters still wash at places; wherever they have retired, they -have left alluvial soil covered with an eternal vegetation, and formed -numerous islets covered with willows, and contrasting with the mournful -aspect of the naked cliffs. - -Monkeys, wild asses, foxes, and red wolves constantly traverse the -desert in every direction, together with the cougar, or American lion, -and the imbaracayas--those ferocious and formidable wild cats. The -coasts are thronged with amphibious carnivora, such as sea lions and -elephant seals. The _guya_, concealed in the marshes, utters its -melancholy cry; the _guacuti_, or stag of the Pampas, runs lightly over -the sand; while the _guanaco_, or American camel, sits pensively on the -summit of the cliffs. The majestic condor soars amid the clouds, in -the company of the disgusting cathartes. Urubús and auras which, like -it, hover round the cliffs on the seaboard to dispute the remains of -corpses with the voracious caracaras. Such are the plains of Patagonia, -a monotonous solitude empty, horrible, and desolate! - -One evening in the month of November, which the Aucas Indians call -the "moon of the pruning," a traveller, mounted on a powerful horse -of the Pampas of Buenos Aires, was following at a sharp trot one -of the thousand paths traced by the Indians, in that inextricable -labyrinth found on the banks of all American rivers. This traveller was -a man of thirty years of age at the most, clothed in a semi-Indian, -semi-European garb peculiar to the Gauchos. A poncho of Indian -manufacture hung from his shoulders to his horse's flanks, and only -left visible the long Chilian polenas that came above his knees. A -lasso and _bolas_ hung from either side of his saddle, and he carried a -rifle in front of him. - -His face, half concealed by the broad brim of his straw hat, had an -expression of brute courage and spitefulness; his features were, so to -say, modelled by hatred. His long hooked nose, surmounted by two quick -threatening eyes, rather close together, gave him a distant resemblance -to a bird of prey; his thin lips were contracted with an ironical air, -and his prominent cheekbones suggested cunning. The Spaniard could be -recognized by his olive tint. The effect of this face, surrounded as it -was by long tangled black hair and a large beard, was to inspire fear -and repulsion. His wide shoulders and well-knit limbs denoted far from -common strength and agility in this man, who seemed above the average -height. - -On reaching a spot where several tracks crossed each other to form an -inextricable network, the stranger stopped to look about him, and, -after a moment's hesitation, turned to the right and struck a trail. -Going further and further away from the banks of the Rio Colorado, -which he had hitherto been following, he entered a plain, the soil of -which, burned by the sun and covered with small pebbles or gravel, -only offered a few stunted shrubs to the eye. The further the stranger -advanced in this desert, the further solitude extended in its gloomy -majesty, and the footfall of his horse alone disturbed the silence of -the desert. The horseman, but slightly affected by this savage beauty -of Nature, contented himself with carefully reconnoitering and counting -the _pozos_, for in these countries utterly void of water, travellers -have dug reservoirs in which the water collects during the rainy season. - -After passing two of these pozos, the traveller saw in the distance -horses hobbled in front of a wretched _toldo_. At once a shout was -raised, and in less than a minute the horses were unfastened; three men -leapt into the saddle, and dashed forward at full gallop to reconnoitre -this man, who, careless of their movements, continued his journey -without making the slightest attempt to put himself on his defence. - -"Eh, _compadre_, whither are you bound?" one of them asked, as he -barred the way for the stranger. - -"_Canario_, Pepe," the latter answered; "have you been emptying a skin -of aguardiente this evening? Do you not recognize me?" - -"Why, 'tis the voice of Pedrito, if I am not mistaken." - -"Unless someone has stolen my voice, my good fellow, it is I, the real -Pedrito." - -"Caray! You are welcome," the three men shouted. - -"Deuce take me if I did not fancy you killed by one of those dogs of -Aucas; ten minutes ago I was talking about it to Lopez." - -"Yes," Lopez added in confirmation, "for you have disappeared for eight -days." - -"Eight days--yes; but I have not lost my time." - -"You will tell us your exploits?" - -"I should think so; but I and my horse are hungry after a two days' -fast." - -"That will be soon remedied," said Pepe, "for here we are." - -The four friends, while conversing, had ridden on, and at this moment -dismounted in front of the _toldo_, which they entered, after hobbling -their horses and placing food before that of the newcomer. This toldo, -as they are called in the country, was a cabin thirty feet long and the -same in depth, covered with reeds, and formed of stakes driven into the -ground, and fastened together with thongs. In one corner, four wooden -and leather benches served as beds for the dwellers in this house, -where it was difficult to shelter themselves against the wind and rain. - -In the centre of the toldo each sat down on a large stone, in front -of a fire whose dense smoke almost concealed objects. Lopez took up -a piece of guanaco that was roasting, and planted the spit in the -ground. The four comrades drew their long knives from their polenas, -and began eating with good appetites. - -These men were _bomberos_. - -Ever since the foundation of the Spanish colonial fort of Carmen, -it had been found necessary, in consequence of the vicinity of the -Indians, to have scouts to watch over their movements, and give the -alarm at the slightest danger. These scouts form a species of corps of -the bravest men, thoroughly habituated to the privations of the Pampas. -Although their services are voluntary and their profession perilous, -bomberos are never wanting, for they are handsomely paid. They often go -twenty or five and twenty leagues from the fort, as extreme outposts, -ambushing on spots where the enemy--that is to say, the Indians--must -necessarily pass. Day and night they ride across the plains, watching, -listening, and hiding. Scattered during the day, they reassemble at -sunset, though they rarely venture to light a fire, which would betray -their presence; and they never all sleep together. Their bivouac is -a flying camp, and they live on the produce of the chase. They have -long been accustomed to this strange and nomadic life, and hence they -acquire a fineness of perception almost equal to that of the Indians, -and their practised eyes recognize the slightest trace on the lightly -trodden grass or sand. Solitude has developed in them a marvellous -sagacity, and a rare talent for observation. - -The four bomberos collected in the toldo were the most renowned -in Patagonia. These poor fellows were supping gaily while warming -themselves at a good fire, a rare pleasure for men surrounded by -dangers, and who hate a surprise to fear at any hour. But the bomberos -did not appear to trouble themselves about anything, although aware -that the Indians never give them any quarter. - -The character of these men is singular: courageous to cruelty, they -care not for the life of other persons or their own. If one of their -comrades die, victim of an Indian or a wild beast, they content -themselves with saying he has a _mala suerte_ (ill luck). True savages, -living without any affection or faith, they are a peculiar type in -humanity. - -These scouts were brothers, and their names were Lopez, Pepe, Juan, and -Pedrito. Their home, twice plundered by the Aucas Indians, had been -utterly destroyed by fire in the last invasion. Their father and mother -had succumbed under atrocious torture; two of their sisters had been -outraged and killed by the chiefs, and the youngest, Mercedes, a child -scarce seven years of age, was carried off into slavery, and since then -they had received no news of her, and were ignorant were she dead or -alive. - -The four brothers from this moment became bomberos, through hatred of -the Indians and desire of vengeance, and had only one head and one -heart. Their prodigies of courage, intelligence, and craft during the -last seven years would take us too long to record, and, moreover, we -shall find specimens in the course of this narrative. - -So soon as Pedrito, who was the eldest, had finished his meal, Lopez -put out the fire, and Juan mounted his horse to go the rounds; then the -two brothers, curious about the news Pedrito brought them, drew closer -to him. - -"What news, brother?" Pepe asked. - -"Before anything else," the eldest asked, "what have you been doing -during the last week?" - -"That will not take long," Lopez answered; "nothing." - -"Nonsense." - -"On my word it is true. The Aucas and Pehuenches are becoming absurdly -timid; if this goes on, we shall have to send them petticoats like -squaws." - -"Oh! Set your minds at rest," Pedrito said, "they have not come to that -yet." - -"What do you know?" Lopez asked. - -"What next?" Pedrito asked, instead of answering. - -"That is all; we have seen nothing, heard nothing suspicious." - -"Are you sure?" - -"Hang it! Do you take us for asses?" - -"No, but you are mistaken." - -"What?" - -"Search your memory carefully." - -"No one has passed, I tell you," Pepe remarked confidently. - -"No one." - -"Unless you count as somebody the old Pehuenche squaw who crossed -the plain this evening on a sorry horse, and asked us the road to El -Carmen." - -"That old squaw," Pedrito said, with a smile, "knows the road as well -as I do. Canarios, your innocence amuses me." - -"Our innocence!" Lopez exclaimed with a frown; "We are asses, then." - -"You look very like it to me." - -"Explain yourself." - -"You shall understand." - -"We shall be only too glad." - -"May be so. The old Pehuenche squaw who crossed the plain this evening -on a sorry horse, and asked you the road to El Carmen," Pedrito said, -repeating Pepe's words, maliciously, "Do you know who she was?" - -"Hang it all! A frightful old witch, whose face would terrify the -fiend." - -"Ah, you think so. Well, you are altogether wrong." - -"Speak out, and do not play with us like a congonas with a mouse." - -"My boy, this Pehuenche witch was--" - -"Who?" - -"Nocobotha!" - -Nocobotha (the Hurricane) was the principal Ulmen of the Aucas. Pedrito -might have gone on talking for a long time without his brothers -noticing it, so greatly had the news startled them. - -"Malediction!" Pepe at length shouted. - -"But how do you know it?" Lopez asked. - -"Do you suppose I have been amusing myself with sleeping away the last -eight days, brothers? The Indians, to whom you want to send petticoats, -are preparing, with the greatest secrecy, to deal you a furious blow. -We must distrust silent waters and the calm that conceals a tempest. -All the nations of Upper and Lower Patagonia, and even Araucania, -have leagued together to attempt an invasion--massacre the whites, and -destroy El Carmen. Two men have done it all--two men with whom you and -I have been long acquainted--Nocobotha, and Pincheira, the chief of the -Araucanos. This evening there will be a grand meeting of the delegates -of the free nations, at which the day and hour for the attack will be -definitely settled, and the final measures taken to insure the success -of the expedition." - -"¡Caray!" Pepe exclaimed, "There is not a moment to lose. One of us -must go at full gallop to El Carmen to inform the governor of the -danger menacing the colony." - -"No, not yet; we must not be in such a hurry, but try to discover the -intentions of the chiefs. The _quipu_ has been sent round, and the -chiefs who will be present at the meeting are twenty in number. You see -that I am well informed." - -"Where will they meet?" - -"At the tree of Gualichu." - -"_¡Demonio!_ it will not be an easy thing to surprise them at such a -place." - -"Hang it, it is impossible," Lopez said. - -"Where force fails, try cunning. Here is Juan returned. Well, have you -any news?" - -"All is quiet," he said, as he dismounted. - -"All the better. In that case we can act," Pedrito continued. "Listen -to me, brothers. I believe that you have confidence in me--" - -"Oh!" the three men exclaimed. - -"In that case you will follow me?" - -"Anywhere." - -"Quick to horse, for I too wish to be present at this Indian gathering." - -"And you are going to take us--" - -"To the tree of Gualichu." - -The four bold comrades mounted their horses, and started at a gallop. -Pedrito possessed a superiority over his brothers, which the latter -recognized; nothing he did astonished them, so accustomed were they to -see him perform marvels. - -"Do you intend to mingle with the chiefs also?" Pepe asked. - -"Yes, Pepe; instead of twenty there will be twenty-one, that is all," -Pedrito added, with a careless smile. - -The bomberos spurred their horses, and disappeared in the darkness. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -EL CARMEN. - - -In 1780, long after the discovery of the New World, the Spaniards -founded in Patagonia a factory, situated on the left bank of the Rio -Negro, about seven leagues from its mouth, and called Nuestra Señora -del Carmen, and also Patagonia. - -The Ulmen Negro, chief of the Puelches, encamped in the vicinity of -the Rio Negro, favourably greeted the Spaniards, and in consideration -of a distribution made to the Indians of a large quantity of clothing -and other useful articles, sold them the course of that river from its -mouth up to San Xavier. In addition to this, by the wish of the Ulmen, -the natives aided the Spaniards in building the citadel, which was to -serve them as a shelter, and thus assisted with their arms in producing -their own serfdom. - -At the period of the foundation of El Carmen the post merely consisted -of a fort, built on the northern bank, at the summit of a scarped -cliff, which commands the river, the southern plains and the -surrounding country. It is of a square shape; it is built with strong -walls of dressed stone, and flanked by three bastions, two on the -river to the east and west, and the third on the plain. The interior -contains the chapel, the priest's house, and the powder magazine; on -the other side run spacious quarters for the commandant, treasurer, -officers, garrison, and a small hospital. All these buildings, only one -storey in height, are covered with tiles. The Government also possesses -outside vast granaries, a baking house, a mill, two blacksmiths' and -carpenters' shops, and two _estancias_, or farms, stocked with horses -and cattle. - -At the present day, the fort is nearly in ruins; the walls, for want of -repairs, are everywhere decaying, but the dwelling houses are still in -good condition. - -El Carmen is divided into three groups, two on the north, and one on -the south side of the river. Of the two former, one, the old Carmen, is -situated between the fort and the Rio Negro, on the slope of the cliff, -and consists of some forty houses of varying height and style, and -forming an irregular line which follows the course of the river. Around -them are scattered wretched huts, and this is the staple of the trade -with the Indians. - -The other group on the same bank, called Población, is a few hundred -paces to the east of the fort, and is separated from it by shifting -sand dunes, which entirely stop the range of the guns. Población forms -a vast quadrilateral, round which are about one hundred houses, mostly -new, only one storey high, tile-covered, and serving as a residence -for farmers, agriculturists, and _pulqueros_, or dealers in spirits -and grocery. Between the two groups there are several houses scattered -along the river bank. - -The village on the south bank, which is called Población del Sur, is -composed of twenty houses, standing in a line on a low soil, subject -to inundations. These houses, which are poorer than those of the north -side, serve as a shelter for gauchos and estancieros. A few pulqueros, -attracted by the vicinity of the Indians, have also opened their stores -there. - -The general aspect is sad; only a few isolated trees grow on the river -bank, and the streets are full of a pulverized sand, which obeys the -direction of the wind. This description of a country hitherto perfectly -unknown, was indispensable for a due comprehension of the incidents -that are about to follow. - -The day on which this story begins, at about two in the afternoon, -five or six gauchos, seated in a pulquero's shop, were holding a -sharp discussion while swallowing long draughts of _chicha_ from the -half-gourds which went the round. The scene is laid in Población del -Sur. - -"Canario," said a tall, thin fellow, who had all the appearance of a -desperate ruffian, "are we not free men? If our governor, the Señor Don -Antonio Valverde, insists in plundering us in this way, Pincheira is -not so far off but that we may manage to come to an understanding with -him. Although an Indian chief now, he is of the white race, without any -mixture, and a caballero to the end of his fingers." - -"Hold your tongue, Panchito," another said, "you would do better if -you swallowed your words with your chicha, instead of talking such -nonsense." - -"I have a right to speak," said Panchito, who was moistening his throat -more than the rest. - -"Don't you know that invisible eyes are prowling about us, and that -ears are open to pick up our words and profit by them?" - -"Nonsense," said the first speaker, with a shrug of the shoulders, "you -are always frightened, Corrocho. I care as much for spies as I do for -an old bridle." - -"Panchito!" - -"What, am I not right? Why does Don Antonio wish us so much harm?" - -"You are mistaken," a third gaucho interrupted with a laugh, "the -governor, on the contrary, desires your comfort, and the proof is that -he takes as much as he possibly can from you." - -"That confounded Patito has the cleverness of the scamp he is," -Panchito exclaimed, bursting into a noisy laugh. "Well, after us the -end of the world!" - -"In the meanwhile let us drink," said Patito. - -"Yes," Panchito replied, "let us drink and drown our cares. Besides, -have we not Don Torribio Carvajal to help us if necessary?" - -"That's another name that ought to stick in your throat, especially -here," Corrocho exclaimed, striking the table angrily with his fist, -"can't you hold your tongue, accursed dog?" - -Panchito frowned, and looked askant at his comrade. - -"Are you trying to bully me? Canario, you are beginning to stir my -blood." - -"Bully you? Why not, if you deserved it?" the other answered without -the slightest excitement. "Caray, for the last two hours you have been -drinking like a sponge; you are as full as a butt, and you chatter -like a foolish old woman. Hold your tongue, do you hear, or go to -sleep." - -"¡Sangre de Cristo!" Panchito yelled, as he dug his knife vigorously -into the bar, "You will give me satisfaction." - -"On my word, bloodletting will do you good, and my hand itches to give -you a navajada on your ugly chops." - -"Ugly chops, did you say?" - -And Panchito rushed upon Corrocho, who waited for him with a firm foot. -The other gauchos rushed between to prevent them striking. - -"Peace, peace, caballeros, in Heaven's name or the fiend's," the -pulquero said, "no quarrelling in my house; if you wish to have it out, -the street is free." - -"The pulquero is right," said Panchito; "come on, then, if you are a -man." - -"Willingly." - -The two gauchos, followed by their comrades, dashed out into the -street. As for the pulquero, standing in his doorway with his hands in -his pockets, he whistled a dance tune while awaiting the combat. - -Panchito and Corrocho, who had already taken off their hats, and bowed -with affected politeness to each other, after rolling their poncho -round the left arm, in guise of a buckler, drew their long knives from -their polenas, and without exchanging a syllable, stood on guard with -remarkable coolness. - -In this species of duel the honour consists in touching the adversary -in the face; a blow dealt below the waist passes for an act of -treachery unworthy a true caballero. - -The two adversaries, solidly planted on their straddled legs, with -bodies bent, and head thrown back, looked at each other attentively -to divine movements, parry strokes, and scar each other. The other -gauchos, with husk cigarettes in their mouths, followed the duel with -unconcerned eye, and applauded the more skilful. The fight continued on -both sides with equal success for some minutes, when Panchito, whose -sight was doubtless obstructed by copious libations, parried a second -too late, and felt the point of Corrocho's knife cut the skin of his -face its whole length. - -"Bravo, bravo!" all the gauchos exclaimed simultaneously, "Well hit." - -The combatants fell back a step, bowed to the spectators, sheathed -their knives again, bowed to each other, with a species of courtesy, -and, after shaking hands, re-entered the pulquería arm in arm. - -The gauchos form a species of men apart, whose manners are completely -unknown in Europe. Those of El Carmen, the great majority exiled for -crimes, have retained their sanguinary habits and their contempt of -life. Indefatigable gamblers, they have cards incessantly in their -hands; and gambling is a fertile source of quarrelling, in which the -knife plays the greatest part. Careless of the future and of present -suffering, hardened to physical pain, they disdain death as much as -life, and recoil before no danger. Well, these men, who frequently -abandon their families to go and live in greater liberty amid savage -hordes; who gladly and without emotion shed the blood of their fellow -men; who are implacable in their hatred; are yet capable of ardent -friendship, and extraordinary self-denial and devotion. Their character -offers a strange medley of good and evil, of unbridled vices and of -real qualities. They are, in turn, and simultaneously, quarrelsome, -indolent, drunken, cruel, proud, brave to rashness, and devoted to a -friend, or patron of their choice. From childhood blood flows beneath -their hands in the estancias at the period of _mantaza del ganado_ -(cattle slaughtering), and they thus habituate themselves to the -colour of the human purple. Lastly, their jests are as coarse as their -manners; and the most delicate and frequent of them is to threaten with -a knife under the most frivolous pretexts. - -While the gauchos, on returning to the pulquería after the quarrel, -were bedewing their reconciliation, and drowning in floods of chicha -the remembrance of this little incident, a man, wrapped in a large -cloak, and with his hat pulled over his eyes, entered the shop, without -saying a word, went up to the bar, took an apparently indifferent -glance around him, lit a cigarette at the brasero, and with a piastre -he held in his hand, hit the table three sharp blows. - -At this unexpected sound, which resembled a signal, the gauchos, who -were talking eagerly together, were silent as if they had received an -electric shock. Panchito and Corrocho started, and tried to see through -the cloak that covered the stranger, while Patito turned his head away -slightly to conceal a crafty smile. - -The stranger threw away his half-consumed cigarette, and went out of -the door as silently as he had entered it. A moment after, Panchito, -who was wiping his cheek, and Corrocho, both pretending to remember -some important business, quitted the pulquería. Patito glided along the -wall to the door, and followed close at their heels. - -"Hum!" the pulquero growled, "there are three scamps, who seem to be -arranging some dog's trick, in which every man's head will not remain -on his shoulders. Well, it is their business after all." - -The other gauchos, completely absorbed in their game of monte, and -bent over the cards, had not, so to speak, noticed the departure of -their comrades. The stranger, when at some distance from the pulquería, -turned round. The two gauchos were walking almost close behind him, and -carelessly talking, like two loungers who were taking a walk. - -Where was Patito? He had disappeared. - -After making an almost imperceptible sign to the two gauchos, the -stranger set out again, and followed a road which, by an insensible -curve, left the waterside and gradually entered the plain. This road, -after leaving Población, took a rather sharp turn, and suddenly -contracted into a path, which, like the rest, appeared to be lost in -the plain. - -At the corner of the path a horseman, proceeding to the village, at -a smart trot, passed the three men; but neither the gauchos nor the -stranger, being, doubtless, busy with serious thought, remarked him. As -for the rider, he gave them a rapid and piercing glance, and checked -the pace of his horse, which stopped a few yards further on. - -"Heaven pardon me!" he said to himself "'tis Don Torribio, or the -Fiend, in flesh and bone. What can he be doing there in the company of -those two bandits, who look to me exactly like imps of Satan? May I -lose my name of Blas Salazar, if I won't find out, and set myself at -their heels." - -And he quickly dismounted. Señor Blas Salazar was a man of -five-and-thirty at the most, rather above the average height, and -somewhat corpulent; but, on the other hand, the squareness of his wide -shoulders and his sturdy limbs indicated his muscular strength. A small -gray eye, quick and sparkling with intelligence and boldness, lit up -his open and frank countenance. His dress, with the exception of being -a little more elegant, was that of the gauchos. - -So soon as he dismounted he looked round, but there was no one to whom -he could give his horse to hold; for at Carmen, especially in the -Población del Sur, it is almost a miracle for two persons to meet. He -stamped his foot angrily, passed the bridle over his arm, led his horse -to the pulquería the gauchos had just left, and entrusted it to the -landlord. - -This duty performed, for the best friend of an Hispano-American is his -horse, Blas retraced his footsteps with the most minute precautions, -like a man who wishes to surprise and himself remain unseen. The -gauchos were ahead of him, and disappeared behind a shifting sand -ridge, at the moment he turned the corner in the road. Still he soon -saw them again, climbing up a steep path, that led to a thick clump -of trees. A few trees had grown in these dry sands by accident, or a -caprice of Nature. - -Sure now of finding them, Blas walked on more slowly, and in order to -remove any suspicion about his object, he lit a cigarette. The gauchos, -fortunately for him, did not look round once, but entered the wood -after the man whom Blas had recognized as Don Torribio Carvajal. When -Blas, in his turn, reached the skirt of the wood, instead of entering -the wood immediately, he took a slight bend to his right, and then -stooping down, began crawling on his hands and knees with the greatest -caution, in order not to arouse the attention of the gauchos by any -noise. - -In a few minutes voices reached his ear. He then raised his head -softly, and saw the three men standing together and talking eagerly in -a clearing about ten paces from him. He rose, concealed himself behind -a maple tree and began listening. - -Don Torribio had let his cloak fall, and with his shoulder leant -against a tree and with his legs crossed, he was listening with visible -impatience to what Panchito was saying at this moment. Don Torribio was -a man of eight-and-twenty, handsome, tall, and well-built, possessing -elegance and nobility in his every movement, and the haughty attitude -which is produced by a habit of commanding. Two large quick eyes lit -up the oval of his face; two eyes charged, apparently, with lightning, -and whose strange fascination it was almost impossible to endure. -His flexible nostrils seem to expand through quick passions; a cold -mockery was imbedded in the corners of his mouth, which was filled -with splendid teeth and surmounted by a black moustache. His forehead -was spacious, his skin bronzed by the heat of the sun, and his hair -long and silky. Still, in spite of all this prodigality of Nature, -his haughty and disdainful expression produced, in the end, a sort of -repulsion. - -Don Torribio's hands were small and encased in splendid-fitting gloves, -and his high-ankled feet were covered by patent leather boots. As for -his dress, which was extremely costly, it was in appearance much like -that of the gauchos. His shirt collar was fastened with a diamond of -enormous value, and his fine-tissued poncho was worth more than five -hundred piastres. - -Two years before this story, Don Torribio Carvajal arrived at Carmen -a stranger to everybody, and all asked themselves, where does he come -from? Whence does he get his princely fortune? Where are his estates? -Don Torribio had purchased an estancia in the colony, situated some two -or three leagues from Carmen, and under pretext of defending it against -the Indians, had fortified it, surrounded it with moats and palisades, -and mounted six guns. He had thus walled in his existence and routed -curiosity. Though the gates of his estancia were never opened to any -guest, he was welcomed by the first families at Carmen, whom he visited -assiduously, and then to the great surprise of all, he disappeared for -several months. The ladies had wasted their smiles and glances, the -men their adroit questions to make Don Torribio speak. Don Antonio -Valverde, to whom his post of being governor gave the right of being -curious, had not failed to feel some alarm about the handsome stranger, -but weary of losing his leisure in inquiries, he left the matter to -time, which sooner or later rends asunder the densest veils. - -Such was the man who was listening to Panchito in the brake, and all -that was known about him. - -"Enough!" he said passionately, interrupting the gaucho; "you are a -dog, and the son of a dog." - -"Señor!" said Panchito, drawing himself up. - -"I am inclined to crush you, like the wretch you are." - -"Threats to me!" the gaucho shouted, pale with rage, and drawing his -knife. - -Don Torribio clutched the fellow's wrist with his gloved hand, and -twisted it so rudely, that he let the weapon fall with a cry of pain. - -"On your knees, and ask pardon," the gentleman said, as he twisted -Panchito to the ground. - -"No; kill me sooner." - -"Begone, villain; you are only a brute beast." - -The gaucho rose tottering, his eyes were filled with blood, his lips -were livid, and his whole body trembled. He picked up his knife, and -approached Don Torribio, who waited for him with folded arms. - -"Well, yes," he said; "I am a brute beast, but I love you, after all. -Forgive me or kill me, but do not send me away." - -"Begone!" - -"Is that your last word?" - -"Yes." - -"To the demon, then." - -And the gaucho, with a movement rapid as thought, raised his knife to -stab himself. - -"I forgive you," Don Torribio said, after checking Panchito's arm; "but -if you wish to serve me, be dumb as a corpse." - -The gaucho fell at his feet, and covered his hand with kisses, like a -dog licking his master, who has chastised it. Corrocho had remained a -motionless observer of the scene. - -"What power does this strange man possess to be thus beloved?" muttered -Blas Salazar, who was still concealed behind his tree. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -DON TORRIBIO CARVAJAL. - - -After a short silence, Don Torribio continued-- - -"I know that you are devoted to me, and I have perfect confidence in -you; but you are a drunkard, Panchito, and drink is a bad counsellor." - -"I will drink no more," the gaucho answered. - -Don Torribio smiled. - -"Drink, but without destroying reason. In drunkenness people utter -words, as you did just now, which cannot be recalled, and are more -deadly than a dagger. It is not your master who is now speaking, but -the friend. Can I count on both of you?" - -"Yes," the gaucho said. - -"I am going away; but you must not leave the colony, but be ready -for anything. Before all, carefully watch the house of Don Valentine -Cardoso, both inside and out. If anything extraordinary happens to him -or his daughter Doña Concha, you will immediately light two fires, -one on the cliff of the Urubús, the other on that of San Xavier, and -within a few hours you will hear from me. Do you promise to execute -promptly and devotedly any order of mine, however extraordinary it may -appear to you?" - -"We swear it." - -"That is well. One word in conclusion. Connect yourselves with as many -gauchos as you can; try, without exciting suspicion, which always -sleeps with one eye open, to collect a band of determined fellows. By -the by, distrust Patito: he is a traitor." - -"Must he be killed?" Corrocho asked. - -"Perhaps it would be prudent, but you would have to get rid of him -cleverly." - -The two gauchos exchanged a side glance, but Don Torribio pretended not -to see it. - -"Do you want money?" - -"No, master." - -"No matter; take this." - -He threw to Corrocho a long silk purse, through the meshes of which a -great number of gold ounces glittered. - -"My horse, Panchito." - -The gaucho entered the wood, and almost immediately re-appeared, -holding the bridle of a magnificent charger, upon whose back Don -Torribio leaped. - -"Farewell," he said to them; "prudence and fidelity; any indiscretion -would cost your life." - -And, after giving the gauchos a friendly nod, he dug his spurs into the -horse's sides, and went off in the direction of Carmen, while Corrocho -and Panchito went back toward Población del Sur. As soon as they had -gone some distance, the bushes in a corner of the brake were shaken, -and a face pale with fear peeped out. This head belonged to Patito, -who, with a pistol in one hand, and a knife in the other, drew himself -up, and looked around with great agitation, while muttering in a low -voice-- - -"¡Canario! kill me cleverly. We shall see, we shall see. ¡Santa Virgen -del Pilar! What demons! Well, listening is a good thing." - -"It is the only way to hear," someone replied a mocking voice. - -"Who's there?" Patito shouted, as he leaped on one side. - -"A friend!" Blas Salazar answered, as he came from behind the maple and -joined the gaucho, whose hand he shook. - -"Ah, ah, capataz, you are welcome. You were listening too, then?" - -"I should think so. I took advantage of the opportunity to instruct -myself about Don Torribio." - -"Well?" - -"This caballero appears to me a precious scoundrel, but, with the aid -of Heaven, we will ruin his dark schemes." - -"So be it!" - -"And, in the first place, what do you intend to do?" - -"On my word I do not know. There's a buzzing in my ears, 'kill me -cleverly.' Corrocho and Panchito are certainly the most hideous -villains of the Pampa." - -"¡Caramba! I have known them a long time, and at present they alarm me -but slightly." - -"But me?" - -"Nonsense; you are not dead yet." - -"I am not much better." - -"What, are you afraid? You, the boldest panther hunter of my -acquaintance?" - -"A panther is, after all, only a panther, and you can get the better of -it with a bullet; but the two fellows Don Torribio has let loose on me -are demons." - -"That is true; so let us proceed to the most important point. Don -Valentine Cardoso, whose capataz I am, is my foster brother, that is -to say, I am devoted to him body and soul. Don Torribio is forming -some infernal plot against my master's family, which I wish to foil. -Are you decided to lend me a hand? Two men who have only one will -between them can do a great deal." - -"Frankness for frankness, Don Blas," Patito answered, after a moment's -reflection. "This morning I should have refused, this evening I -accept, because I no longer run a risk of betraying the gauchos, my -comrades. The position is changed. Kill me cleverly! By Heaven I will -avenge myself. I belong to you, capataz, as my knife blade does to its -hilt--yours, body and soul, on the word of a gaucho." - -"Excellent," said Don Blas, "we shall be able to understand each -other. Get on your horse and go and wait for me at the estancia. I -shall return there after sunset, and we will draw up the plan of the -countermine." - -"Agreed. Where are you going?" - -"To Don Valentine Cardoso." - -"This evening, then?" - -"This evening." - -They then separated. Patito, whose horse was hidden a short distance -off, galloped toward the Estancia of San Julian, of which Don Blas -was the capataz, while the latter proceeded in great haste toward the -Población. - -Don Valentine Cardoso was one of the richest landed proprietors in -Carmen, where his family had been established since the foundation -of the colony. He was a man of about five and forty. As his family -originally came from old Castile, he had retained the handsome type of -that race, a type which was recognized in his face by the vigorously -marked lines, with which was combined a certain air of proud majesty, -to which the rather sad eyes imparted an expression of gentleness and -kindness. - -Left a widower after two too short years of marriage, Don Valentine had -kept the memory of his wife locked up in his heart like a sacred relic, -and he believed that it was still loving her to devote himself entirely -to the education of their daughter Concepción, called more familiarly -Concha or Conchita. - -Don Valentine lived in the Población of old Carmen, near the fort, in -one of the handsomest and largest houses of the colony. - -A few hours after the events we have recorded, two persons were seated -near a brasero in a drawing room of this mansion. - -In this drawing room, elegantly furnished in the French style, a -stranger on opening the door might have believed himself transported -to the Faubourg St. Germain; there was the same luxury in the paper -hangings, the same taste in the choice and arrangement of the -furniture. Nothing was wanting; not even an Erard pianoforte, covered -with the scores of operas sung at Paris, and, as if better to prove -that glory travels a great distance, that genius has wings, the -fashionable romance writers and poets filled a buhl cheffonier. Here -everything recalled France and Paris, excepting the silver brasero in -which the smouldering olive stones indicated Spain. Chandeliers holding -pink wax candles lit up this magnificent withdrawing room. - -Don Valentine Cardoso and his daughter Conchita were seated near the -brasero. - -Doña Concha, who was scarcely fifteen years of age, was exquisitely -beautiful. The raven arch of eyebrows, traced as with a pencil, -heightened the grace of her rather low and pale forehead; her large -blue and thoughtful eyes, fringed with long brown lashes, contrasted -harmoniously with her ebony black hair which curled round her delicate -neck, and in which odoriferous jessamine flowers were expiring in -delight. Short, like all true-blooded Spanish women, her waist was -exquisitely small. Never had smaller feet trodden in the dance the -Castilian grass plots, and never had a more dainty hand nestled in that -of a lover. Her movements, careless as those of all the creoles, were -undulating and full of _salero_ as the Spaniards say. - -Her dress, which was charmingly simple, consisted of a dressing gown of -white cashmere, embroidered with large silk flowers in bright colours, -and fastened round the hips by a cord and tassels. A Mechlin lace veil -was carelessly thrown over her shoulders, while her feet were thrust -into pink slippers, lined with swan's-down. - -Doña Conchita was smoking a tiny husk cigarette, while talking to her -father. - -"Yes, father," she said, "a ship has arrived to day from Buenos Aires, -with the prettiest birds in the world." - -"Well, little one?" - -"I fancy that my dear little father," she remarked, with an adorable -pout, "is not at all gallant this evening." - -"What do you know about it, young lady?" Don Valentine replied with a -smile. - -"No, have you really," she said, bounding with delight in her chair, -and clapping her hands, "thought of--" - -"Buying you some birds? You will tomorrow see your aviary stocked with -parrots, Bengalis, macaws, hummingbirds, in short, about four hundred -specimens, you ungrateful little chit." - -"Oh, how good you are, father, and how I love you," the girl replied, -throwing her arms round Don Valentine's neck, and embracing him several -times. - -"Enough, enough, madcap. Do you want to stifle me with your caresses?" - -"What can I do to requite your kindness?" - -"Poor dear, I have only you to love now." - -"Say adore, my darling father; for it is adoration you feel for me. -Hence, I love you with all the strength God has placed in my heart." - -"And yet," Don Valentine said, with a gentle accent of reproach, "you -do not fear, naughty girl, to cause me anxiety." - -"I?" Concha asked, with an internal tremor. - -"Yes, you, you," he said, threatening her tenderly with his finger, -"you hide something from me." - -"Father!" - -"Come, child, a father's eyes can read the heart of a girl of fifteen, -and for some days past, if I am not mistaken, I have not been the sole -object of your thoughts." - -"That is true," the girl replied, with a certain amount of resolution. - -"And whom are you dreaming of, little maid?" Don Valentine asked, -hiding his anxiety behind a smile. - -"Of Don Torribio Carvajal." - -"Ah," the father cried, in a choking voice "and do you love him?" - -"No," she answered; "listen, father, I will conceal nothing from you. -No," she continued, laying her hand on her heart, "I do not love Don -Torribio, still he occupies my thoughts; why, I cannot say, but his -look troubles and fascinates me, his voice causes me a feeling of -undefinable pain; he is handsome, his manners are elegant and noble, -he has everything belonging to a gentleman of high caste, and yet -something in him, something fatal, checks me, and inspires me with -invincible repugnance." - -"You romantic girl." - -"Laugh at me, ridicule me," she said with a tremor in her voice. "Shall -I confess all to you, father?" - -"Speak with confidence." - -"Well, I have a presentiment that this man will be dangerous to me." - -"Child," Don Valentine replied, as he kissed her forehead, "what can he -do to you?" - -"I do not know; but I am afraid." - -"Do you wish not to remain here any longer?" - -"Heaven forbid! That would be hastening on the misfortune that -threatens me." - -"You are losing your head, and taking pleasure in creating chimeras." - -At the same moment a man servant announced Don Torribio Carvajal, who -entered the room. - -The young man was dressed in the latest Parisian fashion, and the -candles lit up his splendid face. - -Father and daughter started. - -Don Torribio walked up to Doña Concha, bowed to her gracefully, and -offered her a superb bouquet of exotic flowers. She thanked him with a -smile, took the bouquet, and almost without looking at it, laid it on a -table. - -In succession were announced the governor, Don Antonio Valverde, -accompanied by his whole staff, and two or three other families, or -altogether some fifteen persons. By degrees the conversation grew -animated. - -"Well, colonel," Don Valentine asked the governor, "What news from -Buenos Aires?" - -"Our great Rosas," the colonel answered, who was stifling in his -uniform, "has again defeated Oribe's Unitarian savages." - -"Heaven be praised! Perhaps that victory will procure us a little of -that tranquillity which commerce requires." - -"Yes," a colonist remarked, "the communications are becoming so -difficult that nothing can be sent by land." - -"Can the Indians be stirring?" a merchant asked anxiously, on hearing -the observation. - -"Oh!" the stout commandant interrupted, "There is no danger; the last -lesson they received was rude, they will remember it a long time, and -not dream of invading our frontiers for many a day to come." - -An almost invisible smile played round Don Torribio's lips. - -"In case of an invasion, do you consider them capable of seriously -troubling the colony?" - -"Hum!" Don Antonio answered, "Take them altogether they are poor -scrubs." - -The young man smiled again in a bitter and sinister manner. - -"Excellency," he said, "I am of your opinion; I believe the Indians -will do well in remaining at home." - -"I should think so," the commandant exclaimed. - -"Señorita," Don Torribio said, turning to Doña Concha, "would it be too -great a favour to ask you to sing that delicious air from the Black -Domino which you sang so exquisitely the other evening?" - -The young lady, without farther pressing, sat down to the pianoforte, -and sang the romance from the third act in a pure voice. - -"I heard that sung in Paris by Madame Damoreau, a nightingale who -has flown away, and I cannot say which of you displays more grace or -simplicity." - -"Don Torribio," Doña Concha answered, "you lived too long in France." - -"Why so, señorita." - -"Because you have come back a detestable flatterer." - -"Bravo!" the governor said with a hearty laugh. "You see, Don Torribio, -that our creoles are equal to the Parisian ladies in quickness of -repartee." - -"Incontestably, colonel," the young man replied; "but leave me alone," -he added with an undefinable accent, "I shall soon take my revenge." - -And he gave Doña Concha a look that made her shudder. - -"I trust, Don Torribio," the governor said, "that you will be present -tomorrow at the _Te Deum_ chanted in honour of our glorious Rosas?" - -"Impossible, colonel; this very evening I start on a compulsory -journey." - -"What, another of your mysterious excursions?" - -"Yes, but this one will not be long, and I shall be back soon?" - -"All the better." - -"_¿Quién sabe?_" the young man murmured in a sinister voice. - -Doña Concha, who had heard the last words, was not mistress of her -terror. - -The visitors took leave one after the other, and Don Torribio Carvajal -was at length left alone with his hosts. - -"Señorita," he said on taking leave, "I am setting out on a journey in -which I shall doubtless incur great dangers. May I hope that you will -deign to remember the traveller in your prayers." - -Concha looked at him for a moment in the face, and replied with a -frankness which was natural to her:-- - -"Señor Caballero, I cannot pray for the success of an expedition whose -object I do not know." - -"Thanks for your frankness, mademoiselle," Don Torribio answered -without the slightest emotion, "I shall not forget your words." - -And after the customary compliments he retired. - -"The capataz of San Julian, Don Blas Salazar wishes to speak with Señor -Don Valentine Cardoso on important business." - -"Let him come in," Don Valentine said to the servant who had announced -the capataz in so lengthy a fashion. "Conchita, come and sit by my side -on this sofa." - -Don Torribio was extremely agitated when he left the house; he turned -round and darted a viper glance at the windows of the drawing room, -across which Doña Concha's light shadow flitted. - -"Proud girl," he said in a hollow and terrible voice, "I shall punish -you for your disdain." - -Then, wrapping himself in his cloak, he went at a rapid pace to a house -situated a short distance off, where he generally lived when at Carmen. -He knocked twice; the gate opened and closed after him. - -Twenty minutes later the gate opened again to let two horsemen pass out. - -"Master, where are we going?" one asked. - -"To the tree of Gualichu," the other replied; and added in a whisper, -"to seek vengeance." - -The two horsemen entered the darkness, and the furious gallop of their -horses was soon lost in the silence of night. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -THE TREE OF GUALICHU. - - -As a general rule, the Southern natives have a divinity, or to speak -more correctly, a genius, sometimes benevolent, but more frequently -maleficent, and their worship is less veneration than fear. This genius -is called Achellenat Kanet by the Patagonians, Quecuba by the Aucas, -and Gualichu by the Puelches. And, as the latter have more especially -traversed the country in which the sacred, tree stands, they have -perpetuated the name of their evil genius by giving it to the tree, to -which they attribute the same power. - -The belief in Gualichu dates back to the most remote antiquity on the -Pampas. - -This wicked god is simply a stunted tree, which, if mingled with other -trees, would not have attracted attention; but which alone, and as -it were lost in the immensity of the plains, serves as a beacon to -the traveller wearied by a long journey across these oceans of sand. -It rises to a height of thirty-five or forty feet, all twisted and -prickly, and its withered trunk is rounded into a large cavity, in -which men and women lay their presents in tobacco, beads, and corn. It -is several centuries old, and belongs to that species of the acacia -family which the Hispano-Americans designate by the name of _Algarobo_. - -The wandering hordes of Indians, doubtless struck by the solitude -of this tree in the midst of the deserts, constituted it the object -of their worship. In fact, its branches are covered with various -offerings, many of some value: here a poncho, there a manta; farther on -woollen or cotton ribbons; while on all sides garments, more or less -injured and torn by the wind, are affixed to the thorns, which gives -this sacred tree the appearance of an old clothes' shop. No Indian, -whether Aucas, Patagonian, Puelche, or Tehuetche, would venture to pass -it without leaving something; and the man who has nothing else cuts off -his horse's mane and fastens it to the tree. The most precious offering -in the sight of the Indians is that of their horse; and hence the great -number of slaughtered horses round the tree attests the vitality of -their faith. - -The religion of the Southern natives, thoroughly primitive and spared -by the conquest, does not take the moral being into account, and is -only arrested by accidents of Nature, of which it makes gods. These -people strive to make the deserts, where fatigue and thirst produce -death, and the rivers that may swallow them up, favourable to them. - -At the foot of the tree of Gualichu, a few hours after the events -already narrated, a strange scene was taking place, rendered still more -striking by the density of the darkness, and by the storm which was -approaching. Heavy black clouds rolled athwart the sky; the wind blew -in gusts with a shrill whistle, and large drops of rain fell on the -sand. - -Around the sacred tree the Indians had improvised a village composed of -some forty toldos raised hastily and without regularity. Before each -toldo crackled a bright fire, round which two or three Indian squaws -were crouching to warm themselves, without taking their eye off the -hobbled horses which were devouring their stock of _alfalfa_. - -An immense fire, resembling a funereal pyre, flamed a few paces from -the tree of Gualichu, and was surrounded by twenty Indians, who stood -apathetic and contemplative, and whose grand war paint led to the -supposition that they were preparing for an important ceremony of their -worship. - -Suddenly a shrill whistle cleft the air, and announced the arrival of -two horsemen; one of them dismounted, and threw his horse's bridle to -his comrade, and walked into the circle formed by the warriors. This -man wore the uniform of an officer of the Chilian army. - -"I salute my brothers," he said, looking round him, "may Gualichu -protect them." - -"Salutation to Pincheira," the Indians responded; "are all the chiefs -assembled?" he continued. - -"All," a voice replied, "with the exception of Nocobotha, the grand -Toqui of the Aucas." - -"He will not be long; let us wait." - -The silence had been scarce established, ere a second whistle was -heard, and two fresh horsemen entered the circle of light projected by -the fires. - -Only one man dismounted. He was tall and fierce-looking, and dressed in -the costume of the Aucas warriors, the most civilized and intelligent -Indian nation in the whole of South America. These were the men who, -almost unarmed, repulsed Almagro and his cuirassed soldiers in 1555, -who triumphed over the unhappy Valdivia, and who, though constantly -fought by the Spaniards, were never vanquished. The Aucas offered an -asylum to the Incas whom Pizarro hunted like wild beasts, and who, as a -reward for their hospitality, introduced among these Indians their own -advanced civilization. By degrees the two nations became fused, and -their hatred of the Spaniards has been perpetuated up to our day. - -The warrior who had first entered the circle of Indian chiefs, was one -of the most perfect types of this indomitable race; all his features -bore the distinctive character of the haughty Incas, who were so long -masters of Peru. His costume, differing from that of the Patagonians, -who employ the skins of beasts, was composed of woollen cloth striped -with silver. A blue _chaman_ covered his body from the waist, where -it was fastened with a woollen girdle down to the knee; in this way -exactly resembling the _chilipa_ of the gauchos, who borrowed from the -Indians this garment and the short blue and red striped poncho; his -boots armed with silver spurs, and cleverly sewn with the tendons of -animals, were made of the tanned hide of the _guemul_, a species of -llama; his hair was divided at the back of the head into three tails, -fastened together at the end with a tuft of wool, while in front the -rest of his hair was raised and fastened with a blue ribbon, which, -after three turns, fell on one side, and terminated in small pieces -of rolled up silver. His brow was girt by a circle of massive gold, a -species of diadem, three inches in width, and in the centre of which -sparkled a sun composed of precious stones; a diamond of enormous -value hung from each of his ears; his cloak of guanaco skins which fell -down to the ground, was held on his shoulders by a silk cord, and was -fastened with a diamond. Two six-chambered revolvers glistened in his -waist belt; on his right hip hung a machete, or short sabre with a very -wide blade, and he held in his hand a double-barrelled rifle. - -This warrior, on his arrival, created a lively sensation among the -chiefs; all bowed before him respectfully, while murmuring with -delight-- - -"Nocobotha! Nocobotha!" - -The warrior smiled proudly, and took his place in the first rank of the -chiefs. - -"The nacurulu (_Bubo Magellanicus_) has sung twice," he said; "the -osprey of the Rio Negro has raised its melancholy cry; the night is -drawing to a close; what have the chiefs of the great nations resolved?" - -"It would be useful, I think," one of the Indians answered, "to implore -the protection of Gualichu for the council." - -"The advice of my brother, Metipan, is wise. Let the _matchi_ be -warned." - -While a chief went off to fetch the matchi, or sorcerer, another chief -quitted the circle, went up to Nocobotha, whispered something to him, -and then returned to his place. The Toqui of the Aucas laid his hand -on his machete, and shouted in a loud and menacing voice-- - -"A traitor is among us! Attention, brothers." - -A shudder of passion ran through the ranks, and each Indian looked at -his neighbour. - -"He must die!" they shouted unanimously. - -"It is well," Nocobotha answered. - -These words, spoken in Indian, must reach the traitor's ear as a -vain sound, for the Aucas dialect is not generally understood by the -Spaniards. - -Still, a man, clothed like the other chiefs, and protected by the -darkness, suddenly bounded far out of the circle, and uttered three -different times the hoarse croak of the urubús. He leant against the -trunk of the tree of Gualichu, and with his legs far apart, and a -pistol in each hand, waited. This man was Pedrito, the bombero. - -A living wall, formed of hundreds of Indians, rose in arms before him, -and menaced him from all sides. Pedrito, to whom flight was impossible, -frowned, gnashed his teeth, and foamed with rage. - -"I am waiting for you, dogs," he yelled. - -"Forward! Forward!" the Indians shouted. - -"Silence!" Nocobotha ordered in a rough voice. "I wish to question -him." - -"What good is it?" Pincheira remarked, with a hateful expression. "He -is one of those rats of the Pampa, whom the Spaniards call bomberos. I -recognize him. Let us kill him at once." - -"A bombero," the Indians yelled anew. "Death to him, death." - -"Silence," said Nocobotha, "who dares to interrupt?" - -At the command of the master silence was reestablished. - -"Who are you?" the Toqui asked the bombero; "Who are you?" Pedrito -replied with a grin, and crossing his arms, though he did not let go -his pistols. - -"Answer, if you would not die; you are in my power." - -"A brave man only belongs to himself. He has always the resource of -letting himself be killed." - -"Perhaps so." - -"Try to take me." - -"Surrender, and no harm will be done you." - -"A bombero never surrenders." - -"Why did you introduce yourself among us." - -"¡Canario! I came to witness your Indian jugglery, and learn the object -of this nocturnal meeting." - -"You are frank, at any rate, and I will take that into consideration. -Come! Resistance would be useless, so surrender." - -"Are you mad, my master?" - -"Forward!" Nocobotha, who was boiling with rage, shouted to the Indians. - -The latter rushed on. Two pistol shots were fired, and two Indians -writhed on the sand. While the others hesitated, Pedrito returned his -pistols to his belt, and drew his machete. - -"Make way," he shouted. - -"Death!" the warriors repeated. - -"Way, way!" - -And Pedrito dashed at the Indians, hitting right and left, cutting -and pointing. Nocobotha threw himself in his path, with the roar of a -wounded lion. - -"Ah, ah," said the bombero, "my worthy chief, with the diamond sun, it -is our turn." - -All at once three shots were fired behind the Indians, and three -horsemen dashed upon them, scattering terror and death around. The -Indians, not knowing how many enemies they had to contend with, -believed, owing to the darkness and the number of dead, that a -considerable reinforcement had arrived, and began dispersing in all -directions, with the exception of the more resolute, who held their -ground and continued to resist the assailants. Among these were -Nocobotha, Pincheira, and a few renowned chiefs. - -The three bomberos, summoned by the hoarse croaking of Pedrito, had -hastened up to their brother; they helped him to get onto the saddle of -the horse they had brought up for him. - -"Ah!" they shouted, "Down with the Indian dogs!" - -Nocobotha dealt the Spaniard a blow with the machete, to which he -responded by a cut that scarred his adversary's face. The Toqui uttered -a cry, not of pain but of rage. - -"Eh," the bombero said to him, "I shall recognize you, if ever we meet -again, for you bear my marks." - -"Villain!" the chief said, as he fired a pistol at him. - -"Ah!" Pedrito muttered in his turn, as he sank in his saddle. - -He would have fallen had not his sword prevented him. - -"He has killed me," the wounded man said, in a faint voice. "Courage, -brothers, do not leave my corpse to them." - -The three bomberos, supporting their brother, redoubled their ardour to -get him away from inevitable destruction; but how were they to fly? -The Indians, when the first moment of panic had passed, being able to -count their enemies, returned to the charge and threatened to overwhelm -them by their numbers. The position was horrible, and Pedrito, who had -retained his coolness, understood that his brothers were about to ruin -themselves for him, so, sacrificing his life to save them, he shouted-- - -"Fly! Leave me alone here; in a few minutes I shall be dead." - -"No!" they replied, making their horses prance to ward off the blows, -"We will all get away or perish together." - -Pedrito, who knew his brothers, was not ignorant that their resolution -was unbending. - -The fight was going on at this moment, two yards at the most from the -tree of Gualichu, Pedrito, while his brothers were defending themselves -on all sides at once, slipped down to the ground, and when the bomberos -turned round, they found his horse without its rider. Pedrito had -disappeared. - -"He is dead, what is to be done?" - -"Obey him, as we were unable to save him," Juan answered. - -"Forward, then!" - -And all three, tearing up their horses' sides with their spurs, -bounded into the thick of the Indians. The collision was terrible; -still, a few seconds later, the bomberos, saved from danger by their -incredible audacity, were flying, like the wind, in three different -directions, while uttering cries of triumph. - -The Indians recognized the inutility of a pursuit across the sand; so -they contented themselves with picking up their dead and counting the -wounded, altogether some thirty victims. - -"These Spaniards are perfect demons, when they are obstinate," -Pincheira said, remembering his own origin. - -"Yes," Nocobotha answered him, mad with fury, "if ever I place my foot -on their chest, they will expiate the wrongs they have done my race for -centuries." - -"I am entirely devoted to you," Pincheira continued. - -"Thanks, my friend. When the hour arrives, I shall remind you of your -promise." - -"I shall be ready; but at present what are your designs?" - -"The scar that madman has made on my head compels me to fire the train -as soon as possible." - -"Do so, I pray; and let us finish with these accursed Spaniards so soon -as we can." - -"Then you really hate your countrymen?" - -"I have an Indian heart, and that is saying enough." - -"I will soon procure you the opportunity to slake your vengeance." - -"May heaven hear you!" - -"But the chiefs have again assembled round the council fire; come, -brother." - -Nocobotha and Pincheira approached the tree of Gualichu, where the -Indians were grouped, motionless, silent, and calm, as if nothing had -disturbed their gathering. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE COUNCIL OF THE ULMENS. - - -The Indians, while collecting their dead, sought in vain the corpse of -the white man, and persuaded themselves that his comrades had carried -it off. The latter, on the other hand, reproached themselves bitterly -for having left their brother's body in the hands of the Pagans. - -Now, what had become of Pedrito? - -The bombero was one of those iron men, whom a powerful will leads to -their object, and whom death alone can conquer. He wished, therefore, -to be present at the council of the chiefs, the high import of which -he suspected; and instead of throwing his life away in an unequal -struggle, he found in Nocobotha's shot the pretext he was seeking. As -time pressed, he pretended, to be mortally wounded, and both friends -and enemies had been duped by his stratagem. - -So soon as he had slipped down off his horse, by favour of the darkness -and combat, he was able, either by crawling like a lizard, or leaping -like a cougar, to hide himself in the hollow trunk of the tree of -Gualichu. There he buried himself beneath a pile of objects offered -by the devotion of the Indians, and was as safe as in the fortress of -Carmen. However, like a bold hunter, who has always time to be killed, -he had not thrown his weapons away. His first care was, without respect -for Gualichu, to wrap up his arm in a piece of cloth, in order to -prevent the flow of blood from his wound; then he arranged himself as -well as he could, with his head thrust slightly forward, to see the -scene that was about to take place. - -All the chiefs were already assembled, and Lucaney, Ulmen of the -Puelches, was the first to speak. - -"The Spaniard who dared to introduce himself among us, in order to -violate the secret of our deliberations, is dead; we are alone; let us -begin the ceremony." - -"It shall be done, according to the desire of my brother, the Ulmen of -the Puelches," Nocobotha answered; "where is the wise matchi?" - -"Here," said a tall, thin man, whose face was striped in different -colours, and who was dressed like a woman. - -"Let the wise matchi approach and accomplish the rites." - -"A matchitun is necessary," the sorcerer said, in a solemn voice. - -The usual preparations for this conjuration were immediately made. Two -lances were planted, one on the right, one on the left of the sacred -tree; on the left hand one were hung a drum, and a vessel filled with -fermented liquor; twelve other vessels, containing the same liquor, -were ranged in a circle from one lance to the other. A sheep and a colt -were brought in, and deposited near the vessels, and two old squaws -placed themselves by the side of the drum. The preparations terminated, -the matchi turned to Nocobotha. - -"Why does the Ulmen of the Aucas ask for the matchitun?" he asked. - -Metipan stepped out of the circle. - -"An hereditary hatred has for a long time separated the Aucas and -the Pehuenches," he said; "the interest of all the great nations -desires the end of this hatred. Kelzulepan, my ancestor, Ulmen of the -Pehuenches, carried off a white slave belonging to Medzeliputzi, Toqui -of the Aucas, and great grandfather of Nocobotha." - -"Before the assembled chiefs, in the face of heaven, I have come to -tell Nocobotha, the descendant of Yupanqui, the son of the sun, that my -ancestor behaved badly to his, and I am ready, in order to extinguish -all discord, past, present, and future, to give him here a white, -young, lovely, and virgin slave." - -"I give up, before Gualichu," Nocobotha answered, "the hatred which my -nation and I had sworn against you and yours." - -"Does Gualichu approve our conduct?" Metipan asked. - -The matchi seemed to reflect profoundly. - -"Yes," he replied, "you have gained the protection of Gualichu; let the -white slave be brought up; perhaps he will demand that she should be -surrendered to him, instead of belonging to a man." - -"His will be done," both Ulmens said. - -Two warriors led up a girl of about seventeen, and placed her between -the lances, with her face turned to the tree of Gualichu. On seeing -her, Pedrito felt a cold perspiration break out all over him, and a -mist covered his eyes. - -"Whence comes this strange emotion?" the bombero muttered to himself. - -The girl's large black eyes had an expression of gentle melancholy. -She was dressed after the fashion of the Pehuenche women; the woollen -_quedito_ was rolled round her body, fastened on the shoulders by two -silver pins, and on her limbs by a _kepike_, or silken girdle, six -inches in width, and secured by a buckle. The two ends of a square -_pilken_, like a cloak, was fastened on her chest by a topu, adorned -with a magnificent head in gold. She had on her neck two collars of -beads, and on each of her arms four bracelets of glass, pearls, and -silver balls. Her long black hair was parted down the centre into two -tresses, tied up with blue ribbons, which floated on her shoulders, -and terminated in bells; on her head was a conical cap of blue and red -beads. - -At this graceful apparition the Indians, who are very fond of white -women, could not, despite their natural stoicism, restrain a murmur of -admiration. - -At a signal from the matchi the ceremony began. The two old squaws beat -the drum, while the spectators, guided by the sorcerer, struck up a -symbolical song while dancing round the captive. - -The drum ceased with the song; then the matchi lit a cigar, inhaled the -smoke, and thrice perfumed the tree, the animals, and the maiden, whose -bosom he at the same time laid bare. He put his mouth to it and began -sucking till he drew blood, and the poor child made superhuman efforts -not to shriek. The dancing, accompanied by song, began again, and the -old women beat the drum with all the strength of their arms. Pedrito, -full of compassion for the innocent victim of Indian superstition, -longed to fly to her help. - -In the meanwhile, the matchi, with his swollen cheeks, gradually became -more excited; his eyes grew bloodshot, he seemed possessed by the -demon, and all at once became furious; he writhed and behaved like an -epileptic. Then the dance ceased, and Metipan, with a stroke of his -machete, cut open the flank of the colt, tore out its still palpitating -heart, and gave it to the sorcerer, who sucked the blood, and employed -it to make a cross on the maiden's brow. The latter, suffering from -inexpressible terror, began to tremble violently. - -The storm, which had been gathering in the clouds, at length broke out. -A blue flash shot athwart the sky, the thunder rolled with a terrible -din, and a blast of wind dashed over the plain, sweeping away the -toldos, the fragments of which it dispersed far and wide. - -The Indians stopped, terrified by the storm. All at once a formidable -voice, that appeared to issue from the tree of Gualichu, uttered the -ill-omened words. - -"Retire, Indians! My wrath is let loose upon you. Leave here this -miserable white slave as an expiation of your crimes! Fly, and woe to -those who look back. Woe! Woe!" - -A livid flash and a violent peal of thunder served as peroration to -this harangue. - -"Let us fly!" said the matchi, who in his terror was ready to believe -in his god. - -But, profiting by this unexpected intervention to enforce his own -power, he continued-- - -"Fly, brothers! Gualichu has spoken to his servant. Woe to those who -resist his orders." - -The Indians had no need of this recommendation from their sorcerer; a -superstitious terror lent them wings. They rushed tumultuously toward -the horses, and soon the desert echoed again with their wild flight. -The tree of Gualichu was deserted, and the maiden alone lay fainting on -the ground, with her bosom still bare. - -When all was quiet on the Pampa, and the sound of the horses' gallop -was lost in the distance, Pedrito gently thrust his head out of the -tree, examined the black depths of the night, and reassured by the -silence, ran up to the girl. Pale as a beauteous lily laid low by the -storm, the poor girl had her eyes closed, and did not breathe. The -bombero raised her in his muscular arms, and transported her close to -the tree, laying her on a pile of skins belonging to a destroyed toldo. -He placed her cautiously on this softer couch, and her head hung -insensibly on his chest. - -It was a strange group, in the midst of this devastated plain, only -illumined by the lightning flashes. This young and lovely girl, and -this rude wood ranger, offered a touching picture. - -Pain and sorrow were delineated on Pedrito's face. He, whose whole life -had been but one long drama, who had no faith in his heart, who was -ignorant of gentle feelings and sweet sympathies, he, the bombero, the -slayer of Indians, was moved and felt something new stir within him. -Two heavy tears ran down his bronzed cheeks. - -"Can she be dead? Oh Heaven!" - -This name, which he had hitherto only used in blasphemy, he uttered -almost with respect. It was a sort of prayer and cry from his heart. -This man believed. - -"How to help her?" he asked himself. - -The rain that fell in torrents eventually restored the maiden, who, -half opening her eyes, murmured in a faint voice; - -"Where am I? What has happened?" - -"She speaks, she lives, she is saved," Pedrito exclaimed. - -"Who is there?" she asked, raising herself with difficulty. - -At the sight of the bombero's gloomy face, she had a fresh outburst of -terror, closed her eyes again, and fell back exhausted. - -"Reassure yourself, my girl. I am your friend." - -"My friend! What means that word? Have slaves any friends? Ah, yes," -she continued, speaking as if in a dream, "I have suffered terribly. -Still I can remember long, long ago, being happy, but alas! The worst -misfortune is the recollection of past happiness in misery." - -She was silent. The bombero gazed at her, and listened to her as if -suspended on her lips. That voice, those features! A vague suspicion -entered Pedrito's head. - -"Oh, speak, speak again," he said, softening down the harshness of his -voice, "what do you remember of your youthful years?" - -"Why think of past joys in misfortune? What does it avail?" she added, -shaking her head with discouragement. "My history is that of all -unfortunate persons. There was a time when, like other children, I had -the song of birds to lull me to sleep, flowers that smiled on me when -I awoke, and a mother who loved and embraced me--all that has fled -forever." - -Pedrito had raised two poles covered with skins to shelter her from -the storm, which was gradually subsiding. - -"You are kind, for you have saved me; still, your kindness was cruel, -for why did you not let me die? People who are dead no longer suffer. -The Pehuenches will return, and then--" - -She did not conclude, and buried her face in her hands, with choking -sobs. - -"Fear nothing, señorita; I will defend you." - -"Poor man; alone against all! But before my last hour arrives, listen -to me, for I wish to relieve my heart. One day I was playing in my -mother's arms, my father was near us, with my two sisters and my four -brothers, resolute men who would not have feared twenty. Well! the -Pehuenches came up, they burned our estancia, for my father was a -farmer, they killed my mother, and--" - -"Mercedes, Mercedes!" the bombero exclaimed, "Is it really you? Do I -find you again?" - -"That was the name my mother gave me." - -"It is I, Pedro, Pedrito, your brother," the bombero said, almost -shouting with joy, and clasping her to his bosom. - -"Pedrito! My brother! Yes, yes, I remember. Pedrito, I am--" - -She fell senseless into her brother's arms. - -"Wretch that I am, I have killed her! Mercedes, my beloved sister, -come to yourself again, or I shall die." - -The maiden opened her eyes again, and threw herself on the bombero's -neck, weeping with joy. - -"Pedrito! My kind brother, do not leave me, defend me; they would kill -me." - -"Poor girl, they will pass over my body before reaching you." - -"They will do so," a sarcastic voice exclaimed behind the tent. - -Two men appeared, Nocobotha and Pincheira. Pedrito, holding his sister, -who was half-dead with terror, with his left hand, leant against one of -the posts, drew his machete, and prepared for a vigorous defence. - -Nocobotha and Pincheira, too enlightened to be the dupes of the -mysterious voice of Gualichu, and yield to the general panic, had, -however, fled with their comrades; but they had turned back unnoticed. -Curious to know the meaning of this enigma, and the author of the -mystification, they had listened to the entire conversation between -brother and sister. - -"Well," Pincheira said, with a laugh, "you seem tolerably lively for a -dead man. It seems, Canario, that you must be killed twice, in order to -make sure that you will not recover. But, be easy, if my friend missed -you, I shall not do so." - -"What do you want with me?" Pedrito said. "Let us pass." - -"Not at all," Pincheira replied, "that would be rather too dangerous -an example. And stay," he added, after listening, "do you hear that -galloping? your affair is as good as settled, there are our _mosotones_ -coming back." - -In fact, the sound of a cavalcade momentarily drew nearer, and in the -pale gleam of dawn the dim outlines of numerous horsemen could be -distinguished in the distance. Pedrito saw that he was lost; he kissed -for the last time the pale brow of his unconscious sister, laid her -behind him, crossed himself, and prepared to die as a brave man should. - -"Come," said Nocobotha, "let us have an end of this; it looks as if -this scoundrel were afraid of death." - -"Make haste," Pincheira answered, "I hear our men, and if we do not -make haste, our prey will be torn from us." - -"You did not fancy you were speaking so truly, Señor Pincheira," Pepe -exclaimed, suddenly appearing with his two brothers; "now, let us see -who is to be killed." - -"Thanks, my brave brothers," Pedrito said joyously. - -"Malediction!" Pincheira said with an oath, "Are these scoundrels -everywhere?" - -"I will not have him escape me," Nocobotha muttered, as he bit his lips -till the blood came. - -"Fie on you, caballeros," Pepe exclaimed ironically. "On guard, defend -yourselves like men, or I shall kill you like dogs." - -The blades crossed, and the fight began with equal fury on both sides. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -NOCOBOTHA. - - -A struggle to the death was preparing between these irreconcilable -enemies, the bomberos and the Indians; and on this occasion it seemed -as if the advantage would be on the side of the brothers. - -Mercedes, who had recovered from her fainting fit, felt so terrified -that she regretted that she had awoken again. - -After the first collision, Nocobotha fell back a step, lowered his -weapon, made Pincheira a sign to imitate him, and with folded arms -walked towards the brothers. - -"Stay," he cried, "this fight will not take place; it is not proper for -men to risk their lives in disputing for the possession of a woman." - -An ironical smile contracted the bronzed faces Of Pedrito's brothers, -while Pincheira stamped his foot impatiently. The Indian chief -continued, without heeding these marks of disapproval-- - -"A man's blood is precious. Take away your sister, my good fellow. I -give her to you; may she be happy with you." - -"Our sister!" the three young men exclaimed with amazement. - -"Yes," Pedrito said; "but what conditions do you exact?" - -"None," the chief answered nobly. - -Nocobotha's generosity was the more disinterested because the bomberos -perceived by the first rays of the rising sun a band of nearly one -thousand Indians, well equipped, and painted and armed for war, who had -silently advanced and formed a a circle round them. - -"Can we," Pedrito asked, "trust to your word, and have we no cause to -fear a trap?" - -"My word," the Ulmen answered haughtily, "is more sacred than that of -a white man. We have, like you, noble feelings, more so, perhaps, than -others," he added, pointing to a red line that traversed his face; -"we know how to forgive. You are free, and no one will disturb your -retreat." - -Nocobotha followed the thoughts of the bomberos on their faces. The -latter felt themselves conquered by the magnanimity of the chief, who -smiled triumphantly on divining their astonishment and confusion. - -"My friend," he said to Pincheira, "let fresh horses be given to these -men." - -Pincheira hesitated. - -"At once," he said, with a gesture full of supreme grace. - -The Chilian, who was a semi-savage, yielding involuntarily to -Nocobotha's superiority, obeyed, and five horses of great value, and -ready saddled and bridled, were led up by two Indians. - -"Chief," Pedrito said, in a slightly shaking voice, "I am not grateful -for my life, as I do not fear death; but, in my brothers' names and -my own, I thank you for our sister. We never forget an insult or a -kindness. Farewell! Perhaps I shall someday have the opportunity to -prove to you that we are not ungrateful." - -The chief bowed without answering. The bomberos grouped round Mercedes, -returned his salute, and went off slowly. - -"Well, it was your wish," Pincheira said, shrugging his shoulders in -vexation. - -"Patience!" Nocobotha answered, in a deep voice. - -During this time an immense fire had been kindled at the foot of the -tree of Gualichu, where the Indians, whose superstitious fears had -been dissipated with the darkness, had again assembled in council. -A few paces behind the chiefs, the Aucas and Puelche horsemen formed -a formidable cordon round the council fire, while Patagonian scouts -dashed about the desert to scare away intruders, and insure the secrecy -of the deliberations. - -In the east the sun was darting forth its flames, the dry and naked -desert was blended with the illimitable horizon; in the distance the -Cordilleras displayed the eternal snow of their peaks. Such was the -landscape, if we may call it so, in which these barbarous warriors -stood, dressed in strange costumes near the symbolic tree. This -majestic scene involuntarily recalled other times and other climates, -when, by the light of burning towns, the ferocious companions of Attila -rushed to the conquest, and rejuvenescence of the Roman world. - -Nocobotha took up his speech at the point where it had been interrupted -by the unexpected interference of the bombero. - -"I thank my brother Metipan," he said, "for the gift of the white -slave. From this day our disagreement ceases; his nation and mine will -form one and the same family, whose herds will peacefully graze on the -same pasturage, and whose warriors will sleep side by side on the war -track." - -The matchi then lit a pipe, drew a few puffs, and handed it to the two -chiefs, who smoked in turn, passing the pipe to each other till the -tobacco was entirely consumed. Then the pipe was thrown on the fire by -the matchi. - -"Gualichu," he said, solemnly, "has heard your words. Swear that your -alliance will not be broken until you can again smoke this pipe which -is already reduced to ashes." - -"We swear it." - -The two Ulmens laid the left hand on the other's right shoulder, -stretched out the right hand to the sacred tree, and kissed each other -on the lips, saying-- - -"Brother, receive this kiss. May my lips wither and my tongue be torn -out if I betray my oath." - -All the Indians came, one after the other, to give the kiss of peace to -the two Ulmens with marks of joy that were the more lively because they -knew what great misfortunes this feud had already cost them, and how -many times it had compromised the independence of the Indian tribes. - -When the chiefs had returned to their places at the council fire, -Lucaney bowed to Nocobotha. - -"What communications did my brother wish to make to the Ulmens? We are -ready to hear him." - -Nocobotha seemed to reflect for a moment, and then looked confidently -round the assembly. - -"Ulmens of the Puelches, Araucanos, Pehuenches, Huileches, and -Patagonians," he said, "for many moons past my mind has been sad. I -see with grief our hunting grounds invaded by the white men, and daily -growing more and more contracted. We whose countless tribes only a few -centuries ago covered the vast tract of land contained between the -two seas, are now reduced to a small band of warriors, who, timid as -llamas, fly before our despoilers. Our sacred cities, the last refuges -of the civilization of our fathers the Incas, are about to become the -prey of these human-faced monsters who have no other God but gold. Our -dispersed race will soon disappear from this world which it so long -possessed and governed alone." - -"Tracked like wild animals, brutalized by the firewater, and decimated -by the sword and Spanish disease, our wandering hordes are but the -shadow of a people. Our conquerors despise our religion, and they wish -to bow us beneath the tree of the crucified man. They outrage our -wives, kill our children, and burn our villages. Has the blood of your -fathers become impoverished in the veins of all you Indians who are -listening to me? Answer, will you die slaves, or live as free men?" - -At these words, uttered in a masculine and penetrating voice, and whose -effect was heightened by the most majestic gestures, a quiver ran along -the assembly; they raised their heads haughtily and every eye flashed. - -"Speak, speak again!" the electrified Ulmens shouted simultaneously. - -The great Ulmen smiled proudly, and continued-- - -"The hour has at length arrived, after so much humiliation and -wretchedness, to shake off the disgraceful yoke that presses on us. -Within a few days, if you are willing, we will drive the whites far -from our borders, and requite them all the evil they have done us. I -have long been watching the Spaniards, and I know their tactics and -resources; and in order to annihilate them we only need skill and -courage." - -The Indians interrupted him, with shouts of joy. - -"You shall be free," Nocobotha continued. "I will restore you the rich -valleys of your ancestors. This project has, ever since I have become -a man, been fermenting in my head, and it has grown the life of my -life. Far from you and me be the thought that I have any intention to -force myself on you as chief and grand Toqui of the army! No; you -must choose your leader freely, and after having elected him, obey him -blindly, follow him everywhere, and pass through the most formidable -perils. Do not deceive yourselves, warriors; our enemy is strong, -numerous, and well disciplined, and, before all, is habituated to -conquer us. Appoint a supreme chief--select the most worthy, and I will -joyfully march under his orders. I have spoken: have I spoken well, -powerful men?" - -And, after bowing to the assembly, Nocobotha mingled with the crowd of -chiefs, with a serene brow, but with his heart devoured by anxiety and -hatred. - -This eloquence, which was novel to the Indians, seduced, carried them -away, and cast them into a species of frenzy. They almost regarded -Nocobotha as a genius of a superior essence to their own, and bowed -the knee to worship him, so straight had he gone to their hearts. For -a long time the council was affected by a species of delirium, all -speaking at once. When tranquillity was restored, the wisest among the -Ulmens discussed the opportunity of taking up arms and the chances -of success, and in the end the opinion was unanimous in favour of a -general insurrection. The ranks, momentarily broken, were restored, -and Lucaney, who was invited by the chiefs to make known the decision -of the council, spoke as follows;-- - -"Ulmens, listen, listen, listen! This seventeenth day of the moon of -Kekil-kiven it has been resolved by all the chiefs, each representing -a nation or a tribe, assembled round the council fire in front of the -sacred tree of Gualichu, and after the performance of the sacred rites -to render the spirit favourable to us, that war is declared against -the Spaniards, our despoilers. As the war is holy, and has liberty -for its object, all will be expected to take part in it--men, women, -and children; all to the extent of their strength. This very day the -_quipus_ will be sent to all the Indian nations." - -A long cry of enthusiasm cheered Lucaney, but he continued after a -while-- - -"The chiefs, after careful consideration, have chosen as supreme Toqui -of all the nations, with uncontrolled and unlimited power, the wisest, -the most prudent, and the man most worthy to command us. This warrior -is the chief of the Aucas whose race is so ancient, Nocobotha is the -descendant of the Incas, the son of the sun." - -A thunder of applause greeted these last words Nocobotha walked into -the centre of the circle, bowed to the Ulmens, and said, in a proud -accent, "I accept. Ulmens, my brothers, in a year you shall be free, or -myself dead." - -"Long live the great Toqui!" the crowd shouted. - -"War to the Spaniards!" Nocobotha continued; "A war without respite or -mercy--a true wild beast hunt, such as they are accustomed to make on -us. Remember the law of the Pampas: 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for -a tooth.' Each chief will send the quipus to his nation, for at the end -of this moon we will arouse our enemies by a thunderclap. Go, and lose -no time. This night at the fourth hour we will meet again at the pass -of the Guanaco, to elect the secondary chiefs, count our warriors, and -fix the day and hour of attack." - -The Ulmens bowed without replying, rejoined the escort, and soon -disappeared in a cloud of dust. - -Nocobotha and Pincheira remained alone, a detachment guarding them a -little distance away. Nocobotha, with his arms folded, drooping head, -and frowning brow, seemed plunged in profound thoughts. - -"Well," Pincheira said, "we have succeeded." - -"Yes," he answered; "war is declared, and I am the supreme chief; but -I tremble at such a heavy task. Do those primitive men thoroughly -understand? Are they ripe for liberty? Perhaps they have not as yet -suffered enough. Oh! if I succeed!" - -"You startle me, friend. What, then, are your plans?" - -"It is true, you know nothing, but you are worthy of such an -enterprise. I wish, understand me thoroughly; I wish--" - -At this moment an Indian, whose horse, reeking with perspiration, -seemed to breathe fire through its nostrils, came up to the two Ulmens, -before whom he shopped dead, by a prodigy of horsemanship, as if -converted into a granite statue. He bent down to Nocobotha's ear. - -"Already!" the latter exclaimed; "Oh, there is not a moment to lose. -Quick, my horse." - -"What is the matter?" Pincheira asked him. - -"Nothing that can interest you. Tonight at the pass of the Guanaco you -shall know all." - -"Are you going alone?" - -"I must. Tonight we meet again." - -Nocobotha's horse snorted, and dashed off like an arrow from a bow. - -Ten minutes later all the Indians had disappeared, and solitude and -silence reigned round the tree of Gualichu. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -THE COUGARS. - - -Don Valentine Cardoso's conversation with Don Blas Salazar was -prolonged far into the night. Doña Concha had retired to her apartments. - -"Thanks, Blas, my friend," Don Valentine said in conclusion; "that -Don Torribio Carvajal never pleased either my daughter or myself. His -mysterious ways and his look repulse affection and inspire distrust." - -"What do you intend doing?" the capataz asked. - -"I am greatly embarrassed; how can I close my doors against him; what -pretext should I have?" - -"Good gracious!" Blas said; "Perhaps we are alarming ourselves too -soon. This gentleman is doubtless no more or less than a lover. Doña -Concha is of the age to be beloved, and her beauty attracts Don -Torribio. You do not like him as son-in-law, so all right; but love, -they say, is a strange thing, and some day or other--" - -"I have designs for my daughter." - -"That is different. By the way, may not this mysterious caballero be a -secret agent of General Oribe, who is watching Carmen?" - -"That is the truth, I believe. His hints to the gauchos, his unexpected -absences, whose purpose is unknown, are simply of a political nature, -and Don Torribio is a conspirator." - -"Nothing else. Be on your guard against him." - -"In the expectation of General Oribe making an attack, let us make -ourselves secure. The Estancia of San Julian is close to Port San José -and the sea; we will await the issue of these machinations there in -greater security, because a vessel, anchored opposite the estancia, -will be at my disposal, and on the slightest alarm convey us to Buenos -Aires." - -"That arrangement removes all difficulties; in the country you will not -be annoyed by Don Torribio's visits." - -"¡Caramba! you are right; and I will proceed to give orders for -departure. Do not go away, for I want your assistance, and you will -accompany us." - -Don Valentine hastened to wake the servants and peons who were fast -asleep; and the valuables were at once packed up. - -At the first gleam of dawn Doña Concha was greatly surprised, when her -lady's maid, a young mulatto girl, informed her of her father's sudden -resolution. Doña Concha, without making the slightest remark, dressed -herself, and began packing. - -At about eight in the morning, Blas Salazar, whom his foster brother -had sent with a letter to the captain of his schooner moored off -Carmen, and loaded with Brazilian merchandise, returned to the house, -and stated that the captain would sail at once, and be anchored by -nightfall before San Julian. - -The courtyard of the house resembled a hostelry. Fifteen mules, bending -beneath their bales, stamped in their impatience to be off, while the -travelling litter was being prepared for Doña Concha. Forty saddle -horses, intended for the servants, were fastened to iron rings in the -wall; four or five mules were prepared to carry the young lady's female -attendants, while two Negro slaves held two splendid chargers, which -stamped and champed their silver bits, while awaiting their riders, Don -Valentine and his capataz. There was a deafening confusion of shouts, -laughter, and kicking. In the street, a crowd, among whom were Corrocho -and Panchito, curiously watched their departure, while making their -comments on the strange fact of Don Cardoso choosing so late a season -for a residence in the country. - -Panchito and Corrocho slipped away. - -At last, at about half past eight o'clock, the _arrieros_ placed -themselves at the head of their mules; the servants, armed to the -teeth, mounted, and Doña Concha, dressed in a charming travelling -costume, walked down the steps, and with a merry laugh, bounded into -the litter, where she nestled like a hummingbird among rose leaves. - -At a sign from the capataz, the mules, already fastened to each other -in a file, started. Don Valentine then turned to an old Negro, who was -standing respectfully near him, hat in hand. - -"Good-bye, _tío_ Peralta," he said to him; "I give you charge of the -house, and leave you Cyrillo and Nanez." - -"Your Excellency can reckon on my vigilance," the old man answered; -"may God bless your Excellency, and the Niña too. I will take great -care of her birds." - -"Thank you, _tío_ Peralta," the young lady said, leaning out of the -litter. - -The courtyard was already empty, when the Negro bowed, delighted at the -thanks. - -The night storm had completely swept the sky, which was of a pale -blue; the sun, already high on the horizon, spread profusely its warm -beams, which were filtered through the fragrant vapours that rose -from the ground. The atmosphere was wondrously transparent, a slight -breeze refreshed the air, and swarms of birds, glistening with a -thousand hues, dashed about. The mules, which followed the bell of the -_yegua madrina_, trotted to the songs of the arrieros. The caravan -marched gaily across the sandy desert, raising the dust around it, and -undulating like a long serpent, in the endless windings of the road. -Don Blas, with ten servants, who explored the country, and examined the -bushes, formed the vanguard. Don Valentine, with a cigar in his mouth, -was conversing with his daughter, while twenty resolute men closed the -march, and protected the travellers. - -In the plains of Patagonia, a journey of four hours, like that to the -estancia of San Julian, requires as many precautions as one of two -hundred among us; enemies are ambuscaded everywhere, and ready for -pillage and murder; and travellers are compelled to be on their guard -against gauchos, Indians, and wild beasts. - -The white houses of Carmen had disappeared long ago, when the capataz, -leaving the head of the party, galloped up to the side of the litter. - -"What is the matter?" Don Valentine asked. - -"Nothing," Blas replied; "still, Excellency, look," he added, -stretching out his arm in a southwesterly direction. - -"It is a fire." - -"Now turn your eyes to the east-south-east." - -"That is another fire. Who the deuce has lighted fires on those scarped -points, and for what object?" - -"I will tell you. That point is the cliff of Urubús." - -"It is." - -"That is the cliff of San Xavier." - -"Well?" - -"As a fire does not light itself, as we have some 120° of heat, and -as--" - -"You conclude--" - -"I conclude that these fires Have been lit by Don Torribio's gauchos; -and that they are signals." - -"Stay, stay, that is logical, my friend, and you may be right perhaps; -but what do we care?" - -"Those signals tell that Don Valentine Cardoso and his daughter have -left Carmen." - -"You spoke to me about that, I think? Well, I do not care about Don -Torribio knowing of my departure." - -A sudden cry was heard, and the mules stopped with trembling limbs. - -"What is going on down there?" Blas asked. - -"A cougar, a cougar!" the arrieros shouted in horror. - -"Canario, it is true," the capataz said, "but instead of one there are -two." - -About two hundred yards ahead of the caravan two cougars (the _Felis -discolor_ or Linnaeus, or American lion), were drawn up ready for a -spring, with their eyes fixed on the mules. These animals, still young, -were about the size of a calf; the head bore a great likeness to that -of a cat, and their skins, smooth and soft, of a silvery tawny, were -spotted with black. - -"Come on," Don Valentine exclaimed, "uncouple the dogs, and let us have -a hunt." - -"A hunt!" the capataz repeated. - -A dozen mastiffs were unloosed which, on approaching the lions, barked -simultaneously. The mules were collected and formed into a large -circle, in the centre of which the litter was placed. Ten servants were -told off to guard Doña Concha, and Don Valentine remained by her side -to keep up her courage. - -Horses, riders, and dogs rushed in rivalry on the ferocious animals -with yells, shouts, and barking sufficient to start lions that were -novices. The noble beasts, lashed their flanks with their powerful -tails, and after a deep inspiration they fled away with lengthened -bounds. A part of the hunters rode off in a straight line to cut off -their retreat, while, others bending over the saddle and guiding their -horses with their knees, brandished their terrible bolas, and hunted -them with all their strength, though without checking the cougars which -turned furiously on the dogs, and hurled them a dozen yards off yelling -with pain. The mastiffs, however, long accustomed to this style of -hunting, watched for a favourable opportunity, threw themselves on the -lions' backs and dug their teeth into their flesh, but the cougars, -with one blow of their murderous paw, swept them off like flies, and -resumed their hurried course. - -One of them, hobbled by the bolas, and surrounded by dogs, rolled on -the ground, digging up the sand with its contracted claws, and uttering -a fearful yell. Don Valentine finished it by putting a bullet in its -eye. - -The second cougar remained, which was still unwounded, and by its -bounds, foiled the attack and skill of the hunters. The dogs, worn out, -did not dare approach it. Its flight had brought it within a few paces -of the caravan; all at once it turned to the right, bounded over the -mules, and crouched right in front of the litter. Doña Concha, pale as -death, with closed eyes, instinctively clasped her hands, recommended -her soul to Heaven, and fainted. - -At the moment when the lion was about to dart on the girl, two shots -struck it right in the middle of the chest. It turned round on its new -adversary, no other than the worthy capataz, who, with extended legs, -and eye fixed on the lion, awaited the monster. The cougar hesitated, -took a parting glance at its prey still lying in the litter, and rushed -with a roar on Blas, who pulled the trigger again. The animal writhed -on the ground, and the capataz ran up to it, machete in hand. The man -and the lion rolled together, but only one of them rose again--it was -the man. - -Doña Concha was saved. Her father pressed her joyously to his breast; -she opened her eyes again at last, and aware to whose devotion she owed -her life, held out her hand to Don Blas. - -"I can no longer count the number of times you have saved the lives of -my father and myself." - -"Oh, señorita!" the worthy man said, as he kissed the tips of her -fingers. - -"You are my foster brother, and I can only discharge my debt to you -by eternal gratitude," Don Valentine said. "Strip the lions of their -skins, my men," he said, turning to the servants. "I suppose they will -not frighten you, when they are converted into carpets, Conchita." - -No one equals the Hispano-Americans in the art of flaying animals; in a -minute, the two lions, above which the urubús and vultures of the Andes -were already hovering, were stripped of their skins. - -Order was restored in the caravan, which started again, and within an -hour arrived at the Estancia of San Julian, where it was received by -Patito and all the farm peons. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE ESTANCIA OF SAN JULIAN. - - -The bomberos, accompanied by Mercedes, buried themselves in the desert. -Their journey lasted four hours, and brought them to the banks of the -Rio Negro, to one of the charming oases created by the river mud, and -covered with clumps of willows, nopals, palms, chirimoyas, lemon trees, -and flowering jessamines, in whose branches thousands of birds of the -most varying colour and note gaily warbled. - -Pedrito seized Mercedes in his robust arms, lifted her from the front -of his saddle and laid her gently on the turf. The horses began quietly -nibbling the young tree shoots. - -"Tell us, how did you find our sister?" Juan said. - -The elder brother, as if he had not heard, made no reply, and with -his eyes fixed on the girl, he listened to a voice that spoke within -him; he fancied he saw again the living portrait of his mother, and -said to himself, "The same look, at once gentle and tender! The smile -full of kindness! Poor mother, poor sister! Mercedes," he added in a -louder voice, "do you remember your grown-up brothers, who loved you so -dearly?" - -"Come, come," Pepe exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is not -fair, brother! You keep our bills in the water like a lot of ducks, and -confiscate the girl's kind looks. If she is really our deeply-regretted -Mercedes, speak; ¡caray! we have as much right to embrace her as you -have, and are all longing to do so." - -"You are right," Pedrito answered; "forgive me, brothers, but joy -rendered me egotistic. Yes, it is our dear little sister, so embrace -her." - -The bomberos did not wait for the invitation to be repeated, and -without asking the slightest explanation from Pedrito, disputed with -each other as to who should devour her with caresses. The maiden, -who was deeply affected, and whom the Indians had not accustomed to -such happiness, yielded to the intoxication of joy. While they were -indulging in these transports, Pedrito had lit a fire and prepared a -substantial meal, composed of fruit and a leg of guanaco. They sat down -and ate with good appetites. Pedrito recounted his adventures at the -tree of Gualichu, without omitting a single detail. His story occupied -a long time, for it was at times interrupted by the young men, who -laughed most heartily at the tragi-comical incidents of the scene -between the matchi and Gualichu. - -"Do you know," Lopez said to him, "that you have been a god?" - -"A god who ran a greater risk of becoming immortal than he cared for," -Pedrito replied; "for I feel that I love life since I have found the -child again. Well, here she is, and he will be a clever fellow who -takes her from us again. Still, we cannot keep her with us and let her -share our precarious existence." - -"That is true," the other brothers said. - -"What is to be done?" Pepe muttered sadly. - -"Our poor sister would die," said Pedrito; "we cannot make a female -bombero of her, drag her after us into danger, or leave her alone." - -"I shall never be alone when with you, my kind brothers." - -"Our life is at the mercy of an Indian bullet. The fear that you may -fall again into the hands of the Aucas or the Puelches troubles me; and -if you remained with us and shared our dangers, I should turn a coward, -and not have the courage to perform my duties as bombero." - -"During the ten years we have been prowling about the Pampas," Pepe -remarked, "we have broken with all our old acquaintances." - -"Suppose, though," Lopez observed, "we find her a safe shelter? I have -an idea." - -"Out with it." - -"You remember the capataz of the Estancia de San Julian, what is his -name?" - -"Don Blas Salazar." - -"The very man," Lopez continued; "I fancy we have saved his life and -his master's ere now, and that both owe us a candle as thick as my arm -in gratitude." - -"Don Valentine and his capataz," Juan said, "would have yielded their -skins to that demon of a Pincheira, who wished to flay them alive, had -it not been for our rifles." - -"That is our affair. Lopez is right." - -"Don Valentino passes for a good-hearted man." - -"He has, I think, a daughter whom he tenderly loves, and will -understand the difficulty we are in." - -"Yes," said Pepe, "but we cannot go to Carmen." - -"Let us ride to the Estancia, then; it will only take us a couple of -hours." - -"We will be off," said Pedrito; "Juan and Lopez will remain here, -while Pepe and I escort the chica. Kiss your brothers, Mercedes. Now -then, Pepe; you two keep good watch and expect us at sunset." - -Mercedes waved a parting farewell to her brothers, and, escorted by -Pepe and Pedro, started at a gallop for San Julian. - -At about three o'clock they perceived, fifty yards from them, the -estancia, which Don Valentine and his daughter had reached hardly two -hours before. - -The Estancia of San Julian, undoubtedly the richest and strongest -position on the entire Patagonian coast, stood on a peninsula six miles -in circumference, covered with wood and pastures, on which upwards of -two thousand head of cattle grazed at liberty. Surrounded by the sea, -which forms a natural fortification, the strip of land, twenty feet in -width at the most, was guarded by a battery of five heavy guns. The -house, which was surrounded by lofty parapeted and bastioned walls, -was a species of fortress, capable of sustaining a regular siege, -thanks to eight guns, which, planted on the four bastions, defended the -approaches. It was composed of a large main building with a terraced -roof, having ten windows on the frontage, and with two wings. A large -flight of steps, protected by a double curiously-worked balustrade, -protected by a verandah, gave access to the rooms, which were furnished -with the simple and picturesque luxury peculiar to the Spanish farms of -America. - -Between the house and the wall, in which there was, opposite the steps, -a cedar gate five inches thick, and lined with strong iron plates, -extended a large English garden, well wooded and beautifully laid out. -The space left free behind the farm was occupied by the corrals in -which the cattle were shut up at night, and an immense courtyard in -which the annual slaughtering took place. - -This white house was gay and pleasant, and could be seen for some -distance off, half-hidden by the branches which crowned it with -foliage. From the first floor windows there was a view on one side of -the sea, on the other of the Rio Negro, which ran capriciously through -the plain like a silver thread, and was lost in the azure distance of -the horizon. - -Ever since the last war with the Indians, ten years back, and during -which the estancia was all but surprised by the Aucas, a _mirador_ had -been built on the roof of the main building, where a sentry stood day -and night, ordered to watch and announce the approach of strangers -upon a buffalo horn. In addition, the isthmus battery was guarded by -six men, ready to discharge the guns at the slightest alarm. Hence, -when the bomberos were still some distance from the Estancia, their -coming had been signalled, and Don Blas Salazar, accompanied by Patito, -was standing behind the battery in order to challenge them when they -came within hail. - -The bomberos were aware of the orders, which are common to all the -Spanish establishments, especially on the borders, where people are -exposed to the continual depredations of the Indians. On coming within -twenty paces of the battery, the two men stopped and waited. - -"Who goes there?" a voice shouted. - -"Friends?" Pedrito answered. - -"Who are you?" - -"Bomberos." - -"Good; what do you want?" - -"To speak to the Señor Capataz, Don Blas Salazar." - -"Why," Blas himself exclaimed, "it is Pedrito." - -"Yes, yes, Don Blas," Pedrito said, "and I recognized you at once, but -duty is duty. This is my brother Pepe, at your service." - -"As he has been before, Don Blas, by your leave," Pepe said, -insinuatingly. - -"That is true, lower the drawbridge." - -The bomberos entered, and the bridge was immediately pulled up after -them. - -"¡Caray! What a pleasant surprise, my friends," the capataz said, "we -see you most remarkably seldom. Come to my house, and while we drain a -cup, you will tell me what brings you here, and it must be a serious -matter, if I know you." - -"Very serious indeed," Pedrito answered. - -"Patito," said Blas, "you stay here; I am going to the estancia." - -The capataz mounted his horse, and drew up alongside Pedrito. - -"May I ask, caballero, without indiscretion, who that girl dressed in -the Indian fashion is? She is white, is she not?" - -"She is our sister, capataz." - -"Your sister, Don Pedro! Are you joking?" - -"Heaven forbid?" - -"I was not aware you had a sister, so forgive me, for I am not a -sorcerer." - -The horsemen had arrived at their destination. The capataz dismounted, -the bomberos followed his example, and followed him into a spacious -ground floor room, where an elderly, healthy-looking woman was busy -peeling Indian corn. It was Don Blas's mother, and Don Valentine's -nurse. She greeted the newcomers with a good-humoured smile, offered -them seats, and went to fetch a jug of chicha, which she placed before -them. - -"To your health, señores," said the capataz, after filling the pewter -cups to the brim. "The sun is confoundedly hot, and travellers will -find this refreshing." - -"Thanks," said Pedrito, who had emptied his glass. - -"Come, what have you to tell me? Speak freely; unless," Blas added, "my -mother is in your way. If so, the worthy woman would go into the next -room." - -"No," Pedro said, eagerly; "no! The señora, on the contrary, must -remain, for what we have to say everybody may hear, and especially your -mother; we have come here on the subject of our sister." - -"I do not wish to offend you, Don Pedro," the capataz interrupted him, -"but you did wrong in keeping the young lady with you, for she cannot -share all the perils of your diabolical life, can she, mother?" - -The old lady gave a nod of assent, and the brothers exchanged a hopeful -glance. - -"You can do what you please, of course," Don Blas continued; -"everybody is at liberty to arrange his life as he pleases, provided -that it be honestly. But now to business." - -"Your remark, Don Blas," Pedrito said, "overwhelms us with joy. You are -a man of good counsel and good heart." - -And without farther delay, he told Mercedes' singular story. Toward its -close Doña Salazar left the room, unnoticed by her son or the bomberos. - -"You are a worthy man, Don Pedro," Don Blas exclaimed. "Yes, deuce take -me if you are not, though the bomberos generally are considered sorry -fellows. You have judged me rightly, and I thank you for thinking of -me." - -"Then you consent?" Pepe asked. - -"One moment, sapristi! Let me conclude," the capataz said, as he filled -the glasses again, "here's to your health, and that of the señorita. -I am only a poor fellow, and a bachelor in the bargain, hence my -protection would compromise a young lady's reputation, for tongues -are wicked here as elsewhere, and though I live with my mother, an -excellent woman, a wicked word is soon uttered. Señores, a girl's -reputation is like an egg; once cracked it cannot be mended. You -understand?" - -"What is to be done?" Pedrito muttered with discouragement. - -"Patience, compadre! I am nothing myself, but, canario, Don Valentine -Cardoso, my master, is kind, he is fond of me, and has a charming -daughter; I will plead your sister's cause to him." - -"The cause is already gained, my friend," said Don Valentine, whom Doña -Salazar had informed of the bomberos' wishes. - -Doña Concha, who accompanied her father, had been greatly affected -by the story of Mercedes' misfortunes; a good action had tempted her -heart, and she begged her father to take charge of the bomberos' -sister, who would be a companion for her. Pepe and Pedrito knew not how -to express their gratitude to Señor Cardoso. - -"My friends," the latter said, "I am only too happy to discharge my -debt to you. We have an old account outstanding between us. Eh, Blas! -And if my daughter still has a father, she owes it to you." - -"Oh, señor!" the two young men protested. - -"My daughter, Conchita, will have a sister, and I two daughters instead -of one. Do you wish it so, Conchita?" - -"I thank you, father," as she repeatedly kissed Mercedes. "My dear -girl," she added, "kiss your brothers and follow me to my apartments; -I will myself give you the articles of clothing you most require, and -enable you to get rid of this heathen costume at once." - -Mercedes threw herself into her brother's arms with tears. - -"Come, come, little maid," Doña Concha said, as she drew her away, "do -not cry thus, you will see them again, wipe your eyes, for I mean you -to be happy, do you understand? Come, smile at once, my darling, and -follow me." - -The sentinel's horn at this moment announced that a stranger was asking -admission to the estancia. - -"Thanks, once again, Don Valentine," Pedrito said, "we go away with -minds at rest." - -"Good-bye, till we meet again, my friends." - -Pedrito and Pepe, light both in body and mind, left the estancia, and -crossed on their passage a horseman, who was coming up to the steps at -a sharp trot. - -"That is strange," said Pedrito, "where have I seen that man? I do not -know, but I feel certain I have met him before." - -"Do you know Don Torribio Carvajal?" the capataz asked. - -"I am not aware if that is the Caballero's name, who he is, or where -I have seen him; still, I am certain that we met a very little while -ago." - -"Ah!" - -"Good-bye, Don Blas, and thank you," the bomberos said, as they shook -his hand. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -DON SYLVIO D'ARENAL. - - -An hour before the bomberos' arrival at the estancia, a visitor had -presented himself, who was eagerly greeted by Don Valentine and his -daughter. This visitor, about eight-and-twenty years of age, and -elegantly built, possessed the manners of a man of distinction, and a -clever, noble face. His name was Don Sylvio d'Arenal, and he belonged -to one of the richest and most respected families in Buenos Aires. The -death of a relative had endowed him with a fortune of 500,000 piastres -a year; that is to say, about one hundred thousand a year--a fortune -large even for this country, where gold is so common. - -The family of Don Sylvio and of Don Valentine, both originally from -Spain, and connected by ancient ties, had ever lived on a footing of -the greatest intimacy. The young man and the young lady were educated -together, and hence, when her handsome cousin came to say good-bye -to her, and told her of his departure for Europe, where he was to -travel for some years to complete his education, and assume elegant -manners, Doña Concha, who was at that time twelve years of age, felt a -great vexation. Since their childhood, unconsciously, they loved each -other with the simple gentle affection of youth, which only thinks of -happiness. - -Don Sylvio went away, bearing his love with him, and Conchita retained -him in her heart. - -Only a few days previously the young man had returned to Buenos Aires, -and after making a tour through the most renowned cities of the -civilized world, hastened to arrange his affairs. Then he freighted a -schooner, and set sail for Carmen, burning with desire to see again the -woman he loved, and whom he had not seen for three years--his Conchita, -the pretty child who, he thought, had, doubtless, become a lovely and -accomplished maiden. - -At Carmen he found Don Valentine's house empty, and from the -information he received from _Tío_ Peralta, the old Negro, he rode at -a gallop to the estancia of San Julian. The surprise and joy of Don -Valentine and his daughter were extreme. Conchita was especially happy, -for she thought daily of Sylvio, and saw him through her recollections, -but at the same time she felt in her heart an emotion of mingled -pleasure and sorrow. Sylvio perceived it, understood that he was still -loved, and his happiness equalled that of Doña Concha. - -"Come, come, children," the father said with a smile, "kiss each other; -I permit it." - -Doña Concha offered Don Sylvia her blushing forehead, which he -respectfully touched with his lips. - -"What sort of kiss do you call that?" Don Valentine continued, "come, -come, no hypocrisy! kiss one another openly; hang it all! Do not play -the coquette, Conchita, because you are a pretty girl, and he is a -handsome fellow; and you, Sylvio, who fall here like a bombshell -without notice, do you suppose, if you please, that I had not guessed -for what reason you made a sea voyage of several hundred leagues? Is -it for my sake you have hastened here from Buenos Aires? You love each -other, so kiss like lovers and betrothed people, and if you behave -yourselves you will be married in a few days." - -The young folks, affected by these kind words and this merry humour, -fell into the arms of the worthy man, in order to conceal their emotion. - -"Children," he said, "the Rubicon is past; indulge your joy at meeting -after so lengthened a separation. It is the last, for you have met -again forever." - -"Oh, forever," the young people repeated. - -"Let us kill the fatted calf, as the prodigal child has come back. Don -Sylvio, you will remain here, and not return to Carmen, except to be -married. Does that suit you?" - -"Yes," said Sylvio, looking amorously at Conchita, "on condition that -it is soon, father." - -"That's the way with lovers; they are always eager and impatient. -Everyone in his turn; I was like that and as happy, then our children -take our places, and the happiness of old men is produced by their -happiness." - -One of those sweet and intimate conversations then began, in which the -recollections of the past and the certainty of speedy happiness were -blended. They were interrupted by Doña Salazar entering the room. Don -Sylvio proceeded to his apartment, while Concha and her father followed -the old lady to the bomberos. - -Don Valentine, surprised and irritated by the unexpected arrival of Don -Torribio Carvajal, resolved to get rid of him, and come to an end with -this mysterious man. - -"You did not expect me so soon?" Don Torribio said, as he leapt from -his horse, and bowed to the master of the house. - -"I did not expect you at all; the less so because you spoke only -yesterday, if I have a good memory, of a journey." - -"That is true," he said with a smile, "but who knows yesterday what -will take place tomorrow? Then you, too," Don Torribio continued, as -he followed Don Valentine to the drawing room, "did not even dream -yesterday of leaving El Carmen." - -"Well, as you know, we estancieros are often compelled to go to our -estates suddenly, from one moment to another." - -"The same thing happens to me. I am, like you, compelled to live as a -country gentleman for some time." - -"Then you are living at your estancia?" - -"Yes, we are neighbours, and you will be condemned to my presence, -unless--" - -"You will always be welcome." - -"You are most polite," said Don Torribio, seating himself in an easy -chair. - -"I am afraid, though, that I shall not long enjoy the pleasure of being -your neighbour." - -"Why so?" - -"It is possible that I may return to Carmen within a week." - -"Then you have only paid a passing visit here?" - -"Not exactly. I had intended to remain here some months, but, as you -said just now, who knows what the morrow will bring forth?" - -The two speakers, like practised duellists, before crossing weapons and -dealing a decisive blow, were feeling each other's strength by quickly -parried feints. - -"May I be allowed to pay my respects to Doña Concha?" Don Torribio -asked. - -"She will soon be here. Just imagine, my dear neighbour, that through a -concourse of extraordinary circumstances we have just taken charge of -a girl of rare beauty, who has been two years a slave of the Indians, -and whom her brothers brought to me scarce an hour ago, after having -miraculously saved her from the hands of the pagans." - -"Ah!" Torribio said, in a choking voice. - -"Yes," Don Valentine continued, without noticing the young man's -emotion; "her name is Mercedes, I believe; she appears very gentle; you -know my daughter, she is wild about her already, and at this moment she -is taking off her Indian clothes, and clothing her in a decent fashion." - -"Very good; but are you sure that this woman is what she seems to be? -The Indians are villains, as you are aware, and this--" - -"Mercedes." - -"Mercedes is perhaps an Indian spy." - -"For what object?" - -"What do I know? Can we trust anybody?" - -"You are mistaken, Don Torribio. I can trust the men who brought her to -me." - -"Watch her; take my advice." - -"But she is a Spaniard." - -"That proves nothing. Look at Pincheira; is he not an ex-officer of -the Chilian army? He is now a chief of one of the principal Patagonian -nations, and the most cruel adversary of the Spaniards." - -"Pincheira, that is different." - -"As you please," said Don Torribio, "I trust that you may be right." - -As Don Torribio uttered these words, Doña Concha appeared, accompanied -by Don Sylvio. - -"Don Torribio," said the estanciero, "I have the honour to present to -you Don Sylvio d'Arenal." - -"I believe," said Torribio, "that I have already had the honour of -meeting this gentleman." - -"Nonsense! It cannot have been in America, most certainly, for Don -Sylvio has been away for three years." - -"No, Don Valentine; it was in Paris." - -"Your memory is faithful, sir," Don Sylvio replied, "we met at the -house of the Marchioness de Lucenay." - -"I was not aware of your return to America." - -"I only reached Buenos Aires a few days ago; this morning I was at -Carmen, and now I am here." - -"Already here!" Don Torribio could not refrain from saying. - -"Oh!" Concha's father said, with a marked accent, "This rather hasty -visit was so natural, that my daughter and I heartily pardoned Don -Sylvio." - -"Ah!" Don Torribio muttered, to say something, for he understood that -he had a rival before him. - -Doña Concha, carelessly reclining on a sofa, anxiously followed the -conversation, while playing with a fan that trembled in her hand. - -"I hope, sir," Don Torribio said courteously, "that we shall renew here -the imperfect friendship commenced in Madame de Lucenay's _salons_." - -"Unluckily," Don Valentine interrupted, in order to prevent Don -Sylvio answering, "Señor d'Arenal will be unable to accept your kind -invitation, for immediately after his marriage he intends to travel -with his wife, since that is the fashion nowadays." - -"His marriage!" Don Torribio said, with perfectly well-played -astonishment. - -"Were you ignorant of it?" - -"Yes." - -"What a careless fellow I am! My happiness makes me lose my head. I am -like these two children, but pray excuse me." - -"Sir!" - -"Certainly; for are you not one of our best friends? we have no secrets -from you. Don Sylvio d'Arenal is about to marry my daughter; the match -has been arranged for a very long time." - -Don Torribio turned pale; a mist passed before his eyes, he felt a -deadly agony in his heart, and thought he was going to die. Doña Concha -curiously followed his secret thoughts upon his face; but, feeling that -all eyes were fixed upon him, the young man made a superhuman effort, -and said to the young lady in a soft voice, and without any apparent -emotion-- - -"May you be as happy, señorita, as I wish you. The first wish, people -say, is efficacious, so accept mine." - -"I thank you, sir," Doña Concha answered, deceived by Don Torribio's -accent. - -"As for you, Señor d'Arenal, your happiness will make many men jealous; -for you are taking away the most precious pearl in the rich casket of -the Argentine republic." - -"I will strive, señor, to be worthy of her; for I love her so dearly." - -"They love one another so dearly," the father said with cruel -simplicity. - -The young lovers exchanged a glance full of hope and happiness. Neither -Don Valentine's last remark, nor the look of the betrothed couple, -was left unnoticed by Don Torribio, who though not letting anything -be seen, received this double dagger thrust, and concealed his grief -beneath a smile. - -"By Jove, neighbour," the father continued, "you will be present at the -festival of betrothal, and give up your evening to us." - -"Impossible, señor; important business calls me to my estancia, and, to -my great regret, I must leave you." - -"Still, if my daughter joined with me--" - -"If I," Don Sylvio said, "dared--" - -"You quite confound me; but, on my honour, I must be gone. The -sacrifice I make at this moment is the more painful to me," he added, -with a sardonic smile, "because happiness generally flies so fast -that it is impossible to catch it up, and it is folly to neglect the -opportunity." - -"I fear no misfortune now," said Doña Concha, looking at Don Sylvio. - -Carvajal gave her a look full of indefinable meaning, and replied with -a shake of the head. - -"I trust you are saying the truth, señorita, but there is a French -proverb." - -"What is it?" - -"'Twixt cup and the lip there's many a slip.'" - -"Oh, the ugly proverb!" Conchita exclaimed, in some embarrassment, "but -I am not a French woman, and hence have nothing to fear." - -"That is true." - -And Don Torribio, without adding a word, bowed, and left the room. - -"Well, my friend," the estanciero said, "what do you think of that man?" - -"He has a look deep as an abyss, and his words are bitter; I know not -why, but I feel sure he hates me." - -"I hate him too," said Concha, with a shudder. - -"Perhaps he loved you, Conchita, for is it possible to see and not love -you?" - -"Who assures you that he is not meditating a crime?" - -"This time, señorita, you are going too far; he is a gentleman." - -"_¿Quién sabe?_" she replied, remembering Don Torribio's words, which -had already caused her a shudder. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE VIRGIN FOREST. - - -On leaving the estancia of San Julian, Don Torribio Carvajal was a -prey to one of those cold, concentrated passions, which slowly collect -in the mind, and at length burst out with terrible force. His spurs -lacerated the sides of his horse, which snorted with pain, and doubled -its furious speed. - -Where was Don Torribio Carvajal going in this way? He did not know -himself. He saw nothing, heard nothing. He revolved sinister plans in -his brain, and leaped torrents and ravines without troubling himself -about his horse. The feeling of hatred was alone at work within him. -Nothing refreshed his burning forehead, his temples beat as if about -to burst, and a nervous tremor agitated his whole body. This state of -over-excitement lasted some hours, during which his horse devoured -space. At length the noble steed, utterly exhausted, stopped on its -trembling knees, and fell on the sand. - -Don Torribio rose and looked wildly around him. He had required this -rude shock to restore a little order to his ideas, and recall him to -reality. An hour more of such agony and he would have become a raving -lunatic, or have died of an apoplectic fit. - -Night had set in, thick darkness covered the landscape, and a mournful -silence prevailed in the desert where chance had carried him. - -"Where am I?" he said, as he tried to discover his whereabouts. - -But the moon, concealed by clouds, shed no light; the wind blew -violently; the branches of the trees clashed together, and in the -depths of the desert the howling of the wild beasts began to mingle the -deep notes of their voices with the hoarse mewlings of the wild cats. - -Don Torribio's eyes sought in vain to pierce the obscurity. He went -up to his horse, which was lying on the ground and panting heavily; -moved with pity for the companion of his adventurous journeys, he -bent over it, placed in his waist belt the pistols that were in the -holsters, and unfastening a gourd of rum hanging from his saddlebow, -began washing the eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth of the poor beast, -whose sides quivered, and which this seemed to restore to life. Half an -hour passed in this way; the horse, somewhat refreshed, had got on its -legs, and with the instinct that distinguishes the race had discovered -a spring close by where it quenched its thirst. - -"All is not lost yet," Don Torribio muttered, "and perhaps I shall soon -succeed in getting out of this place, for my friends are waiting for -me, and I must join them." - -But a deep roar broke forth a short distance away, repeated almost -immediately from four different quarters. The horse's hair stood on end -with terror. Even Don Torribio trembled. - -"Malediction!" he exclaimed, "I am at a watering place of the cougars." - -At this moment he saw, about ten paces from him, two eyes that shone -like live coals, and looked at him with strange fixedness. - -Don Torribio was a man of tried courage, audacious, and even rash on -occasions; but alone in the gloomy solitude in the midst of the black -night, surrounded by ferocious beasts, he felt fear assail himself -against his will; he breathed with difficulty; his teeth were clenched, -an icy perspiration poured down his whole person, and he was on the -point of abandoning himself to his fate. This sudden discouragement -disappeared before a powerful will, and Don Torribio, sustained by the -instinct of self-preservation, and that hope which springs eternal in -the human breast, prepared for an unequal struggle. - -The horse burst into a snort of terror, and ran off. - -"All the better," its rider thought, "perhaps it will escape." - -A frightful concert of howls and roars broke out on all sides at the -sound of the horse's flight and huge shadows bounded along past Don -Torribio. A violent blast swept the sky, and the moon lit up the desert -with its mournful, sickly rays. - -Not far off the Rio Negro ran between two scarped banks, and Don -Torribio saw all round him the compact masses of a virgin forest, an -inextricable chaos of rocks piled up pell-mell, and of fissures out of -which clumps of trees grew. Here and there creepers were intertwined -describing the wildest curves, and only stopped their ramifications at -the river. The soil, composed of sand and that detritus which abounds -in American forests, gave way beneath the foot. - -Don Torribio now discovered where he was He was more than fifteen -leagues from any habitation, on the outskirts of an immense forest, -the only one in Patagonia which no ranger had as yet been bold enough -to explore, such horror and mystery did its gloomy depths appear to -reveal. Near the forest a limpid stream burst through the rocks, whose -banks were trampled by numerous traces of the claws of wild beasts. -This stream served them, in fact, as a watering place, when they left -their dens after sunset, and went in search of food and drink. As a -living testimony of this supposition, two magnificent cougars, male and -female, were standing on the bank, and watching with anxious eyes the -sporting of their cubs. - -"Hum," said Don Torribio, "these are dangerous neighbours." - -And he mechanically turned his eyes away. A panther, stretched out on -a rock in the position of a watchful cat, fixed its inflamed eyes upon -him. Torribio, who was well armed according to the American fashion, -had a rifle of wondrous accuracy, which he had leant against a rock -close to him. - -"Good," he said, "it will be a tough fight at any rate." - -He raised his gun, but at the moment when he was about to fire, a -plaintive mewling made him raise his head. A dozen _pajiros_ and -_subaracayas_ (wild cats of great size), perched on branches of trees, -were looking down at him, while several red wolves were crouching in -front of him. - -A number of vultures, urubús, and caracaras, with half-closed eyes, -were seated on the surrounding rocks, and apparently awaiting the hour -for their meal. - -Don Torribio jumped up on a rock, and then, by the help of his hands -and knees, gained, after extraordinary difficulties, a sort of natural -terrace situated about twenty feet above the ground. The frightful -concert formed by the denizens of the forest, whom the subtlety of -their scent attracted one after the other, increased more and more, -and overpowered the very sound of the wind which raged in the ravines -and forest clearings. The moon was once more hidden behind clouds, -and Don Torribio found himself again in darkness; but if he could not -distinguish the wild beasts near him, he guessed and almost smelt their -presence; he saw their eyeballs flashing in the gloom, and heard their -roars constantly coming nearer. - -He set his feet firmly on the ground, and cocked his revolver. Four -shots were followed by four howls of pain, and the noise produced by -branch after branch in the fall of the wounded wild cats. This attack -aroused a sinister uproar. The red wolves rushed with yells on the -victims, for which they contended with the urubús and vultures. A -rustling in the leaves reached the ear of the brave hunter, and a mass -it was impossible clearly to distinguish cleft the space, and lodged -with a roar on the platform. With the butt of his rifle he struck -out in the darkness, and the panther, with a broken skull, rolled to -the base of the rock. He heard a monstrous battle, which the cougars -and wild cats waged with the wounded panther, and intoxicated by his -triumph, and even by his danger, he fired two shots into the crowd -of obstinate enemies snarling below him. Suddenly all these animals, -ceasing their contest as if by common consent, united against the man, -their common foe, and their rage was turned against the rock, from the -top of which Don Torribio appeared to defy them all. They climbed up -the projections. The wild cats were the first to arrive, and fast as -Torribio felled them others leaped upon him. He felt his strength and -energy gradually diminishing. - -This struggle of a single man against a multitude of ferocious brutes -had something grand and poignant about it. Don Torribio, as if -suffering from a nightmare, struggled in vain against the swarms of -assailants that were constantly reinforced. He felt on his face the -warm, fetid breath of the wild cats and red wolves, while the roars -of the cougars and the mocking miauling of the panthers filled his -ears with a frightful melody that gave him a vertigo. Hundreds of eyes -sparkled in the shade, and at times the heavy wings of the vultures -and urubús lashed his forehead, which was bathed in a cold perspiration. - -In him every feeling of self had died out: he no longer thought; -his life, so to speak, had become entirely physical; his movements -were mechanical, and his arms rose and fell to strike with the rigid -regularity of a pendulum. - -Already several claws had been buried deep in his flesh. Wild cats had -seized him by the throat, and he had been compelled to struggle with -them to make them loose their hold; his blood was flowing from twenty -wounds, not mortal it is true, but the hour was approaching beyond -which human strength cannot go; Don Torribio would have fallen from his -rock and perished under the teeth of the wild beasts. - -At this solemn moment, when all seemed to desert him, a loud cry burst -from his bosom--a cry of agony and despair of undefinable expression, -which was echoed far and wide by the rocks. It was the last protest -of the strong man who confesses himself vanquished, and who, before -falling, calls his fellow man to his aid, or implores the help of -Heaven. - -He cried, and a cry responded to his! - -Don Torribio amazed, and not daring to count on a miracle in a desert -which no human being had ever yet penetrated, believed himself under -the impression of a dream or an hallucination; still, collecting all -his strength, and feeling hope rekindled in his soul, he uttered a -second cry, louder and more ear-piercing than the first. - -"Courage!" - -This time it was not echo that answered him. Courage! That one word -reached him on the wings of the wind, though faint as a sigh. Like the -giant Antaeus, Don Torribio, drawing himself up, seemed to regain his -strength and recover that life which was already slipping from him. He -redoubled his blows at his innumerable enemies. - -Several horses were galloping in the distance; shots lit up the -darkness with their transient gleams, and men, or rather demons, dashed -suddenly into the thick of the wild beasts, and produced a fearful -carnage. - -Suddenly Don Torribio, attacked by two tiger cats, rolled on the -platform, struggling with them. - -The wild beasts had fled before the newcomers, who hastened to light -fires to keep them at bay during the rest of the night. Two of these -men, holding lighted torches, began seeking the hunter, whose cries -of distress had besought their help. He was lying senseless on the -platform, surrounded by ten or a dozen dead wild cats, and holding in -his stiffened fingers the neck of a strangled pajiro. - -"Well, Pepe," a voice said, "have you found him?" - -"Yes," was the reply; "but he appears to be dead." - -"Caray! That would be a pity," Pedrito continued, "for he is a fine -fellow. Where is he? - -"On this rock." - -"Can you bring him down with the help of Lopez?" - -"Nothing easier." - -"Make haste, in Heaven's name!" Pedrito said. "Each minute's delay is, -perhaps, a year's life slipping from him." - -Lopez and Pepe raised Don Torribio by the head and feet, and with -infinite precautions transported him from the improvised fortress where -he had so long fought, and laid him on a bed of leaves Juan had got -ready near one of the fires. - -"Canario!" Pedrito exclaimed, on seeing the gory man's miserable -appearance; "Poor devil! How they have served him out! It was high time -to help him." - -"Do you think he will recover?" Lopez asked eagerly. - -"There is always hope," Pedrito answered sententiously, "where life is -not extinct. Let us have a look at him." - -He bent over Don Torribio's body, drew his glistening knife, and placed -the blade between his lips. - -"Not the slightest breath," Pedrito said, shaking his head. - -"Are his wounds serious?" Lopez asked. - -"I do not think so. He has been worn out by fatigue and emotion, but he -will soon open his eyes again, and in a quarter of an hour, if he think -proper, he can get into the saddle again. It is surely he," Pedrito -added, in a low voice. - -"Whence comes your thoughtful air, brother?" - -"It is because this man, in spite of his European dress and thorough -appearance of a white, resembles--" - -"Whom?" - -"The Indian chief, with whom we fought at the tree of Gualichu, and to -whom we owe Mercedes' safety." - -"You must be mistaken." - -"Not the least in the world, brothers," the eldest replied -authoritatively. "When hidden in the trunk of the sacred tree, I had -leisure to study his features, which have remained graven on my mind. -Besides, I recognize him by this gash which I made on his face with my -sabre." - -"That is true," the others said in surprise. - -"What is to be done?" - -"What is the meaning of this disguise?" - -"Heaven alone knows," Pedrito answered, "but he must be saved." - -The bomberos, like all wood rangers living far from the colony, are -obliged to cure their own wounds, and hence acquire a certain practical -knowledge of medicine through employing the remedies and simples in use -among the Indians. - -Pedrito, assisted by Pepe and Juan, washed Don Torribio's wounds with -rum and water, moistened his temples, and puffed tobacco smoke up -his nostrils. The young man gave an almost insensible sigh, stirred -slightly, and opened his eyes, which wandered round vacantly. - -"He is saved!" said Pedrito; "Now leave Nature to act, for she is the -best physician I know." - -Don Torribio raised himself on an elbow, passed his hand over his -forehead, as if to regain his memory and thought, and said, in a weak -voice-- - -"Who are you?" - -"Friends, sir--fear nothing." - -"I feel as if every bone in my body were broken." - -"There is no danger, sir; with the exception of the fatigue, you are -well as we are." - -"I hope so, my worthy friends; but by what miracle did you arrive in -time to save me?" - -"Your horse performed this miracle; had it not, you were lost." - -"How so?" Torribio asked, his voice growing gradually stronger, and -already able to rise. - -"This is how it was--we are bomberos--" The young man gave a sort of -nervous start, which he suddenly checked. - -"We are bomberos, and watch the Indians, especially at night. Accident -brought us to these parts. Your horse was flying with a pack of red -wolves at its heels; we freed it from these brutes; then, as it seemed -to us probable that a ready saddled horse could not be without an owner -in this forest, where no one ventures, we set out in search of the -rider. Your cry guided us." - -"How can I pay my debt to you?" Torribio asked, offering his hand to -Pedrito. - -"You owe us nothing, sir." - -"Why?" - -"Here is your horse, caballero." - -"But I should like to see you again," he said, before starting. - -"It is unnecessary; you owe us nothing, I tell you," said Pedrito, who -held the horse by the bridle. - -"What do you mean?" Don Torribio insisted. - -"The bombero," Pedrito replied, "has paid today the debt contracted -yesterday with Nocobotha the Ulmen of the Aucas." - -Don Torribio's face was covered with a deadly pallor. - -"We are quits, chief," Pedrito continued, as he let go the bridle. - -When the rider had disappeared in the darkness, Pedrito turned to his -brothers-- - -"I know not why it is," he said, with a sigh of relief, "but I feel -happy at owing nothing to that man." - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE CHASE OF THE ÑANDUS. - - -At the Estancia of San Julian, the hours passed away pleasantly, in -talking and dreams of happiness, and Don Valentine shared the joy of -his two children. Don Torribio, since the official announcement of -Doña Concha's marriage, had not been seen again either at San Julian -or Carmen, to the great amazement of everybody. Mercedes, gentle and -simple, had become the friend, almost the sister of Concha. The frank -and pealing laugh of the girls cheered the echoes of the house, and -caused the capataz to grow pensive, for, at the sight of the bomberos' -sister, he had felt his heart turn towards her, like the heliotrope -to the sun. Don Blas, resembling a soul in purgatory, prowled round -Mercedes at a distance, to look at her unperceived. Everybody at the -estancia had observed the worthy man's distress, and he alone, in spite -of his heavy sighs, did not know what it all meant. They ventured to -ridicule him, though without wounding his feelings, and laugh at his -singular ways. - -One fresh November morning, shortly after sunrise, there was a great -commotion at the estancia of San Julian. Several horses, held by black -slaves, were stamping impatiently at the foot of the steps; servants -were running backwards and forwards; and Don Blas, dressed in his best -clothes, was awaiting his master's arrival. - -At length Don Valentine and Don Sylvio appeared, accompanied by the two -ladies. At the sight of Mercedes, the capataz felt fire rise from his -heart to his face; he drew himself up, curled his moustache cordially, -and gave his well-beloved a tender and respectful glance. - -"Good day, Blas, my friend," Don Valentine said to him cordially. "I -fancy we shall have a fine day's sport." - -"I think so too, Excellency; the weather is superb." - -"Have you chosen quiet horses for my daughter and her companion?" - -"Oh, Excellency," the capataz answered; "I lassoed them myself on -the corral. I answer for them, or my head. They are real ladies' -horses--lambs." - -"We are easy in mind," said Doña Concha, "for we know that Don Blas -spoils us." - -"Come, to horse, and let us start." - -"Yes, it is a long ride from here to the plain of the Ñandus (a species -of the ostrich)," said Blas, with an affectionate glance at Mercedes. - -The little party, composed of twenty well-armed men, proceeded to the -battery, where Patito lowered the drawbridge. - -"You must double your vigilance," the capataz said to the gaucho. - -"Don't be alarmed, Señor Blas. Good luck to you and the honourable -company," Patito added, waving his hat in the air. - -"Raise the drawbridge, Patito." - -"Anyone who gets into the estancia, capataz, will be sharper than you -and I." - -In Patagonia, at a short distance from the rivers, all the plains are -alike; sand, ever sand, and here and there some stunted bushes. Such -was the road to the plain of the Ñandus. - -Don Valentine had invited his future son-in-law to an ostrich hunt, -and, as may be supposed, Conchita wished to be of the party. - -Ostrich hunting is one of the great amusements of the Spaniards in -Patagonia and the Argentine Republic, where those birds are found in -great numbers. - -The ostriches usually live in small families of eight or ten, scattered -along the edges of marches, pools, and lakes; and they feed on fresh -grass. Faithful to the native nook, they never leave the vicinity of -the water, and, in the month of November, they lay their eggs, which -are frequently fifty to sixty in number, in the wildest part of the -desert, and only sit on them at night. When incubation is over, the -bird breaks with its beak the addled eggs, which are at once covered -with flies and insects, that serve as food for the young. - -A characteristic feature of the manners of the ostriches is their -extreme curiosity. At the estancias, where they live in a domestic -state, it is not uncommon to see them stalking about among the groups -and looking at people who are conversing together. On the plains their -curiosity is often fatal to them, for they come up without hesitation -to investigate everything that appears to them strange. Here is a -rather good Indian story referring to this. The cougars lie down on the -ground, raise their tail in the air, and wave it in all directions. The -ostriches, attracted by the sight of this strange object, come up in -their simplicity; the rest can be guessed--they become victims to the -tricks of the cougars. - -The hunters, after a rather quick ride for nearly two hours, reached -the plain of the Ñandus. The ladies dismounted on the bank of a stream -and four men, with their rifles on their hips, remained with them. -The hunters exchanged their horses for others black slaves had led by -the bridle for them, and then divided into two equal bands. The first, -commanded by Don Valentine, entered the plain, forming a semicircle, so -as to drive the game into a ravine, situated between two sand ridges. -The second band, having at its head the hero of the day, Don Sylvio, -formed a long line, which constituted the other moiety of the circle. -This circle was gradually contracted by the advance of the horsemen, -when a dozen ostriches showed themselves; but the male bird, that -stood as sentry, warned the family of its danger, by a cry sharp as a -boatswain's whistle. The ostriches fled rapidly, in a straight line, -and without looking back. - -All the hunters started after them at a gallop, and the hitherto silent -plain became very animated. - -The horsemen pursued the luckless birds at the full speed of their -steeds, and raised clouds of fine dust as they passed. About fifteen -yards behind the game, still galloping and digging their spurs into -their horses' flanks, they bent forward, whirling round their heads the -terrible bolas and hurling them with all their strength at the animals. -If they missed their throw they stooped down on one side, without -stopping, and picked up the bolas, which they threw again. - -Several families of ostriches had got up, and the chase soon grew most -exciting. Yells and shouts were heard all around; the bolas whistled -through the air, and twined round the necks, wings, and legs of the -ostriches, which, wild with terror, made a thousand feints and turns to -escape their enemies, and tried, by flapping their wings, to wound the -horses with the species of nail with which the extremity of their wings -is armed. - -Several startled horses reared, and embarrassed by three or four -ostriches that got between their legs, fell, bearing their riders to -the ground with them. The birds, taking advantage of the confusion, -escaped to the side where other hunters were waiting for them, where -they fell under a shower of bolas. Each hunter dismounted, killed his -victim, cut off its wings as a trophy, and then resumed the chase with -fresh ardour. Ostriches and hunters fled and galloped rapidly as the -pampero. - -Some fifteen ostriches strewed the plain, and Don Valentine gave the -signal to retreat. The birds which had not fallen hurried with wings -and feet to a place of safety. The dead were carefully picked up, for -the ostrich is excellent eating, and the Americans prepare from the -meat off the breast, a dish renowned for its delicacy and exquisite -flavour, which they call _picanilla_. - -The slaves went to look for the eggs, which are also highly esteemed, -and obtained a large quantity of them. - -Although the hunt had only lasted an hour the horses were panting; -hence the return to the estancia took place but slowly. The hunters did -not return till a little before sunset. - -"Well, Don Valentine," asked Patito, "has anything of importance -happened during my absence?" - -"Nothing, Excellency!" Patito replied, "A gaucho, who said he had come -from Carmen on important business, insisted on being let in to speak -with Don Sylvio d'Arenal." - -This gaucho, for whom Patito had been very careful not to lower the -drawbridge, was his dear and honest friend Corrocho, who, it may be -remembered, wanted to kill him cleverly. Corrocho had gone off in a -very bad temper, without leaving any message. - -"What do you think about this gaucho's arrival, Don Sylvio?" Don -Valentine asked, when they were comfortably seated in the drawing room. - -"It does not surprise me," Sylvio answered. - -"My own house is being got ready at Carmen, and, no doubt, my orders -are wanted." - -"That is possible." - -"I am hurrying on the workmen, father. I am so eager to be married that -I fear lest my happiness should slip from my grasp," said Don Sylvio. - -"And I too," said Doña Concha, her face becoming purple. - -"There is a little article for you," said Don Valentine. "The hearts of -girls are at work when you least expect it. Patience, miss, for three -days longer." - -"My good father!" Conchita cried, as she hid her face in Don -Valentine's bosom, that the tears of joy might not be seen. - -"Oh! In that case I will start tomorrow for Carmen, especially as I am -awaiting from Buenos Aires papers indispensable for our marriage--our -happiness," Don Sylvio added, looking at his well beloved. - -"I hope," she said, "you will start very early, so as to return in the -morning of the next day." - -"I shall be here tomorrow evening. Can I remain long away from you, my -dear Conchita?" - -"No, Don Sylvio, no. I implore you. I do not wish you to return at -night." - -"Why not?" the young man asked, slightly piqued at this remark. - -"I really cannot tell you; but I feel frightened at the thought of your -crossing the Pampa alone and by night." - -"Oh!" she continued, seeing Don Sylvio about to speak, "I know that you -are brave, almost too brave; but gaucho bandits abound in the plain. Do -not expose a life which is so dear to me, which is no longer your own, -Sylvio; and listen to the warnings of a heart which is no longer mine." - -"Thanks, Conchita. Still I have no one to fear in this country, where -I am a stranger. Moreover, I never leave the estancia without looking -like a theatrical bandit, so covered am I with weapons." - -"No matter," Doña Concha continued; "if you love me--" - -"If I love you!" he interrupted passionately. - -"If you love me, you must take pity on my anxiety, and--obey me." - -"Come, come!" said Don Valentine, with a laugh. "On my soul you are -mad, Conchita, and your romances have turned your head. You only dream -of brigands, ambuscades, and treachery." - -"What would you have, father? Is it my fault? The foreboding of a -coming misfortune agitates me, and I wish to leave nothing to chance." - -"Do not cry, my darling child," the father said to Concha, as she burst -into tears. "Kiss me. I was wrong. Your betrothed and myself will do -all you please. Does that satisfy you?" - -"Do you really mean it?" Doña Concha asked, smiling through her tears. - -"Oh, señorita!" Sylvio exclaimed in a tone of tender reproach. - -"You render me perfectly happy. I only ask one thing. Let Blas Salazar -accompany you." - -"As you please." - -"Do you promise it?" - -"On my honour." - -"Then," Don Valentine said, gaily, "all is for the best, little maid. I -suspect, Conchita, that you are somewhat jealous, and afraid of losing -Sylvio." - -"Perhaps so," she said, maliciously. - -"Such things have happened," her father said, teasingly. "So, Don -Sylvio, you intend starting tomorrow morning?" - -"At sunrise, in order to avoid the great heat; and, as I do not hope to -have the pleasure of seeing you again before I go, I will take leave of -you at once." - -"Kiss one another, children! When persons part, especially if they -love, they ought to embrace as if they were never going to meet again -in this world." - -"Really, father," said Conchita, "you have such ideas--" - -"I was only in fun, my dear child." - -"Pleasant journey, Don Sylvio; and we shall see you again the day after -tomorrow." - -"You may be sure of that." - -The next morning at sunrise, Don Sylvio d'Arenal left the estancia. At -the bottom of the steps the capataz and two slaves were waiting for -him. Involuntarily the young man, before starting, turned his head -towards the window of his beloved which suddenly opened. - -"Farewell," said Doña Concha, with some emotion in her voice. - -"Farewell," Sylvio replied, wafting her a kiss, "till we meet again." - -"That is true," she said. "We shall soon meet again." - -The capataz gave a heavy sigh; he was, doubtless thinking of Mercedes, -and saying to himself that Don Sylvio was a very lucky man. - -Don Sylvio, whose heart was contracted, though he knew not the cause, -gave a last signal to his betrothed, and soon disappeared among the -trees. Doña Concha followed him for a long time with her eyes, for a -longer time with her heart; and soon as she was alone, she felt sadness -assail her, and she wept and sobbed bitterly. - -"O Heaven!" she exclaimed, "Protect him." - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE TOLDERÍA. - - -On the banks of the Rio Negro, about five and twenty leagues from -Carmen, stood the toldería, or village of the Pass of the Guanacos. - -This toldería, a simple temporary encampment, like all the Indian -villages, whose nomadic manners do not agree with fixed settlements, -was composed of about one hundred _chozas_, or cabins irregularly -grouped one after the other. - -Each choza was formed of ten stakes fixed in the ground, four or five -feet high at the sides, and six to seven in the centre, with an opening -to the east, so that the owner of the choza might in the morning throw -water in the face of the rising sun, a ceremony by which the Indians -implore Gualichu not to injure their families during the course of -the day. These chozas were covered with horses' hides sewn together, -and always open at the top to leave a free escape for the smoke of -the fires in the interior, which fires equal in number the wives of -the occupant, as each squaw must have a fire of her own. The leather -that served as the exterior wall was carefully dressed and painted of -different colours, and these paintings--rendered the general appearance -of the toldería more cheerful. - -In front of the entrance of the chozas, the lances of the warriors were -fixed in the ground. These lances, light and made of flexible bamboos, -sixteen to eighteen feet in length, and armed at their extremity with -a spear a foot long forged by the Indians themselves, grow in the -mountains of Chili, near Valdivia. - -The liveliest joy appeared to prevail in the toldería. In some chozas -Indian women, provided with spindles handed down from the Incas, were -winding the wool of their flocks; in others, women were weaving their -ponchos, so renowned for their delicacy and perfection of work, at -looms of primitive simplicity which are another inheritance from the -Incas. - -The young men of the tribe, assembled at the centre of the toldería in -a large square, were playing at _pilma_, a singular game of which the -Aucas are very fond. The players trace a large circle on the ground, -which they enter and range themselves in two rows facing each other. -The champions of each party holding a ball full of air in their hands, -one side on the right, the other on the left hand, throw these balls -before them. They raise the left leg, catch the projectile in their -hand and throw it at the adversary, whom they must hit on the body -under penalty of losing one point. This produces a thousand strange -contortions on the part of the opponent, who stoops down or gives a -spring to avoid being hit. If the ball leaves the circle, the first -player loses two points, and runs after it. If, on the contrary, the -second player is hit, he must catch the ball and throw it at his -adversary, whom he is bound to hit or lose a point. The next player on -the opposite side begins the game again, and so on to the end. We can -understand what bursts of laughter greet the grotesque postures of the -players. - -Other Indians of a riper age were gravely playing a sort of game at -cards, with squares of leather clumsily illumined with figures of -different animals. - -In a choza, larger and better painted than the rest, which was the -abode of the _carasken_ or first chief, whose lances, covered at the -end with red stained leather, were the distinctive mark of power, three -men were sitting over a decaying fire, and talking regardless of the -noises outside. These men were Nocobotha, Pincheira, and Churlakin, -one of the principal Ulmens of the hills, whose squaw had given birth -that same morning to a son, which was the cause of the great rejoicings -among the Indians. - -Churlakin received the orders of the great chief for the ceremonies -usual on such occasions, bowed respectfully and left the choza, which -he soon re-entered, followed by his wives and all his friends, one of -whom held the infant in his arms. - -Nocobotha placed himself between Pincheira and Churlakin, at the head -of the party, and proceeded toward the Rio Negro. The newborn babe, -wrapped in woollen swaddling clothes, was plunged into the water, and -then they returned in the same order to Churlakin's choza, in front of -which lay a plump filly, thrown down and with its four feet secured. - -A poncho was spread under the animal's belly, and the relations and -friends deposited on it, one after the other, the presents intended -for the child, consisting of spurs, weapons, and clothes. Nocobotha, -who had consented to act as godfather, placed the infant in the midst -of the presents; and Churlakin laid open the filly's flanks, tore out -its heart and handed it while still warm to Nocobotha, who employed it -to make a cross on the infant's forehead, while saying, "Your name -will be Churlakinkco." The father took the child back, and the chief, -raising the bleeding heart, said thrice in a loud voice, "Let him live! -Let him live! Let him live!" Then he recommended the child to Gualichu, -the genius of evil, praying him to render him brave and eloquent, and -terminated the enunciation of his vows with the words, "Above all, let -him never become a slave." - -When the ceremony was ended, the filly was cut into pieces, large fires -were kindled, and all the relations and friends began a feast which -would last until the immolated filly had entirely disappeared. - -Churlakin prepared to sit down and eat like his guests, but at a sign -from Nocobotha, he followed the great chief into his choza, where they -resumed their seats at the fire, Pincheira joining them. Upon a signal -from Nocobotha the squaws went out, and after a short reflection he -began to say-- - -"Brothers, you are my confidants, and my heart is laid open before you -like _chirimoya_, to enable you to see my most secret thoughts. You -were perhaps surprised tonight at finding that I did not count you -among the chiefs selected to act under my orders." - -The two chiefs gave a nod of denial. - -"You neither doubted my friendship nor supposed that I had withdrawn my -confidence from you? Far from it. I reserve you two for more important -enterprises, which require sure and well-tried men. You, Churlakin, -will mount without delay, here is the quipu." - -And he handed the Ulmen a small piece of willow wood, ten inches long -and four wide, split down the centre and holding a human finger. This -piece of wood, covered with thread, was fringed with red, blue, black, -and white wool. Churlakin received the quipu respectfully. - -"Churlakin," Nocobotha continued, "you will serve me as _casqui_ -(herald), not to the Patagonian natives of the Pampas, whose caraskens, -Ulmens and Apo-Ulmens were present at the solemn meeting at the tree -of Gualichu, although you may communicate with them on your road; but -I send you specially to the nations and tribes scattered far away, -and living in the woods, such as the Ranqueles, the Guerandis, the -Moluches, and the Pecunches, to whom you will present the quipu. -Turning back thence to the desert, you will visit the Charruas, -Bocobis, Tebas, and Guaramis, who can place about twenty-five thousand -warriors under arms. The task is difficult and delicate, and that is -why I entrust it to you, whom I regard as my second self." - -"My brother's mind can be at rest," Churlakin said, "I shall succeed." - -"Good," Nocobotha continued, "I have made nineteen knots on the black -wool to indicate that my brother left my side on the nineteenth day -of the moon; on the white wool twenty-seven knots, to signify that in -twenty-seven days the warriors will assemble under arms on the Island -of Ghole-Isechel, at the fork of the Rio Negro. The chiefs who consent -to join us will make a knot on the blood red wool, and those who refuse -will knot the red and blue wool together. Has my brother understood?" - -"Yes," Churlakin answered. "When must I start?" - -"At once, for time presses." - -"In ten minutes I shall be far from the village," said Churlakin, as he -bowed to the two chiefs and left the choza. - -"And now it is our turn," Nocobotha said with a friendly accent, when -he found himself alone with Pincheira. - -"I am listening." - -The superior chief, then putting off the composed manner and language -of an Ulmen, employed the European style with surprising readiness, -and laying aside the Indian dialect, addressed the Chilian officer in -the purest Castilian, spoken from Cape Horn to Magellan. - -"My dear Pincheira," he said to him, "during the two years since my -return from Europe, I have attached to myself most of the Carmen -gauchos--utter scoundrels, I allow--and bandits exiled from Buenos -Aires; but I can count on them, and they are devoted to me. These men -only know me by the name of Don Torribio Carvajal." - -"I was aware of the fact," Pincheira said. - -"Ah!" Nocobotha remarked, darting a glance of suspicion at the Chilian. - -"Everything is known on the Pampa." - -"In a word," Nocobotha continued, "the hour has arrived when I must -reap what I have sown among these bandits, who will be useful to us -against their countrymen, through their knowledge of the Spanish -tactics, and their skill in the use of firearms. Reasons, which would -take me too long to explain, prevent me from turning my attention to -these gauchos, so you will introduce yourself to them in my name. This -diamond," he added, drawing a ring from his finger, "will be your -passport; they are warned, and if you show it to them they will obey -you as myself. They assemble at a low pulquería in the Población del -Sur, at Carmen." - -"I know it well. What am I to do with the fellows?" - -"A very simple matter. Every day, a devoted man, Panchito by name, will -transmit you my orders, and inform you of what is going on among us. -Your duty will be to hold these bandits in readiness, and on a day I -shall indicate to you, you will stir up a revolt in Carmen. This revolt -will give us time to act outside, while a part of your people are -scouring the Pampas, and freeing us, if possible, from those infernal -bomberos, who watch our manoeuvres, and are almost as crafty as our -Indians." - -"Confound it," said Pincheira, "that is a tough job!" - -"You will succeed, if not through friendship for me, at least through -hatred of the Spaniards." - -"Not to deceive your expectations, I will do more than man can do." - -"I know it, and thank you, my dear Pincheira. But you must be prudent -and skilful! Our plans are suspected, and we are watched. To employ an -Indian metaphor, I entrust to you a mole's job. You must dig a mine -under Carmen, which will blow them all up when it explodes." - -"Caray," said Pincheira, as he warmly pressed Nocobotha's hand, "you -are one of the men I like. Trust to me, to my friendship, and, above -all, to my hatred." - -"We shall all be avenged," Nocobotha added. "May Satan hear you!" - -"To work, then! But, in the first place, lay aside your uniform as a -Chilian officer. Disguise yourself as well as you can, for your face is -familiar at Carmen." - -"Yes," Pincheira replied, "and in an hour you will not recognize -me yourself. I will dress myself as a gaucho, for that will not be -noticed. Farewell." - -"One word yet." - -"Say it." - -"The man I send to you will arrange a fresh meeting place for every -night in order to foil the spies." - -"All right." - -"Good-bye." - -Pincheira left the choza; and the Indian chief looked after him for a -moment. - -"Go," he said, "ferocious brute, to whom I throw a people as prey. -Go! Miserable instrument of projects whose greatness you do not -understand," he added, as he looked at the Indians, "they are making -holiday, playing like children, and unsuspicious that I am about, to -make them free. But it is time for me to think of my own vengeance." - -And he quitted the choza, leapt on a horse, which an Indian held by the -bridle, and started at a gallop on the road to Carmen. - -At the end of an hour he stopped on the banks of the Rio Negro, -dismounted, assured himself by a glance that he was alone, took off a -leathern valise fastened to his saddle, and entered a natural grotto a -few paces distant. There he quickly doffed his Indian garb, dressed in -handsome European attire, and set out again. - -It was no longer Nocobotha, the supreme chief of the Indian nations, -but Don Torribio Carvajal, the mysterious Spaniard. His pace was also -prudently altered, and his horse carried him at a gentle trot toward -Carmen. - -On coming near the spot where, on the previous evening, the bomberos -had halted with their sister to hold a consultation, he dismounted -again, sat down on the grass, and took from a splendid cigar case -made of plaited Panama straw, a cigar, which he lit with the apparent -tranquillity of a tourist who is resting in the shade, and is admiring -the beauty of the scenery. - -During this time the footfall of several horses disturbed the solitude -of the Pampa, and a hoarse voice struck up an Indian song well known on -this border:-- - -"I have lost my Neculantey in the country of Tilqui. Oh! Ye damp -plains, which have changed him into shadows and flies." - -"Oh, oh! the song of the Maukawis already!" Don Torribio said in a loud -voice. - -"Does not the note of the Maukawis announce sunrise?" the voice asked. - -"You are right, Panchito," Don Torribio replied, "we are alone, so -you can come, as well as your comrade, who, I suppose, is your friend -Corrocho." - -"You have guessed right, Excellency," said Corrocho, as he came from -behind a sandhill. - -"Faithful to our word," said Panchito, "we have arrived at the spot and -hour appointed." - -"That is well, my good fellows, and thanks. Come here, but remain on -horseback. Are you both devoted to me?" - -"To the last drop of our blood, Excellency," the two gauchos said. - -"And you do not despise money?" - -"Money can only injure those who have none," the sententious Panchito -remarked. - -"When it is honourably gained," Corrocho added, with an ape-like -grimace. - -"Of course, of course," the young man said, "it is a matter of fifty -ounces." - -The two bandits had a shudder of joy, and their tiger cat eyeballs -flashed. - -"Caray," they said. - -"Does that suit you?" - -"Fifty ounces? Of course it is a tough job." - -"Perhaps so." - -"No odds." - -"There will be a man to kill." - -"All the worse for him," said Panchito. - -"Does it suit you still?" - -"More than ever," Corrocho grunted. - -"In that case listen to me attentively," Don Torribio Carvajal said. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE PAMPERO. - - -During the whole course of their journey, which lasted two hours, -Don Sylvio and Don Blas did not exchange a single word, to the great -surprise of the capataz. Don Sylvio was thinking of his approaching -happiness, which was slightly over-clouded, through the sadness of the -leave-taking, and Doña Concha's presentiments. But these vague alarms -were dissipated like the morning mist by the sun, so soon as he arrived -at El Carmen. - -Don Sylvio's first care was to visit the house to which he would lead -Doña Concha, after the nuptial ceremony was performed. Though comfort -does not exist in South America, it was a fairy palace, thronged with -all the splendours of luxury. A band of English, French, and Italian -workmen, collected with extraordinary difficulty, were toiling without -relaxation, under the orders of a skilful architect, in putting the -final touch to this creation out of the Arabian Nights, which had -already swallowed up large sums, and which would be in a condition to -receive its new hosts within eight and forty hours. At Carmen nothing -was talked of but the splendours of Don Sylvio d'Arenal's palace; the -curious crowd that collected in front of the gates related marvels -about this princely residence. - -Don Sylvio, satisfied at seeing his dream accomplished, smiled as he -thought of his betrothed, and after complimenting the architect and -the workmen, proceeded to pay a visit to the governor, where important -business summoned him. - -The commandant gave the young man, with whose father he had been -intimate, a gracious reception. Still, in spite of the courteous manner -of Don Antonio Valverde, Sylvio fancied he could notice traces of -secret annoyance in his face. - -The governor was a brave and honourable soldier, who had rendered good -service in the War of Independence, and the government had placed him -on honourable half pay, by entrusting to him the command of Carmen, -a post he had held for fifteen years. Courageous, strict, and just, -the commandant kept the gauchos in order by the punishment of the -_garrota_, and foiled the repeated attempts of the Indians, who came -even under the guns of the fortress, to harry cattle, and carry off -prisoners, especially women. Gifted with but a poor intellect, but -supported by his own experience, and the esteem of all the honest -people in the colony, he was not deficient in a certain energy of -character. Physically, he was a tall, stout man, with a rubicund, -pimpled face, full of self-satisfaction, who listened to people -speaking, and carefully weighed his words, as if they were made of gold. - -Don Sylvio was surprised at the anxiety which disturbed the usual -placidity of the colonel's face. - -"It is a miracle," the latter said, as he cordially pressed the young -man's hand, "for which I thank nuestra Señora del Carmen, to see you -here." - -"In a few days you will not be able to reproach me thus," Don Sylvio -replied. - -"Then, it is coming off soon?" Don Antonio said, rubbing his hands. - -"Yes, I hope to be married within four days. I have come to Carmen -today to give the master's look at the final arrangements of my house." - -"All the better," the commandant replied; "I am enchanted that you are -about to settle among us, Don Sylvio; your betrothed is the prettiest -girl in the colony." - -"I thank you in her name, colonel." - -"Do you spend the day at Carmen?" - -"Yes, and I intend returning to the estancia at an early hour tomorrow." - -"In that case you will breakfast with me, without ceremony?" - -"Willingly." - -"That is famous," said the commandant, as he rang a bell. - -A Negro slave appeared. - -"This gentleman is going to breakfast with me. By the bye, Don Sylvio, -I have a large packet of papers addressed to you, which arrived last -night from Buenos Aires by express." - -"Heaven be praised! I feared some delay. These papers are indispensable -for my marriage." - -"All is for the best," Don Antonio remarked. - -The young man placed the packet in his coat pocket, and the slave -opened the door again. - -"Your Excellency is served," he said. - -A third guest was waiting for them in the dining room. It was Major -Bloomfield, a tall, dry, punctilious Englishman, who had been second -in command at Carmen for twenty years past. Don Antonio and the major -had fought side by side in their youth, and had a fraternal attachment. -They sat down, after the usual ceremony, to an abundantly and -delicately covered table, and at the dessert the conversation, which -had suffered through the appetite of the guests, became thoroughly -friendly. - -"By the way," Don Sylvio asked, "what is the matter with you, Don -Antonio? You do not seem in your usual good spirits." - -"That is true," the commandant said, as he sipped a glass of Jerez de -la Frontera; "I am sad." - -"You sad? Hang it, you alarm me; if I had not seen you breakfast with -such a good appetite, I should fancy you ill." - -"Yes," the old soldier answered with a sigh; "my appetite is all right." - -"What else can annoy you?" - -"A foreboding," the commandant said seriously, - -"A foreboding," Don Sylvio repeated, remembering Doña Concha's parting -words. - -"I, too, feel anxious, in spite of myself," the major added; "there is -something, I know not what, in the air. A danger is suspended over our -heads, but whence it will come, the Lord alone knows." - -"Yes," Don Antonio remarked, "He knows; and, believe me, Don Sylvio, He -gives warnings to men when they are in danger." - -"Major Bloomfield and you, both old soldiers, brave as their swords, -cannot be frightened at a shadow; so what are your reasons?" - -"I have none," said the colonel; "still-- - -"Come, come, Don Antonio," Sylvio remarked gaily, "you are suffering -from what the major would call blue devils. It is a species of spleen -produced by the English fogs, and not at all at home in this country, -which is full of sunshine. Take my advice, colonel; have yourself bled, -and in two days the fog over your imagination will be dissipated; do -you not agree with me, major?" - -"I wish it may be so," the old officer answered, with a shake of his -head. - -"Nonsense!" Sylvio remarked, "Life is too short as it is, then why -sadden it by chimeras?" - -"On the frontier men can be sure of nothing." - -"The Indians have become lambs." - -"Excellency," a slave said, opening the door, "a bombero, who has -arrived at full speed, requests an interview." - -The three gentlemen looked at one another. - -"Let him come in," the colonel said. - -Heavy footsteps echoed in the passage, and the bombero appeared; it -was Pedrito. He certainly had at this moment the look of a bearer of -ill tidings, and seemed to have just come out of a fight. His ragged -clothes were stained with blood and mud, an unusual pallor covered his -face, and he leant on his rifle, for he was exhausted by his hurried -ride. - -"Take this glass of wine," said Don Sylvio, "it will restore you." - -"No," Pedrito answered, thrusting the glass away, "it is not wine I -thirst for, but blood." - -The bombero wiped his dank forehead with the back of his hand, and said -in a sharp, quick voice, which conveyed terror to the hearts of the -three hearers-- - -"The Indians are coming down." - -"Have you seen them?" the major asked. - -"Yes," he replied hoarsely. - -"When?" - -"This morning." - -"Far from here?" - -"Twenty leagues." - -"How many are they?" - -"Count the grains of the sand on the Pampa, and you will have their -number." - -"Oh," the colonel exclaimed, "that is impossible, the Indians cannot -thus organize an army at a day's notice. Terror must have made you see -double." - -"Terror, nonsense!" the bombero answered disdainfully, "In the desert -we have not time to know it." - -"But, tell me, how are they coming?" - -"Like a hurricane, burning and plundering everything on their passage. -They form a vast semicircle, whose two extremities are gradually -drawing nearer to Carmen. They act with a certain method, under the -orders of a chief who is, doubtless, practised and skilful." - -"That is serious," the commandant said. - -The major shook his head. - -"Why did you warn us so late?" he said to the bombero. - -"This morning at sunrise my three brothers and I were surrounded by -two or three hundred Indians, who seemed to emerge suddenly from the -ground. What a fight it was! We defended ourselves like lions; Juan is -dead, Pepe and Lopez are wounded, but we escaped at last, and here I -am." - -"Return to your post as speedily as possible; a fresh horse will be -given you." - -"I am off." - -"Well," said Don Antonio, after Pedrito had retired, "what do you think -of our presentiments, Don Sylvio? But where are you going?" he asked -the young man, who had risen from his chair. - -"I shall return to the Estancia of San Julian, which the Indians have, -perhaps, attacked. Oh, Doña Conchita!" - -"San Julian is fortified, and safe against surprise. Still, try and -induce Don Valentine and his daughter to return to Carmen, where they -will be in greater security." - -"Thanks, colonel, I will try, and do you offer a bold front to the -enemy. As you are aware, the Indians only attempt surprise, and so soon -as they see that their plans are discovered, they are off again." - -"May heaven hear you." - -"Good-bye for the present, gentlemen, and I wish you success," said the -young man, as he pressed the hand of the two old soldiers. - -Don Blas Salazar, who was waiting for Don Sylvio in the courtyard, ran -up to him so soon as he perceived him. - -"Well," the capataz said, "you know the news. The Indians are making a -descent." - -"I have just been told so." - -"What are we going to do?" - -"Return to the estancia." - -"Hum, Don Sylvio, that is not at all prudent; the Indians will, -doubtless, bar our way." - -"We will pass over their bodies." - -"Of course, of course, but suppose they kill you?" - -"Nonsense! Doña Concha is expecting me." - -"As you please," the capataz answered, "all is ready for our departure; -the horses are here, saddled and all. Let us be off." - -"Thank you, Blas, you are a good fellow," Sylvio said, as he held out -his hand to him. - -"I am aware of it." - -"Off we go." - -Don Sylvio and Blas, escorted by the two slaves, walked their horses -through the crowd of idlers who had assembled in front of the fortress -to hear the news; then they went at a sharp trot down the rather steep -hill that leads from the citadel to old Carmen, and at length galloped -towards San Julian. - -They had not noticed the behaviour of sundry suspicious looking fellows -who had followed them at a distance ever since they started, and were -talking eagerly together. - -The weather was stormy, and the clouds were gray and low. The air -seemed motionless, a deep silence brooded over the solitude; a white -cloud, light as a sand drift, collected in the southwest, which -advanced, and each moment grew larger. All announced the approach of -the pampero, that simoom of the prairies. - -The clouds collected, the dust rose and ran along in dense columns, -suspended between earth and sky. The clouds enveloped the plain as in -a mantle, whose comers the gusts lifted at every moment, and which -lightning flashes rent here and there. Puffs of hot air traversed the -space, and suddenly the tempest rushed up furiously from the horizon, -sweeping the Pampa with irresistible violence. The light was obscured -by masses of sand; a thick gloom covered the earth, and the thunder -mingled its terrible artillery with the howling of the hurricane. -Enormous masses were detached from the lofty cliffs, and fell with a -frightful din into the sea. - -The travellers got off their horses, and sheltered themselves behind -rocks on the seashore. When the worst of the storm had passed, they set -out again, Don Sylvio and Blas riding silently side by side, while the -two slaves, twenty yards ahead, trembled at the thought of seeing the -Indians appear. - -The storm had slightly diminished in intensity, the pampero had carried -its fury further, but the rain fell in torrents, and thunder and -lightning followed each other uninterruptedly. The travellers could -not continue their journey, for they ran the risk of being thrown at -every moment by their horses, which reared in affright. The ground and -the sand, moistened by the rain, did not offer a single spot where the -brutes could set their feet in safety; they stumbled, slipped, and -threatened to fall. - -"Whatever we may do," said the capataz, "it is impossible to go any -further, so we had better halt again, and seek refuge under that clump -of trees." - -"Very good," Don Sylvio said, with a sigh of resignation. - -The little party proceeded toward a wood that bordered the road. They -were only some fifteen paces from it, when four men, whose faces were -concealed by black masks, dashed out of the wood at a gallop, and -silently attacked the travellers. - -The slaves rolled off their horses, struck by two bullets the strangers -had fired, and writhed on the ground in convulsions of agony. Don -Sylvio and Blas Salazar, astonished at this sudden attack on the part -of men who could not be Indians, for they wore the dress of gauchos, -and their hands were white, immediately dismounted, and making a -rampart of their horses, awaited the attack of their adversaries, with -levelled rifles. - -Bullets were exchanged on both sides, and a fierce combat, silent and -unequal, began; one of the assailants fell with his skull cleft to the -teeth; and Don Sylvio passed his sword through the chest of another. - -"Well, my masters," he shouted to them, "have you had enough? Or does -another of you wish to form the acquaintance of my blade? You are -fools, ten of you should have come to assassinate us." - -"What!" the capataz added, "Are you going to give in already? You are -clumsy fellows for cut-throats, and the man who pays you ought to have -made a better choice." - -In fact, the two masked men had fallen back; but immediately four other -men, also masked, appeared, and all six rushed at the Spaniards, who -firmly awaited their attack. - -"Hang it! Pardon our having calumniated you; you know your trade," said -Don Blas, as he fired a pistol into the thick of his adversaries. - -The latter, still silent, returned the fire, and the fight began -again with fresh fury. But the two brave Spaniards, whose strength -was exhausted, and whose blood was flowing, fell in their turn on the -corpses of two other assailants, whom they sacrificed to their rage -before succumbing. - -So soon as the strangers saw Don Sylvio and Blas were motionless, they -uttered a cry of triumph. Paying no heed to the capataz, they raised -Don Sylvio d'Arenal's body, laid it across one of their horses, and -fled away at full speed along the devious path. - -Seven corpses strewed the ground. After the assailants the vultures -arrived, which hovered and circled above the victims, and mingled their -hoarse croaks of triumph with the sound of the hurricane. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -PREPARATIONS FOR A SIEGE. - - -"It is a heavy blow," the governor said, after Don Sylvio had left -the room; "but, ¡viva Dios! the pagans shall find someone to talk to. -Major, warn the officers to assemble at one, for a council of war, so -that we may arrange the defensive operations." - -"That is the plan," the major answered; "I am satisfied with you. You -draw yourself up haughtily, and I find you again, at last, my dear -fellow." - -"Ah! My dear Bloomfield, the presentiment of an unknown misfortune -depresses one's courage, while danger, however great it may be, once we -have it face to face, ceases to cause us terror." - -"You are right," said the major, who left the room to carry out his -chiefs orders. - -The officers of the garrison, six in number, without counting the -colonel and the major, were soon assembled in the governor's rooms. - -"Sit down, caballeros," he said to them, "you are doubtless aware of -the motive of this meeting. The Indians are threatening the colony, and -a powerful league has been formed among the Patagonians. What forces -have we at our disposal?" - -"We are not deficient in arms and ammunition," the major replied. -"We have more than two hundred thousand cartridges, and abundance of -muskets, pistols, sabres, and lances; and our guns are amply supplied -with round shot and canister." - -"Very good." - -"Unfortunately," the major continued, "our troops--" - -"How many have we?" - -"Our effective strength should be one hundred and twenty, but death, -illness, and desertions, have reduced it to scarce eighty." - -"Eighty!" the colonel said, with a shake of his head. "In the presence -of a formidable invasion, as the common safety is at stake, can we not -compel the inhabitants to get under arms?" - -"It is their duty," one of the officers said. - -"An imposing force must crown our walls," Don Antonio continued; "and -this is what I propose. All the Negro slaves will be enlisted, and -formed into a company; the merchants will form a separate corps; the -gauchos, well armed and mounted, will defend the approaches to the -town, and act as patrols outside. We shall thus muster seven hundred -men, a sufficient force to repulse the Indians." - -"You know, colonel," an officer objected, "that the gauchos are utter -scoundrels, and that the least disturbance is to them an excuse for -plundering." - -"On that account they will be employed for the external defence. They -will be encamped outside the colony, and, to diminish the chances of -revolt among them, they will be divided into two squadrons, one of -which will scout, while the other is resting. In this way we shall have -nothing to fear from them." - -"As for the creoles, and strangers residing in the colony," the major -remarked, "I think it will be as well to give them orders to come to -the fortress every night, to be armed in case of necessity." - -"Excellent. The number of bomberos will be doubled to prevent a -surprise, and barricades raised at each entrance to the town, to -protect us from the terrible charges of the Indians." - -"If that is your opinion, colonel," the major interrupted, "a sure man -ought to be sent off to the estancias, to tell them to seek refuge -in Carmen, when they are warned of the approach of the enemy by their -cannon shots." - -"Do so, major, for the poor people would be piteously massacred by -the savages. The inhabitants of the town must also be warned that all -their females must withdraw into the fort, when the pagans come in -sight, unless they wish them to fall into the hands of the Indians. In -the last invasion, if you remember, they carried off upwards of two -hundred. And now, gentlemen, all that is left to us is to do our duty -truly, and confide in the will of Heaven." - -The officers rose, and were about to take leave of their chief, when a -slave announced another bombero. - -"Show him in, and pray be seated again, Caballeros." - -The scout was Pepe, Pedrito's brother. Although he had started five -hours after his brother from their place of ambush, he was scarce an -hour behind him. His great pace indicated the gravity of the news -he brought. He had retained his cunning look, although his face was -pale, blood-stained, and black with gunpowder. His torn clothes, the -handkerchief fastened round his head, his arm in a sling, but above -all, four scalps hanging from his girdle, showed that he had ridden -through the Indians in order to reach Carmen. - -"Pepe," the governor said to him, "your brother has just left me." - -"I know it," colonel. - -"Is your news worse than his?" - -"That depends on the way in which you take it." - -"What do you mean by that?" - -"Why," the bombero said carelessly, "if you are fond of your ease, I -have not come to reassure you; if you feel a desire to mount your horse -and to see the Patagonians, you will have no occasion to indulge your -fancy, as what I have to tell will cause you immense pleasure." - -In spite of the gravity of the circumstances, and the anxiety of his -hearers, they smiled at Pepe's singular arguments. - -"Explain yourself, Pepe," the governor said to him. - -"Ten minutes after my brother's departure," the bombero went on, "I -examined some bushes which I had seen moving in an unusual manner. I -discovered a Negro, who was pale in spite of his black hide, and whose -tongue terror appeared to have tied. At length he made up his mind to -speak. He belonged to a poor old gentleman of the name of Ignacio -Bayal, one of the two men who alone escaped from the massacre on the -peninsula of San José, during the last invasion of the Patagonians. The -slave and his master were gathering wood, when the Indians appeared a -short distance off; the slave had time to conceal himself behind a pile -of _biscacha_, but the old man fell beneath the blows of the savages, -who attacked him with lances and _bolas perdidas_. I began reassuring -the Negro, but at the same moment perceived a multitude of Indians -driving prisoners and cattle before them, burning and destroying -everything as they passed in full march on Carmen. The Estancia of -Punta Rosa and that of San Blas are at this moment a pile of ashes, and -serve as tombs to the owners. That is my news, Excellency, and you can -do what you like with it." - -"And those bleeding scalps?" the major asked, pointing to the human -trophies that hung from the bombero's belt. - -"That is a personal matter," Pepe replied with a smile. "Through -friendship for the Indians, I preferred to lift their hair rather than -leave them my head." - -"Perhaps it is only a band of plunderers of the Pampas, who have come -to steal cattle, and will retire with their booty." - -"Hum," said Pepe, with a shake of his head, "they are too numerous, too -well equipped, and are advancing with too much regularity. No, colonel, -it is not a skirmish, but an invasion." - -"Thanks, Pepe," the colonel said, "I am satisfied with you. Return to -your post, and redouble your vigilance." - -"Juan is dead, colonel, and that will tell you how fond my brothers and -I are of the Indians." - -The bombero retired. - -"You see, gentlemen," said Don Antonio, "that time presses. Go all of -you to your duties." - -"One moment," said Major Bloomfield, "I have one more suggestion to -make." - -"Speak, my friend." - -"We are, so to speak, lost in this corner of the earth, and remote -from any help; we may be besieged in Carmen, and forced into surrender -by starvation. Under these imperious circumstances, I ask that a ship -should be sent to Buenos Aires to describe our situation, and request -reinforcements." - -"What do you think, gentlemen, of the major's suggestion?" the colonel -asked, looking inquiringly at the officers. - -"It is excellent, colonel, excellent," one of them answered. - -"The suggestion will be carried out at once," Don Antonio continued, -"and now, gentlemen, you can withdraw." - -The defence of the fort and town was organized with a rapidity -inconceivable to anyone acquainted with Spanish sloth; danger gave -courage to the timid and doubled the ardour of the others. Two -hours later the cattle had been driven in and corraled, the streets -barricaded, the guns sponged out, and the women and children shut up in -buildings adjoining the fort, a vessel was sailing for Buenos Aires, -and one hundred and fifty resolute men were intrenched at Población del -Sur, the houses of which they had loop-holed. - -The governor and Major Bloomfield seemed to be everywhere at once; -encouraging the troops, ordering the workmen, and imparting energy to -all. - -About three in the afternoon, a violent breeze sprang up, which bore -from the southwest the smoke occasioned by firing the country, and -hiding distant objects. The inhabitants of Carmen were devoured with -anxiety. - -Such is the simple and ingenious plan the southern nations employ to -favour their invasion of the territory of the whites, to hide their -manoeuvres, and conceal their numbers from the piercing eyes of the -bomberos. The smoke like a floating wall, separated the Indians from -Carmen, and in consequence of the brightness of the nights they had -selected the period of the full moon. - -The scouts, in spite of the dense smoke that protected the enemy, -arrived at a gallop one after the other, and announced that they would -be before Carmen during the night. In fact, the Indian hordes, whose -numbers incessantly increased, covered the whole extent of the plain, -and advanced on the town with startling rapidity. - -By the governor's orders, the three alarm shots were fired. The -estancieros could then be seen flocking up, driving their cattle before -them, and on seeing their houses fired, and their rich crops destroyed, -they shed tears of despair. These poor people encamped where they -could, in the open places of the town, and after leading their wives -and daughters to the fort, those who were of manly age took up arms, -and rushed to the barriers and barricades, resolved to take vengeance -for their ruin. - -The consternation and terror were general; on all sides could be heard -lamentation and stifled sobs; the night arrived to add its horrors to -the situation, and enfold the town in its mourning. Numerous patrols -traversed the streets, and, at intervals, daring bomberos slipped -furtively out of the city to watch the approach of the coming peril. - -About two in the morning, in the midst of an impressive silence, a -slight sound was audible, at first almost imperceptible, but which was -every moment augmented, and, as if by enchantment, the Aucas crowned -the top of the barricades in Población del Sur, and waving lighted -torches, uttered their war yell. - -For a moment the inhabitants fancied the town captured; but Major -Bloomfield, who commanded this post, was on his guard against the -tricks of the Indians. At the moment when the Aucas prepared to -escalade the barricades, a sharp fusillade broke out, which hurled them -to the foot of the entrenchments. The Argentines dashed forward at the -bayonet point, and there was a frightful medley, from which issued -groans of agony, imprecations, and the harsh clang of steel against -steel. This was all; the Spaniards regained their position, the Indians -disappeared, and the town, so lately illumined by the light of the -torches, fell back into shadow and silence. - -As the Indian surprise had failed, they would either withdraw or -invest the town. At daybreak, however, all the illusions of the -inhabitants were dissipated--the enemy had not thought of retreating. - -It was a heart-rending sight! the country was devastated, and the -expiring flames could still be seen in the distance. Here, a band of -Aucas were driving horses off; there, warriors, with lances erect, -were watching the movements of the townspeople; behind them squaws and -children were driving cattle, which uttered long lowings; here and -there prisoners, men, women, and children, forced along by blows with -lance staves, were holding up their suppliant arms to the town walls. -Patagonians were planting poles and erecting toldos; and, lastly, far -as eye could reach, fresh bands of Indians descended into the plain -from all sides. - -The oldest soldiers in the fort, who had been witnesses of previous -wars, were amazed at the regularity of the enemy's march. The toldos -were skilfully grouped; the infantry executed, with great precision, -movements which they had hitherto been ignorant of, and it was an -extraordinary thing, which stupefied the colonel and the major, to see -the Aucas form a parallel round the town, and almost instantaneously -throw up earthworks, which protected them from the artillery. - -"_¡Sangre de Dios_!" the colonel exclaimed, "There is a traitor among -the villains; never before have they waged war in this way." - -"Hum!" the major muttered, biting his moustache; "if Buenos Aires does -not send succour, we are lost." - -"Yes, my friend, we shall leave our skins here." - -"How many are they, colonel?--twenty thousand; thirty thousand?" - -"And those who are still coming up, and who blacken the distant -plains?--But what means the sound of that bugle?" - -Four Ulmens, preceded by an Indian, who carried a white flag, had -halted within half gunshot of the first barriers of Población del Sur. - -"They seem," the colonel said, "to be desiring a parley. Do they fancy -me fool enough to venture into that trap? Major, just fire a round of -canister into that group to teach them not to treat us as fools." - -"We should be wrong, colonel; let us learn what they want." - -"But where shall we find a man fool enough to risk his carcase among -those pagans, who have neither faith nor law?" - -"I will go, with your permission," the major said simply. - -"You?" Don Antonio exclaimed in amazement. - -"Yes, I. Unfortunate persons have been confided to our guard and our -honour. I am but a man; my life is of but little consequence for the -defence of the town. I am old, colonel, and will try to save the -inhabitants of Carmen." - -The governor suppressed a sigh, and affectionately shook his old -friend's hand. - -"Go," he said with considerable emotion, "and may Heaven protect you!" - -"Thanks," Major Bloomfield answered. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -A BRAVE RESOLVE. - - -On leaving Carmen, Pedrito felt a recollection of his sister aroused in -his mind, and in order to warn Don Valentine Cardoso of the invasion -of the Indians, he started at a gallop for the estancia, which, thanks -to the speed of the fresh horse the governor had given him, he reached -without a check. All was quiet at San Julian, and the sentry watching -in the mirador had perceived nothing alarming in the distance. - -Patito, in the capitaz' absence, was on guard at the battery, like a -faithful watchdog. - -"Where is Don Blas?" the bombero asked. - -"At Carmen, with Don Sylvio d'Arenal," the gaucho answered. - -"What, have they not returned yet?" - -"No." - -"Lead me to Don Valentine." - -The estanciero heartily welcomed the bombero, and sent for his sister, -who arrived with Doña Concha. - -"What brings you here in such a hurry, Pedrito?" - -"A very serious matter, Don Valentine," he answered, after embracing -Mercedes several times; "but only look, Excellency, how pretty she is in -her new dress! Kiss me again, little sister." - -"Have you only come to devour the girl with caresses?" Don Valentine -asked with a smile; "If so, go on to your heart's content." - -"That is almost enough," Pedrito replied, his eyes filled with tears. -"Alas! Our family is diminishing daily. Still," he added, changing his -accent, "however great the love I bear my sister, it is not for her -sake alone that I am here. But stay, Excellency, that is not true; it -is for her sake, her sake alone, though apparently for yours. I have -just come from Carmen." - -"From Carmen?" Doña Concha said, involuntarily. - -"Yes, señorita," the bombero answered, as if reading the young lady's -secret thoughts, "and I saw Don Sylvio d'Arenal there." - -Doña Concha turned red as a cherry, and was silent. - -"And what have you been doing in Carmen?" Don Valentine asked. - -"I went to warn his Excellency Colonel Don Antonio Valverde, that -the Indians have entered the country of the Republic, plundering and -burning everything on their road." - -"An invasion!" Don Valentine said, with an internal tremor. - -"O heavens!" the two girls exclaimed, clasping their hands with a -movement of terror. - -"Yes, Excellency, an inconceivable and terrible invasion. When I had -warned the governor, I remembered my sister, and came here." - -"You are a worthy fellow, Pedrito," the estanciero said, as he offered -him his hand. "You are not a brother to Mercedes, but a father. But do -not be frightened! the estancia is safer than Carmen." - -"I saw that so soon as I arrived, Excellency, and that removed a heavy -weight which oppressed my heart. I shall now go, with almost gladness, -to join my two brothers. Juan died on the field--the same fate awaits -us. But Mercedes is happy, and I can die in peace." - -"Oh, my kind Pedrito," Mercedes exclaimed, as she burst into tears, and -threw herself into his arms; "must you not live for one who loves you?" - -"Come, do not cry, little girl, but say good-bye; I must return to the -plain." - -He tenderly embraced his sister who was still weeping, left the room, -mounted his horse again, and started at a gallop. - -"Father," Doña Concha said eagerly, "are we going to remain at the -estancia during the invasion of the Indians?" - -"My child, it is the safest plan." "But, Don Sylvio?" she added, with a -delicious pout. - -"He will come and join us." - -"Oh, no," she said hurriedly; "you forget, father, that the roads are -impracticable, and infested with Indians; I do not wish him to fall -into an ambuscade of the Pagans." - -"What is to be done?" - -"Send him a messenger ordering him, from me, to remain at Carmen, or, -if he absolutely insists on returning, to take a boat; the Indians will -not dare attack him on the river. Write to him, father; I will add a -few lines to your letter, and he will not like to displease his wife." - -"His wife?" her father repeated with a smile. - -"Or nearly so, as I am going to marry him in two days. You will write -at once, will you not, dear father?" - -"I have no will but your caprices," he added, with an air of -resignation. - -He sat down at a mahogany desk and wrote; Concha, leaning smilingly -over his chair, read over his shoulder. So soon as Don Valentine had -concluded, he turned to his beloved daughter. - -"Well, are you satisfied, little Mrs. Bluebeard?" he asked her. - -"Oh, my kind father," she replied, taking his head in both her hands, -and kissing him on the forehead. Then, with a movement full of loving -grace, she took the pen from her father's fingers, and was writing a -few lines at the foot of the letter, when a great noise, mingled with -shrieks, was heard outside. - -"O Heavens!" she exclaimed, as if struck to the heart, and turning -deadly pale. - -She rushed to the steps, and perceived Patito and Pedrito, carrying -a man wrapped up in a cloak; other persons were collected round Doña -Salazar, who seemed on the point of fainting. - -"Whose is that body?" Doña Concha asked in a sharp, imperative voice. - -"It is my son's!" the heart-broken mother cried. - -"Don Blas Salazar," Pedrito answered. - -"And Don Sylvio?" the maiden continued, - -"Has disappeared," Pedrito said. - -She fell back, half dead; her father caught her in his arms, and -carried her back to the drawing room. - -This is what had happened. Pedrito, when he had got a short distance -from the estancia, was all but unsaddled, by his horse suddenly shying. -Aroused from his reverie by the animal's terror, the horseman looked -around, to discover the cause of it. Judge of his surprise! At a spot -which appeared to have been the scene of a desperate struggle, the damp -earth retained the marks of several horses' hoofs; weapons had been -thrown away there, and seven corpses lay pell-mell in pools of blood -and muddy water. - -"What!" Pedrito thought, "Have the Indians come this way already?" and -he added, "Why is it they have not stripped their victims?" - -He dismounted, and walked to the bodies, which he examined attentively, -and felt and raised one after the other. - -"Something that is not natural has taken place here," the bombero said; -"two Negroes! Oh! he said, on coming to the gauchos, Who are these men -wearing masks? Oh! Oh! Has it been a crime instead of an ambuscade, and -a bit of Spanish vengeance, instead of an Indian attack? I will have a -look at them." - -He tore from the faces of the four gauchos the strips of wool they had -employed to conceal themselves. - -"On my word, I do not know them; who can these scoundrels be?" - -At the same moment, his eyes rested on another corpse, hidden by a -thickly growing bush, beneath which it lay stretched out. - -"This man is not dressed in the same manner, so he must be one of the -caballeros attacked by these villains; I will have a look at him, and -perhaps he will give me the clue to this adventure." - -He uttered a cry on recognizing Don Blas Salazar, the capataz of the -Estancia de San Julian. He bent over him, raised him softly in his -arms, and deposited him gently in the road, with his back leaning -against a rock. - -"Poor capataz! So brave and kind! But if I am not mistaken, I can feel -a little warmth. _¡Viva Dios_! I should be glad if he was not dead." - -The bombero then opened his clothes, and saw three insignificant wounds -on his chest; he hastened to bandage them carefully, and found that the -flesh was scarcely cut. Pedrito rubbed his hands with a satisfied air, -until he discovered on the skull a fourth wound, on which the hair had -clotted and stopped the flow of blood. He washed the wound, cut away -the hair round it with his knife, saturated a handkerchief with water, -and bound it tightly over the wound. The capataz gave a faint sigh, and -moved slightly. - -"¡Caray!" Pedrito exclaimed in delight, "He is saved; wounds on the -skull, when they do not kill at once, are cured in a week." - -By degrees the wounded man seemed to return to life, and at length -opened his eyes, which gazed absently around. - -"Ah, my good fellow, do you feel better? _caray_, do you know that you -have had a narrow escape?" - -The capataz gave a gentle nod. - -"Wait a minute," Pedrito continued; and he thrust into his mouth the -neck of the _bota_ of aguardiente, which the bomberos always carry on -their saddlebow. Don Blas made a grimace, but soon resigning himself, -he drank the liquor his physician forced down his throat; in a few -minutes, his eyes sparkled with their accustomed brilliancy, and a -slight flush tinged his cheeks. - -"Thanks," he said, thrusting away the bota with his hand. - -"You speak, therefore you are alive, capataz. Can you talk?" - -"Yes." - -"Without danger to yourself, señor?" - -"Yes." - -"In the first place, do you recognize me?" - -"You are Pedrito, the bombero," the wounded man said, with a smile. - -"I am a friend." - -"Yes." - -"Who put you in this charming condition?" - -"I do not know." - -"Hum! How many were they?" - -"I am ignorant." - -"Eh! And why did they serve you out in this way?" - -"I do not know." - -"I do not know; I am ignorant; all that is not very clear; and if you -never say any more, I doubt whether the assassins will be detected. -Where have you come from? From Carmen?" - -"We left Carmen this morning, to--" - -"One moment, if you please. You said _we_, I think?" - -"Yes, we." - -"Who are we?" - -"Don Sylvio d'Arenal, myself, and two Negroes." - -"Good. Where did you separate from Don Sylvio?" - -"I did not leave Don Sylvio at all." - -"Oh, nonsense!" - -"We were together, when masked bandits suddenly came out of this wood, -and attacked us. Our Negroes were killed at the first discharge, but -Don Sylvio and I got our backs against a tree behind our horses; I -fought--and I can tell you no more." - -"This blow on the head settled you; it was, by Heaven, enough to fell -an ox; but you have a hard head, and lucky for you, for you will -recover. So you were unable to recognize your assassins?" - -"Yes." - -"Just come and have a look at them with me. Can you walk?" - -"I think so." - -"Try." - -And Don Blas Salazar got up, and tottered a few steps with extreme -difficulty. - -"Take my arm," Pedrito said. - -The capataz, supported by the bombero, examined the faces of the -gauchos. - -"I recognize this man," he said, pointing to a corpse; "it is Corrocho. -Now I know the originator of the snare." - -"¡Caray! All the better; but Don Sylvio's body is not here." - -"Heaven be praised!" the capataz exclaimed, - -"He will have escaped, and we shall find him at the estancia." - -"No!" Pedrito said. - -"What do you mean by no?" - -"I have just come from there, and should have seen him." - -"Where is he?" - -"That's the very point; I may say, like you, I do not know, or, if you -prefer it, I am ignorant." - -"Don Pedro, let us go to San Julian." - -"I will carry you, then, at a walking pace; your head has not closed -again yet, and a rapid ride would envenom the wound." - -"No matter; I must go there with the speed of the wind." - -"Then you want to kill yourself?" - -"I do not care. I think you love Don Valentine Cardoso and his -daughter." - -"Caray! If I love them! I would lay down my life for them." - -"The happiness, perhaps the life, of Doña Concha is at stake; you can -see that mine is of no consequence." - -"That is true," the bombero said, with an air of conviction. - -"Then you consent?" - -"I do." - -"Thank you! One word more. If I die on the road, you will tell Doña -Concha that the assassin--" - -"That the assassin--" Pedrito repeated, finding the other hesitate. - -"But, no," the capataz continued, "it is unnecessary. God will not -permit me to die before I have seen her." - -"As you please. Let us be off." - -"At full speed; you promise that?" - -"Like lightning." - -He remounted, placed before him the capataz, who had no horse, and who, -besides, was too weak to sit one, then relaxing the bridle, and digging -in his spurs, he flew along with the velocity of the phantom horse in -the German ballad. - -Pedrito's horse, when it reached the gates of the estancia, slipped -with all four feet at once, and fell dead. But the bombero, who had -foreseen this accident, came down on his feet, and holding in his arms -his friend the capataz, whom the shocks of this infernal ride had -caused to faint for the second time. - -Patito helped the bombero to carry poor Don Blas as far as the house. - -Doña Concha, who had regained her senses, insisted, in spite of her -father's entreaties, on remaining by the side of the wounded man. She -lavished attentions on him, poured into his month a few drops of a -powerful cordial, and awaited his return to life. - -"Forgive me, señorita, forgive me," he said, as soon as he opened -his eyes again and perceived her, "I could not save him; my strength -deserted me." - -"I have nothing to forgive you, Don Blas," the young lady answered, who -had learnt the facts from Pedrito; "on the contrary, my friend, I thank -you for your devotion. One word, however, when you fell was Don Sylvio -still fighting by your side?" - -"Yes, señorita." - -"Then it was only after your fall that he succumbed to the numbers?" - -"No; Don Sylvio is not dead." - -"What makes you suppose that?" - -"A very simple thing: had he been killed, his body would have been -found lying by my side. What interest could the assassins have in -concealing a corpse, when they left seven lying in the middle of the -road? If they wished to hide their crimes, a hole is soon dug in the -sand." - -"That is true," Doña Concha murmured, "he still lives; but do you know -the author of the crime?" - -"Yes, señorita." - -"And--" - -The capataz looked at the persons who crowded the room. Doña Concha -understood him, and dismissed them. Pedrito was about to follow with -the rest. - -"Remain," she said to him, "you can speak before Don Pedro, his sister, -and my father. Who is the man that attacked you?" - -"Permit me, señorita, I do not positively say that he was among the -assassins, for I did not see him; but it is certainly he who let the -cowards loose upon us, and directed them from a distance." - -"Yes, Don Blas; he was the head, and these ten or twelve bandits were -only the arms." - -"The very thing. Among the dead I found the corpse of one of his -confidants, the gaucho Corrocho, whom I surprised the other day -conspiring with him against you." - -A bitter smile for a moment curled the young lady's blanched lips. - -"Will you tell me his name or no?" she exclaimed, stamping her foot -passionately. - -"Don Torribio Carvajal!" - -"I knew it!" she said, with an accent of superb disdain. "Oh, Don -Torribio, Don Torribio! Where is the man to be found at this hour; -where is he? Oh, I would give my fortune, my life, to be face to face -with him. Is it in order to assassinate his rivals with impunity that -this mysterious man--" - -She could not complete the sentence; she burst into tears, and fell -into Don Valentine's arms, exclaiming with broken sobs-- - -"Father, father! who will avenge me?" - -"Señorita," said Pedrito, "the man you refer to is difficult to reach." - -"Do you know him, Don Pedro?" she asked with a start. - -"Yes, señorita," he replied. "But do you know who he is?" - -"He is said to be a rich Spaniard." - -"It is a mistake." - -"Have you penetrated the mystery that surrounds him?" - -"Yes." - -All drew close to Pedrito. - -"Well, Don Pedro?" - -"The name of the man you call Don Torribio Carvajal is really -Nocobotha, and he is one of the principal chiefs of the Aucas Indians." - -"An Indian!" the young lady exclaimed in stupor. - -"Yes; but one of those white-skinned Indians, who are descended from -the Incas, and call themselves children of the sun." - -"Take care, Conchita," Mercedes said, "Nocobotha is a terrible man." - -"Then, all that is left me is to die," said the poor affianced, girl, -as she fell into a chair. - -Mercedes regarded her for a moment with a blended look of sorrow, -compassion, and tenderness, then walked up to her and gently laid her -hand on her shoulder. At this unexpected touch, Doña Concha started and -turned round. - -"What do you want of me, poor child?" she asked sadly. - -"To save Don Sylvio, if he is alive," Mercedes answered in a calm, firm -voice. - -"You?" - -"Yes, I! When I was shelterless, did you not open to me your home and -your heart? You are suffering, and, in my turn, I have come to say -'here I am!'" - -"But what can you do, my friend?" - -"That is my secret. I know the Indians and the way of behaving with -them, and speak their language. The only condition I make is, that you -promise not to leave the estancia for three days, and not make any -attempt to discover what has become of your betrothed." - -Doña Concha gazed at Mercedes, whose eye sparkled with a clear and -bright fire, her features breathed a species of masculine grace, and so -soft and calm a smile played round her rosy lips, that Conchita felt -herself subjugated, and, in spite of herself, hope re-entered her heart. - -"I swear it to you," she said, as she embraced the girl warmly. - -"Thanks," Mercedes replied. "Good-bye, Conchita! in three days you will -have news of your betrothed, or I shall be dead." - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -THE INVASION. - - -Let us now give some explanations about the Indian expedition, and -the preparations and arrangements made by Nocobotha, at the moment of -attempting the siege of Carmen. - -"If you succeed in this affair," Don Torribio had said to the two -gauchos, after giving them orders to carry off Don Sylvio d'Arenal, -"you will receive fifty ounces more. But forget nothing, and be -careful." - -Panchito and Corrocho, when left alone, shared the ounces between them -with transports of joy. - -Don Torribio mounted his horse again and proceeded to Carmen, where he -spent several days in his house, though no one was aware of the fact. -During his stay he had two interviews, under different disguises, with -Pincheira, at the Pulquería del Sur, the usual meeting place of the -gauchos. Each night, three or four mules, laden with bales, left the -city, under the escort of Indians, and proceeded in the direction of -the Andes. - -At length, one night, after a long conference with Pincheira, Don -Torribio left El Carmen in his turn, his presence in the town having -not even been suspected. At six leagues from Carmen he found Panchito -and Corrocho, whom he sharply upbraided for their sloth in executing -his orders, and he recommended them to act as promptly as possible. - -On the morrow, the day of the ñandu hunt, Corrocho presented himself at -the gate of the estancia, which Patito had refused to open. - -On leaving the two bandits, Don Torribio proceeded to the natural -grotto, where we have seen him change his clothes once before. There he -put on his Indian trappings, and following the banks of the Rio Negro, -galloped towards the island of Ghole-Isechel, where he had appointed to -meet all the war detachments of the combined Patagonian and Araucano -tribes. - -The night was one of the most delicious ever enjoyed in America. The -fresh air, odorous with the penetrating perfumes of the flowers that -grew in masses on the river banks, disposed the mind to reverie. The -sky, of a dark black blue, was embroidered with stars, in the midst -of which sparkled the dazzling Southern Cross, which the Indians call -_Paron-Chayke_. The moon poured its soft light on the sand, played on -the foliage of the trees and designed fantastic forms on the sandbanks. -The wind blew softly through the branches, in which the blue jay at -intervals uttered the melodious notes of its plaintive song. Here and -there, in the distance, could be heard the hoarse roar of the cougars, -the sharp whine of the panther, and the snapping bark of the red wolf. - -Nocobotha, intoxicated by this lovely autumn night, checked his -horse's speed, and allowed his thoughts to wander. The descendant of -Manco-Capai and Manco-Oello, the first Incas of Peru, saw pass and -repass before his mind the splendours of his race, which had been -extinct since the death of Athahualpa, the last Peruvian emperor, whom -Pizarro's soldiers assassinated. His heart swelled with pride and joy -when he thought that he was about to reconstitute the empire of his -ancestors. The soil he trod was his; the air he breathed was the air of -his country! - -He went on thus for a long time, travelling in the land of dreams. The -stars began to grow pale in the sky; the dawn was already tracing a -white line, which gradually became tinged with yellow and red streaks, -and, at the approach of day, the breeze freshened. Nocobotha, suddenly -roused by the icy dew of the Pampa, threw his cloak across his -shoulder, with a shudder, and started again at a gallop, after looking -up to heaven and muttering-- - -"Either death or a life of liberty!" - -A sublime remark in the mouth of this man! Young, rich, and handsome, -he might have remained in Paris, where he had studied, lived there like -a nobleman, and enjoyed abundantly all the pleasures of this world. -But, no! Free from all ambitious thoughts, and without calculating on -human gratitude, he resolved to deliver his country. - -At about eight in the morning, Nocobotha halted before an immense -toldería, facing the island of Ghole-Isechel. At this spot the Rio -Negro attains its greatest width, and each of the arms formed by the -island is about two miles and a half across. The island, that rises -in the middle of the water, four leagues long and two wide, is one -vast bouquet, whence the most delicious fragrance is exhaled, and in -which innumerable birds sing. Illumined on this day by the beams of a -splendid sun, the island seemed to have been laid on the river like a -basket of flowers for the pleasure of the eyes and the delight of the -fancy. - -As far as the eye reached along the banks of the river, thousands of -toldos and chozas could be seen erected close together, and their -strange colours flashing in the sun. Numerous canoes, made of horse -hides sown together, and generally round, or hollowed out of the trunks -of trees, crossed the river in every direction. - -Nocobotha entrusted his horse to an Indian woman, and walked among the -toldos. In front of their openings the ostrich-plumed pennons of the -chiefs floated in the breeze. - -He was recognized so soon as he arrived. The warriors drew up in -line as he passed, or bowed respectfully before him. The veneration -the southern nations have ever felt for the descendants of the Incas -seemed changed into a species of adoration. The bejewelled coronet that -adorned his brow appeared to arouse the most lively joy in all hearts. - -When he reached the riverbank, a fishing canoe conveyed him across to -the island, where a toldo had been prepared for him. Lucaney, warned -by the sentries who watched for his arrival, presented himself before -Nocobotha the moment he landed. - -"The great chief," he said, with a bow, "is returned among his sons. -Has my father made a good journey?" - -"I have made a good journey, I thank my brother." - -"If my father permits, I will conduct him to his toldo." - -"Go on," the chief said. - -Lucaney bowed a second time, and guided the great chief along a track -formed through the bushes. They soon reached a toldo of brilliant -colours, large and clean, the handsomest on the island, in a word. - -"My father is at home," Lucaney said, lifting the poncho that covered -the opening. - -Nocobotha went in. - -"My brother will follow me," he said. - -The woollen curtain fell again behind the two Ulmens. - -This abode, like the others, contained a fire, by the side of which -Nocobotha and Lucaney seated themselves. They smoked in silence for -some moments, when the great chief addressed Lucaney. - -"Have the Ulmens, Apo-Ulmens and caraskens of all the nations and -tribes assembled on the island of Ghole-Isechel, as I gave orders?" - -"They are all assembled," Lucaney answered. - -"When will they come to my toldo?" - -"The chiefs are awaiting my father's good pleasure." - -"Time is precious. Before twilight we must have ridden twenty leagues. -Lucaney will warn the chiefs." - -The Ulmen rose without replying and went, out. - -"Come!" Nocobotha said, so soon as he was alone, "The die is cast. I -am in Caesar's position, but, by heavens, like him, I will cross the -Rubicon." - -He rose and walked for more than hour up and down the toldo, immersed -in deep thought. A noise of footsteps was heard; the curtain was -raised, and Lucaney appeared. - -"Well?" Nocobotha asked him. - -"The chiefs are here." - -"Let them come in!" - -The Ulmens, sixty at least, dressed in their richest clothes, and -painted and armed for war, passed silently one after the other in front -of the great chief, saluted him, kissed the hem of his robe, and ranged -themselves round the fire. A troop of warriors, outside, kept listeners -aloof. - -Nocobotha, in spite of his self-command, could not restrain a movement -of pride. - -"My brothers are welcome," he said, "I was impatiently expecting them. -Lucaney, how many warriors have you assembled?" - -"Two thousand five hundred." - -"Chamata?" - -"Three thousand." - -"Metipan?" - -"Two thousand." - -"Vera?" - -"Three thousand seven hundred." - -"Killapan?" - -"One thousand nine hundred." - -Nocobotha wrote down on his tablets the numbers stated by the Ulmens, -who, after answering, ranged themselves on his right hand. - -"Lucaney," he continued, "is Pincheira's war party here?" - -"Yes, father." - -"How many warriors has he?" - -"Four thousand eight hundred." - -"Mulato, how many have you?" - -"Four thousand." - -"Guaykilof?" - -"Three thousand five hundred." - -"Killamel?" - -"Six thousand two hundred." - -"Churlakin?" - -"Five thousand six hundred." - -"Which are the nations that accepted the quipu, and sent their warriors -to the gathering place?" - -"All!" Churlakin answered proudly. - -"My heart is satisfied with the wisdom of my son. What is the effective -strength of these eight nations?" - -"Twenty-nine thousand seven hundred and sixty men, commanded by the -bravest Ulmens." - -"Good," said Nocobotha. "The Aucas and Araucano chiefs here present -have brought twenty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty warriors. We -can also reckon on a reinforcement of five hundred and fifty gauchos, -or white deserters, whose assistance will be very useful to us. The -total strength of the army is ninety-four thousand nine hundred and -fifty men, with whom, if my brothers place confidence in me, we shall -expel the Spaniards, and regain our territory within three months." - -"Our father will command, and we obey." - -"Never has a larger and more powerful army menaced the Spanish -authority since Tahi Mahi's attempt upon Chili. The whites are ignorant -of our projects, as I convinced myself at Carmen. Hence our sudden -invasion will be to them a thunderbolt, and render them motionless with -terror. On our approach they will be already half conquered. Lucaney, -have you distributed all the weapons I sent you from Carmen to the -warriors, who understand their use?" - -"A corps of three thousand two hundred men is armed with muskets and -bayonets, and abundantly provided with powder and ball." - -"It is well. Lucaney, Churlakin, and Metipan will remain with me, -and aid me in communicating with the other chiefs. And now, Ulmens, -Apo-Ulmens, and caraskens of the united nations, listen to my orders, -and engrave them deeply on your minds, for any disobedience or -cowardice will immediately be punished by death." - -There was a solemn silence. Nocobotha took a calm and haughty look -round the assembly. - -"In an hour," he continued, "the army will start in close columns. A -cavalry corps will protect each infantry detachment. The army will -extend along a line of twenty leagues, which will be concentrated on -Carmen. All the chiefs will fire the country as they pass, in order -that the smoke, impelled by the wind, may hide our movements and -cover us like a thick curtain. The crops, estancias, and all property -belonging to the whites, will be burned and levelled with the ground. -The cattle will be sent to the rearguard to swell our booty. Show -no mercy to the bomberos, but kill them on the spot. Killipan, with -twelve thousand horsemen and ten thousand infantry, will command the -rearguard, to which will be attached all the women of an age to fight, -and it will set out six hours after the main body. Bear in mind that -the warriors must advance in compact bodies, and not as stragglers. -Be off, and make haste, for we must be in front of Carmen by daybreak -tomorrow." - -The chief bowed and silently defiled out of the toldo. - -A few minutes later an extraordinary animation prevailed in the immense -camp of the Indians. The squaws pulled down the toldos and loaded the -mules; the warriors assembled to the sound of musical instruments; the -children lassoed and saddled the horses; in short, hurried preparations -were made for a start. - -Gradually the disorder ceased. The ranks were formed, and several -detachments started in different directions. Nocobotha, standing on the -top of a mound, and accompanied by his three aides-de-camp, Lucaney, -Churlakin, and Metipan, followed with a glass the movements of the -army, which, within a quarter of an hour, was no longer visible. -Already the plain was on fire and veiled the horizon with a black smoke. - -Nocobotha descended the hill and went to the riverbank, where the -four Ulmens got into a canoe, which they pulled themselves. They soon -reached land, where twenty-five Aucas horsemen were waiting for them. -The party set out on the trail of the army--a too visible trail, alas! -The country so green and beautiful that very morning was gloomy, -desolated and covered with ashes and ruins. - -From a distance Pedrito and his brothers perceived the Indians, and -although surrounded by a swarm of warriors, they succeeded, through -their courage, in escaping from their enemies, with the exception of -poor Juan, who was killed by an Indian lance. Pepe and Lopez, both -wounded, went on in front to watch the movements of the invaders, while -Pedrito, covered with dust and blood, galloped to give the alarm at -Carmen. - -This escape singularly annoyed Nocobotha and disarranged his -combinations. Nevertheless, the army continued its march, and at -nightfall the town could be seen through the growing obscurity. At -the head of one hundred picked warriors, Nocobotha made a circuit and -advanced on Población del Sur. All was silent, and the barricades -seemed abandoned. The Indians succeeded in scaling them, and would have -carried the town, had it not been for the vigilance of Major Bloomfield. - -The great chief, not wishing to shake the confidence of his men by -vain attempts, fell back and ordered a camp to be formed in front of -the town. Pursuing tactics hitherto strange to the Indians, he made -a parallel and ordered a wide ditch to be dug in the sand, the earth -from which served to throw up a breastwork that defended them from the -cannon. - -Pincheira, as we know, was in Carmen for the purpose of arranging -a revolt among the gauchos. As Nocobotha desired to come to an -understanding with him as to the decisive attack, he sent towards the -town a Chilian deserter who knew how to play the bugle, an instrument -quite unused among the Aucas. This bugler bore a white flag in sign of -peace, and asked for a parley. He was followed by Churlakin, Lucaney, -Metipan, and Chaukata, who were ordered by the great Ulmen to make -proposals to the governor of Carmen. - -The four ambassadors, standing within half gunshot from the town, with -their long lances planted before them, with the ostrich plume, the -symbol of their dignity, flying out, were waiting motionless on their -horses. Their leather armour was covered with coats of mail made of -small rings, which had doubtless belonged to the soldiers of Almagro -or Valdivia. The bugler, haughtily standing a few paces in front of -them, waved his flag. The chiefs' steeds were armed with rich harness, -embroidered with silver plates that sparkled in the sun's beams. - -The Spanish pride suffered at the thought of treating on equal terms -with these Pagans, to whom they even refused a soul, and whom they did -not recognize as men. But it was necessary to gain time; perhaps the -reinforcements from Buenos Aires were already under weigh. - -The Indian bugler, wearied at receiving no answer to his two first -summons, blew a third peal by Churlakin's order. A Spanish bugler at -length replied from the interior of the town, and the barrier was -opened, leaving a passage for a soldier, who carried a white flag, -and was followed by an officer on horseback. This officer, it will be -remembered, was Major Bloomfield, who, as an old soldier, was unwilling -to appear before the Indians except in his full dress uniform. - -He proceeded without hesitation towards the Ulmens, who, through -their silver ornaments and their immobility, resembled at a distance -equestrian statues. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -THE ATTACK ON POBLACIÓN DEL SUR. - - -Major Bloomfield, who had made up his mind to lose his life, had no -weapons, not even a sword. He halted within hearing distance, and as -he spoke decently the Aucas language, which he had learnt in previous -campaigns, he had no need of an interpreter. - -"What do you want, chiefs?" he asked in a loud, firm voice, with a -ceremonious bow. - -"Are you the man whom the whites call Don Antonio Valverde, and to whom -they give the title of Governor?" Churlakin asked in his turn. - -"No; our laws prohibit a governor leaving his post; but I am second in -command, and he has sent me to you." - -The Indians seemed to consult for a moment; then, leaving their long -lances planted in the ground, they advanced towards the old officer, -who did not evince the slightest surprise at this movement. Churlakin -spoke in the name of all. - -"My brother is brave," he said, astonished at the major's coolness. - -"At my age," the old man replied, "death is a favour." - -"My father bears on his forehead the snow of many winters; he must be -one of the wisest chiefs of his nation, and the young men round the -council fire listen to him respectfully." - -"Say no more about me," the major said; "why have you asked for this -interview?" - -"Will not my father conduct us to the council fire of his nation?" -Churlakin said, in an insinuating tone. "Is it honourable for great -warriors, formidable chiefs, thus to discuss serious affairs on -horseback between two armies?" - -"No chief of the enemy can enter an invested town." - -"Does my father fear that our force may take his city?" Churlakin -continued with a laugh, though vexed in the highest degree at losing -the hope of coming to an understanding with Pincheira. - -"I am not accustomed to fear; I only tell you a rule you are ignorant -of, that is all. If this pretext is sufficient to break off the -interview, you are at liberty to do so, and I will withdraw." - -"Oh, Oh! My father is quick for his age. Tell me what brings you here." - -The Ulmens exchanged a glance, and a few whispered words. At length -Churlakin continued-- - -"Has my father seen the great army of the Aucas?" he said. - -"Yes," the major replied carelessly. - -"And has my father, who is a white man and has great learning, counted -the warriors?" - -"Yes." - -"Ah! And how many are they, according to his calculation?" - -"Their number is but of slight consequence to us." - -"Still," the Indian pressed, "does my father know how many they may be?" - -"Two hundred thousand at the most." - -The chiefs were struck by the negligent way in which the major doubled -the strength of their army. - -"My father," Churlakin continued, "is not terrified at the number of -these warriors who obey a single chief." - -"Why should I be so?" the major said, whose attention the surprise -of the Ulmens had not escaped, "Has not my nation vanquished more -numerous armies? But we are losing our time in useless words, chief." - -"My father must have patience." - -"Finish your Indian circumlocutions then." - -"The army of the great nations is encamped in front of Carmen, in order -to obtain satisfaction for all the wrongs the palefaces have made us -endure since their invasion of America." - -"Explain yourself clearly. Why do you invade our frontiers? Have we -failed in our engagements? Of what do you complain?" - -"My father pretends to be ignorant of the just motives for war we have -against the whites. His nation has made a treaty with the white men -who dwell on the other side of the mountains, and who are our enemies; -hence, his nation has no friendship for us." - -"Chief, this quarrel is ridiculous. Confess that you desire to plunder -our farms, steal our cattle and horses, and I can understand you; but -if we were at war with Chili, you would act in the same way. The jest -has lasted too long; let us come to facts. What do you want?" - -"My father is clever," Churlakin said, with a laugh. "Listen! this is -what the chiefs say--'The Negro Ulmen, against our rights and his own, -sold to my father's ancestors a land which did not belong to him, -without the consent of the other Ulmens of the country.'" - -"What next?" said the major. - -"The chiefs assembled round the tree of Gualichu have resolved to give -back to the great white chief all the objects from the first to the -last formerly given to the Negro Ulmen, and take back the country which -belongs to them." - -"Is that all?" - -"All." - -"How long do the chiefs give the Governor of Carmen to discuss these -propositions?" - -"From sunrise to sunset." - -"Very good," the old officer said, ironically; "and supposing that the -governor refuses, what will my sons do?" - -"The colony of the white men will be destroyed by fire, their warriors -massacred, and their wives and children carried off into slavery." - -"I will transmit your demands to the governor, and tomorrow at sunset, -you will have his answer. You will, however, suspend hostilities till -then?" - -"Keep on your guard." - -"Thanks for your frankness, chief; I am delighted to meet an Indian who -is not an utter scoundrel. Good-bye till tomorrow." - -"Tomorrow!" the chief repeated, courteously, and involuntarily -affected by the old gentleman's noble bearing. - -The major withdrew slowly to the barricades, where the colonel, alarmed -by the long interview, had made all preparations to avenge the death of -his old friend. - -"Well?" he said, as he pressed his hand. - -"They are trying to gain time," the major answered, "in order to play -us one of their demon's tricks." - -"What do they demand, though?" - -"Impossibilities, colonel, and they are well aware of it, for they -appeared to be laughing at us, when they submitted their absurd demands -to me. The Negro cacique, they say, had no right to sell his territory, -which they also say we must return to them in twenty-four hours, and -then came the bede-roll of their usual threats. Ah! That is not all; -they are ready to repay us all that the Negro cacique received for the -sale of his lands." - -"Why," Don Antonio interrupted, "the fellows must be mad." - -"No, colonel, they are robbers." - -At this moment, tremendous shouts were heard at the barriers, and the -two officers hurried up in all haste. - -Four or five thousand horses, apparently free but whose invisible -riders were concealed, according to the Indian fashion, along their -flanks, were coming at a frightful pace against the barricades. Two -rounds of canister produced disorder in their ranks, without checking -their speed, and they fell like lightning on the defenders of Población -del Sur. Then began one of those terrific fights of the Indian -frontier, a cruel and indescribable contest, in which no prisoners were -made, the _bolas perdidas_, the _laquis_, the bayonet, and the lance, -were their sole weapons. The Indians were immediately reinforced, but -the Spaniards did not give way an inch. This desperate struggle lasted -for about two hours; the Patagonians seemed to give ground, and the -Argentines redoubled their efforts to drive them back to their camp, -when, suddenly, the cry was heard behind them-- - -"Treachery! Treachery!" - -The major and the colonel, who were fighting in the front rank of the -soldiers and volunteers, turned round; they were caught between two -fires. - -Pincheira, dressed in the uniform of a Chilian officer, was prancing at -the head of a hundred gauchos, more or less intoxicated, who followed -him, yelling-- - -"Pillage! Pillage!" - -The two veteran officers exchanged a long, sad glance, and their -determination was formed in a second. - -The colonel hurled among the Indians a barrel of gunpowder, with a -lighted fuse, which swept them off, as the wind sweeps the dust, and -put them to flight. The Argentines, at the major's command, wheeled -round and charged the gauchos, commanded by Pincheira. These bandits, -with their sabres and bolas in their hands, dashed at the Argentines, -who slipped into the open doors of the abandoned houses, in a narrow -street, where the gauchos could not manoeuvre their horses. The -Argentines, who were skilful marksmen, did not throw away a shot; they -fell back on the river bank, and kept up a well-sustained fire on the -gauchos, who had turned back, and on the Aucas, who had again escaladed -the barricades, while the guns of the fort scattered canister and death -among them. - -The white men crossed the river without any risk, and their enemies -installed themselves in the Población del Sur, filling the air with -triumphant hurrahs. - -The colonel ordered considerable works to be thrown up on the river -bank, and placed in them two batteries, of six guns each whose fire -crossed. - -Through the treachery of the gauchos the Indians had seized Población -del Sur, which, however, was not the key of the place; but this -negative success entailed an enormous loss upon them. The colonists, -through this, saw their communications interrupted with the estancias -on the opposite bank, but luckily the farmers had come into Upper -Carmen beforehand with their horses and cattle, and the boats were all -moored under the batteries of the fort which protected them. The suburb -captured by the assailants was, consequently, entirely empty. - -On one side, the Argentines congratulated themselves at having no -longer to defend a dangerous and useless post; on the other, the Aucas -asked themselves of what good this dearly acquired suburb would prove -to them. - -Three gauchos, during the fight, were dragged from their horses by the -Argentines and made prisoners. One of them was Pincheira, the second -Panchito, and the third a man of the name of Diego. A council of war, -assembled in the open air, sentenced them to the gallows. - -"Well, Diego," asked Panchito, "where is Pincheira?" - -"The scoundrel has escaped," honest Panchito replied; "deserter from -the army, deserter from the gallows! That is the way in which he -breaks all his engagements. He will come to a very bad end." - -"Our affair seems clear enough," Diego said with a sigh. - -"Nonsense! A little sooner or a little later, what's the odds?" - -"The gallows seems to tickle your fancy, Panchito." - -"Not exactly," the other answered; "but for four generations my family -have been hanged, from father to son; we quite expect it. What will the -fiend do with my soul?" - -"I do not know." - -"Nor do I." - -During this edifying conversation two lofty gallows had been erected -a little outside the intrenchments on the river bank, in the sight of -the whole population and of the gauchos, who, grouped in the Población -del Sur, yelled with rage. Panchito and Diego were hung as a warning -example; a _bando_, affixed at the foot of the ladder, threatened every -insurgent gaucho with the same fate. - -While this was going on, night set in, illumined by the burning -faubourg conquered by the Indians. The flames tinged the hapless town -with fantastic gleams, and the inhabitants, plunged in a gloomy -stupor, said to themselves that the flames would soon cross the road -and reduce Carmen to ashes. The governor seemed made of iron; he did -not take a moment's rest, he visited the forts, heightened drooping -spirits, and tried to imbue all with hopes which were far from his -heart. As for the Indians, they made two attempts to surprise the town, -and, just before dawn, retired to their camp. - -"Major," the colonel said, "it is not possible to deceive ourselves. -Tomorrow, the day after, or in a week, all will be over with us." - -"Hum! At the last moment we will blow up the fort." - -"We are deprived of even that resource." - -"Why so?" - -"Old soldiers, such as we are, cannot thus dispose of the lives of -others." - -"You are right," the major continued, precisely; "we will blow out our -brains." - -"Nor can we do that either, my friend; for we must be the last on the -breach." - -"But," the major said, after a short silence, for the undeniable -reasoning of his superior had crushed him, "how is it that we have -received no news yet from Buenos Aires?" - -"They have something else to do there than think about us." - -"Oh! I cannot believe that." - -A slave announced Don Torribio Carvajal. - -Don Torribio came in, dressed in the splendid uniform of a colonel in -the Argentine army, with an aide-de-camp's badge on his left arm. The -two officers, on his entrance, felt an inward tremor Don Torribio bowed -to them. - -"Is it really you, Don Torribio?" the colonel asked. - -"Well, I suppose so," he answered, with a smile. - -"And your long journey?" - -"I have just arrived." - -"And this uniform?" - -"Well, gentlemen, as I was tired of being regarded in the colony as a -mysterious being, a sorcerer, a vampire, or something of the sort, I -resolved to become a man, like the rest of you." - -"Then you are--?" - -"An officer, like yourself, colonel, and, in addition, aide-de-camp to -General Rosas." - -"It is prodigious," Don Antonio remarked. - -"Why so? nothing is more simple, on the contrary." - -A strange suspicion had entered the major's mind at Don Torribio's -unexpected arrival, a suspicion which only disappeared after he made -the following remark:-- - -"Yes," he continued, "I am a colonel. In addition, the President of the -Republic has intrusted me with a message, which I feel sure will please -you." - -And he took from the breast of his uniform a large despatch, sealed -with the Argentine arms. The colonel, with the permission of the two -officers, opened and perused the mission, and unbounded delight was -depicted on his face. - -"Oh, oh!" he exclaimed, "two hundred and fifty men! I did not expect -such a reinforcement." - -"The president is very anxious about the colony," Don Torribio said, -"and will spare no sacrifice to preserve it." - -"_¡Viva Dios!_ Thanks to that succour. Don Torribio, I care no more for -the Indians than a wisp of straw." - -"It seems that the troops will not arrive too soon." - -"It was only just in time, canario," the governor replied imprudently. -"Where are your men?" - -"They will arrive within an hour." - -"What are they?" - -"Gauchos." - -"Hum!" said the colonel, "I should have preferred any other troops. -However, it is of no consequence. With your permission, I will go to -meet them." - -"I am at your orders." - -"Shall I go with you?" the major asked. - -"That would be better still," Torribio observed quickly. - -"No, major," said Don Antonio. "Stay here, for who knows what may -happen during my absence. Come, Don Torribio." - -The latter smiled; and it would have been difficult to say what the -smile meant. He went out, accompanied by the colonel, and they mounted -their horses. As they left the fort a man passed them, walking at a -quick pace. - -"Pedrito!" Don Torribio muttered to himself; "Providing that he has not -recognized me! All is well." - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS. - - -Pedrito followed his sister without saying a word, and almost as much -astonished as Don Valentine and her daughter at Mercedes' devotion. She -led him to her bedroom, a charming retreat, full of shade and fresh -air. While the bombero eagerly surveyed all the objects, Mercedes, -sighing and ready to weep, took a parting glance at her well-beloved -room; but she had the courage to repress her tears. - -"Sit down, brother. I have a great service to ask of you." - -"Hang it! A service, little sister? Why assume so solemn an air for -such a simple thing?" - -"Because it is difficult." - -"Nothing is impossible to please you. What is the matter?" - -"Swear to me, first, to grant what I am about to ask of you." - -"Go on, child, and do not trouble yourself about the rest," Pedrito -said, with a hearty laugh. - -"No. I must have your oath." - -"I have taken it; that is understood, I have all the gravity of an -Indian idol." - -"You are laughing at me," she said, with tears in her eyes. - -"Confound the women!" Pedrito remarked; "They can always twirl men -round their fingers. Come, silly child, do not cry any more. I swear to -obey your whims. Tell me what it is all about." - -"I have promised Doña Concha, my dear brother, to give her within three -days news about Don Sylvio." - -"What next?" - -"I wish to perform my promise." - -"The deuce." - -"And for that I have counted on you." - -"On me?" - -"Yes." - -"How can I help you?" - -"Without you the affair is impracticable." - -"In that case, little sister, I am greatly afraid that--" - -"Remember your oath." - -"Go on. I am listening." - -"I have lived a long time among the Indians, whose manners and language -I am acquainted with. I intend to get into their camp unnoticed, in -order to learn where Don Sylvio is." - -"Good-bye, Mercedes." - -"And your oath, brother?" she said, placing herself before the door. - -"I shall not keep it; and if Heaven thinks that I ought, we will argue -the point together." - -She looked at her brother for a moment in silence. "You are quite -resolved?" she continued. - -"Quite." - -"Then, I shall go alone." - -"What," Pedrito exclaimed, as he rushed towards her, "Do you wish to be -the death of me, then?" - -Mercedes made no reply. - -"Go away, brother. I will do without you." - -"Come on! I will follow you. Oh, these women!" the bombero muttered. - -"We shall succeed," she exclaimed, joyfully. - -"Yes, in getting ourselves killed." - -"Let us be off, brother," she said, placing under her arm a small -bundle of clothing. - -Mercedes, fearing the emotion of a farewell scene, avoided Doña Concha. - -Patito had got two horses in readiness, which speedily carried brother -and sister far from the estancia. At the battery the capataz was -waiting for them. - -"Señorita," he said to Mercedes, "you are a noble girl, Heaven will aid -and bless you." - -"Don Blas," Mercedes answered, with a smile, as she drew from her bosom -a small gold cross Doña Concha had given her, and broke the velvet neck -ribbon, "take this cross, and keep it in remembrance of me." - -The two travellers had been galloping a long time ere the capataz left -off kissing the cross, while thinking that its usual resting place was -on the maiden's heart. Pedrito and his sister rode side by side without -exchanging a word, for both were plunged in deep thought. - -"How far have we to go?" Mercedes asked all at once. - -"Two leagues." - -After a while they heard the footfall of a horse behind them; they -turned, and perceived Patito, who was making signals to them, and the -gaucho soon joined them. - -"My mistress is following me," he said. - -Doña Concha, dressed in male clothing, came up at the full speed of her -horse. - -"Ah," she said, on joining them, "I trembled lest I should miss you." - -"Are we to turn back Pedrito asked, with a fugitive gleam of hope." - -"No, no; on the contrary; push on," Concha replied. - -"Where are you going, señorita?" - -"I am following you." - -"What?" he said, fancying he misunderstood her. - -"I guessed your plan, Mercedes, and mean to share its perils." - -"That is fine, señorita!" Pedrito exclaimed. - -"She is right," Mercedes said simply; "that will be better." - -"You, Patito," Concha said, "can go back; I have no need of your -services." - -"Forgive me, but with your permission I will remain; I am not wanted at -the estancia, and, though I do not know where you are going, two strong -arms are worth keeping." - -"Remain, my friend." - -"But your father, Don Valentine, señorita?" Pedrito attempted to say. - -"He approves of it," she answered drily. - -They started again: two hours later they reached the foot of a hill, -halfway up which was a natural grotto, known in the country by the name -of the Cave of the Cougars. - -"My brothers are there," Pedrito said. - -The little party ascended the gentle slope of the hill, and entered -the cave on horseback, without leaving any trace of their passage. -There were several entrances to this cave; it was divided into several -compartments that had no visible communication, and formed a species of -labyrinth that meandered under the hill. The bomberos, who knew all its -turnings, often employed it as a refuge. - -Pepe and Lopez were seated before a heather fire, silently smoking -their pipes, and watching a leg of guanaco that was roasting. They -saluted the newcomers, and remained dumb as the Indians, whose manner -they had to some extent assumed in their nomadic life on the Pampa. -Pedrito conducted the two ladies to a separate compartment. - -"While here," he said to them in a low whisper, "say but little, for -you can never tell what neighbours you may have. If you want us, you -know where we are; I now leave you." - -His sister caught his arm and put her lips to his ear, and he went away -without making any answer. - -The two girls, when alone, threw themselves into each other's arms. -When this outburst was over, they disguised themselves as Indian women. -At the moment when their Spanish dresses were about to fall, they heard -footsteps close to them, and turned like startled fawns. - -"I was afraid," Doña Concha said, "lest it was Don Pedro; let us -listen." - -"Caray, Don Torribio, you are welcome," a man's voice said, hardly -three yards from the girls; "I have been waiting for you for more than -two hours." - -"Always that man!" Concha murmured. - -"My good fellow," Don Torribio replied, "it was impossible for me to -come sooner." - -"Well, here you are, that is the main point," the first speaker -remarked. - -At this moment Pedrito entered; Mercedes made him a sign to listen, and -he came to her side. - -"Are you satisfied with your position at Carmen?" Torribio continued. - -"Not very greatly, I confess." - -"I am going to liberate you, my dear Pincheira; I shall order the -attack on Población del Sur tomorrow, and then you will act, I suppose." - -"That is settled. By the by, I just now came across a poor devil of an -Argentine officer, entrusted with a despatch for the governor of El -Carmen; it announces help, I suppose." - -"_¡Caramba!_ They must make haste. What did you do with the despatch?" - -"Here it is." - -"Did you kill the Argentine messenger?" - -"Well, I fancy so." - -"That is right." - -"When is the assault to take place?" - -"In two days. How is my prisoner, by the way?" - -"Oh, he is furious." - -"He will grow calm. This is what I intend to do, soon as the town--" - -But while these words were being spoken, the two men had retired, and -the sound of their voices died out in the windings of the cave. When -the maidens turned round again Pedrito had disappeared. - -"Well," Mercedes said, "what do you think of that singular accident?" - -"It is a miracle of Heaven." - -"Shall we still disguise ourselves?" - -"More so than ever." - -"For what purpose?" Pedrito said, who had returned, "I now know where -Don Sylvio is, and I undertake to restore him to you." - -"But our vengeance?" Doña Concha interrupted. - -"Let us save him first. Return to the estancia, señorita, and leave me -to act." - -"No, Don Pedro, I shall not leave you." - -"Wait for me here, then, both of you." - -Several hours passed, and Pedrito did not return. Alarmed by this -inexplicable delay, the two girls joined the other two bomberos in -the front cave. Night had set in when Pedrito returned; he bought an -enormous bale on the neck of his horse, which was panting with fatigue. - -"Put on these gauchos' dresses," he said to the two ladies; "we are -going to get inside Carmen. The journey will be a rough one, but make -haste, for every moment lost is an hour of danger for us." - -They ran off to dress themselves, and were ready in a moment. - -"Take your Indian robes," Pedrito said, "for they may be useful to you. -Good! Now follow me, and be cautious!" - -The three bomberos, the two girls, and Patito left the cave, and -glided through the darkness like shadows, marching in Indian file, at -one moment stooping down to the ground, crawling on their knees, and -trying as far as possible to hide their passage. It was a singular and -dangerous journey, in the depths of night, and across a desert whose -thickets in time of war are peopled with invisible enemies. Pedrito -had placed himself at the head of the party. Doña Concha, excited by -the courage which love imparts, stained the prickles with her blood, -but not a single complaint passed her lips. After three hours of -extraordinary effort, the little party that followed Pedrito's track -suddenly stopped on his stopping. - -"Look!" he said to them, in a whisper, "we are in the heart of the -Aucas' camp." - -All around them in the moonbeams they saw the Indian sentinels leaning -on their lances and watching over the safety of their brothers. A -shudder ran over the maidens; fortunately, the guards, not fearing a -sortie from Carmen, were sleeping at their posts, but the slightest -badly calculated movement or stumble might wake them. Hence, Pedrito -recommended them to redouble their prudence, if they wished to save -their lives. - -About two hundred yards in front of them rose the first houses of -Carmen, gloomy, silent, and apparently at least deserted or plunged in -silence. The six adventurers had cleared one half the distance, when -suddenly, at the moment when Pedrito stretched out his arm to shelter -himself behind a sandhill, several men crawling on the opposite side, -found themselves face to face with him. - -There was a moment of terrible anxiety. - -"Who goes there?" a low and threatening voice asked. - -"Pedrito the bombero." - -"Who is with you?" - -"My brothers." - -"Pass." - -Ten minutes after this encounter they reached the barriers, which were -at once opened on Pedrito mentioning his name, and they were at length -safe in Carmen. It was high time; in spite of their resolution and -courage, the two girls, worn out with fatigue, could no longer support -themselves. So soon as the danger had passed, their nervous excitement -gave way, and they fell utterly exhausted. Pedrito raised his sister in -his arms; Pepe took charge of Doña Concha, and they proceeded to Don -Valentine's house, where fresh difficulties awaited them. Tío Peralta -refused to open the gate, but on at length recognizing his mistress, he -led the travellers into a room and lit the candles. - -"What are we to do now?" Doña Concha asked, as she fell back into a -chair. - -"Nothing just at present," Pedrito answered. "Rest yourself, señorita, -and regain your strength." - -"Shall we remain for long in this state of inaction, which kills us?" - -"Only till tomorrow. We must not run blindly into danger, but prepare -everything for the success of our plans, and watch for the propitious -moment. Tomorrow at the latest, those men, whose conversation we -overheard, will attempt an attack on Población del Sur. As for us, we -shall be more at liberty to enter the Indian camp. Keep your presence -in Carmen a secret from everybody, and give no sign of life till I -return. Good-bye till tomorrow morning." - -"Are you not going to rest, Don Pedro?" - -"I have no time." - -Pedrito left the room. Doña Concha recommended the utmost silence to -Tío Peralta, and dismissed her companions, who went off to sleep in -hastily prepared apartments. - -Mercedes would not separate from her friend, and they reposed on the -same couch. In spite of their wish to remain awake, nature was the -stronger, and they soon fell into a deep sleep. The sun was already -high on the horizon when they opened their eyes again. They dressed -themselves and breakfasted with their companions, impatiently awaiting -the bombero's return. - -Several hours passed, lacerating Doña Concha's heart, and making her -love bleed; the recollection of her betrothed husband, covered with the -shadow of death, painfully troubled her thoughts. - -At length the town bells rang out a full peal to call the population -under arms, and acted as a gloomy accompaniment to the dull booming of -the cannon and the flashes of the musketry fire. Without doubt the -Indians were attacking Población del Sur; but where was Pedrito? Doña -Concha asked herself, as she walked, like a lioness in a cage, up and -down the room, devoured by anxiety and despair. - -"Listen!" she said to Mercedes, as she turned her head toward the door. - -"It is he!" Mercedes replied. - -"At last!" Conchita exclaimed. - -"Here I am, señorita," Pedrito said; "are you ready?" - -"Ever since the morning," she answered reproachfully. - -"It would have been too soon," he said quietly; "now if you like." - -"At once." - -"Señorita, be dumb; whatever you may hear and see, leave me to speak -and act alone. Stay! Here is a mask for each of you, with which you -will conceal your faces. When I give the word come in." - -All three left the house unnoticed, for the townspeople were guarding -the barricades or engaged in the furious contest going on in Población -del Sur. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -DON TORRIBIO'S HOUSE. - - -Don Sylvio D'Arenal, so soon as his sword slipped from his grasp, -and he fell by the side of the capataz, gave no signs of life. The -masked men, despising Blas Salazar, went up to Doña Concha's betrothed -husband. The pallid hues of death clouded his handsome, noble face; -his teeth were clenched under his half-parted lips; the blood flowed -profusely from his wounds, and his closed hand still clutched the hilt -of his sword, which had been broken in the fight. - -"_¡Caspita!_" one of the bandits remarked, "Here is a young gentleman -who is very ill; what will the master say?" - -"What would you have him say, Señor Panchito?" another objected. "He -defended himself like a maddened panther; it is his own fault; he ought -to have been more polite to us. We have lost four men." - -"A fine loss, on my word--those scamps!" Panchito said, with a shrug of -his shoulders; "I should have preferred his killing six and being in a -better condition himself." - -"Hang it," the bandit muttered, "that is kind towards us." - -"Present parties excepted," Panchito added with a laugh; "but quick, -bind up his wounds and let us be off. This is not a proper place for -us, and besides the master is waiting for us." - -Don Sylvio's wounds were bathed and bound up somehow or another; and, -without troubling themselves whether he was dead or alive, they laid -him across the horse of Panchito, the leader of this expedition. The -dead remained on the spot as a prey for the wild beasts. The other -masked men set out at a gallop, and at the expiration of two hours -halted in front of the Cave of the Cougars, where Nocobotha and -Pincheira were waiting for them. - -"Well," the former shouted to them as soon as he saw them. - -"The job is done," Panchito answered laconically, as he got off his -horse, and laid Don Sylvio on a bed of leaves. - -"Is he dead?" Nocobotha asked, turning pale. - -"Not much better," the gaucho answered, with a shake of his head. - -"Villain!" the Indian shouted, beside him with, fury, "Is that the way -in which my orders are executed? Did I not command you to bring him to -me alive?" - -"Hum!" said Panchito. "I should like to see you try it. Armed only with -a sword, he fought like ten men for more than twenty minutes. He killed -four of ours, and perhaps we should not have been here now if his -weapon had not broken." - -"You are cowards," the master said, with a smile of contempt. - -He went up to Don Sylvio's body. - -"Is he dead?" Pincheira asked him. - -"No," Nocobotha replied. - -"All the worse." - -"On the contrary, I would give a great deal to see him recover." - -"Nonsense," the Chilian officer said; "what do we care for this man's -life. Was he not your personal enemy?" - -"That is the very reason why I should not like him to die." - -"I do not understand you." - -"My friend," Nocobotha said, "I have devoted my life to the -accomplishment of an idea to which I have sacrificed my hatreds and -friendships." - -"Why in that case lay a trap for your rival?" - -"My rival? No, it is not he whom I have attacked." - -"Who then?" - -"The richest and most influential man in the colony; the man who may -thwart my plans; a powerful adversary, a Spaniard, but not a rival. -Nothing permanent is founded on corpses. I would have willingly killed -him in battle, but I do not wish to make a martyr of him." - -"Nonsense," Pincheira said, "one more or one less, what matter?" - -"Brute," Nocobotha thought, "he has not understood a word I said." - -Two gauchos, aided by Panchito, incessantly rubbed with rum the temples -and chest of Don Sylvio, whose features retained the rigidity of death. -The Indian chief drew his knife from his girdle, wiped the blade, and -placed it to the wounded man's lips. It seemed to him as if it were -slightly tarnished. He at once kneeled down by the side of Don Sylvio, -raised the cuff of his left coat sleeve, and pricked the vein with -the sharp point of his knife. Gradually a black dot appeared on the -wound, and became enlarged to the size of a pea. This drop hesitated, -trembled, and at length ran down the arm, pushed on by a second drop, -that made room for a third; then the blood became less black and less -thick, and a long vermilion jet gushed forth, which announced life. -Nocobotha could not repress a cry of joy: Don Sylvio was saved! - -Almost immediately the young man gave a deep sigh. - -"Continue the rubbing," the chief said to the gauchos. - -He bound up Don Sylvio's arm, rose, and made a sign to Pincheira to -follow him to another part of the cave. - -"Heaven has granted my prayer," the great chief said, "and I thank it -for having spared me a crime." - -"If you are satisfied," the Chilian remarked, in surprise, "I have no -objection to offer." - -"That is not all. Don Sylvio's wounds, though numerous, are not -serious; his lethargy is the result of the loss of the blood and -the speed with which he was brought here. He will regain his senses -presently." - -"Good." - -"He must not see me." - -"What next?" - -"Or recognize you." - -"That is difficult." - -"It is important." - -"I will try my best." - -"I am about to leave you. You will have Don Sylvio conveyed to Carmen." - -"To your house?" - -"Yes; it is the safest spot," Nocobotha said, as he drew from his -pocket a paper folded after a peculiar fashion; "but he must not know, -under any pretext, that I gave the orders, nor where he is; and, above -all, he must not go out." - -"Is that all?" - -"Yes; and you will answer to me for his safety." - -"On your order I will deliver him to you alive or dead." - -"Alive, I tell you; his life is precious to me." - -"Well," Pincheira replied, "since you are so anxious about your -prisoner, not a hair of his head shall be touched." - -"Thank you, and good-bye, Pincheira." - -The chief mounted a magnificent mustang, and disappeared in the -windings of the road. Pincheira returned to the wounded man with a look -of ill temper, and twisting his moustache. He was dissatisfied with -Nocobotha's orders; but, as he possessed only one virtue, respect for -his word, he resigned himself. - -"How is he?" he asked Panchito, in a whisper. - -"Not so bad, captain; it is astonishing what good the bleeding did him. -He has already opened his eyes twice, and has even attempted to speak." - -"In that case there is no time to be lost. Bind the fellow's eyes and -to prevent his tearing the bandage off, fasten his hands to his side; -act gently if you can manage it. Do you understand?" - -"Yes, captain." - -"In ten minutes we start." - -Don Sylvio, who had gradually regained his senses, asked himself into -what hands he had fallen. His presence of mind had also returned, and -he offered no resistance when the gauchos carried out the orders of the -Chilian officer. These precautions revealed to him that his life would -not be taken. - -"Captain, what is to be done now?" Panchito said. - -"Carry him to the boat tied up down there; and do not shake him, -scoundrels, or I will blow out what little brains you possess." - -"¡Caray!" the gaucho said with a grimace. - -"Yes," Pincheira said, with a shrug of his shoulders, "that will teach -you to kill people thoroughly another time." - -Pincheira had not understood why Nocobotha so eagerly desired that Don -Sylvio should live; and in his turn Panchito did not understand why -Pincheira regretted that he was not dead. The gaucho opened his dull -eyes in amazement on hearing the chief's last remark, but hastened to -obey. - -Don Sylvio was carried down to the boat by Pincheira, Panchito, and -another gaucho, while the rest of the party, who took charge of -the horses, returned to Carmen by land. The voyage in the boat was -performed in silence, and three hours after the start the prisoner -was lying on a bed in Don Torribio Carvajal's house. Then the gag was -removed and his hands were untied; but a masked and silent man stood on -the threshold of the door, like a statue, and never once took his eyes -off him. - -Don Sylvio, worn out by the emotions of the day, and weakened by -the loss of blood, and trusting to chance to get him out of his -incomprehensible position, took that investigating glance around which -is peculiar to prisoners, and fell into a heavy sleep, which lasted -several hours and restored to his mind all its calmness and original -lucidity. - -However, he was treated with the utmost respect, and his slightest -caprices were satisfied. In fact, his situation was endurable, and, -after all, was not without a certain amount of originality. Hence the -young man, feeling reassured, bravely made up his mind to wait for -better times. On the third day of his captivity his wounds were almost -cicatrized. He got up to try his strength, and, perhaps, to reconnoitre -the chance of escaping, for what can people do in prison, save think -about getting out of it? A warm and cheering sunbeam entered through -the crack of the closed shutter, and traced long white stripes on the -ceiling of his room. This sunbeam revived his spirits, and he took -several steps under the inevitable eye of the dumb and masked watchman. - -All at once a formidable noise broke out in the vicinity, and a -discharge of cannon made the windows rattle. - -"What is that?" he asked the masked man. - -The latter shrugged his shoulders, but made no reply. - -The sharp crack of musketry fire was mingled with the boom of the guns. -The dumb man closed the window. Don Sylvio walked up to him. - -"My friend," he said to him, in a gentle voice, "what is going on -outside?" - -The jailer obstinately remained silent. - -"In Heaven's name speak!" - -The noise seemed to draw nearer, and hurried footsteps were mingled -with the shouts. The man in the mask drew his machete from its sheath -and his pistol from his belt, and ran to the door, which was suddenly -burst open. Another masked bandit evidently suffering from great -terror, dashed into the room. - -"Look out!" he shouted. "We are lost!" - -At these words four men, also masked and armed to the teeth, appeared -in the doorway. - -"Back!" the jailer cried; "no one enters here without the password." - -"There it is," said one of the newcomers, and he laid him stark dead -with a pistol shot. The four men passed over his body and securely tied -his companion, who had sought refuge in a corner, and was trembling -all over. One of them then walked up to the prisoner, who comprehended -nothing of this scene. - -"You are free caballero!" he said to him. "Come, make haste to fly far -from this house." - -"Who are you?" the young man asked. - -"No matter; follow us." - -"No; unless I know who you are." - -"Do you wish to see Doña Concha again?" the speaker whispered in his -ear. - -"I will follow you," Don Sylvio answered with a blush. - -"Señor, take these weapons, which you will perhaps require, as all is -not finished yet." - -"Weapons!" the young man exclaimed. "Oh! You are friends." - -They went out. - -"What?" Don Sylvio said, as he entered the courtyard, "I am in Carmen." - -"Were you not aware of it?" - -"No." - -"Those saddled horses fastened to the rings are ours. Can you sit a -horse?" - -"I hope so." - -"You must." - -"Mount, then, and let us be off." - -As they turned into the street, a dozen horsemen dashed up toward them, -at a distance of about five and twenty paces. - -"Here is the enemy," the stranger said in a firm voice; "take your -bridle in your teeth, and let us charge." - -The four men ranged themselves in a single line, and rushed at the -newcomers. They discharged firearms and drew their sabres. - -"Caray!" Pincheira, who commanded the twelve horseman, shouted, "My -prisoner is escaping from me." - -The Chilian officer darted in pursuit of Don Sylvio, who fired two -shots at him without relaxing his speed. Pinchiera's horse rolled on -the ground, dragging down its rider, who got up again, greatly shaken -by his fall; but Don Sylvio and his comrades were already far away. - -"Oh, I shall find them again!" he shouted, mad with rage. - -The fugitives had reached the river's bank, where a boat was waiting -for them. - -"We shall separate here, señor," the stranger said to Don Sylvio, as he -removed his mask. - -"Pedrito!" he exclaimed. - -"Myself!" the bombero answered. "This boat will take you to the -Estancia of San Julian. Start without delay, and," he added, as he -stooped down to Don Sylvio's ear, and handed him a folded paper, "read -this, and, perhaps, you will soon be able to come to our assistance. -Good-bye, señor." - -"One word, Pedrito. Who is the man that held me prisoner?" - -"Don Torribio Carvajal." - -"Thank you." - -"Or, if you prefer it, Nocobotha, the great Chief of the Aucas." - -"Which of the two?" - -"They are the same." - -"I will remember," Don Sylvio said, as he leaped into the boat. - -The skiff glided over the water with the speed of an arrow, owing -to the vigour of the rowers, and soon disappeared in the gathering -darkness. - -Three persons who remained on the bank looked anxiously after the -movements of the boat. They were Pedrito, Mercedes, and Doña Concha. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -THE INDIAN CAMP. - - -"And now, señorita," Pedrito asked Doña Concha when the boat was out of -sight, "What are your intentions?" - -"To see Nocobotha in his camp." - -"It is dishonour; it is death." - -"No, Don Pedro, it is revenge." - -"You mean it?" - -"I am resolved." - -"Good, I will myself lead you to the camp of the Aucas." - -All three returned to Don Valentine Cardoso's house without exchanging -a word. Night had completely set in; the streets were deserted, the -silent town was illumined by the flames of Población del Sur, and the -diabolical outlines of the Indians could be seen passing among the -ruins and crumbling walls. - -"Go and get ready, señoritas; I will wait for you here," Pedrito said -with a melancholy accent. - -Mercedes and Doña Concha entered the house. Pedrito, thoughtful and -sad, sat down on one of the steps in front of the houses. The two -girls soon re-appeared, dressed in full Aucas' costume, with painted -faces, and impossible to recognize. - -"Oh!" said the bombero, "Here are two real Indian girls." - -"Do you believe," Doña Concha asked him, "that Don Torribio alone -possesses the privilege of changing himself at his pleasure." - -"Who can contend with a woman?" Pedrito said, shaking his head; "And -now, what do you demand of me?" - -"Your protection to the first Indian lines." - -"And afterwards?" - -"The rest is our business." - -"But you do not intend to remain alone in the midst of the Pagans?" - -"We must, Don Pedro." - -"Mercedes," the latter continued, "do you wish to fall again into the -hands of your persecutors? - -"Reassure yourself, brother; I run no risk." - -"Still--" - -"I answer for her," Doña Concha interrupted him. - -"Well, Heaven be merciful to you!" he muttered, with an air of doubt. - -"Let us start," said Don Sylvio's affianced wife, as she wrapped -herself up in a spacious cloak. Pedrito walked before them. The dying -fires of Carmen lit up the night with a pale and uncertain gleam; a -leaden silence brooded over the town, only interrupted at intervals -by the hoarse croaking of the birds of prey that were tearing the -Spanish and Indian corpses. The three persons walked through the ruins, -stumbling against tottering walls, striding over bodies, and disturbing -the horrible festival of the urubús and vultures which fled away with -heavy wings. They went through nearly the entire length of the town, -and at length arrived, after a thousand windings and difficulties, at -one of the barriers that faced the Indian camp, whose numerous fires -could be seen sparkling a short distance off, and from which fearful -yells reached their ears. - -The bombero exchanged a few words with the sentries, and passed through -the barricade, followed by the two girls. Then he stopped. - -"Doña Concha," he said, in a choking voice, "there is the Indian camp -before us." - -"I thank you, Don Pedro," she answered, offering him her hand. - -"Señorita," Pedrito added, retaining the young lady's hand, "there is -still time; give up your fatal plan, since your betrothed is saved, and -return to San Julian." - -"Good-bye," Doña Concha answered resolutely. - -"Good-bye," the worthy man repeated sorrowfully. "Mercedes, I implore -you to remain with me." - -"Where she goes, I will go, brother." - -The leave-taking was short, as may be supposed, and the bombero, so -soon as he was alone, uttered a sigh, or rather a burst of sorrow, and -returned to Carmen at a sharp pace. - -"I trust I may not arrive too late," he said to himself, "and that he -has not yet seen Don Antonio Valverde." - -He reached the fort at the moment when Don Torribio and the governor -were crossing the drawbridge, but absorbed in his own thoughts, he -did not perceive the two horsemen. This accident was the cause of an -irreparable misfortune. - -As for the two girls, they proceeded haphazard toward the camp fires, -a short distance from which they halted to regain breath and calm the -movement of their hearts, which beat as if ready to start from their -breasts. When near the danger they voluntarily sought, they felt their -courage abandon them; the sight of the Indian toldos made their blood -run cold with terror. Strange to say, it was Mercedes who revived her -companion's firmness. - -"Señorita," she said to her, "I will be your guide; we will leave these -cloaks here, which would cause us to be recognized as white persons. -Walk by my side, and whatever may happen, display neither surprise nor -fear, and before all say not a word, or it will be all over with us." - -"I will obey," Concha answered. - -"We are," Mercedes exclaimed, "two Indian girls who have made a vow -to Gualichu for the recovery of their wounded father. Remember, not a -word, my friend!" - -"Let us go on, and may Heaven protect us." - -"So be it!" Mercedes replied, crossing herself. They set out again, and -within five minutes entered the camp, where the Indians were giving way -to the most extravagant joy. Nothing could be heard on all sides but -songs and yells. Drunk with aguardiente, they danced in a burlesque -fashion among empty barrels, which they had plundered from Población -del Sur and the estancias. There was a wondrous disorder and a strange -confusion, and all these raving madmen even ignored the authority of -their Ulmens, the majority of whom, however, were in a state of the -most disgusting intoxication. - -Owing to the general uproar, Concha and Mercedes were enabled to cross -the camp lines unseen; then, with palpitating hearts, limbs rigid with -terror, but calm faces, they glided like lizards through the groups, -passing unperceived by the drunken men, who stumbled against each -other at every moment. The girls seemed lost in this human labyrinth, -wandering haphazard, and trusting to Providence or their lucky stars -to discover the abode of the great Toqui in this confused mass of -toldos. They walked about for a long time, but rendered bolder by their -success in avoiding any unpleasant encounter, and feeling less timid, -they exchanged at times a hoping glance, till all at once an Indian of -athletic build seized Doña Concha round the waist, lifted her from the -ground like a child, and imprinted a hearty kiss on her neck. - -At this unexpected outrage, Concha uttered a cry of terror, disengaged -herself from the Indian's grasp, and forcibly thrust him away from her. -The savage tottered on his drunken legs, and measured his length of six -feet on the ground; but he sprang up again at once and leapt on the -maiden like a jaguar. - -Mercedes interposed between them. - -"Back," she said, courageously, laying her hand on the Indian's chest, -"this woman is my sister." - -"Churlakin," another chief said, "do not put up with an insult." - -The savage frowned and drew his knife. - -"Do you wish to kill her?" Mercedes exclaimed in horror. - -"Yes," Churlakin answered, "unless she will follow me to my toldo, -where she will be the squaw of a chief--a great chief." - -"You are mad," Mercedes retorted, "your toldo is full, and there is no -room for another fire." "There is still room for two fires," the Indian -answered, with a laugh, "and since this woman is your sister, you shall -come with her." - -In the course of this discussion an impenetrable circle of savages -surrounded the two girls and Churlakin. Mercedes did not know how to -escape the danger. - -"Well," Churlakin continued, seizing Doña Concha's hair, which he -rolled round his wrist, and brandishing his knife, "will you and your -sister follow me to my toldo?" - -Doña Concha, who had sunk down to the ground, awaited the death-stroke -with pallid face and closed eyes. Mercedes drew herself and checked the -arm that was ready to strike. - -"Since you insist on it, dog," she said to the chief, in a haughty -voice, "your destiny shall be accomplished. Look at me. Gualichu does -not allow his slaves to be insulted with impunity. Look at me!" - -She turned her face towards a huge fire, flashing a few yards off, and -which threw a bright light over the surrounding objects. The Indians -uttered a cry of surprise on recognizing her, and fell back. Churlakin -himself let go of Doña Concha's hair. - -"Oh!" he said, in consternation, "It is the white slave of the tree of -Gualichu." - -The circle round the two girls had grown larger; but the superstitious -Indians, nailed to the ground by terror, looked at them fixedly. - -"The power of Gualichu," Mercedes added, to complete her triumph, "is -great and terrible. It is he who sends me; woe to the man who would try -to thwart his designs; back, all of you." - -And seizing the arm of Doña Concha, who was still trembling with -emotion, she advanced with a firm step. Waving her arm authoritatively, -the circle divided, and the Indians fell back to the right and left, -making way for them to pass. - -"I feel as if I was dying," Doña Concha murmured. - -"Courage, señorita, we are saved." - -"Oh, oh!" a mocking voice said, "what is going on here?" - -And a man placed himself in front of the girls, and looked impudently -at them. - -"The matchi!" the Indians said, who, being reassured by the presence of -their sorcerer, again assembled round the prisoners. - -Mercedes trembled inwardly on seeing her stratagem compromised by the -advent of the matchi, and at the suggestion of despair, she made a -final effort. - -"Gualichu, who loves the Indians," she said, "has sent me to the matchi -of the Aucas." - -"Ah!" the sorcerer answered, in a mocking accent, "And what does he -want with me?" - -"No one but yourself must hear it." - -The matchi walked up to the maiden, laid his hand on her shoulder, and -looked at her with a longing air. - -"Will you save me?" she asked him in a low voice. - -"That depends," the fellow answered, his eye sparkling with desire, "it -is in your own hands." She repressed a look of disgust. - -"Stay," she said, as she removed from her arms her rich gold bracelets, -set with fine pearls. - -"Och!" said the Indian, as he concealed them in his bosom, "That is -fine; what does my daughter want?" - -"Deliver us first from these men." - -"Fly!" the matchi shouted, turning to the spectators; "This woman is -under an evil spell; Gualichu is irritated. Fly!" - -The sorcerer had immediately put on a face adapted to the -circumstances; his mysterious conversation with the white woman and the -terror depicted on his features were sufficient for the Indians, who, -without stopping to ask any questions dispersed in all directions, and -disappeared behind the toldos. - -"You see," the sorcerer said, with a smile of pride, "I am powerful, -and can avenge myself on those who deceive me. But where does my white -daughter come from?" - -"From the tree of Gualichu," she answered boldly. - -"My daughter has the forked tongue of the cougar," the matchi replied, -who believed neither in his own words nor in his god; "does she take me -for a ñandu?" - -"Here is a magnificent collar of pearls which Gualichu gave me for the -inspired man of the Aucas." - -"Oh," said the sorcerer, "what service can I render my daughter?" - -"Lead us to the toldo of the great chief of the Patagonian nations." - -"Does my daughter desire to speak with Nocobotha?" - -"I do." - -"Nocobotha is a wise chief; will he receive a woman?" - -"He must." - -"It is well. But this other woman?" he asked, pointing to Doña Concha. - -"She is a friend of Pincheira's; she also wishes to speak with the -great Toqui." - -"The warriors will spin llama wool," the sorcerer said, shaking his -head, "since women wage war and sit at the council fire." - -"My father is mistaken; Nocobotha loves his sister." - -"No," the Indian said. - -"Will my father make haste? Nocobotha is waiting for us," Mercedes -continued, impatient at the savage's tergiversation; "where is the -toldo of the great chief?" - -"Follow me, my white daughters." - -He placed himself between them, seized an arm of each, and guided -them through the inextricable labyrinth of the camp. The terrified -Indians fled as they passed. In his heart the matchi was satisfied with -Mercedes' presents, and the opportunity for proving to the warriors his -intimate relations with Gualichu. The marching and counter-marching -lasted a quarter of an hour, and at last they found themselves before a -toldo, in front of which was planted the token of the united nations, -surrounded by lances fringed with scarlet, and guarded by four warriors. - -"It is here," he said to Mercedes. - -"Good! My father will let us go in alone." - -"Must I leave you, then?" - -"Yes, but my father can wait for us outside." - -"I will wait," the sorcerer said briefly, as he looked suspiciously at -the maidens. - -They went in with sorely beating hearts. The toldo was empty. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -THE TOLDO OF THE GREAT TOQUI. - - -Don Antonio Valverde, delighted at the succour the president of the -Argentine Republic sent him, rode at a gallop by the side of the new -colonel, Don Torribio. They soon reached a barrier, guarded by a large -body of gauchos and armed colonists. - -"We must go out here," Don Torribio said to the governor, "but, as the -night is dark, and we have one or two leagues to ride, it would be -imprudent to venture alone upon a plain traversed by vagabond Indians." - -"That is true," Don Antonio interrupted him. - -"The governor must not risk his life lightly; suppose you were made -prisoner, for instance, what a blow it would be for the colony." - -"You speak most sensibly, Don Torribio." - -"Let us take an escort." - -"Of how many men?" - -"Ten will be enough." - -"We will take twenty, for we may come across a hundred Indians." - -"Twenty, then, if you wish it, Don Antonio," the other answered with a -sardonic smile. - -On the governor's arrival the defenders of the fort had got under arms. -Don Torribio detailed twenty horsemen, who, by his orders formed up -behind him. - -"Are we ready to start, governor?" - -"Let us be off." - -The escort, having the two colonels at its head, started in the -direction of the plain, Torribio delighted Don Antonio Valverde for -three quarters of an hour by the rolling fire of his witty remarks, -when he was interrupted by him. - -"Pardon me, colonel," the governor said anxiously, "but does it not -appear singular to you that we have as yet met nobody?" - -"Not the least in the world, señor," Torribio answered; "of course they -know what road to take, and they are awaiting my return." - -"That is possible," the governor said, after a moment's reflection. - -"In that case we shall have another league to ride. Let us go on, then." - -Don Torribio's vein of humour was exhausted. At times his eye examined -the space around him, while Don Antonio remained silent. All at once -the distant neighing of a horse reached their ears. - -"What's that?" Torribio asked. - -"Probably the men we are seeking." - -"In any case let us be prudent. Wait for me; I will go ahead as scout." - -He galloped forward and disappeared in the gloom. When a certain -distance off, he dismounted and put his ears to the ground. - -"_¡Demonios!_" he muttered, as he got up and leapt on to his horse -again; "we are pursued. Can that Satan of a Pedrito have recognized me?" - -"What's the matter?" the governor asked. "Nothing," Torribio replied, -laying his left hand on his arm. "Don Antonio Valverde, surrender; you -are my prisoner." - -"Are you mad, Don Torribio?" - -"No longer call me Don Torribio, señor," the young man said in a hollow -voice; "I am Nocobotha, the great chief of the Patagonian natives." - -"Treachery!" the governor shouted; "Help, gauchos, defend me!" - -"It is useless, colonel, for those men belong to me." - -"I will not surrender," the governor continued "Don Torribio, or -whoever you may be, you are a coward." - -He freed himself from the young man's grasp by a bound of his horse, -and drew his sabre. The rapid gallop of several horses came nearer -every moment. - -"Can that be help arriving for me?" the governor said, as he cocked a -pistol. - -"Yes, but too late," the Indian chief answered coldly. - -By his orders, the gauchos surrounded the commandant, who killed two -of them. From this moment the fight in the dark became frightful. Don -Antonio, seeing that his life was lost, wished, at least, to die as a -soldier should die, and fought desperately. - -The sound of the galloping horses constantly drew nearer. - -Nocobotha saw that it was time to finish, and with a pistol shot killed -the governor's horse. Don Antonio rolled on the sand, but, jumping -up suddenly, he dealt his adversary a sabre stroke, which the latter -parried by leaping on one side. - -"A man such as I am does not surrender to dogs like you," Don Antonio -exclaimed, as he blew out his own brains. - -This explosion was followed by a sharp discharge of musketry, and -a squadron of horsemen rushed like a whirlwind on the gauchos. The -contest hardly lasted a moment. At a whistle from Nocobotha the gauchos -turned round and fled separately over the dark plain. Eight corpses -strewed the ground. - -"Too late!" Pedrito said to Major Bloomfield, who had started in -pursuit of Don Torribio so soon as the bombero warned him of the peril -into which the Indian had led the governor. - -"Yes," said the major, sorrowfully, "he was a good soldier; but how are -we to catch the traitors up, and know what we have to depend on?" - -"They are already in the Indian camp." - -Pedrito leapt from his horse, cut with his machete a branch of resinous -fir, which he made into a torch, and by its light examined the bodies -stretched on the ground. - -"Here he is!" the bombero exclaimed; "His skull is fearfully fractured; -his hand grasps a pistol; but his face still retains an expression of -haughty defiance." - -A silent tear rolled down Major Bloomfield's bronzed face. - -"Why was my old friend fated thus to die in an ambuscade when his -fortress is besieged?" the Englishman murmured. - -"God is the Master," Pedrito remarked, philosophically. - -"He has performed his duty, so let us perform ours." - -They raised the body of Don Antonio Valverde, and then the whole -squadron returned to Carmen. - -Nocobotha, however, we must remark, had only wished to make the colonel -prisoner in order to treat with the colonists, and shed as little blood -as possible, and he bitterly regretted the governor's death. While the -gauchos were rejoicing at the success of the trap, Nocobotha, gloomy -and dissatisfied, returned to his camp. - -Mercedes and Doña Concha, on seeing the toldo of the great chief -unoccupied, could not repress a sigh of satisfaction. They had the -time to recover from their emotion in his absence, and prepare for -the interview which Concha desired to have with him. They had removed -their Indian garb in all haste, and resumed their Spanish attire. By an -accident that favoured the plans of Don Sylvio's betrothed wife, she -was lovelier and more seductive than usual; her pallor had a touching -and irresistible grace about it, and her eyes flashed eager flames of -love or hatred. - -When Nocobotha arrived in front of the toldo, the matchi walked up to -him. - -"What do you want?" the chief asked. - -"My father will pardon me," the sorcerer answered, humbly. "This night -two women have entered the camp." - -"What do I care?" the chief interrupted him, impatiently. - -"These women, though dressed in the Indian fashion, are white," the -matchi said, laying a stress on the last word. - -"They are doubtless wives of the gauchos." - -"No," the sorcerer said; "their hands are too white, and their feet too -small. Besides, one of them is the white slave of the tree of Gualichu." - -"Ah! and who made them prisoners?" - -"No one; they arrived alone." - -"Alone?" - -"I accompanied them through the camp, and protected them against the -curiosity of the warriors." - -"You acted well." - -"I introduced them into my father's toldo." - -"Are they there now?" - -"For the last hour." - -"I thank my brother." - -Nocobotha took off one of his bracelets, and threw it to the matchi, -who bowed down to the ground. - -The chief, suffering from indescribable agitation, rushed toward his -toldo, the curtain of which he raised with a feverish hand, and he -could not restrain a cry of delight and astonishment on hearing Doña -Concha's voice. - -The maiden greeted him with one of those strange and charming smiles of -which women alone possess the secret. - -"What is the meaning of this?" the chief asked, with a graceful bow. - -Doña Concha involuntarily admired the young man; his splendid Indian -costume flashing in the light, heightened his masculine and proud -attitude, and his head was haughtily erect. He was very handsome, and -born to command. - -"By what name shall I address you, caballero?" she said to him, as she -pointed to a seat of carved copal wood by her side. - -"That depends, señorita. If you address the Spaniard, call me Don -Torribio; if you have come to speak to the Indian, my brothers call me -Nocobotha." - -"We shall see," she said. - -During a momentary silence, the two speakers examined each other aside. -Doña Concha did not know how to begin, and the chief himself was -seeking the motive for such a visit. - -"Did you really wish to see me?" Nocobotha at length began. - -"Who else?" she replied. - -"The happiness of seeing you here appears to me a dream, and I fear -lest I should awake from it." - -This remark reminded her of Don Valentine Cardoso's guest, and did not -agree with the ornaments of an Indian chief and the interior of a toldo. - -"Good gracious!" Doña Concha said lightly, "You are not far removed -from believing me a witch or a fairy, so I will break my wand." - -"For all that you will not be the less an enchantress," Nocobotha -interrupted her with a smile. - -"The sorcerer is this child's brother, who revealed to me your real -name, and the spot where I might find you. You must give Pedrito all -the credit." - -"I shall not forget it when an opportunity offers," he answered with a -frown, which did not escape Doña Concha's notice; "but let us return -to yourself, señorita. Would it be an indiscretion to ask you to what -extraordinary circumstance I owe the favour of a visit which I did not -anticipate, but which overwhelms me with joy?" - -"Oh! A very simple cause," she replied, giving him a fiery look. - -"I am listening, madam." - -"Perhaps you wish to make me undergo an examination?" - -"Oh! I trust that you do not think what you are saying." - -"Don Torribio, we live in such unhappy times, that a person can never -be sure of addressing a friend." - -"I am yours, madam." - -"I hope so, and even believe it, hence I will speak to you in the most -perfect confidence. A girl of my age, and especially of my rank, does -not take a step so singular, without very serious motives." - -"I am convinced of that." - -"What can make a woman lay aside her instinctive modesty, and cause -her to disdain even her reputation? What feeling inspires her with -masculine courage? Is it not love, Don Torribio --love? Do you -understand me?" - -"Yes, madam," he answered with emotion. - -"Well, I have said it, it is a question of my heart and of -yours--perhaps--Don Torribio. At our last interview, my father -announced rather suddenly, both to you and me, my approaching marriage -with Don Sylvio d'Arenal. I had thought you loved me--" - -"Señorita!" - -"But at that moment I became certain of it; I saw your sudden pallor, -your voice was troubled." - -"Still!--" - -"I am a woman, Don Torribio; we women guess a man's love before a man -himself does so." - -The Indian chief gazed at her with an undefinable expression. - -"A few days later," she continued, "Don Sylvio fell into an -ambuscade--why did you do that, Don Torribio?" - -"I wished to avenge myself on a rival, but I did not order his death." - -"I knew it." - -Nocobotha did not understand her. - -"You had no rival--you had scarce left the house ere I confessed to my -father that I did not love Don Sylvio, and would not marry him." - -"O Heavens!" the young man exclaimed sorrowfully. - -"Reassure yourself, the misfortune is repaired; Don Sylvio is not dead." - -"Who told you so?" - -"I know it, I know it so well that Don Sylvio, torn from Pincheira's -hands by my orders, is at this moment at the Estancia de San Julian, -whence he will shortly set out for Buenos Aires." - -"Can I--" - -"That is not all. I made my father understand toward whom my heart -turned, and whose love it confided in, and my father, who has never -been able to refuse me anything, permitted me to go and join the man -whom I prefer." - -She gave Don Torribio a glance full of love, looked down and blushed. A -thousand contradictory feelings were contending in Nocobotha's heart, -for he did not dare believe that which rendered him so happy; a doubt -remained, a cruel doubt--suppose she were trifling with him? - -"What!" he said, "You love me?" - -"My presence here,--" she stammered. - -"Happiness renders me confused, so forgive me." - -"If I did not love you," she answered, "Sylvio is free and I could -marry him." - -"Oh women! Adorable creatures, who will ever sound the depths of your -heart! Who can divine the sorrow or joy you conceal in a glance or in a -smile? Yes, señorita, yes, I love you, and I wish to tell you so on my -knees." - -And the great chief of the Patagonian nations threw himself at Doña -Concha's feet; he pressed her hands and covered them with burning -kisses. The maiden, who held her head erect, while he lay thus -prostrate before her, had a ferocious delight in her eyes; she had -repeated the eternal allegory of the lion that surrenders its claws -to the scissors of love. This man, so powerful and formidable, was -conquered, and henceforth she was sure of her vengeance. - -"What shall I tell my father?" she said in a voice gentle as a caress. - -The lion rose with flashing eyes and radiant brow. - -"Madam," he answered with supreme majesty, "tell Don Valentine Cardoso -that within a month I shall place a crown on your beloved forehead." - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -DELILAH. - - -It is rare for an extreme situation, when drawn to its utmost limits, -to remain long in a state of tension; hence it is not surprising that -Nocobotha, after advancing so far in his confiding love, should recoil -terrified at the progress he had made. Man is so constituted that -too much happiness embarrasses and alarms him, and it is, perhaps, a -foreboding that this happiness will be of short duration. The Indian -chief, whose heart overflowed like a brimming cup, felt a vague -doubt mingle with his joy and obscure it with a cloud. Still, it is -pleasant to flatter one's self, and the young man yielded to this new -intoxication and the pleasures of hope. These smiles, these looks, -everything reassured him. Why had she come to him through so many -dangers? She loves me, he thought, and love intensified the bandage -which Doña Concha had fastened over his eyes with so much grace and -perfidy. - -Men of lofty intellect are nearly all unconsciously affected by -a weakness that frequently causes their ruin, the more so because -they believe nobody clever enough to cheat them. Had Nocobotha -nothing to fear from this girl of fifteen, who avowed her love with -such simplicity? But as his mind was, so to speak, turned away from -real life to be absorbed in a single dream--the independence of his -country--Nocobotha had never essayed to read that enigmatical book -called a woman's heart; he was ignorant that a woman, especially an -American woman, never forgives an insult offered to her lover, for he -is her deity and is inviolable. - -The Indian loved for the first time, and this first love, which is -so sharp that at a later date all other loves grow pale at the mere -remembrance of it, had sunk deeply into his heart. He loved, and the -transient doubt which had saddened his thoughts could not struggle -against a thought which was now eradicable. - -"Can I," Concha asked, "remain in your camp without fear of being -insulted, until my father arrives?" - -"Command me, madam," the Indian answered, "you have only slaves here." - -"This girl, to whom you owe my presence here, will proceed to the -Estancia of San Julian." - -Nocobotha walked to the curtain of the toldo and clapped his hands -twice. Lucaney appeared. - -"Let a toldo be prepared for me, I give up to the two paleface women," -the chief said in the Aucas tongue. "A band of picked warriors, -selected by my brother, will watch over their safety night and day. Woe -to the man who fails in respect to them! These women are sacred and -free to come and go and receive any visitors they think proper. Have -two horses saddled for me and for one of the white women." - -Lucaney went out. - -"You see, madam, that you are the queen here." - -Doña Concha drew from her bosom a letter written beforehand and -unsealed, which she handed to him, with a smile on her lips, but -trembling at her heart. - -"Read, Don Torribio, what I have written to my father." - -"Oh, señorita!" he exclaimed, thrusting the note away. - -Doña Concha slowly folded the letter without any apparent emotion, and -delivered it to Mercedes. - -"My child, you will give this to my father when alone, and explain to -him what I have forgotten to say." - -"Permit me to withdraw, madam." - -"No," Concha replied, with a bewitching smile, "I have no secrets from -you." - -The young man smiled at this remark. At this moment the horses were -brought up, and Doña Concha found time to whisper in Mercedes' ear the -hurried words: "Your brother must be here in an hour." - -Mercedes slightly closed her eyes as a sign of intelligence. - -"I will accompany your friend myself," the chief said, "as far as the -entrenchments of Carmen." - -"I thank you, Don Torribio." - -The two maidens tenderly embraced. - -"In an hour," Doña Concha murmured. - -"Good," Mercedes answered. - -"You are at home here, madam," Nocobotha said to Doña Concha, who -accompanied him to the entrance of the toldo. - -Mercedes and the chief mounted their horses: the young Spanish girl -followed them with eye and ear, and then re-entered the toldo. - -"The game has begun, and he must reveal his plans to me." - -In a quarter of an hour Mercedes and her guide came within fifty yards -of Carmen, without having exchanged a word. - -"Here," said Nocobotha, "you no longer require my services." - -He turned back and galloped toward the camp. The girl advanced boldly -in the direction of the town, whose gloomy outline rose before her. But -a vigorous hand seized her bridle, she felt a pistol placed against her -bosom, and a low voice said in Spanish-- - -"Who goes there?" - -"A friend," she replied, suppressing a shriek of terror. - -"Mercedes!" the rude voice exclaimed, becoming much softer. - -"Pedrito!" she replied joyously, as she slipped into the arms of her -brother, who embraced her affectionately. - -"Where do you come from, little sister?" - -"From the camp of the Patagonians." - -"Already?" - -"My mistress has sent me to you." - -"Who accompanied you?" - -"Nocobotha himself." - -"Malediction!" the bombero said, "For five minutes I had him at the end -of my rifle. Well, but come, we will talk inside." - -"Oh!" Pedrito exclaimed, when Mercedes ended the narration of their -expedition, "Oh, women are demons, demons, and men plucked chickens; -and your letter?" - -"Here it is." - -"Don Valentine must receive it tonight, for the poor father will be -pining in mortal anxiety." - -"I will carry it," said Mercedes. - -"No; you need rest. I have a safe man here, who will ride to the -estancia. You, little sister, come into the house, where a worthy -woman, who knows me, will take care of you." - -"Will you go to Doña Concha?" - -"I should think so. Poor girl! alone among the Pagans." - -"Ever devoted, my kind brother!" - -"It seems that is my vocation." - -Pedrito led Mercedes to the house he had referred to, warmly -recommended her to the hostess, and then turned into a street, in the -middle of which a large fire was burning, and several men reposing -round it, wrapped in their cloaks. The bombero roughly shook the foot -of one of the sleepers. - -"Come, come, Patito," he said to him, "up with you, my boy, and gallop -to the Estancia of San Julian." - -"Why, I have just come from there," the gaucho muttered, yawning and -rubbing his eyes. - -"The better reason; you must know the road. It is Doña Concha who sends -you." - -"If the señorita wishes it, of course," Patito said, whom the name -thoroughly aroused; "what am I to do?" - -"Mount your horse and carry this letter to Don Valentine; it is an -important letter, you understand?" - -"Very good." - -"Let nobody take it from you." - -"Of course not." - -"If you are killed--?" - -"I shall be killed." - -"When you are dead it must not even be found on you." - -"I will swallow it." - -"The Indians will not think of ripping you up." - -"All right." - -"Be off." - -"Only give me time to saddle my horse." - -"Good-bye, Patito, and luck be with you." Pedrito left the gaucho, who -speedily started. - -"It is now my turn," the bombero muttered; "how am I to reach Doña -Concha?" - -He scratched his head and frowned, but ere long his forehead became -unwrinkled, and he proceeded gaily to the fort; After a conference -with Major Bloomfield, who had succeeded Don Antonio Valverde in -command of the town, Pedrito doffed his clothes, and disguised himself -as an Aucas. He set out, slipped into the Indian camp, and shortly -before sunrise was back again in the town. - -"Well?" his sister said to him. - -"All goes well," the bombero answered, "_¡Viva Dios!_ Nocobotha, I -fancy, will pay dearly for carrying off Don Sylvio. Oh, women are -demons!" - -"Am I to go and join her?" - -"No; it is unnecessary." - -And, without entering into any details, Pedrito, who was worn out with -fatigue, selected a place to sleep in, snored away, not troubling -himself about the Indians. - -Several days elapsed ere the besiegers renewed their attack on the -town, which, however, they invested more closely. The Spaniards, -strictly blockaded, and having no communication with the exterior, -found their provisions running short, and hideous famine would soon -pounce on its victims. Fortunately, the indefatigable Pedrito had an -idea which he communicated to Major Bloomfield. He had a hundred and -fifty loaves worked up with arsenic, water, and vitriol mingled with -twenty barrels of spirits; the whole loaded on mules, was placed under -the escort of Pedrito and his two brothers. The bomberos approached -the Patagonian earthworks with this frugal stock of provisions. The -Indians, who are passionately fond of firewater, rushed to meet the -caravan, and seize the barrels. Pedrito and his brothers left their -burden lying on the sand, and returned to the town at a gallop with the -mules, which were intended to support the besieged, if the Patagonians -did not make the assault. - -There was a high holiday in the camp. The loaves were cut up; the heads -of the barrels stove in, and nothing was left. This orgy cost the -Indians six thousand men, who died in atrocious tortures. The others, -struck with horror, began disbanding in all directions. The chiefs -were no longer respected. Nocobotha himself saw his authority wavering -before the superstition of the savages, who believed in a celestial -punishment. The prisoners, men, women, and children, were massacred -with horrible refinements of barbarity. Doña Concha, though protected -by the great chief, only owed her escape to chance or to God, who -preserved her as the instrument of His will. - -The rage of the Indians, having no one left to vent itself on, -gradually calmed down. Nocobotha went about constantly to restore -courage. He felt that it was time to come to an end, and he gave -Lucaney orders to assemble all the chiefs in his toldo. - -"Great chiefs of the great nations," Nocobotha said to them, so soon as -they were all collected round the council fire, "tomorrow, at daybreak, -Carmen will be attacked on all sides at once. So soon as the town is -taken the campaign will be over. Those who recoil are not men, but -slaves. Remember that we are fighting for the liberty of our race." - -He then informed each chief of the place of his tribe in the assault; -formed a reserve of ten thousand men to support, if necessary, those -who gave way, and, after cheering up the Ulmens, he dismissed them. So -soon as he was alone, he proceeded to Doña Concha's toldo. The young -lady gave Lucaney orders to admit him. Doña Concha was talking with her -father, who, on receiving her letter, through Patito, at once hastened -to her. - -The interior of the toldo was completely altered, for Nocobotha -had placed in it furniture, carried off from the estancias by the -Indians. Externally nothing was changed, but inside it was divided by -partitions, and rendered a perfect European residence. Here Concha -lived pleasantly enough, honoured by the supreme chief and in the -company of her father and Mercedes, who acted as her lady's maid. - -The Indians, though somewhat astonished at their great Toqui's mode of -life, remembered the European education he had received, and dared not -complain. Was not Nocobotha's hatred of the white men still equally -ardent? Were not his words still full of love for his country at the -council fire? Was it not he who had directed the invasion, and led the -tribes on the path of liberty? Hence, Nocobotha had lost nothing in the -opinion of the warriors. He was still their well-beloved chief. - -"Is the effervescence of the tribes appeased?" Doña Concha asked -Nocobotha. - -"Yes, Heaven be thanked, señorita; but the man commanding at Carmen is -a wild beast. Six thousand men have been killed by poison." - -"Oh, it is fearful," the young lady said. - -"The whites are accustomed to treat us thus, and poison--" - -"Say no more about it, Don Torribio; it makes me shudder." - -"For centuries the Spaniards have been our murderers." - -"What do you intend doing?" Don Valentine asked, in order to turn the -conversation. - -"Tomorrow, señor, a general assault will be made on Carmen." - -"Tomorrow?" - -"Yes. Tomorrow I shall have destroyed the Spaniards' power in the -Patagonia, or be dead myself." - -"God will protect the good cause," Doña Concha said in a prophetic -voice. - -A cloud passed over Don Valentine's forehead. - -"During the battle, which will be obstinate, I implore you, señorita, -not to leave this toldo, before which I will leave twenty men on guard." - -"Are you going to leave us already, Don Torribio?" - -"I must; so excuse me, madam." - -"Good-bye, then," Doña Concha said. - -"All is over!" Don Valentine murmured, in despair, when Nocobotha had -gone out. "They will succeed." - -The maiden, who was calm and half smiling, but whose eye was inflamed -with hatred, walked up to Don Valentine, clasped her hands on his -shoulder, and said, in a whisper-- - -"Have you read the Bible, father?" - -"Yes; when I was young." - -"Do you remember the history of Samson Delilah?" - -"Do you mean to cut his hair off, then?" - -"Do you remember Judith and Holofernes?" - -"Then you mean to cut his head off?" - -"No, father." - -"What mean these strange questions?" - -"I love Don Sylvio!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -THE AGONY OF A TOWN. - - -About two in the morning, at the moment when the blue jay struck up -its first song, faint as a sigh, Nocobotha, completely armed for war, -left his toldo, and proceeded to the centre of the camp. Here the -Ulmens, Apo-Ulmens, and caraskens, were squatting on their heels round -an immense fire, and smoking in silence. All rose on the arrival of -the supreme Toqui, but at a signal from the master they resumed their -seats. Nocobotha then turned to the matchi, who was walking gravely by -his side, and to whom he had dictated his orders beforehand. - -"Will Gualichu," he asked him, "be neutral, adverse, or favourable in -the war of his Indian sons against the pale faces?" - -The sorcerer went up to the fire, and walked round it thrice from left -to right, while muttering unintelligible words. At the third round he -filled a calabash with sacred water contained in closely plaited reeds, -sprinkled the assembly, and threw the rest toward the east. Then, -with body half bent and head advanced, he stretched out his arms, and -appeared listening to sounds perceptible to himself alone. - -On his right hand the blue jay poured forth its plaintive note twice -in succession. Suddenly the matchi's face was disfigured by horrible -grimaces; his blood-suffused eyes swelled; he turned pale and trembled -as if suffering from an ague fit. - -"The spirit is coming! The spirit is coming!" the Indians said. - -"Silence!" Nocobotha commanded; "The sage, is about to speak." - -In fact, obeying this indirect order, he whistled guttural sounds -between his teeth, among which the broken words could be detected-- - -"The spirit is marching!" he exclaimed; "He has unfastened his long -hair, which floats in the wind; his breath spreads death around. The -sky is red with blood! Gualichu, the prince of evil will not want -for victims. The flesh of the palefaces serves as a sheath for the -knives of the Patagonians. Do you hear the urubús and vultures in -the distance? What a splendid meal they will have!--Utter the war -yell! Courage, warriors, Gualichu guides you death is nothing; glory -everything." - -The sorcerer still continued to stammer, and rolled on the ground, -suffering from a fit of epilepsy. Then the Indians pitilessly turned -away from him, for the man who is so rash as to touch the matchi when -the spirit is torturing him would be struck by a sudden death. Such is -the Indian belief. - -Nocobotha addressed the audience in his turn. "Chiefs of the great -Patagonian nations, as you see, the God of our fathers is with us, and -He wishes our land to become free again. The sun, when it sets, must -not see a Spanish flag waving in Patagonia. Courage, brothers! The -Incas, my ancestors, who hunt on the blessed prairies of the Eskennam, -will joyfully receive among them those who may fall in battle. Each -will proceed to his post! The cry of the urubú, repeated thrice at -equal intervals, will be the signal for the assault." - -The chiefs bowed and withdrew. - -The night, studded with stars, was calm and imposing. The moon coloured -with a pale silver the dark blue of the firmament. There was not a -breath in the air, not a cloud in the sky; the atmosphere was serene -and limpid; nothing disturbed the silence of this splendid night, -except the dull, vague murmur which seems on the desert to be the -breathing of sleeping nature. - -A thousand varied feelings were confounded in the mind of Nocobotha, -who thought of the approaching deliverance of his country, and his -love for Doña Concha. Then raising his eyes to the star-studded vault -of Heaven, the Indian fervently implored Him who is omnipotent, and -who tries the loins and hearts to fight on his side. If he had been -compelled to choose between his love and the cause he defended, he -assuredly would not have hesitated; for the happiness of an individual -is as nothing when compared with the liberty of an entire nation. - -While the Toqui was plunged in these reflections a hand was laid -heavily on his shoulder. It was the matchi who looked at him with his -tiger cat eyes. - -"What do you want?" he asked him drily. - -"Is my father satisfied with me? Did Gualichu speak well?" - -"Yes," the chief said, repressing a start of disgust. "Withdraw." - -"My father is great and generous." - -Nocobotha contemptuously threw one of his rich necklaces to the -wretched sorcerer, who made a grimace to show his joy. - -"Begone!" he said to him. - -The matchi, satisfied with his reward, went away. The trade of an -Indian sorcerer is a famous one. - -"I have the time," Nocobotha muttered, after calculating the hours by -the position of the stars. - -He hastily bent his steps toward Doña Concha's toldo. - -"She is there," he said to himself, "she is sleeping, lulled by her -childish dreams; her lips are opened like a flower to inhale the -perfumed breath of night. She is slumbering with her hand upon her -heart to defend it. And I love her! Grant, O Heaven, that I may render -her happy! Help my arm, which wishes to save a people!" - -He went up to a warrior, standing at the entrance to the toldo. - -"Lucaney," he said, in a voice that was powerfully affected, "I have -twice saved you from death." - -"I remember it." - -"All I love is in that toldo: I intrust it to you." - -"This toldo is sacred, my father." - -"Thanks!" Nocobotha said, affectionately pressing the hand of the -Ulmen, who kissed the hem of his robe. - -The Ulmens, after the council was over, had drawn up their tribes in -readiness for the assault; the warriors, lying down flat on the ground, -began one of those astounding marches which Indians alone are capable -of undertaking. Gliding and crawling like lizards through the lofty -grass, they succeeded, within an hour, in placing themselves unnoticed -at the very foot of the Argentine intrenchments. This movement had -been executed with the refined prudence the Indians display on the war -trail. The silence of the prairie had not been disturbed, and the town -seemed buried in sleep. - -Some minutes, however, before the Ulmens received Nocobotha's final -orders, a man, dressed in the costume of the Aucas, had left the camp -before them all, and made his way to Carmen on his hands and knees. On -reaching the first barricades, he held out his hands to an invisible -hand, which hoisted him over the wall. - -"Well, Pedrito?" - -"We shall be attacked, major, within an hour." - -"Is it an assault?" - -"Yes; the Indians are afraid of being poisoned like rats, and hence -wish to come to an end." - -"What is to be done?" - -"We must die." - -"By Jupiter! That's fine advice." - -"We may still try--" - -"What?" - -"Give me twenty faithful gauchos." - -"Take them, and what then?" - -"Leave me to act, major. I do not answer for success, as these red -demons are as numerous as flies; but I shall certainly kill some of -them." - -"And the women and children?" - -"I have shut them up in the Estancia of San Julian." - -"Heaven be praised!" - -"But, by the way, they will attack the estancia if they take Carmen." - -"You're a humbug, Pedrito," the major said, with a smile. "You forget -Doña Concha." - -"That is true," the bombero remarked gaily; "I did not think of the -señorita. I also forgot this--the signal for the attack will be an -urubú cry, repeated at three equal intervals." - -"Good! I will go and prepare, for I do not expect they will wait for -sunrise." - -The major on one side, and the bombero on the other, proceeded from -post to post to awake the defenders of the town, and warn them to be on -their guard. - -On that very evening, Major Bloomfield had convened all the -inhabitants; and in a short and energetic harangue depicted to them -their desperate situation. - -"The boats tied up under the guns of the fort," he said, in -conclusion, "are ready to receive the women, children, and any -frightened men. They will be removed during the night to the Estancia -of San Julian." - -The inhabitants stationed themselves behind the barricades with eye and -ear on the watch, and musket in hand. An hour was spent in watching for -the Patagonians, when suddenly the hoarse, ill-omened cry of the urubú -broke the silence. A second cry followed the first closely, and the -last note of the third was still vibrating, when a frightful clamour -burst forth on all sides simultaneously, and the Indians dashed forward -tumultuously to scale the outer entrenchments. They broke against the -living wall that rose at the barriers. Astounded by this unexpected -resistance, the Patagonians fell back, and were decimated by the -canister, which spread desolation and death among their ranks. - -Pedrito, profiting by the panic of the Redskins, dashed, after them at -the head of his gauchos, and cut them down vigorously. - -After two hours of terrific fighting, the sun, disdainful of human -contests, majestically rose in the horizon, and spread the splendour -of its beams over the field of carnage. The Indians saluted its -apparition with shouts of joy, and rushed with much rage at the -intrenchments--their shock was irresistible. - -The colonists fled, pursued by the savages. But a formidable explosion -upheaved the ground beneath their feet, and the hapless Indians hurled -into the air fell dead all around. It was a mine the Argentines had -fired. - -The Indians, wild with terror, and deaf to the voice of their Ulmens, -fled, and refused to begin the engagement again. - -Nocobotha, mounted on a splendid charger, black as night, dashed -forward, almost alone, and waved the sacred totem of the United -Nations, shouting in a voice heard above the din of battle-- - -"Cowards who refuse to conquer, at least see me die!" - -This cry sounded in the ears of the Indians as a shameful reproach, and -they ran after their chief. - -Nocobotha appeared invulnerable. He made his horse curvet, rushed into -the thickest of the fight, parried every blow with the staff of the -totem, which he raised above his head and shouted to his men-- - -"Courage, follow me!" - -"Nocobotha, the last of the Indians! Let us die for the Child of the -Sun!" the Patagonians shouted, electrified by the rash boldness of -their Toqui. - -"Ah!" he exclaimed, enthusiastically pointing to the planet of day, -"See! My radiant father smiles on our valour. Forward, forward!" - -"Forward!" the warriors repeated, and redoubled their fury. - -All the town was already invaded, and the fighting went on from house -to house. The Aucas formed in close columns, and, led by Nocobotha, -dashed up the eastern steep street that runs to Old Carmen and the -citadel. They advanced fearlessly, in spite of the incessant fire from -the guns of the fort. Nocobotha, respected by death, and ever in front, -brandished his totem, and made his black horse rear. - -"Well," Major Bloomfield said, mournfully to Pedrito, "the hour has -arrived." - -"Do you wish it, major?" - -"I insist on it." - -"That is enough," the bombero added. "Good-bye, major, till we meet -again in another world." - -The two men shook hands: it was a final leave-taking, for, unless a -miracle occurred, they were about to die. After this farewell, Pedrito -collected fifty horsemen, formed them into a close squadron, and -between two discharges from the battery, they dashed at full speed -upon the ascending Indians. The Redskins opened right and left before -this avalanche that rushed down the mountain; and they had scarce -recovered from their stupor, ere they perceived the Spanish horsemen in -three boats, pulling out to sea with all their might. - -Taking advantage of this bold diversion, all the colonists, by Major -Bloomfield's directions, shut themselves up in the fort. - -Nocobotha made the Aucas a sign to halt, and advanced alone up to the -walls of the citadel. - -"Major," he shouted in a firm voice, "surrender; you and your men will -be allowed to live." - -"You are a traitor and a dog," the major, who at once appeared, -answered. - -"You are warned, you and your men." - -"I will not surrender." - -Twenty bullets whistled from the top of the wall, but Nocobotha had -returned to his warriors with the rapidity of an arrow. - -"Back! Back!" he shouted to them. - -A detonation, loud as a hundred peals of thunder, rent the air. -The major had blown up the powder in the fortress. The stony giant -oscillated for two or three seconds on its base like an intoxicated -mastodon; then, suddenly torn from the ground, it rose in the air, and -burst like an overripe pomegranate, amid expiring cries of "Long live -our country!" - -A shower of stones and horridly mutilated corpses fell on the terrified -Indians. - -All was over. Nocobotha was master of the ruins of Carmen. Weeping -with rage on seeing this disastrous victory, he planted his totem on a -piece of tottering wall, which was the only relic of the fort and its -defenders. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -THE LAST OF THE INCAS. - - -The principal houses of the town were only spared from pillage; and -Nocobotha, in order to save their riches, adjudged them to the most -powerful Ulmens. As for himself, he established his headquarters in -his own mansion in Old Carmen. Don Valentine and his daughter took -possession of their house, which had escaped the fury of the Indians. - -The town, crowded with Patagonians, offered an image of desolation. - -A week after the capture of the colony, at about ten in the morning, -three persons were conversing in a low voice in Don Valentine Cardoso's -saloon. They were Don Valentine himself, his daughter, and the Capataz -Don Blas Salazar. The latter, in his gaucho dress, had the look of -a thorough bandit. Mercedes, standing as sentry at a window was -laughing heartily at him, to the great despair of the capataz, who most -sincerely wished his confounded disguise at the deuce. - -"Blas, my friend," Don Valentine was saying, "get yourself ready for a -dance." - -"Then the ceremony is to take place today?" - -"Yes, Blas. I must confess that we live in singular times, and a -singular country. I have seen several revolutions, but this one beats -them all." - -"From the Indian point of view," Concha said, "it is very logical." - -"Which of you, a month ago, expected such a sudden re-establishment of -the empire of the Incas?" - -"Not I," the capataz replied. "Still, it seems to me that Nocobotha is -not at all magnanimous for a future emperor." - -"What do you mean by that, my friend?" - -"Has he not written to Don Sylvio that, if he does not leave the colony -in three days, he will have him hung?" - -"Before hanging people," said Doña Concha, "it is necessary to catch -them." - -"All that is very fine, Blas, but you will return to the estancia. -Above all, do not forget my instructions." - -"Trust to me for that, Excellency; but I am anxious about Pedrito," -he added, in a low voice, not to be overheard by Mercedes; "he has -disappeared for the last six days, and we have heard nothing about -him." - -"Don Pedro," Concha remarked, "is not the man to be lost without -leaving traces. Reassure yourself, we shall see him again." - -"Nocobotha!" Mercedes exclaimed, turning round. - -"Blas, my friend, decamp," Don Valentine said. - -"Come again soon," Mercedes added. - -Nocobotha walked in. The great chief of the Aucas, dressed in his -magnificent Indian costume, had a thoughtful brow and anxious look. -After the first compliment, Doña Concha, alarmed by the chiefs -gloomy appearance, bent forward gracefully to him, and said, with an -affectionate air, which was admirably assumed-- - -"What is the matter with you, Torribio; you seem troubled? Have you -received any unpleasant news?" - -"No, madam; I thank you. If I were ambitious, all my wishes would be -fulfilled. The Patagonian chiefs have resolved on re-establishing the -Empire of the Incas, and they have elected me, who am the direct heir, -to succeed the unfortunate Athahualpa; but--" - -"They have done you justice." - -"This distinction terrifies me, and I fear I cannot bear the weight of -an empire. The wounds dealt my race by the Spaniards are old and deep. -The Indians have been brutalized by a long servitude. What a task it is -to command these disunited tribes! Who will carry on my work if I die -in twenty years, two years, tomorrow, perhaps? What will become of the -dream of my life?" - -"Heaven means you to live long, Don Torribio," Doña Concha answered. - -"A diadem on my brow! Stay, señorita, I am discouraged, weary of life; -it seems to me that the crown will press my temples like a band of -iron, and crush them, and that I shall be buried in my triumph!" - -"Dismiss these vain presentiments," the girl remarked, giving a side -glance full of meaning. - -"As you know, madam, the Tarpeian Rock is close to the Capitol." - -"Come, come! Don Torribio," Don Valentine said, gaily; "Let us take our -places." - -A splendid breakfast had been laid. The first moments passed in -silence. The guests seemed embarrassed, but by degrees, thanks to Doña -Concha's efforts, the conversation became more animated, Nocobotha, it -could be easily seen, was making a violent effort to drive back the -flood of thoughts that ran to his lips. Toward the end of the repast he -turned to the young lady. - -"Señorita," he said to her, "this evening all will be over. I shall -be Emperor of the Patagonians, and enemy of the Spaniards, who will -doubtless return with arms in their hands to overthrow our empire. What -they most dread in an Indian insurrection is the reprisals, that is to -say, the massacre of the white men. My marriage with an Argentine is a -pledge of peace for your countrymen, and a security for their commerce. -Doña Concha, give me your hand." - -"What hurry is there at this moment, Don Torribio?" she asked. "Are you -not sure of me?" - -"Ever the same vague and obscure answer," the chief said with a frown. -"Child, you are playing with a lion, and I see to the bottom of your -heart. Imprudent girl, you are rushing on your own destruction; but -no, you are in my power; and after saving your life ten times, I offer -you half a throne. Tomorrow, madam, you will and must marry me. Your -father's and Don Sylvio's heads will answer for your obedience." - -And seizing a crystal bottle full of limpid water, he filled his glass -to the brim, and emptied it at a draught, while Doña Concha gazed at -him fixedly; this look contained a cruel and concealed joy. - -"In an hour," he added as he placed the glass on the table again, "you -will be present at the ceremony by my side; I insist on it." - -"I will be there," she replied. - -"Farewell, madam." - -The young lady rose quickly, seized the bottle, and walked up to the -window. - -"What are you going to do there?" Don Valentine asked. - -"I am watering my flowers, father." - -While pouring out the water, Concha, whose eye sparkled with a gloomy -fire, muttered to herself-- - -"Don Torribio, you told me one day that there's many a slip betwixt the -cup and the lip; well, listen to me in my turn; between your forehead -and a crown there is death!" - -She then placed two flower pots near the balustrade on the terrace of -the house. This was doubtless a signal, for in a few minutes Mercedes -entered the saloon hurriedly, saying-- - -"He is here." - -"Let him come in," Don Valentine and his daughter said simultaneously. - -Pedrito made his appearance. The estanciero recommended the utmost -vigilance to Mercedes, closed the door, and then seated himself by the -bombero's side. - -"Well?" he asked him. - -The Plaza Mayor on this day offered an unexpected sight. In the centre -rose a tall scaffold covered with red velvet tapestry, on which a -chair of carved nopal wood was placed. The back was surmounted by -a massive gold sun flashing with diamonds; a vulture of the Andes, -the sacred bird of the Incas, also of gold, held in its bent beak an -imperial crown, while in its claws it had a sceptre terminating in a -trident, and a hand of justice holding a dazzling sun. This vulture, -with outstretched wings, seemed hovering over the chair, to which there -was an ascent of four steps. On the right of this chair was another, -somewhat lower, but more simple. - -At midday, the moment when the day star at its zenith darts forth -all its beams, five cannon shots, fired at regular intervals, boomed -forth majestically. At the same moment the different Patagonian tribes -debouched through each of the entrances of the square, led by their -Ulmen, and dressed in their robes of state. Only fifteen thousand -warriors were assembled, for, according to the Indian custom, so soon -as Carmen was taken, the booty was sent under safe escort to the -mountains, and the Patagonian troops disbanded and returned to their -tolderías, ready to come back, however, on the first signal. - -The tribes drew up on three sides, leaving the fourth vacant, which -was soon occupied by five hundred gauchos. The latter were mounted and -well armed, while the Indians were on foot, and had only their machetes -in their girdle. The windows were lined with spectators, behind whom -Indian women, irregularly grouped, thrust out their heads over their -shoulders. - -The centre of the square was free. In front of the scaffolding, and -at the foot of a clumsy altar shaped like a table, with a deep gutter -running down it and a sun above it, stood the great matchi of the -Patagonians and twenty priests, all with their arms crossed, and their -eyes fixed on the ground. - -When all had taken their places, five more gunshots were fired, and a -brilliant cavalcade came up. Nocobotha, who marched at their head, with -Doña Concha on his right and Don Valentine on his left, held his totem -in his hand. After them came the principal Ulmens and caraskens of the -united nations, with their brilliant ornaments of gold and precious -stones. - -Nocobotha got off his horse, held out his hand to Doña Concha to help -her to dismount, mounted the scaffold, led her to the second chair, -and himself stopped before the first one, though without sitting down. -His ordinary pale features were inflamed, his eyes seemed swollen by -watching, and he incessantly wiped away the perspiration that stood on -his forehead. Something unusual was going on within him. Doña Concha's -pallor was extreme, but her face was tranquil. - -The Ulmens surrounded the scaffold, and at a third cannonade, the -priests stepped on one side and displayed a securely bound man lying on -the ground in their midst. The matchi turned to the crowd. - -"All you who listen to me, the Sun, our ancestor, has smiled on our -arms, and Gualichu himself fought for us. The empire of the Incas -is established, the Indians are free, and the supreme chief of the -Patagonian nation, Nocobotha, is about to place on his head the diadem -of Athahualpa. In the name of the new emperor and ourselves we are -about to offer to the Sun from whom he is descended, the most grateful -of all sacrifices. Priests, bring up the victim." - -The priests laid the unhappy wretch in the trough of the altar. He was -a colonist made prisoner at the taking of Población del Sur; indeed -the pulquero in whose shop the gauchos were accustomed to drink their -chicha. - -In the meanwhile Nocobotha trembled as if smitten with ague. He had -a buzzing in his ears; his temples beat violently, and his eyes were -suffused with blood. He supported himself on one of the arms of his -chair. - -"What is the matter?" Doña Concha asked him. - -"I do not know," he answered; "the heat, the excitement, perhaps--I am -stifling; I hope it will be nothing." - -The unfortunate pulquero had been stripped of all his clothes, with -the exception of his trousers, and he uttered heart-rending cries. The -matchi approached him, brandishing his knife. - -"Oh, it is frightful!" Doña Concha exclaimed, burying her face in her -hands. - -"Silence!" Nocobotha murmured; "It must be." - -The matchi, insensible to the yells of the victim, selected the spot -where he was to strike, looked at the day star with an inspired air, -raised his knife, and laid open the pulquero's chest. Then, while the -victim writhed in agony, and the priests collected the blood which -poured in a stream, the matchi plucked out his heart, and held it up -to the sun, like the host in Catholic churches. - -At this moment all the Ulmens mounted the scaffold, and seating -Nocobotha on the throne, raised him on their shoulders, shouting -enthusiastically-- - -"Long live the new Emperor! Long live the Son of the Sun!" - -The priests sprinkled the crowd with the blood of the victim, and the -Indians filled the air with deafening shouts. - -At length Nocobotha exclaimed, "I have restored the Empire of the -Incas, and freed my race!" - -"Not yet!" Doña Concha said to him, triumphantly. "Look!" - -The gauchos, who had hitherto been impassive spectators of the -ceremony, suddenly dashed at a gallop upon the defenceless Indians, -while through all the streets poured Argentine troops, who had arrived -from Buenos Aires, and all the windows were lined with white men, who -fired at the mob. In the centre of the square could be recognized -Don Sylvio d'Arenal, Blas Salazar Pedrito and his two brothers, who -pitilessly massacred the Indians with shouts of "Exterminate the -Pagans!" - -"Oh!" Nocobotha exclaimed, brandishing his totem with a trembling hand, -"What treachery!" He tried to fly to the help of his people, but he -tottered and fell on his knees; his eyes were covered by an ensanguined -mist; a devouring fire burnt his entrails. "What is the matter?" he -asked himself in despair. - -"You are dying, Don Torribio," Doña Concha whispered in his ear, as she -seized his arm forcibly. - -"Woman, you lie," he said, striving to rise. "I will help my brothers." - -"Your brothers are being slaughtered; did you not mean to kill my -father, my affianced husband, and myself? Die, villain! Die by a -woman's hand! I love Don Sylvio--do you hear me?--And I am avenged." - -"Woe, woe!" Nocobotha shrieked, dragging himself on his knees to the -edge of the platform, "I am the murderer of a people I wished to save." - -The Indians fell like ripe corn before the sickle of the reapers. It -was no longer a combat, but a butchery. Several chiefs flying before -Pedrito the capataz and Don Sylvio rushed to the platform as a last -refuge. - -"Oh!" Nocobotha howled, as he took a tiger bound and seized Don Sylvio -by the throat, "I too will revenge myself." - -There was a moment of terrible anxiety. - -"No," the chief added, letting loose his enemy and falling back; "it -would be cowardly, for this man has done me no injury." - -Doña Concha, on hearing these words, could not restrain tears of -admiration, tardy tears; tears of repentance, or of love, perhaps! - -Pedrito fired his rifle into the chest of the chief, who was lying -stretched out at his feet. At the same instant Pincheira fell, his -head cleft asunder by Don Sylvio. Don Valentine struck by a straggling -bullet, sank into his disconsolate daughter's arms. - -"My God," Nocobotha murmured, "you will judge me!" He locked up -to heaven, moved his lips again as if in prayer, and suddenly his -countenance became radiant; he fell back and expired. - -"Perhaps this man's cause was just," Doña Concha said, overwhelmed with -remorse. - -It is not the first time that a woman has, through the decree of -Heaven, arrested a conqueror. - - -THE END. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Last of the Incas, by Gustave Aimard - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAST OF THE INCAS *** - -***** This file should be named 44514-8.txt or 44514-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/5/1/44514/ - -Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org (Images generously made -available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Last of the Incas - A Romance of the Pampas - -Author: Gustave Aimard - -Translator: Lascelles Wraxall - -Release Date: December 26, 2013 [EBook #44514] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAST OF THE INCAS *** - - - - -Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org (Images generously made -available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<h1>THE LAST OF THE INCAS:</h1> - -<h4>A ROMANCE OF THE PAMPAS.</h4> - -<h4>BY</h4> - -<h2>GUSTAVE AIMARD</h2> - - -<h4>"AUTHOR OF ADVENTURERS," "INDIAN CHIEF," "TRAIL HUNTER,"</h4> - -<h4>"PIRATES OF THE PRAIRIES," "TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER," "TIGER</h4> - -<h4>SLAYER," "GOLD SEEKERS," "RED TRACK," ETC.</h4> - - -<h5>LONDON:</h5> - -<h5>CHARLES HENRY CLARKE, 13 PATERNOSTER ROW.</h5> - -<h5>1875</h5> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<h5>CONTENTS.</h5> - -<div class="center" style="font-size: 0.7em;"> -<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">THE BOMBEROS</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">EL CARMEN</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">III.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">DON TORRIBIO CARVAJAL</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">THE TREE OF GUALICHU</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">THE COUNCIL OF THE ULMENS</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">NOCOBOTHA</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">THE COUGARS</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">THE ESTANCIA OF SAN JULIAN</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">DON SYLVIO D'ARENAL</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">THE VIRGIN FOREST</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">THE CHASE OF ÑANDUS</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">THE TOLDERÍA</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">THE PAMPERO</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">PREPARATIONS FOR A SIEGE</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">A BRAVE RESOLVE</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">THE INVASION</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">THE ATTACK ON POBLACIÓN DEL SUR</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">DON TORRIBIO'S HOUSE</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">THE INDIAN CAMP</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">THE TOLDO OF THE GREAT TOQUI</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">DELILAH</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">THE AGONY OF A TOWN</a></td></tr> -<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">THE LAST OF THE INCAS</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE BOMBEROS.</h3> - - -<p>Patagonia is as little known at the present day as it was when Juan -Diaz de Solis and Vicente Yanez Pinzon landed there in 1508, sixteen -years after the discovery of the New World.</p> - -<p>The earliest navigators, whether involuntarily or not, threw over this -country a mysterious veil, which science and frequent relations have -not yet entirely removed. The celebrated Magalaës (Magellan) and his -historian, the Chevalier Pigafetta, who touched at these coasts in -1520, were the first to invent these Patagonian giants so tall that -Europeans scarce reached their girdle, who were upwards of nine feet -high, and resembled Cyclops. These fables, like all fables, have been -accepted as truths, and in the last century became the theme of a very -lively dispute among learned men. Hence the name of Patagonians (great -feet) was given to the inhabitants of this country, which extends from -the western watershed of the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean.</p> - -<p>Patagonia is watered, through its entire length, by the Rio Colorado in -the north, and the Rio Negro in the east-south-east. These two rivers, -through the windings of their course, agreeably break the uniformity -of an arid, dry, sandy soil, on which prickly shrubs alone grow, or -dispense life to the uninterrupted vegetation of their banks. They wind -round a fertile valley overshadowed by willow trees, and trace two deep -furrows through the midst of an almost level country.</p> - -<p>The Rio Negro runs through a valley surrounded by precipitous cliffs, -which the waters still wash at places; wherever they have retired, they -have left alluvial soil covered with an eternal vegetation, and formed -numerous islets covered with willows, and contrasting with the mournful -aspect of the naked cliffs.</p> - -<p>Monkeys, wild asses, foxes, and red wolves constantly traverse the -desert in every direction, together with the cougar, or American lion, -and the imbaracayas—those ferocious and formidable wild cats. The -coasts are thronged with amphibious carnivora, such as sea lions and -elephant seals. The <i>guya</i>, concealed in the marshes, utters its -melancholy cry; the <i>guacuti</i>, or stag of the Pampas, runs lightly over -the sand; while the <i>guanaco</i>, or American camel, sits pensively on the -summit of the cliffs. The majestic condor soars amid the clouds, in -the company of the disgusting cathartes. Urubús and auras which, like -it, hover round the cliffs on the seaboard to dispute the remains of -corpses with the voracious caracaras. Such are the plains of Patagonia, -a monotonous solitude empty, horrible, and desolate!</p> - -<p>One evening in the month of November, which the Aucas Indians call -the "moon of the pruning," a traveller, mounted on a powerful horse -of the Pampas of Buenos Aires, was following at a sharp trot one -of the thousand paths traced by the Indians, in that inextricable -labyrinth found on the banks of all American rivers. This traveller was -a man of thirty years of age at the most, clothed in a semi-Indian, -semi-European garb peculiar to the Gauchos. A poncho of Indian -manufacture hung from his shoulders to his horse's flanks, and only -left visible the long Chilian polenas that came above his knees. A -lasso and <i>bolas</i> hung from either side of his saddle, and he carried a -rifle in front of him.</p> - -<p>His face, half concealed by the broad brim of his straw hat, had an -expression of brute courage and spitefulness; his features were, so to -say, modelled by hatred. His long hooked nose, surmounted by two quick -threatening eyes, rather close together, gave him a distant resemblance -to a bird of prey; his thin lips were contracted with an ironical air, -and his prominent cheekbones suggested cunning. The Spaniard could be -recognized by his olive tint. The effect of this face, surrounded as it -was by long tangled black hair and a large beard, was to inspire fear -and repulsion. His wide shoulders and well-knit limbs denoted far from -common strength and agility in this man, who seemed above the average -height.</p> - -<p>On reaching a spot where several tracks crossed each other to form an -inextricable network, the stranger stopped to look about him, and, -after a moment's hesitation, turned to the right and struck a trail. -Going further and further away from the banks of the Rio Colorado, -which he had hitherto been following, he entered a plain, the soil of -which, burned by the sun and covered with small pebbles or gravel, -only offered a few stunted shrubs to the eye. The further the stranger -advanced in this desert, the further solitude extended in its gloomy -majesty, and the footfall of his horse alone disturbed the silence of -the desert. The horseman, but slightly affected by this savage beauty -of Nature, contented himself with carefully reconnoitering and counting -the <i>pozos</i>, for in these countries utterly void of water, travellers -have dug reservoirs in which the water collects during the rainy season.</p> - -<p>After passing two of these pozos, the traveller saw in the distance -horses hobbled in front of a wretched <i>toldo</i>. At once a shout was -raised, and in less than a minute the horses were unfastened; three men -leapt into the saddle, and dashed forward at full gallop to reconnoitre -this man, who, careless of their movements, continued his journey -without making the slightest attempt to put himself on his defence.</p> - -<p>"Eh, <i>compadre</i>, whither are you bound?" one of them asked, as he -barred the way for the stranger.</p> - -<p>"<i>Canario</i>, Pepe," the latter answered; "have you been emptying a skin -of aguardiente this evening? Do you not recognize me?"</p> - -<p>"Why, 'tis the voice of Pedrito, if I am not mistaken."</p> - -<p>"Unless someone has stolen my voice, my good fellow, it is I, the real -Pedrito."</p> - -<p>"Caray! You are welcome," the three men shouted.</p> - -<p>"Deuce take me if I did not fancy you killed by one of those dogs of -Aucas; ten minutes ago I was talking about it to Lopez."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Lopez added in confirmation, "for you have disappeared for eight -days."</p> - -<p>"Eight days—yes; but I have not lost my time."</p> - -<p>"You will tell us your exploits?"</p> - -<p>"I should think so; but I and my horse are hungry after a two days' -fast."</p> - -<p>"That will be soon remedied," said Pepe, "for here we are."</p> - -<p>The four friends, while conversing, had ridden on, and at this moment -dismounted in front of the <i>toldo</i>, which they entered, after hobbling -their horses and placing food before that of the newcomer. This toldo, -as they are called in the country, was a cabin thirty feet long and the -same in depth, covered with reeds, and formed of stakes driven into the -ground, and fastened together with thongs. In one corner, four wooden -and leather benches served as beds for the dwellers in this house, -where it was difficult to shelter themselves against the wind and rain.</p> - -<p>In the centre of the toldo each sat down on a large stone, in front -of a fire whose dense smoke almost concealed objects. Lopez took up -a piece of guanaco that was roasting, and planted the spit in the -ground. The four comrades drew their long knives from their polenas, -and began eating with good appetites.</p> - -<p>These men were <i>bomberos</i>.</p> - -<p>Ever since the foundation of the Spanish colonial fort of Carmen, -it had been found necessary, in consequence of the vicinity of the -Indians, to have scouts to watch over their movements, and give the -alarm at the slightest danger. These scouts form a species of corps of -the bravest men, thoroughly habituated to the privations of the Pampas. -Although their services are voluntary and their profession perilous, -bomberos are never wanting, for they are handsomely paid. They often go -twenty or five and twenty leagues from the fort, as extreme outposts, -ambushing on spots where the enemy—that is to say, the Indians—must -necessarily pass. Day and night they ride across the plains, watching, -listening, and hiding. Scattered during the day, they reassemble at -sunset, though they rarely venture to light a fire, which would betray -their presence; and they never all sleep together. Their bivouac is -a flying camp, and they live on the produce of the chase. They have -long been accustomed to this strange and nomadic life, and hence they -acquire a fineness of perception almost equal to that of the Indians, -and their practised eyes recognize the slightest trace on the lightly -trodden grass or sand. Solitude has developed in them a marvellous -sagacity, and a rare talent for observation.</p> - -<p>The four bomberos collected in the toldo were the most renowned -in Patagonia. These poor fellows were supping gaily while warming -themselves at a good fire, a rare pleasure for men surrounded by -dangers, and who hate a surprise to fear at any hour. But the bomberos -did not appear to trouble themselves about anything, although aware -that the Indians never give them any quarter.</p> - -<p>The character of these men is singular: courageous to cruelty, they -care not for the life of other persons or their own. If one of their -comrades die, victim of an Indian or a wild beast, they content -themselves with saying he has a <i>mala suerte</i> (ill luck). True savages, -living without any affection or faith, they are a peculiar type in -humanity.</p> - -<p>These scouts were brothers, and their names were Lopez, Pepe, Juan, and -Pedrito. Their home, twice plundered by the Aucas Indians, had been -utterly destroyed by fire in the last invasion. Their father and mother -had succumbed under atrocious torture; two of their sisters had been -outraged and killed by the chiefs, and the youngest, Mercedes, a child -scarce seven years of age, was carried off into slavery, and since then -they had received no news of her, and were ignorant were she dead or -alive.</p> - -<p>The four brothers from this moment became bomberos, through hatred of -the Indians and desire of vengeance, and had only one head and one -heart. Their prodigies of courage, intelligence, and craft during the -last seven years would take us too long to record, and, moreover, we -shall find specimens in the course of this narrative.</p> - -<p>So soon as Pedrito, who was the eldest, had finished his meal, Lopez -put out the fire, and Juan mounted his horse to go the rounds; then the -two brothers, curious about the news Pedrito brought them, drew closer -to him.</p> - -<p>"What news, brother?" Pepe asked.</p> - -<p>"Before anything else," the eldest asked, "what have you been doing -during the last week?"</p> - -<p>"That will not take long," Lopez answered; "nothing."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense."</p> - -<p>"On my word it is true. The Aucas and Pehuenches are becoming absurdly -timid; if this goes on, we shall have to send them petticoats like -squaws."</p> - -<p>"Oh! Set your minds at rest," Pedrito said, "they have not come to that -yet."</p> - -<p>"What do you know?" Lopez asked.</p> - -<p>"What next?" Pedrito asked, instead of answering.</p> - -<p>"That is all; we have seen nothing, heard nothing suspicious."</p> - -<p>"Are you sure?"</p> - -<p>"Hang it! Do you take us for asses?"</p> - -<p>"No, but you are mistaken."</p> - -<p>"What?"</p> - -<p>"Search your memory carefully."</p> - -<p>"No one has passed, I tell you," Pepe remarked confidently.</p> - -<p>"No one."</p> - -<p>"Unless you count as somebody the old Pehuenche squaw who crossed -the plain this evening on a sorry horse, and asked us the road to El -Carmen."</p> - -<p>"That old squaw," Pedrito said, with a smile, "knows the road as well -as I do. Canarios, your innocence amuses me."</p> - -<p>"Our innocence!" Lopez exclaimed with a frown; "We are asses, then."</p> - -<p>"You look very like it to me."</p> - -<p>"Explain yourself."</p> - -<p>"You shall understand."</p> - -<p>"We shall be only too glad."</p> - -<p>"May be so. The old Pehuenche squaw who crossed the plain this evening -on a sorry horse, and asked you the road to El Carmen," Pedrito said, -repeating Pepe's words, maliciously, "Do you know who she was?"</p> - -<p>"Hang it all! A frightful old witch, whose face would terrify the -fiend."</p> - -<p>"Ah, you think so. Well, you are altogether wrong."</p> - -<p>"Speak out, and do not play with us like a congonas with a mouse."</p> - -<p>"My boy, this Pehuenche witch was—"</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"Nocobotha!"</p> - -<p>Nocobotha (the Hurricane) was the principal Ulmen of the Aucas. Pedrito -might have gone on talking for a long time without his brothers -noticing it, so greatly had the news startled them.</p> - -<p>"Malediction!" Pepe at length shouted.</p> - -<p>"But how do you know it?" Lopez asked.</p> - -<p>"Do you suppose I have been amusing myself with sleeping away the last -eight days, brothers? The Indians, to whom you want to send petticoats, -are preparing, with the greatest secrecy, to deal you a furious blow. -We must distrust silent waters and the calm that conceals a tempest. -All the nations of Upper and Lower Patagonia, and even Araucania, -have leagued together to attempt an invasion—massacre the whites, and -destroy El Carmen. Two men have done it all—two men with whom you and -I have been long acquainted—Nocobotha, and Pincheira, the chief of the -Araucanos. This evening there will be a grand meeting of the delegates -of the free nations, at which the day and hour for the attack will be -definitely settled, and the final measures taken to insure the success -of the expedition."</p> - -<p>"¡Caray!" Pepe exclaimed, "There is not a moment to lose. One of us -must go at full gallop to El Carmen to inform the governor of the -danger menacing the colony."</p> - -<p>"No, not yet; we must not be in such a hurry, but try to discover the -intentions of the chiefs. The <i>quipu</i> has been sent round, and the -chiefs who will be present at the meeting are twenty in number. You see -that I am well informed."</p> - -<p>"Where will they meet?"</p> - -<p>"At the tree of Gualichu."</p> - -<p>"<i>¡Demonio!</i> it will not be an easy thing to surprise them at such a -place."</p> - -<p>"Hang it, it is impossible," Lopez said.</p> - -<p>"Where force fails, try cunning. Here is Juan returned. Well, have you -any news?"</p> - -<p>"All is quiet," he said, as he dismounted.</p> - -<p>"All the better. In that case we can act," Pedrito continued. "Listen -to me, brothers. I believe that you have confidence in me—"</p> - -<p>"Oh!" the three men exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"In that case you will follow me?"</p> - -<p>"Anywhere."</p> - -<p>"Quick to horse, for I too wish to be present at this Indian gathering."</p> - -<p>"And you are going to take us—"</p> - -<p>"To the tree of Gualichu."</p> - -<p>The four bold comrades mounted their horses, and started at a gallop. -Pedrito possessed a superiority over his brothers, which the latter -recognized; nothing he did astonished them, so accustomed were they to -see him perform marvels.</p> - -<p>"Do you intend to mingle with the chiefs also?" Pepe asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Pepe; instead of twenty there will be twenty-one, that is all," -Pedrito added, with a careless smile.</p> - -<p>The bomberos spurred their horses, and disappeared in the darkness.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></h4> - -<h3>EL CARMEN.</h3> - - -<p>In 1780, long after the discovery of the New World, the Spaniards -founded in Patagonia a factory, situated on the left bank of the Rio -Negro, about seven leagues from its mouth, and called Nuestra Señora -del Carmen, and also Patagonia.</p> - -<p>The Ulmen Negro, chief of the Puelches, encamped in the vicinity of -the Rio Negro, favourably greeted the Spaniards, and in consideration -of a distribution made to the Indians of a large quantity of clothing -and other useful articles, sold them the course of that river from its -mouth up to San Xavier. In addition to this, by the wish of the Ulmen, -the natives aided the Spaniards in building the citadel, which was to -serve them as a shelter, and thus assisted with their arms in producing -their own serfdom.</p> - -<p>At the period of the foundation of El Carmen the post merely consisted -of a fort, built on the northern bank, at the summit of a scarped -cliff, which commands the river, the southern plains and the -surrounding country. It is of a square shape; it is built with strong -walls of dressed stone, and flanked by three bastions, two on the -river to the east and west, and the third on the plain. The interior -contains the chapel, the priest's house, and the powder magazine; on -the other side run spacious quarters for the commandant, treasurer, -officers, garrison, and a small hospital. All these buildings, only one -storey in height, are covered with tiles. The Government also possesses -outside vast granaries, a baking house, a mill, two blacksmiths' and -carpenters' shops, and two <i>estancias</i>, or farms, stocked with horses -and cattle.</p> - -<p>At the present day, the fort is nearly in ruins; the walls, for want of -repairs, are everywhere decaying, but the dwelling houses are still in -good condition.</p> - -<p>El Carmen is divided into three groups, two on the north, and one on -the south side of the river. Of the two former, one, the old Carmen, is -situated between the fort and the Rio Negro, on the slope of the cliff, -and consists of some forty houses of varying height and style, and -forming an irregular line which follows the course of the river. Around -them are scattered wretched huts, and this is the staple of the trade -with the Indians.</p> - -<p>The other group on the same bank, called Población, is a few hundred -paces to the east of the fort, and is separated from it by shifting -sand dunes, which entirely stop the range of the guns. Población forms -a vast quadrilateral, round which are about one hundred houses, mostly -new, only one storey high, tile-covered, and serving as a residence -for farmers, agriculturists, and <i>pulqueros</i>, or dealers in spirits -and grocery. Between the two groups there are several houses scattered -along the river bank.</p> - -<p>The village on the south bank, which is called Población del Sur, is -composed of twenty houses, standing in a line on a low soil, subject -to inundations. These houses, which are poorer than those of the north -side, serve as a shelter for gauchos and estancieros. A few pulqueros, -attracted by the vicinity of the Indians, have also opened their stores -there.</p> - -<p>The general aspect is sad; only a few isolated trees grow on the river -bank, and the streets are full of a pulverized sand, which obeys the -direction of the wind. This description of a country hitherto perfectly -unknown, was indispensable for a due comprehension of the incidents -that are about to follow.</p> - -<p>The day on which this story begins, at about two in the afternoon, -five or six gauchos, seated in a pulquero's shop, were holding a -sharp discussion while swallowing long draughts of <i>chicha</i> from the -half-gourds which went the round. The scene is laid in Población del -Sur.</p> - -<p>"Canario," said a tall, thin fellow, who had all the appearance of a -desperate ruffian, "are we not free men? If our governor, the Señor Don -Antonio Valverde, insists in plundering us in this way, Pincheira is -not so far off but that we may manage to come to an understanding with -him. Although an Indian chief now, he is of the white race, without any -mixture, and a caballero to the end of his fingers."</p> - -<p>"Hold your tongue, Panchito," another said, "you would do better if -you swallowed your words with your chicha, instead of talking such -nonsense."</p> - -<p>"I have a right to speak," said Panchito, who was moistening his throat -more than the rest.</p> - -<p>"Don't you know that invisible eyes are prowling about us, and that -ears are open to pick up our words and profit by them?"</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," said the first speaker, with a shrug of the shoulders, "you -are always frightened, Corrocho. I care as much for spies as I do for -an old bridle."</p> - -<p>"Panchito!"</p> - -<p>"What, am I not right? Why does Don Antonio wish us so much harm?"</p> - -<p>"You are mistaken," a third gaucho interrupted with a laugh, "the -governor, on the contrary, desires your comfort, and the proof is that -he takes as much as he possibly can from you."</p> - -<p>"That confounded Patito has the cleverness of the scamp he is," -Panchito exclaimed, bursting into a noisy laugh. "Well, after us the -end of the world!"</p> - -<p>"In the meanwhile let us drink," said Patito.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Panchito replied, "let us drink and drown our cares. Besides, -have we not Don Torribio Carvajal to help us if necessary?"</p> - -<p>"That's another name that ought to stick in your throat, especially -here," Corrocho exclaimed, striking the table angrily with his fist, -"can't you hold your tongue, accursed dog?"</p> - -<p>Panchito frowned, and looked askant at his comrade.</p> - -<p>"Are you trying to bully me? Canario, you are beginning to stir my -blood."</p> - -<p>"Bully you? Why not, if you deserved it?" the other answered without -the slightest excitement. "Caray, for the last two hours you have been -drinking like a sponge; you are as full as a butt, and you chatter -like a foolish old woman. Hold your tongue, do you hear, or go to -sleep."</p> - -<p>"¡Sangre de Cristo!" Panchito yelled, as he dug his knife vigorously -into the bar, "You will give me satisfaction."</p> - -<p>"On my word, bloodletting will do you good, and my hand itches to give -you a navajada on your ugly chops."</p> - -<p>"Ugly chops, did you say?"</p> - -<p>And Panchito rushed upon Corrocho, who waited for him with a firm foot. -The other gauchos rushed between to prevent them striking.</p> - -<p>"Peace, peace, caballeros, in Heaven's name or the fiend's," the -pulquero said, "no quarrelling in my house; if you wish to have it out, -the street is free."</p> - -<p>"The pulquero is right," said Panchito; "come on, then, if you are a -man."</p> - -<p>"Willingly."</p> - -<p>The two gauchos, followed by their comrades, dashed out into the -street. As for the pulquero, standing in his doorway with his hands in -his pockets, he whistled a dance tune while awaiting the combat.</p> - -<p>Panchito and Corrocho, who had already taken off their hats, and bowed -with affected politeness to each other, after rolling their poncho -round the left arm, in guise of a buckler, drew their long knives from -their polenas, and without exchanging a syllable, stood on guard with -remarkable coolness.</p> - -<p>In this species of duel the honour consists in touching the adversary -in the face; a blow dealt below the waist passes for an act of -treachery unworthy a true caballero.</p> - -<p>The two adversaries, solidly planted on their straddled legs, with -bodies bent, and head thrown back, looked at each other attentively -to divine movements, parry strokes, and scar each other. The other -gauchos, with husk cigarettes in their mouths, followed the duel with -unconcerned eye, and applauded the more skilful. The fight continued on -both sides with equal success for some minutes, when Panchito, whose -sight was doubtless obstructed by copious libations, parried a second -too late, and felt the point of Corrocho's knife cut the skin of his -face its whole length.</p> - -<p>"Bravo, bravo!" all the gauchos exclaimed simultaneously, "Well hit."</p> - -<p>The combatants fell back a step, bowed to the spectators, sheathed -their knives again, bowed to each other, with a species of courtesy, -and, after shaking hands, re-entered the pulquería arm in arm.</p> - -<p>The gauchos form a species of men apart, whose manners are completely -unknown in Europe. Those of El Carmen, the great majority exiled for -crimes, have retained their sanguinary habits and their contempt of -life. Indefatigable gamblers, they have cards incessantly in their -hands; and gambling is a fertile source of quarrelling, in which the -knife plays the greatest part. Careless of the future and of present -suffering, hardened to physical pain, they disdain death as much as -life, and recoil before no danger. Well, these men, who frequently -abandon their families to go and live in greater liberty amid savage -hordes; who gladly and without emotion shed the blood of their fellow -men; who are implacable in their hatred; are yet capable of ardent -friendship, and extraordinary self-denial and devotion. Their character -offers a strange medley of good and evil, of unbridled vices and of -real qualities. They are, in turn, and simultaneously, quarrelsome, -indolent, drunken, cruel, proud, brave to rashness, and devoted to a -friend, or patron of their choice. From childhood blood flows beneath -their hands in the estancias at the period of <i>mantaza del ganado</i> -(cattle slaughtering), and they thus habituate themselves to the -colour of the human purple. Lastly, their jests are as coarse as their -manners; and the most delicate and frequent of them is to threaten with -a knife under the most frivolous pretexts.</p> - -<p>While the gauchos, on returning to the pulquería after the quarrel, -were bedewing their reconciliation, and drowning in floods of chicha -the remembrance of this little incident, a man, wrapped in a large -cloak, and with his hat pulled over his eyes, entered the shop, without -saying a word, went up to the bar, took an apparently indifferent -glance around him, lit a cigarette at the brasero, and with a piastre -he held in his hand, hit the table three sharp blows.</p> - -<p>At this unexpected sound, which resembled a signal, the gauchos, who -were talking eagerly together, were silent as if they had received an -electric shock. Panchito and Corrocho started, and tried to see through -the cloak that covered the stranger, while Patito turned his head away -slightly to conceal a crafty smile.</p> - -<p>The stranger threw away his half-consumed cigarette, and went out of -the door as silently as he had entered it. A moment after, Panchito, -who was wiping his cheek, and Corrocho, both pretending to remember -some important business, quitted the pulquería. Patito glided along the -wall to the door, and followed close at their heels.</p> - -<p>"Hum!" the pulquero growled, "there are three scamps, who seem to be -arranging some dog's trick, in which every man's head will not remain -on his shoulders. Well, it is their business after all."</p> - -<p>The other gauchos, completely absorbed in their game of monte, and -bent over the cards, had not, so to speak, noticed the departure of -their comrades. The stranger, when at some distance from the pulquería, -turned round. The two gauchos were walking almost close behind him, and -carelessly talking, like two loungers who were taking a walk.</p> - -<p>Where was Patito? He had disappeared.</p> - -<p>After making an almost imperceptible sign to the two gauchos, the -stranger set out again, and followed a road which, by an insensible -curve, left the waterside and gradually entered the plain. This road, -after leaving Población, took a rather sharp turn, and suddenly -contracted into a path, which, like the rest, appeared to be lost in -the plain.</p> - -<p>At the corner of the path a horseman, proceeding to the village, at -a smart trot, passed the three men; but neither the gauchos nor the -stranger, being, doubtless, busy with serious thought, remarked him. As -for the rider, he gave them a rapid and piercing glance, and checked -the pace of his horse, which stopped a few yards further on.</p> - -<p>"Heaven pardon me!" he said to himself "'tis Don Torribio, or the -Fiend, in flesh and bone. What can he be doing there in the company of -those two bandits, who look to me exactly like imps of Satan? May I -lose my name of Blas Salazar, if I won't find out, and set myself at -their heels."</p> - -<p>And he quickly dismounted. Señor Blas Salazar was a man of -five-and-thirty at the most, rather above the average height, and -somewhat corpulent; but, on the other hand, the squareness of his wide -shoulders and his sturdy limbs indicated his muscular strength. A small -gray eye, quick and sparkling with intelligence and boldness, lit up -his open and frank countenance. His dress, with the exception of being -a little more elegant, was that of the gauchos.</p> - -<p>So soon as he dismounted he looked round, but there was no one to whom -he could give his horse to hold; for at Carmen, especially in the -Población del Sur, it is almost a miracle for two persons to meet. He -stamped his foot angrily, passed the bridle over his arm, led his horse -to the pulquería the gauchos had just left, and entrusted it to the -landlord.</p> - -<p>This duty performed, for the best friend of an Hispano-American is his -horse, Blas retraced his footsteps with the most minute precautions, -like a man who wishes to surprise and himself remain unseen. The -gauchos were ahead of him, and disappeared behind a shifting sand -ridge, at the moment he turned the corner in the road. Still he soon -saw them again, climbing up a steep path, that led to a thick clump -of trees. A few trees had grown in these dry sands by accident, or a -caprice of Nature.</p> - -<p>Sure now of finding them, Blas walked on more slowly, and in order to -remove any suspicion about his object, he lit a cigarette. The gauchos, -fortunately for him, did not look round once, but entered the wood -after the man whom Blas had recognized as Don Torribio Carvajal. When -Blas, in his turn, reached the skirt of the wood, instead of entering -the wood immediately, he took a slight bend to his right, and then -stooping down, began crawling on his hands and knees with the greatest -caution, in order not to arouse the attention of the gauchos by any -noise.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes voices reached his ear. He then raised his head -softly, and saw the three men standing together and talking eagerly in -a clearing about ten paces from him. He rose, concealed himself behind -a maple tree and began listening.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio had let his cloak fall, and with his shoulder leant -against a tree and with his legs crossed, he was listening with visible -impatience to what Panchito was saying at this moment. Don Torribio was -a man of eight-and-twenty, handsome, tall, and well-built, possessing -elegance and nobility in his every movement, and the haughty attitude -which is produced by a habit of commanding. Two large quick eyes lit -up the oval of his face; two eyes charged, apparently, with lightning, -and whose strange fascination it was almost impossible to endure. -His flexible nostrils seem to expand through quick passions; a cold -mockery was imbedded in the corners of his mouth, which was filled -with splendid teeth and surmounted by a black moustache. His forehead -was spacious, his skin bronzed by the heat of the sun, and his hair -long and silky. Still, in spite of all this prodigality of Nature, -his haughty and disdainful expression produced, in the end, a sort of -repulsion.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio's hands were small and encased in splendid-fitting gloves, -and his high-ankled feet were covered by patent leather boots. As for -his dress, which was extremely costly, it was in appearance much like -that of the gauchos. His shirt collar was fastened with a diamond of -enormous value, and his fine-tissued poncho was worth more than five -hundred piastres.</p> - -<p>Two years before this story, Don Torribio Carvajal arrived at Carmen -a stranger to everybody, and all asked themselves, where does he come -from? Whence does he get his princely fortune? Where are his estates? -Don Torribio had purchased an estancia in the colony, situated some two -or three leagues from Carmen, and under pretext of defending it against -the Indians, had fortified it, surrounded it with moats and palisades, -and mounted six guns. He had thus walled in his existence and routed -curiosity. Though the gates of his estancia were never opened to any -guest, he was welcomed by the first families at Carmen, whom he visited -assiduously, and then to the great surprise of all, he disappeared for -several months. The ladies had wasted their smiles and glances, the -men their adroit questions to make Don Torribio speak. Don Antonio -Valverde, to whom his post of being governor gave the right of being -curious, had not failed to feel some alarm about the handsome stranger, -but weary of losing his leisure in inquiries, he left the matter to -time, which sooner or later rends asunder the densest veils.</p> - -<p>Such was the man who was listening to Panchito in the brake, and all -that was known about him.</p> - -<p>"Enough!" he said passionately, interrupting the gaucho; "you are a -dog, and the son of a dog."</p> - -<p>"Señor!" said Panchito, drawing himself up.</p> - -<p>"I am inclined to crush you, like the wretch you are."</p> - -<p>"Threats to me!" the gaucho shouted, pale with rage, and drawing his -knife.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio clutched the fellow's wrist with his gloved hand, and -twisted it so rudely, that he let the weapon fall with a cry of pain.</p> - -<p>"On your knees, and ask pardon," the gentleman said, as he twisted -Panchito to the ground.</p> - -<p>"No; kill me sooner."</p> - -<p>"Begone, villain; you are only a brute beast."</p> - -<p>The gaucho rose tottering, his eyes were filled with blood, his lips -were livid, and his whole body trembled. He picked up his knife, and -approached Don Torribio, who waited for him with folded arms.</p> - -<p>"Well, yes," he said; "I am a brute beast, but I love you, after all. -Forgive me or kill me, but do not send me away."</p> - -<p>"Begone!"</p> - -<p>"Is that your last word?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"To the demon, then."</p> - -<p>And the gaucho, with a movement rapid as thought, raised his knife to -stab himself.</p> - -<p>"I forgive you," Don Torribio said, after checking Panchito's arm; "but -if you wish to serve me, be dumb as a corpse."</p> - -<p>The gaucho fell at his feet, and covered his hand with kisses, like a -dog licking his master, who has chastised it. Corrocho had remained a -motionless observer of the scene.</p> - -<p>"What power does this strange man possess to be thus beloved?" muttered -Blas Salazar, who was still concealed behind his tree.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h4> - -<h3>DON TORRIBIO CARVAJAL.</h3> - - -<p>After a short silence, Don Torribio continued—</p> - -<p>"I know that you are devoted to me, and I have perfect confidence in -you; but you are a drunkard, Panchito, and drink is a bad counsellor."</p> - -<p>"I will drink no more," the gaucho answered.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio smiled.</p> - -<p>"Drink, but without destroying reason. In drunkenness people utter -words, as you did just now, which cannot be recalled, and are more -deadly than a dagger. It is not your master who is now speaking, but -the friend. Can I count on both of you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," the gaucho said.</p> - -<p>"I am going away; but you must not leave the colony, but be ready -for anything. Before all, carefully watch the house of Don Valentine -Cardoso, both inside and out. If anything extraordinary happens to him -or his daughter Doña Concha, you will immediately light two fires, -one on the cliff of the Urubús, the other on that of San Xavier, and -within a few hours you will hear from me. Do you promise to execute -promptly and devotedly any order of mine, however extraordinary it may -appear to you?"</p> - -<p>"We swear it."</p> - -<p>"That is well. One word in conclusion. Connect yourselves with as many -gauchos as you can; try, without exciting suspicion, which always -sleeps with one eye open, to collect a band of determined fellows. By -the by, distrust Patito: he is a traitor."</p> - -<p>"Must he be killed?" Corrocho asked.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps it would be prudent, but you would have to get rid of him -cleverly."</p> - -<p>The two gauchos exchanged a side glance, but Don Torribio pretended not -to see it.</p> - -<p>"Do you want money?"</p> - -<p>"No, master."</p> - -<p>"No matter; take this."</p> - -<p>He threw to Corrocho a long silk purse, through the meshes of which a -great number of gold ounces glittered.</p> - -<p>"My horse, Panchito."</p> - -<p>The gaucho entered the wood, and almost immediately re-appeared, -holding the bridle of a magnificent charger, upon whose back Don -Torribio leaped.</p> - -<p>"Farewell," he said to them; "prudence and fidelity; any indiscretion -would cost your life."</p> - -<p>And, after giving the gauchos a friendly nod, he dug his spurs into the -horse's sides, and went off in the direction of Carmen, while Corrocho -and Panchito went back toward Población del Sur. As soon as they had -gone some distance, the bushes in a corner of the brake were shaken, -and a face pale with fear peeped out. This head belonged to Patito, -who, with a pistol in one hand, and a knife in the other, drew himself -up, and looked around with great agitation, while muttering in a low -voice—</p> - -<p>"¡Canario! kill me cleverly. We shall see, we shall see. ¡Santa Virgen -del Pilar! What demons! Well, listening is a good thing."</p> - -<p>"It is the only way to hear," someone replied a mocking voice.</p> - -<p>"Who's there?" Patito shouted, as he leaped on one side.</p> - -<p>"A friend!" Blas Salazar answered, as he came from behind the maple and -joined the gaucho, whose hand he shook.</p> - -<p>"Ah, ah, capataz, you are welcome. You were listening too, then?"</p> - -<p>"I should think so. I took advantage of the opportunity to instruct -myself about Don Torribio."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"This caballero appears to me a precious scoundrel, but, with the aid -of Heaven, we will ruin his dark schemes."</p> - -<p>"So be it!"</p> - -<p>"And, in the first place, what do you intend to do?"</p> - -<p>"On my word I do not know. There's a buzzing in my ears, 'kill me -cleverly.' Corrocho and Panchito are certainly the most hideous -villains of the Pampa."</p> - -<p>"¡Caramba! I have known them a long time, and at present they alarm me -but slightly."</p> - -<p>"But me?"</p> - -<p>"Nonsense; you are not dead yet."</p> - -<p>"I am not much better."</p> - -<p>"What, are you afraid? You, the boldest panther hunter of my -acquaintance?"</p> - -<p>"A panther is, after all, only a panther, and you can get the better of -it with a bullet; but the two fellows Don Torribio has let loose on me -are demons."</p> - -<p>"That is true; so let us proceed to the most important point. Don -Valentine Cardoso, whose capataz I am, is my foster brother, that is -to say, I am devoted to him body and soul. Don Torribio is forming -some infernal plot against my master's family, which I wish to foil. -Are you decided to lend me a hand? Two men who have only one will -between them can do a great deal."</p> - -<p>"Frankness for frankness, Don Blas," Patito answered, after a moment's -reflection. "This morning I should have refused, this evening I -accept, because I no longer run a risk of betraying the gauchos, my -comrades. The position is changed. Kill me cleverly! By Heaven I will -avenge myself. I belong to you, capataz, as my knife blade does to its -hilt—yours, body and soul, on the word of a gaucho."</p> - -<p>"Excellent," said Don Blas, "we shall be able to understand each -other. Get on your horse and go and wait for me at the estancia. I -shall return there after sunset, and we will draw up the plan of the -countermine."</p> - -<p>"Agreed. Where are you going?"</p> - -<p>"To Don Valentine Cardoso."</p> - -<p>"This evening, then?"</p> - -<p>"This evening."</p> - -<p>They then separated. Patito, whose horse was hidden a short distance -off, galloped toward the Estancia of San Julian, of which Don Blas -was the capataz, while the latter proceeded in great haste toward the -Población.</p> - -<p>Don Valentine Cardoso was one of the richest landed proprietors in -Carmen, where his family had been established since the foundation -of the colony. He was a man of about five and forty. As his family -originally came from old Castile, he had retained the handsome type of -that race, a type which was recognized in his face by the vigorously -marked lines, with which was combined a certain air of proud majesty, -to which the rather sad eyes imparted an expression of gentleness and -kindness.</p> - -<p>Left a widower after two too short years of marriage, Don Valentine had -kept the memory of his wife locked up in his heart like a sacred relic, -and he believed that it was still loving her to devote himself entirely -to the education of their daughter Concepción, called more familiarly -Concha or Conchita.</p> - -<p>Don Valentine lived in the Población of old Carmen, near the fort, in -one of the handsomest and largest houses of the colony.</p> - -<p>A few hours after the events we have recorded, two persons were seated -near a brasero in a drawing room of this mansion.</p> - -<p>In this drawing room, elegantly furnished in the French style, a -stranger on opening the door might have believed himself transported -to the Faubourg St. Germain; there was the same luxury in the paper -hangings, the same taste in the choice and arrangement of the -furniture. Nothing was wanting; not even an Erard pianoforte, covered -with the scores of operas sung at Paris, and, as if better to prove -that glory travels a great distance, that genius has wings, the -fashionable romance writers and poets filled a buhl cheffonier. Here -everything recalled France and Paris, excepting the silver brasero in -which the smouldering olive stones indicated Spain. Chandeliers holding -pink wax candles lit up this magnificent withdrawing room.</p> - -<p>Don Valentine Cardoso and his daughter Conchita were seated near the -brasero.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, who was scarcely fifteen years of age, was exquisitely -beautiful. The raven arch of eyebrows, traced as with a pencil, -heightened the grace of her rather low and pale forehead; her large -blue and thoughtful eyes, fringed with long brown lashes, contrasted -harmoniously with her ebony black hair which curled round her delicate -neck, and in which odoriferous jessamine flowers were expiring in -delight. Short, like all true-blooded Spanish women, her waist was -exquisitely small. Never had smaller feet trodden in the dance the -Castilian grass plots, and never had a more dainty hand nestled in that -of a lover. Her movements, careless as those of all the creoles, were -undulating and full of <i>salero</i> as the Spaniards say.</p> - -<p>Her dress, which was charmingly simple, consisted of a dressing gown of -white cashmere, embroidered with large silk flowers in bright colours, -and fastened round the hips by a cord and tassels. A Mechlin lace veil -was carelessly thrown over her shoulders, while her feet were thrust -into pink slippers, lined with swan's-down.</p> - -<p>Doña Conchita was smoking a tiny husk cigarette, while talking to her -father.</p> - -<p>"Yes, father," she said, "a ship has arrived to day from Buenos Aires, -with the prettiest birds in the world."</p> - -<p>"Well, little one?"</p> - -<p>"I fancy that my dear little father," she remarked, with an adorable -pout, "is not at all gallant this evening."</p> - -<p>"What do you know about it, young lady?" Don Valentine replied with a -smile.</p> - -<p>"No, have you really," she said, bounding with delight in her chair, -and clapping her hands, "thought of—"</p> - -<p>"Buying you some birds? You will tomorrow see your aviary stocked with -parrots, Bengalis, macaws, hummingbirds, in short, about four hundred -specimens, you ungrateful little chit."</p> - -<p>"Oh, how good you are, father, and how I love you," the girl replied, -throwing her arms round Don Valentine's neck, and embracing him several -times.</p> - -<p>"Enough, enough, madcap. Do you want to stifle me with your caresses?"</p> - -<p>"What can I do to requite your kindness?"</p> - -<p>"Poor dear, I have only you to love now."</p> - -<p>"Say adore, my darling father; for it is adoration you feel for me. -Hence, I love you with all the strength God has placed in my heart."</p> - -<p>"And yet," Don Valentine said, with a gentle accent of reproach, "you -do not fear, naughty girl, to cause me anxiety."</p> - -<p>"I?" Concha asked, with an internal tremor.</p> - -<p>"Yes, you, you," he said, threatening her tenderly with his finger, -"you hide something from me."</p> - -<p>"Father!"</p> - -<p>"Come, child, a father's eyes can read the heart of a girl of fifteen, -and for some days past, if I am not mistaken, I have not been the sole -object of your thoughts."</p> - -<p>"That is true," the girl replied, with a certain amount of resolution.</p> - -<p>"And whom are you dreaming of, little maid?" Don Valentine asked, -hiding his anxiety behind a smile.</p> - -<p>"Of Don Torribio Carvajal."</p> - -<p>"Ah," the father cried, in a choking voice "and do you love him?"</p> - -<p>"No," she answered; "listen, father, I will conceal nothing from you. -No," she continued, laying her hand on her heart, "I do not love Don -Torribio, still he occupies my thoughts; why, I cannot say, but his -look troubles and fascinates me, his voice causes me a feeling of -undefinable pain; he is handsome, his manners are elegant and noble, -he has everything belonging to a gentleman of high caste, and yet -something in him, something fatal, checks me, and inspires me with -invincible repugnance."</p> - -<p>"You romantic girl."</p> - -<p>"Laugh at me, ridicule me," she said with a tremor in her voice. "Shall -I confess all to you, father?"</p> - -<p>"Speak with confidence."</p> - -<p>"Well, I have a presentiment that this man will be dangerous to me."</p> - -<p>"Child," Don Valentine replied, as he kissed her forehead, "what can he -do to you?"</p> - -<p>"I do not know; but I am afraid."</p> - -<p>"Do you wish not to remain here any longer?"</p> - -<p>"Heaven forbid! That would be hastening on the misfortune that -threatens me."</p> - -<p>"You are losing your head, and taking pleasure in creating chimeras."</p> - -<p>At the same moment a man servant announced Don Torribio Carvajal, who -entered the room.</p> - -<p>The young man was dressed in the latest Parisian fashion, and the -candles lit up his splendid face.</p> - -<p>Father and daughter started.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio walked up to Doña Concha, bowed to her gracefully, and -offered her a superb bouquet of exotic flowers. She thanked him with a -smile, took the bouquet, and almost without looking at it, laid it on a -table.</p> - -<p>In succession were announced the governor, Don Antonio Valverde, -accompanied by his whole staff, and two or three other families, or -altogether some fifteen persons. By degrees the conversation grew -animated.</p> - -<p>"Well, colonel," Don Valentine asked the governor, "What news from -Buenos Aires?"</p> - -<p>"Our great Rosas," the colonel answered, who was stifling in his -uniform, "has again defeated Oribe's Unitarian savages."</p> - -<p>"Heaven be praised! Perhaps that victory will procure us a little of -that tranquillity which commerce requires."</p> - -<p>"Yes," a colonist remarked, "the communications are becoming so -difficult that nothing can be sent by land."</p> - -<p>"Can the Indians be stirring?" a merchant asked anxiously, on hearing -the observation.</p> - -<p>"Oh!" the stout commandant interrupted, "There is no danger; the last -lesson they received was rude, they will remember it a long time, and -not dream of invading our frontiers for many a day to come."</p> - -<p>An almost invisible smile played round Don Torribio's lips.</p> - -<p>"In case of an invasion, do you consider them capable of seriously -troubling the colony?"</p> - -<p>"Hum!" Don Antonio answered, "Take them altogether they are poor -scrubs."</p> - -<p>The young man smiled again in a bitter and sinister manner.</p> - -<p>"Excellency," he said, "I am of your opinion; I believe the Indians -will do well in remaining at home."</p> - -<p>"I should think so," the commandant exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"Señorita," Don Torribio said, turning to Doña Concha, "would it be too -great a favour to ask you to sing that delicious air from the Black -Domino which you sang so exquisitely the other evening?"</p> - -<p>The young lady, without farther pressing, sat down to the pianoforte, -and sang the romance from the third act in a pure voice.</p> - -<p>"I heard that sung in Paris by Madame Damoreau, a nightingale who -has flown away, and I cannot say which of you displays more grace or -simplicity."</p> - -<p>"Don Torribio," Doña Concha answered, "you lived too long in France."</p> - -<p>"Why so, señorita."</p> - -<p>"Because you have come back a detestable flatterer."</p> - -<p>"Bravo!" the governor said with a hearty laugh. "You see, Don Torribio, -that our creoles are equal to the Parisian ladies in quickness of -repartee."</p> - -<p>"Incontestably, colonel," the young man replied; "but leave me alone," -he added with an undefinable accent, "I shall soon take my revenge."</p> - -<p>And he gave Doña Concha a look that made her shudder.</p> - -<p>"I trust, Don Torribio," the governor said, "that you will be present -tomorrow at the <i>Te Deum</i> chanted in honour of our glorious Rosas?"</p> - -<p>"Impossible, colonel; this very evening I start on a compulsory -journey."</p> - -<p>"What, another of your mysterious excursions?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, but this one will not be long, and I shall be back soon?"</p> - -<p>"All the better."</p> - -<p>"<i>¿Quién sabe?</i>" the young man murmured in a sinister voice.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, who had heard the last words, was not mistress of her -terror.</p> - -<p>The visitors took leave one after the other, and Don Torribio Carvajal -was at length left alone with his hosts.</p> - -<p>"Señorita," he said on taking leave, "I am setting out on a journey in -which I shall doubtless incur great dangers. May I hope that you will -deign to remember the traveller in your prayers."</p> - -<p>Concha looked at him for a moment in the face, and replied with a -frankness which was natural to her:—</p> - -<p>"Señor Caballero, I cannot pray for the success of an expedition whose -object I do not know."</p> - -<p>"Thanks for your frankness, mademoiselle," Don Torribio answered -without the slightest emotion, "I shall not forget your words."</p> - -<p>And after the customary compliments he retired.</p> - -<p>"The capataz of San Julian, Don Blas Salazar wishes to speak with Señor -Don Valentine Cardoso on important business."</p> - -<p>"Let him come in," Don Valentine said to the servant who had announced -the capataz in so lengthy a fashion. "Conchita, come and sit by my side -on this sofa."</p> - -<p>Don Torribio was extremely agitated when he left the house; he turned -round and darted a viper glance at the windows of the drawing room, -across which Doña Concha's light shadow flitted.</p> - -<p>"Proud girl," he said in a hollow and terrible voice, "I shall punish -you for your disdain."</p> - -<p>Then, wrapping himself in his cloak, he went at a rapid pace to a house -situated a short distance off, where he generally lived when at Carmen. -He knocked twice; the gate opened and closed after him.</p> - -<p>Twenty minutes later the gate opened again to let two horsemen pass out.</p> - -<p>"Master, where are we going?" one asked.</p> - -<p>"To the tree of Gualichu," the other replied; and added in a whisper, -"to seek vengeance."</p> - -<p>The two horsemen entered the darkness, and the furious gallop of their -horses was soon lost in the silence of night.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE TREE OF GUALICHU.</h3> - - -<p>As a general rule, the Southern natives have a divinity, or to speak -more correctly, a genius, sometimes benevolent, but more frequently -maleficent, and their worship is less veneration than fear. This genius -is called Achellenat Kanet by the Patagonians, Quecuba by the Aucas, -and Gualichu by the Puelches. And, as the latter have more especially -traversed the country in which the sacred, tree stands, they have -perpetuated the name of their evil genius by giving it to the tree, to -which they attribute the same power.</p> - -<p>The belief in Gualichu dates back to the most remote antiquity on the -Pampas.</p> - -<p>This wicked god is simply a stunted tree, which, if mingled with other -trees, would not have attracted attention; but which alone, and as -it were lost in the immensity of the plains, serves as a beacon to -the traveller wearied by a long journey across these oceans of sand. -It rises to a height of thirty-five or forty feet, all twisted and -prickly, and its withered trunk is rounded into a large cavity, in -which men and women lay their presents in tobacco, beads, and corn. It -is several centuries old, and belongs to that species of the acacia -family which the Hispano-Americans designate by the name of <i>Algarobo</i>.</p> - -<p>The wandering hordes of Indians, doubtless struck by the solitude -of this tree in the midst of the deserts, constituted it the object -of their worship. In fact, its branches are covered with various -offerings, many of some value: here a poncho, there a manta; farther on -woollen or cotton ribbons; while on all sides garments, more or less -injured and torn by the wind, are affixed to the thorns, which gives -this sacred tree the appearance of an old clothes' shop. No Indian, -whether Aucas, Patagonian, Puelche, or Tehuetche, would venture to pass -it without leaving something; and the man who has nothing else cuts off -his horse's mane and fastens it to the tree. The most precious offering -in the sight of the Indians is that of their horse; and hence the great -number of slaughtered horses round the tree attests the vitality of -their faith.</p> - -<p>The religion of the Southern natives, thoroughly primitive and spared -by the conquest, does not take the moral being into account, and is -only arrested by accidents of Nature, of which it makes gods. These -people strive to make the deserts, where fatigue and thirst produce -death, and the rivers that may swallow them up, favourable to them.</p> - -<p>At the foot of the tree of Gualichu, a few hours after the events -already narrated, a strange scene was taking place, rendered still more -striking by the density of the darkness, and by the storm which was -approaching. Heavy black clouds rolled athwart the sky; the wind blew -in gusts with a shrill whistle, and large drops of rain fell on the -sand.</p> - -<p>Around the sacred tree the Indians had improvised a village composed of -some forty toldos raised hastily and without regularity. Before each -toldo crackled a bright fire, round which two or three Indian squaws -were crouching to warm themselves, without taking their eye off the -hobbled horses which were devouring their stock of <i>alfalfa</i>.</p> - -<p>An immense fire, resembling a funereal pyre, flamed a few paces from -the tree of Gualichu, and was surrounded by twenty Indians, who stood -apathetic and contemplative, and whose grand war paint led to the -supposition that they were preparing for an important ceremony of their -worship.</p> - -<p>Suddenly a shrill whistle cleft the air, and announced the arrival of -two horsemen; one of them dismounted, and threw his horse's bridle to -his comrade, and walked into the circle formed by the warriors. This -man wore the uniform of an officer of the Chilian army.</p> - -<p>"I salute my brothers," he said, looking round him, "may Gualichu -protect them."</p> - -<p>"Salutation to Pincheira," the Indians responded; "are all the chiefs -assembled?" he continued.</p> - -<p>"All," a voice replied, "with the exception of Nocobotha, the grand -Toqui of the Aucas."</p> - -<p>"He will not be long; let us wait."</p> - -<p>The silence had been scarce established, ere a second whistle was -heard, and two fresh horsemen entered the circle of light projected by -the fires.</p> - -<p>Only one man dismounted. He was tall and fierce-looking, and dressed in -the costume of the Aucas warriors, the most civilized and intelligent -Indian nation in the whole of South America. These were the men who, -almost unarmed, repulsed Almagro and his cuirassed soldiers in 1555, -who triumphed over the unhappy Valdivia, and who, though constantly -fought by the Spaniards, were never vanquished. The Aucas offered an -asylum to the Incas whom Pizarro hunted like wild beasts, and who, as a -reward for their hospitality, introduced among these Indians their own -advanced civilization. By degrees the two nations became fused, and -their hatred of the Spaniards has been perpetuated up to our day.</p> - -<p>The warrior who had first entered the circle of Indian chiefs, was one -of the most perfect types of this indomitable race; all his features -bore the distinctive character of the haughty Incas, who were so long -masters of Peru. His costume, differing from that of the Patagonians, -who employ the skins of beasts, was composed of woollen cloth striped -with silver. A blue <i>chaman</i> covered his body from the waist, where -it was fastened with a woollen girdle down to the knee; in this way -exactly resembling the <i>chilipa</i> of the gauchos, who borrowed from the -Indians this garment and the short blue and red striped poncho; his -boots armed with silver spurs, and cleverly sewn with the tendons of -animals, were made of the tanned hide of the <i>guemul</i>, a species of -llama; his hair was divided at the back of the head into three tails, -fastened together at the end with a tuft of wool, while in front the -rest of his hair was raised and fastened with a blue ribbon, which, -after three turns, fell on one side, and terminated in small pieces -of rolled up silver. His brow was girt by a circle of massive gold, a -species of diadem, three inches in width, and in the centre of which -sparkled a sun composed of precious stones; a diamond of enormous -value hung from each of his ears; his cloak of guanaco skins which fell -down to the ground, was held on his shoulders by a silk cord, and was -fastened with a diamond. Two six-chambered revolvers glistened in his -waist belt; on his right hip hung a machete, or short sabre with a very -wide blade, and he held in his hand a double-barrelled rifle.</p> - -<p>This warrior, on his arrival, created a lively sensation among the -chiefs; all bowed before him respectfully, while murmuring with -delight—</p> - -<p>"Nocobotha! Nocobotha!"</p> - -<p>The warrior smiled proudly, and took his place in the first rank of the -chiefs.</p> - -<p>"The nacurulu (<i>Bubo Magellanicus</i>) has sung twice," he said; "the -osprey of the Rio Negro has raised its melancholy cry; the night is -drawing to a close; what have the chiefs of the great nations resolved?"</p> - -<p>"It would be useful, I think," one of the Indians answered, "to implore -the protection of Gualichu for the council."</p> - -<p>"The advice of my brother, Metipan, is wise. Let the <i>matchi</i> be -warned."</p> - -<p>While a chief went off to fetch the matchi, or sorcerer, another chief -quitted the circle, went up to Nocobotha, whispered something to him, -and then returned to his place. The Toqui of the Aucas laid his hand -on his machete, and shouted in a loud and menacing voice—</p> - -<p>"A traitor is among us! Attention, brothers."</p> - -<p>A shudder of passion ran through the ranks, and each Indian looked at -his neighbour.</p> - -<p>"He must die!" they shouted unanimously.</p> - -<p>"It is well," Nocobotha answered.</p> - -<p>These words, spoken in Indian, must reach the traitor's ear as a -vain sound, for the Aucas dialect is not generally understood by the -Spaniards.</p> - -<p>Still, a man, clothed like the other chiefs, and protected by the -darkness, suddenly bounded far out of the circle, and uttered three -different times the hoarse croak of the urubús. He leant against the -trunk of the tree of Gualichu, and with his legs far apart, and a -pistol in each hand, waited. This man was Pedrito, the bombero.</p> - -<p>A living wall, formed of hundreds of Indians, rose in arms before him, -and menaced him from all sides. Pedrito, to whom flight was impossible, -frowned, gnashed his teeth, and foamed with rage.</p> - -<p>"I am waiting for you, dogs," he yelled.</p> - -<p>"Forward! Forward!" the Indians shouted.</p> - -<p>"Silence!" Nocobotha ordered in a rough voice. "I wish to question -him."</p> - -<p>"What good is it?" Pincheira remarked, with a hateful expression. "He -is one of those rats of the Pampa, whom the Spaniards call bomberos. I -recognize him. Let us kill him at once."</p> - -<p>"A bombero," the Indians yelled anew. "Death to him, death."</p> - -<p>"Silence," said Nocobotha, "who dares to interrupt?"</p> - -<p>At the command of the master silence was reestablished.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" the Toqui asked the bombero; "Who are you?" Pedrito -replied with a grin, and crossing his arms, though he did not let go -his pistols.</p> - -<p>"Answer, if you would not die; you are in my power."</p> - -<p>"A brave man only belongs to himself. He has always the resource of -letting himself be killed."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps so."</p> - -<p>"Try to take me."</p> - -<p>"Surrender, and no harm will be done you."</p> - -<p>"A bombero never surrenders."</p> - -<p>"Why did you introduce yourself among us."</p> - -<p>"¡Canario! I came to witness your Indian jugglery, and learn the object -of this nocturnal meeting."</p> - -<p>"You are frank, at any rate, and I will take that into consideration. -Come! Resistance would be useless, so surrender."</p> - -<p>"Are you mad, my master?"</p> - -<p>"Forward!" Nocobotha, who was boiling with rage, shouted to the Indians.</p> - -<p>The latter rushed on. Two pistol shots were fired, and two Indians -writhed on the sand. While the others hesitated, Pedrito returned his -pistols to his belt, and drew his machete.</p> - -<p>"Make way," he shouted.</p> - -<p>"Death!" the warriors repeated.</p> - -<p>"Way, way!"</p> - -<p>And Pedrito dashed at the Indians, hitting right and left, cutting -and pointing. Nocobotha threw himself in his path, with the roar of a -wounded lion.</p> - -<p>"Ah, ah," said the bombero, "my worthy chief, with the diamond sun, it -is our turn."</p> - -<p>All at once three shots were fired behind the Indians, and three -horsemen dashed upon them, scattering terror and death around. The -Indians, not knowing how many enemies they had to contend with, -believed, owing to the darkness and the number of dead, that a -considerable reinforcement had arrived, and began dispersing in all -directions, with the exception of the more resolute, who held their -ground and continued to resist the assailants. Among these were -Nocobotha, Pincheira, and a few renowned chiefs.</p> - -<p>The three bomberos, summoned by the hoarse croaking of Pedrito, had -hastened up to their brother; they helped him to get onto the saddle of -the horse they had brought up for him.</p> - -<p>"Ah!" they shouted, "Down with the Indian dogs!"</p> - -<p>Nocobotha dealt the Spaniard a blow with the machete, to which he -responded by a cut that scarred his adversary's face. The Toqui uttered -a cry, not of pain but of rage.</p> - -<p>"Eh," the bombero said to him, "I shall recognize you, if ever we meet -again, for you bear my marks."</p> - -<p>"Villain!" the chief said, as he fired a pistol at him.</p> - -<p>"Ah!" Pedrito muttered in his turn, as he sank in his saddle.</p> - -<p>He would have fallen had not his sword prevented him.</p> - -<p>"He has killed me," the wounded man said, in a faint voice. "Courage, -brothers, do not leave my corpse to them."</p> - -<p>The three bomberos, supporting their brother, redoubled their ardour to -get him away from inevitable destruction; but how were they to fly? -The Indians, when the first moment of panic had passed, being able to -count their enemies, returned to the charge and threatened to overwhelm -them by their numbers. The position was horrible, and Pedrito, who had -retained his coolness, understood that his brothers were about to ruin -themselves for him, so, sacrificing his life to save them, he shouted—</p> - -<p>"Fly! Leave me alone here; in a few minutes I shall be dead."</p> - -<p>"No!" they replied, making their horses prance to ward off the blows, -"We will all get away or perish together."</p> - -<p>Pedrito, who knew his brothers, was not ignorant that their resolution -was unbending.</p> - -<p>The fight was going on at this moment, two yards at the most from the -tree of Gualichu, Pedrito, while his brothers were defending themselves -on all sides at once, slipped down to the ground, and when the bomberos -turned round, they found his horse without its rider. Pedrito had -disappeared.</p> - -<p>"He is dead, what is to be done?"</p> - -<p>"Obey him, as we were unable to save him," Juan answered.</p> - -<p>"Forward, then!"</p> - -<p>And all three, tearing up their horses' sides with their spurs, -bounded into the thick of the Indians. The collision was terrible; -still, a few seconds later, the bomberos, saved from danger by their -incredible audacity, were flying, like the wind, in three different -directions, while uttering cries of triumph.</p> - -<p>The Indians recognized the inutility of a pursuit across the sand; so -they contented themselves with picking up their dead and counting the -wounded, altogether some thirty victims.</p> - -<p>"These Spaniards are perfect demons, when they are obstinate," -Pincheira said, remembering his own origin.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Nocobotha answered him, mad with fury, "if ever I place my foot -on their chest, they will expiate the wrongs they have done my race for -centuries."</p> - -<p>"I am entirely devoted to you," Pincheira continued.</p> - -<p>"Thanks, my friend. When the hour arrives, I shall remind you of your -promise."</p> - -<p>"I shall be ready; but at present what are your designs?"</p> - -<p>"The scar that madman has made on my head compels me to fire the train -as soon as possible."</p> - -<p>"Do so, I pray; and let us finish with these accursed Spaniards so soon -as we can."</p> - -<p>"Then you really hate your countrymen?"</p> - -<p>"I have an Indian heart, and that is saying enough."</p> - -<p>"I will soon procure you the opportunity to slake your vengeance."</p> - -<p>"May heaven hear you!"</p> - -<p>"But the chiefs have again assembled round the council fire; come, -brother."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha and Pincheira approached the tree of Gualichu, where the -Indians were grouped, motionless, silent, and calm, as if nothing had -disturbed their gathering.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE COUNCIL OF THE ULMENS.</h3> - - -<p>The Indians, while collecting their dead, sought in vain the corpse of -the white man, and persuaded themselves that his comrades had carried -it off. The latter, on the other hand, reproached themselves bitterly -for having left their brother's body in the hands of the Pagans.</p> - -<p>Now, what had become of Pedrito?</p> - -<p>The bombero was one of those iron men, whom a powerful will leads to -their object, and whom death alone can conquer. He wished, therefore, -to be present at the council of the chiefs, the high import of which -he suspected; and instead of throwing his life away in an unequal -struggle, he found in Nocobotha's shot the pretext he was seeking. As -time pressed, he pretended, to be mortally wounded, and both friends -and enemies had been duped by his stratagem.</p> - -<p>So soon as he had slipped down off his horse, by favour of the darkness -and combat, he was able, either by crawling like a lizard, or leaping -like a cougar, to hide himself in the hollow trunk of the tree of -Gualichu. There he buried himself beneath a pile of objects offered -by the devotion of the Indians, and was as safe as in the fortress of -Carmen. However, like a bold hunter, who has always time to be killed, -he had not thrown his weapons away. His first care was, without respect -for Gualichu, to wrap up his arm in a piece of cloth, in order to -prevent the flow of blood from his wound; then he arranged himself as -well as he could, with his head thrust slightly forward, to see the -scene that was about to take place.</p> - -<p>All the chiefs were already assembled, and Lucaney, Ulmen of the -Puelches, was the first to speak.</p> - -<p>"The Spaniard who dared to introduce himself among us, in order to -violate the secret of our deliberations, is dead; we are alone; let us -begin the ceremony."</p> - -<p>"It shall be done, according to the desire of my brother, the Ulmen of -the Puelches," Nocobotha answered; "where is the wise matchi?"</p> - -<p>"Here," said a tall, thin man, whose face was striped in different -colours, and who was dressed like a woman.</p> - -<p>"Let the wise matchi approach and accomplish the rites."</p> - -<p>"A matchitun is necessary," the sorcerer said, in a solemn voice.</p> - -<p>The usual preparations for this conjuration were immediately made. Two -lances were planted, one on the right, one on the left of the sacred -tree; on the left hand one were hung a drum, and a vessel filled with -fermented liquor; twelve other vessels, containing the same liquor, -were ranged in a circle from one lance to the other. A sheep and a colt -were brought in, and deposited near the vessels, and two old squaws -placed themselves by the side of the drum. The preparations terminated, -the matchi turned to Nocobotha.</p> - -<p>"Why does the Ulmen of the Aucas ask for the matchitun?" he asked.</p> - -<p>Metipan stepped out of the circle.</p> - -<p>"An hereditary hatred has for a long time separated the Aucas and -the Pehuenches," he said; "the interest of all the great nations -desires the end of this hatred. Kelzulepan, my ancestor, Ulmen of the -Pehuenches, carried off a white slave belonging to Medzeliputzi, Toqui -of the Aucas, and great grandfather of Nocobotha."</p> - -<p>"Before the assembled chiefs, in the face of heaven, I have come to -tell Nocobotha, the descendant of Yupanqui, the son of the sun, that my -ancestor behaved badly to his, and I am ready, in order to extinguish -all discord, past, present, and future, to give him here a white, -young, lovely, and virgin slave."</p> - -<p>"I give up, before Gualichu," Nocobotha answered, "the hatred which my -nation and I had sworn against you and yours."</p> - -<p>"Does Gualichu approve our conduct?" Metipan asked.</p> - -<p>The matchi seemed to reflect profoundly.</p> - -<p>"Yes," he replied, "you have gained the protection of Gualichu; let the -white slave be brought up; perhaps he will demand that she should be -surrendered to him, instead of belonging to a man."</p> - -<p>"His will be done," both Ulmens said.</p> - -<p>Two warriors led up a girl of about seventeen, and placed her between -the lances, with her face turned to the tree of Gualichu. On seeing -her, Pedrito felt a cold perspiration break out all over him, and a -mist covered his eyes.</p> - -<p>"Whence comes this strange emotion?" the bombero muttered to himself.</p> - -<p>The girl's large black eyes had an expression of gentle melancholy. -She was dressed after the fashion of the Pehuenche women; the woollen -<i>quedito</i> was rolled round her body, fastened on the shoulders by two -silver pins, and on her limbs by a <i>kepike</i>, or silken girdle, six -inches in width, and secured by a buckle. The two ends of a square -<i>pilken</i>, like a cloak, was fastened on her chest by a topu, adorned -with a magnificent head in gold. She had on her neck two collars of -beads, and on each of her arms four bracelets of glass, pearls, and -silver balls. Her long black hair was parted down the centre into two -tresses, tied up with blue ribbons, which floated on her shoulders, -and terminated in bells; on her head was a conical cap of blue and red -beads.</p> - -<p>At this graceful apparition the Indians, who are very fond of white -women, could not, despite their natural stoicism, restrain a murmur of -admiration.</p> - -<p>At a signal from the matchi the ceremony began. The two old squaws beat -the drum, while the spectators, guided by the sorcerer, struck up a -symbolical song while dancing round the captive.</p> - -<p>The drum ceased with the song; then the matchi lit a cigar, inhaled the -smoke, and thrice perfumed the tree, the animals, and the maiden, whose -bosom he at the same time laid bare. He put his mouth to it and began -sucking till he drew blood, and the poor child made superhuman efforts -not to shriek. The dancing, accompanied by song, began again, and the -old women beat the drum with all the strength of their arms. Pedrito, -full of compassion for the innocent victim of Indian superstition, -longed to fly to her help.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile, the matchi, with his swollen cheeks, gradually became -more excited; his eyes grew bloodshot, he seemed possessed by the -demon, and all at once became furious; he writhed and behaved like an -epileptic. Then the dance ceased, and Metipan, with a stroke of his -machete, cut open the flank of the colt, tore out its still palpitating -heart, and gave it to the sorcerer, who sucked the blood, and employed -it to make a cross on the maiden's brow. The latter, suffering from -inexpressible terror, began to tremble violently.</p> - -<p>The storm, which had been gathering in the clouds, at length broke out. -A blue flash shot athwart the sky, the thunder rolled with a terrible -din, and a blast of wind dashed over the plain, sweeping away the -toldos, the fragments of which it dispersed far and wide.</p> - -<p>The Indians stopped, terrified by the storm. All at once a formidable -voice, that appeared to issue from the tree of Gualichu, uttered the -ill-omened words.</p> - -<p>"Retire, Indians! My wrath is let loose upon you. Leave here this -miserable white slave as an expiation of your crimes! Fly, and woe to -those who look back. Woe! Woe!"</p> - -<p>A livid flash and a violent peal of thunder served as peroration to -this harangue.</p> - -<p>"Let us fly!" said the matchi, who in his terror was ready to believe -in his god.</p> - -<p>But, profiting by this unexpected intervention to enforce his own -power, he continued—</p> - -<p>"Fly, brothers! Gualichu has spoken to his servant. Woe to those who -resist his orders."</p> - -<p>The Indians had no need of this recommendation from their sorcerer; a -superstitious terror lent them wings. They rushed tumultuously toward -the horses, and soon the desert echoed again with their wild flight. -The tree of Gualichu was deserted, and the maiden alone lay fainting on -the ground, with her bosom still bare.</p> - -<p>When all was quiet on the Pampa, and the sound of the horses' gallop -was lost in the distance, Pedrito gently thrust his head out of the -tree, examined the black depths of the night, and reassured by the -silence, ran up to the girl. Pale as a beauteous lily laid low by the -storm, the poor girl had her eyes closed, and did not breathe. The -bombero raised her in his muscular arms, and transported her close to -the tree, laying her on a pile of skins belonging to a destroyed toldo. -He placed her cautiously on this softer couch, and her head hung -insensibly on his chest.</p> - -<p>It was a strange group, in the midst of this devastated plain, only -illumined by the lightning flashes. This young and lovely girl, and -this rude wood ranger, offered a touching picture.</p> - -<p>Pain and sorrow were delineated on Pedrito's face. He, whose whole life -had been but one long drama, who had no faith in his heart, who was -ignorant of gentle feelings and sweet sympathies, he, the bombero, the -slayer of Indians, was moved and felt something new stir within him. -Two heavy tears ran down his bronzed cheeks.</p> - -<p>"Can she be dead? Oh Heaven!"</p> - -<p>This name, which he had hitherto only used in blasphemy, he uttered -almost with respect. It was a sort of prayer and cry from his heart. -This man believed.</p> - -<p>"How to help her?" he asked himself.</p> - -<p>The rain that fell in torrents eventually restored the maiden, who, -half opening her eyes, murmured in a faint voice;</p> - -<p>"Where am I? What has happened?"</p> - -<p>"She speaks, she lives, she is saved," Pedrito exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"Who is there?" she asked, raising herself with difficulty.</p> - -<p>At the sight of the bombero's gloomy face, she had a fresh outburst of -terror, closed her eyes again, and fell back exhausted.</p> - -<p>"Reassure yourself, my girl. I am your friend."</p> - -<p>"My friend! What means that word? Have slaves any friends? Ah, yes," -she continued, speaking as if in a dream, "I have suffered terribly. -Still I can remember long, long ago, being happy, but alas! The worst -misfortune is the recollection of past happiness in misery."</p> - -<p>She was silent. The bombero gazed at her, and listened to her as if -suspended on her lips. That voice, those features! A vague suspicion -entered Pedrito's head.</p> - -<p>"Oh, speak, speak again," he said, softening down the harshness of his -voice, "what do you remember of your youthful years?"</p> - -<p>"Why think of past joys in misfortune? What does it avail?" she added, -shaking her head with discouragement. "My history is that of all -unfortunate persons. There was a time when, like other children, I had -the song of birds to lull me to sleep, flowers that smiled on me when -I awoke, and a mother who loved and embraced me—all that has fled -forever."</p> - -<p>Pedrito had raised two poles covered with skins to shelter her from -the storm, which was gradually subsiding.</p> - -<p>"You are kind, for you have saved me; still, your kindness was cruel, -for why did you not let me die? People who are dead no longer suffer. -The Pehuenches will return, and then—"</p> - -<p>She did not conclude, and buried her face in her hands, with choking -sobs.</p> - -<p>"Fear nothing, señorita; I will defend you."</p> - -<p>"Poor man; alone against all! But before my last hour arrives, listen -to me, for I wish to relieve my heart. One day I was playing in my -mother's arms, my father was near us, with my two sisters and my four -brothers, resolute men who would not have feared twenty. Well! the -Pehuenches came up, they burned our estancia, for my father was a -farmer, they killed my mother, and—"</p> - -<p>"Mercedes, Mercedes!" the bombero exclaimed, "Is it really you? Do I -find you again?"</p> - -<p>"That was the name my mother gave me."</p> - -<p>"It is I, Pedro, Pedrito, your brother," the bombero said, almost -shouting with joy, and clasping her to his bosom.</p> - -<p>"Pedrito! My brother! Yes, yes, I remember. Pedrito, I am—"</p> - -<p>She fell senseless into her brother's arms.</p> - -<p>"Wretch that I am, I have killed her! Mercedes, my beloved sister, -come to yourself again, or I shall die."</p> - -<p>The maiden opened her eyes again, and threw herself on the bombero's -neck, weeping with joy.</p> - -<p>"Pedrito! My kind brother, do not leave me, defend me; they would kill -me."</p> - -<p>"Poor girl, they will pass over my body before reaching you."</p> - -<p>"They will do so," a sarcastic voice exclaimed behind the tent.</p> - -<p>Two men appeared, Nocobotha and Pincheira. Pedrito, holding his sister, -who was half-dead with terror, with his left hand, leant against one of -the posts, drew his machete, and prepared for a vigorous defence.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha and Pincheira, too enlightened to be the dupes of the -mysterious voice of Gualichu, and yield to the general panic, had, -however, fled with their comrades; but they had turned back unnoticed. -Curious to know the meaning of this enigma, and the author of the -mystification, they had listened to the entire conversation between -brother and sister.</p> - -<p>"Well," Pincheira said, with a laugh, "you seem tolerably lively for a -dead man. It seems, Canario, that you must be killed twice, in order to -make sure that you will not recover. But, be easy, if my friend missed -you, I shall not do so."</p> - -<p>"What do you want with me?" Pedrito said. "Let us pass."</p> - -<p>"Not at all," Pincheira replied, "that would be rather too dangerous -an example. And stay," he added, after listening, "do you hear that -galloping? your affair is as good as settled, there are our <i>mosotones</i> -coming back."</p> - -<p>In fact, the sound of a cavalcade momentarily drew nearer, and in the -pale gleam of dawn the dim outlines of numerous horsemen could be -distinguished in the distance. Pedrito saw that he was lost; he kissed -for the last time the pale brow of his unconscious sister, laid her -behind him, crossed himself, and prepared to die as a brave man should.</p> - -<p>"Come," said Nocobotha, "let us have an end of this; it looks as if -this scoundrel were afraid of death."</p> - -<p>"Make haste," Pincheira answered, "I hear our men, and if we do not -make haste, our prey will be torn from us."</p> - -<p>"You did not fancy you were speaking so truly, Señor Pincheira," Pepe -exclaimed, suddenly appearing with his two brothers; "now, let us see -who is to be killed."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, my brave brothers," Pedrito said joyously.</p> - -<p>"Malediction!" Pincheira said with an oath, "Are these scoundrels -everywhere?"</p> - -<p>"I will not have him escape me," Nocobotha muttered, as he bit his lips -till the blood came.</p> - -<p>"Fie on you, caballeros," Pepe exclaimed ironically. "On guard, defend -yourselves like men, or I shall kill you like dogs."</p> - -<p>The blades crossed, and the fight began with equal fury on both sides.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h4> - -<h3>NOCOBOTHA.</h3> - - -<p>A struggle to the death was preparing between these irreconcilable -enemies, the bomberos and the Indians; and on this occasion it seemed -as if the advantage would be on the side of the brothers.</p> - -<p>Mercedes, who had recovered from her fainting fit, felt so terrified -that she regretted that she had awoken again.</p> - -<p>After the first collision, Nocobotha fell back a step, lowered his -weapon, made Pincheira a sign to imitate him, and with folded arms -walked towards the brothers.</p> - -<p>"Stay," he cried, "this fight will not take place; it is not proper for -men to risk their lives in disputing for the possession of a woman."</p> - -<p>An ironical smile contracted the bronzed faces Of Pedrito's brothers, -while Pincheira stamped his foot impatiently. The Indian chief -continued, without heeding these marks of disapproval—</p> - -<p>"A man's blood is precious. Take away your sister, my good fellow. I -give her to you; may she be happy with you."</p> - -<p>"Our sister!" the three young men exclaimed with amazement.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Pedrito said; "but what conditions do you exact?"</p> - -<p>"None," the chief answered nobly.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha's generosity was the more disinterested because the bomberos -perceived by the first rays of the rising sun a band of nearly one -thousand Indians, well equipped, and painted and armed for war, who had -silently advanced and formed a a circle round them.</p> - -<p>"Can we," Pedrito asked, "trust to your word, and have we no cause to -fear a trap?"</p> - -<p>"My word," the Ulmen answered haughtily, "is more sacred than that of -a white man. We have, like you, noble feelings, more so, perhaps, than -others," he added, pointing to a red line that traversed his face; -"we know how to forgive. You are free, and no one will disturb your -retreat."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha followed the thoughts of the bomberos on their faces. The -latter felt themselves conquered by the magnanimity of the chief, who -smiled triumphantly on divining their astonishment and confusion.</p> - -<p>"My friend," he said to Pincheira, "let fresh horses be given to these -men."</p> - -<p>Pincheira hesitated.</p> - -<p>"At once," he said, with a gesture full of supreme grace.</p> - -<p>The Chilian, who was a semi-savage, yielding involuntarily to -Nocobotha's superiority, obeyed, and five horses of great value, and -ready saddled and bridled, were led up by two Indians.</p> - -<p>"Chief," Pedrito said, in a slightly shaking voice, "I am not grateful -for my life, as I do not fear death; but, in my brothers' names and -my own, I thank you for our sister. We never forget an insult or a -kindness. Farewell! Perhaps I shall someday have the opportunity to -prove to you that we are not ungrateful."</p> - -<p>The chief bowed without answering. The bomberos grouped round Mercedes, -returned his salute, and went off slowly.</p> - -<p>"Well, it was your wish," Pincheira said, shrugging his shoulders in -vexation.</p> - -<p>"Patience!" Nocobotha answered, in a deep voice.</p> - -<p>During this time an immense fire had been kindled at the foot of the -tree of Gualichu, where the Indians, whose superstitious fears had -been dissipated with the darkness, had again assembled in council. -A few paces behind the chiefs, the Aucas and Puelche horsemen formed -a formidable cordon round the council fire, while Patagonian scouts -dashed about the desert to scare away intruders, and insure the secrecy -of the deliberations.</p> - -<p>In the east the sun was darting forth its flames, the dry and naked -desert was blended with the illimitable horizon; in the distance the -Cordilleras displayed the eternal snow of their peaks. Such was the -landscape, if we may call it so, in which these barbarous warriors -stood, dressed in strange costumes near the symbolic tree. This -majestic scene involuntarily recalled other times and other climates, -when, by the light of burning towns, the ferocious companions of Attila -rushed to the conquest, and rejuvenescence of the Roman world.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha took up his speech at the point where it had been interrupted -by the unexpected interference of the bombero.</p> - -<p>"I thank my brother Metipan," he said, "for the gift of the white -slave. From this day our disagreement ceases; his nation and mine will -form one and the same family, whose herds will peacefully graze on the -same pasturage, and whose warriors will sleep side by side on the war -track."</p> - -<p>The matchi then lit a pipe, drew a few puffs, and handed it to the two -chiefs, who smoked in turn, passing the pipe to each other till the -tobacco was entirely consumed. Then the pipe was thrown on the fire by -the matchi.</p> - -<p>"Gualichu," he said, solemnly, "has heard your words. Swear that your -alliance will not be broken until you can again smoke this pipe which -is already reduced to ashes."</p> - -<p>"We swear it."</p> - -<p>The two Ulmens laid the left hand on the other's right shoulder, -stretched out the right hand to the sacred tree, and kissed each other -on the lips, saying—</p> - -<p>"Brother, receive this kiss. May my lips wither and my tongue be torn -out if I betray my oath."</p> - -<p>All the Indians came, one after the other, to give the kiss of peace to -the two Ulmens with marks of joy that were the more lively because they -knew what great misfortunes this feud had already cost them, and how -many times it had compromised the independence of the Indian tribes.</p> - -<p>When the chiefs had returned to their places at the council fire, -Lucaney bowed to Nocobotha.</p> - -<p>"What communications did my brother wish to make to the Ulmens? We are -ready to hear him."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha seemed to reflect for a moment, and then looked confidently -round the assembly.</p> - -<p>"Ulmens of the Puelches, Araucanos, Pehuenches, Huileches, and -Patagonians," he said, "for many moons past my mind has been sad. I -see with grief our hunting grounds invaded by the white men, and daily -growing more and more contracted. We whose countless tribes only a few -centuries ago covered the vast tract of land contained between the -two seas, are now reduced to a small band of warriors, who, timid as -llamas, fly before our despoilers. Our sacred cities, the last refuges -of the civilization of our fathers the Incas, are about to become the -prey of these human-faced monsters who have no other God but gold. Our -dispersed race will soon disappear from this world which it so long -possessed and governed alone."</p> - -<p>"Tracked like wild animals, brutalized by the firewater, and decimated -by the sword and Spanish disease, our wandering hordes are but the -shadow of a people. Our conquerors despise our religion, and they wish -to bow us beneath the tree of the crucified man. They outrage our -wives, kill our children, and burn our villages. Has the blood of your -fathers become impoverished in the veins of all you Indians who are -listening to me? Answer, will you die slaves, or live as free men?"</p> - -<p>At these words, uttered in a masculine and penetrating voice, and whose -effect was heightened by the most majestic gestures, a quiver ran along -the assembly; they raised their heads haughtily and every eye flashed.</p> - -<p>"Speak, speak again!" the electrified Ulmens shouted simultaneously.</p> - -<p>The great Ulmen smiled proudly, and continued—</p> - -<p>"The hour has at length arrived, after so much humiliation and -wretchedness, to shake off the disgraceful yoke that presses on us. -Within a few days, if you are willing, we will drive the whites far -from our borders, and requite them all the evil they have done us. I -have long been watching the Spaniards, and I know their tactics and -resources; and in order to annihilate them we only need skill and -courage."</p> - -<p>The Indians interrupted him, with shouts of joy.</p> - -<p>"You shall be free," Nocobotha continued. "I will restore you the rich -valleys of your ancestors. This project has, ever since I have become -a man, been fermenting in my head, and it has grown the life of my -life. Far from you and me be the thought that I have any intention to -force myself on you as chief and grand Toqui of the army! No; you -must choose your leader freely, and after having elected him, obey him -blindly, follow him everywhere, and pass through the most formidable -perils. Do not deceive yourselves, warriors; our enemy is strong, -numerous, and well disciplined, and, before all, is habituated to -conquer us. Appoint a supreme chief—select the most worthy, and I will -joyfully march under his orders. I have spoken: have I spoken well, -powerful men?"</p> - -<p>And, after bowing to the assembly, Nocobotha mingled with the crowd of -chiefs, with a serene brow, but with his heart devoured by anxiety and -hatred.</p> - -<p>This eloquence, which was novel to the Indians, seduced, carried them -away, and cast them into a species of frenzy. They almost regarded -Nocobotha as a genius of a superior essence to their own, and bowed -the knee to worship him, so straight had he gone to their hearts. For -a long time the council was affected by a species of delirium, all -speaking at once. When tranquillity was restored, the wisest among the -Ulmens discussed the opportunity of taking up arms and the chances -of success, and in the end the opinion was unanimous in favour of a -general insurrection. The ranks, momentarily broken, were restored, -and Lucaney, who was invited by the chiefs to make known the decision -of the council, spoke as follows;—</p> - -<p>"Ulmens, listen, listen, listen! This seventeenth day of the moon of -Kekil-kiven it has been resolved by all the chiefs, each representing -a nation or a tribe, assembled round the council fire in front of the -sacred tree of Gualichu, and after the performance of the sacred rites -to render the spirit favourable to us, that war is declared against -the Spaniards, our despoilers. As the war is holy, and has liberty -for its object, all will be expected to take part in it—men, women, -and children; all to the extent of their strength. This very day the -<i>quipus</i> will be sent to all the Indian nations."</p> - -<p>A long cry of enthusiasm cheered Lucaney, but he continued after a -while—</p> - -<p>"The chiefs, after careful consideration, have chosen as supreme Toqui -of all the nations, with uncontrolled and unlimited power, the wisest, -the most prudent, and the man most worthy to command us. This warrior -is the chief of the Aucas whose race is so ancient, Nocobotha is the -descendant of the Incas, the son of the sun."</p> - -<p>A thunder of applause greeted these last words Nocobotha walked into -the centre of the circle, bowed to the Ulmens, and said, in a proud -accent, "I accept. Ulmens, my brothers, in a year you shall be free, or -myself dead."</p> - -<p>"Long live the great Toqui!" the crowd shouted.</p> - -<p>"War to the Spaniards!" Nocobotha continued; "A war without respite or -mercy—a true wild beast hunt, such as they are accustomed to make on -us. Remember the law of the Pampas: 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for -a tooth.' Each chief will send the quipus to his nation, for at the end -of this moon we will arouse our enemies by a thunderclap. Go, and lose -no time. This night at the fourth hour we will meet again at the pass -of the Guanaco, to elect the secondary chiefs, count our warriors, and -fix the day and hour of attack."</p> - -<p>The Ulmens bowed without replying, rejoined the escort, and soon -disappeared in a cloud of dust.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha and Pincheira remained alone, a detachment guarding them a -little distance away. Nocobotha, with his arms folded, drooping head, -and frowning brow, seemed plunged in profound thoughts.</p> - -<p>"Well," Pincheira said, "we have succeeded."</p> - -<p>"Yes," he answered; "war is declared, and I am the supreme chief; but -I tremble at such a heavy task. Do those primitive men thoroughly -understand? Are they ripe for liberty? Perhaps they have not as yet -suffered enough. Oh! if I succeed!"</p> - -<p>"You startle me, friend. What, then, are your plans?"</p> - -<p>"It is true, you know nothing, but you are worthy of such an -enterprise. I wish, understand me thoroughly; I wish—"</p> - -<p>At this moment an Indian, whose horse, reeking with perspiration, -seemed to breathe fire through its nostrils, came up to the two Ulmens, -before whom he shopped dead, by a prodigy of horsemanship, as if -converted into a granite statue. He bent down to Nocobotha's ear.</p> - -<p>"Already!" the latter exclaimed; "Oh, there is not a moment to lose. -Quick, my horse."</p> - -<p>"What is the matter?" Pincheira asked him.</p> - -<p>"Nothing that can interest you. Tonight at the pass of the Guanaco you -shall know all."</p> - -<p>"Are you going alone?"</p> - -<p>"I must. Tonight we meet again."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha's horse snorted, and dashed off like an arrow from a bow.</p> - -<p>Ten minutes later all the Indians had disappeared, and solitude and -silence reigned round the tree of Gualichu.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE COUGARS.</h3> - - -<p>Don Valentine Cardoso's conversation with Don Blas Salazar was -prolonged far into the night. Doña Concha had retired to her apartments.</p> - -<p>"Thanks, Blas, my friend," Don Valentine said in conclusion; "that -Don Torribio Carvajal never pleased either my daughter or myself. His -mysterious ways and his look repulse affection and inspire distrust."</p> - -<p>"What do you intend doing?" the capataz asked.</p> - -<p>"I am greatly embarrassed; how can I close my doors against him; what -pretext should I have?"</p> - -<p>"Good gracious!" Blas said; "Perhaps we are alarming ourselves too -soon. This gentleman is doubtless no more or less than a lover. Doña -Concha is of the age to be beloved, and her beauty attracts Don -Torribio. You do not like him as son-in-law, so all right; but love, -they say, is a strange thing, and some day or other—"</p> - -<p>"I have designs for my daughter."</p> - -<p>"That is different. By the way, may not this mysterious caballero be a -secret agent of General Oribe, who is watching Carmen?"</p> - -<p>"That is the truth, I believe. His hints to the gauchos, his unexpected -absences, whose purpose is unknown, are simply of a political nature, -and Don Torribio is a conspirator."</p> - -<p>"Nothing else. Be on your guard against him."</p> - -<p>"In the expectation of General Oribe making an attack, let us make -ourselves secure. The Estancia of San Julian is close to Port San José -and the sea; we will await the issue of these machinations there in -greater security, because a vessel, anchored opposite the estancia, -will be at my disposal, and on the slightest alarm convey us to Buenos -Aires."</p> - -<p>"That arrangement removes all difficulties; in the country you will not -be annoyed by Don Torribio's visits."</p> - -<p>"¡Caramba! you are right; and I will proceed to give orders for -departure. Do not go away, for I want your assistance, and you will -accompany us."</p> - -<p>Don Valentine hastened to wake the servants and peons who were fast -asleep; and the valuables were at once packed up.</p> - -<p>At the first gleam of dawn Doña Concha was greatly surprised, when her -lady's maid, a young mulatto girl, informed her of her father's sudden -resolution. Doña Concha, without making the slightest remark, dressed -herself, and began packing.</p> - -<p>At about eight in the morning, Blas Salazar, whom his foster brother -had sent with a letter to the captain of his schooner moored off -Carmen, and loaded with Brazilian merchandise, returned to the house, -and stated that the captain would sail at once, and be anchored by -nightfall before San Julian.</p> - -<p>The courtyard of the house resembled a hostelry. Fifteen mules, bending -beneath their bales, stamped in their impatience to be off, while the -travelling litter was being prepared for Doña Concha. Forty saddle -horses, intended for the servants, were fastened to iron rings in the -wall; four or five mules were prepared to carry the young lady's female -attendants, while two Negro slaves held two splendid chargers, which -stamped and champed their silver bits, while awaiting their riders, Don -Valentine and his capataz. There was a deafening confusion of shouts, -laughter, and kicking. In the street, a crowd, among whom were Corrocho -and Panchito, curiously watched their departure, while making their -comments on the strange fact of Don Cardoso choosing so late a season -for a residence in the country.</p> - -<p>Panchito and Corrocho slipped away.</p> - -<p>At last, at about half past eight o'clock, the <i>arrieros</i> placed -themselves at the head of their mules; the servants, armed to the -teeth, mounted, and Doña Concha, dressed in a charming travelling -costume, walked down the steps, and with a merry laugh, bounded into -the litter, where she nestled like a hummingbird among rose leaves.</p> - -<p>At a sign from the capataz, the mules, already fastened to each other -in a file, started. Don Valentine then turned to an old Negro, who was -standing respectfully near him, hat in hand.</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, <i>tío</i> Peralta," he said to him; "I give you charge of the -house, and leave you Cyrillo and Nanez."</p> - -<p>"Your Excellency can reckon on my vigilance," the old man answered; -"may God bless your Excellency, and the Niña too. I will take great -care of her birds."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, <i>tío</i> Peralta," the young lady said, leaning out of the -litter.</p> - -<p>The courtyard was already empty, when the Negro bowed, delighted at the -thanks.</p> - -<p>The night storm had completely swept the sky, which was of a pale -blue; the sun, already high on the horizon, spread profusely its warm -beams, which were filtered through the fragrant vapours that rose -from the ground. The atmosphere was wondrously transparent, a slight -breeze refreshed the air, and swarms of birds, glistening with a -thousand hues, dashed about. The mules, which followed the bell of the -<i>yegua madrina</i>, trotted to the songs of the arrieros. The caravan -marched gaily across the sandy desert, raising the dust around it, and -undulating like a long serpent, in the endless windings of the road. -Don Blas, with ten servants, who explored the country, and examined the -bushes, formed the vanguard. Don Valentine, with a cigar in his mouth, -was conversing with his daughter, while twenty resolute men closed the -march, and protected the travellers.</p> - -<p>In the plains of Patagonia, a journey of four hours, like that to the -estancia of San Julian, requires as many precautions as one of two -hundred among us; enemies are ambuscaded everywhere, and ready for -pillage and murder; and travellers are compelled to be on their guard -against gauchos, Indians, and wild beasts.</p> - -<p>The white houses of Carmen had disappeared long ago, when the capataz, -leaving the head of the party, galloped up to the side of the litter.</p> - -<p>"What is the matter?" Don Valentine asked.</p> - -<p>"Nothing," Blas replied; "still, Excellency, look," he added, -stretching out his arm in a southwesterly direction.</p> - -<p>"It is a fire."</p> - -<p>"Now turn your eyes to the east-south-east."</p> - -<p>"That is another fire. Who the deuce has lighted fires on those scarped -points, and for what object?"</p> - -<p>"I will tell you. That point is the cliff of Urubús."</p> - -<p>"It is."</p> - -<p>"That is the cliff of San Xavier."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"As a fire does not light itself, as we have some 120° of heat, and -as—"</p> - -<p>"You conclude—"</p> - -<p>"I conclude that these fires Have been lit by Don Torribio's gauchos; -and that they are signals."</p> - -<p>"Stay, stay, that is logical, my friend, and you may be right perhaps; -but what do we care?"</p> - -<p>"Those signals tell that Don Valentine Cardoso and his daughter have -left Carmen."</p> - -<p>"You spoke to me about that, I think? Well, I do not care about Don -Torribio knowing of my departure."</p> - -<p>A sudden cry was heard, and the mules stopped with trembling limbs.</p> - -<p>"What is going on down there?" Blas asked.</p> - -<p>"A cougar, a cougar!" the arrieros shouted in horror.</p> - -<p>"Canario, it is true," the capataz said, "but instead of one there are -two."</p> - -<p>About two hundred yards ahead of the caravan two cougars (the <i>Felis -discolor</i> or Linnaeus, or American lion), were drawn up ready for a -spring, with their eyes fixed on the mules. These animals, still young, -were about the size of a calf; the head bore a great likeness to that -of a cat, and their skins, smooth and soft, of a silvery tawny, were -spotted with black.</p> - -<p>"Come on," Don Valentine exclaimed, "uncouple the dogs, and let us have -a hunt."</p> - -<p>"A hunt!" the capataz repeated.</p> - -<p>A dozen mastiffs were unloosed which, on approaching the lions, barked -simultaneously. The mules were collected and formed into a large -circle, in the centre of which the litter was placed. Ten servants were -told off to guard Doña Concha, and Don Valentine remained by her side -to keep up her courage.</p> - -<p>Horses, riders, and dogs rushed in rivalry on the ferocious animals -with yells, shouts, and barking sufficient to start lions that were -novices. The noble beasts, lashed their flanks with their powerful -tails, and after a deep inspiration they fled away with lengthened -bounds. A part of the hunters rode off in a straight line to cut off -their retreat, while, others bending over the saddle and guiding their -horses with their knees, brandished their terrible bolas, and hunted -them with all their strength, though without checking the cougars which -turned furiously on the dogs, and hurled them a dozen yards off yelling -with pain. The mastiffs, however, long accustomed to this style of -hunting, watched for a favourable opportunity, threw themselves on the -lions' backs and dug their teeth into their flesh, but the cougars, -with one blow of their murderous paw, swept them off like flies, and -resumed their hurried course.</p> - -<p>One of them, hobbled by the bolas, and surrounded by dogs, rolled on -the ground, digging up the sand with its contracted claws, and uttering -a fearful yell. Don Valentine finished it by putting a bullet in its -eye.</p> - -<p>The second cougar remained, which was still unwounded, and by its -bounds, foiled the attack and skill of the hunters. The dogs, worn out, -did not dare approach it. Its flight had brought it within a few paces -of the caravan; all at once it turned to the right, bounded over the -mules, and crouched right in front of the litter. Doña Concha, pale as -death, with closed eyes, instinctively clasped her hands, recommended -her soul to Heaven, and fainted.</p> - -<p>At the moment when the lion was about to dart on the girl, two shots -struck it right in the middle of the chest. It turned round on its new -adversary, no other than the worthy capataz, who, with extended legs, -and eye fixed on the lion, awaited the monster. The cougar hesitated, -took a parting glance at its prey still lying in the litter, and rushed -with a roar on Blas, who pulled the trigger again. The animal writhed -on the ground, and the capataz ran up to it, machete in hand. The man -and the lion rolled together, but only one of them rose again—it was -the man.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha was saved. Her father pressed her joyously to his breast; -she opened her eyes again at last, and aware to whose devotion she owed -her life, held out her hand to Don Blas.</p> - -<p>"I can no longer count the number of times you have saved the lives of -my father and myself."</p> - -<p>"Oh, señorita!" the worthy man said, as he kissed the tips of her -fingers.</p> - -<p>"You are my foster brother, and I can only discharge my debt to you -by eternal gratitude," Don Valentine said. "Strip the lions of their -skins, my men," he said, turning to the servants. "I suppose they will -not frighten you, when they are converted into carpets, Conchita."</p> - -<p>No one equals the Hispano-Americans in the art of flaying animals; in a -minute, the two lions, above which the urubús and vultures of the Andes -were already hovering, were stripped of their skins.</p> - -<p>Order was restored in the caravan, which started again, and within an -hour arrived at the Estancia of San Julian, where it was received by -Patito and all the farm peons.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE ESTANCIA OF SAN JULIAN.</h3> - - -<p>The bomberos, accompanied by Mercedes, buried themselves in the desert. -Their journey lasted four hours, and brought them to the banks of the -Rio Negro, to one of the charming oases created by the river mud, and -covered with clumps of willows, nopals, palms, chirimoyas, lemon trees, -and flowering jessamines, in whose branches thousands of birds of the -most varying colour and note gaily warbled.</p> - -<p>Pedrito seized Mercedes in his robust arms, lifted her from the front -of his saddle and laid her gently on the turf. The horses began quietly -nibbling the young tree shoots.</p> - -<p>"Tell us, how did you find our sister?" Juan said.</p> - -<p>The elder brother, as if he had not heard, made no reply, and with -his eyes fixed on the girl, he listened to a voice that spoke within -him; he fancied he saw again the living portrait of his mother, and -said to himself, "The same look, at once gentle and tender! The smile -full of kindness! Poor mother, poor sister! Mercedes," he added in a -louder voice, "do you remember your grown-up brothers, who loved you so -dearly?"</p> - -<p>"Come, come," Pepe exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is not -fair, brother! You keep our bills in the water like a lot of ducks, and -confiscate the girl's kind looks. If she is really our deeply-regretted -Mercedes, speak; ¡caray! we have as much right to embrace her as you -have, and are all longing to do so."</p> - -<p>"You are right," Pedrito answered; "forgive me, brothers, but joy -rendered me egotistic. Yes, it is our dear little sister, so embrace -her."</p> - -<p>The bomberos did not wait for the invitation to be repeated, and -without asking the slightest explanation from Pedrito, disputed with -each other as to who should devour her with caresses. The maiden, -who was deeply affected, and whom the Indians had not accustomed to -such happiness, yielded to the intoxication of joy. While they were -indulging in these transports, Pedrito had lit a fire and prepared a -substantial meal, composed of fruit and a leg of guanaco. They sat down -and ate with good appetites. Pedrito recounted his adventures at the -tree of Gualichu, without omitting a single detail. His story occupied -a long time, for it was at times interrupted by the young men, who -laughed most heartily at the tragi-comical incidents of the scene -between the matchi and Gualichu.</p> - -<p>"Do you know," Lopez said to him, "that you have been a god?"</p> - -<p>"A god who ran a greater risk of becoming immortal than he cared for," -Pedrito replied; "for I feel that I love life since I have found the -child again. Well, here she is, and he will be a clever fellow who -takes her from us again. Still, we cannot keep her with us and let her -share our precarious existence."</p> - -<p>"That is true," the other brothers said.</p> - -<p>"What is to be done?" Pepe muttered sadly.</p> - -<p>"Our poor sister would die," said Pedrito; "we cannot make a female -bombero of her, drag her after us into danger, or leave her alone."</p> - -<p>"I shall never be alone when with you, my kind brothers."</p> - -<p>"Our life is at the mercy of an Indian bullet. The fear that you may -fall again into the hands of the Aucas or the Puelches troubles me; and -if you remained with us and shared our dangers, I should turn a coward, -and not have the courage to perform my duties as bombero."</p> - -<p>"During the ten years we have been prowling about the Pampas," Pepe -remarked, "we have broken with all our old acquaintances."</p> - -<p>"Suppose, though," Lopez observed, "we find her a safe shelter? I have -an idea."</p> - -<p>"Out with it."</p> - -<p>"You remember the capataz of the Estancia de San Julian, what is his -name?"</p> - -<p>"Don Blas Salazar."</p> - -<p>"The very man," Lopez continued; "I fancy we have saved his life and -his master's ere now, and that both owe us a candle as thick as my arm -in gratitude."</p> - -<p>"Don Valentine and his capataz," Juan said, "would have yielded their -skins to that demon of a Pincheira, who wished to flay them alive, had -it not been for our rifles."</p> - -<p>"That is our affair. Lopez is right."</p> - -<p>"Don Valentino passes for a good-hearted man."</p> - -<p>"He has, I think, a daughter whom he tenderly loves, and will -understand the difficulty we are in."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Pepe, "but we cannot go to Carmen."</p> - -<p>"Let us ride to the Estancia, then; it will only take us a couple of -hours."</p> - -<p>"We will be off," said Pedrito; "Juan and Lopez will remain here, -while Pepe and I escort the chica. Kiss your brothers, Mercedes. Now -then, Pepe; you two keep good watch and expect us at sunset."</p> - -<p>Mercedes waved a parting farewell to her brothers, and, escorted by -Pepe and Pedro, started at a gallop for San Julian.</p> - -<p>At about three o'clock they perceived, fifty yards from them, the -estancia, which Don Valentine and his daughter had reached hardly two -hours before.</p> - -<p>The Estancia of San Julian, undoubtedly the richest and strongest -position on the entire Patagonian coast, stood on a peninsula six miles -in circumference, covered with wood and pastures, on which upwards of -two thousand head of cattle grazed at liberty. Surrounded by the sea, -which forms a natural fortification, the strip of land, twenty feet in -width at the most, was guarded by a battery of five heavy guns. The -house, which was surrounded by lofty parapeted and bastioned walls, -was a species of fortress, capable of sustaining a regular siege, -thanks to eight guns, which, planted on the four bastions, defended the -approaches. It was composed of a large main building with a terraced -roof, having ten windows on the frontage, and with two wings. A large -flight of steps, protected by a double curiously-worked balustrade, -protected by a verandah, gave access to the rooms, which were furnished -with the simple and picturesque luxury peculiar to the Spanish farms of -America.</p> - -<p>Between the house and the wall, in which there was, opposite the steps, -a cedar gate five inches thick, and lined with strong iron plates, -extended a large English garden, well wooded and beautifully laid out. -The space left free behind the farm was occupied by the corrals in -which the cattle were shut up at night, and an immense courtyard in -which the annual slaughtering took place.</p> - -<p>This white house was gay and pleasant, and could be seen for some -distance off, half-hidden by the branches which crowned it with -foliage. From the first floor windows there was a view on one side of -the sea, on the other of the Rio Negro, which ran capriciously through -the plain like a silver thread, and was lost in the azure distance of -the horizon.</p> - -<p>Ever since the last war with the Indians, ten years back, and during -which the estancia was all but surprised by the Aucas, a <i>mirador</i> had -been built on the roof of the main building, where a sentry stood day -and night, ordered to watch and announce the approach of strangers -upon a buffalo horn. In addition, the isthmus battery was guarded by -six men, ready to discharge the guns at the slightest alarm. Hence, -when the bomberos were still some distance from the Estancia, their -coming had been signalled, and Don Blas Salazar, accompanied by Patito, -was standing behind the battery in order to challenge them when they -came within hail.</p> - -<p>The bomberos were aware of the orders, which are common to all the -Spanish establishments, especially on the borders, where people are -exposed to the continual depredations of the Indians. On coming within -twenty paces of the battery, the two men stopped and waited.</p> - -<p>"Who goes there?" a voice shouted.</p> - -<p>"Friends?" Pedrito answered.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?"</p> - -<p>"Bomberos."</p> - -<p>"Good; what do you want?"</p> - -<p>"To speak to the Señor Capataz, Don Blas Salazar."</p> - -<p>"Why," Blas himself exclaimed, "it is Pedrito."</p> - -<p>"Yes, yes, Don Blas," Pedrito said, "and I recognized you at once, but -duty is duty. This is my brother Pepe, at your service."</p> - -<p>"As he has been before, Don Blas, by your leave," Pepe said, -insinuatingly.</p> - -<p>"That is true, lower the drawbridge."</p> - -<p>The bomberos entered, and the bridge was immediately pulled up after -them.</p> - -<p>"¡Caray! What a pleasant surprise, my friends," the capataz said, "we -see you most remarkably seldom. Come to my house, and while we drain a -cup, you will tell me what brings you here, and it must be a serious -matter, if I know you."</p> - -<p>"Very serious indeed," Pedrito answered.</p> - -<p>"Patito," said Blas, "you stay here; I am going to the estancia."</p> - -<p>The capataz mounted his horse, and drew up alongside Pedrito.</p> - -<p>"May I ask, caballero, without indiscretion, who that girl dressed in -the Indian fashion is? She is white, is she not?"</p> - -<p>"She is our sister, capataz."</p> - -<p>"Your sister, Don Pedro! Are you joking?"</p> - -<p>"Heaven forbid?"</p> - -<p>"I was not aware you had a sister, so forgive me, for I am not a -sorcerer."</p> - -<p>The horsemen had arrived at their destination. The capataz dismounted, -the bomberos followed his example, and followed him into a spacious -ground floor room, where an elderly, healthy-looking woman was busy -peeling Indian corn. It was Don Blas's mother, and Don Valentine's -nurse. She greeted the newcomers with a good-humoured smile, offered -them seats, and went to fetch a jug of chicha, which she placed before -them.</p> - -<p>"To your health, señores," said the capataz, after filling the pewter -cups to the brim. "The sun is confoundedly hot, and travellers will -find this refreshing."</p> - -<p>"Thanks," said Pedrito, who had emptied his glass.</p> - -<p>"Come, what have you to tell me? Speak freely; unless," Blas added, "my -mother is in your way. If so, the worthy woman would go into the next -room."</p> - -<p>"No," Pedro said, eagerly; "no! The señora, on the contrary, must -remain, for what we have to say everybody may hear, and especially your -mother; we have come here on the subject of our sister."</p> - -<p>"I do not wish to offend you, Don Pedro," the capataz interrupted him, -"but you did wrong in keeping the young lady with you, for she cannot -share all the perils of your diabolical life, can she, mother?"</p> - -<p>The old lady gave a nod of assent, and the brothers exchanged a hopeful -glance.</p> - -<p>"You can do what you please, of course," Don Blas continued; -"everybody is at liberty to arrange his life as he pleases, provided -that it be honestly. But now to business."</p> - -<p>"Your remark, Don Blas," Pedrito said, "overwhelms us with joy. You are -a man of good counsel and good heart."</p> - -<p>And without farther delay, he told Mercedes' singular story. Toward its -close Doña Salazar left the room, unnoticed by her son or the bomberos.</p> - -<p>"You are a worthy man, Don Pedro," Don Blas exclaimed. "Yes, deuce take -me if you are not, though the bomberos generally are considered sorry -fellows. You have judged me rightly, and I thank you for thinking of -me."</p> - -<p>"Then you consent?" Pepe asked.</p> - -<p>"One moment, sapristi! Let me conclude," the capataz said, as he filled -the glasses again, "here's to your health, and that of the señorita. -I am only a poor fellow, and a bachelor in the bargain, hence my -protection would compromise a young lady's reputation, for tongues -are wicked here as elsewhere, and though I live with my mother, an -excellent woman, a wicked word is soon uttered. Señores, a girl's -reputation is like an egg; once cracked it cannot be mended. You -understand?"</p> - -<p>"What is to be done?" Pedrito muttered with discouragement.</p> - -<p>"Patience, compadre! I am nothing myself, but, canario, Don Valentine -Cardoso, my master, is kind, he is fond of me, and has a charming -daughter; I will plead your sister's cause to him."</p> - -<p>"The cause is already gained, my friend," said Don Valentine, whom Doña -Salazar had informed of the bomberos' wishes.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, who accompanied her father, had been greatly affected -by the story of Mercedes' misfortunes; a good action had tempted her -heart, and she begged her father to take charge of the bomberos' -sister, who would be a companion for her. Pepe and Pedrito knew not how -to express their gratitude to Señor Cardoso.</p> - -<p>"My friends," the latter said, "I am only too happy to discharge my -debt to you. We have an old account outstanding between us. Eh, Blas! -And if my daughter still has a father, she owes it to you."</p> - -<p>"Oh, señor!" the two young men protested.</p> - -<p>"My daughter, Conchita, will have a sister, and I two daughters instead -of one. Do you wish it so, Conchita?"</p> - -<p>"I thank you, father," as she repeatedly kissed Mercedes. "My dear -girl," she added, "kiss your brothers and follow me to my apartments; -I will myself give you the articles of clothing you most require, and -enable you to get rid of this heathen costume at once."</p> - -<p>Mercedes threw herself into her brother's arms with tears.</p> - -<p>"Come, come, little maid," Doña Concha said, as she drew her away, "do -not cry thus, you will see them again, wipe your eyes, for I mean you -to be happy, do you understand? Come, smile at once, my darling, and -follow me."</p> - -<p>The sentinel's horn at this moment announced that a stranger was asking -admission to the estancia.</p> - -<p>"Thanks, once again, Don Valentine," Pedrito said, "we go away with -minds at rest."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, till we meet again, my friends."</p> - -<p>Pedrito and Pepe, light both in body and mind, left the estancia, and -crossed on their passage a horseman, who was coming up to the steps at -a sharp trot.</p> - -<p>"That is strange," said Pedrito, "where have I seen that man? I do not -know, but I feel certain I have met him before."</p> - -<p>"Do you know Don Torribio Carvajal?" the capataz asked.</p> - -<p>"I am not aware if that is the Caballero's name, who he is, or where -I have seen him; still, I am certain that we met a very little while -ago."</p> - -<p>"Ah!"</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, Don Blas, and thank you," the bomberos said, as they shook -his hand.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h4> - -<h3>DON SYLVIO D'ARENAL.</h3> - - -<p>An hour before the bomberos' arrival at the estancia, a visitor had -presented himself, who was eagerly greeted by Don Valentine and his -daughter. This visitor, about eight-and-twenty years of age, and -elegantly built, possessed the manners of a man of distinction, and a -clever, noble face. His name was Don Sylvio d'Arenal, and he belonged -to one of the richest and most respected families in Buenos Aires. The -death of a relative had endowed him with a fortune of 500,000 piastres -a year; that is to say, about one hundred thousand a year—a fortune -large even for this country, where gold is so common.</p> - -<p>The family of Don Sylvio and of Don Valentine, both originally from -Spain, and connected by ancient ties, had ever lived on a footing of -the greatest intimacy. The young man and the young lady were educated -together, and hence, when her handsome cousin came to say good-bye -to her, and told her of his departure for Europe, where he was to -travel for some years to complete his education, and assume elegant -manners, Doña Concha, who was at that time twelve years of age, felt a -great vexation. Since their childhood, unconsciously, they loved each -other with the simple gentle affection of youth, which only thinks of -happiness.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio went away, bearing his love with him, and Conchita retained -him in her heart.</p> - -<p>Only a few days previously the young man had returned to Buenos Aires, -and after making a tour through the most renowned cities of the -civilized world, hastened to arrange his affairs. Then he freighted a -schooner, and set sail for Carmen, burning with desire to see again the -woman he loved, and whom he had not seen for three years—his Conchita, -the pretty child who, he thought, had, doubtless, become a lovely and -accomplished maiden.</p> - -<p>At Carmen he found Don Valentine's house empty, and from the -information he received from <i>Tío</i> Peralta, the old Negro, he rode at -a gallop to the estancia of San Julian. The surprise and joy of Don -Valentine and his daughter were extreme. Conchita was especially happy, -for she thought daily of Sylvio, and saw him through her recollections, -but at the same time she felt in her heart an emotion of mingled -pleasure and sorrow. Sylvio perceived it, understood that he was still -loved, and his happiness equalled that of Doña Concha.</p> - -<p>"Come, come, children," the father said with a smile, "kiss each other; -I permit it."</p> - -<p>Doña Concha offered Don Sylvia her blushing forehead, which he -respectfully touched with his lips.</p> - -<p>"What sort of kiss do you call that?" Don Valentine continued, "come, -come, no hypocrisy! kiss one another openly; hang it all! Do not play -the coquette, Conchita, because you are a pretty girl, and he is a -handsome fellow; and you, Sylvio, who fall here like a bombshell -without notice, do you suppose, if you please, that I had not guessed -for what reason you made a sea voyage of several hundred leagues? Is -it for my sake you have hastened here from Buenos Aires? You love each -other, so kiss like lovers and betrothed people, and if you behave -yourselves you will be married in a few days."</p> - -<p>The young folks, affected by these kind words and this merry humour, -fell into the arms of the worthy man, in order to conceal their emotion.</p> - -<p>"Children," he said, "the Rubicon is past; indulge your joy at meeting -after so lengthened a separation. It is the last, for you have met -again forever."</p> - -<p>"Oh, forever," the young people repeated.</p> - -<p>"Let us kill the fatted calf, as the prodigal child has come back. Don -Sylvio, you will remain here, and not return to Carmen, except to be -married. Does that suit you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Sylvio, looking amorously at Conchita, "on condition that -it is soon, father."</p> - -<p>"That's the way with lovers; they are always eager and impatient. -Everyone in his turn; I was like that and as happy, then our children -take our places, and the happiness of old men is produced by their -happiness."</p> - -<p>One of those sweet and intimate conversations then began, in which the -recollections of the past and the certainty of speedy happiness were -blended. They were interrupted by Doña Salazar entering the room. Don -Sylvio proceeded to his apartment, while Concha and her father followed -the old lady to the bomberos.</p> - -<p>Don Valentine, surprised and irritated by the unexpected arrival of Don -Torribio Carvajal, resolved to get rid of him, and come to an end with -this mysterious man.</p> - -<p>"You did not expect me so soon?" Don Torribio said, as he leapt from -his horse, and bowed to the master of the house.</p> - -<p>"I did not expect you at all; the less so because you spoke only -yesterday, if I have a good memory, of a journey."</p> - -<p>"That is true," he said with a smile, "but who knows yesterday what -will take place tomorrow? Then you, too," Don Torribio continued, as -he followed Don Valentine to the drawing room, "did not even dream -yesterday of leaving El Carmen."</p> - -<p>"Well, as you know, we estancieros are often compelled to go to our -estates suddenly, from one moment to another."</p> - -<p>"The same thing happens to me. I am, like you, compelled to live as a -country gentleman for some time."</p> - -<p>"Then you are living at your estancia?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, we are neighbours, and you will be condemned to my presence, -unless—"</p> - -<p>"You will always be welcome."</p> - -<p>"You are most polite," said Don Torribio, seating himself in an easy -chair.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid, though, that I shall not long enjoy the pleasure of being -your neighbour."</p> - -<p>"Why so?"</p> - -<p>"It is possible that I may return to Carmen within a week."</p> - -<p>"Then you have only paid a passing visit here?"</p> - -<p>"Not exactly. I had intended to remain here some months, but, as you -said just now, who knows what the morrow will bring forth?"</p> - -<p>The two speakers, like practised duellists, before crossing weapons and -dealing a decisive blow, were feeling each other's strength by quickly -parried feints.</p> - -<p>"May I be allowed to pay my respects to Doña Concha?" Don Torribio -asked.</p> - -<p>"She will soon be here. Just imagine, my dear neighbour, that through a -concourse of extraordinary circumstances we have just taken charge of -a girl of rare beauty, who has been two years a slave of the Indians, -and whom her brothers brought to me scarce an hour ago, after having -miraculously saved her from the hands of the pagans."</p> - -<p>"Ah!" Torribio said, in a choking voice.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Don Valentine continued, without noticing the young man's -emotion; "her name is Mercedes, I believe; she appears very gentle; you -know my daughter, she is wild about her already, and at this moment she -is taking off her Indian clothes, and clothing her in a decent fashion."</p> - -<p>"Very good; but are you sure that this woman is what she seems to be? -The Indians are villains, as you are aware, and this—"</p> - -<p>"Mercedes."</p> - -<p>"Mercedes is perhaps an Indian spy."</p> - -<p>"For what object?"</p> - -<p>"What do I know? Can we trust anybody?"</p> - -<p>"You are mistaken, Don Torribio. I can trust the men who brought her to -me."</p> - -<p>"Watch her; take my advice."</p> - -<p>"But she is a Spaniard."</p> - -<p>"That proves nothing. Look at Pincheira; is he not an ex-officer of -the Chilian army? He is now a chief of one of the principal Patagonian -nations, and the most cruel adversary of the Spaniards."</p> - -<p>"Pincheira, that is different."</p> - -<p>"As you please," said Don Torribio, "I trust that you may be right."</p> - -<p>As Don Torribio uttered these words, Doña Concha appeared, accompanied -by Don Sylvio.</p> - -<p>"Don Torribio," said the estanciero, "I have the honour to present to -you Don Sylvio d'Arenal."</p> - -<p>"I believe," said Torribio, "that I have already had the honour of -meeting this gentleman."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense! It cannot have been in America, most certainly, for Don -Sylvio has been away for three years."</p> - -<p>"No, Don Valentine; it was in Paris."</p> - -<p>"Your memory is faithful, sir," Don Sylvio replied, "we met at the -house of the Marchioness de Lucenay."</p> - -<p>"I was not aware of your return to America."</p> - -<p>"I only reached Buenos Aires a few days ago; this morning I was at -Carmen, and now I am here."</p> - -<p>"Already here!" Don Torribio could not refrain from saying.</p> - -<p>"Oh!" Concha's father said, with a marked accent, "This rather hasty -visit was so natural, that my daughter and I heartily pardoned Don -Sylvio."</p> - -<p>"Ah!" Don Torribio muttered, to say something, for he understood that -he had a rival before him.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, carelessly reclining on a sofa, anxiously followed the -conversation, while playing with a fan that trembled in her hand.</p> - -<p>"I hope, sir," Don Torribio said courteously, "that we shall renew here -the imperfect friendship commenced in Madame de Lucenay's <i>salons</i>."</p> - -<p>"Unluckily," Don Valentine interrupted, in order to prevent Don -Sylvio answering, "Señor d'Arenal will be unable to accept your kind -invitation, for immediately after his marriage he intends to travel -with his wife, since that is the fashion nowadays."</p> - -<p>"His marriage!" Don Torribio said, with perfectly well-played -astonishment.</p> - -<p>"Were you ignorant of it?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"What a careless fellow I am! My happiness makes me lose my head. I am -like these two children, but pray excuse me."</p> - -<p>"Sir!"</p> - -<p>"Certainly; for are you not one of our best friends? we have no secrets -from you. Don Sylvio d'Arenal is about to marry my daughter; the match -has been arranged for a very long time."</p> - -<p>Don Torribio turned pale; a mist passed before his eyes, he felt a -deadly agony in his heart, and thought he was going to die. Doña Concha -curiously followed his secret thoughts upon his face; but, feeling that -all eyes were fixed upon him, the young man made a superhuman effort, -and said to the young lady in a soft voice, and without any apparent -emotion—</p> - -<p>"May you be as happy, señorita, as I wish you. The first wish, people -say, is efficacious, so accept mine."</p> - -<p>"I thank you, sir," Doña Concha answered, deceived by Don Torribio's -accent.</p> - -<p>"As for you, Señor d'Arenal, your happiness will make many men jealous; -for you are taking away the most precious pearl in the rich casket of -the Argentine republic."</p> - -<p>"I will strive, señor, to be worthy of her; for I love her so dearly."</p> - -<p>"They love one another so dearly," the father said with cruel -simplicity.</p> - -<p>The young lovers exchanged a glance full of hope and happiness. Neither -Don Valentine's last remark, nor the look of the betrothed couple, -was left unnoticed by Don Torribio, who though not letting anything -be seen, received this double dagger thrust, and concealed his grief -beneath a smile.</p> - -<p>"By Jove, neighbour," the father continued, "you will be present at the -festival of betrothal, and give up your evening to us."</p> - -<p>"Impossible, señor; important business calls me to my estancia, and, to -my great regret, I must leave you."</p> - -<p>"Still, if my daughter joined with me—"</p> - -<p>"If I," Don Sylvio said, "dared—"</p> - -<p>"You quite confound me; but, on my honour, I must be gone. The -sacrifice I make at this moment is the more painful to me," he added, -with a sardonic smile, "because happiness generally flies so fast -that it is impossible to catch it up, and it is folly to neglect the -opportunity."</p> - -<p>"I fear no misfortune now," said Doña Concha, looking at Don Sylvio.</p> - -<p>Carvajal gave her a look full of indefinable meaning, and replied with -a shake of the head.</p> - -<p>"I trust you are saying the truth, señorita, but there is a French -proverb."</p> - -<p>"What is it?"</p> - -<p>"'Twixt cup and the lip there's many a slip.'"</p> - -<p>"Oh, the ugly proverb!" Conchita exclaimed, in some embarrassment, "but -I am not a French woman, and hence have nothing to fear."</p> - -<p>"That is true."</p> - -<p>And Don Torribio, without adding a word, bowed, and left the room.</p> - -<p>"Well, my friend," the estanciero said, "what do you think of that man?"</p> - -<p>"He has a look deep as an abyss, and his words are bitter; I know not -why, but I feel sure he hates me."</p> - -<p>"I hate him too," said Concha, with a shudder.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he loved you, Conchita, for is it possible to see and not love -you?"</p> - -<p>"Who assures you that he is not meditating a crime?"</p> - -<p>"This time, señorita, you are going too far; he is a gentleman."</p> - -<p>"<i>¿Quién sabe?</i>" she replied, remembering Don Torribio's words, which -had already caused her a shudder.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE VIRGIN FOREST.</h3> - - -<p>On leaving the estancia of San Julian, Don Torribio Carvajal was a -prey to one of those cold, concentrated passions, which slowly collect -in the mind, and at length burst out with terrible force. His spurs -lacerated the sides of his horse, which snorted with pain, and doubled -its furious speed.</p> - -<p>Where was Don Torribio Carvajal going in this way? He did not know -himself. He saw nothing, heard nothing. He revolved sinister plans in -his brain, and leaped torrents and ravines without troubling himself -about his horse. The feeling of hatred was alone at work within him. -Nothing refreshed his burning forehead, his temples beat as if about -to burst, and a nervous tremor agitated his whole body. This state of -over-excitement lasted some hours, during which his horse devoured -space. At length the noble steed, utterly exhausted, stopped on its -trembling knees, and fell on the sand.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio rose and looked wildly around him. He had required this -rude shock to restore a little order to his ideas, and recall him to -reality. An hour more of such agony and he would have become a raving -lunatic, or have died of an apoplectic fit.</p> - -<p>Night had set in, thick darkness covered the landscape, and a mournful -silence prevailed in the desert where chance had carried him.</p> - -<p>"Where am I?" he said, as he tried to discover his whereabouts.</p> - -<p>But the moon, concealed by clouds, shed no light; the wind blew -violently; the branches of the trees clashed together, and in the -depths of the desert the howling of the wild beasts began to mingle the -deep notes of their voices with the hoarse mewlings of the wild cats.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio's eyes sought in vain to pierce the obscurity. He went -up to his horse, which was lying on the ground and panting heavily; -moved with pity for the companion of his adventurous journeys, he -bent over it, placed in his waist belt the pistols that were in the -holsters, and unfastening a gourd of rum hanging from his saddlebow, -began washing the eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth of the poor beast, -whose sides quivered, and which this seemed to restore to life. Half an -hour passed in this way; the horse, somewhat refreshed, had got on its -legs, and with the instinct that distinguishes the race had discovered -a spring close by where it quenched its thirst.</p> - -<p>"All is not lost yet," Don Torribio muttered, "and perhaps I shall soon -succeed in getting out of this place, for my friends are waiting for -me, and I must join them."</p> - -<p>But a deep roar broke forth a short distance away, repeated almost -immediately from four different quarters. The horse's hair stood on end -with terror. Even Don Torribio trembled.</p> - -<p>"Malediction!" he exclaimed, "I am at a watering place of the cougars."</p> - -<p>At this moment he saw, about ten paces from him, two eyes that shone -like live coals, and looked at him with strange fixedness.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio was a man of tried courage, audacious, and even rash on -occasions; but alone in the gloomy solitude in the midst of the black -night, surrounded by ferocious beasts, he felt fear assail himself -against his will; he breathed with difficulty; his teeth were clenched, -an icy perspiration poured down his whole person, and he was on the -point of abandoning himself to his fate. This sudden discouragement -disappeared before a powerful will, and Don Torribio, sustained by the -instinct of self-preservation, and that hope which springs eternal in -the human breast, prepared for an unequal struggle.</p> - -<p>The horse burst into a snort of terror, and ran off.</p> - -<p>"All the better," its rider thought, "perhaps it will escape."</p> - -<p>A frightful concert of howls and roars broke out on all sides at the -sound of the horse's flight and huge shadows bounded along past Don -Torribio. A violent blast swept the sky, and the moon lit up the desert -with its mournful, sickly rays.</p> - -<p>Not far off the Rio Negro ran between two scarped banks, and Don -Torribio saw all round him the compact masses of a virgin forest, an -inextricable chaos of rocks piled up pell-mell, and of fissures out of -which clumps of trees grew. Here and there creepers were intertwined -describing the wildest curves, and only stopped their ramifications at -the river. The soil, composed of sand and that detritus which abounds -in American forests, gave way beneath the foot.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio now discovered where he was He was more than fifteen -leagues from any habitation, on the outskirts of an immense forest, -the only one in Patagonia which no ranger had as yet been bold enough -to explore, such horror and mystery did its gloomy depths appear to -reveal. Near the forest a limpid stream burst through the rocks, whose -banks were trampled by numerous traces of the claws of wild beasts. -This stream served them, in fact, as a watering place, when they left -their dens after sunset, and went in search of food and drink. As a -living testimony of this supposition, two magnificent cougars, male and -female, were standing on the bank, and watching with anxious eyes the -sporting of their cubs.</p> - -<p>"Hum," said Don Torribio, "these are dangerous neighbours."</p> - -<p>And he mechanically turned his eyes away. A panther, stretched out on -a rock in the position of a watchful cat, fixed its inflamed eyes upon -him. Torribio, who was well armed according to the American fashion, -had a rifle of wondrous accuracy, which he had leant against a rock -close to him.</p> - -<p>"Good," he said, "it will be a tough fight at any rate."</p> - -<p>He raised his gun, but at the moment when he was about to fire, a -plaintive mewling made him raise his head. A dozen <i>pajiros</i> and -<i>subaracayas</i> (wild cats of great size), perched on branches of trees, -were looking down at him, while several red wolves were crouching in -front of him.</p> - -<p>A number of vultures, urubús, and caracaras, with half-closed eyes, -were seated on the surrounding rocks, and apparently awaiting the hour -for their meal.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio jumped up on a rock, and then, by the help of his hands -and knees, gained, after extraordinary difficulties, a sort of natural -terrace situated about twenty feet above the ground. The frightful -concert formed by the denizens of the forest, whom the subtlety of -their scent attracted one after the other, increased more and more, -and overpowered the very sound of the wind which raged in the ravines -and forest clearings. The moon was once more hidden behind clouds, -and Don Torribio found himself again in darkness; but if he could not -distinguish the wild beasts near him, he guessed and almost smelt their -presence; he saw their eyeballs flashing in the gloom, and heard their -roars constantly coming nearer.</p> - -<p>He set his feet firmly on the ground, and cocked his revolver. Four -shots were followed by four howls of pain, and the noise produced by -branch after branch in the fall of the wounded wild cats. This attack -aroused a sinister uproar. The red wolves rushed with yells on the -victims, for which they contended with the urubús and vultures. A -rustling in the leaves reached the ear of the brave hunter, and a mass -it was impossible clearly to distinguish cleft the space, and lodged -with a roar on the platform. With the butt of his rifle he struck -out in the darkness, and the panther, with a broken skull, rolled to -the base of the rock. He heard a monstrous battle, which the cougars -and wild cats waged with the wounded panther, and intoxicated by his -triumph, and even by his danger, he fired two shots into the crowd -of obstinate enemies snarling below him. Suddenly all these animals, -ceasing their contest as if by common consent, united against the man, -their common foe, and their rage was turned against the rock, from the -top of which Don Torribio appeared to defy them all. They climbed up -the projections. The wild cats were the first to arrive, and fast as -Torribio felled them others leaped upon him. He felt his strength and -energy gradually diminishing.</p> - -<p>This struggle of a single man against a multitude of ferocious brutes -had something grand and poignant about it. Don Torribio, as if -suffering from a nightmare, struggled in vain against the swarms of -assailants that were constantly reinforced. He felt on his face the -warm, fetid breath of the wild cats and red wolves, while the roars -of the cougars and the mocking miauling of the panthers filled his -ears with a frightful melody that gave him a vertigo. Hundreds of eyes -sparkled in the shade, and at times the heavy wings of the vultures -and urubús lashed his forehead, which was bathed in a cold perspiration.</p> - -<p>In him every feeling of self had died out: he no longer thought; -his life, so to speak, had become entirely physical; his movements -were mechanical, and his arms rose and fell to strike with the rigid -regularity of a pendulum.</p> - -<p>Already several claws had been buried deep in his flesh. Wild cats had -seized him by the throat, and he had been compelled to struggle with -them to make them loose their hold; his blood was flowing from twenty -wounds, not mortal it is true, but the hour was approaching beyond -which human strength cannot go; Don Torribio would have fallen from his -rock and perished under the teeth of the wild beasts.</p> - -<p>At this solemn moment, when all seemed to desert him, a loud cry burst -from his bosom—a cry of agony and despair of undefinable expression, -which was echoed far and wide by the rocks. It was the last protest -of the strong man who confesses himself vanquished, and who, before -falling, calls his fellow man to his aid, or implores the help of -Heaven.</p> - -<p>He cried, and a cry responded to his!</p> - -<p>Don Torribio amazed, and not daring to count on a miracle in a desert -which no human being had ever yet penetrated, believed himself under -the impression of a dream or an hallucination; still, collecting all -his strength, and feeling hope rekindled in his soul, he uttered a -second cry, louder and more ear-piercing than the first.</p> - -<p>"Courage!"</p> - -<p>This time it was not echo that answered him. Courage! That one word -reached him on the wings of the wind, though faint as a sigh. Like the -giant Antaeus, Don Torribio, drawing himself up, seemed to regain his -strength and recover that life which was already slipping from him. He -redoubled his blows at his innumerable enemies.</p> - -<p>Several horses were galloping in the distance; shots lit up the -darkness with their transient gleams, and men, or rather demons, dashed -suddenly into the thick of the wild beasts, and produced a fearful -carnage.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Don Torribio, attacked by two tiger cats, rolled on the -platform, struggling with them.</p> - -<p>The wild beasts had fled before the newcomers, who hastened to light -fires to keep them at bay during the rest of the night. Two of these -men, holding lighted torches, began seeking the hunter, whose cries -of distress had besought their help. He was lying senseless on the -platform, surrounded by ten or a dozen dead wild cats, and holding in -his stiffened fingers the neck of a strangled pajiro.</p> - -<p>"Well, Pepe," a voice said, "have you found him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," was the reply; "but he appears to be dead."</p> - -<p>"Caray! That would be a pity," Pedrito continued, "for he is a fine -fellow. Where is he?</p> - -<p>"On this rock."</p> - -<p>"Can you bring him down with the help of Lopez?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing easier."</p> - -<p>"Make haste, in Heaven's name!" Pedrito said. "Each minute's delay is, -perhaps, a year's life slipping from him."</p> - -<p>Lopez and Pepe raised Don Torribio by the head and feet, and with -infinite precautions transported him from the improvised fortress where -he had so long fought, and laid him on a bed of leaves Juan had got -ready near one of the fires.</p> - -<p>"Canario!" Pedrito exclaimed, on seeing the gory man's miserable -appearance; "Poor devil! How they have served him out! It was high time -to help him."</p> - -<p>"Do you think he will recover?" Lopez asked eagerly.</p> - -<p>"There is always hope," Pedrito answered sententiously, "where life is -not extinct. Let us have a look at him."</p> - -<p>He bent over Don Torribio's body, drew his glistening knife, and placed -the blade between his lips.</p> - -<p>"Not the slightest breath," Pedrito said, shaking his head.</p> - -<p>"Are his wounds serious?" Lopez asked.</p> - -<p>"I do not think so. He has been worn out by fatigue and emotion, but he -will soon open his eyes again, and in a quarter of an hour, if he think -proper, he can get into the saddle again. It is surely he," Pedrito -added, in a low voice.</p> - -<p>"Whence comes your thoughtful air, brother?"</p> - -<p>"It is because this man, in spite of his European dress and thorough -appearance of a white, resembles—"</p> - -<p>"Whom?"</p> - -<p>"The Indian chief, with whom we fought at the tree of Gualichu, and to -whom we owe Mercedes' safety."</p> - -<p>"You must be mistaken."</p> - -<p>"Not the least in the world, brothers," the eldest replied -authoritatively. "When hidden in the trunk of the sacred tree, I had -leisure to study his features, which have remained graven on my mind. -Besides, I recognize him by this gash which I made on his face with my -sabre."</p> - -<p>"That is true," the others said in surprise.</p> - -<p>"What is to be done?"</p> - -<p>"What is the meaning of this disguise?"</p> - -<p>"Heaven alone knows," Pedrito answered, "but he must be saved."</p> - -<p>The bomberos, like all wood rangers living far from the colony, are -obliged to cure their own wounds, and hence acquire a certain practical -knowledge of medicine through employing the remedies and simples in use -among the Indians.</p> - -<p>Pedrito, assisted by Pepe and Juan, washed Don Torribio's wounds with -rum and water, moistened his temples, and puffed tobacco smoke up -his nostrils. The young man gave an almost insensible sigh, stirred -slightly, and opened his eyes, which wandered round vacantly.</p> - -<p>"He is saved!" said Pedrito; "Now leave Nature to act, for she is the -best physician I know."</p> - -<p>Don Torribio raised himself on an elbow, passed his hand over his -forehead, as if to regain his memory and thought, and said, in a weak -voice—</p> - -<p>"Who are you?"</p> - -<p>"Friends, sir—fear nothing."</p> - -<p>"I feel as if every bone in my body were broken."</p> - -<p>"There is no danger, sir; with the exception of the fatigue, you are -well as we are."</p> - -<p>"I hope so, my worthy friends; but by what miracle did you arrive in -time to save me?"</p> - -<p>"Your horse performed this miracle; had it not, you were lost."</p> - -<p>"How so?" Torribio asked, his voice growing gradually stronger, and -already able to rise.</p> - -<p>"This is how it was—we are bomberos—" The young man gave a sort of -nervous start, which he suddenly checked.</p> - -<p>"We are bomberos, and watch the Indians, especially at night. Accident -brought us to these parts. Your horse was flying with a pack of red -wolves at its heels; we freed it from these brutes; then, as it seemed -to us probable that a ready saddled horse could not be without an owner -in this forest, where no one ventures, we set out in search of the -rider. Your cry guided us."</p> - -<p>"How can I pay my debt to you?" Torribio asked, offering his hand to -Pedrito.</p> - -<p>"You owe us nothing, sir."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"Here is your horse, caballero."</p> - -<p>"But I should like to see you again," he said, before starting.</p> - -<p>"It is unnecessary; you owe us nothing, I tell you," said Pedrito, who -held the horse by the bridle.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean?" Don Torribio insisted.</p> - -<p>"The bombero," Pedrito replied, "has paid today the debt contracted -yesterday with Nocobotha the Ulmen of the Aucas."</p> - -<p>Don Torribio's face was covered with a deadly pallor.</p> - -<p>"We are quits, chief," Pedrito continued, as he let go the bridle.</p> - -<p>When the rider had disappeared in the darkness, Pedrito turned to his -brothers—</p> - -<p>"I know not why it is," he said, with a sigh of relief, "but I feel -happy at owing nothing to that man."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE CHASE OF THE ÑANDUS.</h3> - - -<p>At the Estancia of San Julian, the hours passed away pleasantly, in -talking and dreams of happiness, and Don Valentine shared the joy of -his two children. Don Torribio, since the official announcement of -Doña Concha's marriage, had not been seen again either at San Julian -or Carmen, to the great amazement of everybody. Mercedes, gentle and -simple, had become the friend, almost the sister of Concha. The frank -and pealing laugh of the girls cheered the echoes of the house, and -caused the capataz to grow pensive, for, at the sight of the bomberos' -sister, he had felt his heart turn towards her, like the heliotrope -to the sun. Don Blas, resembling a soul in purgatory, prowled round -Mercedes at a distance, to look at her unperceived. Everybody at the -estancia had observed the worthy man's distress, and he alone, in spite -of his heavy sighs, did not know what it all meant. They ventured to -ridicule him, though without wounding his feelings, and laugh at his -singular ways.</p> - -<p>One fresh November morning, shortly after sunrise, there was a great -commotion at the estancia of San Julian. Several horses, held by black -slaves, were stamping impatiently at the foot of the steps; servants -were running backwards and forwards; and Don Blas, dressed in his best -clothes, was awaiting his master's arrival.</p> - -<p>At length Don Valentine and Don Sylvio appeared, accompanied by the two -ladies. At the sight of Mercedes, the capataz felt fire rise from his -heart to his face; he drew himself up, curled his moustache cordially, -and gave his well-beloved a tender and respectful glance.</p> - -<p>"Good day, Blas, my friend," Don Valentine said to him cordially. "I -fancy we shall have a fine day's sport."</p> - -<p>"I think so too, Excellency; the weather is superb."</p> - -<p>"Have you chosen quiet horses for my daughter and her companion?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, Excellency," the capataz answered; "I lassoed them myself on -the corral. I answer for them, or my head. They are real ladies' -horses—lambs."</p> - -<p>"We are easy in mind," said Doña Concha, "for we know that Don Blas -spoils us."</p> - -<p>"Come, to horse, and let us start."</p> - -<p>"Yes, it is a long ride from here to the plain of the Ñandus (a species -of the ostrich)," said Blas, with an affectionate glance at Mercedes.</p> - -<p>The little party, composed of twenty well-armed men, proceeded to the -battery, where Patito lowered the drawbridge.</p> - -<p>"You must double your vigilance," the capataz said to the gaucho.</p> - -<p>"Don't be alarmed, Señor Blas. Good luck to you and the honourable -company," Patito added, waving his hat in the air.</p> - -<p>"Raise the drawbridge, Patito."</p> - -<p>"Anyone who gets into the estancia, capataz, will be sharper than you -and I."</p> - -<p>In Patagonia, at a short distance from the rivers, all the plains are -alike; sand, ever sand, and here and there some stunted bushes. Such -was the road to the plain of the Ñandus.</p> - -<p>Don Valentine had invited his future son-in-law to an ostrich hunt, -and, as may be supposed, Conchita wished to be of the party.</p> - -<p>Ostrich hunting is one of the great amusements of the Spaniards in -Patagonia and the Argentine Republic, where those birds are found in -great numbers.</p> - -<p>The ostriches usually live in small families of eight or ten, scattered -along the edges of marches, pools, and lakes; and they feed on fresh -grass. Faithful to the native nook, they never leave the vicinity of -the water, and, in the month of November, they lay their eggs, which -are frequently fifty to sixty in number, in the wildest part of the -desert, and only sit on them at night. When incubation is over, the -bird breaks with its beak the addled eggs, which are at once covered -with flies and insects, that serve as food for the young.</p> - -<p>A characteristic feature of the manners of the ostriches is their -extreme curiosity. At the estancias, where they live in a domestic -state, it is not uncommon to see them stalking about among the groups -and looking at people who are conversing together. On the plains their -curiosity is often fatal to them, for they come up without hesitation -to investigate everything that appears to them strange. Here is a -rather good Indian story referring to this. The cougars lie down on the -ground, raise their tail in the air, and wave it in all directions. The -ostriches, attracted by the sight of this strange object, come up in -their simplicity; the rest can be guessed—they become victims to the -tricks of the cougars.</p> - -<p>The hunters, after a rather quick ride for nearly two hours, reached -the plain of the Ñandus. The ladies dismounted on the bank of a stream -and four men, with their rifles on their hips, remained with them. -The hunters exchanged their horses for others black slaves had led by -the bridle for them, and then divided into two equal bands. The first, -commanded by Don Valentine, entered the plain, forming a semicircle, so -as to drive the game into a ravine, situated between two sand ridges. -The second band, having at its head the hero of the day, Don Sylvio, -formed a long line, which constituted the other moiety of the circle. -This circle was gradually contracted by the advance of the horsemen, -when a dozen ostriches showed themselves; but the male bird, that -stood as sentry, warned the family of its danger, by a cry sharp as a -boatswain's whistle. The ostriches fled rapidly, in a straight line, -and without looking back.</p> - -<p>All the hunters started after them at a gallop, and the hitherto silent -plain became very animated.</p> - -<p>The horsemen pursued the luckless birds at the full speed of their -steeds, and raised clouds of fine dust as they passed. About fifteen -yards behind the game, still galloping and digging their spurs into -their horses' flanks, they bent forward, whirling round their heads the -terrible bolas and hurling them with all their strength at the animals. -If they missed their throw they stooped down on one side, without -stopping, and picked up the bolas, which they threw again.</p> - -<p>Several families of ostriches had got up, and the chase soon grew most -exciting. Yells and shouts were heard all around; the bolas whistled -through the air, and twined round the necks, wings, and legs of the -ostriches, which, wild with terror, made a thousand feints and turns to -escape their enemies, and tried, by flapping their wings, to wound the -horses with the species of nail with which the extremity of their wings -is armed.</p> - -<p>Several startled horses reared, and embarrassed by three or four -ostriches that got between their legs, fell, bearing their riders to -the ground with them. The birds, taking advantage of the confusion, -escaped to the side where other hunters were waiting for them, where -they fell under a shower of bolas. Each hunter dismounted, killed his -victim, cut off its wings as a trophy, and then resumed the chase with -fresh ardour. Ostriches and hunters fled and galloped rapidly as the -pampero.</p> - -<p>Some fifteen ostriches strewed the plain, and Don Valentine gave the -signal to retreat. The birds which had not fallen hurried with wings -and feet to a place of safety. The dead were carefully picked up, for -the ostrich is excellent eating, and the Americans prepare from the -meat off the breast, a dish renowned for its delicacy and exquisite -flavour, which they call <i>picanilla</i>.</p> - -<p>The slaves went to look for the eggs, which are also highly esteemed, -and obtained a large quantity of them.</p> - -<p>Although the hunt had only lasted an hour the horses were panting; -hence the return to the estancia took place but slowly. The hunters did -not return till a little before sunset.</p> - -<p>"Well, Don Valentine," asked Patito, "has anything of importance -happened during my absence?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing, Excellency!" Patito replied, "A gaucho, who said he had come -from Carmen on important business, insisted on being let in to speak -with Don Sylvio d'Arenal."</p> - -<p>This gaucho, for whom Patito had been very careful not to lower the -drawbridge, was his dear and honest friend Corrocho, who, it may be -remembered, wanted to kill him cleverly. Corrocho had gone off in a -very bad temper, without leaving any message.</p> - -<p>"What do you think about this gaucho's arrival, Don Sylvio?" Don -Valentine asked, when they were comfortably seated in the drawing room.</p> - -<p>"It does not surprise me," Sylvio answered.</p> - -<p>"My own house is being got ready at Carmen, and, no doubt, my orders -are wanted."</p> - -<p>"That is possible."</p> - -<p>"I am hurrying on the workmen, father. I am so eager to be married that -I fear lest my happiness should slip from my grasp," said Don Sylvio.</p> - -<p>"And I too," said Doña Concha, her face becoming purple.</p> - -<p>"There is a little article for you," said Don Valentine. "The hearts of -girls are at work when you least expect it. Patience, miss, for three -days longer."</p> - -<p>"My good father!" Conchita cried, as she hid her face in Don -Valentine's bosom, that the tears of joy might not be seen.</p> - -<p>"Oh! In that case I will start tomorrow for Carmen, especially as I am -awaiting from Buenos Aires papers indispensable for our marriage—our -happiness," Don Sylvio added, looking at his well beloved.</p> - -<p>"I hope," she said, "you will start very early, so as to return in the -morning of the next day."</p> - -<p>"I shall be here tomorrow evening. Can I remain long away from you, my -dear Conchita?"</p> - -<p>"No, Don Sylvio, no. I implore you. I do not wish you to return at -night."</p> - -<p>"Why not?" the young man asked, slightly piqued at this remark.</p> - -<p>"I really cannot tell you; but I feel frightened at the thought of your -crossing the Pampa alone and by night."</p> - -<p>"Oh!" she continued, seeing Don Sylvio about to speak, "I know that you -are brave, almost too brave; but gaucho bandits abound in the plain. Do -not expose a life which is so dear to me, which is no longer your own, -Sylvio; and listen to the warnings of a heart which is no longer mine."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, Conchita. Still I have no one to fear in this country, where -I am a stranger. Moreover, I never leave the estancia without looking -like a theatrical bandit, so covered am I with weapons."</p> - -<p>"No matter," Doña Concha continued; "if you love me—"</p> - -<p>"If I love you!" he interrupted passionately.</p> - -<p>"If you love me, you must take pity on my anxiety, and—obey me."</p> - -<p>"Come, come!" said Don Valentine, with a laugh. "On my soul you are -mad, Conchita, and your romances have turned your head. You only dream -of brigands, ambuscades, and treachery."</p> - -<p>"What would you have, father? Is it my fault? The foreboding of a -coming misfortune agitates me, and I wish to leave nothing to chance."</p> - -<p>"Do not cry, my darling child," the father said to Concha, as she burst -into tears. "Kiss me. I was wrong. Your betrothed and myself will do -all you please. Does that satisfy you?"</p> - -<p>"Do you really mean it?" Doña Concha asked, smiling through her tears.</p> - -<p>"Oh, señorita!" Sylvio exclaimed in a tone of tender reproach.</p> - -<p>"You render me perfectly happy. I only ask one thing. Let Blas Salazar -accompany you."</p> - -<p>"As you please."</p> - -<p>"Do you promise it?"</p> - -<p>"On my honour."</p> - -<p>"Then," Don Valentine said, gaily, "all is for the best, little maid. I -suspect, Conchita, that you are somewhat jealous, and afraid of losing -Sylvio."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps so," she said, maliciously.</p> - -<p>"Such things have happened," her father said, teasingly. "So, Don -Sylvio, you intend starting tomorrow morning?"</p> - -<p>"At sunrise, in order to avoid the great heat; and, as I do not hope to -have the pleasure of seeing you again before I go, I will take leave of -you at once."</p> - -<p>"Kiss one another, children! When persons part, especially if they -love, they ought to embrace as if they were never going to meet again -in this world."</p> - -<p>"Really, father," said Conchita, "you have such ideas—"</p> - -<p>"I was only in fun, my dear child."</p> - -<p>"Pleasant journey, Don Sylvio; and we shall see you again the day after -tomorrow."</p> - -<p>"You may be sure of that."</p> - -<p>The next morning at sunrise, Don Sylvio d'Arenal left the estancia. At -the bottom of the steps the capataz and two slaves were waiting for -him. Involuntarily the young man, before starting, turned his head -towards the window of his beloved which suddenly opened.</p> - -<p>"Farewell," said Doña Concha, with some emotion in her voice.</p> - -<p>"Farewell," Sylvio replied, wafting her a kiss, "till we meet again."</p> - -<p>"That is true," she said. "We shall soon meet again."</p> - -<p>The capataz gave a heavy sigh; he was, doubtless thinking of Mercedes, -and saying to himself that Don Sylvio was a very lucky man.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio, whose heart was contracted, though he knew not the cause, -gave a last signal to his betrothed, and soon disappeared among the -trees. Doña Concha followed him for a long time with her eyes, for a -longer time with her heart; and soon as she was alone, she felt sadness -assail her, and she wept and sobbed bitterly.</p> - -<p>"O Heaven!" she exclaimed, "Protect him."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE TOLDERÍA.</h3> - - -<p>On the banks of the Rio Negro, about five and twenty leagues from -Carmen, stood the toldería, or village of the Pass of the Guanacos.</p> - -<p>This toldería, a simple temporary encampment, like all the Indian -villages, whose nomadic manners do not agree with fixed settlements, -was composed of about one hundred <i>chozas</i>, or cabins irregularly -grouped one after the other.</p> - -<p>Each choza was formed of ten stakes fixed in the ground, four or five -feet high at the sides, and six to seven in the centre, with an opening -to the east, so that the owner of the choza might in the morning throw -water in the face of the rising sun, a ceremony by which the Indians -implore Gualichu not to injure their families during the course of -the day. These chozas were covered with horses' hides sewn together, -and always open at the top to leave a free escape for the smoke of -the fires in the interior, which fires equal in number the wives of -the occupant, as each squaw must have a fire of her own. The leather -that served as the exterior wall was carefully dressed and painted of -different colours, and these paintings—rendered the general appearance -of the toldería more cheerful.</p> - -<p>In front of the entrance of the chozas, the lances of the warriors were -fixed in the ground. These lances, light and made of flexible bamboos, -sixteen to eighteen feet in length, and armed at their extremity with -a spear a foot long forged by the Indians themselves, grow in the -mountains of Chili, near Valdivia.</p> - -<p>The liveliest joy appeared to prevail in the toldería. In some chozas -Indian women, provided with spindles handed down from the Incas, were -winding the wool of their flocks; in others, women were weaving their -ponchos, so renowned for their delicacy and perfection of work, at -looms of primitive simplicity which are another inheritance from the -Incas.</p> - -<p>The young men of the tribe, assembled at the centre of the toldería in -a large square, were playing at <i>pilma</i>, a singular game of which the -Aucas are very fond. The players trace a large circle on the ground, -which they enter and range themselves in two rows facing each other. -The champions of each party holding a ball full of air in their hands, -one side on the right, the other on the left hand, throw these balls -before them. They raise the left leg, catch the projectile in their -hand and throw it at the adversary, whom they must hit on the body -under penalty of losing one point. This produces a thousand strange -contortions on the part of the opponent, who stoops down or gives a -spring to avoid being hit. If the ball leaves the circle, the first -player loses two points, and runs after it. If, on the contrary, the -second player is hit, he must catch the ball and throw it at his -adversary, whom he is bound to hit or lose a point. The next player on -the opposite side begins the game again, and so on to the end. We can -understand what bursts of laughter greet the grotesque postures of the -players.</p> - -<p>Other Indians of a riper age were gravely playing a sort of game at -cards, with squares of leather clumsily illumined with figures of -different animals.</p> - -<p>In a choza, larger and better painted than the rest, which was the -abode of the <i>carasken</i> or first chief, whose lances, covered at the -end with red stained leather, were the distinctive mark of power, three -men were sitting over a decaying fire, and talking regardless of the -noises outside. These men were Nocobotha, Pincheira, and Churlakin, -one of the principal Ulmens of the hills, whose squaw had given birth -that same morning to a son, which was the cause of the great rejoicings -among the Indians.</p> - -<p>Churlakin received the orders of the great chief for the ceremonies -usual on such occasions, bowed respectfully and left the choza, which -he soon re-entered, followed by his wives and all his friends, one of -whom held the infant in his arms.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha placed himself between Pincheira and Churlakin, at the head -of the party, and proceeded toward the Rio Negro. The newborn babe, -wrapped in woollen swaddling clothes, was plunged into the water, and -then they returned in the same order to Churlakin's choza, in front of -which lay a plump filly, thrown down and with its four feet secured.</p> - -<p>A poncho was spread under the animal's belly, and the relations and -friends deposited on it, one after the other, the presents intended -for the child, consisting of spurs, weapons, and clothes. Nocobotha, -who had consented to act as godfather, placed the infant in the midst -of the presents; and Churlakin laid open the filly's flanks, tore out -its heart and handed it while still warm to Nocobotha, who employed it -to make a cross on the infant's forehead, while saying, "Your name -will be Churlakinkco." The father took the child back, and the chief, -raising the bleeding heart, said thrice in a loud voice, "Let him live! -Let him live! Let him live!" Then he recommended the child to Gualichu, -the genius of evil, praying him to render him brave and eloquent, and -terminated the enunciation of his vows with the words, "Above all, let -him never become a slave."</p> - -<p>When the ceremony was ended, the filly was cut into pieces, large fires -were kindled, and all the relations and friends began a feast which -would last until the immolated filly had entirely disappeared.</p> - -<p>Churlakin prepared to sit down and eat like his guests, but at a sign -from Nocobotha, he followed the great chief into his choza, where they -resumed their seats at the fire, Pincheira joining them. Upon a signal -from Nocobotha the squaws went out, and after a short reflection he -began to say—</p> - -<p>"Brothers, you are my confidants, and my heart is laid open before you -like <i>chirimoya</i>, to enable you to see my most secret thoughts. You -were perhaps surprised tonight at finding that I did not count you -among the chiefs selected to act under my orders."</p> - -<p>The two chiefs gave a nod of denial.</p> - -<p>"You neither doubted my friendship nor supposed that I had withdrawn my -confidence from you? Far from it. I reserve you two for more important -enterprises, which require sure and well-tried men. You, Churlakin, -will mount without delay, here is the quipu."</p> - -<p>And he handed the Ulmen a small piece of willow wood, ten inches long -and four wide, split down the centre and holding a human finger. This -piece of wood, covered with thread, was fringed with red, blue, black, -and white wool. Churlakin received the quipu respectfully.</p> - -<p>"Churlakin," Nocobotha continued, "you will serve me as <i>casqui</i> -(herald), not to the Patagonian natives of the Pampas, whose caraskens, -Ulmens and Apo-Ulmens were present at the solemn meeting at the tree -of Gualichu, although you may communicate with them on your road; but -I send you specially to the nations and tribes scattered far away, -and living in the woods, such as the Ranqueles, the Guerandis, the -Moluches, and the Pecunches, to whom you will present the quipu. -Turning back thence to the desert, you will visit the Charruas, -Bocobis, Tebas, and Guaramis, who can place about twenty-five thousand -warriors under arms. The task is difficult and delicate, and that is -why I entrust it to you, whom I regard as my second self."</p> - -<p>"My brother's mind can be at rest," Churlakin said, "I shall succeed."</p> - -<p>"Good," Nocobotha continued, "I have made nineteen knots on the black -wool to indicate that my brother left my side on the nineteenth day -of the moon; on the white wool twenty-seven knots, to signify that in -twenty-seven days the warriors will assemble under arms on the Island -of Ghole-Isechel, at the fork of the Rio Negro. The chiefs who consent -to join us will make a knot on the blood red wool, and those who refuse -will knot the red and blue wool together. Has my brother understood?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," Churlakin answered. "When must I start?"</p> - -<p>"At once, for time presses."</p> - -<p>"In ten minutes I shall be far from the village," said Churlakin, as he -bowed to the two chiefs and left the choza.</p> - -<p>"And now it is our turn," Nocobotha said with a friendly accent, when -he found himself alone with Pincheira.</p> - -<p>"I am listening."</p> - -<p>The superior chief, then putting off the composed manner and language -of an Ulmen, employed the European style with surprising readiness, -and laying aside the Indian dialect, addressed the Chilian officer in -the purest Castilian, spoken from Cape Horn to Magellan.</p> - -<p>"My dear Pincheira," he said to him, "during the two years since my -return from Europe, I have attached to myself most of the Carmen -gauchos—utter scoundrels, I allow—and bandits exiled from Buenos -Aires; but I can count on them, and they are devoted to me. These men -only know me by the name of Don Torribio Carvajal."</p> - -<p>"I was aware of the fact," Pincheira said.</p> - -<p>"Ah!" Nocobotha remarked, darting a glance of suspicion at the Chilian.</p> - -<p>"Everything is known on the Pampa."</p> - -<p>"In a word," Nocobotha continued, "the hour has arrived when I must -reap what I have sown among these bandits, who will be useful to us -against their countrymen, through their knowledge of the Spanish -tactics, and their skill in the use of firearms. Reasons, which would -take me too long to explain, prevent me from turning my attention to -these gauchos, so you will introduce yourself to them in my name. This -diamond," he added, drawing a ring from his finger, "will be your -passport; they are warned, and if you show it to them they will obey -you as myself. They assemble at a low pulquería in the Población del -Sur, at Carmen."</p> - -<p>"I know it well. What am I to do with the fellows?"</p> - -<p>"A very simple matter. Every day, a devoted man, Panchito by name, will -transmit you my orders, and inform you of what is going on among us. -Your duty will be to hold these bandits in readiness, and on a day I -shall indicate to you, you will stir up a revolt in Carmen. This revolt -will give us time to act outside, while a part of your people are -scouring the Pampas, and freeing us, if possible, from those infernal -bomberos, who watch our manoeuvres, and are almost as crafty as our -Indians."</p> - -<p>"Confound it," said Pincheira, "that is a tough job!"</p> - -<p>"You will succeed, if not through friendship for me, at least through -hatred of the Spaniards."</p> - -<p>"Not to deceive your expectations, I will do more than man can do."</p> - -<p>"I know it, and thank you, my dear Pincheira. But you must be prudent -and skilful! Our plans are suspected, and we are watched. To employ an -Indian metaphor, I entrust to you a mole's job. You must dig a mine -under Carmen, which will blow them all up when it explodes."</p> - -<p>"Caray," said Pincheira, as he warmly pressed Nocobotha's hand, "you -are one of the men I like. Trust to me, to my friendship, and, above -all, to my hatred."</p> - -<p>"We shall all be avenged," Nocobotha added. "May Satan hear you!"</p> - -<p>"To work, then! But, in the first place, lay aside your uniform as a -Chilian officer. Disguise yourself as well as you can, for your face is -familiar at Carmen."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Pincheira replied, "and in an hour you will not recognize -me yourself. I will dress myself as a gaucho, for that will not be -noticed. Farewell."</p> - -<p>"One word yet."</p> - -<p>"Say it."</p> - -<p>"The man I send to you will arrange a fresh meeting place for every -night in order to foil the spies."</p> - -<p>"All right."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye."</p> - -<p>Pincheira left the choza; and the Indian chief looked after him for a -moment.</p> - -<p>"Go," he said, "ferocious brute, to whom I throw a people as prey. -Go! Miserable instrument of projects whose greatness you do not -understand," he added, as he looked at the Indians, "they are making -holiday, playing like children, and unsuspicious that I am about, to -make them free. But it is time for me to think of my own vengeance."</p> - -<p>And he quitted the choza, leapt on a horse, which an Indian held by the -bridle, and started at a gallop on the road to Carmen.</p> - -<p>At the end of an hour he stopped on the banks of the Rio Negro, -dismounted, assured himself by a glance that he was alone, took off a -leathern valise fastened to his saddle, and entered a natural grotto a -few paces distant. There he quickly doffed his Indian garb, dressed in -handsome European attire, and set out again.</p> - -<p>It was no longer Nocobotha, the supreme chief of the Indian nations, -but Don Torribio Carvajal, the mysterious Spaniard. His pace was also -prudently altered, and his horse carried him at a gentle trot toward -Carmen.</p> - -<p>On coming near the spot where, on the previous evening, the bomberos -had halted with their sister to hold a consultation, he dismounted -again, sat down on the grass, and took from a splendid cigar case -made of plaited Panama straw, a cigar, which he lit with the apparent -tranquillity of a tourist who is resting in the shade, and is admiring -the beauty of the scenery.</p> - -<p>During this time the footfall of several horses disturbed the solitude -of the Pampa, and a hoarse voice struck up an Indian song well known on -this border:—</p> - -<p>"I have lost my Neculantey in the country of Tilqui. Oh! Ye damp -plains, which have changed him into shadows and flies."</p> - -<p>"Oh, oh! the song of the Maukawis already!" Don Torribio said in a loud -voice.</p> - -<p>"Does not the note of the Maukawis announce sunrise?" the voice asked.</p> - -<p>"You are right, Panchito," Don Torribio replied, "we are alone, so -you can come, as well as your comrade, who, I suppose, is your friend -Corrocho."</p> - -<p>"You have guessed right, Excellency," said Corrocho, as he came from -behind a sandhill.</p> - -<p>"Faithful to our word," said Panchito, "we have arrived at the spot and -hour appointed."</p> - -<p>"That is well, my good fellows, and thanks. Come here, but remain on -horseback. Are you both devoted to me?"</p> - -<p>"To the last drop of our blood, Excellency," the two gauchos said.</p> - -<p>"And you do not despise money?"</p> - -<p>"Money can only injure those who have none," the sententious Panchito -remarked.</p> - -<p>"When it is honourably gained," Corrocho added, with an ape-like -grimace.</p> - -<p>"Of course, of course," the young man said, "it is a matter of fifty -ounces."</p> - -<p>The two bandits had a shudder of joy, and their tiger cat eyeballs -flashed.</p> - -<p>"Caray," they said.</p> - -<p>"Does that suit you?"</p> - -<p>"Fifty ounces? Of course it is a tough job."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps so."</p> - -<p>"No odds."</p> - -<p>"There will be a man to kill."</p> - -<p>"All the worse for him," said Panchito.</p> - -<p>"Does it suit you still?"</p> - -<p>"More than ever," Corrocho grunted.</p> - -<p>"In that case listen to me attentively," Don Torribio Carvajal said.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE PAMPERO.</h3> - - -<p>During the whole course of their journey, which lasted two hours, -Don Sylvio and Don Blas did not exchange a single word, to the great -surprise of the capataz. Don Sylvio was thinking of his approaching -happiness, which was slightly over-clouded, through the sadness of the -leave-taking, and Doña Concha's presentiments. But these vague alarms -were dissipated like the morning mist by the sun, so soon as he arrived -at El Carmen.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio's first care was to visit the house to which he would lead -Doña Concha, after the nuptial ceremony was performed. Though comfort -does not exist in South America, it was a fairy palace, thronged with -all the splendours of luxury. A band of English, French, and Italian -workmen, collected with extraordinary difficulty, were toiling without -relaxation, under the orders of a skilful architect, in putting the -final touch to this creation out of the Arabian Nights, which had -already swallowed up large sums, and which would be in a condition to -receive its new hosts within eight and forty hours. At Carmen nothing -was talked of but the splendours of Don Sylvio d'Arenal's palace; the -curious crowd that collected in front of the gates related marvels -about this princely residence.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio, satisfied at seeing his dream accomplished, smiled as he -thought of his betrothed, and after complimenting the architect and -the workmen, proceeded to pay a visit to the governor, where important -business summoned him.</p> - -<p>The commandant gave the young man, with whose father he had been -intimate, a gracious reception. Still, in spite of the courteous manner -of Don Antonio Valverde, Sylvio fancied he could notice traces of -secret annoyance in his face.</p> - -<p>The governor was a brave and honourable soldier, who had rendered good -service in the War of Independence, and the government had placed him -on honourable half pay, by entrusting to him the command of Carmen, -a post he had held for fifteen years. Courageous, strict, and just, -the commandant kept the gauchos in order by the punishment of the -<i>garrota</i>, and foiled the repeated attempts of the Indians, who came -even under the guns of the fortress, to harry cattle, and carry off -prisoners, especially women. Gifted with but a poor intellect, but -supported by his own experience, and the esteem of all the honest -people in the colony, he was not deficient in a certain energy of -character. Physically, he was a tall, stout man, with a rubicund, -pimpled face, full of self-satisfaction, who listened to people -speaking, and carefully weighed his words, as if they were made of gold.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio was surprised at the anxiety which disturbed the usual -placidity of the colonel's face.</p> - -<p>"It is a miracle," the latter said, as he cordially pressed the young -man's hand, "for which I thank nuestra Señora del Carmen, to see you -here."</p> - -<p>"In a few days you will not be able to reproach me thus," Don Sylvio -replied.</p> - -<p>"Then, it is coming off soon?" Don Antonio said, rubbing his hands.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I hope to be married within four days. I have come to Carmen -today to give the master's look at the final arrangements of my house."</p> - -<p>"All the better," the commandant replied; "I am enchanted that you are -about to settle among us, Don Sylvio; your betrothed is the prettiest -girl in the colony."</p> - -<p>"I thank you in her name, colonel."</p> - -<p>"Do you spend the day at Carmen?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, and I intend returning to the estancia at an early hour tomorrow."</p> - -<p>"In that case you will breakfast with me, without ceremony?"</p> - -<p>"Willingly."</p> - -<p>"That is famous," said the commandant, as he rang a bell.</p> - -<p>A Negro slave appeared.</p> - -<p>"This gentleman is going to breakfast with me. By the bye, Don Sylvio, -I have a large packet of papers addressed to you, which arrived last -night from Buenos Aires by express."</p> - -<p>"Heaven be praised! I feared some delay. These papers are indispensable -for my marriage."</p> - -<p>"All is for the best," Don Antonio remarked.</p> - -<p>The young man placed the packet in his coat pocket, and the slave -opened the door again.</p> - -<p>"Your Excellency is served," he said.</p> - -<p>A third guest was waiting for them in the dining room. It was Major -Bloomfield, a tall, dry, punctilious Englishman, who had been second -in command at Carmen for twenty years past. Don Antonio and the major -had fought side by side in their youth, and had a fraternal attachment. -They sat down, after the usual ceremony, to an abundantly and -delicately covered table, and at the dessert the conversation, which -had suffered through the appetite of the guests, became thoroughly -friendly.</p> - -<p>"By the way," Don Sylvio asked, "what is the matter with you, Don -Antonio? You do not seem in your usual good spirits."</p> - -<p>"That is true," the commandant said, as he sipped a glass of Jerez de -la Frontera; "I am sad."</p> - -<p>"You sad? Hang it, you alarm me; if I had not seen you breakfast with -such a good appetite, I should fancy you ill."</p> - -<p>"Yes," the old soldier answered with a sigh; "my appetite is all right."</p> - -<p>"What else can annoy you?"</p> - -<p>"A foreboding," the commandant said seriously,</p> - -<p>"A foreboding," Don Sylvio repeated, remembering Doña Concha's parting -words.</p> - -<p>"I, too, feel anxious, in spite of myself," the major added; "there is -something, I know not what, in the air. A danger is suspended over our -heads, but whence it will come, the Lord alone knows."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Don Antonio remarked, "He knows; and, believe me, Don Sylvio, He -gives warnings to men when they are in danger."</p> - -<p>"Major Bloomfield and you, both old soldiers, brave as their swords, -cannot be frightened at a shadow; so what are your reasons?"</p> - -<p>"I have none," said the colonel; "still—</p> - -<p>"Come, come, Don Antonio," Sylvio remarked gaily, "you are suffering -from what the major would call blue devils. It is a species of spleen -produced by the English fogs, and not at all at home in this country, -which is full of sunshine. Take my advice, colonel; have yourself bled, -and in two days the fog over your imagination will be dissipated; do -you not agree with me, major?"</p> - -<p>"I wish it may be so," the old officer answered, with a shake of his -head.</p> - -<p>"Nonsense!" Sylvio remarked, "Life is too short as it is, then why -sadden it by chimeras?"</p> - -<p>"On the frontier men can be sure of nothing."</p> - -<p>"The Indians have become lambs."</p> - -<p>"Excellency," a slave said, opening the door, "a bombero, who has -arrived at full speed, requests an interview."</p> - -<p>The three gentlemen looked at one another.</p> - -<p>"Let him come in," the colonel said.</p> - -<p>Heavy footsteps echoed in the passage, and the bombero appeared; it -was Pedrito. He certainly had at this moment the look of a bearer of -ill tidings, and seemed to have just come out of a fight. His ragged -clothes were stained with blood and mud, an unusual pallor covered his -face, and he leant on his rifle, for he was exhausted by his hurried -ride.</p> - -<p>"Take this glass of wine," said Don Sylvio, "it will restore you."</p> - -<p>"No," Pedrito answered, thrusting the glass away, "it is not wine I -thirst for, but blood."</p> - -<p>The bombero wiped his dank forehead with the back of his hand, and said -in a sharp, quick voice, which conveyed terror to the hearts of the -three hearers—</p> - -<p>"The Indians are coming down."</p> - -<p>"Have you seen them?" the major asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes," he replied hoarsely.</p> - -<p>"When?"</p> - -<p>"This morning."</p> - -<p>"Far from here?"</p> - -<p>"Twenty leagues."</p> - -<p>"How many are they?"</p> - -<p>"Count the grains of the sand on the Pampa, and you will have their -number."</p> - -<p>"Oh," the colonel exclaimed, "that is impossible, the Indians cannot -thus organize an army at a day's notice. Terror must have made you see -double."</p> - -<p>"Terror, nonsense!" the bombero answered disdainfully, "In the desert -we have not time to know it."</p> - -<p>"But, tell me, how are they coming?"</p> - -<p>"Like a hurricane, burning and plundering everything on their passage. -They form a vast semicircle, whose two extremities are gradually -drawing nearer to Carmen. They act with a certain method, under the -orders of a chief who is, doubtless, practised and skilful."</p> - -<p>"That is serious," the commandant said.</p> - -<p>The major shook his head.</p> - -<p>"Why did you warn us so late?" he said to the bombero.</p> - -<p>"This morning at sunrise my three brothers and I were surrounded by -two or three hundred Indians, who seemed to emerge suddenly from the -ground. What a fight it was! We defended ourselves like lions; Juan is -dead, Pepe and Lopez are wounded, but we escaped at last, and here I -am."</p> - -<p>"Return to your post as speedily as possible; a fresh horse will be -given you."</p> - -<p>"I am off."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Don Antonio, after Pedrito had retired, "what do you think -of our presentiments, Don Sylvio? But where are you going?" he asked -the young man, who had risen from his chair.</p> - -<p>"I shall return to the Estancia of San Julian, which the Indians have, -perhaps, attacked. Oh, Doña Conchita!"</p> - -<p>"San Julian is fortified, and safe against surprise. Still, try and -induce Don Valentine and his daughter to return to Carmen, where they -will be in greater security."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, colonel, I will try, and do you offer a bold front to the -enemy. As you are aware, the Indians only attempt surprise, and so soon -as they see that their plans are discovered, they are off again."</p> - -<p>"May heaven hear you."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye for the present, gentlemen, and I wish you success," said the -young man, as he pressed the hand of the two old soldiers.</p> - -<p>Don Blas Salazar, who was waiting for Don Sylvio in the courtyard, ran -up to him so soon as he perceived him.</p> - -<p>"Well," the capataz said, "you know the news. The Indians are making a -descent."</p> - -<p>"I have just been told so."</p> - -<p>"What are we going to do?"</p> - -<p>"Return to the estancia."</p> - -<p>"Hum, Don Sylvio, that is not at all prudent; the Indians will, -doubtless, bar our way."</p> - -<p>"We will pass over their bodies."</p> - -<p>"Of course, of course, but suppose they kill you?"</p> - -<p>"Nonsense! Doña Concha is expecting me."</p> - -<p>"As you please," the capataz answered, "all is ready for our departure; -the horses are here, saddled and all. Let us be off."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Blas, you are a good fellow," Sylvio said, as he held out -his hand to him.</p> - -<p>"I am aware of it."</p> - -<p>"Off we go."</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio and Blas, escorted by the two slaves, walked their horses -through the crowd of idlers who had assembled in front of the fortress -to hear the news; then they went at a sharp trot down the rather steep -hill that leads from the citadel to old Carmen, and at length galloped -towards San Julian.</p> - -<p>They had not noticed the behaviour of sundry suspicious looking fellows -who had followed them at a distance ever since they started, and were -talking eagerly together.</p> - -<p>The weather was stormy, and the clouds were gray and low. The air -seemed motionless, a deep silence brooded over the solitude; a white -cloud, light as a sand drift, collected in the southwest, which -advanced, and each moment grew larger. All announced the approach of -the pampero, that simoom of the prairies.</p> - -<p>The clouds collected, the dust rose and ran along in dense columns, -suspended between earth and sky. The clouds enveloped the plain as in -a mantle, whose comers the gusts lifted at every moment, and which -lightning flashes rent here and there. Puffs of hot air traversed the -space, and suddenly the tempest rushed up furiously from the horizon, -sweeping the Pampa with irresistible violence. The light was obscured -by masses of sand; a thick gloom covered the earth, and the thunder -mingled its terrible artillery with the howling of the hurricane. -Enormous masses were detached from the lofty cliffs, and fell with a -frightful din into the sea.</p> - -<p>The travellers got off their horses, and sheltered themselves behind -rocks on the seashore. When the worst of the storm had passed, they set -out again, Don Sylvio and Blas riding silently side by side, while the -two slaves, twenty yards ahead, trembled at the thought of seeing the -Indians appear.</p> - -<p>The storm had slightly diminished in intensity, the pampero had carried -its fury further, but the rain fell in torrents, and thunder and -lightning followed each other uninterruptedly. The travellers could -not continue their journey, for they ran the risk of being thrown at -every moment by their horses, which reared in affright. The ground and -the sand, moistened by the rain, did not offer a single spot where the -brutes could set their feet in safety; they stumbled, slipped, and -threatened to fall.</p> - -<p>"Whatever we may do," said the capataz, "it is impossible to go any -further, so we had better halt again, and seek refuge under that clump -of trees."</p> - -<p>"Very good," Don Sylvio said, with a sigh of resignation.</p> - -<p>The little party proceeded toward a wood that bordered the road. They -were only some fifteen paces from it, when four men, whose faces were -concealed by black masks, dashed out of the wood at a gallop, and -silently attacked the travellers.</p> - -<p>The slaves rolled off their horses, struck by two bullets the strangers -had fired, and writhed on the ground in convulsions of agony. Don -Sylvio and Blas Salazar, astonished at this sudden attack on the part -of men who could not be Indians, for they wore the dress of gauchos, -and their hands were white, immediately dismounted, and making a -rampart of their horses, awaited the attack of their adversaries, with -levelled rifles.</p> - -<p>Bullets were exchanged on both sides, and a fierce combat, silent and -unequal, began; one of the assailants fell with his skull cleft to the -teeth; and Don Sylvio passed his sword through the chest of another.</p> - -<p>"Well, my masters," he shouted to them, "have you had enough? Or does -another of you wish to form the acquaintance of my blade? You are -fools, ten of you should have come to assassinate us."</p> - -<p>"What!" the capataz added, "Are you going to give in already? You are -clumsy fellows for cut-throats, and the man who pays you ought to have -made a better choice."</p> - -<p>In fact, the two masked men had fallen back; but immediately four other -men, also masked, appeared, and all six rushed at the Spaniards, who -firmly awaited their attack.</p> - -<p>"Hang it! Pardon our having calumniated you; you know your trade," said -Don Blas, as he fired a pistol into the thick of his adversaries.</p> - -<p>The latter, still silent, returned the fire, and the fight began -again with fresh fury. But the two brave Spaniards, whose strength -was exhausted, and whose blood was flowing, fell in their turn on the -corpses of two other assailants, whom they sacrificed to their rage -before succumbing.</p> - -<p>So soon as the strangers saw Don Sylvio and Blas were motionless, they -uttered a cry of triumph. Paying no heed to the capataz, they raised -Don Sylvio d'Arenal's body, laid it across one of their horses, and -fled away at full speed along the devious path.</p> - -<p>Seven corpses strewed the ground. After the assailants the vultures -arrived, which hovered and circled above the victims, and mingled their -hoarse croaks of triumph with the sound of the hurricane.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h4> - -<h3>PREPARATIONS FOR A SIEGE.</h3> - - -<p>"It is a heavy blow," the governor said, after Don Sylvio had left -the room; "but, ¡viva Dios! the pagans shall find someone to talk to. -Major, warn the officers to assemble at one, for a council of war, so -that we may arrange the defensive operations."</p> - -<p>"That is the plan," the major answered; "I am satisfied with you. You -draw yourself up haughtily, and I find you again, at last, my dear -fellow."</p> - -<p>"Ah! My dear Bloomfield, the presentiment of an unknown misfortune -depresses one's courage, while danger, however great it may be, once we -have it face to face, ceases to cause us terror."</p> - -<p>"You are right," said the major, who left the room to carry out his -chiefs orders.</p> - -<p>The officers of the garrison, six in number, without counting the -colonel and the major, were soon assembled in the governor's rooms.</p> - -<p>"Sit down, caballeros," he said to them, "you are doubtless aware of -the motive of this meeting. The Indians are threatening the colony, and -a powerful league has been formed among the Patagonians. What forces -have we at our disposal?"</p> - -<p>"We are not deficient in arms and ammunition," the major replied. -"We have more than two hundred thousand cartridges, and abundance of -muskets, pistols, sabres, and lances; and our guns are amply supplied -with round shot and canister."</p> - -<p>"Very good."</p> - -<p>"Unfortunately," the major continued, "our troops—"</p> - -<p>"How many have we?"</p> - -<p>"Our effective strength should be one hundred and twenty, but death, -illness, and desertions, have reduced it to scarce eighty."</p> - -<p>"Eighty!" the colonel said, with a shake of his head. "In the presence -of a formidable invasion, as the common safety is at stake, can we not -compel the inhabitants to get under arms?"</p> - -<p>"It is their duty," one of the officers said.</p> - -<p>"An imposing force must crown our walls," Don Antonio continued; "and -this is what I propose. All the Negro slaves will be enlisted, and -formed into a company; the merchants will form a separate corps; the -gauchos, well armed and mounted, will defend the approaches to the -town, and act as patrols outside. We shall thus muster seven hundred -men, a sufficient force to repulse the Indians."</p> - -<p>"You know, colonel," an officer objected, "that the gauchos are utter -scoundrels, and that the least disturbance is to them an excuse for -plundering."</p> - -<p>"On that account they will be employed for the external defence. They -will be encamped outside the colony, and, to diminish the chances of -revolt among them, they will be divided into two squadrons, one of -which will scout, while the other is resting. In this way we shall have -nothing to fear from them."</p> - -<p>"As for the creoles, and strangers residing in the colony," the major -remarked, "I think it will be as well to give them orders to come to -the fortress every night, to be armed in case of necessity."</p> - -<p>"Excellent. The number of bomberos will be doubled to prevent a -surprise, and barricades raised at each entrance to the town, to -protect us from the terrible charges of the Indians."</p> - -<p>"If that is your opinion, colonel," the major interrupted, "a sure man -ought to be sent off to the estancias, to tell them to seek refuge -in Carmen, when they are warned of the approach of the enemy by their -cannon shots."</p> - -<p>"Do so, major, for the poor people would be piteously massacred by -the savages. The inhabitants of the town must also be warned that all -their females must withdraw into the fort, when the pagans come in -sight, unless they wish them to fall into the hands of the Indians. In -the last invasion, if you remember, they carried off upwards of two -hundred. And now, gentlemen, all that is left to us is to do our duty -truly, and confide in the will of Heaven."</p> - -<p>The officers rose, and were about to take leave of their chief, when a -slave announced another bombero.</p> - -<p>"Show him in, and pray be seated again, Caballeros."</p> - -<p>The scout was Pepe, Pedrito's brother. Although he had started five -hours after his brother from their place of ambush, he was scarce an -hour behind him. His great pace indicated the gravity of the news -he brought. He had retained his cunning look, although his face was -pale, blood-stained, and black with gunpowder. His torn clothes, the -handkerchief fastened round his head, his arm in a sling, but above -all, four scalps hanging from his girdle, showed that he had ridden -through the Indians in order to reach Carmen.</p> - -<p>"Pepe," the governor said to him, "your brother has just left me."</p> - -<p>"I know it," colonel.</p> - -<p>"Is your news worse than his?"</p> - -<p>"That depends on the way in which you take it."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that?"</p> - -<p>"Why," the bombero said carelessly, "if you are fond of your ease, I -have not come to reassure you; if you feel a desire to mount your horse -and to see the Patagonians, you will have no occasion to indulge your -fancy, as what I have to tell will cause you immense pleasure."</p> - -<p>In spite of the gravity of the circumstances, and the anxiety of his -hearers, they smiled at Pepe's singular arguments.</p> - -<p>"Explain yourself, Pepe," the governor said to him.</p> - -<p>"Ten minutes after my brother's departure," the bombero went on, "I -examined some bushes which I had seen moving in an unusual manner. I -discovered a Negro, who was pale in spite of his black hide, and whose -tongue terror appeared to have tied. At length he made up his mind to -speak. He belonged to a poor old gentleman of the name of Ignacio -Bayal, one of the two men who alone escaped from the massacre on the -peninsula of San José, during the last invasion of the Patagonians. The -slave and his master were gathering wood, when the Indians appeared a -short distance off; the slave had time to conceal himself behind a pile -of <i>biscacha</i>, but the old man fell beneath the blows of the savages, -who attacked him with lances and <i>bolas perdidas</i>. I began reassuring -the Negro, but at the same moment perceived a multitude of Indians -driving prisoners and cattle before them, burning and destroying -everything as they passed in full march on Carmen. The Estancia of -Punta Rosa and that of San Blas are at this moment a pile of ashes, and -serve as tombs to the owners. That is my news, Excellency, and you can -do what you like with it."</p> - -<p>"And those bleeding scalps?" the major asked, pointing to the human -trophies that hung from the bombero's belt.</p> - -<p>"That is a personal matter," Pepe replied with a smile. "Through -friendship for the Indians, I preferred to lift their hair rather than -leave them my head."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps it is only a band of plunderers of the Pampas, who have come -to steal cattle, and will retire with their booty."</p> - -<p>"Hum," said Pepe, with a shake of his head, "they are too numerous, too -well equipped, and are advancing with too much regularity. No, colonel, -it is not a skirmish, but an invasion."</p> - -<p>"Thanks, Pepe," the colonel said, "I am satisfied with you. Return to -your post, and redouble your vigilance."</p> - -<p>"Juan is dead, colonel, and that will tell you how fond my brothers and -I are of the Indians."</p> - -<p>The bombero retired.</p> - -<p>"You see, gentlemen," said Don Antonio, "that time presses. Go all of -you to your duties."</p> - -<p>"One moment," said Major Bloomfield, "I have one more suggestion to -make."</p> - -<p>"Speak, my friend."</p> - -<p>"We are, so to speak, lost in this corner of the earth, and remote -from any help; we may be besieged in Carmen, and forced into surrender -by starvation. Under these imperious circumstances, I ask that a ship -should be sent to Buenos Aires to describe our situation, and request -reinforcements."</p> - -<p>"What do you think, gentlemen, of the major's suggestion?" the colonel -asked, looking inquiringly at the officers.</p> - -<p>"It is excellent, colonel, excellent," one of them answered.</p> - -<p>"The suggestion will be carried out at once," Don Antonio continued, -"and now, gentlemen, you can withdraw."</p> - -<p>The defence of the fort and town was organized with a rapidity -inconceivable to anyone acquainted with Spanish sloth; danger gave -courage to the timid and doubled the ardour of the others. Two -hours later the cattle had been driven in and corraled, the streets -barricaded, the guns sponged out, and the women and children shut up in -buildings adjoining the fort, a vessel was sailing for Buenos Aires, -and one hundred and fifty resolute men were intrenched at Población del -Sur, the houses of which they had loop-holed.</p> - -<p>The governor and Major Bloomfield seemed to be everywhere at once; -encouraging the troops, ordering the workmen, and imparting energy to -all.</p> - -<p>About three in the afternoon, a violent breeze sprang up, which bore -from the southwest the smoke occasioned by firing the country, and -hiding distant objects. The inhabitants of Carmen were devoured with -anxiety.</p> - -<p>Such is the simple and ingenious plan the southern nations employ to -favour their invasion of the territory of the whites, to hide their -manoeuvres, and conceal their numbers from the piercing eyes of the -bomberos. The smoke like a floating wall, separated the Indians from -Carmen, and in consequence of the brightness of the nights they had -selected the period of the full moon.</p> - -<p>The scouts, in spite of the dense smoke that protected the enemy, -arrived at a gallop one after the other, and announced that they would -be before Carmen during the night. In fact, the Indian hordes, whose -numbers incessantly increased, covered the whole extent of the plain, -and advanced on the town with startling rapidity.</p> - -<p>By the governor's orders, the three alarm shots were fired. The -estancieros could then be seen flocking up, driving their cattle before -them, and on seeing their houses fired, and their rich crops destroyed, -they shed tears of despair. These poor people encamped where they -could, in the open places of the town, and after leading their wives -and daughters to the fort, those who were of manly age took up arms, -and rushed to the barriers and barricades, resolved to take vengeance -for their ruin.</p> - -<p>The consternation and terror were general; on all sides could be heard -lamentation and stifled sobs; the night arrived to add its horrors to -the situation, and enfold the town in its mourning. Numerous patrols -traversed the streets, and, at intervals, daring bomberos slipped -furtively out of the city to watch the approach of the coming peril.</p> - -<p>About two in the morning, in the midst of an impressive silence, a -slight sound was audible, at first almost imperceptible, but which was -every moment augmented, and, as if by enchantment, the Aucas crowned -the top of the barricades in Población del Sur, and waving lighted -torches, uttered their war yell.</p> - -<p>For a moment the inhabitants fancied the town captured; but Major -Bloomfield, who commanded this post, was on his guard against the -tricks of the Indians. At the moment when the Aucas prepared to -escalade the barricades, a sharp fusillade broke out, which hurled them -to the foot of the entrenchments. The Argentines dashed forward at the -bayonet point, and there was a frightful medley, from which issued -groans of agony, imprecations, and the harsh clang of steel against -steel. This was all; the Spaniards regained their position, the Indians -disappeared, and the town, so lately illumined by the light of the -torches, fell back into shadow and silence.</p> - -<p>As the Indian surprise had failed, they would either withdraw or -invest the town. At daybreak, however, all the illusions of the -inhabitants were dissipated—the enemy had not thought of retreating.</p> - -<p>It was a heart-rending sight! the country was devastated, and the -expiring flames could still be seen in the distance. Here, a band of -Aucas were driving horses off; there, warriors, with lances erect, -were watching the movements of the townspeople; behind them squaws and -children were driving cattle, which uttered long lowings; here and -there prisoners, men, women, and children, forced along by blows with -lance staves, were holding up their suppliant arms to the town walls. -Patagonians were planting poles and erecting toldos; and, lastly, far -as eye could reach, fresh bands of Indians descended into the plain -from all sides.</p> - -<p>The oldest soldiers in the fort, who had been witnesses of previous -wars, were amazed at the regularity of the enemy's march. The toldos -were skilfully grouped; the infantry executed, with great precision, -movements which they had hitherto been ignorant of, and it was an -extraordinary thing, which stupefied the colonel and the major, to see -the Aucas form a parallel round the town, and almost instantaneously -throw up earthworks, which protected them from the artillery.</p> - -<p>"<i>¡Sangre de Dios</i>!" the colonel exclaimed, "There is a traitor among -the villains; never before have they waged war in this way."</p> - -<p>"Hum!" the major muttered, biting his moustache; "if Buenos Aires does -not send succour, we are lost."</p> - -<p>"Yes, my friend, we shall leave our skins here."</p> - -<p>"How many are they, colonel?—twenty thousand; thirty thousand?"</p> - -<p>"And those who are still coming up, and who blacken the distant -plains?—But what means the sound of that bugle?"</p> - -<p>Four Ulmens, preceded by an Indian, who carried a white flag, had -halted within half gunshot of the first barriers of Población del Sur.</p> - -<p>"They seem," the colonel said, "to be desiring a parley. Do they fancy -me fool enough to venture into that trap? Major, just fire a round of -canister into that group to teach them not to treat us as fools."</p> - -<p>"We should be wrong, colonel; let us learn what they want."</p> - -<p>"But where shall we find a man fool enough to risk his carcase among -those pagans, who have neither faith nor law?"</p> - -<p>"I will go, with your permission," the major said simply.</p> - -<p>"You?" Don Antonio exclaimed in amazement.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I. Unfortunate persons have been confided to our guard and our -honour. I am but a man; my life is of but little consequence for the -defence of the town. I am old, colonel, and will try to save the -inhabitants of Carmen."</p> - -<p>The governor suppressed a sigh, and affectionately shook his old -friend's hand.</p> - -<p>"Go," he said with considerable emotion, "and may Heaven protect you!"</p> - -<p>"Thanks," Major Bloomfield answered.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h4> - -<h3>A BRAVE RESOLVE.</h3> - - -<p>On leaving Carmen, Pedrito felt a recollection of his sister aroused in -his mind, and in order to warn Don Valentine Cardoso of the invasion -of the Indians, he started at a gallop for the estancia, which, thanks -to the speed of the fresh horse the governor had given him, he reached -without a check. All was quiet at San Julian, and the sentry watching -in the mirador had perceived nothing alarming in the distance.</p> - -<p>Patito, in the capitaz' absence, was on guard at the battery, like a -faithful watchdog.</p> - -<p>"Where is Don Blas?" the bombero asked.</p> - -<p>"At Carmen, with Don Sylvio d'Arenal," the gaucho answered.</p> - -<p>"What, have they not returned yet?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Lead me to Don Valentine."</p> - -<p>The estanciero heartily welcomed the bombero, and sent for his sister, -who arrived with Doña Concha.</p> - -<p>"What brings you here in such a hurry, Pedrito?"</p> - -<p>"A very serious matter, Don Valentine," he answered, after embracing -Mercedes several times; "but only look, Excellency, how pretty she is in -her new dress! Kiss me again, little sister."</p> - -<p>"Have you only come to devour the girl with caresses?" Don Valentine -asked with a smile; "If so, go on to your heart's content."</p> - -<p>"That is almost enough," Pedrito replied, his eyes filled with tears. -"Alas! Our family is diminishing daily. Still," he added, changing his -accent, "however great the love I bear my sister, it is not for her -sake alone that I am here. But stay, Excellency, that is not true; it -is for her sake, her sake alone, though apparently for yours. I have -just come from Carmen."</p> - -<p>"From Carmen?" Doña Concha said, involuntarily.</p> - -<p>"Yes, señorita," the bombero answered, as if reading the young lady's -secret thoughts, "and I saw Don Sylvio d'Arenal there."</p> - -<p>Doña Concha turned red as a cherry, and was silent.</p> - -<p>"And what have you been doing in Carmen?" Don Valentine asked.</p> - -<p>"I went to warn his Excellency Colonel Don Antonio Valverde, that -the Indians have entered the country of the Republic, plundering and -burning everything on their road."</p> - -<p>"An invasion!" Don Valentine said, with an internal tremor.</p> - -<p>"O heavens!" the two girls exclaimed, clasping their hands with a -movement of terror.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Excellency, an inconceivable and terrible invasion. When I had -warned the governor, I remembered my sister, and came here."</p> - -<p>"You are a worthy fellow, Pedrito," the estanciero said, as he offered -him his hand. "You are not a brother to Mercedes, but a father. But do -not be frightened! the estancia is safer than Carmen."</p> - -<p>"I saw that so soon as I arrived, Excellency, and that removed a heavy -weight which oppressed my heart. I shall now go, with almost gladness, -to join my two brothers. Juan died on the field—the same fate awaits -us. But Mercedes is happy, and I can die in peace."</p> - -<p>"Oh, my kind Pedrito," Mercedes exclaimed, as she burst into tears, and -threw herself into his arms; "must you not live for one who loves you?"</p> - -<p>"Come, do not cry, little girl, but say good-bye; I must return to the -plain."</p> - -<p>He tenderly embraced his sister who was still weeping, left the room, -mounted his horse again, and started at a gallop.</p> - -<p>"Father," Doña Concha said eagerly, "are we going to remain at the -estancia during the invasion of the Indians?"</p> - -<p>"My child, it is the safest plan." "But, Don Sylvio?" she added, with a -delicious pout.</p> - -<p>"He will come and join us."</p> - -<p>"Oh, no," she said hurriedly; "you forget, father, that the roads are -impracticable, and infested with Indians; I do not wish him to fall -into an ambuscade of the Pagans."</p> - -<p>"What is to be done?"</p> - -<p>"Send him a messenger ordering him, from me, to remain at Carmen, or, -if he absolutely insists on returning, to take a boat; the Indians will -not dare attack him on the river. Write to him, father; I will add a -few lines to your letter, and he will not like to displease his wife."</p> - -<p>"His wife?" her father repeated with a smile.</p> - -<p>"Or nearly so, as I am going to marry him in two days. You will write -at once, will you not, dear father?"</p> - -<p>"I have no will but your caprices," he added, with an air of -resignation.</p> - -<p>He sat down at a mahogany desk and wrote; Concha, leaning smilingly -over his chair, read over his shoulder. So soon as Don Valentine had -concluded, he turned to his beloved daughter.</p> - -<p>"Well, are you satisfied, little Mrs. Bluebeard?" he asked her.</p> - -<p>"Oh, my kind father," she replied, taking his head in both her hands, -and kissing him on the forehead. Then, with a movement full of loving -grace, she took the pen from her father's fingers, and was writing a -few lines at the foot of the letter, when a great noise, mingled with -shrieks, was heard outside.</p> - -<p>"O Heavens!" she exclaimed, as if struck to the heart, and turning -deadly pale.</p> - -<p>She rushed to the steps, and perceived Patito and Pedrito, carrying -a man wrapped up in a cloak; other persons were collected round Doña -Salazar, who seemed on the point of fainting.</p> - -<p>"Whose is that body?" Doña Concha asked in a sharp, imperative voice.</p> - -<p>"It is my son's!" the heart-broken mother cried.</p> - -<p>"Don Blas Salazar," Pedrito answered.</p> - -<p>"And Don Sylvio?" the maiden continued,</p> - -<p>"Has disappeared," Pedrito said.</p> - -<p>She fell back, half dead; her father caught her in his arms, and -carried her back to the drawing room.</p> - -<p>This is what had happened. Pedrito, when he had got a short distance -from the estancia, was all but unsaddled, by his horse suddenly shying. -Aroused from his reverie by the animal's terror, the horseman looked -around, to discover the cause of it. Judge of his surprise! At a spot -which appeared to have been the scene of a desperate struggle, the damp -earth retained the marks of several horses' hoofs; weapons had been -thrown away there, and seven corpses lay pell-mell in pools of blood -and muddy water.</p> - -<p>"What!" Pedrito thought, "Have the Indians come this way already?" and -he added, "Why is it they have not stripped their victims?"</p> - -<p>He dismounted, and walked to the bodies, which he examined attentively, -and felt and raised one after the other.</p> - -<p>"Something that is not natural has taken place here," the bombero said; -"two Negroes! Oh! he said, on coming to the gauchos, Who are these men -wearing masks? Oh! Oh! Has it been a crime instead of an ambuscade, and -a bit of Spanish vengeance, instead of an Indian attack? I will have a -look at them."</p> - -<p>He tore from the faces of the four gauchos the strips of wool they had -employed to conceal themselves.</p> - -<p>"On my word, I do not know them; who can these scoundrels be?"</p> - -<p>At the same moment, his eyes rested on another corpse, hidden by a -thickly growing bush, beneath which it lay stretched out.</p> - -<p>"This man is not dressed in the same manner, so he must be one of the -caballeros attacked by these villains; I will have a look at him, and -perhaps he will give me the clue to this adventure."</p> - -<p>He uttered a cry on recognizing Don Blas Salazar, the capataz of the -Estancia de San Julian. He bent over him, raised him softly in his -arms, and deposited him gently in the road, with his back leaning -against a rock.</p> - -<p>"Poor capataz! So brave and kind! But if I am not mistaken, I can feel -a little warmth. <i>¡Viva Dios</i>! I should be glad if he was not dead."</p> - -<p>The bombero then opened his clothes, and saw three insignificant wounds -on his chest; he hastened to bandage them carefully, and found that the -flesh was scarcely cut. Pedrito rubbed his hands with a satisfied air, -until he discovered on the skull a fourth wound, on which the hair had -clotted and stopped the flow of blood. He washed the wound, cut away -the hair round it with his knife, saturated a handkerchief with water, -and bound it tightly over the wound. The capataz gave a faint sigh, and -moved slightly.</p> - -<p>"¡Caray!" Pedrito exclaimed in delight, "He is saved; wounds on the -skull, when they do not kill at once, are cured in a week."</p> - -<p>By degrees the wounded man seemed to return to life, and at length -opened his eyes, which gazed absently around.</p> - -<p>"Ah, my good fellow, do you feel better? <i>caray</i>, do you know that you -have had a narrow escape?"</p> - -<p>The capataz gave a gentle nod.</p> - -<p>"Wait a minute," Pedrito continued; and he thrust into his mouth the -neck of the <i>bota</i> of aguardiente, which the bomberos always carry on -their saddlebow. Don Blas made a grimace, but soon resigning himself, -he drank the liquor his physician forced down his throat; in a few -minutes, his eyes sparkled with their accustomed brilliancy, and a -slight flush tinged his cheeks.</p> - -<p>"Thanks," he said, thrusting away the bota with his hand.</p> - -<p>"You speak, therefore you are alive, capataz. Can you talk?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Without danger to yourself, señor?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"In the first place, do you recognize me?"</p> - -<p>"You are Pedrito, the bombero," the wounded man said, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"I am a friend."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Who put you in this charming condition?"</p> - -<p>"I do not know."</p> - -<p>"Hum! How many were they?"</p> - -<p>"I am ignorant."</p> - -<p>"Eh! And why did they serve you out in this way?"</p> - -<p>"I do not know."</p> - -<p>"I do not know; I am ignorant; all that is not very clear; and if you -never say any more, I doubt whether the assassins will be detected. -Where have you come from? From Carmen?"</p> - -<p>"We left Carmen this morning, to—"</p> - -<p>"One moment, if you please. You said <i>we</i>, I think?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, we."</p> - -<p>"Who are we?"</p> - -<p>"Don Sylvio d'Arenal, myself, and two Negroes."</p> - -<p>"Good. Where did you separate from Don Sylvio?"</p> - -<p>"I did not leave Don Sylvio at all."</p> - -<p>"Oh, nonsense!"</p> - -<p>"We were together, when masked bandits suddenly came out of this wood, -and attacked us. Our Negroes were killed at the first discharge, but -Don Sylvio and I got our backs against a tree behind our horses; I -fought—and I can tell you no more."</p> - -<p>"This blow on the head settled you; it was, by Heaven, enough to fell -an ox; but you have a hard head, and lucky for you, for you will -recover. So you were unable to recognize your assassins?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Just come and have a look at them with me. Can you walk?"</p> - -<p>"I think so."</p> - -<p>"Try."</p> - -<p>And Don Blas Salazar got up, and tottered a few steps with extreme -difficulty.</p> - -<p>"Take my arm," Pedrito said.</p> - -<p>The capataz, supported by the bombero, examined the faces of the -gauchos.</p> - -<p>"I recognize this man," he said, pointing to a corpse; "it is Corrocho. -Now I know the originator of the snare."</p> - -<p>"¡Caray! All the better; but Don Sylvio's body is not here."</p> - -<p>"Heaven be praised!" the capataz exclaimed,</p> - -<p>"He will have escaped, and we shall find him at the estancia."</p> - -<p>"No!" Pedrito said.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by no?"</p> - -<p>"I have just come from there, and should have seen him."</p> - -<p>"Where is he?"</p> - -<p>"That's the very point; I may say, like you, I do not know, or, if you -prefer it, I am ignorant."</p> - -<p>"Don Pedro, let us go to San Julian."</p> - -<p>"I will carry you, then, at a walking pace; your head has not closed -again yet, and a rapid ride would envenom the wound."</p> - -<p>"No matter; I must go there with the speed of the wind."</p> - -<p>"Then you want to kill yourself?"</p> - -<p>"I do not care. I think you love Don Valentine Cardoso and his -daughter."</p> - -<p>"Caray! If I love them! I would lay down my life for them."</p> - -<p>"The happiness, perhaps the life, of Doña Concha is at stake; you can -see that mine is of no consequence."</p> - -<p>"That is true," the bombero said, with an air of conviction.</p> - -<p>"Then you consent?"</p> - -<p>"I do."</p> - -<p>"Thank you! One word more. If I die on the road, you will tell Doña -Concha that the assassin—"</p> - -<p>"That the assassin—" Pedrito repeated, finding the other hesitate.</p> - -<p>"But, no," the capataz continued, "it is unnecessary. God will not -permit me to die before I have seen her."</p> - -<p>"As you please. Let us be off."</p> - -<p>"At full speed; you promise that?"</p> - -<p>"Like lightning."</p> - -<p>He remounted, placed before him the capataz, who had no horse, and who, -besides, was too weak to sit one, then relaxing the bridle, and digging -in his spurs, he flew along with the velocity of the phantom horse in -the German ballad.</p> - -<p>Pedrito's horse, when it reached the gates of the estancia, slipped -with all four feet at once, and fell dead. But the bombero, who had -foreseen this accident, came down on his feet, and holding in his arms -his friend the capataz, whom the shocks of this infernal ride had -caused to faint for the second time.</p> - -<p>Patito helped the bombero to carry poor Don Blas as far as the house.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, who had regained her senses, insisted, in spite of her -father's entreaties, on remaining by the side of the wounded man. She -lavished attentions on him, poured into his month a few drops of a -powerful cordial, and awaited his return to life.</p> - -<p>"Forgive me, señorita, forgive me," he said, as soon as he opened -his eyes again and perceived her, "I could not save him; my strength -deserted me."</p> - -<p>"I have nothing to forgive you, Don Blas," the young lady answered, who -had learnt the facts from Pedrito; "on the contrary, my friend, I thank -you for your devotion. One word, however, when you fell was Don Sylvio -still fighting by your side?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, señorita."</p> - -<p>"Then it was only after your fall that he succumbed to the numbers?"</p> - -<p>"No; Don Sylvio is not dead."</p> - -<p>"What makes you suppose that?"</p> - -<p>"A very simple thing: had he been killed, his body would have been -found lying by my side. What interest could the assassins have in -concealing a corpse, when they left seven lying in the middle of the -road? If they wished to hide their crimes, a hole is soon dug in the -sand."</p> - -<p>"That is true," Doña Concha murmured, "he still lives; but do you know -the author of the crime?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, señorita."</p> - -<p>"And—"</p> - -<p>The capataz looked at the persons who crowded the room. Doña Concha -understood him, and dismissed them. Pedrito was about to follow with -the rest.</p> - -<p>"Remain," she said to him, "you can speak before Don Pedro, his sister, -and my father. Who is the man that attacked you?"</p> - -<p>"Permit me, señorita, I do not positively say that he was among the -assassins, for I did not see him; but it is certainly he who let the -cowards loose upon us, and directed them from a distance."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Don Blas; he was the head, and these ten or twelve bandits were -only the arms."</p> - -<p>"The very thing. Among the dead I found the corpse of one of his -confidants, the gaucho Corrocho, whom I surprised the other day -conspiring with him against you."</p> - -<p>A bitter smile for a moment curled the young lady's blanched lips.</p> - -<p>"Will you tell me his name or no?" she exclaimed, stamping her foot -passionately.</p> - -<p>"Don Torribio Carvajal!"</p> - -<p>"I knew it!" she said, with an accent of superb disdain. "Oh, Don -Torribio, Don Torribio! Where is the man to be found at this hour; -where is he? Oh, I would give my fortune, my life, to be face to face -with him. Is it in order to assassinate his rivals with impunity that -this mysterious man—"</p> - -<p>She could not complete the sentence; she burst into tears, and fell -into Don Valentine's arms, exclaiming with broken sobs—</p> - -<p>"Father, father! who will avenge me?"</p> - -<p>"Señorita," said Pedrito, "the man you refer to is difficult to reach."</p> - -<p>"Do you know him, Don Pedro?" she asked with a start.</p> - -<p>"Yes, señorita," he replied. "But do you know who he is?"</p> - -<p>"He is said to be a rich Spaniard."</p> - -<p>"It is a mistake."</p> - -<p>"Have you penetrated the mystery that surrounds him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>All drew close to Pedrito.</p> - -<p>"Well, Don Pedro?"</p> - -<p>"The name of the man you call Don Torribio Carvajal is really -Nocobotha, and he is one of the principal chiefs of the Aucas Indians."</p> - -<p>"An Indian!" the young lady exclaimed in stupor.</p> - -<p>"Yes; but one of those white-skinned Indians, who are descended from -the Incas, and call themselves children of the sun."</p> - -<p>"Take care, Conchita," Mercedes said, "Nocobotha is a terrible man."</p> - -<p>"Then, all that is left me is to die," said the poor affianced, girl, -as she fell into a chair.</p> - -<p>Mercedes regarded her for a moment with a blended look of sorrow, -compassion, and tenderness, then walked up to her and gently laid her -hand on her shoulder. At this unexpected touch, Doña Concha started and -turned round.</p> - -<p>"What do you want of me, poor child?" she asked sadly.</p> - -<p>"To save Don Sylvio, if he is alive," Mercedes answered in a calm, firm -voice.</p> - -<p>"You?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I! When I was shelterless, did you not open to me your home and -your heart? You are suffering, and, in my turn, I have come to say -'here I am!'"</p> - -<p>"But what can you do, my friend?"</p> - -<p>"That is my secret. I know the Indians and the way of behaving with -them, and speak their language. The only condition I make is, that you -promise not to leave the estancia for three days, and not make any -attempt to discover what has become of your betrothed."</p> - -<p>Doña Concha gazed at Mercedes, whose eye sparkled with a clear and -bright fire, her features breathed a species of masculine grace, and so -soft and calm a smile played round her rosy lips, that Conchita felt -herself subjugated, and, in spite of herself, hope re-entered her heart.</p> - -<p>"I swear it to you," she said, as she embraced the girl warmly.</p> - -<p>"Thanks," Mercedes replied. "Good-bye, Conchita! in three days you will -have news of your betrothed, or I shall be dead."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE INVASION.</h3> - - -<p>Let us now give some explanations about the Indian expedition, and -the preparations and arrangements made by Nocobotha, at the moment of -attempting the siege of Carmen.</p> - -<p>"If you succeed in this affair," Don Torribio had said to the two -gauchos, after giving them orders to carry off Don Sylvio d'Arenal, -"you will receive fifty ounces more. But forget nothing, and be -careful."</p> - -<p>Panchito and Corrocho, when left alone, shared the ounces between them -with transports of joy.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio mounted his horse again and proceeded to Carmen, where he -spent several days in his house, though no one was aware of the fact. -During his stay he had two interviews, under different disguises, with -Pincheira, at the Pulquería del Sur, the usual meeting place of the -gauchos. Each night, three or four mules, laden with bales, left the -city, under the escort of Indians, and proceeded in the direction of -the Andes.</p> - -<p>At length, one night, after a long conference with Pincheira, Don -Torribio left El Carmen in his turn, his presence in the town having -not even been suspected. At six leagues from Carmen he found Panchito -and Corrocho, whom he sharply upbraided for their sloth in executing -his orders, and he recommended them to act as promptly as possible.</p> - -<p>On the morrow, the day of the ñandu hunt, Corrocho presented himself at -the gate of the estancia, which Patito had refused to open.</p> - -<p>On leaving the two bandits, Don Torribio proceeded to the natural -grotto, where we have seen him change his clothes once before. There he -put on his Indian trappings, and following the banks of the Rio Negro, -galloped towards the island of Ghole-Isechel, where he had appointed to -meet all the war detachments of the combined Patagonian and Araucano -tribes.</p> - -<p>The night was one of the most delicious ever enjoyed in America. The -fresh air, odorous with the penetrating perfumes of the flowers that -grew in masses on the river banks, disposed the mind to reverie. The -sky, of a dark black blue, was embroidered with stars, in the midst -of which sparkled the dazzling Southern Cross, which the Indians call -<i>Paron-Chayke</i>. The moon poured its soft light on the sand, played on -the foliage of the trees and designed fantastic forms on the sandbanks. -The wind blew softly through the branches, in which the blue jay at -intervals uttered the melodious notes of its plaintive song. Here and -there, in the distance, could be heard the hoarse roar of the cougars, -the sharp whine of the panther, and the snapping bark of the red wolf.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha, intoxicated by this lovely autumn night, checked his -horse's speed, and allowed his thoughts to wander. The descendant of -Manco-Capai and Manco-Oello, the first Incas of Peru, saw pass and -repass before his mind the splendours of his race, which had been -extinct since the death of Athahualpa, the last Peruvian emperor, whom -Pizarro's soldiers assassinated. His heart swelled with pride and joy -when he thought that he was about to reconstitute the empire of his -ancestors. The soil he trod was his; the air he breathed was the air of -his country!</p> - -<p>He went on thus for a long time, travelling in the land of dreams. The -stars began to grow pale in the sky; the dawn was already tracing a -white line, which gradually became tinged with yellow and red streaks, -and, at the approach of day, the breeze freshened. Nocobotha, suddenly -roused by the icy dew of the Pampa, threw his cloak across his -shoulder, with a shudder, and started again at a gallop, after looking -up to heaven and muttering—</p> - -<p>"Either death or a life of liberty!"</p> - -<p>A sublime remark in the mouth of this man! Young, rich, and handsome, -he might have remained in Paris, where he had studied, lived there like -a nobleman, and enjoyed abundantly all the pleasures of this world. -But, no! Free from all ambitious thoughts, and without calculating on -human gratitude, he resolved to deliver his country.</p> - -<p>At about eight in the morning, Nocobotha halted before an immense -toldería, facing the island of Ghole-Isechel. At this spot the Rio -Negro attains its greatest width, and each of the arms formed by the -island is about two miles and a half across. The island, that rises -in the middle of the water, four leagues long and two wide, is one -vast bouquet, whence the most delicious fragrance is exhaled, and in -which innumerable birds sing. Illumined on this day by the beams of a -splendid sun, the island seemed to have been laid on the river like a -basket of flowers for the pleasure of the eyes and the delight of the -fancy.</p> - -<p>As far as the eye reached along the banks of the river, thousands of -toldos and chozas could be seen erected close together, and their -strange colours flashing in the sun. Numerous canoes, made of horse -hides sown together, and generally round, or hollowed out of the trunks -of trees, crossed the river in every direction.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha entrusted his horse to an Indian woman, and walked among the -toldos. In front of their openings the ostrich-plumed pennons of the -chiefs floated in the breeze.</p> - -<p>He was recognized so soon as he arrived. The warriors drew up in -line as he passed, or bowed respectfully before him. The veneration -the southern nations have ever felt for the descendants of the Incas -seemed changed into a species of adoration. The bejewelled coronet that -adorned his brow appeared to arouse the most lively joy in all hearts.</p> - -<p>When he reached the riverbank, a fishing canoe conveyed him across to -the island, where a toldo had been prepared for him. Lucaney, warned -by the sentries who watched for his arrival, presented himself before -Nocobotha the moment he landed.</p> - -<p>"The great chief," he said, with a bow, "is returned among his sons. -Has my father made a good journey?"</p> - -<p>"I have made a good journey, I thank my brother."</p> - -<p>"If my father permits, I will conduct him to his toldo."</p> - -<p>"Go on," the chief said.</p> - -<p>Lucaney bowed a second time, and guided the great chief along a track -formed through the bushes. They soon reached a toldo of brilliant -colours, large and clean, the handsomest on the island, in a word.</p> - -<p>"My father is at home," Lucaney said, lifting the poncho that covered -the opening.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha went in.</p> - -<p>"My brother will follow me," he said.</p> - -<p>The woollen curtain fell again behind the two Ulmens.</p> - -<p>This abode, like the others, contained a fire, by the side of which -Nocobotha and Lucaney seated themselves. They smoked in silence for -some moments, when the great chief addressed Lucaney.</p> - -<p>"Have the Ulmens, Apo-Ulmens and caraskens of all the nations and -tribes assembled on the island of Ghole-Isechel, as I gave orders?"</p> - -<p>"They are all assembled," Lucaney answered.</p> - -<p>"When will they come to my toldo?"</p> - -<p>"The chiefs are awaiting my father's good pleasure."</p> - -<p>"Time is precious. Before twilight we must have ridden twenty leagues. -Lucaney will warn the chiefs."</p> - -<p>The Ulmen rose without replying and went, out.</p> - -<p>"Come!" Nocobotha said, so soon as he was alone, "The die is cast. I -am in Caesar's position, but, by heavens, like him, I will cross the -Rubicon."</p> - -<p>He rose and walked for more than hour up and down the toldo, immersed -in deep thought. A noise of footsteps was heard; the curtain was -raised, and Lucaney appeared.</p> - -<p>"Well?" Nocobotha asked him.</p> - -<p>"The chiefs are here."</p> - -<p>"Let them come in!"</p> - -<p>The Ulmens, sixty at least, dressed in their richest clothes, and -painted and armed for war, passed silently one after the other in front -of the great chief, saluted him, kissed the hem of his robe, and ranged -themselves round the fire. A troop of warriors, outside, kept listeners -aloof.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha, in spite of his self-command, could not restrain a movement -of pride.</p> - -<p>"My brothers are welcome," he said, "I was impatiently expecting them. -Lucaney, how many warriors have you assembled?"</p> - -<p>"Two thousand five hundred."</p> - -<p>"Chamata?"</p> - -<p>"Three thousand."</p> - -<p>"Metipan?"</p> - -<p>"Two thousand."</p> - -<p>"Vera?"</p> - -<p>"Three thousand seven hundred."</p> - -<p>"Killapan?"</p> - -<p>"One thousand nine hundred."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha wrote down on his tablets the numbers stated by the Ulmens, -who, after answering, ranged themselves on his right hand.</p> - -<p>"Lucaney," he continued, "is Pincheira's war party here?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, father."</p> - -<p>"How many warriors has he?"</p> - -<p>"Four thousand eight hundred."</p> - -<p>"Mulato, how many have you?"</p> - -<p>"Four thousand."</p> - -<p>"Guaykilof?"</p> - -<p>"Three thousand five hundred."</p> - -<p>"Killamel?"</p> - -<p>"Six thousand two hundred."</p> - -<p>"Churlakin?"</p> - -<p>"Five thousand six hundred."</p> - -<p>"Which are the nations that accepted the quipu, and sent their warriors -to the gathering place?"</p> - -<p>"All!" Churlakin answered proudly.</p> - -<p>"My heart is satisfied with the wisdom of my son. What is the effective -strength of these eight nations?"</p> - -<p>"Twenty-nine thousand seven hundred and sixty men, commanded by the -bravest Ulmens."</p> - -<p>"Good," said Nocobotha. "The Aucas and Araucano chiefs here present -have brought twenty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty warriors. We -can also reckon on a reinforcement of five hundred and fifty gauchos, -or white deserters, whose assistance will be very useful to us. The -total strength of the army is ninety-four thousand nine hundred and -fifty men, with whom, if my brothers place confidence in me, we shall -expel the Spaniards, and regain our territory within three months."</p> - -<p>"Our father will command, and we obey."</p> - -<p>"Never has a larger and more powerful army menaced the Spanish -authority since Tahi Mahi's attempt upon Chili. The whites are ignorant -of our projects, as I convinced myself at Carmen. Hence our sudden -invasion will be to them a thunderbolt, and render them motionless with -terror. On our approach they will be already half conquered. Lucaney, -have you distributed all the weapons I sent you from Carmen to the -warriors, who understand their use?"</p> - -<p>"A corps of three thousand two hundred men is armed with muskets and -bayonets, and abundantly provided with powder and ball."</p> - -<p>"It is well. Lucaney, Churlakin, and Metipan will remain with me, -and aid me in communicating with the other chiefs. And now, Ulmens, -Apo-Ulmens, and caraskens of the united nations, listen to my orders, -and engrave them deeply on your minds, for any disobedience or -cowardice will immediately be punished by death."</p> - -<p>There was a solemn silence. Nocobotha took a calm and haughty look -round the assembly.</p> - -<p>"In an hour," he continued, "the army will start in close columns. A -cavalry corps will protect each infantry detachment. The army will -extend along a line of twenty leagues, which will be concentrated on -Carmen. All the chiefs will fire the country as they pass, in order -that the smoke, impelled by the wind, may hide our movements and -cover us like a thick curtain. The crops, estancias, and all property -belonging to the whites, will be burned and levelled with the ground. -The cattle will be sent to the rearguard to swell our booty. Show -no mercy to the bomberos, but kill them on the spot. Killipan, with -twelve thousand horsemen and ten thousand infantry, will command the -rearguard, to which will be attached all the women of an age to fight, -and it will set out six hours after the main body. Bear in mind that -the warriors must advance in compact bodies, and not as stragglers. -Be off, and make haste, for we must be in front of Carmen by daybreak -tomorrow."</p> - -<p>The chief bowed and silently defiled out of the toldo.</p> - -<p>A few minutes later an extraordinary animation prevailed in the immense -camp of the Indians. The squaws pulled down the toldos and loaded the -mules; the warriors assembled to the sound of musical instruments; the -children lassoed and saddled the horses; in short, hurried preparations -were made for a start.</p> - -<p>Gradually the disorder ceased. The ranks were formed, and several -detachments started in different directions. Nocobotha, standing on the -top of a mound, and accompanied by his three aides-de-camp, Lucaney, -Churlakin, and Metipan, followed with a glass the movements of the -army, which, within a quarter of an hour, was no longer visible. -Already the plain was on fire and veiled the horizon with a black smoke.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha descended the hill and went to the riverbank, where the -four Ulmens got into a canoe, which they pulled themselves. They soon -reached land, where twenty-five Aucas horsemen were waiting for them. -The party set out on the trail of the army—a too visible trail, alas! -The country so green and beautiful that very morning was gloomy, -desolated and covered with ashes and ruins.</p> - -<p>From a distance Pedrito and his brothers perceived the Indians, and -although surrounded by a swarm of warriors, they succeeded, through -their courage, in escaping from their enemies, with the exception of -poor Juan, who was killed by an Indian lance. Pepe and Lopez, both -wounded, went on in front to watch the movements of the invaders, while -Pedrito, covered with dust and blood, galloped to give the alarm at -Carmen.</p> - -<p>This escape singularly annoyed Nocobotha and disarranged his -combinations. Nevertheless, the army continued its march, and at -nightfall the town could be seen through the growing obscurity. At -the head of one hundred picked warriors, Nocobotha made a circuit and -advanced on Población del Sur. All was silent, and the barricades -seemed abandoned. The Indians succeeded in scaling them, and would have -carried the town, had it not been for the vigilance of Major Bloomfield.</p> - -<p>The great chief, not wishing to shake the confidence of his men by -vain attempts, fell back and ordered a camp to be formed in front of -the town. Pursuing tactics hitherto strange to the Indians, he made -a parallel and ordered a wide ditch to be dug in the sand, the earth -from which served to throw up a breastwork that defended them from the -cannon.</p> - -<p>Pincheira, as we know, was in Carmen for the purpose of arranging -a revolt among the gauchos. As Nocobotha desired to come to an -understanding with him as to the decisive attack, he sent towards the -town a Chilian deserter who knew how to play the bugle, an instrument -quite unused among the Aucas. This bugler bore a white flag in sign of -peace, and asked for a parley. He was followed by Churlakin, Lucaney, -Metipan, and Chaukata, who were ordered by the great Ulmen to make -proposals to the governor of Carmen.</p> - -<p>The four ambassadors, standing within half gunshot from the town, with -their long lances planted before them, with the ostrich plume, the -symbol of their dignity, flying out, were waiting motionless on their -horses. Their leather armour was covered with coats of mail made of -small rings, which had doubtless belonged to the soldiers of Almagro -or Valdivia. The bugler, haughtily standing a few paces in front of -them, waved his flag. The chiefs' steeds were armed with rich harness, -embroidered with silver plates that sparkled in the sun's beams.</p> - -<p>The Spanish pride suffered at the thought of treating on equal terms -with these Pagans, to whom they even refused a soul, and whom they did -not recognize as men. But it was necessary to gain time; perhaps the -reinforcements from Buenos Aires were already under weigh.</p> - -<p>The Indian bugler, wearied at receiving no answer to his two first -summons, blew a third peal by Churlakin's order. A Spanish bugler at -length replied from the interior of the town, and the barrier was -opened, leaving a passage for a soldier, who carried a white flag, -and was followed by an officer on horseback. This officer, it will be -remembered, was Major Bloomfield, who, as an old soldier, was unwilling -to appear before the Indians except in his full dress uniform.</p> - -<p>He proceeded without hesitation towards the Ulmens, who, through -their silver ornaments and their immobility, resembled at a distance -equestrian statues.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE ATTACK ON POBLACIÓN DEL SUR.</h3> - - -<p>Major Bloomfield, who had made up his mind to lose his life, had no -weapons, not even a sword. He halted within hearing distance, and as -he spoke decently the Aucas language, which he had learnt in previous -campaigns, he had no need of an interpreter.</p> - -<p>"What do you want, chiefs?" he asked in a loud, firm voice, with a -ceremonious bow.</p> - -<p>"Are you the man whom the whites call Don Antonio Valverde, and to whom -they give the title of Governor?" Churlakin asked in his turn.</p> - -<p>"No; our laws prohibit a governor leaving his post; but I am second in -command, and he has sent me to you."</p> - -<p>The Indians seemed to consult for a moment; then, leaving their long -lances planted in the ground, they advanced towards the old officer, -who did not evince the slightest surprise at this movement. Churlakin -spoke in the name of all.</p> - -<p>"My brother is brave," he said, astonished at the major's coolness.</p> - -<p>"At my age," the old man replied, "death is a favour."</p> - -<p>"My father bears on his forehead the snow of many winters; he must be -one of the wisest chiefs of his nation, and the young men round the -council fire listen to him respectfully."</p> - -<p>"Say no more about me," the major said; "why have you asked for this -interview?"</p> - -<p>"Will not my father conduct us to the council fire of his nation?" -Churlakin said, in an insinuating tone. "Is it honourable for great -warriors, formidable chiefs, thus to discuss serious affairs on -horseback between two armies?"</p> - -<p>"No chief of the enemy can enter an invested town."</p> - -<p>"Does my father fear that our force may take his city?" Churlakin -continued with a laugh, though vexed in the highest degree at losing -the hope of coming to an understanding with Pincheira.</p> - -<p>"I am not accustomed to fear; I only tell you a rule you are ignorant -of, that is all. If this pretext is sufficient to break off the -interview, you are at liberty to do so, and I will withdraw."</p> - -<p>"Oh, Oh! My father is quick for his age. Tell me what brings you here."</p> - -<p>The Ulmens exchanged a glance, and a few whispered words. At length -Churlakin continued—</p> - -<p>"Has my father seen the great army of the Aucas?" he said.</p> - -<p>"Yes," the major replied carelessly.</p> - -<p>"And has my father, who is a white man and has great learning, counted -the warriors?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Ah! And how many are they, according to his calculation?"</p> - -<p>"Their number is but of slight consequence to us."</p> - -<p>"Still," the Indian pressed, "does my father know how many they may be?"</p> - -<p>"Two hundred thousand at the most."</p> - -<p>The chiefs were struck by the negligent way in which the major doubled -the strength of their army.</p> - -<p>"My father," Churlakin continued, "is not terrified at the number of -these warriors who obey a single chief."</p> - -<p>"Why should I be so?" the major said, whose attention the surprise -of the Ulmens had not escaped, "Has not my nation vanquished more -numerous armies? But we are losing our time in useless words, chief."</p> - -<p>"My father must have patience."</p> - -<p>"Finish your Indian circumlocutions then."</p> - -<p>"The army of the great nations is encamped in front of Carmen, in order -to obtain satisfaction for all the wrongs the palefaces have made us -endure since their invasion of America."</p> - -<p>"Explain yourself clearly. Why do you invade our frontiers? Have we -failed in our engagements? Of what do you complain?"</p> - -<p>"My father pretends to be ignorant of the just motives for war we have -against the whites. His nation has made a treaty with the white men -who dwell on the other side of the mountains, and who are our enemies; -hence, his nation has no friendship for us."</p> - -<p>"Chief, this quarrel is ridiculous. Confess that you desire to plunder -our farms, steal our cattle and horses, and I can understand you; but -if we were at war with Chili, you would act in the same way. The jest -has lasted too long; let us come to facts. What do you want?"</p> - -<p>"My father is clever," Churlakin said, with a laugh. "Listen! this is -what the chiefs say—'The Negro Ulmen, against our rights and his own, -sold to my father's ancestors a land which did not belong to him, -without the consent of the other Ulmens of the country.'"</p> - -<p>"What next?" said the major.</p> - -<p>"The chiefs assembled round the tree of Gualichu have resolved to give -back to the great white chief all the objects from the first to the -last formerly given to the Negro Ulmen, and take back the country which -belongs to them."</p> - -<p>"Is that all?"</p> - -<p>"All."</p> - -<p>"How long do the chiefs give the Governor of Carmen to discuss these -propositions?"</p> - -<p>"From sunrise to sunset."</p> - -<p>"Very good," the old officer said, ironically; "and supposing that the -governor refuses, what will my sons do?"</p> - -<p>"The colony of the white men will be destroyed by fire, their warriors -massacred, and their wives and children carried off into slavery."</p> - -<p>"I will transmit your demands to the governor, and tomorrow at sunset, -you will have his answer. You will, however, suspend hostilities till -then?"</p> - -<p>"Keep on your guard."</p> - -<p>"Thanks for your frankness, chief; I am delighted to meet an Indian who -is not an utter scoundrel. Good-bye till tomorrow."</p> - -<p>"Tomorrow!" the chief repeated, courteously, and involuntarily -affected by the old gentleman's noble bearing.</p> - -<p>The major withdrew slowly to the barricades, where the colonel, alarmed -by the long interview, had made all preparations to avenge the death of -his old friend.</p> - -<p>"Well?" he said, as he pressed his hand.</p> - -<p>"They are trying to gain time," the major answered, "in order to play -us one of their demon's tricks."</p> - -<p>"What do they demand, though?"</p> - -<p>"Impossibilities, colonel, and they are well aware of it, for they -appeared to be laughing at us, when they submitted their absurd demands -to me. The Negro cacique, they say, had no right to sell his territory, -which they also say we must return to them in twenty-four hours, and -then came the bede-roll of their usual threats. Ah! That is not all; -they are ready to repay us all that the Negro cacique received for the -sale of his lands."</p> - -<p>"Why," Don Antonio interrupted, "the fellows must be mad."</p> - -<p>"No, colonel, they are robbers."</p> - -<p>At this moment, tremendous shouts were heard at the barriers, and the -two officers hurried up in all haste.</p> - -<p>Four or five thousand horses, apparently free but whose invisible -riders were concealed, according to the Indian fashion, along their -flanks, were coming at a frightful pace against the barricades. Two -rounds of canister produced disorder in their ranks, without checking -their speed, and they fell like lightning on the defenders of Población -del Sur. Then began one of those terrific fights of the Indian -frontier, a cruel and indescribable contest, in which no prisoners were -made, the <i>bolas perdidas</i>, the <i>laquis</i>, the bayonet, and the lance, -were their sole weapons. The Indians were immediately reinforced, but -the Spaniards did not give way an inch. This desperate struggle lasted -for about two hours; the Patagonians seemed to give ground, and the -Argentines redoubled their efforts to drive them back to their camp, -when, suddenly, the cry was heard behind them—</p> - -<p>"Treachery! Treachery!"</p> - -<p>The major and the colonel, who were fighting in the front rank of the -soldiers and volunteers, turned round; they were caught between two -fires.</p> - -<p>Pincheira, dressed in the uniform of a Chilian officer, was prancing at -the head of a hundred gauchos, more or less intoxicated, who followed -him, yelling—</p> - -<p>"Pillage! Pillage!"</p> - -<p>The two veteran officers exchanged a long, sad glance, and their -determination was formed in a second.</p> - -<p>The colonel hurled among the Indians a barrel of gunpowder, with a -lighted fuse, which swept them off, as the wind sweeps the dust, and -put them to flight. The Argentines, at the major's command, wheeled -round and charged the gauchos, commanded by Pincheira. These bandits, -with their sabres and bolas in their hands, dashed at the Argentines, -who slipped into the open doors of the abandoned houses, in a narrow -street, where the gauchos could not manoeuvre their horses. The -Argentines, who were skilful marksmen, did not throw away a shot; they -fell back on the river bank, and kept up a well-sustained fire on the -gauchos, who had turned back, and on the Aucas, who had again escaladed -the barricades, while the guns of the fort scattered canister and death -among them.</p> - -<p>The white men crossed the river without any risk, and their enemies -installed themselves in the Población del Sur, filling the air with -triumphant hurrahs.</p> - -<p>The colonel ordered considerable works to be thrown up on the river -bank, and placed in them two batteries, of six guns each whose fire -crossed.</p> - -<p>Through the treachery of the gauchos the Indians had seized Población -del Sur, which, however, was not the key of the place; but this -negative success entailed an enormous loss upon them. The colonists, -through this, saw their communications interrupted with the estancias -on the opposite bank, but luckily the farmers had come into Upper -Carmen beforehand with their horses and cattle, and the boats were all -moored under the batteries of the fort which protected them. The suburb -captured by the assailants was, consequently, entirely empty.</p> - -<p>On one side, the Argentines congratulated themselves at having no -longer to defend a dangerous and useless post; on the other, the Aucas -asked themselves of what good this dearly acquired suburb would prove -to them.</p> - -<p>Three gauchos, during the fight, were dragged from their horses by the -Argentines and made prisoners. One of them was Pincheira, the second -Panchito, and the third a man of the name of Diego. A council of war, -assembled in the open air, sentenced them to the gallows.</p> - -<p>"Well, Diego," asked Panchito, "where is Pincheira?"</p> - -<p>"The scoundrel has escaped," honest Panchito replied; "deserter from -the army, deserter from the gallows! That is the way in which he -breaks all his engagements. He will come to a very bad end."</p> - -<p>"Our affair seems clear enough," Diego said with a sigh.</p> - -<p>"Nonsense! A little sooner or a little later, what's the odds?"</p> - -<p>"The gallows seems to tickle your fancy, Panchito."</p> - -<p>"Not exactly," the other answered; "but for four generations my family -have been hanged, from father to son; we quite expect it. What will the -fiend do with my soul?"</p> - -<p>"I do not know."</p> - -<p>"Nor do I."</p> - -<p>During this edifying conversation two lofty gallows had been erected -a little outside the intrenchments on the river bank, in the sight of -the whole population and of the gauchos, who, grouped in the Población -del Sur, yelled with rage. Panchito and Diego were hung as a warning -example; a <i>bando</i>, affixed at the foot of the ladder, threatened every -insurgent gaucho with the same fate.</p> - -<p>While this was going on, night set in, illumined by the burning -faubourg conquered by the Indians. The flames tinged the hapless town -with fantastic gleams, and the inhabitants, plunged in a gloomy -stupor, said to themselves that the flames would soon cross the road -and reduce Carmen to ashes. The governor seemed made of iron; he did -not take a moment's rest, he visited the forts, heightened drooping -spirits, and tried to imbue all with hopes which were far from his -heart. As for the Indians, they made two attempts to surprise the town, -and, just before dawn, retired to their camp.</p> - -<p>"Major," the colonel said, "it is not possible to deceive ourselves. -Tomorrow, the day after, or in a week, all will be over with us."</p> - -<p>"Hum! At the last moment we will blow up the fort."</p> - -<p>"We are deprived of even that resource."</p> - -<p>"Why so?"</p> - -<p>"Old soldiers, such as we are, cannot thus dispose of the lives of -others."</p> - -<p>"You are right," the major continued, precisely; "we will blow out our -brains."</p> - -<p>"Nor can we do that either, my friend; for we must be the last on the -breach."</p> - -<p>"But," the major said, after a short silence, for the undeniable -reasoning of his superior had crushed him, "how is it that we have -received no news yet from Buenos Aires?"</p> - -<p>"They have something else to do there than think about us."</p> - -<p>"Oh! I cannot believe that."</p> - -<p>A slave announced Don Torribio Carvajal.</p> - -<p>Don Torribio came in, dressed in the splendid uniform of a colonel in -the Argentine army, with an aide-de-camp's badge on his left arm. The -two officers, on his entrance, felt an inward tremor Don Torribio bowed -to them.</p> - -<p>"Is it really you, Don Torribio?" the colonel asked.</p> - -<p>"Well, I suppose so," he answered, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"And your long journey?"</p> - -<p>"I have just arrived."</p> - -<p>"And this uniform?"</p> - -<p>"Well, gentlemen, as I was tired of being regarded in the colony as a -mysterious being, a sorcerer, a vampire, or something of the sort, I -resolved to become a man, like the rest of you."</p> - -<p>"Then you are—?"</p> - -<p>"An officer, like yourself, colonel, and, in addition, aide-de-camp to -General Rosas."</p> - -<p>"It is prodigious," Don Antonio remarked.</p> - -<p>"Why so? nothing is more simple, on the contrary."</p> - -<p>A strange suspicion had entered the major's mind at Don Torribio's -unexpected arrival, a suspicion which only disappeared after he made -the following remark:—</p> - -<p>"Yes," he continued, "I am a colonel. In addition, the President of the -Republic has intrusted me with a message, which I feel sure will please -you."</p> - -<p>And he took from the breast of his uniform a large despatch, sealed -with the Argentine arms. The colonel, with the permission of the two -officers, opened and perused the mission, and unbounded delight was -depicted on his face.</p> - -<p>"Oh, oh!" he exclaimed, "two hundred and fifty men! I did not expect -such a reinforcement."</p> - -<p>"The president is very anxious about the colony," Don Torribio said, -"and will spare no sacrifice to preserve it."</p> - -<p>"<i>¡Viva Dios!</i> Thanks to that succour. Don Torribio, I care no more for -the Indians than a wisp of straw."</p> - -<p>"It seems that the troops will not arrive too soon."</p> - -<p>"It was only just in time, canario," the governor replied imprudently. -"Where are your men?"</p> - -<p>"They will arrive within an hour."</p> - -<p>"What are they?"</p> - -<p>"Gauchos."</p> - -<p>"Hum!" said the colonel, "I should have preferred any other troops. -However, it is of no consequence. With your permission, I will go to -meet them."</p> - -<p>"I am at your orders."</p> - -<p>"Shall I go with you?" the major asked.</p> - -<p>"That would be better still," Torribio observed quickly.</p> - -<p>"No, major," said Don Antonio. "Stay here, for who knows what may -happen during my absence. Come, Don Torribio."</p> - -<p>The latter smiled; and it would have been difficult to say what the -smile meant. He went out, accompanied by the colonel, and they mounted -their horses. As they left the fort a man passed them, walking at a -quick pace.</p> - -<p>"Pedrito!" Don Torribio muttered to himself; "Providing that he has not -recognized me! All is well."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS.</h3> - - -<p>Pedrito followed his sister without saying a word, and almost as much -astonished as Don Valentine and her daughter at Mercedes' devotion. She -led him to her bedroom, a charming retreat, full of shade and fresh -air. While the bombero eagerly surveyed all the objects, Mercedes, -sighing and ready to weep, took a parting glance at her well-beloved -room; but she had the courage to repress her tears.</p> - -<p>"Sit down, brother. I have a great service to ask of you."</p> - -<p>"Hang it! A service, little sister? Why assume so solemn an air for -such a simple thing?"</p> - -<p>"Because it is difficult."</p> - -<p>"Nothing is impossible to please you. What is the matter?"</p> - -<p>"Swear to me, first, to grant what I am about to ask of you."</p> - -<p>"Go on, child, and do not trouble yourself about the rest," Pedrito -said, with a hearty laugh.</p> - -<p>"No. I must have your oath."</p> - -<p>"I have taken it; that is understood, I have all the gravity of an -Indian idol."</p> - -<p>"You are laughing at me," she said, with tears in her eyes.</p> - -<p>"Confound the women!" Pedrito remarked; "They can always twirl men -round their fingers. Come, silly child, do not cry any more. I swear to -obey your whims. Tell me what it is all about."</p> - -<p>"I have promised Doña Concha, my dear brother, to give her within three -days news about Don Sylvio."</p> - -<p>"What next?"</p> - -<p>"I wish to perform my promise."</p> - -<p>"The deuce."</p> - -<p>"And for that I have counted on you."</p> - -<p>"On me?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"How can I help you?"</p> - -<p>"Without you the affair is impracticable."</p> - -<p>"In that case, little sister, I am greatly afraid that—"</p> - -<p>"Remember your oath."</p> - -<p>"Go on. I am listening."</p> - -<p>"I have lived a long time among the Indians, whose manners and language -I am acquainted with. I intend to get into their camp unnoticed, in -order to learn where Don Sylvio is."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, Mercedes."</p> - -<p>"And your oath, brother?" she said, placing herself before the door.</p> - -<p>"I shall not keep it; and if Heaven thinks that I ought, we will argue -the point together."</p> - -<p>She looked at her brother for a moment in silence. "You are quite -resolved?" she continued.</p> - -<p>"Quite."</p> - -<p>"Then, I shall go alone."</p> - -<p>"What," Pedrito exclaimed, as he rushed towards her, "Do you wish to be -the death of me, then?"</p> - -<p>Mercedes made no reply.</p> - -<p>"Go away, brother. I will do without you."</p> - -<p>"Come on! I will follow you. Oh, these women!" the bombero muttered.</p> - -<p>"We shall succeed," she exclaimed, joyfully.</p> - -<p>"Yes, in getting ourselves killed."</p> - -<p>"Let us be off, brother," she said, placing under her arm a small -bundle of clothing.</p> - -<p>Mercedes, fearing the emotion of a farewell scene, avoided Doña Concha.</p> - -<p>Patito had got two horses in readiness, which speedily carried brother -and sister far from the estancia. At the battery the capataz was -waiting for them.</p> - -<p>"Señorita," he said to Mercedes, "you are a noble girl, Heaven will aid -and bless you."</p> - -<p>"Don Blas," Mercedes answered, with a smile, as she drew from her bosom -a small gold cross Doña Concha had given her, and broke the velvet neck -ribbon, "take this cross, and keep it in remembrance of me."</p> - -<p>The two travellers had been galloping a long time ere the capataz left -off kissing the cross, while thinking that its usual resting place was -on the maiden's heart. Pedrito and his sister rode side by side without -exchanging a word, for both were plunged in deep thought.</p> - -<p>"How far have we to go?" Mercedes asked all at once.</p> - -<p>"Two leagues."</p> - -<p>After a while they heard the footfall of a horse behind them; they -turned, and perceived Patito, who was making signals to them, and the -gaucho soon joined them.</p> - -<p>"My mistress is following me," he said.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, dressed in male clothing, came up at the full speed of her -horse.</p> - -<p>"Ah," she said, on joining them, "I trembled lest I should miss you."</p> - -<p>"Are we to turn back Pedrito asked, with a fugitive gleam of hope."</p> - -<p>"No, no; on the contrary; push on," Concha replied.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going, señorita?"</p> - -<p>"I am following you."</p> - -<p>"What?" he said, fancying he misunderstood her.</p> - -<p>"I guessed your plan, Mercedes, and mean to share its perils."</p> - -<p>"That is fine, señorita!" Pedrito exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"She is right," Mercedes said simply; "that will be better."</p> - -<p>"You, Patito," Concha said, "can go back; I have no need of your -services."</p> - -<p>"Forgive me, but with your permission I will remain; I am not wanted at -the estancia, and, though I do not know where you are going, two strong -arms are worth keeping."</p> - -<p>"Remain, my friend."</p> - -<p>"But your father, Don Valentine, señorita?" Pedrito attempted to say.</p> - -<p>"He approves of it," she answered drily.</p> - -<p>They started again: two hours later they reached the foot of a hill, -halfway up which was a natural grotto, known in the country by the name -of the Cave of the Cougars.</p> - -<p>"My brothers are there," Pedrito said.</p> - -<p>The little party ascended the gentle slope of the hill, and entered -the cave on horseback, without leaving any trace of their passage. -There were several entrances to this cave; it was divided into several -compartments that had no visible communication, and formed a species of -labyrinth that meandered under the hill. The bomberos, who knew all its -turnings, often employed it as a refuge.</p> - -<p>Pepe and Lopez were seated before a heather fire, silently smoking -their pipes, and watching a leg of guanaco that was roasting. They -saluted the newcomers, and remained dumb as the Indians, whose manner -they had to some extent assumed in their nomadic life on the Pampa. -Pedrito conducted the two ladies to a separate compartment.</p> - -<p>"While here," he said to them in a low whisper, "say but little, for -you can never tell what neighbours you may have. If you want us, you -know where we are; I now leave you."</p> - -<p>His sister caught his arm and put her lips to his ear, and he went away -without making any answer.</p> - -<p>The two girls, when alone, threw themselves into each other's arms. -When this outburst was over, they disguised themselves as Indian women. -At the moment when their Spanish dresses were about to fall, they heard -footsteps close to them, and turned like startled fawns.</p> - -<p>"I was afraid," Doña Concha said, "lest it was Don Pedro; let us -listen."</p> - -<p>"Caray, Don Torribio, you are welcome," a man's voice said, hardly -three yards from the girls; "I have been waiting for you for more than -two hours."</p> - -<p>"Always that man!" Concha murmured.</p> - -<p>"My good fellow," Don Torribio replied, "it was impossible for me to -come sooner."</p> - -<p>"Well, here you are, that is the main point," the first speaker -remarked.</p> - -<p>At this moment Pedrito entered; Mercedes made him a sign to listen, and -he came to her side.</p> - -<p>"Are you satisfied with your position at Carmen?" Torribio continued.</p> - -<p>"Not very greatly, I confess."</p> - -<p>"I am going to liberate you, my dear Pincheira; I shall order the -attack on Población del Sur tomorrow, and then you will act, I suppose."</p> - -<p>"That is settled. By the by, I just now came across a poor devil of an -Argentine officer, entrusted with a despatch for the governor of El -Carmen; it announces help, I suppose."</p> - -<p>"<i>¡Caramba!</i> They must make haste. What did you do with the despatch?"</p> - -<p>"Here it is."</p> - -<p>"Did you kill the Argentine messenger?"</p> - -<p>"Well, I fancy so."</p> - -<p>"That is right."</p> - -<p>"When is the assault to take place?"</p> - -<p>"In two days. How is my prisoner, by the way?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, he is furious."</p> - -<p>"He will grow calm. This is what I intend to do, soon as the town—"</p> - -<p>But while these words were being spoken, the two men had retired, and -the sound of their voices died out in the windings of the cave. When -the maidens turned round again Pedrito had disappeared.</p> - -<p>"Well," Mercedes said, "what do you think of that singular accident?"</p> - -<p>"It is a miracle of Heaven."</p> - -<p>"Shall we still disguise ourselves?"</p> - -<p>"More so than ever."</p> - -<p>"For what purpose?" Pedrito said, who had returned, "I now know where -Don Sylvio is, and I undertake to restore him to you."</p> - -<p>"But our vengeance?" Doña Concha interrupted.</p> - -<p>"Let us save him first. Return to the estancia, señorita, and leave me -to act."</p> - -<p>"No, Don Pedro, I shall not leave you."</p> - -<p>"Wait for me here, then, both of you."</p> - -<p>Several hours passed, and Pedrito did not return. Alarmed by this -inexplicable delay, the two girls joined the other two bomberos in -the front cave. Night had set in when Pedrito returned; he bought an -enormous bale on the neck of his horse, which was panting with fatigue.</p> - -<p>"Put on these gauchos' dresses," he said to the two ladies; "we are -going to get inside Carmen. The journey will be a rough one, but make -haste, for every moment lost is an hour of danger for us."</p> - -<p>They ran off to dress themselves, and were ready in a moment.</p> - -<p>"Take your Indian robes," Pedrito said, "for they may be useful to you. -Good! Now follow me, and be cautious!"</p> - -<p>The three bomberos, the two girls, and Patito left the cave, and -glided through the darkness like shadows, marching in Indian file, at -one moment stooping down to the ground, crawling on their knees, and -trying as far as possible to hide their passage. It was a singular and -dangerous journey, in the depths of night, and across a desert whose -thickets in time of war are peopled with invisible enemies. Pedrito -had placed himself at the head of the party. Doña Concha, excited by -the courage which love imparts, stained the prickles with her blood, -but not a single complaint passed her lips. After three hours of -extraordinary effort, the little party that followed Pedrito's track -suddenly stopped on his stopping.</p> - -<p>"Look!" he said to them, in a whisper, "we are in the heart of the -Aucas' camp."</p> - -<p>All around them in the moonbeams they saw the Indian sentinels leaning -on their lances and watching over the safety of their brothers. A -shudder ran over the maidens; fortunately, the guards, not fearing a -sortie from Carmen, were sleeping at their posts, but the slightest -badly calculated movement or stumble might wake them. Hence, Pedrito -recommended them to redouble their prudence, if they wished to save -their lives.</p> - -<p>About two hundred yards in front of them rose the first houses of -Carmen, gloomy, silent, and apparently at least deserted or plunged in -silence. The six adventurers had cleared one half the distance, when -suddenly, at the moment when Pedrito stretched out his arm to shelter -himself behind a sandhill, several men crawling on the opposite side, -found themselves face to face with him.</p> - -<p>There was a moment of terrible anxiety.</p> - -<p>"Who goes there?" a low and threatening voice asked.</p> - -<p>"Pedrito the bombero."</p> - -<p>"Who is with you?"</p> - -<p>"My brothers."</p> - -<p>"Pass."</p> - -<p>Ten minutes after this encounter they reached the barriers, which were -at once opened on Pedrito mentioning his name, and they were at length -safe in Carmen. It was high time; in spite of their resolution and -courage, the two girls, worn out with fatigue, could no longer support -themselves. So soon as the danger had passed, their nervous excitement -gave way, and they fell utterly exhausted. Pedrito raised his sister in -his arms; Pepe took charge of Doña Concha, and they proceeded to Don -Valentine's house, where fresh difficulties awaited them. Tío Peralta -refused to open the gate, but on at length recognizing his mistress, he -led the travellers into a room and lit the candles.</p> - -<p>"What are we to do now?" Doña Concha asked, as she fell back into a -chair.</p> - -<p>"Nothing just at present," Pedrito answered. "Rest yourself, señorita, -and regain your strength."</p> - -<p>"Shall we remain for long in this state of inaction, which kills us?"</p> - -<p>"Only till tomorrow. We must not run blindly into danger, but prepare -everything for the success of our plans, and watch for the propitious -moment. Tomorrow at the latest, those men, whose conversation we -overheard, will attempt an attack on Población del Sur. As for us, we -shall be more at liberty to enter the Indian camp. Keep your presence -in Carmen a secret from everybody, and give no sign of life till I -return. Good-bye till tomorrow morning."</p> - -<p>"Are you not going to rest, Don Pedro?"</p> - -<p>"I have no time."</p> - -<p>Pedrito left the room. Doña Concha recommended the utmost silence to -Tío Peralta, and dismissed her companions, who went off to sleep in -hastily prepared apartments.</p> - -<p>Mercedes would not separate from her friend, and they reposed on the -same couch. In spite of their wish to remain awake, nature was the -stronger, and they soon fell into a deep sleep. The sun was already -high on the horizon when they opened their eyes again. They dressed -themselves and breakfasted with their companions, impatiently awaiting -the bombero's return.</p> - -<p>Several hours passed, lacerating Doña Concha's heart, and making her -love bleed; the recollection of her betrothed husband, covered with the -shadow of death, painfully troubled her thoughts.</p> - -<p>At length the town bells rang out a full peal to call the population -under arms, and acted as a gloomy accompaniment to the dull booming of -the cannon and the flashes of the musketry fire. Without doubt the -Indians were attacking Población del Sur; but where was Pedrito? Doña -Concha asked herself, as she walked, like a lioness in a cage, up and -down the room, devoured by anxiety and despair.</p> - -<p>"Listen!" she said to Mercedes, as she turned her head toward the door.</p> - -<p>"It is he!" Mercedes replied.</p> - -<p>"At last!" Conchita exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"Here I am, señorita," Pedrito said; "are you ready?"</p> - -<p>"Ever since the morning," she answered reproachfully.</p> - -<p>"It would have been too soon," he said quietly; "now if you like."</p> - -<p>"At once."</p> - -<p>"Señorita, be dumb; whatever you may hear and see, leave me to speak -and act alone. Stay! Here is a mask for each of you, with which you -will conceal your faces. When I give the word come in."</p> - -<p>All three left the house unnoticed, for the townspeople were guarding -the barricades or engaged in the furious contest going on in Población -del Sur.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></h4> - -<h3>DON TORRIBIO'S HOUSE.</h3> - - -<p>Don Sylvio D'Arenal, so soon as his sword slipped from his grasp, -and he fell by the side of the capataz, gave no signs of life. The -masked men, despising Blas Salazar, went up to Doña Concha's betrothed -husband. The pallid hues of death clouded his handsome, noble face; -his teeth were clenched under his half-parted lips; the blood flowed -profusely from his wounds, and his closed hand still clutched the hilt -of his sword, which had been broken in the fight.</p> - -<p>"<i>¡Caspita!</i>" one of the bandits remarked, "Here is a young gentleman -who is very ill; what will the master say?"</p> - -<p>"What would you have him say, Señor Panchito?" another objected. "He -defended himself like a maddened panther; it is his own fault; he ought -to have been more polite to us. We have lost four men."</p> - -<p>"A fine loss, on my word—those scamps!" Panchito said, with a shrug of -his shoulders; "I should have preferred his killing six and being in a -better condition himself."</p> - -<p>"Hang it," the bandit muttered, "that is kind towards us."</p> - -<p>"Present parties excepted," Panchito added with a laugh; "but quick, -bind up his wounds and let us be off. This is not a proper place for -us, and besides the master is waiting for us."</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio's wounds were bathed and bound up somehow or another; and, -without troubling themselves whether he was dead or alive, they laid -him across the horse of Panchito, the leader of this expedition. The -dead remained on the spot as a prey for the wild beasts. The other -masked men set out at a gallop, and at the expiration of two hours -halted in front of the Cave of the Cougars, where Nocobotha and -Pincheira were waiting for them.</p> - -<p>"Well," the former shouted to them as soon as he saw them.</p> - -<p>"The job is done," Panchito answered laconically, as he got off his -horse, and laid Don Sylvio on a bed of leaves.</p> - -<p>"Is he dead?" Nocobotha asked, turning pale.</p> - -<p>"Not much better," the gaucho answered, with a shake of his head.</p> - -<p>"Villain!" the Indian shouted, beside him with, fury, "Is that the way -in which my orders are executed? Did I not command you to bring him to -me alive?"</p> - -<p>"Hum!" said Panchito. "I should like to see you try it. Armed only with -a sword, he fought like ten men for more than twenty minutes. He killed -four of ours, and perhaps we should not have been here now if his -weapon had not broken."</p> - -<p>"You are cowards," the master said, with a smile of contempt.</p> - -<p>He went up to Don Sylvio's body.</p> - -<p>"Is he dead?" Pincheira asked him.</p> - -<p>"No," Nocobotha replied.</p> - -<p>"All the worse."</p> - -<p>"On the contrary, I would give a great deal to see him recover."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," the Chilian officer said; "what do we care for this man's -life. Was he not your personal enemy?"</p> - -<p>"That is the very reason why I should not like him to die."</p> - -<p>"I do not understand you."</p> - -<p>"My friend," Nocobotha said, "I have devoted my life to the -accomplishment of an idea to which I have sacrificed my hatreds and -friendships."</p> - -<p>"Why in that case lay a trap for your rival?"</p> - -<p>"My rival? No, it is not he whom I have attacked."</p> - -<p>"Who then?"</p> - -<p>"The richest and most influential man in the colony; the man who may -thwart my plans; a powerful adversary, a Spaniard, but not a rival. -Nothing permanent is founded on corpses. I would have willingly killed -him in battle, but I do not wish to make a martyr of him."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," Pincheira said, "one more or one less, what matter?"</p> - -<p>"Brute," Nocobotha thought, "he has not understood a word I said."</p> - -<p>Two gauchos, aided by Panchito, incessantly rubbed with rum the temples -and chest of Don Sylvio, whose features retained the rigidity of death. -The Indian chief drew his knife from his girdle, wiped the blade, and -placed it to the wounded man's lips. It seemed to him as if it were -slightly tarnished. He at once kneeled down by the side of Don Sylvio, -raised the cuff of his left coat sleeve, and pricked the vein with -the sharp point of his knife. Gradually a black dot appeared on the -wound, and became enlarged to the size of a pea. This drop hesitated, -trembled, and at length ran down the arm, pushed on by a second drop, -that made room for a third; then the blood became less black and less -thick, and a long vermilion jet gushed forth, which announced life. -Nocobotha could not repress a cry of joy: Don Sylvio was saved!</p> - -<p>Almost immediately the young man gave a deep sigh.</p> - -<p>"Continue the rubbing," the chief said to the gauchos.</p> - -<p>He bound up Don Sylvio's arm, rose, and made a sign to Pincheira to -follow him to another part of the cave.</p> - -<p>"Heaven has granted my prayer," the great chief said, "and I thank it -for having spared me a crime."</p> - -<p>"If you are satisfied," the Chilian remarked, in surprise, "I have no -objection to offer."</p> - -<p>"That is not all. Don Sylvio's wounds, though numerous, are not -serious; his lethargy is the result of the loss of the blood and -the speed with which he was brought here. He will regain his senses -presently."</p> - -<p>"Good."</p> - -<p>"He must not see me."</p> - -<p>"What next?"</p> - -<p>"Or recognize you."</p> - -<p>"That is difficult."</p> - -<p>"It is important."</p> - -<p>"I will try my best."</p> - -<p>"I am about to leave you. You will have Don Sylvio conveyed to Carmen."</p> - -<p>"To your house?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; it is the safest spot," Nocobotha said, as he drew from his -pocket a paper folded after a peculiar fashion; "but he must not know, -under any pretext, that I gave the orders, nor where he is; and, above -all, he must not go out."</p> - -<p>"Is that all?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; and you will answer to me for his safety."</p> - -<p>"On your order I will deliver him to you alive or dead."</p> - -<p>"Alive, I tell you; his life is precious to me."</p> - -<p>"Well," Pincheira replied, "since you are so anxious about your -prisoner, not a hair of his head shall be touched."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, and good-bye, Pincheira."</p> - -<p>The chief mounted a magnificent mustang, and disappeared in the -windings of the road. Pincheira returned to the wounded man with a look -of ill temper, and twisting his moustache. He was dissatisfied with -Nocobotha's orders; but, as he possessed only one virtue, respect for -his word, he resigned himself.</p> - -<p>"How is he?" he asked Panchito, in a whisper.</p> - -<p>"Not so bad, captain; it is astonishing what good the bleeding did him. -He has already opened his eyes twice, and has even attempted to speak."</p> - -<p>"In that case there is no time to be lost. Bind the fellow's eyes and -to prevent his tearing the bandage off, fasten his hands to his side; -act gently if you can manage it. Do you understand?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, captain."</p> - -<p>"In ten minutes we start."</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio, who had gradually regained his senses, asked himself into -what hands he had fallen. His presence of mind had also returned, and -he offered no resistance when the gauchos carried out the orders of the -Chilian officer. These precautions revealed to him that his life would -not be taken.</p> - -<p>"Captain, what is to be done now?" Panchito said.</p> - -<p>"Carry him to the boat tied up down there; and do not shake him, -scoundrels, or I will blow out what little brains you possess."</p> - -<p>"¡Caray!" the gaucho said with a grimace.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Pincheira said, with a shrug of his shoulders, "that will teach -you to kill people thoroughly another time."</p> - -<p>Pincheira had not understood why Nocobotha so eagerly desired that Don -Sylvio should live; and in his turn Panchito did not understand why -Pincheira regretted that he was not dead. The gaucho opened his dull -eyes in amazement on hearing the chief's last remark, but hastened to -obey.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio was carried down to the boat by Pincheira, Panchito, and -another gaucho, while the rest of the party, who took charge of -the horses, returned to Carmen by land. The voyage in the boat was -performed in silence, and three hours after the start the prisoner -was lying on a bed in Don Torribio Carvajal's house. Then the gag was -removed and his hands were untied; but a masked and silent man stood on -the threshold of the door, like a statue, and never once took his eyes -off him.</p> - -<p>Don Sylvio, worn out by the emotions of the day, and weakened by -the loss of blood, and trusting to chance to get him out of his -incomprehensible position, took that investigating glance around which -is peculiar to prisoners, and fell into a heavy sleep, which lasted -several hours and restored to his mind all its calmness and original -lucidity.</p> - -<p>However, he was treated with the utmost respect, and his slightest -caprices were satisfied. In fact, his situation was endurable, and, -after all, was not without a certain amount of originality. Hence the -young man, feeling reassured, bravely made up his mind to wait for -better times. On the third day of his captivity his wounds were almost -cicatrized. He got up to try his strength, and, perhaps, to reconnoitre -the chance of escaping, for what can people do in prison, save think -about getting out of it? A warm and cheering sunbeam entered through -the crack of the closed shutter, and traced long white stripes on the -ceiling of his room. This sunbeam revived his spirits, and he took -several steps under the inevitable eye of the dumb and masked watchman.</p> - -<p>All at once a formidable noise broke out in the vicinity, and a -discharge of cannon made the windows rattle.</p> - -<p>"What is that?" he asked the masked man.</p> - -<p>The latter shrugged his shoulders, but made no reply.</p> - -<p>The sharp crack of musketry fire was mingled with the boom of the guns. -The dumb man closed the window. Don Sylvio walked up to him.</p> - -<p>"My friend," he said to him, in a gentle voice, "what is going on -outside?"</p> - -<p>The jailer obstinately remained silent.</p> - -<p>"In Heaven's name speak!"</p> - -<p>The noise seemed to draw nearer, and hurried footsteps were mingled -with the shouts. The man in the mask drew his machete from its sheath -and his pistol from his belt, and ran to the door, which was suddenly -burst open. Another masked bandit evidently suffering from great -terror, dashed into the room.</p> - -<p>"Look out!" he shouted. "We are lost!"</p> - -<p>At these words four men, also masked and armed to the teeth, appeared -in the doorway.</p> - -<p>"Back!" the jailer cried; "no one enters here without the password."</p> - -<p>"There it is," said one of the newcomers, and he laid him stark dead -with a pistol shot. The four men passed over his body and securely tied -his companion, who had sought refuge in a corner, and was trembling -all over. One of them then walked up to the prisoner, who comprehended -nothing of this scene.</p> - -<p>"You are free caballero!" he said to him. "Come, make haste to fly far -from this house."</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" the young man asked.</p> - -<p>"No matter; follow us."</p> - -<p>"No; unless I know who you are."</p> - -<p>"Do you wish to see Doña Concha again?" the speaker whispered in his -ear.</p> - -<p>"I will follow you," Don Sylvio answered with a blush.</p> - -<p>"Señor, take these weapons, which you will perhaps require, as all is -not finished yet."</p> - -<p>"Weapons!" the young man exclaimed. "Oh! You are friends."</p> - -<p>They went out.</p> - -<p>"What?" Don Sylvio said, as he entered the courtyard, "I am in Carmen."</p> - -<p>"Were you not aware of it?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Those saddled horses fastened to the rings are ours. Can you sit a -horse?"</p> - -<p>"I hope so."</p> - -<p>"You must."</p> - -<p>"Mount, then, and let us be off."</p> - -<p>As they turned into the street, a dozen horsemen dashed up toward them, -at a distance of about five and twenty paces.</p> - -<p>"Here is the enemy," the stranger said in a firm voice; "take your -bridle in your teeth, and let us charge."</p> - -<p>The four men ranged themselves in a single line, and rushed at the -newcomers. They discharged firearms and drew their sabres.</p> - -<p>"Caray!" Pincheira, who commanded the twelve horseman, shouted, "My -prisoner is escaping from me."</p> - -<p>The Chilian officer darted in pursuit of Don Sylvio, who fired two -shots at him without relaxing his speed. Pinchiera's horse rolled on -the ground, dragging down its rider, who got up again, greatly shaken -by his fall; but Don Sylvio and his comrades were already far away.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I shall find them again!" he shouted, mad with rage.</p> - -<p>The fugitives had reached the river's bank, where a boat was waiting -for them.</p> - -<p>"We shall separate here, señor," the stranger said to Don Sylvio, as he -removed his mask.</p> - -<p>"Pedrito!" he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>"Myself!" the bombero answered. "This boat will take you to the -Estancia of San Julian. Start without delay, and," he added, as he -stooped down to Don Sylvio's ear, and handed him a folded paper, "read -this, and, perhaps, you will soon be able to come to our assistance. -Good-bye, señor."</p> - -<p>"One word, Pedrito. Who is the man that held me prisoner?"</p> - -<p>"Don Torribio Carvajal."</p> - -<p>"Thank you."</p> - -<p>"Or, if you prefer it, Nocobotha, the great Chief of the Aucas."</p> - -<p>"Which of the two?"</p> - -<p>"They are the same."</p> - -<p>"I will remember," Don Sylvio said, as he leaped into the boat.</p> - -<p>The skiff glided over the water with the speed of an arrow, owing -to the vigour of the rowers, and soon disappeared in the gathering -darkness.</p> - -<p>Three persons who remained on the bank looked anxiously after the -movements of the boat. They were Pedrito, Mercedes, and Doña Concha.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE INDIAN CAMP.</h3> - - -<p>"And now, señorita," Pedrito asked Doña Concha when the boat was out of -sight, "What are your intentions?"</p> - -<p>"To see Nocobotha in his camp."</p> - -<p>"It is dishonour; it is death."</p> - -<p>"No, Don Pedro, it is revenge."</p> - -<p>"You mean it?"</p> - -<p>"I am resolved."</p> - -<p>"Good, I will myself lead you to the camp of the Aucas."</p> - -<p>All three returned to Don Valentine Cardoso's house without exchanging -a word. Night had completely set in; the streets were deserted, the -silent town was illumined by the flames of Población del Sur, and the -diabolical outlines of the Indians could be seen passing among the -ruins and crumbling walls.</p> - -<p>"Go and get ready, señoritas; I will wait for you here," Pedrito said -with a melancholy accent.</p> - -<p>Mercedes and Doña Concha entered the house. Pedrito, thoughtful and -sad, sat down on one of the steps in front of the houses. The two -girls soon re-appeared, dressed in full Aucas' costume, with painted -faces, and impossible to recognize.</p> - -<p>"Oh!" said the bombero, "Here are two real Indian girls."</p> - -<p>"Do you believe," Doña Concha asked him, "that Don Torribio alone -possesses the privilege of changing himself at his pleasure."</p> - -<p>"Who can contend with a woman?" Pedrito said, shaking his head; "And -now, what do you demand of me?"</p> - -<p>"Your protection to the first Indian lines."</p> - -<p>"And afterwards?"</p> - -<p>"The rest is our business."</p> - -<p>"But you do not intend to remain alone in the midst of the Pagans?"</p> - -<p>"We must, Don Pedro."</p> - -<p>"Mercedes," the latter continued, "do you wish to fall again into the -hands of your persecutors?</p> - -<p>"Reassure yourself, brother; I run no risk."</p> - -<p>"Still—"</p> - -<p>"I answer for her," Doña Concha interrupted him.</p> - -<p>"Well, Heaven be merciful to you!" he muttered, with an air of doubt.</p> - -<p>"Let us start," said Don Sylvio's affianced wife, as she wrapped -herself up in a spacious cloak. Pedrito walked before them. The dying -fires of Carmen lit up the night with a pale and uncertain gleam; a -leaden silence brooded over the town, only interrupted at intervals -by the hoarse croaking of the birds of prey that were tearing the -Spanish and Indian corpses. The three persons walked through the ruins, -stumbling against tottering walls, striding over bodies, and disturbing -the horrible festival of the urubús and vultures which fled away with -heavy wings. They went through nearly the entire length of the town, -and at length arrived, after a thousand windings and difficulties, at -one of the barriers that faced the Indian camp, whose numerous fires -could be seen sparkling a short distance off, and from which fearful -yells reached their ears.</p> - -<p>The bombero exchanged a few words with the sentries, and passed through -the barricade, followed by the two girls. Then he stopped.</p> - -<p>"Doña Concha," he said, in a choking voice, "there is the Indian camp -before us."</p> - -<p>"I thank you, Don Pedro," she answered, offering him her hand.</p> - -<p>"Señorita," Pedrito added, retaining the young lady's hand, "there is -still time; give up your fatal plan, since your betrothed is saved, and -return to San Julian."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye," Doña Concha answered resolutely.</p> - -<p>"Good-bye," the worthy man repeated sorrowfully. "Mercedes, I implore -you to remain with me."</p> - -<p>"Where she goes, I will go, brother."</p> - -<p>The leave-taking was short, as may be supposed, and the bombero, so -soon as he was alone, uttered a sigh, or rather a burst of sorrow, and -returned to Carmen at a sharp pace.</p> - -<p>"I trust I may not arrive too late," he said to himself, "and that he -has not yet seen Don Antonio Valverde."</p> - -<p>He reached the fort at the moment when Don Torribio and the governor -were crossing the drawbridge, but absorbed in his own thoughts, he -did not perceive the two horsemen. This accident was the cause of an -irreparable misfortune.</p> - -<p>As for the two girls, they proceeded haphazard toward the camp fires, -a short distance from which they halted to regain breath and calm the -movement of their hearts, which beat as if ready to start from their -breasts. When near the danger they voluntarily sought, they felt their -courage abandon them; the sight of the Indian toldos made their blood -run cold with terror. Strange to say, it was Mercedes who revived her -companion's firmness.</p> - -<p>"Señorita," she said to her, "I will be your guide; we will leave these -cloaks here, which would cause us to be recognized as white persons. -Walk by my side, and whatever may happen, display neither surprise nor -fear, and before all say not a word, or it will be all over with us."</p> - -<p>"I will obey," Concha answered.</p> - -<p>"We are," Mercedes exclaimed, "two Indian girls who have made a vow -to Gualichu for the recovery of their wounded father. Remember, not a -word, my friend!"</p> - -<p>"Let us go on, and may Heaven protect us."</p> - -<p>"So be it!" Mercedes replied, crossing herself. They set out again, and -within five minutes entered the camp, where the Indians were giving way -to the most extravagant joy. Nothing could be heard on all sides but -songs and yells. Drunk with aguardiente, they danced in a burlesque -fashion among empty barrels, which they had plundered from Población -del Sur and the estancias. There was a wondrous disorder and a strange -confusion, and all these raving madmen even ignored the authority of -their Ulmens, the majority of whom, however, were in a state of the -most disgusting intoxication.</p> - -<p>Owing to the general uproar, Concha and Mercedes were enabled to cross -the camp lines unseen; then, with palpitating hearts, limbs rigid with -terror, but calm faces, they glided like lizards through the groups, -passing unperceived by the drunken men, who stumbled against each -other at every moment. The girls seemed lost in this human labyrinth, -wandering haphazard, and trusting to Providence or their lucky stars -to discover the abode of the great Toqui in this confused mass of -toldos. They walked about for a long time, but rendered bolder by their -success in avoiding any unpleasant encounter, and feeling less timid, -they exchanged at times a hoping glance, till all at once an Indian of -athletic build seized Doña Concha round the waist, lifted her from the -ground like a child, and imprinted a hearty kiss on her neck.</p> - -<p>At this unexpected outrage, Concha uttered a cry of terror, disengaged -herself from the Indian's grasp, and forcibly thrust him away from her. -The savage tottered on his drunken legs, and measured his length of six -feet on the ground; but he sprang up again at once and leapt on the -maiden like a jaguar.</p> - -<p>Mercedes interposed between them.</p> - -<p>"Back," she said, courageously, laying her hand on the Indian's chest, -"this woman is my sister."</p> - -<p>"Churlakin," another chief said, "do not put up with an insult."</p> - -<p>The savage frowned and drew his knife.</p> - -<p>"Do you wish to kill her?" Mercedes exclaimed in horror.</p> - -<p>"Yes," Churlakin answered, "unless she will follow me to my toldo, -where she will be the squaw of a chief—a great chief."</p> - -<p>"You are mad," Mercedes retorted, "your toldo is full, and there is no -room for another fire." "There is still room for two fires," the Indian -answered, with a laugh, "and since this woman is your sister, you shall -come with her."</p> - -<p>In the course of this discussion an impenetrable circle of savages -surrounded the two girls and Churlakin. Mercedes did not know how to -escape the danger.</p> - -<p>"Well," Churlakin continued, seizing Doña Concha's hair, which he -rolled round his wrist, and brandishing his knife, "will you and your -sister follow me to my toldo?"</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, who had sunk down to the ground, awaited the death-stroke -with pallid face and closed eyes. Mercedes drew herself and checked the -arm that was ready to strike.</p> - -<p>"Since you insist on it, dog," she said to the chief, in a haughty -voice, "your destiny shall be accomplished. Look at me. Gualichu does -not allow his slaves to be insulted with impunity. Look at me!"</p> - -<p>She turned her face towards a huge fire, flashing a few yards off, and -which threw a bright light over the surrounding objects. The Indians -uttered a cry of surprise on recognizing her, and fell back. Churlakin -himself let go of Doña Concha's hair.</p> - -<p>"Oh!" he said, in consternation, "It is the white slave of the tree of -Gualichu."</p> - -<p>The circle round the two girls had grown larger; but the superstitious -Indians, nailed to the ground by terror, looked at them fixedly.</p> - -<p>"The power of Gualichu," Mercedes added, to complete her triumph, "is -great and terrible. It is he who sends me; woe to the man who would try -to thwart his designs; back, all of you."</p> - -<p>And seizing the arm of Doña Concha, who was still trembling with -emotion, she advanced with a firm step. Waving her arm authoritatively, -the circle divided, and the Indians fell back to the right and left, -making way for them to pass.</p> - -<p>"I feel as if I was dying," Doña Concha murmured.</p> - -<p>"Courage, señorita, we are saved."</p> - -<p>"Oh, oh!" a mocking voice said, "what is going on here?"</p> - -<p>And a man placed himself in front of the girls, and looked impudently -at them.</p> - -<p>"The matchi!" the Indians said, who, being reassured by the presence of -their sorcerer, again assembled round the prisoners.</p> - -<p>Mercedes trembled inwardly on seeing her stratagem compromised by the -advent of the matchi, and at the suggestion of despair, she made a -final effort.</p> - -<p>"Gualichu, who loves the Indians," she said, "has sent me to the matchi -of the Aucas."</p> - -<p>"Ah!" the sorcerer answered, in a mocking accent, "And what does he -want with me?"</p> - -<p>"No one but yourself must hear it."</p> - -<p>The matchi walked up to the maiden, laid his hand on her shoulder, and -looked at her with a longing air.</p> - -<p>"Will you save me?" she asked him in a low voice.</p> - -<p>"That depends," the fellow answered, his eye sparkling with desire, "it -is in your own hands." She repressed a look of disgust.</p> - -<p>"Stay," she said, as she removed from her arms her rich gold bracelets, -set with fine pearls.</p> - -<p>"Och!" said the Indian, as he concealed them in his bosom, "That is -fine; what does my daughter want?"</p> - -<p>"Deliver us first from these men."</p> - -<p>"Fly!" the matchi shouted, turning to the spectators; "This woman is -under an evil spell; Gualichu is irritated. Fly!"</p> - -<p>The sorcerer had immediately put on a face adapted to the -circumstances; his mysterious conversation with the white woman and the -terror depicted on his features were sufficient for the Indians, who, -without stopping to ask any questions dispersed in all directions, and -disappeared behind the toldos.</p> - -<p>"You see," the sorcerer said, with a smile of pride, "I am powerful, -and can avenge myself on those who deceive me. But where does my white -daughter come from?"</p> - -<p>"From the tree of Gualichu," she answered boldly.</p> - -<p>"My daughter has the forked tongue of the cougar," the matchi replied, -who believed neither in his own words nor in his god; "does she take me -for a ñandu?"</p> - -<p>"Here is a magnificent collar of pearls which Gualichu gave me for the -inspired man of the Aucas."</p> - -<p>"Oh," said the sorcerer, "what service can I render my daughter?"</p> - -<p>"Lead us to the toldo of the great chief of the Patagonian nations."</p> - -<p>"Does my daughter desire to speak with Nocobotha?"</p> - -<p>"I do."</p> - -<p>"Nocobotha is a wise chief; will he receive a woman?"</p> - -<p>"He must."</p> - -<p>"It is well. But this other woman?" he asked, pointing to Doña Concha.</p> - -<p>"She is a friend of Pincheira's; she also wishes to speak with the -great Toqui."</p> - -<p>"The warriors will spin llama wool," the sorcerer said, shaking his -head, "since women wage war and sit at the council fire."</p> - -<p>"My father is mistaken; Nocobotha loves his sister."</p> - -<p>"No," the Indian said.</p> - -<p>"Will my father make haste? Nocobotha is waiting for us," Mercedes -continued, impatient at the savage's tergiversation; "where is the -toldo of the great chief?"</p> - -<p>"Follow me, my white daughters."</p> - -<p>He placed himself between them, seized an arm of each, and guided -them through the inextricable labyrinth of the camp. The terrified -Indians fled as they passed. In his heart the matchi was satisfied with -Mercedes' presents, and the opportunity for proving to the warriors his -intimate relations with Gualichu. The marching and counter-marching -lasted a quarter of an hour, and at last they found themselves before a -toldo, in front of which was planted the token of the united nations, -surrounded by lances fringed with scarlet, and guarded by four warriors.</p> - -<p>"It is here," he said to Mercedes.</p> - -<p>"Good! My father will let us go in alone."</p> - -<p>"Must I leave you, then?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, but my father can wait for us outside."</p> - -<p>"I will wait," the sorcerer said briefly, as he looked suspiciously at -the maidens.</p> - -<p>They went in with sorely beating hearts. The toldo was empty.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE TOLDO OF THE GREAT TOQUI.</h3> - - -<p>Don Antonio Valverde, delighted at the succour the president of the -Argentine Republic sent him, rode at a gallop by the side of the new -colonel, Don Torribio. They soon reached a barrier, guarded by a large -body of gauchos and armed colonists.</p> - -<p>"We must go out here," Don Torribio said to the governor, "but, as the -night is dark, and we have one or two leagues to ride, it would be -imprudent to venture alone upon a plain traversed by vagabond Indians."</p> - -<p>"That is true," Don Antonio interrupted him.</p> - -<p>"The governor must not risk his life lightly; suppose you were made -prisoner, for instance, what a blow it would be for the colony."</p> - -<p>"You speak most sensibly, Don Torribio."</p> - -<p>"Let us take an escort."</p> - -<p>"Of how many men?"</p> - -<p>"Ten will be enough."</p> - -<p>"We will take twenty, for we may come across a hundred Indians."</p> - -<p>"Twenty, then, if you wish it, Don Antonio," the other answered with a -sardonic smile.</p> - -<p>On the governor's arrival the defenders of the fort had got under arms. -Don Torribio detailed twenty horsemen, who, by his orders formed up -behind him.</p> - -<p>"Are we ready to start, governor?"</p> - -<p>"Let us be off."</p> - -<p>The escort, having the two colonels at its head, started in the -direction of the plain, Torribio delighted Don Antonio Valverde for -three quarters of an hour by the rolling fire of his witty remarks, -when he was interrupted by him.</p> - -<p>"Pardon me, colonel," the governor said anxiously, "but does it not -appear singular to you that we have as yet met nobody?"</p> - -<p>"Not the least in the world, señor," Torribio answered; "of course they -know what road to take, and they are awaiting my return."</p> - -<p>"That is possible," the governor said, after a moment's reflection.</p> - -<p>"In that case we shall have another league to ride. Let us go on, then."</p> - -<p>Don Torribio's vein of humour was exhausted. At times his eye examined -the space around him, while Don Antonio remained silent. All at once -the distant neighing of a horse reached their ears.</p> - -<p>"What's that?" Torribio asked.</p> - -<p>"Probably the men we are seeking."</p> - -<p>"In any case let us be prudent. Wait for me; I will go ahead as scout."</p> - -<p>He galloped forward and disappeared in the gloom. When a certain -distance off, he dismounted and put his ears to the ground.</p> - -<p>"<i>¡Demonios!</i>" he muttered, as he got up and leapt on to his horse -again; "we are pursued. Can that Satan of a Pedrito have recognized me?"</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" the governor asked. "Nothing," Torribio replied, -laying his left hand on his arm. "Don Antonio Valverde, surrender; you -are my prisoner."</p> - -<p>"Are you mad, Don Torribio?"</p> - -<p>"No longer call me Don Torribio, señor," the young man said in a hollow -voice; "I am Nocobotha, the great chief of the Patagonian natives."</p> - -<p>"Treachery!" the governor shouted; "Help, gauchos, defend me!"</p> - -<p>"It is useless, colonel, for those men belong to me."</p> - -<p>"I will not surrender," the governor continued "Don Torribio, or -whoever you may be, you are a coward."</p> - -<p>He freed himself from the young man's grasp by a bound of his horse, -and drew his sabre. The rapid gallop of several horses came nearer -every moment.</p> - -<p>"Can that be help arriving for me?" the governor said, as he cocked a -pistol.</p> - -<p>"Yes, but too late," the Indian chief answered coldly.</p> - -<p>By his orders, the gauchos surrounded the commandant, who killed two -of them. From this moment the fight in the dark became frightful. Don -Antonio, seeing that his life was lost, wished, at least, to die as a -soldier should die, and fought desperately.</p> - -<p>The sound of the galloping horses constantly drew nearer.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha saw that it was time to finish, and with a pistol shot killed -the governor's horse. Don Antonio rolled on the sand, but, jumping -up suddenly, he dealt his adversary a sabre stroke, which the latter -parried by leaping on one side.</p> - -<p>"A man such as I am does not surrender to dogs like you," Don Antonio -exclaimed, as he blew out his own brains.</p> - -<p>This explosion was followed by a sharp discharge of musketry, and -a squadron of horsemen rushed like a whirlwind on the gauchos. The -contest hardly lasted a moment. At a whistle from Nocobotha the gauchos -turned round and fled separately over the dark plain. Eight corpses -strewed the ground.</p> - -<p>"Too late!" Pedrito said to Major Bloomfield, who had started in -pursuit of Don Torribio so soon as the bombero warned him of the peril -into which the Indian had led the governor.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the major, sorrowfully, "he was a good soldier; but how are -we to catch the traitors up, and know what we have to depend on?"</p> - -<p>"They are already in the Indian camp."</p> - -<p>Pedrito leapt from his horse, cut with his machete a branch of resinous -fir, which he made into a torch, and by its light examined the bodies -stretched on the ground.</p> - -<p>"Here he is!" the bombero exclaimed; "His skull is fearfully fractured; -his hand grasps a pistol; but his face still retains an expression of -haughty defiance."</p> - -<p>A silent tear rolled down Major Bloomfield's bronzed face.</p> - -<p>"Why was my old friend fated thus to die in an ambuscade when his -fortress is besieged?" the Englishman murmured.</p> - -<p>"God is the Master," Pedrito remarked, philosophically.</p> - -<p>"He has performed his duty, so let us perform ours."</p> - -<p>They raised the body of Don Antonio Valverde, and then the whole -squadron returned to Carmen.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha, however, we must remark, had only wished to make the colonel -prisoner in order to treat with the colonists, and shed as little blood -as possible, and he bitterly regretted the governor's death. While the -gauchos were rejoicing at the success of the trap, Nocobotha, gloomy -and dissatisfied, returned to his camp.</p> - -<p>Mercedes and Doña Concha, on seeing the toldo of the great chief -unoccupied, could not repress a sigh of satisfaction. They had the -time to recover from their emotion in his absence, and prepare for -the interview which Concha desired to have with him. They had removed -their Indian garb in all haste, and resumed their Spanish attire. By an -accident that favoured the plans of Don Sylvio's betrothed wife, she -was lovelier and more seductive than usual; her pallor had a touching -and irresistible grace about it, and her eyes flashed eager flames of -love or hatred.</p> - -<p>When Nocobotha arrived in front of the toldo, the matchi walked up to -him.</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" the chief asked.</p> - -<p>"My father will pardon me," the sorcerer answered, humbly. "This night -two women have entered the camp."</p> - -<p>"What do I care?" the chief interrupted him, impatiently.</p> - -<p>"These women, though dressed in the Indian fashion, are white," the -matchi said, laying a stress on the last word.</p> - -<p>"They are doubtless wives of the gauchos."</p> - -<p>"No," the sorcerer said; "their hands are too white, and their feet too -small. Besides, one of them is the white slave of the tree of Gualichu."</p> - -<p>"Ah! and who made them prisoners?"</p> - -<p>"No one; they arrived alone."</p> - -<p>"Alone?"</p> - -<p>"I accompanied them through the camp, and protected them against the -curiosity of the warriors."</p> - -<p>"You acted well."</p> - -<p>"I introduced them into my father's toldo."</p> - -<p>"Are they there now?"</p> - -<p>"For the last hour."</p> - -<p>"I thank my brother."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha took off one of his bracelets, and threw it to the matchi, -who bowed down to the ground.</p> - -<p>The chief, suffering from indescribable agitation, rushed toward his -toldo, the curtain of which he raised with a feverish hand, and he -could not restrain a cry of delight and astonishment on hearing Doña -Concha's voice.</p> - -<p>The maiden greeted him with one of those strange and charming smiles of -which women alone possess the secret.</p> - -<p>"What is the meaning of this?" the chief asked, with a graceful bow.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha involuntarily admired the young man; his splendid Indian -costume flashing in the light, heightened his masculine and proud -attitude, and his head was haughtily erect. He was very handsome, and -born to command.</p> - -<p>"By what name shall I address you, caballero?" she said to him, as she -pointed to a seat of carved copal wood by her side.</p> - -<p>"That depends, señorita. If you address the Spaniard, call me Don -Torribio; if you have come to speak to the Indian, my brothers call me -Nocobotha."</p> - -<p>"We shall see," she said.</p> - -<p>During a momentary silence, the two speakers examined each other aside. -Doña Concha did not know how to begin, and the chief himself was -seeking the motive for such a visit.</p> - -<p>"Did you really wish to see me?" Nocobotha at length began.</p> - -<p>"Who else?" she replied.</p> - -<p>"The happiness of seeing you here appears to me a dream, and I fear -lest I should awake from it."</p> - -<p>This remark reminded her of Don Valentine Cardoso's guest, and did not -agree with the ornaments of an Indian chief and the interior of a toldo.</p> - -<p>"Good gracious!" Doña Concha said lightly, "You are not far removed -from believing me a witch or a fairy, so I will break my wand."</p> - -<p>"For all that you will not be the less an enchantress," Nocobotha -interrupted her with a smile.</p> - -<p>"The sorcerer is this child's brother, who revealed to me your real -name, and the spot where I might find you. You must give Pedrito all -the credit."</p> - -<p>"I shall not forget it when an opportunity offers," he answered with a -frown, which did not escape Doña Concha's notice; "but let us return -to yourself, señorita. Would it be an indiscretion to ask you to what -extraordinary circumstance I owe the favour of a visit which I did not -anticipate, but which overwhelms me with joy?"</p> - -<p>"Oh! A very simple cause," she replied, giving him a fiery look.</p> - -<p>"I am listening, madam."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you wish to make me undergo an examination?"</p> - -<p>"Oh! I trust that you do not think what you are saying."</p> - -<p>"Don Torribio, we live in such unhappy times, that a person can never -be sure of addressing a friend."</p> - -<p>"I am yours, madam."</p> - -<p>"I hope so, and even believe it, hence I will speak to you in the most -perfect confidence. A girl of my age, and especially of my rank, does -not take a step so singular, without very serious motives."</p> - -<p>"I am convinced of that."</p> - -<p>"What can make a woman lay aside her instinctive modesty, and cause -her to disdain even her reputation? What feeling inspires her with -masculine courage? Is it not love, Don Torribio —love? Do you -understand me?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, madam," he answered with emotion.</p> - -<p>"Well, I have said it, it is a question of my heart and of -yours—perhaps—Don Torribio. At our last interview, my father -announced rather suddenly, both to you and me, my approaching marriage -with Don Sylvio d'Arenal. I had thought you loved me—"</p> - -<p>"Señorita!"</p> - -<p>"But at that moment I became certain of it; I saw your sudden pallor, -your voice was troubled."</p> - -<p>"Still!—"</p> - -<p>"I am a woman, Don Torribio; we women guess a man's love before a man -himself does so."</p> - -<p>The Indian chief gazed at her with an undefinable expression.</p> - -<p>"A few days later," she continued, "Don Sylvio fell into an -ambuscade—why did you do that, Don Torribio?"</p> - -<p>"I wished to avenge myself on a rival, but I did not order his death."</p> - -<p>"I knew it."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha did not understand her.</p> - -<p>"You had no rival—you had scarce left the house ere I confessed to my -father that I did not love Don Sylvio, and would not marry him."</p> - -<p>"O Heavens!" the young man exclaimed sorrowfully.</p> - -<p>"Reassure yourself, the misfortune is repaired; Don Sylvio is not dead."</p> - -<p>"Who told you so?"</p> - -<p>"I know it, I know it so well that Don Sylvio, torn from Pincheira's -hands by my orders, is at this moment at the Estancia de San Julian, -whence he will shortly set out for Buenos Aires."</p> - -<p>"Can I—"</p> - -<p>"That is not all. I made my father understand toward whom my heart -turned, and whose love it confided in, and my father, who has never -been able to refuse me anything, permitted me to go and join the man -whom I prefer."</p> - -<p>She gave Don Torribio a glance full of love, looked down and blushed. A -thousand contradictory feelings were contending in Nocobotha's heart, -for he did not dare believe that which rendered him so happy; a doubt -remained, a cruel doubt—suppose she were trifling with him?</p> - -<p>"What!" he said, "You love me?"</p> - -<p>"My presence here,—" she stammered.</p> - -<p>"Happiness renders me confused, so forgive me."</p> - -<p>"If I did not love you," she answered, "Sylvio is free and I could -marry him."</p> - -<p>"Oh women! Adorable creatures, who will ever sound the depths of your -heart! Who can divine the sorrow or joy you conceal in a glance or in a -smile? Yes, señorita, yes, I love you, and I wish to tell you so on my -knees."</p> - -<p>And the great chief of the Patagonian nations threw himself at Doña -Concha's feet; he pressed her hands and covered them with burning -kisses. The maiden, who held her head erect, while he lay thus -prostrate before her, had a ferocious delight in her eyes; she had -repeated the eternal allegory of the lion that surrenders its claws -to the scissors of love. This man, so powerful and formidable, was -conquered, and henceforth she was sure of her vengeance.</p> - -<p>"What shall I tell my father?" she said in a voice gentle as a caress.</p> - -<p>The lion rose with flashing eyes and radiant brow.</p> - -<p>"Madam," he answered with supreme majesty, "tell Don Valentine Cardoso -that within a month I shall place a crown on your beloved forehead."</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></h4> - -<h3>DELILAH.</h3> - - -<p>It is rare for an extreme situation, when drawn to its utmost limits, -to remain long in a state of tension; hence it is not surprising that -Nocobotha, after advancing so far in his confiding love, should recoil -terrified at the progress he had made. Man is so constituted that -too much happiness embarrasses and alarms him, and it is, perhaps, a -foreboding that this happiness will be of short duration. The Indian -chief, whose heart overflowed like a brimming cup, felt a vague -doubt mingle with his joy and obscure it with a cloud. Still, it is -pleasant to flatter one's self, and the young man yielded to this new -intoxication and the pleasures of hope. These smiles, these looks, -everything reassured him. Why had she come to him through so many -dangers? She loves me, he thought, and love intensified the bandage -which Doña Concha had fastened over his eyes with so much grace and -perfidy.</p> - -<p>Men of lofty intellect are nearly all unconsciously affected by -a weakness that frequently causes their ruin, the more so because -they believe nobody clever enough to cheat them. Had Nocobotha -nothing to fear from this girl of fifteen, who avowed her love with -such simplicity? But as his mind was, so to speak, turned away from -real life to be absorbed in a single dream—the independence of his -country—Nocobotha had never essayed to read that enigmatical book -called a woman's heart; he was ignorant that a woman, especially an -American woman, never forgives an insult offered to her lover, for he -is her deity and is inviolable.</p> - -<p>The Indian loved for the first time, and this first love, which is -so sharp that at a later date all other loves grow pale at the mere -remembrance of it, had sunk deeply into his heart. He loved, and the -transient doubt which had saddened his thoughts could not struggle -against a thought which was now eradicable.</p> - -<p>"Can I," Concha asked, "remain in your camp without fear of being -insulted, until my father arrives?"</p> - -<p>"Command me, madam," the Indian answered, "you have only slaves here."</p> - -<p>"This girl, to whom you owe my presence here, will proceed to the -Estancia of San Julian."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha walked to the curtain of the toldo and clapped his hands -twice. Lucaney appeared.</p> - -<p>"Let a toldo be prepared for me, I give up to the two paleface women," -the chief said in the Aucas tongue. "A band of picked warriors, -selected by my brother, will watch over their safety night and day. Woe -to the man who fails in respect to them! These women are sacred and -free to come and go and receive any visitors they think proper. Have -two horses saddled for me and for one of the white women."</p> - -<p>Lucaney went out.</p> - -<p>"You see, madam, that you are the queen here."</p> - -<p>Doña Concha drew from her bosom a letter written beforehand and -unsealed, which she handed to him, with a smile on her lips, but -trembling at her heart.</p> - -<p>"Read, Don Torribio, what I have written to my father."</p> - -<p>"Oh, señorita!" he exclaimed, thrusting the note away.</p> - -<p>Doña Concha slowly folded the letter without any apparent emotion, and -delivered it to Mercedes.</p> - -<p>"My child, you will give this to my father when alone, and explain to -him what I have forgotten to say."</p> - -<p>"Permit me to withdraw, madam."</p> - -<p>"No," Concha replied, with a bewitching smile, "I have no secrets from -you."</p> - -<p>The young man smiled at this remark. At this moment the horses were -brought up, and Doña Concha found time to whisper in Mercedes' ear the -hurried words: "Your brother must be here in an hour."</p> - -<p>Mercedes slightly closed her eyes as a sign of intelligence.</p> - -<p>"I will accompany your friend myself," the chief said, "as far as the -entrenchments of Carmen."</p> - -<p>"I thank you, Don Torribio."</p> - -<p>The two maidens tenderly embraced.</p> - -<p>"In an hour," Doña Concha murmured.</p> - -<p>"Good," Mercedes answered.</p> - -<p>"You are at home here, madam," Nocobotha said to Doña Concha, who -accompanied him to the entrance of the toldo.</p> - -<p>Mercedes and the chief mounted their horses: the young Spanish girl -followed them with eye and ear, and then re-entered the toldo.</p> - -<p>"The game has begun, and he must reveal his plans to me."</p> - -<p>In a quarter of an hour Mercedes and her guide came within fifty yards -of Carmen, without having exchanged a word.</p> - -<p>"Here," said Nocobotha, "you no longer require my services."</p> - -<p>He turned back and galloped toward the camp. The girl advanced boldly -in the direction of the town, whose gloomy outline rose before her. But -a vigorous hand seized her bridle, she felt a pistol placed against her -bosom, and a low voice said in Spanish—</p> - -<p>"Who goes there?"</p> - -<p>"A friend," she replied, suppressing a shriek of terror.</p> - -<p>"Mercedes!" the rude voice exclaimed, becoming much softer.</p> - -<p>"Pedrito!" she replied joyously, as she slipped into the arms of her -brother, who embraced her affectionately.</p> - -<p>"Where do you come from, little sister?"</p> - -<p>"From the camp of the Patagonians."</p> - -<p>"Already?"</p> - -<p>"My mistress has sent me to you."</p> - -<p>"Who accompanied you?"</p> - -<p>"Nocobotha himself."</p> - -<p>"Malediction!" the bombero said, "For five minutes I had him at the end -of my rifle. Well, but come, we will talk inside."</p> - -<p>"Oh!" Pedrito exclaimed, when Mercedes ended the narration of their -expedition, "Oh, women are demons, demons, and men plucked chickens; -and your letter?"</p> - -<p>"Here it is."</p> - -<p>"Don Valentine must receive it tonight, for the poor father will be -pining in mortal anxiety."</p> - -<p>"I will carry it," said Mercedes.</p> - -<p>"No; you need rest. I have a safe man here, who will ride to the -estancia. You, little sister, come into the house, where a worthy -woman, who knows me, will take care of you."</p> - -<p>"Will you go to Doña Concha?"</p> - -<p>"I should think so. Poor girl! alone among the Pagans."</p> - -<p>"Ever devoted, my kind brother!"</p> - -<p>"It seems that is my vocation."</p> - -<p>Pedrito led Mercedes to the house he had referred to, warmly -recommended her to the hostess, and then turned into a street, in the -middle of which a large fire was burning, and several men reposing -round it, wrapped in their cloaks. The bombero roughly shook the foot -of one of the sleepers.</p> - -<p>"Come, come, Patito," he said to him, "up with you, my boy, and gallop -to the Estancia of San Julian."</p> - -<p>"Why, I have just come from there," the gaucho muttered, yawning and -rubbing his eyes.</p> - -<p>"The better reason; you must know the road. It is Doña Concha who sends -you."</p> - -<p>"If the señorita wishes it, of course," Patito said, whom the name -thoroughly aroused; "what am I to do?"</p> - -<p>"Mount your horse and carry this letter to Don Valentine; it is an -important letter, you understand?"</p> - -<p>"Very good."</p> - -<p>"Let nobody take it from you."</p> - -<p>"Of course not."</p> - -<p>"If you are killed—?"</p> - -<p>"I shall be killed."</p> - -<p>"When you are dead it must not even be found on you."</p> - -<p>"I will swallow it."</p> - -<p>"The Indians will not think of ripping you up."</p> - -<p>"All right."</p> - -<p>"Be off."</p> - -<p>"Only give me time to saddle my horse."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, Patito, and luck be with you." Pedrito left the gaucho, who -speedily started.</p> - -<p>"It is now my turn," the bombero muttered; "how am I to reach Doña -Concha?"</p> - -<p>He scratched his head and frowned, but ere long his forehead became -unwrinkled, and he proceeded gaily to the fort; After a conference -with Major Bloomfield, who had succeeded Don Antonio Valverde in -command of the town, Pedrito doffed his clothes, and disguised himself -as an Aucas. He set out, slipped into the Indian camp, and shortly -before sunrise was back again in the town.</p> - -<p>"Well?" his sister said to him.</p> - -<p>"All goes well," the bombero answered, "<i>¡Viva Dios!</i> Nocobotha, I -fancy, will pay dearly for carrying off Don Sylvio. Oh, women are -demons!"</p> - -<p>"Am I to go and join her?"</p> - -<p>"No; it is unnecessary."</p> - -<p>And, without entering into any details, Pedrito, who was worn out with -fatigue, selected a place to sleep in, snored away, not troubling -himself about the Indians.</p> - -<p>Several days elapsed ere the besiegers renewed their attack on the -town, which, however, they invested more closely. The Spaniards, -strictly blockaded, and having no communication with the exterior, -found their provisions running short, and hideous famine would soon -pounce on its victims. Fortunately, the indefatigable Pedrito had an -idea which he communicated to Major Bloomfield. He had a hundred and -fifty loaves worked up with arsenic, water, and vitriol mingled with -twenty barrels of spirits; the whole loaded on mules, was placed under -the escort of Pedrito and his two brothers. The bomberos approached -the Patagonian earthworks with this frugal stock of provisions. The -Indians, who are passionately fond of firewater, rushed to meet the -caravan, and seize the barrels. Pedrito and his brothers left their -burden lying on the sand, and returned to the town at a gallop with the -mules, which were intended to support the besieged, if the Patagonians -did not make the assault.</p> - -<p>There was a high holiday in the camp. The loaves were cut up; the heads -of the barrels stove in, and nothing was left. This orgy cost the -Indians six thousand men, who died in atrocious tortures. The others, -struck with horror, began disbanding in all directions. The chiefs -were no longer respected. Nocobotha himself saw his authority wavering -before the superstition of the savages, who believed in a celestial -punishment. The prisoners, men, women, and children, were massacred -with horrible refinements of barbarity. Doña Concha, though protected -by the great chief, only owed her escape to chance or to God, who -preserved her as the instrument of His will.</p> - -<p>The rage of the Indians, having no one left to vent itself on, -gradually calmed down. Nocobotha went about constantly to restore -courage. He felt that it was time to come to an end, and he gave -Lucaney orders to assemble all the chiefs in his toldo.</p> - -<p>"Great chiefs of the great nations," Nocobotha said to them, so soon as -they were all collected round the council fire, "tomorrow, at daybreak, -Carmen will be attacked on all sides at once. So soon as the town is -taken the campaign will be over. Those who recoil are not men, but -slaves. Remember that we are fighting for the liberty of our race."</p> - -<p>He then informed each chief of the place of his tribe in the assault; -formed a reserve of ten thousand men to support, if necessary, those -who gave way, and, after cheering up the Ulmens, he dismissed them. So -soon as he was alone, he proceeded to Doña Concha's toldo. The young -lady gave Lucaney orders to admit him. Doña Concha was talking with her -father, who, on receiving her letter, through Patito, at once hastened -to her.</p> - -<p>The interior of the toldo was completely altered, for Nocobotha -had placed in it furniture, carried off from the estancias by the -Indians. Externally nothing was changed, but inside it was divided by -partitions, and rendered a perfect European residence. Here Concha -lived pleasantly enough, honoured by the supreme chief and in the -company of her father and Mercedes, who acted as her lady's maid.</p> - -<p>The Indians, though somewhat astonished at their great Toqui's mode of -life, remembered the European education he had received, and dared not -complain. Was not Nocobotha's hatred of the white men still equally -ardent? Were not his words still full of love for his country at the -council fire? Was it not he who had directed the invasion, and led the -tribes on the path of liberty? Hence, Nocobotha had lost nothing in the -opinion of the warriors. He was still their well-beloved chief.</p> - -<p>"Is the effervescence of the tribes appeased?" Doña Concha asked -Nocobotha.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Heaven be thanked, señorita; but the man commanding at Carmen is -a wild beast. Six thousand men have been killed by poison."</p> - -<p>"Oh, it is fearful," the young lady said.</p> - -<p>"The whites are accustomed to treat us thus, and poison—"</p> - -<p>"Say no more about it, Don Torribio; it makes me shudder."</p> - -<p>"For centuries the Spaniards have been our murderers."</p> - -<p>"What do you intend doing?" Don Valentine asked, in order to turn the -conversation.</p> - -<p>"Tomorrow, señor, a general assault will be made on Carmen."</p> - -<p>"Tomorrow?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Tomorrow I shall have destroyed the Spaniards' power in the -Patagonia, or be dead myself."</p> - -<p>"God will protect the good cause," Doña Concha said in a prophetic -voice.</p> - -<p>A cloud passed over Don Valentine's forehead.</p> - -<p>"During the battle, which will be obstinate, I implore you, señorita, -not to leave this toldo, before which I will leave twenty men on guard."</p> - -<p>"Are you going to leave us already, Don Torribio?"</p> - -<p>"I must; so excuse me, madam."</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, then," Doña Concha said.</p> - -<p>"All is over!" Don Valentine murmured, in despair, when Nocobotha had -gone out. "They will succeed."</p> - -<p>The maiden, who was calm and half smiling, but whose eye was inflamed -with hatred, walked up to Don Valentine, clasped her hands on his -shoulder, and said, in a whisper—</p> - -<p>"Have you read the Bible, father?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; when I was young."</p> - -<p>"Do you remember the history of Samson Delilah?"</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to cut his hair off, then?"</p> - -<p>"Do you remember Judith and Holofernes?"</p> - -<p>"Then you mean to cut his head off?"</p> - -<p>"No, father."</p> - -<p>"What mean these strange questions?"</p> - -<p>"I love Don Sylvio!"</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE AGONY OF A TOWN.</h3> - - -<p>About two in the morning, at the moment when the blue jay struck up -its first song, faint as a sigh, Nocobotha, completely armed for war, -left his toldo, and proceeded to the centre of the camp. Here the -Ulmens, Apo-Ulmens, and caraskens, were squatting on their heels round -an immense fire, and smoking in silence. All rose on the arrival of -the supreme Toqui, but at a signal from the master they resumed their -seats. Nocobotha then turned to the matchi, who was walking gravely by -his side, and to whom he had dictated his orders beforehand.</p> - -<p>"Will Gualichu," he asked him, "be neutral, adverse, or favourable in -the war of his Indian sons against the pale faces?"</p> - -<p>The sorcerer went up to the fire, and walked round it thrice from left -to right, while muttering unintelligible words. At the third round he -filled a calabash with sacred water contained in closely plaited reeds, -sprinkled the assembly, and threw the rest toward the east. Then, -with body half bent and head advanced, he stretched out his arms, and -appeared listening to sounds perceptible to himself alone.</p> - -<p>On his right hand the blue jay poured forth its plaintive note twice -in succession. Suddenly the matchi's face was disfigured by horrible -grimaces; his blood-suffused eyes swelled; he turned pale and trembled -as if suffering from an ague fit.</p> - -<p>"The spirit is coming! The spirit is coming!" the Indians said.</p> - -<p>"Silence!" Nocobotha commanded; "The sage, is about to speak."</p> - -<p>In fact, obeying this indirect order, he whistled guttural sounds -between his teeth, among which the broken words could be detected—</p> - -<p>"The spirit is marching!" he exclaimed; "He has unfastened his long -hair, which floats in the wind; his breath spreads death around. The -sky is red with blood! Gualichu, the prince of evil will not want -for victims. The flesh of the palefaces serves as a sheath for the -knives of the Patagonians. Do you hear the urubús and vultures in -the distance? What a splendid meal they will have!—Utter the war -yell! Courage, warriors, Gualichu guides you death is nothing; glory -everything."</p> - -<p>The sorcerer still continued to stammer, and rolled on the ground, -suffering from a fit of epilepsy. Then the Indians pitilessly turned -away from him, for the man who is so rash as to touch the matchi when -the spirit is torturing him would be struck by a sudden death. Such is -the Indian belief.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha addressed the audience in his turn. "Chiefs of the great -Patagonian nations, as you see, the God of our fathers is with us, and -He wishes our land to become free again. The sun, when it sets, must -not see a Spanish flag waving in Patagonia. Courage, brothers! The -Incas, my ancestors, who hunt on the blessed prairies of the Eskennam, -will joyfully receive among them those who may fall in battle. Each -will proceed to his post! The cry of the urubú, repeated thrice at -equal intervals, will be the signal for the assault."</p> - -<p>The chiefs bowed and withdrew.</p> - -<p>The night, studded with stars, was calm and imposing. The moon coloured -with a pale silver the dark blue of the firmament. There was not a -breath in the air, not a cloud in the sky; the atmosphere was serene -and limpid; nothing disturbed the silence of this splendid night, -except the dull, vague murmur which seems on the desert to be the -breathing of sleeping nature.</p> - -<p>A thousand varied feelings were confounded in the mind of Nocobotha, -who thought of the approaching deliverance of his country, and his -love for Doña Concha. Then raising his eyes to the star-studded vault -of Heaven, the Indian fervently implored Him who is omnipotent, and -who tries the loins and hearts to fight on his side. If he had been -compelled to choose between his love and the cause he defended, he -assuredly would not have hesitated; for the happiness of an individual -is as nothing when compared with the liberty of an entire nation.</p> - -<p>While the Toqui was plunged in these reflections a hand was laid -heavily on his shoulder. It was the matchi who looked at him with his -tiger cat eyes.</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" he asked him drily.</p> - -<p>"Is my father satisfied with me? Did Gualichu speak well?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," the chief said, repressing a start of disgust. "Withdraw."</p> - -<p>"My father is great and generous."</p> - -<p>Nocobotha contemptuously threw one of his rich necklaces to the -wretched sorcerer, who made a grimace to show his joy.</p> - -<p>"Begone!" he said to him.</p> - -<p>The matchi, satisfied with his reward, went away. The trade of an -Indian sorcerer is a famous one.</p> - -<p>"I have the time," Nocobotha muttered, after calculating the hours by -the position of the stars.</p> - -<p>He hastily bent his steps toward Doña Concha's toldo.</p> - -<p>"She is there," he said to himself, "she is sleeping, lulled by her -childish dreams; her lips are opened like a flower to inhale the -perfumed breath of night. She is slumbering with her hand upon her -heart to defend it. And I love her! Grant, O Heaven, that I may render -her happy! Help my arm, which wishes to save a people!"</p> - -<p>He went up to a warrior, standing at the entrance to the toldo.</p> - -<p>"Lucaney," he said, in a voice that was powerfully affected, "I have -twice saved you from death."</p> - -<p>"I remember it."</p> - -<p>"All I love is in that toldo: I intrust it to you."</p> - -<p>"This toldo is sacred, my father."</p> - -<p>"Thanks!" Nocobotha said, affectionately pressing the hand of the -Ulmen, who kissed the hem of his robe.</p> - -<p>The Ulmens, after the council was over, had drawn up their tribes in -readiness for the assault; the warriors, lying down flat on the ground, -began one of those astounding marches which Indians alone are capable -of undertaking. Gliding and crawling like lizards through the lofty -grass, they succeeded, within an hour, in placing themselves unnoticed -at the very foot of the Argentine intrenchments. This movement had -been executed with the refined prudence the Indians display on the war -trail. The silence of the prairie had not been disturbed, and the town -seemed buried in sleep.</p> - -<p>Some minutes, however, before the Ulmens received Nocobotha's final -orders, a man, dressed in the costume of the Aucas, had left the camp -before them all, and made his way to Carmen on his hands and knees. On -reaching the first barricades, he held out his hands to an invisible -hand, which hoisted him over the wall.</p> - -<p>"Well, Pedrito?"</p> - -<p>"We shall be attacked, major, within an hour."</p> - -<p>"Is it an assault?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; the Indians are afraid of being poisoned like rats, and hence -wish to come to an end."</p> - -<p>"What is to be done?"</p> - -<p>"We must die."</p> - -<p>"By Jupiter! That's fine advice."</p> - -<p>"We may still try—"</p> - -<p>"What?"</p> - -<p>"Give me twenty faithful gauchos."</p> - -<p>"Take them, and what then?"</p> - -<p>"Leave me to act, major. I do not answer for success, as these red -demons are as numerous as flies; but I shall certainly kill some of -them."</p> - -<p>"And the women and children?"</p> - -<p>"I have shut them up in the Estancia of San Julian."</p> - -<p>"Heaven be praised!"</p> - -<p>"But, by the way, they will attack the estancia if they take Carmen."</p> - -<p>"You're a humbug, Pedrito," the major said, with a smile. "You forget -Doña Concha."</p> - -<p>"That is true," the bombero remarked gaily; "I did not think of the -señorita. I also forgot this—the signal for the attack will be an -urubú cry, repeated at three equal intervals."</p> - -<p>"Good! I will go and prepare, for I do not expect they will wait for -sunrise."</p> - -<p>The major on one side, and the bombero on the other, proceeded from -post to post to awake the defenders of the town, and warn them to be on -their guard.</p> - -<p>On that very evening, Major Bloomfield had convened all the -inhabitants; and in a short and energetic harangue depicted to them -their desperate situation.</p> - -<p>"The boats tied up under the guns of the fort," he said, in -conclusion, "are ready to receive the women, children, and any -frightened men. They will be removed during the night to the Estancia -of San Julian."</p> - -<p>The inhabitants stationed themselves behind the barricades with eye and -ear on the watch, and musket in hand. An hour was spent in watching for -the Patagonians, when suddenly the hoarse, ill-omened cry of the urubú -broke the silence. A second cry followed the first closely, and the -last note of the third was still vibrating, when a frightful clamour -burst forth on all sides simultaneously, and the Indians dashed forward -tumultuously to scale the outer entrenchments. They broke against the -living wall that rose at the barriers. Astounded by this unexpected -resistance, the Patagonians fell back, and were decimated by the -canister, which spread desolation and death among their ranks.</p> - -<p>Pedrito, profiting by the panic of the Redskins, dashed, after them at -the head of his gauchos, and cut them down vigorously.</p> - -<p>After two hours of terrific fighting, the sun, disdainful of human -contests, majestically rose in the horizon, and spread the splendour -of its beams over the field of carnage. The Indians saluted its -apparition with shouts of joy, and rushed with much rage at the -intrenchments—their shock was irresistible.</p> - -<p>The colonists fled, pursued by the savages. But a formidable explosion -upheaved the ground beneath their feet, and the hapless Indians hurled -into the air fell dead all around. It was a mine the Argentines had -fired.</p> - -<p>The Indians, wild with terror, and deaf to the voice of their Ulmens, -fled, and refused to begin the engagement again.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha, mounted on a splendid charger, black as night, dashed -forward, almost alone, and waved the sacred totem of the United -Nations, shouting in a voice heard above the din of battle—</p> - -<p>"Cowards who refuse to conquer, at least see me die!"</p> - -<p>This cry sounded in the ears of the Indians as a shameful reproach, and -they ran after their chief.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha appeared invulnerable. He made his horse curvet, rushed into -the thickest of the fight, parried every blow with the staff of the -totem, which he raised above his head and shouted to his men—</p> - -<p>"Courage, follow me!"</p> - -<p>"Nocobotha, the last of the Indians! Let us die for the Child of the -Sun!" the Patagonians shouted, electrified by the rash boldness of -their Toqui.</p> - -<p>"Ah!" he exclaimed, enthusiastically pointing to the planet of day, -"See! My radiant father smiles on our valour. Forward, forward!"</p> - -<p>"Forward!" the warriors repeated, and redoubled their fury.</p> - -<p>All the town was already invaded, and the fighting went on from house -to house. The Aucas formed in close columns, and, led by Nocobotha, -dashed up the eastern steep street that runs to Old Carmen and the -citadel. They advanced fearlessly, in spite of the incessant fire from -the guns of the fort. Nocobotha, respected by death, and ever in front, -brandished his totem, and made his black horse rear.</p> - -<p>"Well," Major Bloomfield said, mournfully to Pedrito, "the hour has -arrived."</p> - -<p>"Do you wish it, major?"</p> - -<p>"I insist on it."</p> - -<p>"That is enough," the bombero added. "Good-bye, major, till we meet -again in another world."</p> - -<p>The two men shook hands: it was a final leave-taking, for, unless a -miracle occurred, they were about to die. After this farewell, Pedrito -collected fifty horsemen, formed them into a close squadron, and -between two discharges from the battery, they dashed at full speed -upon the ascending Indians. The Redskins opened right and left before -this avalanche that rushed down the mountain; and they had scarce -recovered from their stupor, ere they perceived the Spanish horsemen in -three boats, pulling out to sea with all their might.</p> - -<p>Taking advantage of this bold diversion, all the colonists, by Major -Bloomfield's directions, shut themselves up in the fort.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha made the Aucas a sign to halt, and advanced alone up to the -walls of the citadel.</p> - -<p>"Major," he shouted in a firm voice, "surrender; you and your men will -be allowed to live."</p> - -<p>"You are a traitor and a dog," the major, who at once appeared, -answered.</p> - -<p>"You are warned, you and your men."</p> - -<p>"I will not surrender."</p> - -<p>Twenty bullets whistled from the top of the wall, but Nocobotha had -returned to his warriors with the rapidity of an arrow.</p> - -<p>"Back! Back!" he shouted to them.</p> - -<p>A detonation, loud as a hundred peals of thunder, rent the air. -The major had blown up the powder in the fortress. The stony giant -oscillated for two or three seconds on its base like an intoxicated -mastodon; then, suddenly torn from the ground, it rose in the air, and -burst like an overripe pomegranate, amid expiring cries of "Long live -our country!"</p> - -<p>A shower of stones and horridly mutilated corpses fell on the terrified -Indians.</p> - -<p>All was over. Nocobotha was master of the ruins of Carmen. Weeping -with rage on seeing this disastrous victory, he planted his totem on a -piece of tottering wall, which was the only relic of the fort and its -defenders.</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a></h4> - -<h3>THE LAST OF THE INCAS.</h3> - - -<p>The principal houses of the town were only spared from pillage; and -Nocobotha, in order to save their riches, adjudged them to the most -powerful Ulmens. As for himself, he established his headquarters in -his own mansion in Old Carmen. Don Valentine and his daughter took -possession of their house, which had escaped the fury of the Indians.</p> - -<p>The town, crowded with Patagonians, offered an image of desolation.</p> - -<p>A week after the capture of the colony, at about ten in the morning, -three persons were conversing in a low voice in Don Valentine Cardoso's -saloon. They were Don Valentine himself, his daughter, and the Capataz -Don Blas Salazar. The latter, in his gaucho dress, had the look of -a thorough bandit. Mercedes, standing as sentry at a window was -laughing heartily at him, to the great despair of the capataz, who most -sincerely wished his confounded disguise at the deuce.</p> - -<p>"Blas, my friend," Don Valentine was saying, "get yourself ready for a -dance."</p> - -<p>"Then the ceremony is to take place today?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Blas. I must confess that we live in singular times, and a -singular country. I have seen several revolutions, but this one beats -them all."</p> - -<p>"From the Indian point of view," Concha said, "it is very logical."</p> - -<p>"Which of you, a month ago, expected such a sudden re-establishment of -the empire of the Incas?"</p> - -<p>"Not I," the capataz replied. "Still, it seems to me that Nocobotha is -not at all magnanimous for a future emperor."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that, my friend?"</p> - -<p>"Has he not written to Don Sylvio that, if he does not leave the colony -in three days, he will have him hung?"</p> - -<p>"Before hanging people," said Doña Concha, "it is necessary to catch -them."</p> - -<p>"All that is very fine, Blas, but you will return to the estancia. -Above all, do not forget my instructions."</p> - -<p>"Trust to me for that, Excellency; but I am anxious about Pedrito," -he added, in a low voice, not to be overheard by Mercedes; "he has -disappeared for the last six days, and we have heard nothing about -him."</p> - -<p>"Don Pedro," Concha remarked, "is not the man to be lost without -leaving traces. Reassure yourself, we shall see him again."</p> - -<p>"Nocobotha!" Mercedes exclaimed, turning round.</p> - -<p>"Blas, my friend, decamp," Don Valentine said.</p> - -<p>"Come again soon," Mercedes added.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha walked in. The great chief of the Aucas, dressed in his -magnificent Indian costume, had a thoughtful brow and anxious look. -After the first compliment, Doña Concha, alarmed by the chiefs -gloomy appearance, bent forward gracefully to him, and said, with an -affectionate air, which was admirably assumed—</p> - -<p>"What is the matter with you, Torribio; you seem troubled? Have you -received any unpleasant news?"</p> - -<p>"No, madam; I thank you. If I were ambitious, all my wishes would be -fulfilled. The Patagonian chiefs have resolved on re-establishing the -Empire of the Incas, and they have elected me, who am the direct heir, -to succeed the unfortunate Athahualpa; but—"</p> - -<p>"They have done you justice."</p> - -<p>"This distinction terrifies me, and I fear I cannot bear the weight of -an empire. The wounds dealt my race by the Spaniards are old and deep. -The Indians have been brutalized by a long servitude. What a task it is -to command these disunited tribes! Who will carry on my work if I die -in twenty years, two years, tomorrow, perhaps? What will become of the -dream of my life?"</p> - -<p>"Heaven means you to live long, Don Torribio," Doña Concha answered.</p> - -<p>"A diadem on my brow! Stay, señorita, I am discouraged, weary of life; -it seems to me that the crown will press my temples like a band of -iron, and crush them, and that I shall be buried in my triumph!"</p> - -<p>"Dismiss these vain presentiments," the girl remarked, giving a side -glance full of meaning.</p> - -<p>"As you know, madam, the Tarpeian Rock is close to the Capitol."</p> - -<p>"Come, come! Don Torribio," Don Valentine said, gaily; "Let us take our -places."</p> - -<p>A splendid breakfast had been laid. The first moments passed in -silence. The guests seemed embarrassed, but by degrees, thanks to Doña -Concha's efforts, the conversation became more animated, Nocobotha, it -could be easily seen, was making a violent effort to drive back the -flood of thoughts that ran to his lips. Toward the end of the repast he -turned to the young lady.</p> - -<p>"Señorita," he said to her, "this evening all will be over. I shall -be Emperor of the Patagonians, and enemy of the Spaniards, who will -doubtless return with arms in their hands to overthrow our empire. What -they most dread in an Indian insurrection is the reprisals, that is to -say, the massacre of the white men. My marriage with an Argentine is a -pledge of peace for your countrymen, and a security for their commerce. -Doña Concha, give me your hand."</p> - -<p>"What hurry is there at this moment, Don Torribio?" she asked. "Are you -not sure of me?"</p> - -<p>"Ever the same vague and obscure answer," the chief said with a frown. -"Child, you are playing with a lion, and I see to the bottom of your -heart. Imprudent girl, you are rushing on your own destruction; but -no, you are in my power; and after saving your life ten times, I offer -you half a throne. Tomorrow, madam, you will and must marry me. Your -father's and Don Sylvio's heads will answer for your obedience."</p> - -<p>And seizing a crystal bottle full of limpid water, he filled his glass -to the brim, and emptied it at a draught, while Doña Concha gazed at -him fixedly; this look contained a cruel and concealed joy.</p> - -<p>"In an hour," he added as he placed the glass on the table again, "you -will be present at the ceremony by my side; I insist on it."</p> - -<p>"I will be there," she replied.</p> - -<p>"Farewell, madam."</p> - -<p>The young lady rose quickly, seized the bottle, and walked up to the -window.</p> - -<p>"What are you going to do there?" Don Valentine asked.</p> - -<p>"I am watering my flowers, father."</p> - -<p>While pouring out the water, Concha, whose eye sparkled with a gloomy -fire, muttered to herself—</p> - -<p>"Don Torribio, you told me one day that there's many a slip betwixt the -cup and the lip; well, listen to me in my turn; between your forehead -and a crown there is death!"</p> - -<p>She then placed two flower pots near the balustrade on the terrace of -the house. This was doubtless a signal, for in a few minutes Mercedes -entered the saloon hurriedly, saying—</p> - -<p>"He is here."</p> - -<p>"Let him come in," Don Valentine and his daughter said simultaneously.</p> - -<p>Pedrito made his appearance. The estanciero recommended the utmost -vigilance to Mercedes, closed the door, and then seated himself by the -bombero's side.</p> - -<p>"Well?" he asked him.</p> - -<p>The Plaza Mayor on this day offered an unexpected sight. In the centre -rose a tall scaffold covered with red velvet tapestry, on which a -chair of carved nopal wood was placed. The back was surmounted by -a massive gold sun flashing with diamonds; a vulture of the Andes, -the sacred bird of the Incas, also of gold, held in its bent beak an -imperial crown, while in its claws it had a sceptre terminating in a -trident, and a hand of justice holding a dazzling sun. This vulture, -with outstretched wings, seemed hovering over the chair, to which there -was an ascent of four steps. On the right of this chair was another, -somewhat lower, but more simple.</p> - -<p>At midday, the moment when the day star at its zenith darts forth -all its beams, five cannon shots, fired at regular intervals, boomed -forth majestically. At the same moment the different Patagonian tribes -debouched through each of the entrances of the square, led by their -Ulmen, and dressed in their robes of state. Only fifteen thousand -warriors were assembled, for, according to the Indian custom, so soon -as Carmen was taken, the booty was sent under safe escort to the -mountains, and the Patagonian troops disbanded and returned to their -tolderías, ready to come back, however, on the first signal.</p> - -<p>The tribes drew up on three sides, leaving the fourth vacant, which -was soon occupied by five hundred gauchos. The latter were mounted and -well armed, while the Indians were on foot, and had only their machetes -in their girdle. The windows were lined with spectators, behind whom -Indian women, irregularly grouped, thrust out their heads over their -shoulders.</p> - -<p>The centre of the square was free. In front of the scaffolding, and -at the foot of a clumsy altar shaped like a table, with a deep gutter -running down it and a sun above it, stood the great matchi of the -Patagonians and twenty priests, all with their arms crossed, and their -eyes fixed on the ground.</p> - -<p>When all had taken their places, five more gunshots were fired, and a -brilliant cavalcade came up. Nocobotha, who marched at their head, with -Doña Concha on his right and Don Valentine on his left, held his totem -in his hand. After them came the principal Ulmens and caraskens of the -united nations, with their brilliant ornaments of gold and precious -stones.</p> - -<p>Nocobotha got off his horse, held out his hand to Doña Concha to help -her to dismount, mounted the scaffold, led her to the second chair, -and himself stopped before the first one, though without sitting down. -His ordinary pale features were inflamed, his eyes seemed swollen by -watching, and he incessantly wiped away the perspiration that stood on -his forehead. Something unusual was going on within him. Doña Concha's -pallor was extreme, but her face was tranquil.</p> - -<p>The Ulmens surrounded the scaffold, and at a third cannonade, the -priests stepped on one side and displayed a securely bound man lying on -the ground in their midst. The matchi turned to the crowd.</p> - -<p>"All you who listen to me, the Sun, our ancestor, has smiled on our -arms, and Gualichu himself fought for us. The empire of the Incas -is established, the Indians are free, and the supreme chief of the -Patagonian nation, Nocobotha, is about to place on his head the diadem -of Athahualpa. In the name of the new emperor and ourselves we are -about to offer to the Sun from whom he is descended, the most grateful -of all sacrifices. Priests, bring up the victim."</p> - -<p>The priests laid the unhappy wretch in the trough of the altar. He was -a colonist made prisoner at the taking of Población del Sur; indeed -the pulquero in whose shop the gauchos were accustomed to drink their -chicha.</p> - -<p>In the meanwhile Nocobotha trembled as if smitten with ague. He had -a buzzing in his ears; his temples beat violently, and his eyes were -suffused with blood. He supported himself on one of the arms of his -chair.</p> - -<p>"What is the matter?" Doña Concha asked him.</p> - -<p>"I do not know," he answered; "the heat, the excitement, perhaps—I am -stifling; I hope it will be nothing."</p> - -<p>The unfortunate pulquero had been stripped of all his clothes, with -the exception of his trousers, and he uttered heart-rending cries. The -matchi approached him, brandishing his knife.</p> - -<p>"Oh, it is frightful!" Doña Concha exclaimed, burying her face in her -hands.</p> - -<p>"Silence!" Nocobotha murmured; "It must be."</p> - -<p>The matchi, insensible to the yells of the victim, selected the spot -where he was to strike, looked at the day star with an inspired air, -raised his knife, and laid open the pulquero's chest. Then, while the -victim writhed in agony, and the priests collected the blood which -poured in a stream, the matchi plucked out his heart, and held it up -to the sun, like the host in Catholic churches.</p> - -<p>At this moment all the Ulmens mounted the scaffold, and seating -Nocobotha on the throne, raised him on their shoulders, shouting -enthusiastically—</p> - -<p>"Long live the new Emperor! Long live the Son of the Sun!"</p> - -<p>The priests sprinkled the crowd with the blood of the victim, and the -Indians filled the air with deafening shouts.</p> - -<p>At length Nocobotha exclaimed, "I have restored the Empire of the -Incas, and freed my race!"</p> - -<p>"Not yet!" Doña Concha said to him, triumphantly. "Look!"</p> - -<p>The gauchos, who had hitherto been impassive spectators of the -ceremony, suddenly dashed at a gallop upon the defenceless Indians, -while through all the streets poured Argentine troops, who had arrived -from Buenos Aires, and all the windows were lined with white men, who -fired at the mob. In the centre of the square could be recognized -Don Sylvio d'Arenal, Blas Salazar Pedrito and his two brothers, who -pitilessly massacred the Indians with shouts of "Exterminate the -Pagans!"</p> - -<p>"Oh!" Nocobotha exclaimed, brandishing his totem with a trembling hand, -"What treachery!" He tried to fly to the help of his people, but he -tottered and fell on his knees; his eyes were covered by an ensanguined -mist; a devouring fire burnt his entrails. "What is the matter?" he -asked himself in despair.</p> - -<p>"You are dying, Don Torribio," Doña Concha whispered in his ear, as she -seized his arm forcibly.</p> - -<p>"Woman, you lie," he said, striving to rise. "I will help my brothers."</p> - -<p>"Your brothers are being slaughtered; did you not mean to kill my -father, my affianced husband, and myself? Die, villain! Die by a -woman's hand! I love Don Sylvio—do you hear me?—And I am avenged."</p> - -<p>"Woe, woe!" Nocobotha shrieked, dragging himself on his knees to the -edge of the platform, "I am the murderer of a people I wished to save."</p> - -<p>The Indians fell like ripe corn before the sickle of the reapers. It -was no longer a combat, but a butchery. Several chiefs flying before -Pedrito the capataz and Don Sylvio rushed to the platform as a last -refuge.</p> - -<p>"Oh!" Nocobotha howled, as he took a tiger bound and seized Don Sylvio -by the throat, "I too will revenge myself."</p> - -<p>There was a moment of terrible anxiety.</p> - -<p>"No," the chief added, letting loose his enemy and falling back; "it -would be cowardly, for this man has done me no injury."</p> - -<p>Doña Concha, on hearing these words, could not restrain tears of -admiration, tardy tears; tears of repentance, or of love, perhaps!</p> - -<p>Pedrito fired his rifle into the chest of the chief, who was lying -stretched out at his feet. At the same instant Pincheira fell, his -head cleft asunder by Don Sylvio. Don Valentine struck by a straggling -bullet, sank into his disconsolate daughter's arms.</p> - -<p>"My God," Nocobotha murmured, "you will judge me!" He locked up -to heaven, moved his lips again as if in prayer, and suddenly his -countenance became radiant; he fell back and expired.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps this man's cause was just," Doña Concha said, overwhelmed with -remorse.</p> - -<p>It is not the first time that a woman has, through the decree of -Heaven, arrested a conqueror.</p> - - -<h4>THE END.</h4> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Last of the Incas, by Gustave Aimard - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAST OF THE INCAS *** - -***** This file should be named 44514-h.htm or 44514-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/5/1/44514/ - -Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org (Images generously made -available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Last of the Incas - A Romance of the Pampas - -Author: Gustave Aimard - -Translator: Lascelles Wraxall - -Release Date: December 26, 2013 [EBook #44514] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAST OF THE INCAS *** - - - - -Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org (Images generously made -available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.) - - - - - -THE LAST OF THE INCAS: - -A ROMANCE OF THE PAMPAS. - -BY - -GUSTAVE AIMARD - - -"AUTHOR OF ADVENTURERS," "INDIAN CHIEF," "TRAIL HUNTER," - -"PIRATES OF THE PRAIRIES," "TRAPPER'S DAUGHTER," "TIGER - -SLAYER," "GOLD SEEKERS," "RED TRACK," ETC. - - -LONDON: - -CHARLES HENRY CLARKE, 13 PATERNOSTER ROW. - -1875 - - - -CONTENTS. - - - I. THE BOMBEROS - II. EL CARMEN - III. DON TORRIBIO CARVAJAL - IV. THE TREE OF GUALICHU - V. THE COUNCIL OF THE ULMENS - VI. NOCOBOTHA - VII. THE COUGARS - VIII. THE ESTANCIA OF SAN JULIAN - IX. DON SYLVIO D'ARENAL - X. THE VIRGIN FOREST - XI. THE CHASE OF NANDUS - XII. THE TOLDERIA - XIII. THE PAMPERO - XIV. PREPARATIONS FOR A SIEGE - XV. A BRAVE RESOLVE - XVI. THE INVASION - XVII. THE ATTACK ON POBLACION DEL SUR - XVIII. THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS - XIX. DON TORRIBIO'S HOUSE - XX. THE INDIAN CAMP - XXI. THE TOLDO OF THE GREAT TOQUI - XXII. DELILAH - XXIII. THE AGONY OF A TOWN - XXIV. THE LAST OF THE INCAS - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE BOMBEROS. - - -Patagonia is as little known at the present day as it was when Juan -Diaz de Solis and Vicente Yanez Pinzon landed there in 1508, sixteen -years after the discovery of the New World. - -The earliest navigators, whether involuntarily or not, threw over this -country a mysterious veil, which science and frequent relations have -not yet entirely removed. The celebrated Magalaes (Magellan) and his -historian, the Chevalier Pigafetta, who touched at these coasts in -1520, were the first to invent these Patagonian giants so tall that -Europeans scarce reached their girdle, who were upwards of nine feet -high, and resembled Cyclops. These fables, like all fables, have been -accepted as truths, and in the last century became the theme of a very -lively dispute among learned men. Hence the name of Patagonians (great -feet) was given to the inhabitants of this country, which extends from -the western watershed of the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean. - -Patagonia is watered, through its entire length, by the Rio Colorado in -the north, and the Rio Negro in the east-south-east. These two rivers, -through the windings of their course, agreeably break the uniformity -of an arid, dry, sandy soil, on which prickly shrubs alone grow, or -dispense life to the uninterrupted vegetation of their banks. They wind -round a fertile valley overshadowed by willow trees, and trace two deep -furrows through the midst of an almost level country. - -The Rio Negro runs through a valley surrounded by precipitous cliffs, -which the waters still wash at places; wherever they have retired, they -have left alluvial soil covered with an eternal vegetation, and formed -numerous islets covered with willows, and contrasting with the mournful -aspect of the naked cliffs. - -Monkeys, wild asses, foxes, and red wolves constantly traverse the -desert in every direction, together with the cougar, or American lion, -and the imbaracayas--those ferocious and formidable wild cats. The -coasts are thronged with amphibious carnivora, such as sea lions and -elephant seals. The _guya_, concealed in the marshes, utters its -melancholy cry; the _guacuti_, or stag of the Pampas, runs lightly over -the sand; while the _guanaco_, or American camel, sits pensively on the -summit of the cliffs. The majestic condor soars amid the clouds, in -the company of the disgusting cathartes. Urubus and auras which, like -it, hover round the cliffs on the seaboard to dispute the remains of -corpses with the voracious caracaras. Such are the plains of Patagonia, -a monotonous solitude empty, horrible, and desolate! - -One evening in the month of November, which the Aucas Indians call -the "moon of the pruning," a traveller, mounted on a powerful horse -of the Pampas of Buenos Aires, was following at a sharp trot one -of the thousand paths traced by the Indians, in that inextricable -labyrinth found on the banks of all American rivers. This traveller was -a man of thirty years of age at the most, clothed in a semi-Indian, -semi-European garb peculiar to the Gauchos. A poncho of Indian -manufacture hung from his shoulders to his horse's flanks, and only -left visible the long Chilian polenas that came above his knees. A -lasso and _bolas_ hung from either side of his saddle, and he carried a -rifle in front of him. - -His face, half concealed by the broad brim of his straw hat, had an -expression of brute courage and spitefulness; his features were, so to -say, modelled by hatred. His long hooked nose, surmounted by two quick -threatening eyes, rather close together, gave him a distant resemblance -to a bird of prey; his thin lips were contracted with an ironical air, -and his prominent cheekbones suggested cunning. The Spaniard could be -recognized by his olive tint. The effect of this face, surrounded as it -was by long tangled black hair and a large beard, was to inspire fear -and repulsion. His wide shoulders and well-knit limbs denoted far from -common strength and agility in this man, who seemed above the average -height. - -On reaching a spot where several tracks crossed each other to form an -inextricable network, the stranger stopped to look about him, and, -after a moment's hesitation, turned to the right and struck a trail. -Going further and further away from the banks of the Rio Colorado, -which he had hitherto been following, he entered a plain, the soil of -which, burned by the sun and covered with small pebbles or gravel, -only offered a few stunted shrubs to the eye. The further the stranger -advanced in this desert, the further solitude extended in its gloomy -majesty, and the footfall of his horse alone disturbed the silence of -the desert. The horseman, but slightly affected by this savage beauty -of Nature, contented himself with carefully reconnoitering and counting -the _pozos_, for in these countries utterly void of water, travellers -have dug reservoirs in which the water collects during the rainy season. - -After passing two of these pozos, the traveller saw in the distance -horses hobbled in front of a wretched _toldo_. At once a shout was -raised, and in less than a minute the horses were unfastened; three men -leapt into the saddle, and dashed forward at full gallop to reconnoitre -this man, who, careless of their movements, continued his journey -without making the slightest attempt to put himself on his defence. - -"Eh, _compadre_, whither are you bound?" one of them asked, as he -barred the way for the stranger. - -"_Canario_, Pepe," the latter answered; "have you been emptying a skin -of aguardiente this evening? Do you not recognize me?" - -"Why, 'tis the voice of Pedrito, if I am not mistaken." - -"Unless someone has stolen my voice, my good fellow, it is I, the real -Pedrito." - -"Caray! You are welcome," the three men shouted. - -"Deuce take me if I did not fancy you killed by one of those dogs of -Aucas; ten minutes ago I was talking about it to Lopez." - -"Yes," Lopez added in confirmation, "for you have disappeared for eight -days." - -"Eight days--yes; but I have not lost my time." - -"You will tell us your exploits?" - -"I should think so; but I and my horse are hungry after a two days' -fast." - -"That will be soon remedied," said Pepe, "for here we are." - -The four friends, while conversing, had ridden on, and at this moment -dismounted in front of the _toldo_, which they entered, after hobbling -their horses and placing food before that of the newcomer. This toldo, -as they are called in the country, was a cabin thirty feet long and the -same in depth, covered with reeds, and formed of stakes driven into the -ground, and fastened together with thongs. In one corner, four wooden -and leather benches served as beds for the dwellers in this house, -where it was difficult to shelter themselves against the wind and rain. - -In the centre of the toldo each sat down on a large stone, in front -of a fire whose dense smoke almost concealed objects. Lopez took up -a piece of guanaco that was roasting, and planted the spit in the -ground. The four comrades drew their long knives from their polenas, -and began eating with good appetites. - -These men were _bomberos_. - -Ever since the foundation of the Spanish colonial fort of Carmen, -it had been found necessary, in consequence of the vicinity of the -Indians, to have scouts to watch over their movements, and give the -alarm at the slightest danger. These scouts form a species of corps of -the bravest men, thoroughly habituated to the privations of the Pampas. -Although their services are voluntary and their profession perilous, -bomberos are never wanting, for they are handsomely paid. They often go -twenty or five and twenty leagues from the fort, as extreme outposts, -ambushing on spots where the enemy--that is to say, the Indians--must -necessarily pass. Day and night they ride across the plains, watching, -listening, and hiding. Scattered during the day, they reassemble at -sunset, though they rarely venture to light a fire, which would betray -their presence; and they never all sleep together. Their bivouac is -a flying camp, and they live on the produce of the chase. They have -long been accustomed to this strange and nomadic life, and hence they -acquire a fineness of perception almost equal to that of the Indians, -and their practised eyes recognize the slightest trace on the lightly -trodden grass or sand. Solitude has developed in them a marvellous -sagacity, and a rare talent for observation. - -The four bomberos collected in the toldo were the most renowned -in Patagonia. These poor fellows were supping gaily while warming -themselves at a good fire, a rare pleasure for men surrounded by -dangers, and who hate a surprise to fear at any hour. But the bomberos -did not appear to trouble themselves about anything, although aware -that the Indians never give them any quarter. - -The character of these men is singular: courageous to cruelty, they -care not for the life of other persons or their own. If one of their -comrades die, victim of an Indian or a wild beast, they content -themselves with saying he has a _mala suerte_ (ill luck). True savages, -living without any affection or faith, they are a peculiar type in -humanity. - -These scouts were brothers, and their names were Lopez, Pepe, Juan, and -Pedrito. Their home, twice plundered by the Aucas Indians, had been -utterly destroyed by fire in the last invasion. Their father and mother -had succumbed under atrocious torture; two of their sisters had been -outraged and killed by the chiefs, and the youngest, Mercedes, a child -scarce seven years of age, was carried off into slavery, and since then -they had received no news of her, and were ignorant were she dead or -alive. - -The four brothers from this moment became bomberos, through hatred of -the Indians and desire of vengeance, and had only one head and one -heart. Their prodigies of courage, intelligence, and craft during the -last seven years would take us too long to record, and, moreover, we -shall find specimens in the course of this narrative. - -So soon as Pedrito, who was the eldest, had finished his meal, Lopez -put out the fire, and Juan mounted his horse to go the rounds; then the -two brothers, curious about the news Pedrito brought them, drew closer -to him. - -"What news, brother?" Pepe asked. - -"Before anything else," the eldest asked, "what have you been doing -during the last week?" - -"That will not take long," Lopez answered; "nothing." - -"Nonsense." - -"On my word it is true. The Aucas and Pehuenches are becoming absurdly -timid; if this goes on, we shall have to send them petticoats like -squaws." - -"Oh! Set your minds at rest," Pedrito said, "they have not come to that -yet." - -"What do you know?" Lopez asked. - -"What next?" Pedrito asked, instead of answering. - -"That is all; we have seen nothing, heard nothing suspicious." - -"Are you sure?" - -"Hang it! Do you take us for asses?" - -"No, but you are mistaken." - -"What?" - -"Search your memory carefully." - -"No one has passed, I tell you," Pepe remarked confidently. - -"No one." - -"Unless you count as somebody the old Pehuenche squaw who crossed -the plain this evening on a sorry horse, and asked us the road to El -Carmen." - -"That old squaw," Pedrito said, with a smile, "knows the road as well -as I do. Canarios, your innocence amuses me." - -"Our innocence!" Lopez exclaimed with a frown; "We are asses, then." - -"You look very like it to me." - -"Explain yourself." - -"You shall understand." - -"We shall be only too glad." - -"May be so. The old Pehuenche squaw who crossed the plain this evening -on a sorry horse, and asked you the road to El Carmen," Pedrito said, -repeating Pepe's words, maliciously, "Do you know who she was?" - -"Hang it all! A frightful old witch, whose face would terrify the -fiend." - -"Ah, you think so. Well, you are altogether wrong." - -"Speak out, and do not play with us like a congonas with a mouse." - -"My boy, this Pehuenche witch was--" - -"Who?" - -"Nocobotha!" - -Nocobotha (the Hurricane) was the principal Ulmen of the Aucas. Pedrito -might have gone on talking for a long time without his brothers -noticing it, so greatly had the news startled them. - -"Malediction!" Pepe at length shouted. - -"But how do you know it?" Lopez asked. - -"Do you suppose I have been amusing myself with sleeping away the last -eight days, brothers? The Indians, to whom you want to send petticoats, -are preparing, with the greatest secrecy, to deal you a furious blow. -We must distrust silent waters and the calm that conceals a tempest. -All the nations of Upper and Lower Patagonia, and even Araucania, -have leagued together to attempt an invasion--massacre the whites, and -destroy El Carmen. Two men have done it all--two men with whom you and -I have been long acquainted--Nocobotha, and Pincheira, the chief of the -Araucanos. This evening there will be a grand meeting of the delegates -of the free nations, at which the day and hour for the attack will be -definitely settled, and the final measures taken to insure the success -of the expedition." - -"iCaray!" Pepe exclaimed, "There is not a moment to lose. One of us -must go at full gallop to El Carmen to inform the governor of the -danger menacing the colony." - -"No, not yet; we must not be in such a hurry, but try to discover the -intentions of the chiefs. The _quipu_ has been sent round, and the -chiefs who will be present at the meeting are twenty in number. You see -that I am well informed." - -"Where will they meet?" - -"At the tree of Gualichu." - -"_iDemonio!_ it will not be an easy thing to surprise them at such a -place." - -"Hang it, it is impossible," Lopez said. - -"Where force fails, try cunning. Here is Juan returned. Well, have you -any news?" - -"All is quiet," he said, as he dismounted. - -"All the better. In that case we can act," Pedrito continued. "Listen -to me, brothers. I believe that you have confidence in me--" - -"Oh!" the three men exclaimed. - -"In that case you will follow me?" - -"Anywhere." - -"Quick to horse, for I too wish to be present at this Indian gathering." - -"And you are going to take us--" - -"To the tree of Gualichu." - -The four bold comrades mounted their horses, and started at a gallop. -Pedrito possessed a superiority over his brothers, which the latter -recognized; nothing he did astonished them, so accustomed were they to -see him perform marvels. - -"Do you intend to mingle with the chiefs also?" Pepe asked. - -"Yes, Pepe; instead of twenty there will be twenty-one, that is all," -Pedrito added, with a careless smile. - -The bomberos spurred their horses, and disappeared in the darkness. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -EL CARMEN. - - -In 1780, long after the discovery of the New World, the Spaniards -founded in Patagonia a factory, situated on the left bank of the Rio -Negro, about seven leagues from its mouth, and called Nuestra Senora -del Carmen, and also Patagonia. - -The Ulmen Negro, chief of the Puelches, encamped in the vicinity of -the Rio Negro, favourably greeted the Spaniards, and in consideration -of a distribution made to the Indians of a large quantity of clothing -and other useful articles, sold them the course of that river from its -mouth up to San Xavier. In addition to this, by the wish of the Ulmen, -the natives aided the Spaniards in building the citadel, which was to -serve them as a shelter, and thus assisted with their arms in producing -their own serfdom. - -At the period of the foundation of El Carmen the post merely consisted -of a fort, built on the northern bank, at the summit of a scarped -cliff, which commands the river, the southern plains and the -surrounding country. It is of a square shape; it is built with strong -walls of dressed stone, and flanked by three bastions, two on the -river to the east and west, and the third on the plain. The interior -contains the chapel, the priest's house, and the powder magazine; on -the other side run spacious quarters for the commandant, treasurer, -officers, garrison, and a small hospital. All these buildings, only one -storey in height, are covered with tiles. The Government also possesses -outside vast granaries, a baking house, a mill, two blacksmiths' and -carpenters' shops, and two _estancias_, or farms, stocked with horses -and cattle. - -At the present day, the fort is nearly in ruins; the walls, for want of -repairs, are everywhere decaying, but the dwelling houses are still in -good condition. - -El Carmen is divided into three groups, two on the north, and one on -the south side of the river. Of the two former, one, the old Carmen, is -situated between the fort and the Rio Negro, on the slope of the cliff, -and consists of some forty houses of varying height and style, and -forming an irregular line which follows the course of the river. Around -them are scattered wretched huts, and this is the staple of the trade -with the Indians. - -The other group on the same bank, called Poblacion, is a few hundred -paces to the east of the fort, and is separated from it by shifting -sand dunes, which entirely stop the range of the guns. Poblacion forms -a vast quadrilateral, round which are about one hundred houses, mostly -new, only one storey high, tile-covered, and serving as a residence -for farmers, agriculturists, and _pulqueros_, or dealers in spirits -and grocery. Between the two groups there are several houses scattered -along the river bank. - -The village on the south bank, which is called Poblacion del Sur, is -composed of twenty houses, standing in a line on a low soil, subject -to inundations. These houses, which are poorer than those of the north -side, serve as a shelter for gauchos and estancieros. A few pulqueros, -attracted by the vicinity of the Indians, have also opened their stores -there. - -The general aspect is sad; only a few isolated trees grow on the river -bank, and the streets are full of a pulverized sand, which obeys the -direction of the wind. This description of a country hitherto perfectly -unknown, was indispensable for a due comprehension of the incidents -that are about to follow. - -The day on which this story begins, at about two in the afternoon, -five or six gauchos, seated in a pulquero's shop, were holding a -sharp discussion while swallowing long draughts of _chicha_ from the -half-gourds which went the round. The scene is laid in Poblacion del -Sur. - -"Canario," said a tall, thin fellow, who had all the appearance of a -desperate ruffian, "are we not free men? If our governor, the Senor Don -Antonio Valverde, insists in plundering us in this way, Pincheira is -not so far off but that we may manage to come to an understanding with -him. Although an Indian chief now, he is of the white race, without any -mixture, and a caballero to the end of his fingers." - -"Hold your tongue, Panchito," another said, "you would do better if -you swallowed your words with your chicha, instead of talking such -nonsense." - -"I have a right to speak," said Panchito, who was moistening his throat -more than the rest. - -"Don't you know that invisible eyes are prowling about us, and that -ears are open to pick up our words and profit by them?" - -"Nonsense," said the first speaker, with a shrug of the shoulders, "you -are always frightened, Corrocho. I care as much for spies as I do for -an old bridle." - -"Panchito!" - -"What, am I not right? Why does Don Antonio wish us so much harm?" - -"You are mistaken," a third gaucho interrupted with a laugh, "the -governor, on the contrary, desires your comfort, and the proof is that -he takes as much as he possibly can from you." - -"That confounded Patito has the cleverness of the scamp he is," -Panchito exclaimed, bursting into a noisy laugh. "Well, after us the -end of the world!" - -"In the meanwhile let us drink," said Patito. - -"Yes," Panchito replied, "let us drink and drown our cares. Besides, -have we not Don Torribio Carvajal to help us if necessary?" - -"That's another name that ought to stick in your throat, especially -here," Corrocho exclaimed, striking the table angrily with his fist, -"can't you hold your tongue, accursed dog?" - -Panchito frowned, and looked askant at his comrade. - -"Are you trying to bully me? Canario, you are beginning to stir my -blood." - -"Bully you? Why not, if you deserved it?" the other answered without -the slightest excitement. "Caray, for the last two hours you have been -drinking like a sponge; you are as full as a butt, and you chatter -like a foolish old woman. Hold your tongue, do you hear, or go to -sleep." - -"iSangre de Cristo!" Panchito yelled, as he dug his knife vigorously -into the bar, "You will give me satisfaction." - -"On my word, bloodletting will do you good, and my hand itches to give -you a navajada on your ugly chops." - -"Ugly chops, did you say?" - -And Panchito rushed upon Corrocho, who waited for him with a firm foot. -The other gauchos rushed between to prevent them striking. - -"Peace, peace, caballeros, in Heaven's name or the fiend's," the -pulquero said, "no quarrelling in my house; if you wish to have it out, -the street is free." - -"The pulquero is right," said Panchito; "come on, then, if you are a -man." - -"Willingly." - -The two gauchos, followed by their comrades, dashed out into the -street. As for the pulquero, standing in his doorway with his hands in -his pockets, he whistled a dance tune while awaiting the combat. - -Panchito and Corrocho, who had already taken off their hats, and bowed -with affected politeness to each other, after rolling their poncho -round the left arm, in guise of a buckler, drew their long knives from -their polenas, and without exchanging a syllable, stood on guard with -remarkable coolness. - -In this species of duel the honour consists in touching the adversary -in the face; a blow dealt below the waist passes for an act of -treachery unworthy a true caballero. - -The two adversaries, solidly planted on their straddled legs, with -bodies bent, and head thrown back, looked at each other attentively -to divine movements, parry strokes, and scar each other. The other -gauchos, with husk cigarettes in their mouths, followed the duel with -unconcerned eye, and applauded the more skilful. The fight continued on -both sides with equal success for some minutes, when Panchito, whose -sight was doubtless obstructed by copious libations, parried a second -too late, and felt the point of Corrocho's knife cut the skin of his -face its whole length. - -"Bravo, bravo!" all the gauchos exclaimed simultaneously, "Well hit." - -The combatants fell back a step, bowed to the spectators, sheathed -their knives again, bowed to each other, with a species of courtesy, -and, after shaking hands, re-entered the pulqueria arm in arm. - -The gauchos form a species of men apart, whose manners are completely -unknown in Europe. Those of El Carmen, the great majority exiled for -crimes, have retained their sanguinary habits and their contempt of -life. Indefatigable gamblers, they have cards incessantly in their -hands; and gambling is a fertile source of quarrelling, in which the -knife plays the greatest part. Careless of the future and of present -suffering, hardened to physical pain, they disdain death as much as -life, and recoil before no danger. Well, these men, who frequently -abandon their families to go and live in greater liberty amid savage -hordes; who gladly and without emotion shed the blood of their fellow -men; who are implacable in their hatred; are yet capable of ardent -friendship, and extraordinary self-denial and devotion. Their character -offers a strange medley of good and evil, of unbridled vices and of -real qualities. They are, in turn, and simultaneously, quarrelsome, -indolent, drunken, cruel, proud, brave to rashness, and devoted to a -friend, or patron of their choice. From childhood blood flows beneath -their hands in the estancias at the period of _mantaza del ganado_ -(cattle slaughtering), and they thus habituate themselves to the -colour of the human purple. Lastly, their jests are as coarse as their -manners; and the most delicate and frequent of them is to threaten with -a knife under the most frivolous pretexts. - -While the gauchos, on returning to the pulqueria after the quarrel, -were bedewing their reconciliation, and drowning in floods of chicha -the remembrance of this little incident, a man, wrapped in a large -cloak, and with his hat pulled over his eyes, entered the shop, without -saying a word, went up to the bar, took an apparently indifferent -glance around him, lit a cigarette at the brasero, and with a piastre -he held in his hand, hit the table three sharp blows. - -At this unexpected sound, which resembled a signal, the gauchos, who -were talking eagerly together, were silent as if they had received an -electric shock. Panchito and Corrocho started, and tried to see through -the cloak that covered the stranger, while Patito turned his head away -slightly to conceal a crafty smile. - -The stranger threw away his half-consumed cigarette, and went out of -the door as silently as he had entered it. A moment after, Panchito, -who was wiping his cheek, and Corrocho, both pretending to remember -some important business, quitted the pulqueria. Patito glided along the -wall to the door, and followed close at their heels. - -"Hum!" the pulquero growled, "there are three scamps, who seem to be -arranging some dog's trick, in which every man's head will not remain -on his shoulders. Well, it is their business after all." - -The other gauchos, completely absorbed in their game of monte, and -bent over the cards, had not, so to speak, noticed the departure of -their comrades. The stranger, when at some distance from the pulqueria, -turned round. The two gauchos were walking almost close behind him, and -carelessly talking, like two loungers who were taking a walk. - -Where was Patito? He had disappeared. - -After making an almost imperceptible sign to the two gauchos, the -stranger set out again, and followed a road which, by an insensible -curve, left the waterside and gradually entered the plain. This road, -after leaving Poblacion, took a rather sharp turn, and suddenly -contracted into a path, which, like the rest, appeared to be lost in -the plain. - -At the corner of the path a horseman, proceeding to the village, at -a smart trot, passed the three men; but neither the gauchos nor the -stranger, being, doubtless, busy with serious thought, remarked him. As -for the rider, he gave them a rapid and piercing glance, and checked -the pace of his horse, which stopped a few yards further on. - -"Heaven pardon me!" he said to himself "'tis Don Torribio, or the -Fiend, in flesh and bone. What can he be doing there in the company of -those two bandits, who look to me exactly like imps of Satan? May I -lose my name of Blas Salazar, if I won't find out, and set myself at -their heels." - -And he quickly dismounted. Senor Blas Salazar was a man of -five-and-thirty at the most, rather above the average height, and -somewhat corpulent; but, on the other hand, the squareness of his wide -shoulders and his sturdy limbs indicated his muscular strength. A small -gray eye, quick and sparkling with intelligence and boldness, lit up -his open and frank countenance. His dress, with the exception of being -a little more elegant, was that of the gauchos. - -So soon as he dismounted he looked round, but there was no one to whom -he could give his horse to hold; for at Carmen, especially in the -Poblacion del Sur, it is almost a miracle for two persons to meet. He -stamped his foot angrily, passed the bridle over his arm, led his horse -to the pulqueria the gauchos had just left, and entrusted it to the -landlord. - -This duty performed, for the best friend of an Hispano-American is his -horse, Blas retraced his footsteps with the most minute precautions, -like a man who wishes to surprise and himself remain unseen. The -gauchos were ahead of him, and disappeared behind a shifting sand -ridge, at the moment he turned the corner in the road. Still he soon -saw them again, climbing up a steep path, that led to a thick clump -of trees. A few trees had grown in these dry sands by accident, or a -caprice of Nature. - -Sure now of finding them, Blas walked on more slowly, and in order to -remove any suspicion about his object, he lit a cigarette. The gauchos, -fortunately for him, did not look round once, but entered the wood -after the man whom Blas had recognized as Don Torribio Carvajal. When -Blas, in his turn, reached the skirt of the wood, instead of entering -the wood immediately, he took a slight bend to his right, and then -stooping down, began crawling on his hands and knees with the greatest -caution, in order not to arouse the attention of the gauchos by any -noise. - -In a few minutes voices reached his ear. He then raised his head -softly, and saw the three men standing together and talking eagerly in -a clearing about ten paces from him. He rose, concealed himself behind -a maple tree and began listening. - -Don Torribio had let his cloak fall, and with his shoulder leant -against a tree and with his legs crossed, he was listening with visible -impatience to what Panchito was saying at this moment. Don Torribio was -a man of eight-and-twenty, handsome, tall, and well-built, possessing -elegance and nobility in his every movement, and the haughty attitude -which is produced by a habit of commanding. Two large quick eyes lit -up the oval of his face; two eyes charged, apparently, with lightning, -and whose strange fascination it was almost impossible to endure. -His flexible nostrils seem to expand through quick passions; a cold -mockery was imbedded in the corners of his mouth, which was filled -with splendid teeth and surmounted by a black moustache. His forehead -was spacious, his skin bronzed by the heat of the sun, and his hair -long and silky. Still, in spite of all this prodigality of Nature, -his haughty and disdainful expression produced, in the end, a sort of -repulsion. - -Don Torribio's hands were small and encased in splendid-fitting gloves, -and his high-ankled feet were covered by patent leather boots. As for -his dress, which was extremely costly, it was in appearance much like -that of the gauchos. His shirt collar was fastened with a diamond of -enormous value, and his fine-tissued poncho was worth more than five -hundred piastres. - -Two years before this story, Don Torribio Carvajal arrived at Carmen -a stranger to everybody, and all asked themselves, where does he come -from? Whence does he get his princely fortune? Where are his estates? -Don Torribio had purchased an estancia in the colony, situated some two -or three leagues from Carmen, and under pretext of defending it against -the Indians, had fortified it, surrounded it with moats and palisades, -and mounted six guns. He had thus walled in his existence and routed -curiosity. Though the gates of his estancia were never opened to any -guest, he was welcomed by the first families at Carmen, whom he visited -assiduously, and then to the great surprise of all, he disappeared for -several months. The ladies had wasted their smiles and glances, the -men their adroit questions to make Don Torribio speak. Don Antonio -Valverde, to whom his post of being governor gave the right of being -curious, had not failed to feel some alarm about the handsome stranger, -but weary of losing his leisure in inquiries, he left the matter to -time, which sooner or later rends asunder the densest veils. - -Such was the man who was listening to Panchito in the brake, and all -that was known about him. - -"Enough!" he said passionately, interrupting the gaucho; "you are a -dog, and the son of a dog." - -"Senor!" said Panchito, drawing himself up. - -"I am inclined to crush you, like the wretch you are." - -"Threats to me!" the gaucho shouted, pale with rage, and drawing his -knife. - -Don Torribio clutched the fellow's wrist with his gloved hand, and -twisted it so rudely, that he let the weapon fall with a cry of pain. - -"On your knees, and ask pardon," the gentleman said, as he twisted -Panchito to the ground. - -"No; kill me sooner." - -"Begone, villain; you are only a brute beast." - -The gaucho rose tottering, his eyes were filled with blood, his lips -were livid, and his whole body trembled. He picked up his knife, and -approached Don Torribio, who waited for him with folded arms. - -"Well, yes," he said; "I am a brute beast, but I love you, after all. -Forgive me or kill me, but do not send me away." - -"Begone!" - -"Is that your last word?" - -"Yes." - -"To the demon, then." - -And the gaucho, with a movement rapid as thought, raised his knife to -stab himself. - -"I forgive you," Don Torribio said, after checking Panchito's arm; "but -if you wish to serve me, be dumb as a corpse." - -The gaucho fell at his feet, and covered his hand with kisses, like a -dog licking his master, who has chastised it. Corrocho had remained a -motionless observer of the scene. - -"What power does this strange man possess to be thus beloved?" muttered -Blas Salazar, who was still concealed behind his tree. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -DON TORRIBIO CARVAJAL. - - -After a short silence, Don Torribio continued-- - -"I know that you are devoted to me, and I have perfect confidence in -you; but you are a drunkard, Panchito, and drink is a bad counsellor." - -"I will drink no more," the gaucho answered. - -Don Torribio smiled. - -"Drink, but without destroying reason. In drunkenness people utter -words, as you did just now, which cannot be recalled, and are more -deadly than a dagger. It is not your master who is now speaking, but -the friend. Can I count on both of you?" - -"Yes," the gaucho said. - -"I am going away; but you must not leave the colony, but be ready -for anything. Before all, carefully watch the house of Don Valentine -Cardoso, both inside and out. If anything extraordinary happens to him -or his daughter Dona Concha, you will immediately light two fires, -one on the cliff of the Urubus, the other on that of San Xavier, and -within a few hours you will hear from me. Do you promise to execute -promptly and devotedly any order of mine, however extraordinary it may -appear to you?" - -"We swear it." - -"That is well. One word in conclusion. Connect yourselves with as many -gauchos as you can; try, without exciting suspicion, which always -sleeps with one eye open, to collect a band of determined fellows. By -the by, distrust Patito: he is a traitor." - -"Must he be killed?" Corrocho asked. - -"Perhaps it would be prudent, but you would have to get rid of him -cleverly." - -The two gauchos exchanged a side glance, but Don Torribio pretended not -to see it. - -"Do you want money?" - -"No, master." - -"No matter; take this." - -He threw to Corrocho a long silk purse, through the meshes of which a -great number of gold ounces glittered. - -"My horse, Panchito." - -The gaucho entered the wood, and almost immediately re-appeared, -holding the bridle of a magnificent charger, upon whose back Don -Torribio leaped. - -"Farewell," he said to them; "prudence and fidelity; any indiscretion -would cost your life." - -And, after giving the gauchos a friendly nod, he dug his spurs into the -horse's sides, and went off in the direction of Carmen, while Corrocho -and Panchito went back toward Poblacion del Sur. As soon as they had -gone some distance, the bushes in a corner of the brake were shaken, -and a face pale with fear peeped out. This head belonged to Patito, -who, with a pistol in one hand, and a knife in the other, drew himself -up, and looked around with great agitation, while muttering in a low -voice-- - -"iCanario! kill me cleverly. We shall see, we shall see. iSanta Virgen -del Pilar! What demons! Well, listening is a good thing." - -"It is the only way to hear," someone replied a mocking voice. - -"Who's there?" Patito shouted, as he leaped on one side. - -"A friend!" Blas Salazar answered, as he came from behind the maple and -joined the gaucho, whose hand he shook. - -"Ah, ah, capataz, you are welcome. You were listening too, then?" - -"I should think so. I took advantage of the opportunity to instruct -myself about Don Torribio." - -"Well?" - -"This caballero appears to me a precious scoundrel, but, with the aid -of Heaven, we will ruin his dark schemes." - -"So be it!" - -"And, in the first place, what do you intend to do?" - -"On my word I do not know. There's a buzzing in my ears, 'kill me -cleverly.' Corrocho and Panchito are certainly the most hideous -villains of the Pampa." - -"iCaramba! I have known them a long time, and at present they alarm me -but slightly." - -"But me?" - -"Nonsense; you are not dead yet." - -"I am not much better." - -"What, are you afraid? You, the boldest panther hunter of my -acquaintance?" - -"A panther is, after all, only a panther, and you can get the better of -it with a bullet; but the two fellows Don Torribio has let loose on me -are demons." - -"That is true; so let us proceed to the most important point. Don -Valentine Cardoso, whose capataz I am, is my foster brother, that is -to say, I am devoted to him body and soul. Don Torribio is forming -some infernal plot against my master's family, which I wish to foil. -Are you decided to lend me a hand? Two men who have only one will -between them can do a great deal." - -"Frankness for frankness, Don Blas," Patito answered, after a moment's -reflection. "This morning I should have refused, this evening I -accept, because I no longer run a risk of betraying the gauchos, my -comrades. The position is changed. Kill me cleverly! By Heaven I will -avenge myself. I belong to you, capataz, as my knife blade does to its -hilt--yours, body and soul, on the word of a gaucho." - -"Excellent," said Don Blas, "we shall be able to understand each -other. Get on your horse and go and wait for me at the estancia. I -shall return there after sunset, and we will draw up the plan of the -countermine." - -"Agreed. Where are you going?" - -"To Don Valentine Cardoso." - -"This evening, then?" - -"This evening." - -They then separated. Patito, whose horse was hidden a short distance -off, galloped toward the Estancia of San Julian, of which Don Blas -was the capataz, while the latter proceeded in great haste toward the -Poblacion. - -Don Valentine Cardoso was one of the richest landed proprietors in -Carmen, where his family had been established since the foundation -of the colony. He was a man of about five and forty. As his family -originally came from old Castile, he had retained the handsome type of -that race, a type which was recognized in his face by the vigorously -marked lines, with which was combined a certain air of proud majesty, -to which the rather sad eyes imparted an expression of gentleness and -kindness. - -Left a widower after two too short years of marriage, Don Valentine had -kept the memory of his wife locked up in his heart like a sacred relic, -and he believed that it was still loving her to devote himself entirely -to the education of their daughter Concepcion, called more familiarly -Concha or Conchita. - -Don Valentine lived in the Poblacion of old Carmen, near the fort, in -one of the handsomest and largest houses of the colony. - -A few hours after the events we have recorded, two persons were seated -near a brasero in a drawing room of this mansion. - -In this drawing room, elegantly furnished in the French style, a -stranger on opening the door might have believed himself transported -to the Faubourg St. Germain; there was the same luxury in the paper -hangings, the same taste in the choice and arrangement of the -furniture. Nothing was wanting; not even an Erard pianoforte, covered -with the scores of operas sung at Paris, and, as if better to prove -that glory travels a great distance, that genius has wings, the -fashionable romance writers and poets filled a buhl cheffonier. Here -everything recalled France and Paris, excepting the silver brasero in -which the smouldering olive stones indicated Spain. Chandeliers holding -pink wax candles lit up this magnificent withdrawing room. - -Don Valentine Cardoso and his daughter Conchita were seated near the -brasero. - -Dona Concha, who was scarcely fifteen years of age, was exquisitely -beautiful. The raven arch of eyebrows, traced as with a pencil, -heightened the grace of her rather low and pale forehead; her large -blue and thoughtful eyes, fringed with long brown lashes, contrasted -harmoniously with her ebony black hair which curled round her delicate -neck, and in which odoriferous jessamine flowers were expiring in -delight. Short, like all true-blooded Spanish women, her waist was -exquisitely small. Never had smaller feet trodden in the dance the -Castilian grass plots, and never had a more dainty hand nestled in that -of a lover. Her movements, careless as those of all the creoles, were -undulating and full of _salero_ as the Spaniards say. - -Her dress, which was charmingly simple, consisted of a dressing gown of -white cashmere, embroidered with large silk flowers in bright colours, -and fastened round the hips by a cord and tassels. A Mechlin lace veil -was carelessly thrown over her shoulders, while her feet were thrust -into pink slippers, lined with swan's-down. - -Dona Conchita was smoking a tiny husk cigarette, while talking to her -father. - -"Yes, father," she said, "a ship has arrived to day from Buenos Aires, -with the prettiest birds in the world." - -"Well, little one?" - -"I fancy that my dear little father," she remarked, with an adorable -pout, "is not at all gallant this evening." - -"What do you know about it, young lady?" Don Valentine replied with a -smile. - -"No, have you really," she said, bounding with delight in her chair, -and clapping her hands, "thought of--" - -"Buying you some birds? You will tomorrow see your aviary stocked with -parrots, Bengalis, macaws, hummingbirds, in short, about four hundred -specimens, you ungrateful little chit." - -"Oh, how good you are, father, and how I love you," the girl replied, -throwing her arms round Don Valentine's neck, and embracing him several -times. - -"Enough, enough, madcap. Do you want to stifle me with your caresses?" - -"What can I do to requite your kindness?" - -"Poor dear, I have only you to love now." - -"Say adore, my darling father; for it is adoration you feel for me. -Hence, I love you with all the strength God has placed in my heart." - -"And yet," Don Valentine said, with a gentle accent of reproach, "you -do not fear, naughty girl, to cause me anxiety." - -"I?" Concha asked, with an internal tremor. - -"Yes, you, you," he said, threatening her tenderly with his finger, -"you hide something from me." - -"Father!" - -"Come, child, a father's eyes can read the heart of a girl of fifteen, -and for some days past, if I am not mistaken, I have not been the sole -object of your thoughts." - -"That is true," the girl replied, with a certain amount of resolution. - -"And whom are you dreaming of, little maid?" Don Valentine asked, -hiding his anxiety behind a smile. - -"Of Don Torribio Carvajal." - -"Ah," the father cried, in a choking voice "and do you love him?" - -"No," she answered; "listen, father, I will conceal nothing from you. -No," she continued, laying her hand on her heart, "I do not love Don -Torribio, still he occupies my thoughts; why, I cannot say, but his -look troubles and fascinates me, his voice causes me a feeling of -undefinable pain; he is handsome, his manners are elegant and noble, -he has everything belonging to a gentleman of high caste, and yet -something in him, something fatal, checks me, and inspires me with -invincible repugnance." - -"You romantic girl." - -"Laugh at me, ridicule me," she said with a tremor in her voice. "Shall -I confess all to you, father?" - -"Speak with confidence." - -"Well, I have a presentiment that this man will be dangerous to me." - -"Child," Don Valentine replied, as he kissed her forehead, "what can he -do to you?" - -"I do not know; but I am afraid." - -"Do you wish not to remain here any longer?" - -"Heaven forbid! That would be hastening on the misfortune that -threatens me." - -"You are losing your head, and taking pleasure in creating chimeras." - -At the same moment a man servant announced Don Torribio Carvajal, who -entered the room. - -The young man was dressed in the latest Parisian fashion, and the -candles lit up his splendid face. - -Father and daughter started. - -Don Torribio walked up to Dona Concha, bowed to her gracefully, and -offered her a superb bouquet of exotic flowers. She thanked him with a -smile, took the bouquet, and almost without looking at it, laid it on a -table. - -In succession were announced the governor, Don Antonio Valverde, -accompanied by his whole staff, and two or three other families, or -altogether some fifteen persons. By degrees the conversation grew -animated. - -"Well, colonel," Don Valentine asked the governor, "What news from -Buenos Aires?" - -"Our great Rosas," the colonel answered, who was stifling in his -uniform, "has again defeated Oribe's Unitarian savages." - -"Heaven be praised! Perhaps that victory will procure us a little of -that tranquillity which commerce requires." - -"Yes," a colonist remarked, "the communications are becoming so -difficult that nothing can be sent by land." - -"Can the Indians be stirring?" a merchant asked anxiously, on hearing -the observation. - -"Oh!" the stout commandant interrupted, "There is no danger; the last -lesson they received was rude, they will remember it a long time, and -not dream of invading our frontiers for many a day to come." - -An almost invisible smile played round Don Torribio's lips. - -"In case of an invasion, do you consider them capable of seriously -troubling the colony?" - -"Hum!" Don Antonio answered, "Take them altogether they are poor -scrubs." - -The young man smiled again in a bitter and sinister manner. - -"Excellency," he said, "I am of your opinion; I believe the Indians -will do well in remaining at home." - -"I should think so," the commandant exclaimed. - -"Senorita," Don Torribio said, turning to Dona Concha, "would it be too -great a favour to ask you to sing that delicious air from the Black -Domino which you sang so exquisitely the other evening?" - -The young lady, without farther pressing, sat down to the pianoforte, -and sang the romance from the third act in a pure voice. - -"I heard that sung in Paris by Madame Damoreau, a nightingale who -has flown away, and I cannot say which of you displays more grace or -simplicity." - -"Don Torribio," Dona Concha answered, "you lived too long in France." - -"Why so, senorita." - -"Because you have come back a detestable flatterer." - -"Bravo!" the governor said with a hearty laugh. "You see, Don Torribio, -that our creoles are equal to the Parisian ladies in quickness of -repartee." - -"Incontestably, colonel," the young man replied; "but leave me alone," -he added with an undefinable accent, "I shall soon take my revenge." - -And he gave Dona Concha a look that made her shudder. - -"I trust, Don Torribio," the governor said, "that you will be present -tomorrow at the _Te Deum_ chanted in honour of our glorious Rosas?" - -"Impossible, colonel; this very evening I start on a compulsory -journey." - -"What, another of your mysterious excursions?" - -"Yes, but this one will not be long, and I shall be back soon?" - -"All the better." - -"_?Quien sabe?_" the young man murmured in a sinister voice. - -Dona Concha, who had heard the last words, was not mistress of her -terror. - -The visitors took leave one after the other, and Don Torribio Carvajal -was at length left alone with his hosts. - -"Senorita," he said on taking leave, "I am setting out on a journey in -which I shall doubtless incur great dangers. May I hope that you will -deign to remember the traveller in your prayers." - -Concha looked at him for a moment in the face, and replied with a -frankness which was natural to her:-- - -"Senor Caballero, I cannot pray for the success of an expedition whose -object I do not know." - -"Thanks for your frankness, mademoiselle," Don Torribio answered -without the slightest emotion, "I shall not forget your words." - -And after the customary compliments he retired. - -"The capataz of San Julian, Don Blas Salazar wishes to speak with Senor -Don Valentine Cardoso on important business." - -"Let him come in," Don Valentine said to the servant who had announced -the capataz in so lengthy a fashion. "Conchita, come and sit by my side -on this sofa." - -Don Torribio was extremely agitated when he left the house; he turned -round and darted a viper glance at the windows of the drawing room, -across which Dona Concha's light shadow flitted. - -"Proud girl," he said in a hollow and terrible voice, "I shall punish -you for your disdain." - -Then, wrapping himself in his cloak, he went at a rapid pace to a house -situated a short distance off, where he generally lived when at Carmen. -He knocked twice; the gate opened and closed after him. - -Twenty minutes later the gate opened again to let two horsemen pass out. - -"Master, where are we going?" one asked. - -"To the tree of Gualichu," the other replied; and added in a whisper, -"to seek vengeance." - -The two horsemen entered the darkness, and the furious gallop of their -horses was soon lost in the silence of night. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -THE TREE OF GUALICHU. - - -As a general rule, the Southern natives have a divinity, or to speak -more correctly, a genius, sometimes benevolent, but more frequently -maleficent, and their worship is less veneration than fear. This genius -is called Achellenat Kanet by the Patagonians, Quecuba by the Aucas, -and Gualichu by the Puelches. And, as the latter have more especially -traversed the country in which the sacred, tree stands, they have -perpetuated the name of their evil genius by giving it to the tree, to -which they attribute the same power. - -The belief in Gualichu dates back to the most remote antiquity on the -Pampas. - -This wicked god is simply a stunted tree, which, if mingled with other -trees, would not have attracted attention; but which alone, and as -it were lost in the immensity of the plains, serves as a beacon to -the traveller wearied by a long journey across these oceans of sand. -It rises to a height of thirty-five or forty feet, all twisted and -prickly, and its withered trunk is rounded into a large cavity, in -which men and women lay their presents in tobacco, beads, and corn. It -is several centuries old, and belongs to that species of the acacia -family which the Hispano-Americans designate by the name of _Algarobo_. - -The wandering hordes of Indians, doubtless struck by the solitude -of this tree in the midst of the deserts, constituted it the object -of their worship. In fact, its branches are covered with various -offerings, many of some value: here a poncho, there a manta; farther on -woollen or cotton ribbons; while on all sides garments, more or less -injured and torn by the wind, are affixed to the thorns, which gives -this sacred tree the appearance of an old clothes' shop. No Indian, -whether Aucas, Patagonian, Puelche, or Tehuetche, would venture to pass -it without leaving something; and the man who has nothing else cuts off -his horse's mane and fastens it to the tree. The most precious offering -in the sight of the Indians is that of their horse; and hence the great -number of slaughtered horses round the tree attests the vitality of -their faith. - -The religion of the Southern natives, thoroughly primitive and spared -by the conquest, does not take the moral being into account, and is -only arrested by accidents of Nature, of which it makes gods. These -people strive to make the deserts, where fatigue and thirst produce -death, and the rivers that may swallow them up, favourable to them. - -At the foot of the tree of Gualichu, a few hours after the events -already narrated, a strange scene was taking place, rendered still more -striking by the density of the darkness, and by the storm which was -approaching. Heavy black clouds rolled athwart the sky; the wind blew -in gusts with a shrill whistle, and large drops of rain fell on the -sand. - -Around the sacred tree the Indians had improvised a village composed of -some forty toldos raised hastily and without regularity. Before each -toldo crackled a bright fire, round which two or three Indian squaws -were crouching to warm themselves, without taking their eye off the -hobbled horses which were devouring their stock of _alfalfa_. - -An immense fire, resembling a funereal pyre, flamed a few paces from -the tree of Gualichu, and was surrounded by twenty Indians, who stood -apathetic and contemplative, and whose grand war paint led to the -supposition that they were preparing for an important ceremony of their -worship. - -Suddenly a shrill whistle cleft the air, and announced the arrival of -two horsemen; one of them dismounted, and threw his horse's bridle to -his comrade, and walked into the circle formed by the warriors. This -man wore the uniform of an officer of the Chilian army. - -"I salute my brothers," he said, looking round him, "may Gualichu -protect them." - -"Salutation to Pincheira," the Indians responded; "are all the chiefs -assembled?" he continued. - -"All," a voice replied, "with the exception of Nocobotha, the grand -Toqui of the Aucas." - -"He will not be long; let us wait." - -The silence had been scarce established, ere a second whistle was -heard, and two fresh horsemen entered the circle of light projected by -the fires. - -Only one man dismounted. He was tall and fierce-looking, and dressed in -the costume of the Aucas warriors, the most civilized and intelligent -Indian nation in the whole of South America. These were the men who, -almost unarmed, repulsed Almagro and his cuirassed soldiers in 1555, -who triumphed over the unhappy Valdivia, and who, though constantly -fought by the Spaniards, were never vanquished. The Aucas offered an -asylum to the Incas whom Pizarro hunted like wild beasts, and who, as a -reward for their hospitality, introduced among these Indians their own -advanced civilization. By degrees the two nations became fused, and -their hatred of the Spaniards has been perpetuated up to our day. - -The warrior who had first entered the circle of Indian chiefs, was one -of the most perfect types of this indomitable race; all his features -bore the distinctive character of the haughty Incas, who were so long -masters of Peru. His costume, differing from that of the Patagonians, -who employ the skins of beasts, was composed of woollen cloth striped -with silver. A blue _chaman_ covered his body from the waist, where -it was fastened with a woollen girdle down to the knee; in this way -exactly resembling the _chilipa_ of the gauchos, who borrowed from the -Indians this garment and the short blue and red striped poncho; his -boots armed with silver spurs, and cleverly sewn with the tendons of -animals, were made of the tanned hide of the _guemul_, a species of -llama; his hair was divided at the back of the head into three tails, -fastened together at the end with a tuft of wool, while in front the -rest of his hair was raised and fastened with a blue ribbon, which, -after three turns, fell on one side, and terminated in small pieces -of rolled up silver. His brow was girt by a circle of massive gold, a -species of diadem, three inches in width, and in the centre of which -sparkled a sun composed of precious stones; a diamond of enormous -value hung from each of his ears; his cloak of guanaco skins which fell -down to the ground, was held on his shoulders by a silk cord, and was -fastened with a diamond. Two six-chambered revolvers glistened in his -waist belt; on his right hip hung a machete, or short sabre with a very -wide blade, and he held in his hand a double-barrelled rifle. - -This warrior, on his arrival, created a lively sensation among the -chiefs; all bowed before him respectfully, while murmuring with -delight-- - -"Nocobotha! Nocobotha!" - -The warrior smiled proudly, and took his place in the first rank of the -chiefs. - -"The nacurulu (_Bubo Magellanicus_) has sung twice," he said; "the -osprey of the Rio Negro has raised its melancholy cry; the night is -drawing to a close; what have the chiefs of the great nations resolved?" - -"It would be useful, I think," one of the Indians answered, "to implore -the protection of Gualichu for the council." - -"The advice of my brother, Metipan, is wise. Let the _matchi_ be -warned." - -While a chief went off to fetch the matchi, or sorcerer, another chief -quitted the circle, went up to Nocobotha, whispered something to him, -and then returned to his place. The Toqui of the Aucas laid his hand -on his machete, and shouted in a loud and menacing voice-- - -"A traitor is among us! Attention, brothers." - -A shudder of passion ran through the ranks, and each Indian looked at -his neighbour. - -"He must die!" they shouted unanimously. - -"It is well," Nocobotha answered. - -These words, spoken in Indian, must reach the traitor's ear as a -vain sound, for the Aucas dialect is not generally understood by the -Spaniards. - -Still, a man, clothed like the other chiefs, and protected by the -darkness, suddenly bounded far out of the circle, and uttered three -different times the hoarse croak of the urubus. He leant against the -trunk of the tree of Gualichu, and with his legs far apart, and a -pistol in each hand, waited. This man was Pedrito, the bombero. - -A living wall, formed of hundreds of Indians, rose in arms before him, -and menaced him from all sides. Pedrito, to whom flight was impossible, -frowned, gnashed his teeth, and foamed with rage. - -"I am waiting for you, dogs," he yelled. - -"Forward! Forward!" the Indians shouted. - -"Silence!" Nocobotha ordered in a rough voice. "I wish to question -him." - -"What good is it?" Pincheira remarked, with a hateful expression. "He -is one of those rats of the Pampa, whom the Spaniards call bomberos. I -recognize him. Let us kill him at once." - -"A bombero," the Indians yelled anew. "Death to him, death." - -"Silence," said Nocobotha, "who dares to interrupt?" - -At the command of the master silence was reestablished. - -"Who are you?" the Toqui asked the bombero; "Who are you?" Pedrito -replied with a grin, and crossing his arms, though he did not let go -his pistols. - -"Answer, if you would not die; you are in my power." - -"A brave man only belongs to himself. He has always the resource of -letting himself be killed." - -"Perhaps so." - -"Try to take me." - -"Surrender, and no harm will be done you." - -"A bombero never surrenders." - -"Why did you introduce yourself among us." - -"iCanario! I came to witness your Indian jugglery, and learn the object -of this nocturnal meeting." - -"You are frank, at any rate, and I will take that into consideration. -Come! Resistance would be useless, so surrender." - -"Are you mad, my master?" - -"Forward!" Nocobotha, who was boiling with rage, shouted to the Indians. - -The latter rushed on. Two pistol shots were fired, and two Indians -writhed on the sand. While the others hesitated, Pedrito returned his -pistols to his belt, and drew his machete. - -"Make way," he shouted. - -"Death!" the warriors repeated. - -"Way, way!" - -And Pedrito dashed at the Indians, hitting right and left, cutting -and pointing. Nocobotha threw himself in his path, with the roar of a -wounded lion. - -"Ah, ah," said the bombero, "my worthy chief, with the diamond sun, it -is our turn." - -All at once three shots were fired behind the Indians, and three -horsemen dashed upon them, scattering terror and death around. The -Indians, not knowing how many enemies they had to contend with, -believed, owing to the darkness and the number of dead, that a -considerable reinforcement had arrived, and began dispersing in all -directions, with the exception of the more resolute, who held their -ground and continued to resist the assailants. Among these were -Nocobotha, Pincheira, and a few renowned chiefs. - -The three bomberos, summoned by the hoarse croaking of Pedrito, had -hastened up to their brother; they helped him to get onto the saddle of -the horse they had brought up for him. - -"Ah!" they shouted, "Down with the Indian dogs!" - -Nocobotha dealt the Spaniard a blow with the machete, to which he -responded by a cut that scarred his adversary's face. The Toqui uttered -a cry, not of pain but of rage. - -"Eh," the bombero said to him, "I shall recognize you, if ever we meet -again, for you bear my marks." - -"Villain!" the chief said, as he fired a pistol at him. - -"Ah!" Pedrito muttered in his turn, as he sank in his saddle. - -He would have fallen had not his sword prevented him. - -"He has killed me," the wounded man said, in a faint voice. "Courage, -brothers, do not leave my corpse to them." - -The three bomberos, supporting their brother, redoubled their ardour to -get him away from inevitable destruction; but how were they to fly? -The Indians, when the first moment of panic had passed, being able to -count their enemies, returned to the charge and threatened to overwhelm -them by their numbers. The position was horrible, and Pedrito, who had -retained his coolness, understood that his brothers were about to ruin -themselves for him, so, sacrificing his life to save them, he shouted-- - -"Fly! Leave me alone here; in a few minutes I shall be dead." - -"No!" they replied, making their horses prance to ward off the blows, -"We will all get away or perish together." - -Pedrito, who knew his brothers, was not ignorant that their resolution -was unbending. - -The fight was going on at this moment, two yards at the most from the -tree of Gualichu, Pedrito, while his brothers were defending themselves -on all sides at once, slipped down to the ground, and when the bomberos -turned round, they found his horse without its rider. Pedrito had -disappeared. - -"He is dead, what is to be done?" - -"Obey him, as we were unable to save him," Juan answered. - -"Forward, then!" - -And all three, tearing up their horses' sides with their spurs, -bounded into the thick of the Indians. The collision was terrible; -still, a few seconds later, the bomberos, saved from danger by their -incredible audacity, were flying, like the wind, in three different -directions, while uttering cries of triumph. - -The Indians recognized the inutility of a pursuit across the sand; so -they contented themselves with picking up their dead and counting the -wounded, altogether some thirty victims. - -"These Spaniards are perfect demons, when they are obstinate," -Pincheira said, remembering his own origin. - -"Yes," Nocobotha answered him, mad with fury, "if ever I place my foot -on their chest, they will expiate the wrongs they have done my race for -centuries." - -"I am entirely devoted to you," Pincheira continued. - -"Thanks, my friend. When the hour arrives, I shall remind you of your -promise." - -"I shall be ready; but at present what are your designs?" - -"The scar that madman has made on my head compels me to fire the train -as soon as possible." - -"Do so, I pray; and let us finish with these accursed Spaniards so soon -as we can." - -"Then you really hate your countrymen?" - -"I have an Indian heart, and that is saying enough." - -"I will soon procure you the opportunity to slake your vengeance." - -"May heaven hear you!" - -"But the chiefs have again assembled round the council fire; come, -brother." - -Nocobotha and Pincheira approached the tree of Gualichu, where the -Indians were grouped, motionless, silent, and calm, as if nothing had -disturbed their gathering. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE COUNCIL OF THE ULMENS. - - -The Indians, while collecting their dead, sought in vain the corpse of -the white man, and persuaded themselves that his comrades had carried -it off. The latter, on the other hand, reproached themselves bitterly -for having left their brother's body in the hands of the Pagans. - -Now, what had become of Pedrito? - -The bombero was one of those iron men, whom a powerful will leads to -their object, and whom death alone can conquer. He wished, therefore, -to be present at the council of the chiefs, the high import of which -he suspected; and instead of throwing his life away in an unequal -struggle, he found in Nocobotha's shot the pretext he was seeking. As -time pressed, he pretended, to be mortally wounded, and both friends -and enemies had been duped by his stratagem. - -So soon as he had slipped down off his horse, by favour of the darkness -and combat, he was able, either by crawling like a lizard, or leaping -like a cougar, to hide himself in the hollow trunk of the tree of -Gualichu. There he buried himself beneath a pile of objects offered -by the devotion of the Indians, and was as safe as in the fortress of -Carmen. However, like a bold hunter, who has always time to be killed, -he had not thrown his weapons away. His first care was, without respect -for Gualichu, to wrap up his arm in a piece of cloth, in order to -prevent the flow of blood from his wound; then he arranged himself as -well as he could, with his head thrust slightly forward, to see the -scene that was about to take place. - -All the chiefs were already assembled, and Lucaney, Ulmen of the -Puelches, was the first to speak. - -"The Spaniard who dared to introduce himself among us, in order to -violate the secret of our deliberations, is dead; we are alone; let us -begin the ceremony." - -"It shall be done, according to the desire of my brother, the Ulmen of -the Puelches," Nocobotha answered; "where is the wise matchi?" - -"Here," said a tall, thin man, whose face was striped in different -colours, and who was dressed like a woman. - -"Let the wise matchi approach and accomplish the rites." - -"A matchitun is necessary," the sorcerer said, in a solemn voice. - -The usual preparations for this conjuration were immediately made. Two -lances were planted, one on the right, one on the left of the sacred -tree; on the left hand one were hung a drum, and a vessel filled with -fermented liquor; twelve other vessels, containing the same liquor, -were ranged in a circle from one lance to the other. A sheep and a colt -were brought in, and deposited near the vessels, and two old squaws -placed themselves by the side of the drum. The preparations terminated, -the matchi turned to Nocobotha. - -"Why does the Ulmen of the Aucas ask for the matchitun?" he asked. - -Metipan stepped out of the circle. - -"An hereditary hatred has for a long time separated the Aucas and -the Pehuenches," he said; "the interest of all the great nations -desires the end of this hatred. Kelzulepan, my ancestor, Ulmen of the -Pehuenches, carried off a white slave belonging to Medzeliputzi, Toqui -of the Aucas, and great grandfather of Nocobotha." - -"Before the assembled chiefs, in the face of heaven, I have come to -tell Nocobotha, the descendant of Yupanqui, the son of the sun, that my -ancestor behaved badly to his, and I am ready, in order to extinguish -all discord, past, present, and future, to give him here a white, -young, lovely, and virgin slave." - -"I give up, before Gualichu," Nocobotha answered, "the hatred which my -nation and I had sworn against you and yours." - -"Does Gualichu approve our conduct?" Metipan asked. - -The matchi seemed to reflect profoundly. - -"Yes," he replied, "you have gained the protection of Gualichu; let the -white slave be brought up; perhaps he will demand that she should be -surrendered to him, instead of belonging to a man." - -"His will be done," both Ulmens said. - -Two warriors led up a girl of about seventeen, and placed her between -the lances, with her face turned to the tree of Gualichu. On seeing -her, Pedrito felt a cold perspiration break out all over him, and a -mist covered his eyes. - -"Whence comes this strange emotion?" the bombero muttered to himself. - -The girl's large black eyes had an expression of gentle melancholy. -She was dressed after the fashion of the Pehuenche women; the woollen -_quedito_ was rolled round her body, fastened on the shoulders by two -silver pins, and on her limbs by a _kepike_, or silken girdle, six -inches in width, and secured by a buckle. The two ends of a square -_pilken_, like a cloak, was fastened on her chest by a topu, adorned -with a magnificent head in gold. She had on her neck two collars of -beads, and on each of her arms four bracelets of glass, pearls, and -silver balls. Her long black hair was parted down the centre into two -tresses, tied up with blue ribbons, which floated on her shoulders, -and terminated in bells; on her head was a conical cap of blue and red -beads. - -At this graceful apparition the Indians, who are very fond of white -women, could not, despite their natural stoicism, restrain a murmur of -admiration. - -At a signal from the matchi the ceremony began. The two old squaws beat -the drum, while the spectators, guided by the sorcerer, struck up a -symbolical song while dancing round the captive. - -The drum ceased with the song; then the matchi lit a cigar, inhaled the -smoke, and thrice perfumed the tree, the animals, and the maiden, whose -bosom he at the same time laid bare. He put his mouth to it and began -sucking till he drew blood, and the poor child made superhuman efforts -not to shriek. The dancing, accompanied by song, began again, and the -old women beat the drum with all the strength of their arms. Pedrito, -full of compassion for the innocent victim of Indian superstition, -longed to fly to her help. - -In the meanwhile, the matchi, with his swollen cheeks, gradually became -more excited; his eyes grew bloodshot, he seemed possessed by the -demon, and all at once became furious; he writhed and behaved like an -epileptic. Then the dance ceased, and Metipan, with a stroke of his -machete, cut open the flank of the colt, tore out its still palpitating -heart, and gave it to the sorcerer, who sucked the blood, and employed -it to make a cross on the maiden's brow. The latter, suffering from -inexpressible terror, began to tremble violently. - -The storm, which had been gathering in the clouds, at length broke out. -A blue flash shot athwart the sky, the thunder rolled with a terrible -din, and a blast of wind dashed over the plain, sweeping away the -toldos, the fragments of which it dispersed far and wide. - -The Indians stopped, terrified by the storm. All at once a formidable -voice, that appeared to issue from the tree of Gualichu, uttered the -ill-omened words. - -"Retire, Indians! My wrath is let loose upon you. Leave here this -miserable white slave as an expiation of your crimes! Fly, and woe to -those who look back. Woe! Woe!" - -A livid flash and a violent peal of thunder served as peroration to -this harangue. - -"Let us fly!" said the matchi, who in his terror was ready to believe -in his god. - -But, profiting by this unexpected intervention to enforce his own -power, he continued-- - -"Fly, brothers! Gualichu has spoken to his servant. Woe to those who -resist his orders." - -The Indians had no need of this recommendation from their sorcerer; a -superstitious terror lent them wings. They rushed tumultuously toward -the horses, and soon the desert echoed again with their wild flight. -The tree of Gualichu was deserted, and the maiden alone lay fainting on -the ground, with her bosom still bare. - -When all was quiet on the Pampa, and the sound of the horses' gallop -was lost in the distance, Pedrito gently thrust his head out of the -tree, examined the black depths of the night, and reassured by the -silence, ran up to the girl. Pale as a beauteous lily laid low by the -storm, the poor girl had her eyes closed, and did not breathe. The -bombero raised her in his muscular arms, and transported her close to -the tree, laying her on a pile of skins belonging to a destroyed toldo. -He placed her cautiously on this softer couch, and her head hung -insensibly on his chest. - -It was a strange group, in the midst of this devastated plain, only -illumined by the lightning flashes. This young and lovely girl, and -this rude wood ranger, offered a touching picture. - -Pain and sorrow were delineated on Pedrito's face. He, whose whole life -had been but one long drama, who had no faith in his heart, who was -ignorant of gentle feelings and sweet sympathies, he, the bombero, the -slayer of Indians, was moved and felt something new stir within him. -Two heavy tears ran down his bronzed cheeks. - -"Can she be dead? Oh Heaven!" - -This name, which he had hitherto only used in blasphemy, he uttered -almost with respect. It was a sort of prayer and cry from his heart. -This man believed. - -"How to help her?" he asked himself. - -The rain that fell in torrents eventually restored the maiden, who, -half opening her eyes, murmured in a faint voice; - -"Where am I? What has happened?" - -"She speaks, she lives, she is saved," Pedrito exclaimed. - -"Who is there?" she asked, raising herself with difficulty. - -At the sight of the bombero's gloomy face, she had a fresh outburst of -terror, closed her eyes again, and fell back exhausted. - -"Reassure yourself, my girl. I am your friend." - -"My friend! What means that word? Have slaves any friends? Ah, yes," -she continued, speaking as if in a dream, "I have suffered terribly. -Still I can remember long, long ago, being happy, but alas! The worst -misfortune is the recollection of past happiness in misery." - -She was silent. The bombero gazed at her, and listened to her as if -suspended on her lips. That voice, those features! A vague suspicion -entered Pedrito's head. - -"Oh, speak, speak again," he said, softening down the harshness of his -voice, "what do you remember of your youthful years?" - -"Why think of past joys in misfortune? What does it avail?" she added, -shaking her head with discouragement. "My history is that of all -unfortunate persons. There was a time when, like other children, I had -the song of birds to lull me to sleep, flowers that smiled on me when -I awoke, and a mother who loved and embraced me--all that has fled -forever." - -Pedrito had raised two poles covered with skins to shelter her from -the storm, which was gradually subsiding. - -"You are kind, for you have saved me; still, your kindness was cruel, -for why did you not let me die? People who are dead no longer suffer. -The Pehuenches will return, and then--" - -She did not conclude, and buried her face in her hands, with choking -sobs. - -"Fear nothing, senorita; I will defend you." - -"Poor man; alone against all! But before my last hour arrives, listen -to me, for I wish to relieve my heart. One day I was playing in my -mother's arms, my father was near us, with my two sisters and my four -brothers, resolute men who would not have feared twenty. Well! the -Pehuenches came up, they burned our estancia, for my father was a -farmer, they killed my mother, and--" - -"Mercedes, Mercedes!" the bombero exclaimed, "Is it really you? Do I -find you again?" - -"That was the name my mother gave me." - -"It is I, Pedro, Pedrito, your brother," the bombero said, almost -shouting with joy, and clasping her to his bosom. - -"Pedrito! My brother! Yes, yes, I remember. Pedrito, I am--" - -She fell senseless into her brother's arms. - -"Wretch that I am, I have killed her! Mercedes, my beloved sister, -come to yourself again, or I shall die." - -The maiden opened her eyes again, and threw herself on the bombero's -neck, weeping with joy. - -"Pedrito! My kind brother, do not leave me, defend me; they would kill -me." - -"Poor girl, they will pass over my body before reaching you." - -"They will do so," a sarcastic voice exclaimed behind the tent. - -Two men appeared, Nocobotha and Pincheira. Pedrito, holding his sister, -who was half-dead with terror, with his left hand, leant against one of -the posts, drew his machete, and prepared for a vigorous defence. - -Nocobotha and Pincheira, too enlightened to be the dupes of the -mysterious voice of Gualichu, and yield to the general panic, had, -however, fled with their comrades; but they had turned back unnoticed. -Curious to know the meaning of this enigma, and the author of the -mystification, they had listened to the entire conversation between -brother and sister. - -"Well," Pincheira said, with a laugh, "you seem tolerably lively for a -dead man. It seems, Canario, that you must be killed twice, in order to -make sure that you will not recover. But, be easy, if my friend missed -you, I shall not do so." - -"What do you want with me?" Pedrito said. "Let us pass." - -"Not at all," Pincheira replied, "that would be rather too dangerous -an example. And stay," he added, after listening, "do you hear that -galloping? your affair is as good as settled, there are our _mosotones_ -coming back." - -In fact, the sound of a cavalcade momentarily drew nearer, and in the -pale gleam of dawn the dim outlines of numerous horsemen could be -distinguished in the distance. Pedrito saw that he was lost; he kissed -for the last time the pale brow of his unconscious sister, laid her -behind him, crossed himself, and prepared to die as a brave man should. - -"Come," said Nocobotha, "let us have an end of this; it looks as if -this scoundrel were afraid of death." - -"Make haste," Pincheira answered, "I hear our men, and if we do not -make haste, our prey will be torn from us." - -"You did not fancy you were speaking so truly, Senor Pincheira," Pepe -exclaimed, suddenly appearing with his two brothers; "now, let us see -who is to be killed." - -"Thanks, my brave brothers," Pedrito said joyously. - -"Malediction!" Pincheira said with an oath, "Are these scoundrels -everywhere?" - -"I will not have him escape me," Nocobotha muttered, as he bit his lips -till the blood came. - -"Fie on you, caballeros," Pepe exclaimed ironically. "On guard, defend -yourselves like men, or I shall kill you like dogs." - -The blades crossed, and the fight began with equal fury on both sides. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -NOCOBOTHA. - - -A struggle to the death was preparing between these irreconcilable -enemies, the bomberos and the Indians; and on this occasion it seemed -as if the advantage would be on the side of the brothers. - -Mercedes, who had recovered from her fainting fit, felt so terrified -that she regretted that she had awoken again. - -After the first collision, Nocobotha fell back a step, lowered his -weapon, made Pincheira a sign to imitate him, and with folded arms -walked towards the brothers. - -"Stay," he cried, "this fight will not take place; it is not proper for -men to risk their lives in disputing for the possession of a woman." - -An ironical smile contracted the bronzed faces Of Pedrito's brothers, -while Pincheira stamped his foot impatiently. The Indian chief -continued, without heeding these marks of disapproval-- - -"A man's blood is precious. Take away your sister, my good fellow. I -give her to you; may she be happy with you." - -"Our sister!" the three young men exclaimed with amazement. - -"Yes," Pedrito said; "but what conditions do you exact?" - -"None," the chief answered nobly. - -Nocobotha's generosity was the more disinterested because the bomberos -perceived by the first rays of the rising sun a band of nearly one -thousand Indians, well equipped, and painted and armed for war, who had -silently advanced and formed a a circle round them. - -"Can we," Pedrito asked, "trust to your word, and have we no cause to -fear a trap?" - -"My word," the Ulmen answered haughtily, "is more sacred than that of -a white man. We have, like you, noble feelings, more so, perhaps, than -others," he added, pointing to a red line that traversed his face; -"we know how to forgive. You are free, and no one will disturb your -retreat." - -Nocobotha followed the thoughts of the bomberos on their faces. The -latter felt themselves conquered by the magnanimity of the chief, who -smiled triumphantly on divining their astonishment and confusion. - -"My friend," he said to Pincheira, "let fresh horses be given to these -men." - -Pincheira hesitated. - -"At once," he said, with a gesture full of supreme grace. - -The Chilian, who was a semi-savage, yielding involuntarily to -Nocobotha's superiority, obeyed, and five horses of great value, and -ready saddled and bridled, were led up by two Indians. - -"Chief," Pedrito said, in a slightly shaking voice, "I am not grateful -for my life, as I do not fear death; but, in my brothers' names and -my own, I thank you for our sister. We never forget an insult or a -kindness. Farewell! Perhaps I shall someday have the opportunity to -prove to you that we are not ungrateful." - -The chief bowed without answering. The bomberos grouped round Mercedes, -returned his salute, and went off slowly. - -"Well, it was your wish," Pincheira said, shrugging his shoulders in -vexation. - -"Patience!" Nocobotha answered, in a deep voice. - -During this time an immense fire had been kindled at the foot of the -tree of Gualichu, where the Indians, whose superstitious fears had -been dissipated with the darkness, had again assembled in council. -A few paces behind the chiefs, the Aucas and Puelche horsemen formed -a formidable cordon round the council fire, while Patagonian scouts -dashed about the desert to scare away intruders, and insure the secrecy -of the deliberations. - -In the east the sun was darting forth its flames, the dry and naked -desert was blended with the illimitable horizon; in the distance the -Cordilleras displayed the eternal snow of their peaks. Such was the -landscape, if we may call it so, in which these barbarous warriors -stood, dressed in strange costumes near the symbolic tree. This -majestic scene involuntarily recalled other times and other climates, -when, by the light of burning towns, the ferocious companions of Attila -rushed to the conquest, and rejuvenescence of the Roman world. - -Nocobotha took up his speech at the point where it had been interrupted -by the unexpected interference of the bombero. - -"I thank my brother Metipan," he said, "for the gift of the white -slave. From this day our disagreement ceases; his nation and mine will -form one and the same family, whose herds will peacefully graze on the -same pasturage, and whose warriors will sleep side by side on the war -track." - -The matchi then lit a pipe, drew a few puffs, and handed it to the two -chiefs, who smoked in turn, passing the pipe to each other till the -tobacco was entirely consumed. Then the pipe was thrown on the fire by -the matchi. - -"Gualichu," he said, solemnly, "has heard your words. Swear that your -alliance will not be broken until you can again smoke this pipe which -is already reduced to ashes." - -"We swear it." - -The two Ulmens laid the left hand on the other's right shoulder, -stretched out the right hand to the sacred tree, and kissed each other -on the lips, saying-- - -"Brother, receive this kiss. May my lips wither and my tongue be torn -out if I betray my oath." - -All the Indians came, one after the other, to give the kiss of peace to -the two Ulmens with marks of joy that were the more lively because they -knew what great misfortunes this feud had already cost them, and how -many times it had compromised the independence of the Indian tribes. - -When the chiefs had returned to their places at the council fire, -Lucaney bowed to Nocobotha. - -"What communications did my brother wish to make to the Ulmens? We are -ready to hear him." - -Nocobotha seemed to reflect for a moment, and then looked confidently -round the assembly. - -"Ulmens of the Puelches, Araucanos, Pehuenches, Huileches, and -Patagonians," he said, "for many moons past my mind has been sad. I -see with grief our hunting grounds invaded by the white men, and daily -growing more and more contracted. We whose countless tribes only a few -centuries ago covered the vast tract of land contained between the -two seas, are now reduced to a small band of warriors, who, timid as -llamas, fly before our despoilers. Our sacred cities, the last refuges -of the civilization of our fathers the Incas, are about to become the -prey of these human-faced monsters who have no other God but gold. Our -dispersed race will soon disappear from this world which it so long -possessed and governed alone." - -"Tracked like wild animals, brutalized by the firewater, and decimated -by the sword and Spanish disease, our wandering hordes are but the -shadow of a people. Our conquerors despise our religion, and they wish -to bow us beneath the tree of the crucified man. They outrage our -wives, kill our children, and burn our villages. Has the blood of your -fathers become impoverished in the veins of all you Indians who are -listening to me? Answer, will you die slaves, or live as free men?" - -At these words, uttered in a masculine and penetrating voice, and whose -effect was heightened by the most majestic gestures, a quiver ran along -the assembly; they raised their heads haughtily and every eye flashed. - -"Speak, speak again!" the electrified Ulmens shouted simultaneously. - -The great Ulmen smiled proudly, and continued-- - -"The hour has at length arrived, after so much humiliation and -wretchedness, to shake off the disgraceful yoke that presses on us. -Within a few days, if you are willing, we will drive the whites far -from our borders, and requite them all the evil they have done us. I -have long been watching the Spaniards, and I know their tactics and -resources; and in order to annihilate them we only need skill and -courage." - -The Indians interrupted him, with shouts of joy. - -"You shall be free," Nocobotha continued. "I will restore you the rich -valleys of your ancestors. This project has, ever since I have become -a man, been fermenting in my head, and it has grown the life of my -life. Far from you and me be the thought that I have any intention to -force myself on you as chief and grand Toqui of the army! No; you -must choose your leader freely, and after having elected him, obey him -blindly, follow him everywhere, and pass through the most formidable -perils. Do not deceive yourselves, warriors; our enemy is strong, -numerous, and well disciplined, and, before all, is habituated to -conquer us. Appoint a supreme chief--select the most worthy, and I will -joyfully march under his orders. I have spoken: have I spoken well, -powerful men?" - -And, after bowing to the assembly, Nocobotha mingled with the crowd of -chiefs, with a serene brow, but with his heart devoured by anxiety and -hatred. - -This eloquence, which was novel to the Indians, seduced, carried them -away, and cast them into a species of frenzy. They almost regarded -Nocobotha as a genius of a superior essence to their own, and bowed -the knee to worship him, so straight had he gone to their hearts. For -a long time the council was affected by a species of delirium, all -speaking at once. When tranquillity was restored, the wisest among the -Ulmens discussed the opportunity of taking up arms and the chances -of success, and in the end the opinion was unanimous in favour of a -general insurrection. The ranks, momentarily broken, were restored, -and Lucaney, who was invited by the chiefs to make known the decision -of the council, spoke as follows;-- - -"Ulmens, listen, listen, listen! This seventeenth day of the moon of -Kekil-kiven it has been resolved by all the chiefs, each representing -a nation or a tribe, assembled round the council fire in front of the -sacred tree of Gualichu, and after the performance of the sacred rites -to render the spirit favourable to us, that war is declared against -the Spaniards, our despoilers. As the war is holy, and has liberty -for its object, all will be expected to take part in it--men, women, -and children; all to the extent of their strength. This very day the -_quipus_ will be sent to all the Indian nations." - -A long cry of enthusiasm cheered Lucaney, but he continued after a -while-- - -"The chiefs, after careful consideration, have chosen as supreme Toqui -of all the nations, with uncontrolled and unlimited power, the wisest, -the most prudent, and the man most worthy to command us. This warrior -is the chief of the Aucas whose race is so ancient, Nocobotha is the -descendant of the Incas, the son of the sun." - -A thunder of applause greeted these last words Nocobotha walked into -the centre of the circle, bowed to the Ulmens, and said, in a proud -accent, "I accept. Ulmens, my brothers, in a year you shall be free, or -myself dead." - -"Long live the great Toqui!" the crowd shouted. - -"War to the Spaniards!" Nocobotha continued; "A war without respite or -mercy--a true wild beast hunt, such as they are accustomed to make on -us. Remember the law of the Pampas: 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for -a tooth.' Each chief will send the quipus to his nation, for at the end -of this moon we will arouse our enemies by a thunderclap. Go, and lose -no time. This night at the fourth hour we will meet again at the pass -of the Guanaco, to elect the secondary chiefs, count our warriors, and -fix the day and hour of attack." - -The Ulmens bowed without replying, rejoined the escort, and soon -disappeared in a cloud of dust. - -Nocobotha and Pincheira remained alone, a detachment guarding them a -little distance away. Nocobotha, with his arms folded, drooping head, -and frowning brow, seemed plunged in profound thoughts. - -"Well," Pincheira said, "we have succeeded." - -"Yes," he answered; "war is declared, and I am the supreme chief; but -I tremble at such a heavy task. Do those primitive men thoroughly -understand? Are they ripe for liberty? Perhaps they have not as yet -suffered enough. Oh! if I succeed!" - -"You startle me, friend. What, then, are your plans?" - -"It is true, you know nothing, but you are worthy of such an -enterprise. I wish, understand me thoroughly; I wish--" - -At this moment an Indian, whose horse, reeking with perspiration, -seemed to breathe fire through its nostrils, came up to the two Ulmens, -before whom he shopped dead, by a prodigy of horsemanship, as if -converted into a granite statue. He bent down to Nocobotha's ear. - -"Already!" the latter exclaimed; "Oh, there is not a moment to lose. -Quick, my horse." - -"What is the matter?" Pincheira asked him. - -"Nothing that can interest you. Tonight at the pass of the Guanaco you -shall know all." - -"Are you going alone?" - -"I must. Tonight we meet again." - -Nocobotha's horse snorted, and dashed off like an arrow from a bow. - -Ten minutes later all the Indians had disappeared, and solitude and -silence reigned round the tree of Gualichu. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -THE COUGARS. - - -Don Valentine Cardoso's conversation with Don Blas Salazar was -prolonged far into the night. Dona Concha had retired to her apartments. - -"Thanks, Blas, my friend," Don Valentine said in conclusion; "that -Don Torribio Carvajal never pleased either my daughter or myself. His -mysterious ways and his look repulse affection and inspire distrust." - -"What do you intend doing?" the capataz asked. - -"I am greatly embarrassed; how can I close my doors against him; what -pretext should I have?" - -"Good gracious!" Blas said; "Perhaps we are alarming ourselves too -soon. This gentleman is doubtless no more or less than a lover. Dona -Concha is of the age to be beloved, and her beauty attracts Don -Torribio. You do not like him as son-in-law, so all right; but love, -they say, is a strange thing, and some day or other--" - -"I have designs for my daughter." - -"That is different. By the way, may not this mysterious caballero be a -secret agent of General Oribe, who is watching Carmen?" - -"That is the truth, I believe. His hints to the gauchos, his unexpected -absences, whose purpose is unknown, are simply of a political nature, -and Don Torribio is a conspirator." - -"Nothing else. Be on your guard against him." - -"In the expectation of General Oribe making an attack, let us make -ourselves secure. The Estancia of San Julian is close to Port San Jose -and the sea; we will await the issue of these machinations there in -greater security, because a vessel, anchored opposite the estancia, -will be at my disposal, and on the slightest alarm convey us to Buenos -Aires." - -"That arrangement removes all difficulties; in the country you will not -be annoyed by Don Torribio's visits." - -"iCaramba! you are right; and I will proceed to give orders for -departure. Do not go away, for I want your assistance, and you will -accompany us." - -Don Valentine hastened to wake the servants and peons who were fast -asleep; and the valuables were at once packed up. - -At the first gleam of dawn Dona Concha was greatly surprised, when her -lady's maid, a young mulatto girl, informed her of her father's sudden -resolution. Dona Concha, without making the slightest remark, dressed -herself, and began packing. - -At about eight in the morning, Blas Salazar, whom his foster brother -had sent with a letter to the captain of his schooner moored off -Carmen, and loaded with Brazilian merchandise, returned to the house, -and stated that the captain would sail at once, and be anchored by -nightfall before San Julian. - -The courtyard of the house resembled a hostelry. Fifteen mules, bending -beneath their bales, stamped in their impatience to be off, while the -travelling litter was being prepared for Dona Concha. Forty saddle -horses, intended for the servants, were fastened to iron rings in the -wall; four or five mules were prepared to carry the young lady's female -attendants, while two Negro slaves held two splendid chargers, which -stamped and champed their silver bits, while awaiting their riders, Don -Valentine and his capataz. There was a deafening confusion of shouts, -laughter, and kicking. In the street, a crowd, among whom were Corrocho -and Panchito, curiously watched their departure, while making their -comments on the strange fact of Don Cardoso choosing so late a season -for a residence in the country. - -Panchito and Corrocho slipped away. - -At last, at about half past eight o'clock, the _arrieros_ placed -themselves at the head of their mules; the servants, armed to the -teeth, mounted, and Dona Concha, dressed in a charming travelling -costume, walked down the steps, and with a merry laugh, bounded into -the litter, where she nestled like a hummingbird among rose leaves. - -At a sign from the capataz, the mules, already fastened to each other -in a file, started. Don Valentine then turned to an old Negro, who was -standing respectfully near him, hat in hand. - -"Good-bye, _tio_ Peralta," he said to him; "I give you charge of the -house, and leave you Cyrillo and Nanez." - -"Your Excellency can reckon on my vigilance," the old man answered; -"may God bless your Excellency, and the Nina too. I will take great -care of her birds." - -"Thank you, _tio_ Peralta," the young lady said, leaning out of the -litter. - -The courtyard was already empty, when the Negro bowed, delighted at the -thanks. - -The night storm had completely swept the sky, which was of a pale -blue; the sun, already high on the horizon, spread profusely its warm -beams, which were filtered through the fragrant vapours that rose -from the ground. The atmosphere was wondrously transparent, a slight -breeze refreshed the air, and swarms of birds, glistening with a -thousand hues, dashed about. The mules, which followed the bell of the -_yegua madrina_, trotted to the songs of the arrieros. The caravan -marched gaily across the sandy desert, raising the dust around it, and -undulating like a long serpent, in the endless windings of the road. -Don Blas, with ten servants, who explored the country, and examined the -bushes, formed the vanguard. Don Valentine, with a cigar in his mouth, -was conversing with his daughter, while twenty resolute men closed the -march, and protected the travellers. - -In the plains of Patagonia, a journey of four hours, like that to the -estancia of San Julian, requires as many precautions as one of two -hundred among us; enemies are ambuscaded everywhere, and ready for -pillage and murder; and travellers are compelled to be on their guard -against gauchos, Indians, and wild beasts. - -The white houses of Carmen had disappeared long ago, when the capataz, -leaving the head of the party, galloped up to the side of the litter. - -"What is the matter?" Don Valentine asked. - -"Nothing," Blas replied; "still, Excellency, look," he added, -stretching out his arm in a southwesterly direction. - -"It is a fire." - -"Now turn your eyes to the east-south-east." - -"That is another fire. Who the deuce has lighted fires on those scarped -points, and for what object?" - -"I will tell you. That point is the cliff of Urubus." - -"It is." - -"That is the cliff of San Xavier." - -"Well?" - -"As a fire does not light itself, as we have some 120 deg. of heat, and -as--" - -"You conclude--" - -"I conclude that these fires Have been lit by Don Torribio's gauchos; -and that they are signals." - -"Stay, stay, that is logical, my friend, and you may be right perhaps; -but what do we care?" - -"Those signals tell that Don Valentine Cardoso and his daughter have -left Carmen." - -"You spoke to me about that, I think? Well, I do not care about Don -Torribio knowing of my departure." - -A sudden cry was heard, and the mules stopped with trembling limbs. - -"What is going on down there?" Blas asked. - -"A cougar, a cougar!" the arrieros shouted in horror. - -"Canario, it is true," the capataz said, "but instead of one there are -two." - -About two hundred yards ahead of the caravan two cougars (the _Felis -discolor_ or Linnaeus, or American lion), were drawn up ready for a -spring, with their eyes fixed on the mules. These animals, still young, -were about the size of a calf; the head bore a great likeness to that -of a cat, and their skins, smooth and soft, of a silvery tawny, were -spotted with black. - -"Come on," Don Valentine exclaimed, "uncouple the dogs, and let us have -a hunt." - -"A hunt!" the capataz repeated. - -A dozen mastiffs were unloosed which, on approaching the lions, barked -simultaneously. The mules were collected and formed into a large -circle, in the centre of which the litter was placed. Ten servants were -told off to guard Dona Concha, and Don Valentine remained by her side -to keep up her courage. - -Horses, riders, and dogs rushed in rivalry on the ferocious animals -with yells, shouts, and barking sufficient to start lions that were -novices. The noble beasts, lashed their flanks with their powerful -tails, and after a deep inspiration they fled away with lengthened -bounds. A part of the hunters rode off in a straight line to cut off -their retreat, while, others bending over the saddle and guiding their -horses with their knees, brandished their terrible bolas, and hunted -them with all their strength, though without checking the cougars which -turned furiously on the dogs, and hurled them a dozen yards off yelling -with pain. The mastiffs, however, long accustomed to this style of -hunting, watched for a favourable opportunity, threw themselves on the -lions' backs and dug their teeth into their flesh, but the cougars, -with one blow of their murderous paw, swept them off like flies, and -resumed their hurried course. - -One of them, hobbled by the bolas, and surrounded by dogs, rolled on -the ground, digging up the sand with its contracted claws, and uttering -a fearful yell. Don Valentine finished it by putting a bullet in its -eye. - -The second cougar remained, which was still unwounded, and by its -bounds, foiled the attack and skill of the hunters. The dogs, worn out, -did not dare approach it. Its flight had brought it within a few paces -of the caravan; all at once it turned to the right, bounded over the -mules, and crouched right in front of the litter. Dona Concha, pale as -death, with closed eyes, instinctively clasped her hands, recommended -her soul to Heaven, and fainted. - -At the moment when the lion was about to dart on the girl, two shots -struck it right in the middle of the chest. It turned round on its new -adversary, no other than the worthy capataz, who, with extended legs, -and eye fixed on the lion, awaited the monster. The cougar hesitated, -took a parting glance at its prey still lying in the litter, and rushed -with a roar on Blas, who pulled the trigger again. The animal writhed -on the ground, and the capataz ran up to it, machete in hand. The man -and the lion rolled together, but only one of them rose again--it was -the man. - -Dona Concha was saved. Her father pressed her joyously to his breast; -she opened her eyes again at last, and aware to whose devotion she owed -her life, held out her hand to Don Blas. - -"I can no longer count the number of times you have saved the lives of -my father and myself." - -"Oh, senorita!" the worthy man said, as he kissed the tips of her -fingers. - -"You are my foster brother, and I can only discharge my debt to you -by eternal gratitude," Don Valentine said. "Strip the lions of their -skins, my men," he said, turning to the servants. "I suppose they will -not frighten you, when they are converted into carpets, Conchita." - -No one equals the Hispano-Americans in the art of flaying animals; in a -minute, the two lions, above which the urubus and vultures of the Andes -were already hovering, were stripped of their skins. - -Order was restored in the caravan, which started again, and within an -hour arrived at the Estancia of San Julian, where it was received by -Patito and all the farm peons. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -THE ESTANCIA OF SAN JULIAN. - - -The bomberos, accompanied by Mercedes, buried themselves in the desert. -Their journey lasted four hours, and brought them to the banks of the -Rio Negro, to one of the charming oases created by the river mud, and -covered with clumps of willows, nopals, palms, chirimoyas, lemon trees, -and flowering jessamines, in whose branches thousands of birds of the -most varying colour and note gaily warbled. - -Pedrito seized Mercedes in his robust arms, lifted her from the front -of his saddle and laid her gently on the turf. The horses began quietly -nibbling the young tree shoots. - -"Tell us, how did you find our sister?" Juan said. - -The elder brother, as if he had not heard, made no reply, and with -his eyes fixed on the girl, he listened to a voice that spoke within -him; he fancied he saw again the living portrait of his mother, and -said to himself, "The same look, at once gentle and tender! The smile -full of kindness! Poor mother, poor sister! Mercedes," he added in a -louder voice, "do you remember your grown-up brothers, who loved you so -dearly?" - -"Come, come," Pepe exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is not -fair, brother! You keep our bills in the water like a lot of ducks, and -confiscate the girl's kind looks. If she is really our deeply-regretted -Mercedes, speak; icaray! we have as much right to embrace her as you -have, and are all longing to do so." - -"You are right," Pedrito answered; "forgive me, brothers, but joy -rendered me egotistic. Yes, it is our dear little sister, so embrace -her." - -The bomberos did not wait for the invitation to be repeated, and -without asking the slightest explanation from Pedrito, disputed with -each other as to who should devour her with caresses. The maiden, -who was deeply affected, and whom the Indians had not accustomed to -such happiness, yielded to the intoxication of joy. While they were -indulging in these transports, Pedrito had lit a fire and prepared a -substantial meal, composed of fruit and a leg of guanaco. They sat down -and ate with good appetites. Pedrito recounted his adventures at the -tree of Gualichu, without omitting a single detail. His story occupied -a long time, for it was at times interrupted by the young men, who -laughed most heartily at the tragi-comical incidents of the scene -between the matchi and Gualichu. - -"Do you know," Lopez said to him, "that you have been a god?" - -"A god who ran a greater risk of becoming immortal than he cared for," -Pedrito replied; "for I feel that I love life since I have found the -child again. Well, here she is, and he will be a clever fellow who -takes her from us again. Still, we cannot keep her with us and let her -share our precarious existence." - -"That is true," the other brothers said. - -"What is to be done?" Pepe muttered sadly. - -"Our poor sister would die," said Pedrito; "we cannot make a female -bombero of her, drag her after us into danger, or leave her alone." - -"I shall never be alone when with you, my kind brothers." - -"Our life is at the mercy of an Indian bullet. The fear that you may -fall again into the hands of the Aucas or the Puelches troubles me; and -if you remained with us and shared our dangers, I should turn a coward, -and not have the courage to perform my duties as bombero." - -"During the ten years we have been prowling about the Pampas," Pepe -remarked, "we have broken with all our old acquaintances." - -"Suppose, though," Lopez observed, "we find her a safe shelter? I have -an idea." - -"Out with it." - -"You remember the capataz of the Estancia de San Julian, what is his -name?" - -"Don Blas Salazar." - -"The very man," Lopez continued; "I fancy we have saved his life and -his master's ere now, and that both owe us a candle as thick as my arm -in gratitude." - -"Don Valentine and his capataz," Juan said, "would have yielded their -skins to that demon of a Pincheira, who wished to flay them alive, had -it not been for our rifles." - -"That is our affair. Lopez is right." - -"Don Valentino passes for a good-hearted man." - -"He has, I think, a daughter whom he tenderly loves, and will -understand the difficulty we are in." - -"Yes," said Pepe, "but we cannot go to Carmen." - -"Let us ride to the Estancia, then; it will only take us a couple of -hours." - -"We will be off," said Pedrito; "Juan and Lopez will remain here, -while Pepe and I escort the chica. Kiss your brothers, Mercedes. Now -then, Pepe; you two keep good watch and expect us at sunset." - -Mercedes waved a parting farewell to her brothers, and, escorted by -Pepe and Pedro, started at a gallop for San Julian. - -At about three o'clock they perceived, fifty yards from them, the -estancia, which Don Valentine and his daughter had reached hardly two -hours before. - -The Estancia of San Julian, undoubtedly the richest and strongest -position on the entire Patagonian coast, stood on a peninsula six miles -in circumference, covered with wood and pastures, on which upwards of -two thousand head of cattle grazed at liberty. Surrounded by the sea, -which forms a natural fortification, the strip of land, twenty feet in -width at the most, was guarded by a battery of five heavy guns. The -house, which was surrounded by lofty parapeted and bastioned walls, -was a species of fortress, capable of sustaining a regular siege, -thanks to eight guns, which, planted on the four bastions, defended the -approaches. It was composed of a large main building with a terraced -roof, having ten windows on the frontage, and with two wings. A large -flight of steps, protected by a double curiously-worked balustrade, -protected by a verandah, gave access to the rooms, which were furnished -with the simple and picturesque luxury peculiar to the Spanish farms of -America. - -Between the house and the wall, in which there was, opposite the steps, -a cedar gate five inches thick, and lined with strong iron plates, -extended a large English garden, well wooded and beautifully laid out. -The space left free behind the farm was occupied by the corrals in -which the cattle were shut up at night, and an immense courtyard in -which the annual slaughtering took place. - -This white house was gay and pleasant, and could be seen for some -distance off, half-hidden by the branches which crowned it with -foliage. From the first floor windows there was a view on one side of -the sea, on the other of the Rio Negro, which ran capriciously through -the plain like a silver thread, and was lost in the azure distance of -the horizon. - -Ever since the last war with the Indians, ten years back, and during -which the estancia was all but surprised by the Aucas, a _mirador_ had -been built on the roof of the main building, where a sentry stood day -and night, ordered to watch and announce the approach of strangers -upon a buffalo horn. In addition, the isthmus battery was guarded by -six men, ready to discharge the guns at the slightest alarm. Hence, -when the bomberos were still some distance from the Estancia, their -coming had been signalled, and Don Blas Salazar, accompanied by Patito, -was standing behind the battery in order to challenge them when they -came within hail. - -The bomberos were aware of the orders, which are common to all the -Spanish establishments, especially on the borders, where people are -exposed to the continual depredations of the Indians. On coming within -twenty paces of the battery, the two men stopped and waited. - -"Who goes there?" a voice shouted. - -"Friends?" Pedrito answered. - -"Who are you?" - -"Bomberos." - -"Good; what do you want?" - -"To speak to the Senor Capataz, Don Blas Salazar." - -"Why," Blas himself exclaimed, "it is Pedrito." - -"Yes, yes, Don Blas," Pedrito said, "and I recognized you at once, but -duty is duty. This is my brother Pepe, at your service." - -"As he has been before, Don Blas, by your leave," Pepe said, -insinuatingly. - -"That is true, lower the drawbridge." - -The bomberos entered, and the bridge was immediately pulled up after -them. - -"iCaray! What a pleasant surprise, my friends," the capataz said, "we -see you most remarkably seldom. Come to my house, and while we drain a -cup, you will tell me what brings you here, and it must be a serious -matter, if I know you." - -"Very serious indeed," Pedrito answered. - -"Patito," said Blas, "you stay here; I am going to the estancia." - -The capataz mounted his horse, and drew up alongside Pedrito. - -"May I ask, caballero, without indiscretion, who that girl dressed in -the Indian fashion is? She is white, is she not?" - -"She is our sister, capataz." - -"Your sister, Don Pedro! Are you joking?" - -"Heaven forbid?" - -"I was not aware you had a sister, so forgive me, for I am not a -sorcerer." - -The horsemen had arrived at their destination. The capataz dismounted, -the bomberos followed his example, and followed him into a spacious -ground floor room, where an elderly, healthy-looking woman was busy -peeling Indian corn. It was Don Blas's mother, and Don Valentine's -nurse. She greeted the newcomers with a good-humoured smile, offered -them seats, and went to fetch a jug of chicha, which she placed before -them. - -"To your health, senores," said the capataz, after filling the pewter -cups to the brim. "The sun is confoundedly hot, and travellers will -find this refreshing." - -"Thanks," said Pedrito, who had emptied his glass. - -"Come, what have you to tell me? Speak freely; unless," Blas added, "my -mother is in your way. If so, the worthy woman would go into the next -room." - -"No," Pedro said, eagerly; "no! The senora, on the contrary, must -remain, for what we have to say everybody may hear, and especially your -mother; we have come here on the subject of our sister." - -"I do not wish to offend you, Don Pedro," the capataz interrupted him, -"but you did wrong in keeping the young lady with you, for she cannot -share all the perils of your diabolical life, can she, mother?" - -The old lady gave a nod of assent, and the brothers exchanged a hopeful -glance. - -"You can do what you please, of course," Don Blas continued; -"everybody is at liberty to arrange his life as he pleases, provided -that it be honestly. But now to business." - -"Your remark, Don Blas," Pedrito said, "overwhelms us with joy. You are -a man of good counsel and good heart." - -And without farther delay, he told Mercedes' singular story. Toward its -close Dona Salazar left the room, unnoticed by her son or the bomberos. - -"You are a worthy man, Don Pedro," Don Blas exclaimed. "Yes, deuce take -me if you are not, though the bomberos generally are considered sorry -fellows. You have judged me rightly, and I thank you for thinking of -me." - -"Then you consent?" Pepe asked. - -"One moment, sapristi! Let me conclude," the capataz said, as he filled -the glasses again, "here's to your health, and that of the senorita. -I am only a poor fellow, and a bachelor in the bargain, hence my -protection would compromise a young lady's reputation, for tongues -are wicked here as elsewhere, and though I live with my mother, an -excellent woman, a wicked word is soon uttered. Senores, a girl's -reputation is like an egg; once cracked it cannot be mended. You -understand?" - -"What is to be done?" Pedrito muttered with discouragement. - -"Patience, compadre! I am nothing myself, but, canario, Don Valentine -Cardoso, my master, is kind, he is fond of me, and has a charming -daughter; I will plead your sister's cause to him." - -"The cause is already gained, my friend," said Don Valentine, whom Dona -Salazar had informed of the bomberos' wishes. - -Dona Concha, who accompanied her father, had been greatly affected -by the story of Mercedes' misfortunes; a good action had tempted her -heart, and she begged her father to take charge of the bomberos' -sister, who would be a companion for her. Pepe and Pedrito knew not how -to express their gratitude to Senor Cardoso. - -"My friends," the latter said, "I am only too happy to discharge my -debt to you. We have an old account outstanding between us. Eh, Blas! -And if my daughter still has a father, she owes it to you." - -"Oh, senor!" the two young men protested. - -"My daughter, Conchita, will have a sister, and I two daughters instead -of one. Do you wish it so, Conchita?" - -"I thank you, father," as she repeatedly kissed Mercedes. "My dear -girl," she added, "kiss your brothers and follow me to my apartments; -I will myself give you the articles of clothing you most require, and -enable you to get rid of this heathen costume at once." - -Mercedes threw herself into her brother's arms with tears. - -"Come, come, little maid," Dona Concha said, as she drew her away, "do -not cry thus, you will see them again, wipe your eyes, for I mean you -to be happy, do you understand? Come, smile at once, my darling, and -follow me." - -The sentinel's horn at this moment announced that a stranger was asking -admission to the estancia. - -"Thanks, once again, Don Valentine," Pedrito said, "we go away with -minds at rest." - -"Good-bye, till we meet again, my friends." - -Pedrito and Pepe, light both in body and mind, left the estancia, and -crossed on their passage a horseman, who was coming up to the steps at -a sharp trot. - -"That is strange," said Pedrito, "where have I seen that man? I do not -know, but I feel certain I have met him before." - -"Do you know Don Torribio Carvajal?" the capataz asked. - -"I am not aware if that is the Caballero's name, who he is, or where -I have seen him; still, I am certain that we met a very little while -ago." - -"Ah!" - -"Good-bye, Don Blas, and thank you," the bomberos said, as they shook -his hand. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -DON SYLVIO D'ARENAL. - - -An hour before the bomberos' arrival at the estancia, a visitor had -presented himself, who was eagerly greeted by Don Valentine and his -daughter. This visitor, about eight-and-twenty years of age, and -elegantly built, possessed the manners of a man of distinction, and a -clever, noble face. His name was Don Sylvio d'Arenal, and he belonged -to one of the richest and most respected families in Buenos Aires. The -death of a relative had endowed him with a fortune of 500,000 piastres -a year; that is to say, about one hundred thousand a year--a fortune -large even for this country, where gold is so common. - -The family of Don Sylvio and of Don Valentine, both originally from -Spain, and connected by ancient ties, had ever lived on a footing of -the greatest intimacy. The young man and the young lady were educated -together, and hence, when her handsome cousin came to say good-bye -to her, and told her of his departure for Europe, where he was to -travel for some years to complete his education, and assume elegant -manners, Dona Concha, who was at that time twelve years of age, felt a -great vexation. Since their childhood, unconsciously, they loved each -other with the simple gentle affection of youth, which only thinks of -happiness. - -Don Sylvio went away, bearing his love with him, and Conchita retained -him in her heart. - -Only a few days previously the young man had returned to Buenos Aires, -and after making a tour through the most renowned cities of the -civilized world, hastened to arrange his affairs. Then he freighted a -schooner, and set sail for Carmen, burning with desire to see again the -woman he loved, and whom he had not seen for three years--his Conchita, -the pretty child who, he thought, had, doubtless, become a lovely and -accomplished maiden. - -At Carmen he found Don Valentine's house empty, and from the -information he received from _Tio_ Peralta, the old Negro, he rode at -a gallop to the estancia of San Julian. The surprise and joy of Don -Valentine and his daughter were extreme. Conchita was especially happy, -for she thought daily of Sylvio, and saw him through her recollections, -but at the same time she felt in her heart an emotion of mingled -pleasure and sorrow. Sylvio perceived it, understood that he was still -loved, and his happiness equalled that of Dona Concha. - -"Come, come, children," the father said with a smile, "kiss each other; -I permit it." - -Dona Concha offered Don Sylvia her blushing forehead, which he -respectfully touched with his lips. - -"What sort of kiss do you call that?" Don Valentine continued, "come, -come, no hypocrisy! kiss one another openly; hang it all! Do not play -the coquette, Conchita, because you are a pretty girl, and he is a -handsome fellow; and you, Sylvio, who fall here like a bombshell -without notice, do you suppose, if you please, that I had not guessed -for what reason you made a sea voyage of several hundred leagues? Is -it for my sake you have hastened here from Buenos Aires? You love each -other, so kiss like lovers and betrothed people, and if you behave -yourselves you will be married in a few days." - -The young folks, affected by these kind words and this merry humour, -fell into the arms of the worthy man, in order to conceal their emotion. - -"Children," he said, "the Rubicon is past; indulge your joy at meeting -after so lengthened a separation. It is the last, for you have met -again forever." - -"Oh, forever," the young people repeated. - -"Let us kill the fatted calf, as the prodigal child has come back. Don -Sylvio, you will remain here, and not return to Carmen, except to be -married. Does that suit you?" - -"Yes," said Sylvio, looking amorously at Conchita, "on condition that -it is soon, father." - -"That's the way with lovers; they are always eager and impatient. -Everyone in his turn; I was like that and as happy, then our children -take our places, and the happiness of old men is produced by their -happiness." - -One of those sweet and intimate conversations then began, in which the -recollections of the past and the certainty of speedy happiness were -blended. They were interrupted by Dona Salazar entering the room. Don -Sylvio proceeded to his apartment, while Concha and her father followed -the old lady to the bomberos. - -Don Valentine, surprised and irritated by the unexpected arrival of Don -Torribio Carvajal, resolved to get rid of him, and come to an end with -this mysterious man. - -"You did not expect me so soon?" Don Torribio said, as he leapt from -his horse, and bowed to the master of the house. - -"I did not expect you at all; the less so because you spoke only -yesterday, if I have a good memory, of a journey." - -"That is true," he said with a smile, "but who knows yesterday what -will take place tomorrow? Then you, too," Don Torribio continued, as -he followed Don Valentine to the drawing room, "did not even dream -yesterday of leaving El Carmen." - -"Well, as you know, we estancieros are often compelled to go to our -estates suddenly, from one moment to another." - -"The same thing happens to me. I am, like you, compelled to live as a -country gentleman for some time." - -"Then you are living at your estancia?" - -"Yes, we are neighbours, and you will be condemned to my presence, -unless--" - -"You will always be welcome." - -"You are most polite," said Don Torribio, seating himself in an easy -chair. - -"I am afraid, though, that I shall not long enjoy the pleasure of being -your neighbour." - -"Why so?" - -"It is possible that I may return to Carmen within a week." - -"Then you have only paid a passing visit here?" - -"Not exactly. I had intended to remain here some months, but, as you -said just now, who knows what the morrow will bring forth?" - -The two speakers, like practised duellists, before crossing weapons and -dealing a decisive blow, were feeling each other's strength by quickly -parried feints. - -"May I be allowed to pay my respects to Dona Concha?" Don Torribio -asked. - -"She will soon be here. Just imagine, my dear neighbour, that through a -concourse of extraordinary circumstances we have just taken charge of -a girl of rare beauty, who has been two years a slave of the Indians, -and whom her brothers brought to me scarce an hour ago, after having -miraculously saved her from the hands of the pagans." - -"Ah!" Torribio said, in a choking voice. - -"Yes," Don Valentine continued, without noticing the young man's -emotion; "her name is Mercedes, I believe; she appears very gentle; you -know my daughter, she is wild about her already, and at this moment she -is taking off her Indian clothes, and clothing her in a decent fashion." - -"Very good; but are you sure that this woman is what she seems to be? -The Indians are villains, as you are aware, and this--" - -"Mercedes." - -"Mercedes is perhaps an Indian spy." - -"For what object?" - -"What do I know? Can we trust anybody?" - -"You are mistaken, Don Torribio. I can trust the men who brought her to -me." - -"Watch her; take my advice." - -"But she is a Spaniard." - -"That proves nothing. Look at Pincheira; is he not an ex-officer of -the Chilian army? He is now a chief of one of the principal Patagonian -nations, and the most cruel adversary of the Spaniards." - -"Pincheira, that is different." - -"As you please," said Don Torribio, "I trust that you may be right." - -As Don Torribio uttered these words, Dona Concha appeared, accompanied -by Don Sylvio. - -"Don Torribio," said the estanciero, "I have the honour to present to -you Don Sylvio d'Arenal." - -"I believe," said Torribio, "that I have already had the honour of -meeting this gentleman." - -"Nonsense! It cannot have been in America, most certainly, for Don -Sylvio has been away for three years." - -"No, Don Valentine; it was in Paris." - -"Your memory is faithful, sir," Don Sylvio replied, "we met at the -house of the Marchioness de Lucenay." - -"I was not aware of your return to America." - -"I only reached Buenos Aires a few days ago; this morning I was at -Carmen, and now I am here." - -"Already here!" Don Torribio could not refrain from saying. - -"Oh!" Concha's father said, with a marked accent, "This rather hasty -visit was so natural, that my daughter and I heartily pardoned Don -Sylvio." - -"Ah!" Don Torribio muttered, to say something, for he understood that -he had a rival before him. - -Dona Concha, carelessly reclining on a sofa, anxiously followed the -conversation, while playing with a fan that trembled in her hand. - -"I hope, sir," Don Torribio said courteously, "that we shall renew here -the imperfect friendship commenced in Madame de Lucenay's _salons_." - -"Unluckily," Don Valentine interrupted, in order to prevent Don -Sylvio answering, "Senor d'Arenal will be unable to accept your kind -invitation, for immediately after his marriage he intends to travel -with his wife, since that is the fashion nowadays." - -"His marriage!" Don Torribio said, with perfectly well-played -astonishment. - -"Were you ignorant of it?" - -"Yes." - -"What a careless fellow I am! My happiness makes me lose my head. I am -like these two children, but pray excuse me." - -"Sir!" - -"Certainly; for are you not one of our best friends? we have no secrets -from you. Don Sylvio d'Arenal is about to marry my daughter; the match -has been arranged for a very long time." - -Don Torribio turned pale; a mist passed before his eyes, he felt a -deadly agony in his heart, and thought he was going to die. Dona Concha -curiously followed his secret thoughts upon his face; but, feeling that -all eyes were fixed upon him, the young man made a superhuman effort, -and said to the young lady in a soft voice, and without any apparent -emotion-- - -"May you be as happy, senorita, as I wish you. The first wish, people -say, is efficacious, so accept mine." - -"I thank you, sir," Dona Concha answered, deceived by Don Torribio's -accent. - -"As for you, Senor d'Arenal, your happiness will make many men jealous; -for you are taking away the most precious pearl in the rich casket of -the Argentine republic." - -"I will strive, senor, to be worthy of her; for I love her so dearly." - -"They love one another so dearly," the father said with cruel -simplicity. - -The young lovers exchanged a glance full of hope and happiness. Neither -Don Valentine's last remark, nor the look of the betrothed couple, -was left unnoticed by Don Torribio, who though not letting anything -be seen, received this double dagger thrust, and concealed his grief -beneath a smile. - -"By Jove, neighbour," the father continued, "you will be present at the -festival of betrothal, and give up your evening to us." - -"Impossible, senor; important business calls me to my estancia, and, to -my great regret, I must leave you." - -"Still, if my daughter joined with me--" - -"If I," Don Sylvio said, "dared--" - -"You quite confound me; but, on my honour, I must be gone. The -sacrifice I make at this moment is the more painful to me," he added, -with a sardonic smile, "because happiness generally flies so fast -that it is impossible to catch it up, and it is folly to neglect the -opportunity." - -"I fear no misfortune now," said Dona Concha, looking at Don Sylvio. - -Carvajal gave her a look full of indefinable meaning, and replied with -a shake of the head. - -"I trust you are saying the truth, senorita, but there is a French -proverb." - -"What is it?" - -"'Twixt cup and the lip there's many a slip.'" - -"Oh, the ugly proverb!" Conchita exclaimed, in some embarrassment, "but -I am not a French woman, and hence have nothing to fear." - -"That is true." - -And Don Torribio, without adding a word, bowed, and left the room. - -"Well, my friend," the estanciero said, "what do you think of that man?" - -"He has a look deep as an abyss, and his words are bitter; I know not -why, but I feel sure he hates me." - -"I hate him too," said Concha, with a shudder. - -"Perhaps he loved you, Conchita, for is it possible to see and not love -you?" - -"Who assures you that he is not meditating a crime?" - -"This time, senorita, you are going too far; he is a gentleman." - -"_?Quien sabe?_" she replied, remembering Don Torribio's words, which -had already caused her a shudder. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -THE VIRGIN FOREST. - - -On leaving the estancia of San Julian, Don Torribio Carvajal was a -prey to one of those cold, concentrated passions, which slowly collect -in the mind, and at length burst out with terrible force. His spurs -lacerated the sides of his horse, which snorted with pain, and doubled -its furious speed. - -Where was Don Torribio Carvajal going in this way? He did not know -himself. He saw nothing, heard nothing. He revolved sinister plans in -his brain, and leaped torrents and ravines without troubling himself -about his horse. The feeling of hatred was alone at work within him. -Nothing refreshed his burning forehead, his temples beat as if about -to burst, and a nervous tremor agitated his whole body. This state of -over-excitement lasted some hours, during which his horse devoured -space. At length the noble steed, utterly exhausted, stopped on its -trembling knees, and fell on the sand. - -Don Torribio rose and looked wildly around him. He had required this -rude shock to restore a little order to his ideas, and recall him to -reality. An hour more of such agony and he would have become a raving -lunatic, or have died of an apoplectic fit. - -Night had set in, thick darkness covered the landscape, and a mournful -silence prevailed in the desert where chance had carried him. - -"Where am I?" he said, as he tried to discover his whereabouts. - -But the moon, concealed by clouds, shed no light; the wind blew -violently; the branches of the trees clashed together, and in the -depths of the desert the howling of the wild beasts began to mingle the -deep notes of their voices with the hoarse mewlings of the wild cats. - -Don Torribio's eyes sought in vain to pierce the obscurity. He went -up to his horse, which was lying on the ground and panting heavily; -moved with pity for the companion of his adventurous journeys, he -bent over it, placed in his waist belt the pistols that were in the -holsters, and unfastening a gourd of rum hanging from his saddlebow, -began washing the eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth of the poor beast, -whose sides quivered, and which this seemed to restore to life. Half an -hour passed in this way; the horse, somewhat refreshed, had got on its -legs, and with the instinct that distinguishes the race had discovered -a spring close by where it quenched its thirst. - -"All is not lost yet," Don Torribio muttered, "and perhaps I shall soon -succeed in getting out of this place, for my friends are waiting for -me, and I must join them." - -But a deep roar broke forth a short distance away, repeated almost -immediately from four different quarters. The horse's hair stood on end -with terror. Even Don Torribio trembled. - -"Malediction!" he exclaimed, "I am at a watering place of the cougars." - -At this moment he saw, about ten paces from him, two eyes that shone -like live coals, and looked at him with strange fixedness. - -Don Torribio was a man of tried courage, audacious, and even rash on -occasions; but alone in the gloomy solitude in the midst of the black -night, surrounded by ferocious beasts, he felt fear assail himself -against his will; he breathed with difficulty; his teeth were clenched, -an icy perspiration poured down his whole person, and he was on the -point of abandoning himself to his fate. This sudden discouragement -disappeared before a powerful will, and Don Torribio, sustained by the -instinct of self-preservation, and that hope which springs eternal in -the human breast, prepared for an unequal struggle. - -The horse burst into a snort of terror, and ran off. - -"All the better," its rider thought, "perhaps it will escape." - -A frightful concert of howls and roars broke out on all sides at the -sound of the horse's flight and huge shadows bounded along past Don -Torribio. A violent blast swept the sky, and the moon lit up the desert -with its mournful, sickly rays. - -Not far off the Rio Negro ran between two scarped banks, and Don -Torribio saw all round him the compact masses of a virgin forest, an -inextricable chaos of rocks piled up pell-mell, and of fissures out of -which clumps of trees grew. Here and there creepers were intertwined -describing the wildest curves, and only stopped their ramifications at -the river. The soil, composed of sand and that detritus which abounds -in American forests, gave way beneath the foot. - -Don Torribio now discovered where he was He was more than fifteen -leagues from any habitation, on the outskirts of an immense forest, -the only one in Patagonia which no ranger had as yet been bold enough -to explore, such horror and mystery did its gloomy depths appear to -reveal. Near the forest a limpid stream burst through the rocks, whose -banks were trampled by numerous traces of the claws of wild beasts. -This stream served them, in fact, as a watering place, when they left -their dens after sunset, and went in search of food and drink. As a -living testimony of this supposition, two magnificent cougars, male and -female, were standing on the bank, and watching with anxious eyes the -sporting of their cubs. - -"Hum," said Don Torribio, "these are dangerous neighbours." - -And he mechanically turned his eyes away. A panther, stretched out on -a rock in the position of a watchful cat, fixed its inflamed eyes upon -him. Torribio, who was well armed according to the American fashion, -had a rifle of wondrous accuracy, which he had leant against a rock -close to him. - -"Good," he said, "it will be a tough fight at any rate." - -He raised his gun, but at the moment when he was about to fire, a -plaintive mewling made him raise his head. A dozen _pajiros_ and -_subaracayas_ (wild cats of great size), perched on branches of trees, -were looking down at him, while several red wolves were crouching in -front of him. - -A number of vultures, urubus, and caracaras, with half-closed eyes, -were seated on the surrounding rocks, and apparently awaiting the hour -for their meal. - -Don Torribio jumped up on a rock, and then, by the help of his hands -and knees, gained, after extraordinary difficulties, a sort of natural -terrace situated about twenty feet above the ground. The frightful -concert formed by the denizens of the forest, whom the subtlety of -their scent attracted one after the other, increased more and more, -and overpowered the very sound of the wind which raged in the ravines -and forest clearings. The moon was once more hidden behind clouds, -and Don Torribio found himself again in darkness; but if he could not -distinguish the wild beasts near him, he guessed and almost smelt their -presence; he saw their eyeballs flashing in the gloom, and heard their -roars constantly coming nearer. - -He set his feet firmly on the ground, and cocked his revolver. Four -shots were followed by four howls of pain, and the noise produced by -branch after branch in the fall of the wounded wild cats. This attack -aroused a sinister uproar. The red wolves rushed with yells on the -victims, for which they contended with the urubus and vultures. A -rustling in the leaves reached the ear of the brave hunter, and a mass -it was impossible clearly to distinguish cleft the space, and lodged -with a roar on the platform. With the butt of his rifle he struck -out in the darkness, and the panther, with a broken skull, rolled to -the base of the rock. He heard a monstrous battle, which the cougars -and wild cats waged with the wounded panther, and intoxicated by his -triumph, and even by his danger, he fired two shots into the crowd -of obstinate enemies snarling below him. Suddenly all these animals, -ceasing their contest as if by common consent, united against the man, -their common foe, and their rage was turned against the rock, from the -top of which Don Torribio appeared to defy them all. They climbed up -the projections. The wild cats were the first to arrive, and fast as -Torribio felled them others leaped upon him. He felt his strength and -energy gradually diminishing. - -This struggle of a single man against a multitude of ferocious brutes -had something grand and poignant about it. Don Torribio, as if -suffering from a nightmare, struggled in vain against the swarms of -assailants that were constantly reinforced. He felt on his face the -warm, fetid breath of the wild cats and red wolves, while the roars -of the cougars and the mocking miauling of the panthers filled his -ears with a frightful melody that gave him a vertigo. Hundreds of eyes -sparkled in the shade, and at times the heavy wings of the vultures -and urubus lashed his forehead, which was bathed in a cold perspiration. - -In him every feeling of self had died out: he no longer thought; -his life, so to speak, had become entirely physical; his movements -were mechanical, and his arms rose and fell to strike with the rigid -regularity of a pendulum. - -Already several claws had been buried deep in his flesh. Wild cats had -seized him by the throat, and he had been compelled to struggle with -them to make them loose their hold; his blood was flowing from twenty -wounds, not mortal it is true, but the hour was approaching beyond -which human strength cannot go; Don Torribio would have fallen from his -rock and perished under the teeth of the wild beasts. - -At this solemn moment, when all seemed to desert him, a loud cry burst -from his bosom--a cry of agony and despair of undefinable expression, -which was echoed far and wide by the rocks. It was the last protest -of the strong man who confesses himself vanquished, and who, before -falling, calls his fellow man to his aid, or implores the help of -Heaven. - -He cried, and a cry responded to his! - -Don Torribio amazed, and not daring to count on a miracle in a desert -which no human being had ever yet penetrated, believed himself under -the impression of a dream or an hallucination; still, collecting all -his strength, and feeling hope rekindled in his soul, he uttered a -second cry, louder and more ear-piercing than the first. - -"Courage!" - -This time it was not echo that answered him. Courage! That one word -reached him on the wings of the wind, though faint as a sigh. Like the -giant Antaeus, Don Torribio, drawing himself up, seemed to regain his -strength and recover that life which was already slipping from him. He -redoubled his blows at his innumerable enemies. - -Several horses were galloping in the distance; shots lit up the -darkness with their transient gleams, and men, or rather demons, dashed -suddenly into the thick of the wild beasts, and produced a fearful -carnage. - -Suddenly Don Torribio, attacked by two tiger cats, rolled on the -platform, struggling with them. - -The wild beasts had fled before the newcomers, who hastened to light -fires to keep them at bay during the rest of the night. Two of these -men, holding lighted torches, began seeking the hunter, whose cries -of distress had besought their help. He was lying senseless on the -platform, surrounded by ten or a dozen dead wild cats, and holding in -his stiffened fingers the neck of a strangled pajiro. - -"Well, Pepe," a voice said, "have you found him?" - -"Yes," was the reply; "but he appears to be dead." - -"Caray! That would be a pity," Pedrito continued, "for he is a fine -fellow. Where is he? - -"On this rock." - -"Can you bring him down with the help of Lopez?" - -"Nothing easier." - -"Make haste, in Heaven's name!" Pedrito said. "Each minute's delay is, -perhaps, a year's life slipping from him." - -Lopez and Pepe raised Don Torribio by the head and feet, and with -infinite precautions transported him from the improvised fortress where -he had so long fought, and laid him on a bed of leaves Juan had got -ready near one of the fires. - -"Canario!" Pedrito exclaimed, on seeing the gory man's miserable -appearance; "Poor devil! How they have served him out! It was high time -to help him." - -"Do you think he will recover?" Lopez asked eagerly. - -"There is always hope," Pedrito answered sententiously, "where life is -not extinct. Let us have a look at him." - -He bent over Don Torribio's body, drew his glistening knife, and placed -the blade between his lips. - -"Not the slightest breath," Pedrito said, shaking his head. - -"Are his wounds serious?" Lopez asked. - -"I do not think so. He has been worn out by fatigue and emotion, but he -will soon open his eyes again, and in a quarter of an hour, if he think -proper, he can get into the saddle again. It is surely he," Pedrito -added, in a low voice. - -"Whence comes your thoughtful air, brother?" - -"It is because this man, in spite of his European dress and thorough -appearance of a white, resembles--" - -"Whom?" - -"The Indian chief, with whom we fought at the tree of Gualichu, and to -whom we owe Mercedes' safety." - -"You must be mistaken." - -"Not the least in the world, brothers," the eldest replied -authoritatively. "When hidden in the trunk of the sacred tree, I had -leisure to study his features, which have remained graven on my mind. -Besides, I recognize him by this gash which I made on his face with my -sabre." - -"That is true," the others said in surprise. - -"What is to be done?" - -"What is the meaning of this disguise?" - -"Heaven alone knows," Pedrito answered, "but he must be saved." - -The bomberos, like all wood rangers living far from the colony, are -obliged to cure their own wounds, and hence acquire a certain practical -knowledge of medicine through employing the remedies and simples in use -among the Indians. - -Pedrito, assisted by Pepe and Juan, washed Don Torribio's wounds with -rum and water, moistened his temples, and puffed tobacco smoke up -his nostrils. The young man gave an almost insensible sigh, stirred -slightly, and opened his eyes, which wandered round vacantly. - -"He is saved!" said Pedrito; "Now leave Nature to act, for she is the -best physician I know." - -Don Torribio raised himself on an elbow, passed his hand over his -forehead, as if to regain his memory and thought, and said, in a weak -voice-- - -"Who are you?" - -"Friends, sir--fear nothing." - -"I feel as if every bone in my body were broken." - -"There is no danger, sir; with the exception of the fatigue, you are -well as we are." - -"I hope so, my worthy friends; but by what miracle did you arrive in -time to save me?" - -"Your horse performed this miracle; had it not, you were lost." - -"How so?" Torribio asked, his voice growing gradually stronger, and -already able to rise. - -"This is how it was--we are bomberos--" The young man gave a sort of -nervous start, which he suddenly checked. - -"We are bomberos, and watch the Indians, especially at night. Accident -brought us to these parts. Your horse was flying with a pack of red -wolves at its heels; we freed it from these brutes; then, as it seemed -to us probable that a ready saddled horse could not be without an owner -in this forest, where no one ventures, we set out in search of the -rider. Your cry guided us." - -"How can I pay my debt to you?" Torribio asked, offering his hand to -Pedrito. - -"You owe us nothing, sir." - -"Why?" - -"Here is your horse, caballero." - -"But I should like to see you again," he said, before starting. - -"It is unnecessary; you owe us nothing, I tell you," said Pedrito, who -held the horse by the bridle. - -"What do you mean?" Don Torribio insisted. - -"The bombero," Pedrito replied, "has paid today the debt contracted -yesterday with Nocobotha the Ulmen of the Aucas." - -Don Torribio's face was covered with a deadly pallor. - -"We are quits, chief," Pedrito continued, as he let go the bridle. - -When the rider had disappeared in the darkness, Pedrito turned to his -brothers-- - -"I know not why it is," he said, with a sigh of relief, "but I feel -happy at owing nothing to that man." - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE CHASE OF THE NANDUS. - - -At the Estancia of San Julian, the hours passed away pleasantly, in -talking and dreams of happiness, and Don Valentine shared the joy of -his two children. Don Torribio, since the official announcement of -Dona Concha's marriage, had not been seen again either at San Julian -or Carmen, to the great amazement of everybody. Mercedes, gentle and -simple, had become the friend, almost the sister of Concha. The frank -and pealing laugh of the girls cheered the echoes of the house, and -caused the capataz to grow pensive, for, at the sight of the bomberos' -sister, he had felt his heart turn towards her, like the heliotrope -to the sun. Don Blas, resembling a soul in purgatory, prowled round -Mercedes at a distance, to look at her unperceived. Everybody at the -estancia had observed the worthy man's distress, and he alone, in spite -of his heavy sighs, did not know what it all meant. They ventured to -ridicule him, though without wounding his feelings, and laugh at his -singular ways. - -One fresh November morning, shortly after sunrise, there was a great -commotion at the estancia of San Julian. Several horses, held by black -slaves, were stamping impatiently at the foot of the steps; servants -were running backwards and forwards; and Don Blas, dressed in his best -clothes, was awaiting his master's arrival. - -At length Don Valentine and Don Sylvio appeared, accompanied by the two -ladies. At the sight of Mercedes, the capataz felt fire rise from his -heart to his face; he drew himself up, curled his moustache cordially, -and gave his well-beloved a tender and respectful glance. - -"Good day, Blas, my friend," Don Valentine said to him cordially. "I -fancy we shall have a fine day's sport." - -"I think so too, Excellency; the weather is superb." - -"Have you chosen quiet horses for my daughter and her companion?" - -"Oh, Excellency," the capataz answered; "I lassoed them myself on -the corral. I answer for them, or my head. They are real ladies' -horses--lambs." - -"We are easy in mind," said Dona Concha, "for we know that Don Blas -spoils us." - -"Come, to horse, and let us start." - -"Yes, it is a long ride from here to the plain of the Nandus (a species -of the ostrich)," said Blas, with an affectionate glance at Mercedes. - -The little party, composed of twenty well-armed men, proceeded to the -battery, where Patito lowered the drawbridge. - -"You must double your vigilance," the capataz said to the gaucho. - -"Don't be alarmed, Senor Blas. Good luck to you and the honourable -company," Patito added, waving his hat in the air. - -"Raise the drawbridge, Patito." - -"Anyone who gets into the estancia, capataz, will be sharper than you -and I." - -In Patagonia, at a short distance from the rivers, all the plains are -alike; sand, ever sand, and here and there some stunted bushes. Such -was the road to the plain of the Nandus. - -Don Valentine had invited his future son-in-law to an ostrich hunt, -and, as may be supposed, Conchita wished to be of the party. - -Ostrich hunting is one of the great amusements of the Spaniards in -Patagonia and the Argentine Republic, where those birds are found in -great numbers. - -The ostriches usually live in small families of eight or ten, scattered -along the edges of marches, pools, and lakes; and they feed on fresh -grass. Faithful to the native nook, they never leave the vicinity of -the water, and, in the month of November, they lay their eggs, which -are frequently fifty to sixty in number, in the wildest part of the -desert, and only sit on them at night. When incubation is over, the -bird breaks with its beak the addled eggs, which are at once covered -with flies and insects, that serve as food for the young. - -A characteristic feature of the manners of the ostriches is their -extreme curiosity. At the estancias, where they live in a domestic -state, it is not uncommon to see them stalking about among the groups -and looking at people who are conversing together. On the plains their -curiosity is often fatal to them, for they come up without hesitation -to investigate everything that appears to them strange. Here is a -rather good Indian story referring to this. The cougars lie down on the -ground, raise their tail in the air, and wave it in all directions. The -ostriches, attracted by the sight of this strange object, come up in -their simplicity; the rest can be guessed--they become victims to the -tricks of the cougars. - -The hunters, after a rather quick ride for nearly two hours, reached -the plain of the Nandus. The ladies dismounted on the bank of a stream -and four men, with their rifles on their hips, remained with them. -The hunters exchanged their horses for others black slaves had led by -the bridle for them, and then divided into two equal bands. The first, -commanded by Don Valentine, entered the plain, forming a semicircle, so -as to drive the game into a ravine, situated between two sand ridges. -The second band, having at its head the hero of the day, Don Sylvio, -formed a long line, which constituted the other moiety of the circle. -This circle was gradually contracted by the advance of the horsemen, -when a dozen ostriches showed themselves; but the male bird, that -stood as sentry, warned the family of its danger, by a cry sharp as a -boatswain's whistle. The ostriches fled rapidly, in a straight line, -and without looking back. - -All the hunters started after them at a gallop, and the hitherto silent -plain became very animated. - -The horsemen pursued the luckless birds at the full speed of their -steeds, and raised clouds of fine dust as they passed. About fifteen -yards behind the game, still galloping and digging their spurs into -their horses' flanks, they bent forward, whirling round their heads the -terrible bolas and hurling them with all their strength at the animals. -If they missed their throw they stooped down on one side, without -stopping, and picked up the bolas, which they threw again. - -Several families of ostriches had got up, and the chase soon grew most -exciting. Yells and shouts were heard all around; the bolas whistled -through the air, and twined round the necks, wings, and legs of the -ostriches, which, wild with terror, made a thousand feints and turns to -escape their enemies, and tried, by flapping their wings, to wound the -horses with the species of nail with which the extremity of their wings -is armed. - -Several startled horses reared, and embarrassed by three or four -ostriches that got between their legs, fell, bearing their riders to -the ground with them. The birds, taking advantage of the confusion, -escaped to the side where other hunters were waiting for them, where -they fell under a shower of bolas. Each hunter dismounted, killed his -victim, cut off its wings as a trophy, and then resumed the chase with -fresh ardour. Ostriches and hunters fled and galloped rapidly as the -pampero. - -Some fifteen ostriches strewed the plain, and Don Valentine gave the -signal to retreat. The birds which had not fallen hurried with wings -and feet to a place of safety. The dead were carefully picked up, for -the ostrich is excellent eating, and the Americans prepare from the -meat off the breast, a dish renowned for its delicacy and exquisite -flavour, which they call _picanilla_. - -The slaves went to look for the eggs, which are also highly esteemed, -and obtained a large quantity of them. - -Although the hunt had only lasted an hour the horses were panting; -hence the return to the estancia took place but slowly. The hunters did -not return till a little before sunset. - -"Well, Don Valentine," asked Patito, "has anything of importance -happened during my absence?" - -"Nothing, Excellency!" Patito replied, "A gaucho, who said he had come -from Carmen on important business, insisted on being let in to speak -with Don Sylvio d'Arenal." - -This gaucho, for whom Patito had been very careful not to lower the -drawbridge, was his dear and honest friend Corrocho, who, it may be -remembered, wanted to kill him cleverly. Corrocho had gone off in a -very bad temper, without leaving any message. - -"What do you think about this gaucho's arrival, Don Sylvio?" Don -Valentine asked, when they were comfortably seated in the drawing room. - -"It does not surprise me," Sylvio answered. - -"My own house is being got ready at Carmen, and, no doubt, my orders -are wanted." - -"That is possible." - -"I am hurrying on the workmen, father. I am so eager to be married that -I fear lest my happiness should slip from my grasp," said Don Sylvio. - -"And I too," said Dona Concha, her face becoming purple. - -"There is a little article for you," said Don Valentine. "The hearts of -girls are at work when you least expect it. Patience, miss, for three -days longer." - -"My good father!" Conchita cried, as she hid her face in Don -Valentine's bosom, that the tears of joy might not be seen. - -"Oh! In that case I will start tomorrow for Carmen, especially as I am -awaiting from Buenos Aires papers indispensable for our marriage--our -happiness," Don Sylvio added, looking at his well beloved. - -"I hope," she said, "you will start very early, so as to return in the -morning of the next day." - -"I shall be here tomorrow evening. Can I remain long away from you, my -dear Conchita?" - -"No, Don Sylvio, no. I implore you. I do not wish you to return at -night." - -"Why not?" the young man asked, slightly piqued at this remark. - -"I really cannot tell you; but I feel frightened at the thought of your -crossing the Pampa alone and by night." - -"Oh!" she continued, seeing Don Sylvio about to speak, "I know that you -are brave, almost too brave; but gaucho bandits abound in the plain. Do -not expose a life which is so dear to me, which is no longer your own, -Sylvio; and listen to the warnings of a heart which is no longer mine." - -"Thanks, Conchita. Still I have no one to fear in this country, where -I am a stranger. Moreover, I never leave the estancia without looking -like a theatrical bandit, so covered am I with weapons." - -"No matter," Dona Concha continued; "if you love me--" - -"If I love you!" he interrupted passionately. - -"If you love me, you must take pity on my anxiety, and--obey me." - -"Come, come!" said Don Valentine, with a laugh. "On my soul you are -mad, Conchita, and your romances have turned your head. You only dream -of brigands, ambuscades, and treachery." - -"What would you have, father? Is it my fault? The foreboding of a -coming misfortune agitates me, and I wish to leave nothing to chance." - -"Do not cry, my darling child," the father said to Concha, as she burst -into tears. "Kiss me. I was wrong. Your betrothed and myself will do -all you please. Does that satisfy you?" - -"Do you really mean it?" Dona Concha asked, smiling through her tears. - -"Oh, senorita!" Sylvio exclaimed in a tone of tender reproach. - -"You render me perfectly happy. I only ask one thing. Let Blas Salazar -accompany you." - -"As you please." - -"Do you promise it?" - -"On my honour." - -"Then," Don Valentine said, gaily, "all is for the best, little maid. I -suspect, Conchita, that you are somewhat jealous, and afraid of losing -Sylvio." - -"Perhaps so," she said, maliciously. - -"Such things have happened," her father said, teasingly. "So, Don -Sylvio, you intend starting tomorrow morning?" - -"At sunrise, in order to avoid the great heat; and, as I do not hope to -have the pleasure of seeing you again before I go, I will take leave of -you at once." - -"Kiss one another, children! When persons part, especially if they -love, they ought to embrace as if they were never going to meet again -in this world." - -"Really, father," said Conchita, "you have such ideas--" - -"I was only in fun, my dear child." - -"Pleasant journey, Don Sylvio; and we shall see you again the day after -tomorrow." - -"You may be sure of that." - -The next morning at sunrise, Don Sylvio d'Arenal left the estancia. At -the bottom of the steps the capataz and two slaves were waiting for -him. Involuntarily the young man, before starting, turned his head -towards the window of his beloved which suddenly opened. - -"Farewell," said Dona Concha, with some emotion in her voice. - -"Farewell," Sylvio replied, wafting her a kiss, "till we meet again." - -"That is true," she said. "We shall soon meet again." - -The capataz gave a heavy sigh; he was, doubtless thinking of Mercedes, -and saying to himself that Don Sylvio was a very lucky man. - -Don Sylvio, whose heart was contracted, though he knew not the cause, -gave a last signal to his betrothed, and soon disappeared among the -trees. Dona Concha followed him for a long time with her eyes, for a -longer time with her heart; and soon as she was alone, she felt sadness -assail her, and she wept and sobbed bitterly. - -"O Heaven!" she exclaimed, "Protect him." - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE TOLDERIA. - - -On the banks of the Rio Negro, about five and twenty leagues from -Carmen, stood the tolderia, or village of the Pass of the Guanacos. - -This tolderia, a simple temporary encampment, like all the Indian -villages, whose nomadic manners do not agree with fixed settlements, -was composed of about one hundred _chozas_, or cabins irregularly -grouped one after the other. - -Each choza was formed of ten stakes fixed in the ground, four or five -feet high at the sides, and six to seven in the centre, with an opening -to the east, so that the owner of the choza might in the morning throw -water in the face of the rising sun, a ceremony by which the Indians -implore Gualichu not to injure their families during the course of -the day. These chozas were covered with horses' hides sewn together, -and always open at the top to leave a free escape for the smoke of -the fires in the interior, which fires equal in number the wives of -the occupant, as each squaw must have a fire of her own. The leather -that served as the exterior wall was carefully dressed and painted of -different colours, and these paintings--rendered the general appearance -of the tolderia more cheerful. - -In front of the entrance of the chozas, the lances of the warriors were -fixed in the ground. These lances, light and made of flexible bamboos, -sixteen to eighteen feet in length, and armed at their extremity with -a spear a foot long forged by the Indians themselves, grow in the -mountains of Chili, near Valdivia. - -The liveliest joy appeared to prevail in the tolderia. In some chozas -Indian women, provided with spindles handed down from the Incas, were -winding the wool of their flocks; in others, women were weaving their -ponchos, so renowned for their delicacy and perfection of work, at -looms of primitive simplicity which are another inheritance from the -Incas. - -The young men of the tribe, assembled at the centre of the tolderia in -a large square, were playing at _pilma_, a singular game of which the -Aucas are very fond. The players trace a large circle on the ground, -which they enter and range themselves in two rows facing each other. -The champions of each party holding a ball full of air in their hands, -one side on the right, the other on the left hand, throw these balls -before them. They raise the left leg, catch the projectile in their -hand and throw it at the adversary, whom they must hit on the body -under penalty of losing one point. This produces a thousand strange -contortions on the part of the opponent, who stoops down or gives a -spring to avoid being hit. If the ball leaves the circle, the first -player loses two points, and runs after it. If, on the contrary, the -second player is hit, he must catch the ball and throw it at his -adversary, whom he is bound to hit or lose a point. The next player on -the opposite side begins the game again, and so on to the end. We can -understand what bursts of laughter greet the grotesque postures of the -players. - -Other Indians of a riper age were gravely playing a sort of game at -cards, with squares of leather clumsily illumined with figures of -different animals. - -In a choza, larger and better painted than the rest, which was the -abode of the _carasken_ or first chief, whose lances, covered at the -end with red stained leather, were the distinctive mark of power, three -men were sitting over a decaying fire, and talking regardless of the -noises outside. These men were Nocobotha, Pincheira, and Churlakin, -one of the principal Ulmens of the hills, whose squaw had given birth -that same morning to a son, which was the cause of the great rejoicings -among the Indians. - -Churlakin received the orders of the great chief for the ceremonies -usual on such occasions, bowed respectfully and left the choza, which -he soon re-entered, followed by his wives and all his friends, one of -whom held the infant in his arms. - -Nocobotha placed himself between Pincheira and Churlakin, at the head -of the party, and proceeded toward the Rio Negro. The newborn babe, -wrapped in woollen swaddling clothes, was plunged into the water, and -then they returned in the same order to Churlakin's choza, in front of -which lay a plump filly, thrown down and with its four feet secured. - -A poncho was spread under the animal's belly, and the relations and -friends deposited on it, one after the other, the presents intended -for the child, consisting of spurs, weapons, and clothes. Nocobotha, -who had consented to act as godfather, placed the infant in the midst -of the presents; and Churlakin laid open the filly's flanks, tore out -its heart and handed it while still warm to Nocobotha, who employed it -to make a cross on the infant's forehead, while saying, "Your name -will be Churlakinkco." The father took the child back, and the chief, -raising the bleeding heart, said thrice in a loud voice, "Let him live! -Let him live! Let him live!" Then he recommended the child to Gualichu, -the genius of evil, praying him to render him brave and eloquent, and -terminated the enunciation of his vows with the words, "Above all, let -him never become a slave." - -When the ceremony was ended, the filly was cut into pieces, large fires -were kindled, and all the relations and friends began a feast which -would last until the immolated filly had entirely disappeared. - -Churlakin prepared to sit down and eat like his guests, but at a sign -from Nocobotha, he followed the great chief into his choza, where they -resumed their seats at the fire, Pincheira joining them. Upon a signal -from Nocobotha the squaws went out, and after a short reflection he -began to say-- - -"Brothers, you are my confidants, and my heart is laid open before you -like _chirimoya_, to enable you to see my most secret thoughts. You -were perhaps surprised tonight at finding that I did not count you -among the chiefs selected to act under my orders." - -The two chiefs gave a nod of denial. - -"You neither doubted my friendship nor supposed that I had withdrawn my -confidence from you? Far from it. I reserve you two for more important -enterprises, which require sure and well-tried men. You, Churlakin, -will mount without delay, here is the quipu." - -And he handed the Ulmen a small piece of willow wood, ten inches long -and four wide, split down the centre and holding a human finger. This -piece of wood, covered with thread, was fringed with red, blue, black, -and white wool. Churlakin received the quipu respectfully. - -"Churlakin," Nocobotha continued, "you will serve me as _casqui_ -(herald), not to the Patagonian natives of the Pampas, whose caraskens, -Ulmens and Apo-Ulmens were present at the solemn meeting at the tree -of Gualichu, although you may communicate with them on your road; but -I send you specially to the nations and tribes scattered far away, -and living in the woods, such as the Ranqueles, the Guerandis, the -Moluches, and the Pecunches, to whom you will present the quipu. -Turning back thence to the desert, you will visit the Charruas, -Bocobis, Tebas, and Guaramis, who can place about twenty-five thousand -warriors under arms. The task is difficult and delicate, and that is -why I entrust it to you, whom I regard as my second self." - -"My brother's mind can be at rest," Churlakin said, "I shall succeed." - -"Good," Nocobotha continued, "I have made nineteen knots on the black -wool to indicate that my brother left my side on the nineteenth day -of the moon; on the white wool twenty-seven knots, to signify that in -twenty-seven days the warriors will assemble under arms on the Island -of Ghole-Isechel, at the fork of the Rio Negro. The chiefs who consent -to join us will make a knot on the blood red wool, and those who refuse -will knot the red and blue wool together. Has my brother understood?" - -"Yes," Churlakin answered. "When must I start?" - -"At once, for time presses." - -"In ten minutes I shall be far from the village," said Churlakin, as he -bowed to the two chiefs and left the choza. - -"And now it is our turn," Nocobotha said with a friendly accent, when -he found himself alone with Pincheira. - -"I am listening." - -The superior chief, then putting off the composed manner and language -of an Ulmen, employed the European style with surprising readiness, -and laying aside the Indian dialect, addressed the Chilian officer in -the purest Castilian, spoken from Cape Horn to Magellan. - -"My dear Pincheira," he said to him, "during the two years since my -return from Europe, I have attached to myself most of the Carmen -gauchos--utter scoundrels, I allow--and bandits exiled from Buenos -Aires; but I can count on them, and they are devoted to me. These men -only know me by the name of Don Torribio Carvajal." - -"I was aware of the fact," Pincheira said. - -"Ah!" Nocobotha remarked, darting a glance of suspicion at the Chilian. - -"Everything is known on the Pampa." - -"In a word," Nocobotha continued, "the hour has arrived when I must -reap what I have sown among these bandits, who will be useful to us -against their countrymen, through their knowledge of the Spanish -tactics, and their skill in the use of firearms. Reasons, which would -take me too long to explain, prevent me from turning my attention to -these gauchos, so you will introduce yourself to them in my name. This -diamond," he added, drawing a ring from his finger, "will be your -passport; they are warned, and if you show it to them they will obey -you as myself. They assemble at a low pulqueria in the Poblacion del -Sur, at Carmen." - -"I know it well. What am I to do with the fellows?" - -"A very simple matter. Every day, a devoted man, Panchito by name, will -transmit you my orders, and inform you of what is going on among us. -Your duty will be to hold these bandits in readiness, and on a day I -shall indicate to you, you will stir up a revolt in Carmen. This revolt -will give us time to act outside, while a part of your people are -scouring the Pampas, and freeing us, if possible, from those infernal -bomberos, who watch our manoeuvres, and are almost as crafty as our -Indians." - -"Confound it," said Pincheira, "that is a tough job!" - -"You will succeed, if not through friendship for me, at least through -hatred of the Spaniards." - -"Not to deceive your expectations, I will do more than man can do." - -"I know it, and thank you, my dear Pincheira. But you must be prudent -and skilful! Our plans are suspected, and we are watched. To employ an -Indian metaphor, I entrust to you a mole's job. You must dig a mine -under Carmen, which will blow them all up when it explodes." - -"Caray," said Pincheira, as he warmly pressed Nocobotha's hand, "you -are one of the men I like. Trust to me, to my friendship, and, above -all, to my hatred." - -"We shall all be avenged," Nocobotha added. "May Satan hear you!" - -"To work, then! But, in the first place, lay aside your uniform as a -Chilian officer. Disguise yourself as well as you can, for your face is -familiar at Carmen." - -"Yes," Pincheira replied, "and in an hour you will not recognize -me yourself. I will dress myself as a gaucho, for that will not be -noticed. Farewell." - -"One word yet." - -"Say it." - -"The man I send to you will arrange a fresh meeting place for every -night in order to foil the spies." - -"All right." - -"Good-bye." - -Pincheira left the choza; and the Indian chief looked after him for a -moment. - -"Go," he said, "ferocious brute, to whom I throw a people as prey. -Go! Miserable instrument of projects whose greatness you do not -understand," he added, as he looked at the Indians, "they are making -holiday, playing like children, and unsuspicious that I am about, to -make them free. But it is time for me to think of my own vengeance." - -And he quitted the choza, leapt on a horse, which an Indian held by the -bridle, and started at a gallop on the road to Carmen. - -At the end of an hour he stopped on the banks of the Rio Negro, -dismounted, assured himself by a glance that he was alone, took off a -leathern valise fastened to his saddle, and entered a natural grotto a -few paces distant. There he quickly doffed his Indian garb, dressed in -handsome European attire, and set out again. - -It was no longer Nocobotha, the supreme chief of the Indian nations, -but Don Torribio Carvajal, the mysterious Spaniard. His pace was also -prudently altered, and his horse carried him at a gentle trot toward -Carmen. - -On coming near the spot where, on the previous evening, the bomberos -had halted with their sister to hold a consultation, he dismounted -again, sat down on the grass, and took from a splendid cigar case -made of plaited Panama straw, a cigar, which he lit with the apparent -tranquillity of a tourist who is resting in the shade, and is admiring -the beauty of the scenery. - -During this time the footfall of several horses disturbed the solitude -of the Pampa, and a hoarse voice struck up an Indian song well known on -this border:-- - -"I have lost my Neculantey in the country of Tilqui. Oh! Ye damp -plains, which have changed him into shadows and flies." - -"Oh, oh! the song of the Maukawis already!" Don Torribio said in a loud -voice. - -"Does not the note of the Maukawis announce sunrise?" the voice asked. - -"You are right, Panchito," Don Torribio replied, "we are alone, so -you can come, as well as your comrade, who, I suppose, is your friend -Corrocho." - -"You have guessed right, Excellency," said Corrocho, as he came from -behind a sandhill. - -"Faithful to our word," said Panchito, "we have arrived at the spot and -hour appointed." - -"That is well, my good fellows, and thanks. Come here, but remain on -horseback. Are you both devoted to me?" - -"To the last drop of our blood, Excellency," the two gauchos said. - -"And you do not despise money?" - -"Money can only injure those who have none," the sententious Panchito -remarked. - -"When it is honourably gained," Corrocho added, with an ape-like -grimace. - -"Of course, of course," the young man said, "it is a matter of fifty -ounces." - -The two bandits had a shudder of joy, and their tiger cat eyeballs -flashed. - -"Caray," they said. - -"Does that suit you?" - -"Fifty ounces? Of course it is a tough job." - -"Perhaps so." - -"No odds." - -"There will be a man to kill." - -"All the worse for him," said Panchito. - -"Does it suit you still?" - -"More than ever," Corrocho grunted. - -"In that case listen to me attentively," Don Torribio Carvajal said. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -THE PAMPERO. - - -During the whole course of their journey, which lasted two hours, -Don Sylvio and Don Blas did not exchange a single word, to the great -surprise of the capataz. Don Sylvio was thinking of his approaching -happiness, which was slightly over-clouded, through the sadness of the -leave-taking, and Dona Concha's presentiments. But these vague alarms -were dissipated like the morning mist by the sun, so soon as he arrived -at El Carmen. - -Don Sylvio's first care was to visit the house to which he would lead -Dona Concha, after the nuptial ceremony was performed. Though comfort -does not exist in South America, it was a fairy palace, thronged with -all the splendours of luxury. A band of English, French, and Italian -workmen, collected with extraordinary difficulty, were toiling without -relaxation, under the orders of a skilful architect, in putting the -final touch to this creation out of the Arabian Nights, which had -already swallowed up large sums, and which would be in a condition to -receive its new hosts within eight and forty hours. At Carmen nothing -was talked of but the splendours of Don Sylvio d'Arenal's palace; the -curious crowd that collected in front of the gates related marvels -about this princely residence. - -Don Sylvio, satisfied at seeing his dream accomplished, smiled as he -thought of his betrothed, and after complimenting the architect and -the workmen, proceeded to pay a visit to the governor, where important -business summoned him. - -The commandant gave the young man, with whose father he had been -intimate, a gracious reception. Still, in spite of the courteous manner -of Don Antonio Valverde, Sylvio fancied he could notice traces of -secret annoyance in his face. - -The governor was a brave and honourable soldier, who had rendered good -service in the War of Independence, and the government had placed him -on honourable half pay, by entrusting to him the command of Carmen, -a post he had held for fifteen years. Courageous, strict, and just, -the commandant kept the gauchos in order by the punishment of the -_garrota_, and foiled the repeated attempts of the Indians, who came -even under the guns of the fortress, to harry cattle, and carry off -prisoners, especially women. Gifted with but a poor intellect, but -supported by his own experience, and the esteem of all the honest -people in the colony, he was not deficient in a certain energy of -character. Physically, he was a tall, stout man, with a rubicund, -pimpled face, full of self-satisfaction, who listened to people -speaking, and carefully weighed his words, as if they were made of gold. - -Don Sylvio was surprised at the anxiety which disturbed the usual -placidity of the colonel's face. - -"It is a miracle," the latter said, as he cordially pressed the young -man's hand, "for which I thank nuestra Senora del Carmen, to see you -here." - -"In a few days you will not be able to reproach me thus," Don Sylvio -replied. - -"Then, it is coming off soon?" Don Antonio said, rubbing his hands. - -"Yes, I hope to be married within four days. I have come to Carmen -today to give the master's look at the final arrangements of my house." - -"All the better," the commandant replied; "I am enchanted that you are -about to settle among us, Don Sylvio; your betrothed is the prettiest -girl in the colony." - -"I thank you in her name, colonel." - -"Do you spend the day at Carmen?" - -"Yes, and I intend returning to the estancia at an early hour tomorrow." - -"In that case you will breakfast with me, without ceremony?" - -"Willingly." - -"That is famous," said the commandant, as he rang a bell. - -A Negro slave appeared. - -"This gentleman is going to breakfast with me. By the bye, Don Sylvio, -I have a large packet of papers addressed to you, which arrived last -night from Buenos Aires by express." - -"Heaven be praised! I feared some delay. These papers are indispensable -for my marriage." - -"All is for the best," Don Antonio remarked. - -The young man placed the packet in his coat pocket, and the slave -opened the door again. - -"Your Excellency is served," he said. - -A third guest was waiting for them in the dining room. It was Major -Bloomfield, a tall, dry, punctilious Englishman, who had been second -in command at Carmen for twenty years past. Don Antonio and the major -had fought side by side in their youth, and had a fraternal attachment. -They sat down, after the usual ceremony, to an abundantly and -delicately covered table, and at the dessert the conversation, which -had suffered through the appetite of the guests, became thoroughly -friendly. - -"By the way," Don Sylvio asked, "what is the matter with you, Don -Antonio? You do not seem in your usual good spirits." - -"That is true," the commandant said, as he sipped a glass of Jerez de -la Frontera; "I am sad." - -"You sad? Hang it, you alarm me; if I had not seen you breakfast with -such a good appetite, I should fancy you ill." - -"Yes," the old soldier answered with a sigh; "my appetite is all right." - -"What else can annoy you?" - -"A foreboding," the commandant said seriously, - -"A foreboding," Don Sylvio repeated, remembering Dona Concha's parting -words. - -"I, too, feel anxious, in spite of myself," the major added; "there is -something, I know not what, in the air. A danger is suspended over our -heads, but whence it will come, the Lord alone knows." - -"Yes," Don Antonio remarked, "He knows; and, believe me, Don Sylvio, He -gives warnings to men when they are in danger." - -"Major Bloomfield and you, both old soldiers, brave as their swords, -cannot be frightened at a shadow; so what are your reasons?" - -"I have none," said the colonel; "still-- - -"Come, come, Don Antonio," Sylvio remarked gaily, "you are suffering -from what the major would call blue devils. It is a species of spleen -produced by the English fogs, and not at all at home in this country, -which is full of sunshine. Take my advice, colonel; have yourself bled, -and in two days the fog over your imagination will be dissipated; do -you not agree with me, major?" - -"I wish it may be so," the old officer answered, with a shake of his -head. - -"Nonsense!" Sylvio remarked, "Life is too short as it is, then why -sadden it by chimeras?" - -"On the frontier men can be sure of nothing." - -"The Indians have become lambs." - -"Excellency," a slave said, opening the door, "a bombero, who has -arrived at full speed, requests an interview." - -The three gentlemen looked at one another. - -"Let him come in," the colonel said. - -Heavy footsteps echoed in the passage, and the bombero appeared; it -was Pedrito. He certainly had at this moment the look of a bearer of -ill tidings, and seemed to have just come out of a fight. His ragged -clothes were stained with blood and mud, an unusual pallor covered his -face, and he leant on his rifle, for he was exhausted by his hurried -ride. - -"Take this glass of wine," said Don Sylvio, "it will restore you." - -"No," Pedrito answered, thrusting the glass away, "it is not wine I -thirst for, but blood." - -The bombero wiped his dank forehead with the back of his hand, and said -in a sharp, quick voice, which conveyed terror to the hearts of the -three hearers-- - -"The Indians are coming down." - -"Have you seen them?" the major asked. - -"Yes," he replied hoarsely. - -"When?" - -"This morning." - -"Far from here?" - -"Twenty leagues." - -"How many are they?" - -"Count the grains of the sand on the Pampa, and you will have their -number." - -"Oh," the colonel exclaimed, "that is impossible, the Indians cannot -thus organize an army at a day's notice. Terror must have made you see -double." - -"Terror, nonsense!" the bombero answered disdainfully, "In the desert -we have not time to know it." - -"But, tell me, how are they coming?" - -"Like a hurricane, burning and plundering everything on their passage. -They form a vast semicircle, whose two extremities are gradually -drawing nearer to Carmen. They act with a certain method, under the -orders of a chief who is, doubtless, practised and skilful." - -"That is serious," the commandant said. - -The major shook his head. - -"Why did you warn us so late?" he said to the bombero. - -"This morning at sunrise my three brothers and I were surrounded by -two or three hundred Indians, who seemed to emerge suddenly from the -ground. What a fight it was! We defended ourselves like lions; Juan is -dead, Pepe and Lopez are wounded, but we escaped at last, and here I -am." - -"Return to your post as speedily as possible; a fresh horse will be -given you." - -"I am off." - -"Well," said Don Antonio, after Pedrito had retired, "what do you think -of our presentiments, Don Sylvio? But where are you going?" he asked -the young man, who had risen from his chair. - -"I shall return to the Estancia of San Julian, which the Indians have, -perhaps, attacked. Oh, Dona Conchita!" - -"San Julian is fortified, and safe against surprise. Still, try and -induce Don Valentine and his daughter to return to Carmen, where they -will be in greater security." - -"Thanks, colonel, I will try, and do you offer a bold front to the -enemy. As you are aware, the Indians only attempt surprise, and so soon -as they see that their plans are discovered, they are off again." - -"May heaven hear you." - -"Good-bye for the present, gentlemen, and I wish you success," said the -young man, as he pressed the hand of the two old soldiers. - -Don Blas Salazar, who was waiting for Don Sylvio in the courtyard, ran -up to him so soon as he perceived him. - -"Well," the capataz said, "you know the news. The Indians are making a -descent." - -"I have just been told so." - -"What are we going to do?" - -"Return to the estancia." - -"Hum, Don Sylvio, that is not at all prudent; the Indians will, -doubtless, bar our way." - -"We will pass over their bodies." - -"Of course, of course, but suppose they kill you?" - -"Nonsense! Dona Concha is expecting me." - -"As you please," the capataz answered, "all is ready for our departure; -the horses are here, saddled and all. Let us be off." - -"Thank you, Blas, you are a good fellow," Sylvio said, as he held out -his hand to him. - -"I am aware of it." - -"Off we go." - -Don Sylvio and Blas, escorted by the two slaves, walked their horses -through the crowd of idlers who had assembled in front of the fortress -to hear the news; then they went at a sharp trot down the rather steep -hill that leads from the citadel to old Carmen, and at length galloped -towards San Julian. - -They had not noticed the behaviour of sundry suspicious looking fellows -who had followed them at a distance ever since they started, and were -talking eagerly together. - -The weather was stormy, and the clouds were gray and low. The air -seemed motionless, a deep silence brooded over the solitude; a white -cloud, light as a sand drift, collected in the southwest, which -advanced, and each moment grew larger. All announced the approach of -the pampero, that simoom of the prairies. - -The clouds collected, the dust rose and ran along in dense columns, -suspended between earth and sky. The clouds enveloped the plain as in -a mantle, whose comers the gusts lifted at every moment, and which -lightning flashes rent here and there. Puffs of hot air traversed the -space, and suddenly the tempest rushed up furiously from the horizon, -sweeping the Pampa with irresistible violence. The light was obscured -by masses of sand; a thick gloom covered the earth, and the thunder -mingled its terrible artillery with the howling of the hurricane. -Enormous masses were detached from the lofty cliffs, and fell with a -frightful din into the sea. - -The travellers got off their horses, and sheltered themselves behind -rocks on the seashore. When the worst of the storm had passed, they set -out again, Don Sylvio and Blas riding silently side by side, while the -two slaves, twenty yards ahead, trembled at the thought of seeing the -Indians appear. - -The storm had slightly diminished in intensity, the pampero had carried -its fury further, but the rain fell in torrents, and thunder and -lightning followed each other uninterruptedly. The travellers could -not continue their journey, for they ran the risk of being thrown at -every moment by their horses, which reared in affright. The ground and -the sand, moistened by the rain, did not offer a single spot where the -brutes could set their feet in safety; they stumbled, slipped, and -threatened to fall. - -"Whatever we may do," said the capataz, "it is impossible to go any -further, so we had better halt again, and seek refuge under that clump -of trees." - -"Very good," Don Sylvio said, with a sigh of resignation. - -The little party proceeded toward a wood that bordered the road. They -were only some fifteen paces from it, when four men, whose faces were -concealed by black masks, dashed out of the wood at a gallop, and -silently attacked the travellers. - -The slaves rolled off their horses, struck by two bullets the strangers -had fired, and writhed on the ground in convulsions of agony. Don -Sylvio and Blas Salazar, astonished at this sudden attack on the part -of men who could not be Indians, for they wore the dress of gauchos, -and their hands were white, immediately dismounted, and making a -rampart of their horses, awaited the attack of their adversaries, with -levelled rifles. - -Bullets were exchanged on both sides, and a fierce combat, silent and -unequal, began; one of the assailants fell with his skull cleft to the -teeth; and Don Sylvio passed his sword through the chest of another. - -"Well, my masters," he shouted to them, "have you had enough? Or does -another of you wish to form the acquaintance of my blade? You are -fools, ten of you should have come to assassinate us." - -"What!" the capataz added, "Are you going to give in already? You are -clumsy fellows for cut-throats, and the man who pays you ought to have -made a better choice." - -In fact, the two masked men had fallen back; but immediately four other -men, also masked, appeared, and all six rushed at the Spaniards, who -firmly awaited their attack. - -"Hang it! Pardon our having calumniated you; you know your trade," said -Don Blas, as he fired a pistol into the thick of his adversaries. - -The latter, still silent, returned the fire, and the fight began -again with fresh fury. But the two brave Spaniards, whose strength -was exhausted, and whose blood was flowing, fell in their turn on the -corpses of two other assailants, whom they sacrificed to their rage -before succumbing. - -So soon as the strangers saw Don Sylvio and Blas were motionless, they -uttered a cry of triumph. Paying no heed to the capataz, they raised -Don Sylvio d'Arenal's body, laid it across one of their horses, and -fled away at full speed along the devious path. - -Seven corpses strewed the ground. After the assailants the vultures -arrived, which hovered and circled above the victims, and mingled their -hoarse croaks of triumph with the sound of the hurricane. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -PREPARATIONS FOR A SIEGE. - - -"It is a heavy blow," the governor said, after Don Sylvio had left -the room; "but, iviva Dios! the pagans shall find someone to talk to. -Major, warn the officers to assemble at one, for a council of war, so -that we may arrange the defensive operations." - -"That is the plan," the major answered; "I am satisfied with you. You -draw yourself up haughtily, and I find you again, at last, my dear -fellow." - -"Ah! My dear Bloomfield, the presentiment of an unknown misfortune -depresses one's courage, while danger, however great it may be, once we -have it face to face, ceases to cause us terror." - -"You are right," said the major, who left the room to carry out his -chiefs orders. - -The officers of the garrison, six in number, without counting the -colonel and the major, were soon assembled in the governor's rooms. - -"Sit down, caballeros," he said to them, "you are doubtless aware of -the motive of this meeting. The Indians are threatening the colony, and -a powerful league has been formed among the Patagonians. What forces -have we at our disposal?" - -"We are not deficient in arms and ammunition," the major replied. -"We have more than two hundred thousand cartridges, and abundance of -muskets, pistols, sabres, and lances; and our guns are amply supplied -with round shot and canister." - -"Very good." - -"Unfortunately," the major continued, "our troops--" - -"How many have we?" - -"Our effective strength should be one hundred and twenty, but death, -illness, and desertions, have reduced it to scarce eighty." - -"Eighty!" the colonel said, with a shake of his head. "In the presence -of a formidable invasion, as the common safety is at stake, can we not -compel the inhabitants to get under arms?" - -"It is their duty," one of the officers said. - -"An imposing force must crown our walls," Don Antonio continued; "and -this is what I propose. All the Negro slaves will be enlisted, and -formed into a company; the merchants will form a separate corps; the -gauchos, well armed and mounted, will defend the approaches to the -town, and act as patrols outside. We shall thus muster seven hundred -men, a sufficient force to repulse the Indians." - -"You know, colonel," an officer objected, "that the gauchos are utter -scoundrels, and that the least disturbance is to them an excuse for -plundering." - -"On that account they will be employed for the external defence. They -will be encamped outside the colony, and, to diminish the chances of -revolt among them, they will be divided into two squadrons, one of -which will scout, while the other is resting. In this way we shall have -nothing to fear from them." - -"As for the creoles, and strangers residing in the colony," the major -remarked, "I think it will be as well to give them orders to come to -the fortress every night, to be armed in case of necessity." - -"Excellent. The number of bomberos will be doubled to prevent a -surprise, and barricades raised at each entrance to the town, to -protect us from the terrible charges of the Indians." - -"If that is your opinion, colonel," the major interrupted, "a sure man -ought to be sent off to the estancias, to tell them to seek refuge -in Carmen, when they are warned of the approach of the enemy by their -cannon shots." - -"Do so, major, for the poor people would be piteously massacred by -the savages. The inhabitants of the town must also be warned that all -their females must withdraw into the fort, when the pagans come in -sight, unless they wish them to fall into the hands of the Indians. In -the last invasion, if you remember, they carried off upwards of two -hundred. And now, gentlemen, all that is left to us is to do our duty -truly, and confide in the will of Heaven." - -The officers rose, and were about to take leave of their chief, when a -slave announced another bombero. - -"Show him in, and pray be seated again, Caballeros." - -The scout was Pepe, Pedrito's brother. Although he had started five -hours after his brother from their place of ambush, he was scarce an -hour behind him. His great pace indicated the gravity of the news -he brought. He had retained his cunning look, although his face was -pale, blood-stained, and black with gunpowder. His torn clothes, the -handkerchief fastened round his head, his arm in a sling, but above -all, four scalps hanging from his girdle, showed that he had ridden -through the Indians in order to reach Carmen. - -"Pepe," the governor said to him, "your brother has just left me." - -"I know it," colonel. - -"Is your news worse than his?" - -"That depends on the way in which you take it." - -"What do you mean by that?" - -"Why," the bombero said carelessly, "if you are fond of your ease, I -have not come to reassure you; if you feel a desire to mount your horse -and to see the Patagonians, you will have no occasion to indulge your -fancy, as what I have to tell will cause you immense pleasure." - -In spite of the gravity of the circumstances, and the anxiety of his -hearers, they smiled at Pepe's singular arguments. - -"Explain yourself, Pepe," the governor said to him. - -"Ten minutes after my brother's departure," the bombero went on, "I -examined some bushes which I had seen moving in an unusual manner. I -discovered a Negro, who was pale in spite of his black hide, and whose -tongue terror appeared to have tied. At length he made up his mind to -speak. He belonged to a poor old gentleman of the name of Ignacio -Bayal, one of the two men who alone escaped from the massacre on the -peninsula of San Jose, during the last invasion of the Patagonians. The -slave and his master were gathering wood, when the Indians appeared a -short distance off; the slave had time to conceal himself behind a pile -of _biscacha_, but the old man fell beneath the blows of the savages, -who attacked him with lances and _bolas perdidas_. I began reassuring -the Negro, but at the same moment perceived a multitude of Indians -driving prisoners and cattle before them, burning and destroying -everything as they passed in full march on Carmen. The Estancia of -Punta Rosa and that of San Blas are at this moment a pile of ashes, and -serve as tombs to the owners. That is my news, Excellency, and you can -do what you like with it." - -"And those bleeding scalps?" the major asked, pointing to the human -trophies that hung from the bombero's belt. - -"That is a personal matter," Pepe replied with a smile. "Through -friendship for the Indians, I preferred to lift their hair rather than -leave them my head." - -"Perhaps it is only a band of plunderers of the Pampas, who have come -to steal cattle, and will retire with their booty." - -"Hum," said Pepe, with a shake of his head, "they are too numerous, too -well equipped, and are advancing with too much regularity. No, colonel, -it is not a skirmish, but an invasion." - -"Thanks, Pepe," the colonel said, "I am satisfied with you. Return to -your post, and redouble your vigilance." - -"Juan is dead, colonel, and that will tell you how fond my brothers and -I are of the Indians." - -The bombero retired. - -"You see, gentlemen," said Don Antonio, "that time presses. Go all of -you to your duties." - -"One moment," said Major Bloomfield, "I have one more suggestion to -make." - -"Speak, my friend." - -"We are, so to speak, lost in this corner of the earth, and remote -from any help; we may be besieged in Carmen, and forced into surrender -by starvation. Under these imperious circumstances, I ask that a ship -should be sent to Buenos Aires to describe our situation, and request -reinforcements." - -"What do you think, gentlemen, of the major's suggestion?" the colonel -asked, looking inquiringly at the officers. - -"It is excellent, colonel, excellent," one of them answered. - -"The suggestion will be carried out at once," Don Antonio continued, -"and now, gentlemen, you can withdraw." - -The defence of the fort and town was organized with a rapidity -inconceivable to anyone acquainted with Spanish sloth; danger gave -courage to the timid and doubled the ardour of the others. Two -hours later the cattle had been driven in and corraled, the streets -barricaded, the guns sponged out, and the women and children shut up in -buildings adjoining the fort, a vessel was sailing for Buenos Aires, -and one hundred and fifty resolute men were intrenched at Poblacion del -Sur, the houses of which they had loop-holed. - -The governor and Major Bloomfield seemed to be everywhere at once; -encouraging the troops, ordering the workmen, and imparting energy to -all. - -About three in the afternoon, a violent breeze sprang up, which bore -from the southwest the smoke occasioned by firing the country, and -hiding distant objects. The inhabitants of Carmen were devoured with -anxiety. - -Such is the simple and ingenious plan the southern nations employ to -favour their invasion of the territory of the whites, to hide their -manoeuvres, and conceal their numbers from the piercing eyes of the -bomberos. The smoke like a floating wall, separated the Indians from -Carmen, and in consequence of the brightness of the nights they had -selected the period of the full moon. - -The scouts, in spite of the dense smoke that protected the enemy, -arrived at a gallop one after the other, and announced that they would -be before Carmen during the night. In fact, the Indian hordes, whose -numbers incessantly increased, covered the whole extent of the plain, -and advanced on the town with startling rapidity. - -By the governor's orders, the three alarm shots were fired. The -estancieros could then be seen flocking up, driving their cattle before -them, and on seeing their houses fired, and their rich crops destroyed, -they shed tears of despair. These poor people encamped where they -could, in the open places of the town, and after leading their wives -and daughters to the fort, those who were of manly age took up arms, -and rushed to the barriers and barricades, resolved to take vengeance -for their ruin. - -The consternation and terror were general; on all sides could be heard -lamentation and stifled sobs; the night arrived to add its horrors to -the situation, and enfold the town in its mourning. Numerous patrols -traversed the streets, and, at intervals, daring bomberos slipped -furtively out of the city to watch the approach of the coming peril. - -About two in the morning, in the midst of an impressive silence, a -slight sound was audible, at first almost imperceptible, but which was -every moment augmented, and, as if by enchantment, the Aucas crowned -the top of the barricades in Poblacion del Sur, and waving lighted -torches, uttered their war yell. - -For a moment the inhabitants fancied the town captured; but Major -Bloomfield, who commanded this post, was on his guard against the -tricks of the Indians. At the moment when the Aucas prepared to -escalade the barricades, a sharp fusillade broke out, which hurled them -to the foot of the entrenchments. The Argentines dashed forward at the -bayonet point, and there was a frightful medley, from which issued -groans of agony, imprecations, and the harsh clang of steel against -steel. This was all; the Spaniards regained their position, the Indians -disappeared, and the town, so lately illumined by the light of the -torches, fell back into shadow and silence. - -As the Indian surprise had failed, they would either withdraw or -invest the town. At daybreak, however, all the illusions of the -inhabitants were dissipated--the enemy had not thought of retreating. - -It was a heart-rending sight! the country was devastated, and the -expiring flames could still be seen in the distance. Here, a band of -Aucas were driving horses off; there, warriors, with lances erect, -were watching the movements of the townspeople; behind them squaws and -children were driving cattle, which uttered long lowings; here and -there prisoners, men, women, and children, forced along by blows with -lance staves, were holding up their suppliant arms to the town walls. -Patagonians were planting poles and erecting toldos; and, lastly, far -as eye could reach, fresh bands of Indians descended into the plain -from all sides. - -The oldest soldiers in the fort, who had been witnesses of previous -wars, were amazed at the regularity of the enemy's march. The toldos -were skilfully grouped; the infantry executed, with great precision, -movements which they had hitherto been ignorant of, and it was an -extraordinary thing, which stupefied the colonel and the major, to see -the Aucas form a parallel round the town, and almost instantaneously -throw up earthworks, which protected them from the artillery. - -"_iSangre de Dios_!" the colonel exclaimed, "There is a traitor among -the villains; never before have they waged war in this way." - -"Hum!" the major muttered, biting his moustache; "if Buenos Aires does -not send succour, we are lost." - -"Yes, my friend, we shall leave our skins here." - -"How many are they, colonel?--twenty thousand; thirty thousand?" - -"And those who are still coming up, and who blacken the distant -plains?--But what means the sound of that bugle?" - -Four Ulmens, preceded by an Indian, who carried a white flag, had -halted within half gunshot of the first barriers of Poblacion del Sur. - -"They seem," the colonel said, "to be desiring a parley. Do they fancy -me fool enough to venture into that trap? Major, just fire a round of -canister into that group to teach them not to treat us as fools." - -"We should be wrong, colonel; let us learn what they want." - -"But where shall we find a man fool enough to risk his carcase among -those pagans, who have neither faith nor law?" - -"I will go, with your permission," the major said simply. - -"You?" Don Antonio exclaimed in amazement. - -"Yes, I. Unfortunate persons have been confided to our guard and our -honour. I am but a man; my life is of but little consequence for the -defence of the town. I am old, colonel, and will try to save the -inhabitants of Carmen." - -The governor suppressed a sigh, and affectionately shook his old -friend's hand. - -"Go," he said with considerable emotion, "and may Heaven protect you!" - -"Thanks," Major Bloomfield answered. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -A BRAVE RESOLVE. - - -On leaving Carmen, Pedrito felt a recollection of his sister aroused in -his mind, and in order to warn Don Valentine Cardoso of the invasion -of the Indians, he started at a gallop for the estancia, which, thanks -to the speed of the fresh horse the governor had given him, he reached -without a check. All was quiet at San Julian, and the sentry watching -in the mirador had perceived nothing alarming in the distance. - -Patito, in the capitaz' absence, was on guard at the battery, like a -faithful watchdog. - -"Where is Don Blas?" the bombero asked. - -"At Carmen, with Don Sylvio d'Arenal," the gaucho answered. - -"What, have they not returned yet?" - -"No." - -"Lead me to Don Valentine." - -The estanciero heartily welcomed the bombero, and sent for his sister, -who arrived with Dona Concha. - -"What brings you here in such a hurry, Pedrito?" - -"A very serious matter, Don Valentine," he answered, after embracing -Mercedes several times; "but only look, Excellency, how pretty she is in -her new dress! Kiss me again, little sister." - -"Have you only come to devour the girl with caresses?" Don Valentine -asked with a smile; "If so, go on to your heart's content." - -"That is almost enough," Pedrito replied, his eyes filled with tears. -"Alas! Our family is diminishing daily. Still," he added, changing his -accent, "however great the love I bear my sister, it is not for her -sake alone that I am here. But stay, Excellency, that is not true; it -is for her sake, her sake alone, though apparently for yours. I have -just come from Carmen." - -"From Carmen?" Dona Concha said, involuntarily. - -"Yes, senorita," the bombero answered, as if reading the young lady's -secret thoughts, "and I saw Don Sylvio d'Arenal there." - -Dona Concha turned red as a cherry, and was silent. - -"And what have you been doing in Carmen?" Don Valentine asked. - -"I went to warn his Excellency Colonel Don Antonio Valverde, that -the Indians have entered the country of the Republic, plundering and -burning everything on their road." - -"An invasion!" Don Valentine said, with an internal tremor. - -"O heavens!" the two girls exclaimed, clasping their hands with a -movement of terror. - -"Yes, Excellency, an inconceivable and terrible invasion. When I had -warned the governor, I remembered my sister, and came here." - -"You are a worthy fellow, Pedrito," the estanciero said, as he offered -him his hand. "You are not a brother to Mercedes, but a father. But do -not be frightened! the estancia is safer than Carmen." - -"I saw that so soon as I arrived, Excellency, and that removed a heavy -weight which oppressed my heart. I shall now go, with almost gladness, -to join my two brothers. Juan died on the field--the same fate awaits -us. But Mercedes is happy, and I can die in peace." - -"Oh, my kind Pedrito," Mercedes exclaimed, as she burst into tears, and -threw herself into his arms; "must you not live for one who loves you?" - -"Come, do not cry, little girl, but say good-bye; I must return to the -plain." - -He tenderly embraced his sister who was still weeping, left the room, -mounted his horse again, and started at a gallop. - -"Father," Dona Concha said eagerly, "are we going to remain at the -estancia during the invasion of the Indians?" - -"My child, it is the safest plan." "But, Don Sylvio?" she added, with a -delicious pout. - -"He will come and join us." - -"Oh, no," she said hurriedly; "you forget, father, that the roads are -impracticable, and infested with Indians; I do not wish him to fall -into an ambuscade of the Pagans." - -"What is to be done?" - -"Send him a messenger ordering him, from me, to remain at Carmen, or, -if he absolutely insists on returning, to take a boat; the Indians will -not dare attack him on the river. Write to him, father; I will add a -few lines to your letter, and he will not like to displease his wife." - -"His wife?" her father repeated with a smile. - -"Or nearly so, as I am going to marry him in two days. You will write -at once, will you not, dear father?" - -"I have no will but your caprices," he added, with an air of -resignation. - -He sat down at a mahogany desk and wrote; Concha, leaning smilingly -over his chair, read over his shoulder. So soon as Don Valentine had -concluded, he turned to his beloved daughter. - -"Well, are you satisfied, little Mrs. Bluebeard?" he asked her. - -"Oh, my kind father," she replied, taking his head in both her hands, -and kissing him on the forehead. Then, with a movement full of loving -grace, she took the pen from her father's fingers, and was writing a -few lines at the foot of the letter, when a great noise, mingled with -shrieks, was heard outside. - -"O Heavens!" she exclaimed, as if struck to the heart, and turning -deadly pale. - -She rushed to the steps, and perceived Patito and Pedrito, carrying -a man wrapped up in a cloak; other persons were collected round Dona -Salazar, who seemed on the point of fainting. - -"Whose is that body?" Dona Concha asked in a sharp, imperative voice. - -"It is my son's!" the heart-broken mother cried. - -"Don Blas Salazar," Pedrito answered. - -"And Don Sylvio?" the maiden continued, - -"Has disappeared," Pedrito said. - -She fell back, half dead; her father caught her in his arms, and -carried her back to the drawing room. - -This is what had happened. Pedrito, when he had got a short distance -from the estancia, was all but unsaddled, by his horse suddenly shying. -Aroused from his reverie by the animal's terror, the horseman looked -around, to discover the cause of it. Judge of his surprise! At a spot -which appeared to have been the scene of a desperate struggle, the damp -earth retained the marks of several horses' hoofs; weapons had been -thrown away there, and seven corpses lay pell-mell in pools of blood -and muddy water. - -"What!" Pedrito thought, "Have the Indians come this way already?" and -he added, "Why is it they have not stripped their victims?" - -He dismounted, and walked to the bodies, which he examined attentively, -and felt and raised one after the other. - -"Something that is not natural has taken place here," the bombero said; -"two Negroes! Oh! he said, on coming to the gauchos, Who are these men -wearing masks? Oh! Oh! Has it been a crime instead of an ambuscade, and -a bit of Spanish vengeance, instead of an Indian attack? I will have a -look at them." - -He tore from the faces of the four gauchos the strips of wool they had -employed to conceal themselves. - -"On my word, I do not know them; who can these scoundrels be?" - -At the same moment, his eyes rested on another corpse, hidden by a -thickly growing bush, beneath which it lay stretched out. - -"This man is not dressed in the same manner, so he must be one of the -caballeros attacked by these villains; I will have a look at him, and -perhaps he will give me the clue to this adventure." - -He uttered a cry on recognizing Don Blas Salazar, the capataz of the -Estancia de San Julian. He bent over him, raised him softly in his -arms, and deposited him gently in the road, with his back leaning -against a rock. - -"Poor capataz! So brave and kind! But if I am not mistaken, I can feel -a little warmth. _iViva Dios_! I should be glad if he was not dead." - -The bombero then opened his clothes, and saw three insignificant wounds -on his chest; he hastened to bandage them carefully, and found that the -flesh was scarcely cut. Pedrito rubbed his hands with a satisfied air, -until he discovered on the skull a fourth wound, on which the hair had -clotted and stopped the flow of blood. He washed the wound, cut away -the hair round it with his knife, saturated a handkerchief with water, -and bound it tightly over the wound. The capataz gave a faint sigh, and -moved slightly. - -"iCaray!" Pedrito exclaimed in delight, "He is saved; wounds on the -skull, when they do not kill at once, are cured in a week." - -By degrees the wounded man seemed to return to life, and at length -opened his eyes, which gazed absently around. - -"Ah, my good fellow, do you feel better? _caray_, do you know that you -have had a narrow escape?" - -The capataz gave a gentle nod. - -"Wait a minute," Pedrito continued; and he thrust into his mouth the -neck of the _bota_ of aguardiente, which the bomberos always carry on -their saddlebow. Don Blas made a grimace, but soon resigning himself, -he drank the liquor his physician forced down his throat; in a few -minutes, his eyes sparkled with their accustomed brilliancy, and a -slight flush tinged his cheeks. - -"Thanks," he said, thrusting away the bota with his hand. - -"You speak, therefore you are alive, capataz. Can you talk?" - -"Yes." - -"Without danger to yourself, senor?" - -"Yes." - -"In the first place, do you recognize me?" - -"You are Pedrito, the bombero," the wounded man said, with a smile. - -"I am a friend." - -"Yes." - -"Who put you in this charming condition?" - -"I do not know." - -"Hum! How many were they?" - -"I am ignorant." - -"Eh! And why did they serve you out in this way?" - -"I do not know." - -"I do not know; I am ignorant; all that is not very clear; and if you -never say any more, I doubt whether the assassins will be detected. -Where have you come from? From Carmen?" - -"We left Carmen this morning, to--" - -"One moment, if you please. You said _we_, I think?" - -"Yes, we." - -"Who are we?" - -"Don Sylvio d'Arenal, myself, and two Negroes." - -"Good. Where did you separate from Don Sylvio?" - -"I did not leave Don Sylvio at all." - -"Oh, nonsense!" - -"We were together, when masked bandits suddenly came out of this wood, -and attacked us. Our Negroes were killed at the first discharge, but -Don Sylvio and I got our backs against a tree behind our horses; I -fought--and I can tell you no more." - -"This blow on the head settled you; it was, by Heaven, enough to fell -an ox; but you have a hard head, and lucky for you, for you will -recover. So you were unable to recognize your assassins?" - -"Yes." - -"Just come and have a look at them with me. Can you walk?" - -"I think so." - -"Try." - -And Don Blas Salazar got up, and tottered a few steps with extreme -difficulty. - -"Take my arm," Pedrito said. - -The capataz, supported by the bombero, examined the faces of the -gauchos. - -"I recognize this man," he said, pointing to a corpse; "it is Corrocho. -Now I know the originator of the snare." - -"iCaray! All the better; but Don Sylvio's body is not here." - -"Heaven be praised!" the capataz exclaimed, - -"He will have escaped, and we shall find him at the estancia." - -"No!" Pedrito said. - -"What do you mean by no?" - -"I have just come from there, and should have seen him." - -"Where is he?" - -"That's the very point; I may say, like you, I do not know, or, if you -prefer it, I am ignorant." - -"Don Pedro, let us go to San Julian." - -"I will carry you, then, at a walking pace; your head has not closed -again yet, and a rapid ride would envenom the wound." - -"No matter; I must go there with the speed of the wind." - -"Then you want to kill yourself?" - -"I do not care. I think you love Don Valentine Cardoso and his -daughter." - -"Caray! If I love them! I would lay down my life for them." - -"The happiness, perhaps the life, of Dona Concha is at stake; you can -see that mine is of no consequence." - -"That is true," the bombero said, with an air of conviction. - -"Then you consent?" - -"I do." - -"Thank you! One word more. If I die on the road, you will tell Dona -Concha that the assassin--" - -"That the assassin--" Pedrito repeated, finding the other hesitate. - -"But, no," the capataz continued, "it is unnecessary. God will not -permit me to die before I have seen her." - -"As you please. Let us be off." - -"At full speed; you promise that?" - -"Like lightning." - -He remounted, placed before him the capataz, who had no horse, and who, -besides, was too weak to sit one, then relaxing the bridle, and digging -in his spurs, he flew along with the velocity of the phantom horse in -the German ballad. - -Pedrito's horse, when it reached the gates of the estancia, slipped -with all four feet at once, and fell dead. But the bombero, who had -foreseen this accident, came down on his feet, and holding in his arms -his friend the capataz, whom the shocks of this infernal ride had -caused to faint for the second time. - -Patito helped the bombero to carry poor Don Blas as far as the house. - -Dona Concha, who had regained her senses, insisted, in spite of her -father's entreaties, on remaining by the side of the wounded man. She -lavished attentions on him, poured into his month a few drops of a -powerful cordial, and awaited his return to life. - -"Forgive me, senorita, forgive me," he said, as soon as he opened -his eyes again and perceived her, "I could not save him; my strength -deserted me." - -"I have nothing to forgive you, Don Blas," the young lady answered, who -had learnt the facts from Pedrito; "on the contrary, my friend, I thank -you for your devotion. One word, however, when you fell was Don Sylvio -still fighting by your side?" - -"Yes, senorita." - -"Then it was only after your fall that he succumbed to the numbers?" - -"No; Don Sylvio is not dead." - -"What makes you suppose that?" - -"A very simple thing: had he been killed, his body would have been -found lying by my side. What interest could the assassins have in -concealing a corpse, when they left seven lying in the middle of the -road? If they wished to hide their crimes, a hole is soon dug in the -sand." - -"That is true," Dona Concha murmured, "he still lives; but do you know -the author of the crime?" - -"Yes, senorita." - -"And--" - -The capataz looked at the persons who crowded the room. Dona Concha -understood him, and dismissed them. Pedrito was about to follow with -the rest. - -"Remain," she said to him, "you can speak before Don Pedro, his sister, -and my father. Who is the man that attacked you?" - -"Permit me, senorita, I do not positively say that he was among the -assassins, for I did not see him; but it is certainly he who let the -cowards loose upon us, and directed them from a distance." - -"Yes, Don Blas; he was the head, and these ten or twelve bandits were -only the arms." - -"The very thing. Among the dead I found the corpse of one of his -confidants, the gaucho Corrocho, whom I surprised the other day -conspiring with him against you." - -A bitter smile for a moment curled the young lady's blanched lips. - -"Will you tell me his name or no?" she exclaimed, stamping her foot -passionately. - -"Don Torribio Carvajal!" - -"I knew it!" she said, with an accent of superb disdain. "Oh, Don -Torribio, Don Torribio! Where is the man to be found at this hour; -where is he? Oh, I would give my fortune, my life, to be face to face -with him. Is it in order to assassinate his rivals with impunity that -this mysterious man--" - -She could not complete the sentence; she burst into tears, and fell -into Don Valentine's arms, exclaiming with broken sobs-- - -"Father, father! who will avenge me?" - -"Senorita," said Pedrito, "the man you refer to is difficult to reach." - -"Do you know him, Don Pedro?" she asked with a start. - -"Yes, senorita," he replied. "But do you know who he is?" - -"He is said to be a rich Spaniard." - -"It is a mistake." - -"Have you penetrated the mystery that surrounds him?" - -"Yes." - -All drew close to Pedrito. - -"Well, Don Pedro?" - -"The name of the man you call Don Torribio Carvajal is really -Nocobotha, and he is one of the principal chiefs of the Aucas Indians." - -"An Indian!" the young lady exclaimed in stupor. - -"Yes; but one of those white-skinned Indians, who are descended from -the Incas, and call themselves children of the sun." - -"Take care, Conchita," Mercedes said, "Nocobotha is a terrible man." - -"Then, all that is left me is to die," said the poor affianced, girl, -as she fell into a chair. - -Mercedes regarded her for a moment with a blended look of sorrow, -compassion, and tenderness, then walked up to her and gently laid her -hand on her shoulder. At this unexpected touch, Dona Concha started and -turned round. - -"What do you want of me, poor child?" she asked sadly. - -"To save Don Sylvio, if he is alive," Mercedes answered in a calm, firm -voice. - -"You?" - -"Yes, I! When I was shelterless, did you not open to me your home and -your heart? You are suffering, and, in my turn, I have come to say -'here I am!'" - -"But what can you do, my friend?" - -"That is my secret. I know the Indians and the way of behaving with -them, and speak their language. The only condition I make is, that you -promise not to leave the estancia for three days, and not make any -attempt to discover what has become of your betrothed." - -Dona Concha gazed at Mercedes, whose eye sparkled with a clear and -bright fire, her features breathed a species of masculine grace, and so -soft and calm a smile played round her rosy lips, that Conchita felt -herself subjugated, and, in spite of herself, hope re-entered her heart. - -"I swear it to you," she said, as she embraced the girl warmly. - -"Thanks," Mercedes replied. "Good-bye, Conchita! in three days you will -have news of your betrothed, or I shall be dead." - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -THE INVASION. - - -Let us now give some explanations about the Indian expedition, and -the preparations and arrangements made by Nocobotha, at the moment of -attempting the siege of Carmen. - -"If you succeed in this affair," Don Torribio had said to the two -gauchos, after giving them orders to carry off Don Sylvio d'Arenal, -"you will receive fifty ounces more. But forget nothing, and be -careful." - -Panchito and Corrocho, when left alone, shared the ounces between them -with transports of joy. - -Don Torribio mounted his horse again and proceeded to Carmen, where he -spent several days in his house, though no one was aware of the fact. -During his stay he had two interviews, under different disguises, with -Pincheira, at the Pulqueria del Sur, the usual meeting place of the -gauchos. Each night, three or four mules, laden with bales, left the -city, under the escort of Indians, and proceeded in the direction of -the Andes. - -At length, one night, after a long conference with Pincheira, Don -Torribio left El Carmen in his turn, his presence in the town having -not even been suspected. At six leagues from Carmen he found Panchito -and Corrocho, whom he sharply upbraided for their sloth in executing -his orders, and he recommended them to act as promptly as possible. - -On the morrow, the day of the nandu hunt, Corrocho presented himself at -the gate of the estancia, which Patito had refused to open. - -On leaving the two bandits, Don Torribio proceeded to the natural -grotto, where we have seen him change his clothes once before. There he -put on his Indian trappings, and following the banks of the Rio Negro, -galloped towards the island of Ghole-Isechel, where he had appointed to -meet all the war detachments of the combined Patagonian and Araucano -tribes. - -The night was one of the most delicious ever enjoyed in America. The -fresh air, odorous with the penetrating perfumes of the flowers that -grew in masses on the river banks, disposed the mind to reverie. The -sky, of a dark black blue, was embroidered with stars, in the midst -of which sparkled the dazzling Southern Cross, which the Indians call -_Paron-Chayke_. The moon poured its soft light on the sand, played on -the foliage of the trees and designed fantastic forms on the sandbanks. -The wind blew softly through the branches, in which the blue jay at -intervals uttered the melodious notes of its plaintive song. Here and -there, in the distance, could be heard the hoarse roar of the cougars, -the sharp whine of the panther, and the snapping bark of the red wolf. - -Nocobotha, intoxicated by this lovely autumn night, checked his -horse's speed, and allowed his thoughts to wander. The descendant of -Manco-Capai and Manco-Oello, the first Incas of Peru, saw pass and -repass before his mind the splendours of his race, which had been -extinct since the death of Athahualpa, the last Peruvian emperor, whom -Pizarro's soldiers assassinated. His heart swelled with pride and joy -when he thought that he was about to reconstitute the empire of his -ancestors. The soil he trod was his; the air he breathed was the air of -his country! - -He went on thus for a long time, travelling in the land of dreams. The -stars began to grow pale in the sky; the dawn was already tracing a -white line, which gradually became tinged with yellow and red streaks, -and, at the approach of day, the breeze freshened. Nocobotha, suddenly -roused by the icy dew of the Pampa, threw his cloak across his -shoulder, with a shudder, and started again at a gallop, after looking -up to heaven and muttering-- - -"Either death or a life of liberty!" - -A sublime remark in the mouth of this man! Young, rich, and handsome, -he might have remained in Paris, where he had studied, lived there like -a nobleman, and enjoyed abundantly all the pleasures of this world. -But, no! Free from all ambitious thoughts, and without calculating on -human gratitude, he resolved to deliver his country. - -At about eight in the morning, Nocobotha halted before an immense -tolderia, facing the island of Ghole-Isechel. At this spot the Rio -Negro attains its greatest width, and each of the arms formed by the -island is about two miles and a half across. The island, that rises -in the middle of the water, four leagues long and two wide, is one -vast bouquet, whence the most delicious fragrance is exhaled, and in -which innumerable birds sing. Illumined on this day by the beams of a -splendid sun, the island seemed to have been laid on the river like a -basket of flowers for the pleasure of the eyes and the delight of the -fancy. - -As far as the eye reached along the banks of the river, thousands of -toldos and chozas could be seen erected close together, and their -strange colours flashing in the sun. Numerous canoes, made of horse -hides sown together, and generally round, or hollowed out of the trunks -of trees, crossed the river in every direction. - -Nocobotha entrusted his horse to an Indian woman, and walked among the -toldos. In front of their openings the ostrich-plumed pennons of the -chiefs floated in the breeze. - -He was recognized so soon as he arrived. The warriors drew up in -line as he passed, or bowed respectfully before him. The veneration -the southern nations have ever felt for the descendants of the Incas -seemed changed into a species of adoration. The bejewelled coronet that -adorned his brow appeared to arouse the most lively joy in all hearts. - -When he reached the riverbank, a fishing canoe conveyed him across to -the island, where a toldo had been prepared for him. Lucaney, warned -by the sentries who watched for his arrival, presented himself before -Nocobotha the moment he landed. - -"The great chief," he said, with a bow, "is returned among his sons. -Has my father made a good journey?" - -"I have made a good journey, I thank my brother." - -"If my father permits, I will conduct him to his toldo." - -"Go on," the chief said. - -Lucaney bowed a second time, and guided the great chief along a track -formed through the bushes. They soon reached a toldo of brilliant -colours, large and clean, the handsomest on the island, in a word. - -"My father is at home," Lucaney said, lifting the poncho that covered -the opening. - -Nocobotha went in. - -"My brother will follow me," he said. - -The woollen curtain fell again behind the two Ulmens. - -This abode, like the others, contained a fire, by the side of which -Nocobotha and Lucaney seated themselves. They smoked in silence for -some moments, when the great chief addressed Lucaney. - -"Have the Ulmens, Apo-Ulmens and caraskens of all the nations and -tribes assembled on the island of Ghole-Isechel, as I gave orders?" - -"They are all assembled," Lucaney answered. - -"When will they come to my toldo?" - -"The chiefs are awaiting my father's good pleasure." - -"Time is precious. Before twilight we must have ridden twenty leagues. -Lucaney will warn the chiefs." - -The Ulmen rose without replying and went, out. - -"Come!" Nocobotha said, so soon as he was alone, "The die is cast. I -am in Caesar's position, but, by heavens, like him, I will cross the -Rubicon." - -He rose and walked for more than hour up and down the toldo, immersed -in deep thought. A noise of footsteps was heard; the curtain was -raised, and Lucaney appeared. - -"Well?" Nocobotha asked him. - -"The chiefs are here." - -"Let them come in!" - -The Ulmens, sixty at least, dressed in their richest clothes, and -painted and armed for war, passed silently one after the other in front -of the great chief, saluted him, kissed the hem of his robe, and ranged -themselves round the fire. A troop of warriors, outside, kept listeners -aloof. - -Nocobotha, in spite of his self-command, could not restrain a movement -of pride. - -"My brothers are welcome," he said, "I was impatiently expecting them. -Lucaney, how many warriors have you assembled?" - -"Two thousand five hundred." - -"Chamata?" - -"Three thousand." - -"Metipan?" - -"Two thousand." - -"Vera?" - -"Three thousand seven hundred." - -"Killapan?" - -"One thousand nine hundred." - -Nocobotha wrote down on his tablets the numbers stated by the Ulmens, -who, after answering, ranged themselves on his right hand. - -"Lucaney," he continued, "is Pincheira's war party here?" - -"Yes, father." - -"How many warriors has he?" - -"Four thousand eight hundred." - -"Mulato, how many have you?" - -"Four thousand." - -"Guaykilof?" - -"Three thousand five hundred." - -"Killamel?" - -"Six thousand two hundred." - -"Churlakin?" - -"Five thousand six hundred." - -"Which are the nations that accepted the quipu, and sent their warriors -to the gathering place?" - -"All!" Churlakin answered proudly. - -"My heart is satisfied with the wisdom of my son. What is the effective -strength of these eight nations?" - -"Twenty-nine thousand seven hundred and sixty men, commanded by the -bravest Ulmens." - -"Good," said Nocobotha. "The Aucas and Araucano chiefs here present -have brought twenty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty warriors. We -can also reckon on a reinforcement of five hundred and fifty gauchos, -or white deserters, whose assistance will be very useful to us. The -total strength of the army is ninety-four thousand nine hundred and -fifty men, with whom, if my brothers place confidence in me, we shall -expel the Spaniards, and regain our territory within three months." - -"Our father will command, and we obey." - -"Never has a larger and more powerful army menaced the Spanish -authority since Tahi Mahi's attempt upon Chili. The whites are ignorant -of our projects, as I convinced myself at Carmen. Hence our sudden -invasion will be to them a thunderbolt, and render them motionless with -terror. On our approach they will be already half conquered. Lucaney, -have you distributed all the weapons I sent you from Carmen to the -warriors, who understand their use?" - -"A corps of three thousand two hundred men is armed with muskets and -bayonets, and abundantly provided with powder and ball." - -"It is well. Lucaney, Churlakin, and Metipan will remain with me, -and aid me in communicating with the other chiefs. And now, Ulmens, -Apo-Ulmens, and caraskens of the united nations, listen to my orders, -and engrave them deeply on your minds, for any disobedience or -cowardice will immediately be punished by death." - -There was a solemn silence. Nocobotha took a calm and haughty look -round the assembly. - -"In an hour," he continued, "the army will start in close columns. A -cavalry corps will protect each infantry detachment. The army will -extend along a line of twenty leagues, which will be concentrated on -Carmen. All the chiefs will fire the country as they pass, in order -that the smoke, impelled by the wind, may hide our movements and -cover us like a thick curtain. The crops, estancias, and all property -belonging to the whites, will be burned and levelled with the ground. -The cattle will be sent to the rearguard to swell our booty. Show -no mercy to the bomberos, but kill them on the spot. Killipan, with -twelve thousand horsemen and ten thousand infantry, will command the -rearguard, to which will be attached all the women of an age to fight, -and it will set out six hours after the main body. Bear in mind that -the warriors must advance in compact bodies, and not as stragglers. -Be off, and make haste, for we must be in front of Carmen by daybreak -tomorrow." - -The chief bowed and silently defiled out of the toldo. - -A few minutes later an extraordinary animation prevailed in the immense -camp of the Indians. The squaws pulled down the toldos and loaded the -mules; the warriors assembled to the sound of musical instruments; the -children lassoed and saddled the horses; in short, hurried preparations -were made for a start. - -Gradually the disorder ceased. The ranks were formed, and several -detachments started in different directions. Nocobotha, standing on the -top of a mound, and accompanied by his three aides-de-camp, Lucaney, -Churlakin, and Metipan, followed with a glass the movements of the -army, which, within a quarter of an hour, was no longer visible. -Already the plain was on fire and veiled the horizon with a black smoke. - -Nocobotha descended the hill and went to the riverbank, where the -four Ulmens got into a canoe, which they pulled themselves. They soon -reached land, where twenty-five Aucas horsemen were waiting for them. -The party set out on the trail of the army--a too visible trail, alas! -The country so green and beautiful that very morning was gloomy, -desolated and covered with ashes and ruins. - -From a distance Pedrito and his brothers perceived the Indians, and -although surrounded by a swarm of warriors, they succeeded, through -their courage, in escaping from their enemies, with the exception of -poor Juan, who was killed by an Indian lance. Pepe and Lopez, both -wounded, went on in front to watch the movements of the invaders, while -Pedrito, covered with dust and blood, galloped to give the alarm at -Carmen. - -This escape singularly annoyed Nocobotha and disarranged his -combinations. Nevertheless, the army continued its march, and at -nightfall the town could be seen through the growing obscurity. At -the head of one hundred picked warriors, Nocobotha made a circuit and -advanced on Poblacion del Sur. All was silent, and the barricades -seemed abandoned. The Indians succeeded in scaling them, and would have -carried the town, had it not been for the vigilance of Major Bloomfield. - -The great chief, not wishing to shake the confidence of his men by -vain attempts, fell back and ordered a camp to be formed in front of -the town. Pursuing tactics hitherto strange to the Indians, he made -a parallel and ordered a wide ditch to be dug in the sand, the earth -from which served to throw up a breastwork that defended them from the -cannon. - -Pincheira, as we know, was in Carmen for the purpose of arranging -a revolt among the gauchos. As Nocobotha desired to come to an -understanding with him as to the decisive attack, he sent towards the -town a Chilian deserter who knew how to play the bugle, an instrument -quite unused among the Aucas. This bugler bore a white flag in sign of -peace, and asked for a parley. He was followed by Churlakin, Lucaney, -Metipan, and Chaukata, who were ordered by the great Ulmen to make -proposals to the governor of Carmen. - -The four ambassadors, standing within half gunshot from the town, with -their long lances planted before them, with the ostrich plume, the -symbol of their dignity, flying out, were waiting motionless on their -horses. Their leather armour was covered with coats of mail made of -small rings, which had doubtless belonged to the soldiers of Almagro -or Valdivia. The bugler, haughtily standing a few paces in front of -them, waved his flag. The chiefs' steeds were armed with rich harness, -embroidered with silver plates that sparkled in the sun's beams. - -The Spanish pride suffered at the thought of treating on equal terms -with these Pagans, to whom they even refused a soul, and whom they did -not recognize as men. But it was necessary to gain time; perhaps the -reinforcements from Buenos Aires were already under weigh. - -The Indian bugler, wearied at receiving no answer to his two first -summons, blew a third peal by Churlakin's order. A Spanish bugler at -length replied from the interior of the town, and the barrier was -opened, leaving a passage for a soldier, who carried a white flag, -and was followed by an officer on horseback. This officer, it will be -remembered, was Major Bloomfield, who, as an old soldier, was unwilling -to appear before the Indians except in his full dress uniform. - -He proceeded without hesitation towards the Ulmens, who, through -their silver ornaments and their immobility, resembled at a distance -equestrian statues. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -THE ATTACK ON POBLACION DEL SUR. - - -Major Bloomfield, who had made up his mind to lose his life, had no -weapons, not even a sword. He halted within hearing distance, and as -he spoke decently the Aucas language, which he had learnt in previous -campaigns, he had no need of an interpreter. - -"What do you want, chiefs?" he asked in a loud, firm voice, with a -ceremonious bow. - -"Are you the man whom the whites call Don Antonio Valverde, and to whom -they give the title of Governor?" Churlakin asked in his turn. - -"No; our laws prohibit a governor leaving his post; but I am second in -command, and he has sent me to you." - -The Indians seemed to consult for a moment; then, leaving their long -lances planted in the ground, they advanced towards the old officer, -who did not evince the slightest surprise at this movement. Churlakin -spoke in the name of all. - -"My brother is brave," he said, astonished at the major's coolness. - -"At my age," the old man replied, "death is a favour." - -"My father bears on his forehead the snow of many winters; he must be -one of the wisest chiefs of his nation, and the young men round the -council fire listen to him respectfully." - -"Say no more about me," the major said; "why have you asked for this -interview?" - -"Will not my father conduct us to the council fire of his nation?" -Churlakin said, in an insinuating tone. "Is it honourable for great -warriors, formidable chiefs, thus to discuss serious affairs on -horseback between two armies?" - -"No chief of the enemy can enter an invested town." - -"Does my father fear that our force may take his city?" Churlakin -continued with a laugh, though vexed in the highest degree at losing -the hope of coming to an understanding with Pincheira. - -"I am not accustomed to fear; I only tell you a rule you are ignorant -of, that is all. If this pretext is sufficient to break off the -interview, you are at liberty to do so, and I will withdraw." - -"Oh, Oh! My father is quick for his age. Tell me what brings you here." - -The Ulmens exchanged a glance, and a few whispered words. At length -Churlakin continued-- - -"Has my father seen the great army of the Aucas?" he said. - -"Yes," the major replied carelessly. - -"And has my father, who is a white man and has great learning, counted -the warriors?" - -"Yes." - -"Ah! And how many are they, according to his calculation?" - -"Their number is but of slight consequence to us." - -"Still," the Indian pressed, "does my father know how many they may be?" - -"Two hundred thousand at the most." - -The chiefs were struck by the negligent way in which the major doubled -the strength of their army. - -"My father," Churlakin continued, "is not terrified at the number of -these warriors who obey a single chief." - -"Why should I be so?" the major said, whose attention the surprise -of the Ulmens had not escaped, "Has not my nation vanquished more -numerous armies? But we are losing our time in useless words, chief." - -"My father must have patience." - -"Finish your Indian circumlocutions then." - -"The army of the great nations is encamped in front of Carmen, in order -to obtain satisfaction for all the wrongs the palefaces have made us -endure since their invasion of America." - -"Explain yourself clearly. Why do you invade our frontiers? Have we -failed in our engagements? Of what do you complain?" - -"My father pretends to be ignorant of the just motives for war we have -against the whites. His nation has made a treaty with the white men -who dwell on the other side of the mountains, and who are our enemies; -hence, his nation has no friendship for us." - -"Chief, this quarrel is ridiculous. Confess that you desire to plunder -our farms, steal our cattle and horses, and I can understand you; but -if we were at war with Chili, you would act in the same way. The jest -has lasted too long; let us come to facts. What do you want?" - -"My father is clever," Churlakin said, with a laugh. "Listen! this is -what the chiefs say--'The Negro Ulmen, against our rights and his own, -sold to my father's ancestors a land which did not belong to him, -without the consent of the other Ulmens of the country.'" - -"What next?" said the major. - -"The chiefs assembled round the tree of Gualichu have resolved to give -back to the great white chief all the objects from the first to the -last formerly given to the Negro Ulmen, and take back the country which -belongs to them." - -"Is that all?" - -"All." - -"How long do the chiefs give the Governor of Carmen to discuss these -propositions?" - -"From sunrise to sunset." - -"Very good," the old officer said, ironically; "and supposing that the -governor refuses, what will my sons do?" - -"The colony of the white men will be destroyed by fire, their warriors -massacred, and their wives and children carried off into slavery." - -"I will transmit your demands to the governor, and tomorrow at sunset, -you will have his answer. You will, however, suspend hostilities till -then?" - -"Keep on your guard." - -"Thanks for your frankness, chief; I am delighted to meet an Indian who -is not an utter scoundrel. Good-bye till tomorrow." - -"Tomorrow!" the chief repeated, courteously, and involuntarily -affected by the old gentleman's noble bearing. - -The major withdrew slowly to the barricades, where the colonel, alarmed -by the long interview, had made all preparations to avenge the death of -his old friend. - -"Well?" he said, as he pressed his hand. - -"They are trying to gain time," the major answered, "in order to play -us one of their demon's tricks." - -"What do they demand, though?" - -"Impossibilities, colonel, and they are well aware of it, for they -appeared to be laughing at us, when they submitted their absurd demands -to me. The Negro cacique, they say, had no right to sell his territory, -which they also say we must return to them in twenty-four hours, and -then came the bede-roll of their usual threats. Ah! That is not all; -they are ready to repay us all that the Negro cacique received for the -sale of his lands." - -"Why," Don Antonio interrupted, "the fellows must be mad." - -"No, colonel, they are robbers." - -At this moment, tremendous shouts were heard at the barriers, and the -two officers hurried up in all haste. - -Four or five thousand horses, apparently free but whose invisible -riders were concealed, according to the Indian fashion, along their -flanks, were coming at a frightful pace against the barricades. Two -rounds of canister produced disorder in their ranks, without checking -their speed, and they fell like lightning on the defenders of Poblacion -del Sur. Then began one of those terrific fights of the Indian -frontier, a cruel and indescribable contest, in which no prisoners were -made, the _bolas perdidas_, the _laquis_, the bayonet, and the lance, -were their sole weapons. The Indians were immediately reinforced, but -the Spaniards did not give way an inch. This desperate struggle lasted -for about two hours; the Patagonians seemed to give ground, and the -Argentines redoubled their efforts to drive them back to their camp, -when, suddenly, the cry was heard behind them-- - -"Treachery! Treachery!" - -The major and the colonel, who were fighting in the front rank of the -soldiers and volunteers, turned round; they were caught between two -fires. - -Pincheira, dressed in the uniform of a Chilian officer, was prancing at -the head of a hundred gauchos, more or less intoxicated, who followed -him, yelling-- - -"Pillage! Pillage!" - -The two veteran officers exchanged a long, sad glance, and their -determination was formed in a second. - -The colonel hurled among the Indians a barrel of gunpowder, with a -lighted fuse, which swept them off, as the wind sweeps the dust, and -put them to flight. The Argentines, at the major's command, wheeled -round and charged the gauchos, commanded by Pincheira. These bandits, -with their sabres and bolas in their hands, dashed at the Argentines, -who slipped into the open doors of the abandoned houses, in a narrow -street, where the gauchos could not manoeuvre their horses. The -Argentines, who were skilful marksmen, did not throw away a shot; they -fell back on the river bank, and kept up a well-sustained fire on the -gauchos, who had turned back, and on the Aucas, who had again escaladed -the barricades, while the guns of the fort scattered canister and death -among them. - -The white men crossed the river without any risk, and their enemies -installed themselves in the Poblacion del Sur, filling the air with -triumphant hurrahs. - -The colonel ordered considerable works to be thrown up on the river -bank, and placed in them two batteries, of six guns each whose fire -crossed. - -Through the treachery of the gauchos the Indians had seized Poblacion -del Sur, which, however, was not the key of the place; but this -negative success entailed an enormous loss upon them. The colonists, -through this, saw their communications interrupted with the estancias -on the opposite bank, but luckily the farmers had come into Upper -Carmen beforehand with their horses and cattle, and the boats were all -moored under the batteries of the fort which protected them. The suburb -captured by the assailants was, consequently, entirely empty. - -On one side, the Argentines congratulated themselves at having no -longer to defend a dangerous and useless post; on the other, the Aucas -asked themselves of what good this dearly acquired suburb would prove -to them. - -Three gauchos, during the fight, were dragged from their horses by the -Argentines and made prisoners. One of them was Pincheira, the second -Panchito, and the third a man of the name of Diego. A council of war, -assembled in the open air, sentenced them to the gallows. - -"Well, Diego," asked Panchito, "where is Pincheira?" - -"The scoundrel has escaped," honest Panchito replied; "deserter from -the army, deserter from the gallows! That is the way in which he -breaks all his engagements. He will come to a very bad end." - -"Our affair seems clear enough," Diego said with a sigh. - -"Nonsense! A little sooner or a little later, what's the odds?" - -"The gallows seems to tickle your fancy, Panchito." - -"Not exactly," the other answered; "but for four generations my family -have been hanged, from father to son; we quite expect it. What will the -fiend do with my soul?" - -"I do not know." - -"Nor do I." - -During this edifying conversation two lofty gallows had been erected -a little outside the intrenchments on the river bank, in the sight of -the whole population and of the gauchos, who, grouped in the Poblacion -del Sur, yelled with rage. Panchito and Diego were hung as a warning -example; a _bando_, affixed at the foot of the ladder, threatened every -insurgent gaucho with the same fate. - -While this was going on, night set in, illumined by the burning -faubourg conquered by the Indians. The flames tinged the hapless town -with fantastic gleams, and the inhabitants, plunged in a gloomy -stupor, said to themselves that the flames would soon cross the road -and reduce Carmen to ashes. The governor seemed made of iron; he did -not take a moment's rest, he visited the forts, heightened drooping -spirits, and tried to imbue all with hopes which were far from his -heart. As for the Indians, they made two attempts to surprise the town, -and, just before dawn, retired to their camp. - -"Major," the colonel said, "it is not possible to deceive ourselves. -Tomorrow, the day after, or in a week, all will be over with us." - -"Hum! At the last moment we will blow up the fort." - -"We are deprived of even that resource." - -"Why so?" - -"Old soldiers, such as we are, cannot thus dispose of the lives of -others." - -"You are right," the major continued, precisely; "we will blow out our -brains." - -"Nor can we do that either, my friend; for we must be the last on the -breach." - -"But," the major said, after a short silence, for the undeniable -reasoning of his superior had crushed him, "how is it that we have -received no news yet from Buenos Aires?" - -"They have something else to do there than think about us." - -"Oh! I cannot believe that." - -A slave announced Don Torribio Carvajal. - -Don Torribio came in, dressed in the splendid uniform of a colonel in -the Argentine army, with an aide-de-camp's badge on his left arm. The -two officers, on his entrance, felt an inward tremor Don Torribio bowed -to them. - -"Is it really you, Don Torribio?" the colonel asked. - -"Well, I suppose so," he answered, with a smile. - -"And your long journey?" - -"I have just arrived." - -"And this uniform?" - -"Well, gentlemen, as I was tired of being regarded in the colony as a -mysterious being, a sorcerer, a vampire, or something of the sort, I -resolved to become a man, like the rest of you." - -"Then you are--?" - -"An officer, like yourself, colonel, and, in addition, aide-de-camp to -General Rosas." - -"It is prodigious," Don Antonio remarked. - -"Why so? nothing is more simple, on the contrary." - -A strange suspicion had entered the major's mind at Don Torribio's -unexpected arrival, a suspicion which only disappeared after he made -the following remark:-- - -"Yes," he continued, "I am a colonel. In addition, the President of the -Republic has intrusted me with a message, which I feel sure will please -you." - -And he took from the breast of his uniform a large despatch, sealed -with the Argentine arms. The colonel, with the permission of the two -officers, opened and perused the mission, and unbounded delight was -depicted on his face. - -"Oh, oh!" he exclaimed, "two hundred and fifty men! I did not expect -such a reinforcement." - -"The president is very anxious about the colony," Don Torribio said, -"and will spare no sacrifice to preserve it." - -"_iViva Dios!_ Thanks to that succour. Don Torribio, I care no more for -the Indians than a wisp of straw." - -"It seems that the troops will not arrive too soon." - -"It was only just in time, canario," the governor replied imprudently. -"Where are your men?" - -"They will arrive within an hour." - -"What are they?" - -"Gauchos." - -"Hum!" said the colonel, "I should have preferred any other troops. -However, it is of no consequence. With your permission, I will go to -meet them." - -"I am at your orders." - -"Shall I go with you?" the major asked. - -"That would be better still," Torribio observed quickly. - -"No, major," said Don Antonio. "Stay here, for who knows what may -happen during my absence. Come, Don Torribio." - -The latter smiled; and it would have been difficult to say what the -smile meant. He went out, accompanied by the colonel, and they mounted -their horses. As they left the fort a man passed them, walking at a -quick pace. - -"Pedrito!" Don Torribio muttered to himself; "Providing that he has not -recognized me! All is well." - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS. - - -Pedrito followed his sister without saying a word, and almost as much -astonished as Don Valentine and her daughter at Mercedes' devotion. She -led him to her bedroom, a charming retreat, full of shade and fresh -air. While the bombero eagerly surveyed all the objects, Mercedes, -sighing and ready to weep, took a parting glance at her well-beloved -room; but she had the courage to repress her tears. - -"Sit down, brother. I have a great service to ask of you." - -"Hang it! A service, little sister? Why assume so solemn an air for -such a simple thing?" - -"Because it is difficult." - -"Nothing is impossible to please you. What is the matter?" - -"Swear to me, first, to grant what I am about to ask of you." - -"Go on, child, and do not trouble yourself about the rest," Pedrito -said, with a hearty laugh. - -"No. I must have your oath." - -"I have taken it; that is understood, I have all the gravity of an -Indian idol." - -"You are laughing at me," she said, with tears in her eyes. - -"Confound the women!" Pedrito remarked; "They can always twirl men -round their fingers. Come, silly child, do not cry any more. I swear to -obey your whims. Tell me what it is all about." - -"I have promised Dona Concha, my dear brother, to give her within three -days news about Don Sylvio." - -"What next?" - -"I wish to perform my promise." - -"The deuce." - -"And for that I have counted on you." - -"On me?" - -"Yes." - -"How can I help you?" - -"Without you the affair is impracticable." - -"In that case, little sister, I am greatly afraid that--" - -"Remember your oath." - -"Go on. I am listening." - -"I have lived a long time among the Indians, whose manners and language -I am acquainted with. I intend to get into their camp unnoticed, in -order to learn where Don Sylvio is." - -"Good-bye, Mercedes." - -"And your oath, brother?" she said, placing herself before the door. - -"I shall not keep it; and if Heaven thinks that I ought, we will argue -the point together." - -She looked at her brother for a moment in silence. "You are quite -resolved?" she continued. - -"Quite." - -"Then, I shall go alone." - -"What," Pedrito exclaimed, as he rushed towards her, "Do you wish to be -the death of me, then?" - -Mercedes made no reply. - -"Go away, brother. I will do without you." - -"Come on! I will follow you. Oh, these women!" the bombero muttered. - -"We shall succeed," she exclaimed, joyfully. - -"Yes, in getting ourselves killed." - -"Let us be off, brother," she said, placing under her arm a small -bundle of clothing. - -Mercedes, fearing the emotion of a farewell scene, avoided Dona Concha. - -Patito had got two horses in readiness, which speedily carried brother -and sister far from the estancia. At the battery the capataz was -waiting for them. - -"Senorita," he said to Mercedes, "you are a noble girl, Heaven will aid -and bless you." - -"Don Blas," Mercedes answered, with a smile, as she drew from her bosom -a small gold cross Dona Concha had given her, and broke the velvet neck -ribbon, "take this cross, and keep it in remembrance of me." - -The two travellers had been galloping a long time ere the capataz left -off kissing the cross, while thinking that its usual resting place was -on the maiden's heart. Pedrito and his sister rode side by side without -exchanging a word, for both were plunged in deep thought. - -"How far have we to go?" Mercedes asked all at once. - -"Two leagues." - -After a while they heard the footfall of a horse behind them; they -turned, and perceived Patito, who was making signals to them, and the -gaucho soon joined them. - -"My mistress is following me," he said. - -Dona Concha, dressed in male clothing, came up at the full speed of her -horse. - -"Ah," she said, on joining them, "I trembled lest I should miss you." - -"Are we to turn back Pedrito asked, with a fugitive gleam of hope." - -"No, no; on the contrary; push on," Concha replied. - -"Where are you going, senorita?" - -"I am following you." - -"What?" he said, fancying he misunderstood her. - -"I guessed your plan, Mercedes, and mean to share its perils." - -"That is fine, senorita!" Pedrito exclaimed. - -"She is right," Mercedes said simply; "that will be better." - -"You, Patito," Concha said, "can go back; I have no need of your -services." - -"Forgive me, but with your permission I will remain; I am not wanted at -the estancia, and, though I do not know where you are going, two strong -arms are worth keeping." - -"Remain, my friend." - -"But your father, Don Valentine, senorita?" Pedrito attempted to say. - -"He approves of it," she answered drily. - -They started again: two hours later they reached the foot of a hill, -halfway up which was a natural grotto, known in the country by the name -of the Cave of the Cougars. - -"My brothers are there," Pedrito said. - -The little party ascended the gentle slope of the hill, and entered -the cave on horseback, without leaving any trace of their passage. -There were several entrances to this cave; it was divided into several -compartments that had no visible communication, and formed a species of -labyrinth that meandered under the hill. The bomberos, who knew all its -turnings, often employed it as a refuge. - -Pepe and Lopez were seated before a heather fire, silently smoking -their pipes, and watching a leg of guanaco that was roasting. They -saluted the newcomers, and remained dumb as the Indians, whose manner -they had to some extent assumed in their nomadic life on the Pampa. -Pedrito conducted the two ladies to a separate compartment. - -"While here," he said to them in a low whisper, "say but little, for -you can never tell what neighbours you may have. If you want us, you -know where we are; I now leave you." - -His sister caught his arm and put her lips to his ear, and he went away -without making any answer. - -The two girls, when alone, threw themselves into each other's arms. -When this outburst was over, they disguised themselves as Indian women. -At the moment when their Spanish dresses were about to fall, they heard -footsteps close to them, and turned like startled fawns. - -"I was afraid," Dona Concha said, "lest it was Don Pedro; let us -listen." - -"Caray, Don Torribio, you are welcome," a man's voice said, hardly -three yards from the girls; "I have been waiting for you for more than -two hours." - -"Always that man!" Concha murmured. - -"My good fellow," Don Torribio replied, "it was impossible for me to -come sooner." - -"Well, here you are, that is the main point," the first speaker -remarked. - -At this moment Pedrito entered; Mercedes made him a sign to listen, and -he came to her side. - -"Are you satisfied with your position at Carmen?" Torribio continued. - -"Not very greatly, I confess." - -"I am going to liberate you, my dear Pincheira; I shall order the -attack on Poblacion del Sur tomorrow, and then you will act, I suppose." - -"That is settled. By the by, I just now came across a poor devil of an -Argentine officer, entrusted with a despatch for the governor of El -Carmen; it announces help, I suppose." - -"_iCaramba!_ They must make haste. What did you do with the despatch?" - -"Here it is." - -"Did you kill the Argentine messenger?" - -"Well, I fancy so." - -"That is right." - -"When is the assault to take place?" - -"In two days. How is my prisoner, by the way?" - -"Oh, he is furious." - -"He will grow calm. This is what I intend to do, soon as the town--" - -But while these words were being spoken, the two men had retired, and -the sound of their voices died out in the windings of the cave. When -the maidens turned round again Pedrito had disappeared. - -"Well," Mercedes said, "what do you think of that singular accident?" - -"It is a miracle of Heaven." - -"Shall we still disguise ourselves?" - -"More so than ever." - -"For what purpose?" Pedrito said, who had returned, "I now know where -Don Sylvio is, and I undertake to restore him to you." - -"But our vengeance?" Dona Concha interrupted. - -"Let us save him first. Return to the estancia, senorita, and leave me -to act." - -"No, Don Pedro, I shall not leave you." - -"Wait for me here, then, both of you." - -Several hours passed, and Pedrito did not return. Alarmed by this -inexplicable delay, the two girls joined the other two bomberos in -the front cave. Night had set in when Pedrito returned; he bought an -enormous bale on the neck of his horse, which was panting with fatigue. - -"Put on these gauchos' dresses," he said to the two ladies; "we are -going to get inside Carmen. The journey will be a rough one, but make -haste, for every moment lost is an hour of danger for us." - -They ran off to dress themselves, and were ready in a moment. - -"Take your Indian robes," Pedrito said, "for they may be useful to you. -Good! Now follow me, and be cautious!" - -The three bomberos, the two girls, and Patito left the cave, and -glided through the darkness like shadows, marching in Indian file, at -one moment stooping down to the ground, crawling on their knees, and -trying as far as possible to hide their passage. It was a singular and -dangerous journey, in the depths of night, and across a desert whose -thickets in time of war are peopled with invisible enemies. Pedrito -had placed himself at the head of the party. Dona Concha, excited by -the courage which love imparts, stained the prickles with her blood, -but not a single complaint passed her lips. After three hours of -extraordinary effort, the little party that followed Pedrito's track -suddenly stopped on his stopping. - -"Look!" he said to them, in a whisper, "we are in the heart of the -Aucas' camp." - -All around them in the moonbeams they saw the Indian sentinels leaning -on their lances and watching over the safety of their brothers. A -shudder ran over the maidens; fortunately, the guards, not fearing a -sortie from Carmen, were sleeping at their posts, but the slightest -badly calculated movement or stumble might wake them. Hence, Pedrito -recommended them to redouble their prudence, if they wished to save -their lives. - -About two hundred yards in front of them rose the first houses of -Carmen, gloomy, silent, and apparently at least deserted or plunged in -silence. The six adventurers had cleared one half the distance, when -suddenly, at the moment when Pedrito stretched out his arm to shelter -himself behind a sandhill, several men crawling on the opposite side, -found themselves face to face with him. - -There was a moment of terrible anxiety. - -"Who goes there?" a low and threatening voice asked. - -"Pedrito the bombero." - -"Who is with you?" - -"My brothers." - -"Pass." - -Ten minutes after this encounter they reached the barriers, which were -at once opened on Pedrito mentioning his name, and they were at length -safe in Carmen. It was high time; in spite of their resolution and -courage, the two girls, worn out with fatigue, could no longer support -themselves. So soon as the danger had passed, their nervous excitement -gave way, and they fell utterly exhausted. Pedrito raised his sister in -his arms; Pepe took charge of Dona Concha, and they proceeded to Don -Valentine's house, where fresh difficulties awaited them. Tio Peralta -refused to open the gate, but on at length recognizing his mistress, he -led the travellers into a room and lit the candles. - -"What are we to do now?" Dona Concha asked, as she fell back into a -chair. - -"Nothing just at present," Pedrito answered. "Rest yourself, senorita, -and regain your strength." - -"Shall we remain for long in this state of inaction, which kills us?" - -"Only till tomorrow. We must not run blindly into danger, but prepare -everything for the success of our plans, and watch for the propitious -moment. Tomorrow at the latest, those men, whose conversation we -overheard, will attempt an attack on Poblacion del Sur. As for us, we -shall be more at liberty to enter the Indian camp. Keep your presence -in Carmen a secret from everybody, and give no sign of life till I -return. Good-bye till tomorrow morning." - -"Are you not going to rest, Don Pedro?" - -"I have no time." - -Pedrito left the room. Dona Concha recommended the utmost silence to -Tio Peralta, and dismissed her companions, who went off to sleep in -hastily prepared apartments. - -Mercedes would not separate from her friend, and they reposed on the -same couch. In spite of their wish to remain awake, nature was the -stronger, and they soon fell into a deep sleep. The sun was already -high on the horizon when they opened their eyes again. They dressed -themselves and breakfasted with their companions, impatiently awaiting -the bombero's return. - -Several hours passed, lacerating Dona Concha's heart, and making her -love bleed; the recollection of her betrothed husband, covered with the -shadow of death, painfully troubled her thoughts. - -At length the town bells rang out a full peal to call the population -under arms, and acted as a gloomy accompaniment to the dull booming of -the cannon and the flashes of the musketry fire. Without doubt the -Indians were attacking Poblacion del Sur; but where was Pedrito? Dona -Concha asked herself, as she walked, like a lioness in a cage, up and -down the room, devoured by anxiety and despair. - -"Listen!" she said to Mercedes, as she turned her head toward the door. - -"It is he!" Mercedes replied. - -"At last!" Conchita exclaimed. - -"Here I am, senorita," Pedrito said; "are you ready?" - -"Ever since the morning," she answered reproachfully. - -"It would have been too soon," he said quietly; "now if you like." - -"At once." - -"Senorita, be dumb; whatever you may hear and see, leave me to speak -and act alone. Stay! Here is a mask for each of you, with which you -will conceal your faces. When I give the word come in." - -All three left the house unnoticed, for the townspeople were guarding -the barricades or engaged in the furious contest going on in Poblacion -del Sur. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -DON TORRIBIO'S HOUSE. - - -Don Sylvio D'Arenal, so soon as his sword slipped from his grasp, -and he fell by the side of the capataz, gave no signs of life. The -masked men, despising Blas Salazar, went up to Dona Concha's betrothed -husband. The pallid hues of death clouded his handsome, noble face; -his teeth were clenched under his half-parted lips; the blood flowed -profusely from his wounds, and his closed hand still clutched the hilt -of his sword, which had been broken in the fight. - -"_iCaspita!_" one of the bandits remarked, "Here is a young gentleman -who is very ill; what will the master say?" - -"What would you have him say, Senor Panchito?" another objected. "He -defended himself like a maddened panther; it is his own fault; he ought -to have been more polite to us. We have lost four men." - -"A fine loss, on my word--those scamps!" Panchito said, with a shrug of -his shoulders; "I should have preferred his killing six and being in a -better condition himself." - -"Hang it," the bandit muttered, "that is kind towards us." - -"Present parties excepted," Panchito added with a laugh; "but quick, -bind up his wounds and let us be off. This is not a proper place for -us, and besides the master is waiting for us." - -Don Sylvio's wounds were bathed and bound up somehow or another; and, -without troubling themselves whether he was dead or alive, they laid -him across the horse of Panchito, the leader of this expedition. The -dead remained on the spot as a prey for the wild beasts. The other -masked men set out at a gallop, and at the expiration of two hours -halted in front of the Cave of the Cougars, where Nocobotha and -Pincheira were waiting for them. - -"Well," the former shouted to them as soon as he saw them. - -"The job is done," Panchito answered laconically, as he got off his -horse, and laid Don Sylvio on a bed of leaves. - -"Is he dead?" Nocobotha asked, turning pale. - -"Not much better," the gaucho answered, with a shake of his head. - -"Villain!" the Indian shouted, beside him with, fury, "Is that the way -in which my orders are executed? Did I not command you to bring him to -me alive?" - -"Hum!" said Panchito. "I should like to see you try it. Armed only with -a sword, he fought like ten men for more than twenty minutes. He killed -four of ours, and perhaps we should not have been here now if his -weapon had not broken." - -"You are cowards," the master said, with a smile of contempt. - -He went up to Don Sylvio's body. - -"Is he dead?" Pincheira asked him. - -"No," Nocobotha replied. - -"All the worse." - -"On the contrary, I would give a great deal to see him recover." - -"Nonsense," the Chilian officer said; "what do we care for this man's -life. Was he not your personal enemy?" - -"That is the very reason why I should not like him to die." - -"I do not understand you." - -"My friend," Nocobotha said, "I have devoted my life to the -accomplishment of an idea to which I have sacrificed my hatreds and -friendships." - -"Why in that case lay a trap for your rival?" - -"My rival? No, it is not he whom I have attacked." - -"Who then?" - -"The richest and most influential man in the colony; the man who may -thwart my plans; a powerful adversary, a Spaniard, but not a rival. -Nothing permanent is founded on corpses. I would have willingly killed -him in battle, but I do not wish to make a martyr of him." - -"Nonsense," Pincheira said, "one more or one less, what matter?" - -"Brute," Nocobotha thought, "he has not understood a word I said." - -Two gauchos, aided by Panchito, incessantly rubbed with rum the temples -and chest of Don Sylvio, whose features retained the rigidity of death. -The Indian chief drew his knife from his girdle, wiped the blade, and -placed it to the wounded man's lips. It seemed to him as if it were -slightly tarnished. He at once kneeled down by the side of Don Sylvio, -raised the cuff of his left coat sleeve, and pricked the vein with -the sharp point of his knife. Gradually a black dot appeared on the -wound, and became enlarged to the size of a pea. This drop hesitated, -trembled, and at length ran down the arm, pushed on by a second drop, -that made room for a third; then the blood became less black and less -thick, and a long vermilion jet gushed forth, which announced life. -Nocobotha could not repress a cry of joy: Don Sylvio was saved! - -Almost immediately the young man gave a deep sigh. - -"Continue the rubbing," the chief said to the gauchos. - -He bound up Don Sylvio's arm, rose, and made a sign to Pincheira to -follow him to another part of the cave. - -"Heaven has granted my prayer," the great chief said, "and I thank it -for having spared me a crime." - -"If you are satisfied," the Chilian remarked, in surprise, "I have no -objection to offer." - -"That is not all. Don Sylvio's wounds, though numerous, are not -serious; his lethargy is the result of the loss of the blood and -the speed with which he was brought here. He will regain his senses -presently." - -"Good." - -"He must not see me." - -"What next?" - -"Or recognize you." - -"That is difficult." - -"It is important." - -"I will try my best." - -"I am about to leave you. You will have Don Sylvio conveyed to Carmen." - -"To your house?" - -"Yes; it is the safest spot," Nocobotha said, as he drew from his -pocket a paper folded after a peculiar fashion; "but he must not know, -under any pretext, that I gave the orders, nor where he is; and, above -all, he must not go out." - -"Is that all?" - -"Yes; and you will answer to me for his safety." - -"On your order I will deliver him to you alive or dead." - -"Alive, I tell you; his life is precious to me." - -"Well," Pincheira replied, "since you are so anxious about your -prisoner, not a hair of his head shall be touched." - -"Thank you, and good-bye, Pincheira." - -The chief mounted a magnificent mustang, and disappeared in the -windings of the road. Pincheira returned to the wounded man with a look -of ill temper, and twisting his moustache. He was dissatisfied with -Nocobotha's orders; but, as he possessed only one virtue, respect for -his word, he resigned himself. - -"How is he?" he asked Panchito, in a whisper. - -"Not so bad, captain; it is astonishing what good the bleeding did him. -He has already opened his eyes twice, and has even attempted to speak." - -"In that case there is no time to be lost. Bind the fellow's eyes and -to prevent his tearing the bandage off, fasten his hands to his side; -act gently if you can manage it. Do you understand?" - -"Yes, captain." - -"In ten minutes we start." - -Don Sylvio, who had gradually regained his senses, asked himself into -what hands he had fallen. His presence of mind had also returned, and -he offered no resistance when the gauchos carried out the orders of the -Chilian officer. These precautions revealed to him that his life would -not be taken. - -"Captain, what is to be done now?" Panchito said. - -"Carry him to the boat tied up down there; and do not shake him, -scoundrels, or I will blow out what little brains you possess." - -"iCaray!" the gaucho said with a grimace. - -"Yes," Pincheira said, with a shrug of his shoulders, "that will teach -you to kill people thoroughly another time." - -Pincheira had not understood why Nocobotha so eagerly desired that Don -Sylvio should live; and in his turn Panchito did not understand why -Pincheira regretted that he was not dead. The gaucho opened his dull -eyes in amazement on hearing the chief's last remark, but hastened to -obey. - -Don Sylvio was carried down to the boat by Pincheira, Panchito, and -another gaucho, while the rest of the party, who took charge of -the horses, returned to Carmen by land. The voyage in the boat was -performed in silence, and three hours after the start the prisoner -was lying on a bed in Don Torribio Carvajal's house. Then the gag was -removed and his hands were untied; but a masked and silent man stood on -the threshold of the door, like a statue, and never once took his eyes -off him. - -Don Sylvio, worn out by the emotions of the day, and weakened by -the loss of blood, and trusting to chance to get him out of his -incomprehensible position, took that investigating glance around which -is peculiar to prisoners, and fell into a heavy sleep, which lasted -several hours and restored to his mind all its calmness and original -lucidity. - -However, he was treated with the utmost respect, and his slightest -caprices were satisfied. In fact, his situation was endurable, and, -after all, was not without a certain amount of originality. Hence the -young man, feeling reassured, bravely made up his mind to wait for -better times. On the third day of his captivity his wounds were almost -cicatrized. He got up to try his strength, and, perhaps, to reconnoitre -the chance of escaping, for what can people do in prison, save think -about getting out of it? A warm and cheering sunbeam entered through -the crack of the closed shutter, and traced long white stripes on the -ceiling of his room. This sunbeam revived his spirits, and he took -several steps under the inevitable eye of the dumb and masked watchman. - -All at once a formidable noise broke out in the vicinity, and a -discharge of cannon made the windows rattle. - -"What is that?" he asked the masked man. - -The latter shrugged his shoulders, but made no reply. - -The sharp crack of musketry fire was mingled with the boom of the guns. -The dumb man closed the window. Don Sylvio walked up to him. - -"My friend," he said to him, in a gentle voice, "what is going on -outside?" - -The jailer obstinately remained silent. - -"In Heaven's name speak!" - -The noise seemed to draw nearer, and hurried footsteps were mingled -with the shouts. The man in the mask drew his machete from its sheath -and his pistol from his belt, and ran to the door, which was suddenly -burst open. Another masked bandit evidently suffering from great -terror, dashed into the room. - -"Look out!" he shouted. "We are lost!" - -At these words four men, also masked and armed to the teeth, appeared -in the doorway. - -"Back!" the jailer cried; "no one enters here without the password." - -"There it is," said one of the newcomers, and he laid him stark dead -with a pistol shot. The four men passed over his body and securely tied -his companion, who had sought refuge in a corner, and was trembling -all over. One of them then walked up to the prisoner, who comprehended -nothing of this scene. - -"You are free caballero!" he said to him. "Come, make haste to fly far -from this house." - -"Who are you?" the young man asked. - -"No matter; follow us." - -"No; unless I know who you are." - -"Do you wish to see Dona Concha again?" the speaker whispered in his -ear. - -"I will follow you," Don Sylvio answered with a blush. - -"Senor, take these weapons, which you will perhaps require, as all is -not finished yet." - -"Weapons!" the young man exclaimed. "Oh! You are friends." - -They went out. - -"What?" Don Sylvio said, as he entered the courtyard, "I am in Carmen." - -"Were you not aware of it?" - -"No." - -"Those saddled horses fastened to the rings are ours. Can you sit a -horse?" - -"I hope so." - -"You must." - -"Mount, then, and let us be off." - -As they turned into the street, a dozen horsemen dashed up toward them, -at a distance of about five and twenty paces. - -"Here is the enemy," the stranger said in a firm voice; "take your -bridle in your teeth, and let us charge." - -The four men ranged themselves in a single line, and rushed at the -newcomers. They discharged firearms and drew their sabres. - -"Caray!" Pincheira, who commanded the twelve horseman, shouted, "My -prisoner is escaping from me." - -The Chilian officer darted in pursuit of Don Sylvio, who fired two -shots at him without relaxing his speed. Pinchiera's horse rolled on -the ground, dragging down its rider, who got up again, greatly shaken -by his fall; but Don Sylvio and his comrades were already far away. - -"Oh, I shall find them again!" he shouted, mad with rage. - -The fugitives had reached the river's bank, where a boat was waiting -for them. - -"We shall separate here, senor," the stranger said to Don Sylvio, as he -removed his mask. - -"Pedrito!" he exclaimed. - -"Myself!" the bombero answered. "This boat will take you to the -Estancia of San Julian. Start without delay, and," he added, as he -stooped down to Don Sylvio's ear, and handed him a folded paper, "read -this, and, perhaps, you will soon be able to come to our assistance. -Good-bye, senor." - -"One word, Pedrito. Who is the man that held me prisoner?" - -"Don Torribio Carvajal." - -"Thank you." - -"Or, if you prefer it, Nocobotha, the great Chief of the Aucas." - -"Which of the two?" - -"They are the same." - -"I will remember," Don Sylvio said, as he leaped into the boat. - -The skiff glided over the water with the speed of an arrow, owing -to the vigour of the rowers, and soon disappeared in the gathering -darkness. - -Three persons who remained on the bank looked anxiously after the -movements of the boat. They were Pedrito, Mercedes, and Dona Concha. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -THE INDIAN CAMP. - - -"And now, senorita," Pedrito asked Dona Concha when the boat was out of -sight, "What are your intentions?" - -"To see Nocobotha in his camp." - -"It is dishonour; it is death." - -"No, Don Pedro, it is revenge." - -"You mean it?" - -"I am resolved." - -"Good, I will myself lead you to the camp of the Aucas." - -All three returned to Don Valentine Cardoso's house without exchanging -a word. Night had completely set in; the streets were deserted, the -silent town was illumined by the flames of Poblacion del Sur, and the -diabolical outlines of the Indians could be seen passing among the -ruins and crumbling walls. - -"Go and get ready, senoritas; I will wait for you here," Pedrito said -with a melancholy accent. - -Mercedes and Dona Concha entered the house. Pedrito, thoughtful and -sad, sat down on one of the steps in front of the houses. The two -girls soon re-appeared, dressed in full Aucas' costume, with painted -faces, and impossible to recognize. - -"Oh!" said the bombero, "Here are two real Indian girls." - -"Do you believe," Dona Concha asked him, "that Don Torribio alone -possesses the privilege of changing himself at his pleasure." - -"Who can contend with a woman?" Pedrito said, shaking his head; "And -now, what do you demand of me?" - -"Your protection to the first Indian lines." - -"And afterwards?" - -"The rest is our business." - -"But you do not intend to remain alone in the midst of the Pagans?" - -"We must, Don Pedro." - -"Mercedes," the latter continued, "do you wish to fall again into the -hands of your persecutors? - -"Reassure yourself, brother; I run no risk." - -"Still--" - -"I answer for her," Dona Concha interrupted him. - -"Well, Heaven be merciful to you!" he muttered, with an air of doubt. - -"Let us start," said Don Sylvio's affianced wife, as she wrapped -herself up in a spacious cloak. Pedrito walked before them. The dying -fires of Carmen lit up the night with a pale and uncertain gleam; a -leaden silence brooded over the town, only interrupted at intervals -by the hoarse croaking of the birds of prey that were tearing the -Spanish and Indian corpses. The three persons walked through the ruins, -stumbling against tottering walls, striding over bodies, and disturbing -the horrible festival of the urubus and vultures which fled away with -heavy wings. They went through nearly the entire length of the town, -and at length arrived, after a thousand windings and difficulties, at -one of the barriers that faced the Indian camp, whose numerous fires -could be seen sparkling a short distance off, and from which fearful -yells reached their ears. - -The bombero exchanged a few words with the sentries, and passed through -the barricade, followed by the two girls. Then he stopped. - -"Dona Concha," he said, in a choking voice, "there is the Indian camp -before us." - -"I thank you, Don Pedro," she answered, offering him her hand. - -"Senorita," Pedrito added, retaining the young lady's hand, "there is -still time; give up your fatal plan, since your betrothed is saved, and -return to San Julian." - -"Good-bye," Dona Concha answered resolutely. - -"Good-bye," the worthy man repeated sorrowfully. "Mercedes, I implore -you to remain with me." - -"Where she goes, I will go, brother." - -The leave-taking was short, as may be supposed, and the bombero, so -soon as he was alone, uttered a sigh, or rather a burst of sorrow, and -returned to Carmen at a sharp pace. - -"I trust I may not arrive too late," he said to himself, "and that he -has not yet seen Don Antonio Valverde." - -He reached the fort at the moment when Don Torribio and the governor -were crossing the drawbridge, but absorbed in his own thoughts, he -did not perceive the two horsemen. This accident was the cause of an -irreparable misfortune. - -As for the two girls, they proceeded haphazard toward the camp fires, -a short distance from which they halted to regain breath and calm the -movement of their hearts, which beat as if ready to start from their -breasts. When near the danger they voluntarily sought, they felt their -courage abandon them; the sight of the Indian toldos made their blood -run cold with terror. Strange to say, it was Mercedes who revived her -companion's firmness. - -"Senorita," she said to her, "I will be your guide; we will leave these -cloaks here, which would cause us to be recognized as white persons. -Walk by my side, and whatever may happen, display neither surprise nor -fear, and before all say not a word, or it will be all over with us." - -"I will obey," Concha answered. - -"We are," Mercedes exclaimed, "two Indian girls who have made a vow -to Gualichu for the recovery of their wounded father. Remember, not a -word, my friend!" - -"Let us go on, and may Heaven protect us." - -"So be it!" Mercedes replied, crossing herself. They set out again, and -within five minutes entered the camp, where the Indians were giving way -to the most extravagant joy. Nothing could be heard on all sides but -songs and yells. Drunk with aguardiente, they danced in a burlesque -fashion among empty barrels, which they had plundered from Poblacion -del Sur and the estancias. There was a wondrous disorder and a strange -confusion, and all these raving madmen even ignored the authority of -their Ulmens, the majority of whom, however, were in a state of the -most disgusting intoxication. - -Owing to the general uproar, Concha and Mercedes were enabled to cross -the camp lines unseen; then, with palpitating hearts, limbs rigid with -terror, but calm faces, they glided like lizards through the groups, -passing unperceived by the drunken men, who stumbled against each -other at every moment. The girls seemed lost in this human labyrinth, -wandering haphazard, and trusting to Providence or their lucky stars -to discover the abode of the great Toqui in this confused mass of -toldos. They walked about for a long time, but rendered bolder by their -success in avoiding any unpleasant encounter, and feeling less timid, -they exchanged at times a hoping glance, till all at once an Indian of -athletic build seized Dona Concha round the waist, lifted her from the -ground like a child, and imprinted a hearty kiss on her neck. - -At this unexpected outrage, Concha uttered a cry of terror, disengaged -herself from the Indian's grasp, and forcibly thrust him away from her. -The savage tottered on his drunken legs, and measured his length of six -feet on the ground; but he sprang up again at once and leapt on the -maiden like a jaguar. - -Mercedes interposed between them. - -"Back," she said, courageously, laying her hand on the Indian's chest, -"this woman is my sister." - -"Churlakin," another chief said, "do not put up with an insult." - -The savage frowned and drew his knife. - -"Do you wish to kill her?" Mercedes exclaimed in horror. - -"Yes," Churlakin answered, "unless she will follow me to my toldo, -where she will be the squaw of a chief--a great chief." - -"You are mad," Mercedes retorted, "your toldo is full, and there is no -room for another fire." "There is still room for two fires," the Indian -answered, with a laugh, "and since this woman is your sister, you shall -come with her." - -In the course of this discussion an impenetrable circle of savages -surrounded the two girls and Churlakin. Mercedes did not know how to -escape the danger. - -"Well," Churlakin continued, seizing Dona Concha's hair, which he -rolled round his wrist, and brandishing his knife, "will you and your -sister follow me to my toldo?" - -Dona Concha, who had sunk down to the ground, awaited the death-stroke -with pallid face and closed eyes. Mercedes drew herself and checked the -arm that was ready to strike. - -"Since you insist on it, dog," she said to the chief, in a haughty -voice, "your destiny shall be accomplished. Look at me. Gualichu does -not allow his slaves to be insulted with impunity. Look at me!" - -She turned her face towards a huge fire, flashing a few yards off, and -which threw a bright light over the surrounding objects. The Indians -uttered a cry of surprise on recognizing her, and fell back. Churlakin -himself let go of Dona Concha's hair. - -"Oh!" he said, in consternation, "It is the white slave of the tree of -Gualichu." - -The circle round the two girls had grown larger; but the superstitious -Indians, nailed to the ground by terror, looked at them fixedly. - -"The power of Gualichu," Mercedes added, to complete her triumph, "is -great and terrible. It is he who sends me; woe to the man who would try -to thwart his designs; back, all of you." - -And seizing the arm of Dona Concha, who was still trembling with -emotion, she advanced with a firm step. Waving her arm authoritatively, -the circle divided, and the Indians fell back to the right and left, -making way for them to pass. - -"I feel as if I was dying," Dona Concha murmured. - -"Courage, senorita, we are saved." - -"Oh, oh!" a mocking voice said, "what is going on here?" - -And a man placed himself in front of the girls, and looked impudently -at them. - -"The matchi!" the Indians said, who, being reassured by the presence of -their sorcerer, again assembled round the prisoners. - -Mercedes trembled inwardly on seeing her stratagem compromised by the -advent of the matchi, and at the suggestion of despair, she made a -final effort. - -"Gualichu, who loves the Indians," she said, "has sent me to the matchi -of the Aucas." - -"Ah!" the sorcerer answered, in a mocking accent, "And what does he -want with me?" - -"No one but yourself must hear it." - -The matchi walked up to the maiden, laid his hand on her shoulder, and -looked at her with a longing air. - -"Will you save me?" she asked him in a low voice. - -"That depends," the fellow answered, his eye sparkling with desire, "it -is in your own hands." She repressed a look of disgust. - -"Stay," she said, as she removed from her arms her rich gold bracelets, -set with fine pearls. - -"Och!" said the Indian, as he concealed them in his bosom, "That is -fine; what does my daughter want?" - -"Deliver us first from these men." - -"Fly!" the matchi shouted, turning to the spectators; "This woman is -under an evil spell; Gualichu is irritated. Fly!" - -The sorcerer had immediately put on a face adapted to the -circumstances; his mysterious conversation with the white woman and the -terror depicted on his features were sufficient for the Indians, who, -without stopping to ask any questions dispersed in all directions, and -disappeared behind the toldos. - -"You see," the sorcerer said, with a smile of pride, "I am powerful, -and can avenge myself on those who deceive me. But where does my white -daughter come from?" - -"From the tree of Gualichu," she answered boldly. - -"My daughter has the forked tongue of the cougar," the matchi replied, -who believed neither in his own words nor in his god; "does she take me -for a nandu?" - -"Here is a magnificent collar of pearls which Gualichu gave me for the -inspired man of the Aucas." - -"Oh," said the sorcerer, "what service can I render my daughter?" - -"Lead us to the toldo of the great chief of the Patagonian nations." - -"Does my daughter desire to speak with Nocobotha?" - -"I do." - -"Nocobotha is a wise chief; will he receive a woman?" - -"He must." - -"It is well. But this other woman?" he asked, pointing to Dona Concha. - -"She is a friend of Pincheira's; she also wishes to speak with the -great Toqui." - -"The warriors will spin llama wool," the sorcerer said, shaking his -head, "since women wage war and sit at the council fire." - -"My father is mistaken; Nocobotha loves his sister." - -"No," the Indian said. - -"Will my father make haste? Nocobotha is waiting for us," Mercedes -continued, impatient at the savage's tergiversation; "where is the -toldo of the great chief?" - -"Follow me, my white daughters." - -He placed himself between them, seized an arm of each, and guided -them through the inextricable labyrinth of the camp. The terrified -Indians fled as they passed. In his heart the matchi was satisfied with -Mercedes' presents, and the opportunity for proving to the warriors his -intimate relations with Gualichu. The marching and counter-marching -lasted a quarter of an hour, and at last they found themselves before a -toldo, in front of which was planted the token of the united nations, -surrounded by lances fringed with scarlet, and guarded by four warriors. - -"It is here," he said to Mercedes. - -"Good! My father will let us go in alone." - -"Must I leave you, then?" - -"Yes, but my father can wait for us outside." - -"I will wait," the sorcerer said briefly, as he looked suspiciously at -the maidens. - -They went in with sorely beating hearts. The toldo was empty. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -THE TOLDO OF THE GREAT TOQUI. - - -Don Antonio Valverde, delighted at the succour the president of the -Argentine Republic sent him, rode at a gallop by the side of the new -colonel, Don Torribio. They soon reached a barrier, guarded by a large -body of gauchos and armed colonists. - -"We must go out here," Don Torribio said to the governor, "but, as the -night is dark, and we have one or two leagues to ride, it would be -imprudent to venture alone upon a plain traversed by vagabond Indians." - -"That is true," Don Antonio interrupted him. - -"The governor must not risk his life lightly; suppose you were made -prisoner, for instance, what a blow it would be for the colony." - -"You speak most sensibly, Don Torribio." - -"Let us take an escort." - -"Of how many men?" - -"Ten will be enough." - -"We will take twenty, for we may come across a hundred Indians." - -"Twenty, then, if you wish it, Don Antonio," the other answered with a -sardonic smile. - -On the governor's arrival the defenders of the fort had got under arms. -Don Torribio detailed twenty horsemen, who, by his orders formed up -behind him. - -"Are we ready to start, governor?" - -"Let us be off." - -The escort, having the two colonels at its head, started in the -direction of the plain, Torribio delighted Don Antonio Valverde for -three quarters of an hour by the rolling fire of his witty remarks, -when he was interrupted by him. - -"Pardon me, colonel," the governor said anxiously, "but does it not -appear singular to you that we have as yet met nobody?" - -"Not the least in the world, senor," Torribio answered; "of course they -know what road to take, and they are awaiting my return." - -"That is possible," the governor said, after a moment's reflection. - -"In that case we shall have another league to ride. Let us go on, then." - -Don Torribio's vein of humour was exhausted. At times his eye examined -the space around him, while Don Antonio remained silent. All at once -the distant neighing of a horse reached their ears. - -"What's that?" Torribio asked. - -"Probably the men we are seeking." - -"In any case let us be prudent. Wait for me; I will go ahead as scout." - -He galloped forward and disappeared in the gloom. When a certain -distance off, he dismounted and put his ears to the ground. - -"_iDemonios!_" he muttered, as he got up and leapt on to his horse -again; "we are pursued. Can that Satan of a Pedrito have recognized me?" - -"What's the matter?" the governor asked. "Nothing," Torribio replied, -laying his left hand on his arm. "Don Antonio Valverde, surrender; you -are my prisoner." - -"Are you mad, Don Torribio?" - -"No longer call me Don Torribio, senor," the young man said in a hollow -voice; "I am Nocobotha, the great chief of the Patagonian natives." - -"Treachery!" the governor shouted; "Help, gauchos, defend me!" - -"It is useless, colonel, for those men belong to me." - -"I will not surrender," the governor continued "Don Torribio, or -whoever you may be, you are a coward." - -He freed himself from the young man's grasp by a bound of his horse, -and drew his sabre. The rapid gallop of several horses came nearer -every moment. - -"Can that be help arriving for me?" the governor said, as he cocked a -pistol. - -"Yes, but too late," the Indian chief answered coldly. - -By his orders, the gauchos surrounded the commandant, who killed two -of them. From this moment the fight in the dark became frightful. Don -Antonio, seeing that his life was lost, wished, at least, to die as a -soldier should die, and fought desperately. - -The sound of the galloping horses constantly drew nearer. - -Nocobotha saw that it was time to finish, and with a pistol shot killed -the governor's horse. Don Antonio rolled on the sand, but, jumping -up suddenly, he dealt his adversary a sabre stroke, which the latter -parried by leaping on one side. - -"A man such as I am does not surrender to dogs like you," Don Antonio -exclaimed, as he blew out his own brains. - -This explosion was followed by a sharp discharge of musketry, and -a squadron of horsemen rushed like a whirlwind on the gauchos. The -contest hardly lasted a moment. At a whistle from Nocobotha the gauchos -turned round and fled separately over the dark plain. Eight corpses -strewed the ground. - -"Too late!" Pedrito said to Major Bloomfield, who had started in -pursuit of Don Torribio so soon as the bombero warned him of the peril -into which the Indian had led the governor. - -"Yes," said the major, sorrowfully, "he was a good soldier; but how are -we to catch the traitors up, and know what we have to depend on?" - -"They are already in the Indian camp." - -Pedrito leapt from his horse, cut with his machete a branch of resinous -fir, which he made into a torch, and by its light examined the bodies -stretched on the ground. - -"Here he is!" the bombero exclaimed; "His skull is fearfully fractured; -his hand grasps a pistol; but his face still retains an expression of -haughty defiance." - -A silent tear rolled down Major Bloomfield's bronzed face. - -"Why was my old friend fated thus to die in an ambuscade when his -fortress is besieged?" the Englishman murmured. - -"God is the Master," Pedrito remarked, philosophically. - -"He has performed his duty, so let us perform ours." - -They raised the body of Don Antonio Valverde, and then the whole -squadron returned to Carmen. - -Nocobotha, however, we must remark, had only wished to make the colonel -prisoner in order to treat with the colonists, and shed as little blood -as possible, and he bitterly regretted the governor's death. While the -gauchos were rejoicing at the success of the trap, Nocobotha, gloomy -and dissatisfied, returned to his camp. - -Mercedes and Dona Concha, on seeing the toldo of the great chief -unoccupied, could not repress a sigh of satisfaction. They had the -time to recover from their emotion in his absence, and prepare for -the interview which Concha desired to have with him. They had removed -their Indian garb in all haste, and resumed their Spanish attire. By an -accident that favoured the plans of Don Sylvio's betrothed wife, she -was lovelier and more seductive than usual; her pallor had a touching -and irresistible grace about it, and her eyes flashed eager flames of -love or hatred. - -When Nocobotha arrived in front of the toldo, the matchi walked up to -him. - -"What do you want?" the chief asked. - -"My father will pardon me," the sorcerer answered, humbly. "This night -two women have entered the camp." - -"What do I care?" the chief interrupted him, impatiently. - -"These women, though dressed in the Indian fashion, are white," the -matchi said, laying a stress on the last word. - -"They are doubtless wives of the gauchos." - -"No," the sorcerer said; "their hands are too white, and their feet too -small. Besides, one of them is the white slave of the tree of Gualichu." - -"Ah! and who made them prisoners?" - -"No one; they arrived alone." - -"Alone?" - -"I accompanied them through the camp, and protected them against the -curiosity of the warriors." - -"You acted well." - -"I introduced them into my father's toldo." - -"Are they there now?" - -"For the last hour." - -"I thank my brother." - -Nocobotha took off one of his bracelets, and threw it to the matchi, -who bowed down to the ground. - -The chief, suffering from indescribable agitation, rushed toward his -toldo, the curtain of which he raised with a feverish hand, and he -could not restrain a cry of delight and astonishment on hearing Dona -Concha's voice. - -The maiden greeted him with one of those strange and charming smiles of -which women alone possess the secret. - -"What is the meaning of this?" the chief asked, with a graceful bow. - -Dona Concha involuntarily admired the young man; his splendid Indian -costume flashing in the light, heightened his masculine and proud -attitude, and his head was haughtily erect. He was very handsome, and -born to command. - -"By what name shall I address you, caballero?" she said to him, as she -pointed to a seat of carved copal wood by her side. - -"That depends, senorita. If you address the Spaniard, call me Don -Torribio; if you have come to speak to the Indian, my brothers call me -Nocobotha." - -"We shall see," she said. - -During a momentary silence, the two speakers examined each other aside. -Dona Concha did not know how to begin, and the chief himself was -seeking the motive for such a visit. - -"Did you really wish to see me?" Nocobotha at length began. - -"Who else?" she replied. - -"The happiness of seeing you here appears to me a dream, and I fear -lest I should awake from it." - -This remark reminded her of Don Valentine Cardoso's guest, and did not -agree with the ornaments of an Indian chief and the interior of a toldo. - -"Good gracious!" Dona Concha said lightly, "You are not far removed -from believing me a witch or a fairy, so I will break my wand." - -"For all that you will not be the less an enchantress," Nocobotha -interrupted her with a smile. - -"The sorcerer is this child's brother, who revealed to me your real -name, and the spot where I might find you. You must give Pedrito all -the credit." - -"I shall not forget it when an opportunity offers," he answered with a -frown, which did not escape Dona Concha's notice; "but let us return -to yourself, senorita. Would it be an indiscretion to ask you to what -extraordinary circumstance I owe the favour of a visit which I did not -anticipate, but which overwhelms me with joy?" - -"Oh! A very simple cause," she replied, giving him a fiery look. - -"I am listening, madam." - -"Perhaps you wish to make me undergo an examination?" - -"Oh! I trust that you do not think what you are saying." - -"Don Torribio, we live in such unhappy times, that a person can never -be sure of addressing a friend." - -"I am yours, madam." - -"I hope so, and even believe it, hence I will speak to you in the most -perfect confidence. A girl of my age, and especially of my rank, does -not take a step so singular, without very serious motives." - -"I am convinced of that." - -"What can make a woman lay aside her instinctive modesty, and cause -her to disdain even her reputation? What feeling inspires her with -masculine courage? Is it not love, Don Torribio --love? Do you -understand me?" - -"Yes, madam," he answered with emotion. - -"Well, I have said it, it is a question of my heart and of -yours--perhaps--Don Torribio. At our last interview, my father -announced rather suddenly, both to you and me, my approaching marriage -with Don Sylvio d'Arenal. I had thought you loved me--" - -"Senorita!" - -"But at that moment I became certain of it; I saw your sudden pallor, -your voice was troubled." - -"Still!--" - -"I am a woman, Don Torribio; we women guess a man's love before a man -himself does so." - -The Indian chief gazed at her with an undefinable expression. - -"A few days later," she continued, "Don Sylvio fell into an -ambuscade--why did you do that, Don Torribio?" - -"I wished to avenge myself on a rival, but I did not order his death." - -"I knew it." - -Nocobotha did not understand her. - -"You had no rival--you had scarce left the house ere I confessed to my -father that I did not love Don Sylvio, and would not marry him." - -"O Heavens!" the young man exclaimed sorrowfully. - -"Reassure yourself, the misfortune is repaired; Don Sylvio is not dead." - -"Who told you so?" - -"I know it, I know it so well that Don Sylvio, torn from Pincheira's -hands by my orders, is at this moment at the Estancia de San Julian, -whence he will shortly set out for Buenos Aires." - -"Can I--" - -"That is not all. I made my father understand toward whom my heart -turned, and whose love it confided in, and my father, who has never -been able to refuse me anything, permitted me to go and join the man -whom I prefer." - -She gave Don Torribio a glance full of love, looked down and blushed. A -thousand contradictory feelings were contending in Nocobotha's heart, -for he did not dare believe that which rendered him so happy; a doubt -remained, a cruel doubt--suppose she were trifling with him? - -"What!" he said, "You love me?" - -"My presence here,--" she stammered. - -"Happiness renders me confused, so forgive me." - -"If I did not love you," she answered, "Sylvio is free and I could -marry him." - -"Oh women! Adorable creatures, who will ever sound the depths of your -heart! Who can divine the sorrow or joy you conceal in a glance or in a -smile? Yes, senorita, yes, I love you, and I wish to tell you so on my -knees." - -And the great chief of the Patagonian nations threw himself at Dona -Concha's feet; he pressed her hands and covered them with burning -kisses. The maiden, who held her head erect, while he lay thus -prostrate before her, had a ferocious delight in her eyes; she had -repeated the eternal allegory of the lion that surrenders its claws -to the scissors of love. This man, so powerful and formidable, was -conquered, and henceforth she was sure of her vengeance. - -"What shall I tell my father?" she said in a voice gentle as a caress. - -The lion rose with flashing eyes and radiant brow. - -"Madam," he answered with supreme majesty, "tell Don Valentine Cardoso -that within a month I shall place a crown on your beloved forehead." - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -DELILAH. - - -It is rare for an extreme situation, when drawn to its utmost limits, -to remain long in a state of tension; hence it is not surprising that -Nocobotha, after advancing so far in his confiding love, should recoil -terrified at the progress he had made. Man is so constituted that -too much happiness embarrasses and alarms him, and it is, perhaps, a -foreboding that this happiness will be of short duration. The Indian -chief, whose heart overflowed like a brimming cup, felt a vague -doubt mingle with his joy and obscure it with a cloud. Still, it is -pleasant to flatter one's self, and the young man yielded to this new -intoxication and the pleasures of hope. These smiles, these looks, -everything reassured him. Why had she come to him through so many -dangers? She loves me, he thought, and love intensified the bandage -which Dona Concha had fastened over his eyes with so much grace and -perfidy. - -Men of lofty intellect are nearly all unconsciously affected by -a weakness that frequently causes their ruin, the more so because -they believe nobody clever enough to cheat them. Had Nocobotha -nothing to fear from this girl of fifteen, who avowed her love with -such simplicity? But as his mind was, so to speak, turned away from -real life to be absorbed in a single dream--the independence of his -country--Nocobotha had never essayed to read that enigmatical book -called a woman's heart; he was ignorant that a woman, especially an -American woman, never forgives an insult offered to her lover, for he -is her deity and is inviolable. - -The Indian loved for the first time, and this first love, which is -so sharp that at a later date all other loves grow pale at the mere -remembrance of it, had sunk deeply into his heart. He loved, and the -transient doubt which had saddened his thoughts could not struggle -against a thought which was now eradicable. - -"Can I," Concha asked, "remain in your camp without fear of being -insulted, until my father arrives?" - -"Command me, madam," the Indian answered, "you have only slaves here." - -"This girl, to whom you owe my presence here, will proceed to the -Estancia of San Julian." - -Nocobotha walked to the curtain of the toldo and clapped his hands -twice. Lucaney appeared. - -"Let a toldo be prepared for me, I give up to the two paleface women," -the chief said in the Aucas tongue. "A band of picked warriors, -selected by my brother, will watch over their safety night and day. Woe -to the man who fails in respect to them! These women are sacred and -free to come and go and receive any visitors they think proper. Have -two horses saddled for me and for one of the white women." - -Lucaney went out. - -"You see, madam, that you are the queen here." - -Dona Concha drew from her bosom a letter written beforehand and -unsealed, which she handed to him, with a smile on her lips, but -trembling at her heart. - -"Read, Don Torribio, what I have written to my father." - -"Oh, senorita!" he exclaimed, thrusting the note away. - -Dona Concha slowly folded the letter without any apparent emotion, and -delivered it to Mercedes. - -"My child, you will give this to my father when alone, and explain to -him what I have forgotten to say." - -"Permit me to withdraw, madam." - -"No," Concha replied, with a bewitching smile, "I have no secrets from -you." - -The young man smiled at this remark. At this moment the horses were -brought up, and Dona Concha found time to whisper in Mercedes' ear the -hurried words: "Your brother must be here in an hour." - -Mercedes slightly closed her eyes as a sign of intelligence. - -"I will accompany your friend myself," the chief said, "as far as the -entrenchments of Carmen." - -"I thank you, Don Torribio." - -The two maidens tenderly embraced. - -"In an hour," Dona Concha murmured. - -"Good," Mercedes answered. - -"You are at home here, madam," Nocobotha said to Dona Concha, who -accompanied him to the entrance of the toldo. - -Mercedes and the chief mounted their horses: the young Spanish girl -followed them with eye and ear, and then re-entered the toldo. - -"The game has begun, and he must reveal his plans to me." - -In a quarter of an hour Mercedes and her guide came within fifty yards -of Carmen, without having exchanged a word. - -"Here," said Nocobotha, "you no longer require my services." - -He turned back and galloped toward the camp. The girl advanced boldly -in the direction of the town, whose gloomy outline rose before her. But -a vigorous hand seized her bridle, she felt a pistol placed against her -bosom, and a low voice said in Spanish-- - -"Who goes there?" - -"A friend," she replied, suppressing a shriek of terror. - -"Mercedes!" the rude voice exclaimed, becoming much softer. - -"Pedrito!" she replied joyously, as she slipped into the arms of her -brother, who embraced her affectionately. - -"Where do you come from, little sister?" - -"From the camp of the Patagonians." - -"Already?" - -"My mistress has sent me to you." - -"Who accompanied you?" - -"Nocobotha himself." - -"Malediction!" the bombero said, "For five minutes I had him at the end -of my rifle. Well, but come, we will talk inside." - -"Oh!" Pedrito exclaimed, when Mercedes ended the narration of their -expedition, "Oh, women are demons, demons, and men plucked chickens; -and your letter?" - -"Here it is." - -"Don Valentine must receive it tonight, for the poor father will be -pining in mortal anxiety." - -"I will carry it," said Mercedes. - -"No; you need rest. I have a safe man here, who will ride to the -estancia. You, little sister, come into the house, where a worthy -woman, who knows me, will take care of you." - -"Will you go to Dona Concha?" - -"I should think so. Poor girl! alone among the Pagans." - -"Ever devoted, my kind brother!" - -"It seems that is my vocation." - -Pedrito led Mercedes to the house he had referred to, warmly -recommended her to the hostess, and then turned into a street, in the -middle of which a large fire was burning, and several men reposing -round it, wrapped in their cloaks. The bombero roughly shook the foot -of one of the sleepers. - -"Come, come, Patito," he said to him, "up with you, my boy, and gallop -to the Estancia of San Julian." - -"Why, I have just come from there," the gaucho muttered, yawning and -rubbing his eyes. - -"The better reason; you must know the road. It is Dona Concha who sends -you." - -"If the senorita wishes it, of course," Patito said, whom the name -thoroughly aroused; "what am I to do?" - -"Mount your horse and carry this letter to Don Valentine; it is an -important letter, you understand?" - -"Very good." - -"Let nobody take it from you." - -"Of course not." - -"If you are killed--?" - -"I shall be killed." - -"When you are dead it must not even be found on you." - -"I will swallow it." - -"The Indians will not think of ripping you up." - -"All right." - -"Be off." - -"Only give me time to saddle my horse." - -"Good-bye, Patito, and luck be with you." Pedrito left the gaucho, who -speedily started. - -"It is now my turn," the bombero muttered; "how am I to reach Dona -Concha?" - -He scratched his head and frowned, but ere long his forehead became -unwrinkled, and he proceeded gaily to the fort; After a conference -with Major Bloomfield, who had succeeded Don Antonio Valverde in -command of the town, Pedrito doffed his clothes, and disguised himself -as an Aucas. He set out, slipped into the Indian camp, and shortly -before sunrise was back again in the town. - -"Well?" his sister said to him. - -"All goes well," the bombero answered, "_iViva Dios!_ Nocobotha, I -fancy, will pay dearly for carrying off Don Sylvio. Oh, women are -demons!" - -"Am I to go and join her?" - -"No; it is unnecessary." - -And, without entering into any details, Pedrito, who was worn out with -fatigue, selected a place to sleep in, snored away, not troubling -himself about the Indians. - -Several days elapsed ere the besiegers renewed their attack on the -town, which, however, they invested more closely. The Spaniards, -strictly blockaded, and having no communication with the exterior, -found their provisions running short, and hideous famine would soon -pounce on its victims. Fortunately, the indefatigable Pedrito had an -idea which he communicated to Major Bloomfield. He had a hundred and -fifty loaves worked up with arsenic, water, and vitriol mingled with -twenty barrels of spirits; the whole loaded on mules, was placed under -the escort of Pedrito and his two brothers. The bomberos approached -the Patagonian earthworks with this frugal stock of provisions. The -Indians, who are passionately fond of firewater, rushed to meet the -caravan, and seize the barrels. Pedrito and his brothers left their -burden lying on the sand, and returned to the town at a gallop with the -mules, which were intended to support the besieged, if the Patagonians -did not make the assault. - -There was a high holiday in the camp. The loaves were cut up; the heads -of the barrels stove in, and nothing was left. This orgy cost the -Indians six thousand men, who died in atrocious tortures. The others, -struck with horror, began disbanding in all directions. The chiefs -were no longer respected. Nocobotha himself saw his authority wavering -before the superstition of the savages, who believed in a celestial -punishment. The prisoners, men, women, and children, were massacred -with horrible refinements of barbarity. Dona Concha, though protected -by the great chief, only owed her escape to chance or to God, who -preserved her as the instrument of His will. - -The rage of the Indians, having no one left to vent itself on, -gradually calmed down. Nocobotha went about constantly to restore -courage. He felt that it was time to come to an end, and he gave -Lucaney orders to assemble all the chiefs in his toldo. - -"Great chiefs of the great nations," Nocobotha said to them, so soon as -they were all collected round the council fire, "tomorrow, at daybreak, -Carmen will be attacked on all sides at once. So soon as the town is -taken the campaign will be over. Those who recoil are not men, but -slaves. Remember that we are fighting for the liberty of our race." - -He then informed each chief of the place of his tribe in the assault; -formed a reserve of ten thousand men to support, if necessary, those -who gave way, and, after cheering up the Ulmens, he dismissed them. So -soon as he was alone, he proceeded to Dona Concha's toldo. The young -lady gave Lucaney orders to admit him. Dona Concha was talking with her -father, who, on receiving her letter, through Patito, at once hastened -to her. - -The interior of the toldo was completely altered, for Nocobotha -had placed in it furniture, carried off from the estancias by the -Indians. Externally nothing was changed, but inside it was divided by -partitions, and rendered a perfect European residence. Here Concha -lived pleasantly enough, honoured by the supreme chief and in the -company of her father and Mercedes, who acted as her lady's maid. - -The Indians, though somewhat astonished at their great Toqui's mode of -life, remembered the European education he had received, and dared not -complain. Was not Nocobotha's hatred of the white men still equally -ardent? Were not his words still full of love for his country at the -council fire? Was it not he who had directed the invasion, and led the -tribes on the path of liberty? Hence, Nocobotha had lost nothing in the -opinion of the warriors. He was still their well-beloved chief. - -"Is the effervescence of the tribes appeased?" Dona Concha asked -Nocobotha. - -"Yes, Heaven be thanked, senorita; but the man commanding at Carmen is -a wild beast. Six thousand men have been killed by poison." - -"Oh, it is fearful," the young lady said. - -"The whites are accustomed to treat us thus, and poison--" - -"Say no more about it, Don Torribio; it makes me shudder." - -"For centuries the Spaniards have been our murderers." - -"What do you intend doing?" Don Valentine asked, in order to turn the -conversation. - -"Tomorrow, senor, a general assault will be made on Carmen." - -"Tomorrow?" - -"Yes. Tomorrow I shall have destroyed the Spaniards' power in the -Patagonia, or be dead myself." - -"God will protect the good cause," Dona Concha said in a prophetic -voice. - -A cloud passed over Don Valentine's forehead. - -"During the battle, which will be obstinate, I implore you, senorita, -not to leave this toldo, before which I will leave twenty men on guard." - -"Are you going to leave us already, Don Torribio?" - -"I must; so excuse me, madam." - -"Good-bye, then," Dona Concha said. - -"All is over!" Don Valentine murmured, in despair, when Nocobotha had -gone out. "They will succeed." - -The maiden, who was calm and half smiling, but whose eye was inflamed -with hatred, walked up to Don Valentine, clasped her hands on his -shoulder, and said, in a whisper-- - -"Have you read the Bible, father?" - -"Yes; when I was young." - -"Do you remember the history of Samson Delilah?" - -"Do you mean to cut his hair off, then?" - -"Do you remember Judith and Holofernes?" - -"Then you mean to cut his head off?" - -"No, father." - -"What mean these strange questions?" - -"I love Don Sylvio!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -THE AGONY OF A TOWN. - - -About two in the morning, at the moment when the blue jay struck up -its first song, faint as a sigh, Nocobotha, completely armed for war, -left his toldo, and proceeded to the centre of the camp. Here the -Ulmens, Apo-Ulmens, and caraskens, were squatting on their heels round -an immense fire, and smoking in silence. All rose on the arrival of -the supreme Toqui, but at a signal from the master they resumed their -seats. Nocobotha then turned to the matchi, who was walking gravely by -his side, and to whom he had dictated his orders beforehand. - -"Will Gualichu," he asked him, "be neutral, adverse, or favourable in -the war of his Indian sons against the pale faces?" - -The sorcerer went up to the fire, and walked round it thrice from left -to right, while muttering unintelligible words. At the third round he -filled a calabash with sacred water contained in closely plaited reeds, -sprinkled the assembly, and threw the rest toward the east. Then, -with body half bent and head advanced, he stretched out his arms, and -appeared listening to sounds perceptible to himself alone. - -On his right hand the blue jay poured forth its plaintive note twice -in succession. Suddenly the matchi's face was disfigured by horrible -grimaces; his blood-suffused eyes swelled; he turned pale and trembled -as if suffering from an ague fit. - -"The spirit is coming! The spirit is coming!" the Indians said. - -"Silence!" Nocobotha commanded; "The sage, is about to speak." - -In fact, obeying this indirect order, he whistled guttural sounds -between his teeth, among which the broken words could be detected-- - -"The spirit is marching!" he exclaimed; "He has unfastened his long -hair, which floats in the wind; his breath spreads death around. The -sky is red with blood! Gualichu, the prince of evil will not want -for victims. The flesh of the palefaces serves as a sheath for the -knives of the Patagonians. Do you hear the urubus and vultures in -the distance? What a splendid meal they will have!--Utter the war -yell! Courage, warriors, Gualichu guides you death is nothing; glory -everything." - -The sorcerer still continued to stammer, and rolled on the ground, -suffering from a fit of epilepsy. Then the Indians pitilessly turned -away from him, for the man who is so rash as to touch the matchi when -the spirit is torturing him would be struck by a sudden death. Such is -the Indian belief. - -Nocobotha addressed the audience in his turn. "Chiefs of the great -Patagonian nations, as you see, the God of our fathers is with us, and -He wishes our land to become free again. The sun, when it sets, must -not see a Spanish flag waving in Patagonia. Courage, brothers! The -Incas, my ancestors, who hunt on the blessed prairies of the Eskennam, -will joyfully receive among them those who may fall in battle. Each -will proceed to his post! The cry of the urubu, repeated thrice at -equal intervals, will be the signal for the assault." - -The chiefs bowed and withdrew. - -The night, studded with stars, was calm and imposing. The moon coloured -with a pale silver the dark blue of the firmament. There was not a -breath in the air, not a cloud in the sky; the atmosphere was serene -and limpid; nothing disturbed the silence of this splendid night, -except the dull, vague murmur which seems on the desert to be the -breathing of sleeping nature. - -A thousand varied feelings were confounded in the mind of Nocobotha, -who thought of the approaching deliverance of his country, and his -love for Dona Concha. Then raising his eyes to the star-studded vault -of Heaven, the Indian fervently implored Him who is omnipotent, and -who tries the loins and hearts to fight on his side. If he had been -compelled to choose between his love and the cause he defended, he -assuredly would not have hesitated; for the happiness of an individual -is as nothing when compared with the liberty of an entire nation. - -While the Toqui was plunged in these reflections a hand was laid -heavily on his shoulder. It was the matchi who looked at him with his -tiger cat eyes. - -"What do you want?" he asked him drily. - -"Is my father satisfied with me? Did Gualichu speak well?" - -"Yes," the chief said, repressing a start of disgust. "Withdraw." - -"My father is great and generous." - -Nocobotha contemptuously threw one of his rich necklaces to the -wretched sorcerer, who made a grimace to show his joy. - -"Begone!" he said to him. - -The matchi, satisfied with his reward, went away. The trade of an -Indian sorcerer is a famous one. - -"I have the time," Nocobotha muttered, after calculating the hours by -the position of the stars. - -He hastily bent his steps toward Dona Concha's toldo. - -"She is there," he said to himself, "she is sleeping, lulled by her -childish dreams; her lips are opened like a flower to inhale the -perfumed breath of night. She is slumbering with her hand upon her -heart to defend it. And I love her! Grant, O Heaven, that I may render -her happy! Help my arm, which wishes to save a people!" - -He went up to a warrior, standing at the entrance to the toldo. - -"Lucaney," he said, in a voice that was powerfully affected, "I have -twice saved you from death." - -"I remember it." - -"All I love is in that toldo: I intrust it to you." - -"This toldo is sacred, my father." - -"Thanks!" Nocobotha said, affectionately pressing the hand of the -Ulmen, who kissed the hem of his robe. - -The Ulmens, after the council was over, had drawn up their tribes in -readiness for the assault; the warriors, lying down flat on the ground, -began one of those astounding marches which Indians alone are capable -of undertaking. Gliding and crawling like lizards through the lofty -grass, they succeeded, within an hour, in placing themselves unnoticed -at the very foot of the Argentine intrenchments. This movement had -been executed with the refined prudence the Indians display on the war -trail. The silence of the prairie had not been disturbed, and the town -seemed buried in sleep. - -Some minutes, however, before the Ulmens received Nocobotha's final -orders, a man, dressed in the costume of the Aucas, had left the camp -before them all, and made his way to Carmen on his hands and knees. On -reaching the first barricades, he held out his hands to an invisible -hand, which hoisted him over the wall. - -"Well, Pedrito?" - -"We shall be attacked, major, within an hour." - -"Is it an assault?" - -"Yes; the Indians are afraid of being poisoned like rats, and hence -wish to come to an end." - -"What is to be done?" - -"We must die." - -"By Jupiter! That's fine advice." - -"We may still try--" - -"What?" - -"Give me twenty faithful gauchos." - -"Take them, and what then?" - -"Leave me to act, major. I do not answer for success, as these red -demons are as numerous as flies; but I shall certainly kill some of -them." - -"And the women and children?" - -"I have shut them up in the Estancia of San Julian." - -"Heaven be praised!" - -"But, by the way, they will attack the estancia if they take Carmen." - -"You're a humbug, Pedrito," the major said, with a smile. "You forget -Dona Concha." - -"That is true," the bombero remarked gaily; "I did not think of the -senorita. I also forgot this--the signal for the attack will be an -urubu cry, repeated at three equal intervals." - -"Good! I will go and prepare, for I do not expect they will wait for -sunrise." - -The major on one side, and the bombero on the other, proceeded from -post to post to awake the defenders of the town, and warn them to be on -their guard. - -On that very evening, Major Bloomfield had convened all the -inhabitants; and in a short and energetic harangue depicted to them -their desperate situation. - -"The boats tied up under the guns of the fort," he said, in -conclusion, "are ready to receive the women, children, and any -frightened men. They will be removed during the night to the Estancia -of San Julian." - -The inhabitants stationed themselves behind the barricades with eye and -ear on the watch, and musket in hand. An hour was spent in watching for -the Patagonians, when suddenly the hoarse, ill-omened cry of the urubu -broke the silence. A second cry followed the first closely, and the -last note of the third was still vibrating, when a frightful clamour -burst forth on all sides simultaneously, and the Indians dashed forward -tumultuously to scale the outer entrenchments. They broke against the -living wall that rose at the barriers. Astounded by this unexpected -resistance, the Patagonians fell back, and were decimated by the -canister, which spread desolation and death among their ranks. - -Pedrito, profiting by the panic of the Redskins, dashed, after them at -the head of his gauchos, and cut them down vigorously. - -After two hours of terrific fighting, the sun, disdainful of human -contests, majestically rose in the horizon, and spread the splendour -of its beams over the field of carnage. The Indians saluted its -apparition with shouts of joy, and rushed with much rage at the -intrenchments--their shock was irresistible. - -The colonists fled, pursued by the savages. But a formidable explosion -upheaved the ground beneath their feet, and the hapless Indians hurled -into the air fell dead all around. It was a mine the Argentines had -fired. - -The Indians, wild with terror, and deaf to the voice of their Ulmens, -fled, and refused to begin the engagement again. - -Nocobotha, mounted on a splendid charger, black as night, dashed -forward, almost alone, and waved the sacred totem of the United -Nations, shouting in a voice heard above the din of battle-- - -"Cowards who refuse to conquer, at least see me die!" - -This cry sounded in the ears of the Indians as a shameful reproach, and -they ran after their chief. - -Nocobotha appeared invulnerable. He made his horse curvet, rushed into -the thickest of the fight, parried every blow with the staff of the -totem, which he raised above his head and shouted to his men-- - -"Courage, follow me!" - -"Nocobotha, the last of the Indians! Let us die for the Child of the -Sun!" the Patagonians shouted, electrified by the rash boldness of -their Toqui. - -"Ah!" he exclaimed, enthusiastically pointing to the planet of day, -"See! My radiant father smiles on our valour. Forward, forward!" - -"Forward!" the warriors repeated, and redoubled their fury. - -All the town was already invaded, and the fighting went on from house -to house. The Aucas formed in close columns, and, led by Nocobotha, -dashed up the eastern steep street that runs to Old Carmen and the -citadel. They advanced fearlessly, in spite of the incessant fire from -the guns of the fort. Nocobotha, respected by death, and ever in front, -brandished his totem, and made his black horse rear. - -"Well," Major Bloomfield said, mournfully to Pedrito, "the hour has -arrived." - -"Do you wish it, major?" - -"I insist on it." - -"That is enough," the bombero added. "Good-bye, major, till we meet -again in another world." - -The two men shook hands: it was a final leave-taking, for, unless a -miracle occurred, they were about to die. After this farewell, Pedrito -collected fifty horsemen, formed them into a close squadron, and -between two discharges from the battery, they dashed at full speed -upon the ascending Indians. The Redskins opened right and left before -this avalanche that rushed down the mountain; and they had scarce -recovered from their stupor, ere they perceived the Spanish horsemen in -three boats, pulling out to sea with all their might. - -Taking advantage of this bold diversion, all the colonists, by Major -Bloomfield's directions, shut themselves up in the fort. - -Nocobotha made the Aucas a sign to halt, and advanced alone up to the -walls of the citadel. - -"Major," he shouted in a firm voice, "surrender; you and your men will -be allowed to live." - -"You are a traitor and a dog," the major, who at once appeared, -answered. - -"You are warned, you and your men." - -"I will not surrender." - -Twenty bullets whistled from the top of the wall, but Nocobotha had -returned to his warriors with the rapidity of an arrow. - -"Back! Back!" he shouted to them. - -A detonation, loud as a hundred peals of thunder, rent the air. -The major had blown up the powder in the fortress. The stony giant -oscillated for two or three seconds on its base like an intoxicated -mastodon; then, suddenly torn from the ground, it rose in the air, and -burst like an overripe pomegranate, amid expiring cries of "Long live -our country!" - -A shower of stones and horridly mutilated corpses fell on the terrified -Indians. - -All was over. Nocobotha was master of the ruins of Carmen. Weeping -with rage on seeing this disastrous victory, he planted his totem on a -piece of tottering wall, which was the only relic of the fort and its -defenders. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -THE LAST OF THE INCAS. - - -The principal houses of the town were only spared from pillage; and -Nocobotha, in order to save their riches, adjudged them to the most -powerful Ulmens. As for himself, he established his headquarters in -his own mansion in Old Carmen. Don Valentine and his daughter took -possession of their house, which had escaped the fury of the Indians. - -The town, crowded with Patagonians, offered an image of desolation. - -A week after the capture of the colony, at about ten in the morning, -three persons were conversing in a low voice in Don Valentine Cardoso's -saloon. They were Don Valentine himself, his daughter, and the Capataz -Don Blas Salazar. The latter, in his gaucho dress, had the look of -a thorough bandit. Mercedes, standing as sentry at a window was -laughing heartily at him, to the great despair of the capataz, who most -sincerely wished his confounded disguise at the deuce. - -"Blas, my friend," Don Valentine was saying, "get yourself ready for a -dance." - -"Then the ceremony is to take place today?" - -"Yes, Blas. I must confess that we live in singular times, and a -singular country. I have seen several revolutions, but this one beats -them all." - -"From the Indian point of view," Concha said, "it is very logical." - -"Which of you, a month ago, expected such a sudden re-establishment of -the empire of the Incas?" - -"Not I," the capataz replied. "Still, it seems to me that Nocobotha is -not at all magnanimous for a future emperor." - -"What do you mean by that, my friend?" - -"Has he not written to Don Sylvio that, if he does not leave the colony -in three days, he will have him hung?" - -"Before hanging people," said Dona Concha, "it is necessary to catch -them." - -"All that is very fine, Blas, but you will return to the estancia. -Above all, do not forget my instructions." - -"Trust to me for that, Excellency; but I am anxious about Pedrito," -he added, in a low voice, not to be overheard by Mercedes; "he has -disappeared for the last six days, and we have heard nothing about -him." - -"Don Pedro," Concha remarked, "is not the man to be lost without -leaving traces. Reassure yourself, we shall see him again." - -"Nocobotha!" Mercedes exclaimed, turning round. - -"Blas, my friend, decamp," Don Valentine said. - -"Come again soon," Mercedes added. - -Nocobotha walked in. The great chief of the Aucas, dressed in his -magnificent Indian costume, had a thoughtful brow and anxious look. -After the first compliment, Dona Concha, alarmed by the chiefs -gloomy appearance, bent forward gracefully to him, and said, with an -affectionate air, which was admirably assumed-- - -"What is the matter with you, Torribio; you seem troubled? Have you -received any unpleasant news?" - -"No, madam; I thank you. If I were ambitious, all my wishes would be -fulfilled. The Patagonian chiefs have resolved on re-establishing the -Empire of the Incas, and they have elected me, who am the direct heir, -to succeed the unfortunate Athahualpa; but--" - -"They have done you justice." - -"This distinction terrifies me, and I fear I cannot bear the weight of -an empire. The wounds dealt my race by the Spaniards are old and deep. -The Indians have been brutalized by a long servitude. What a task it is -to command these disunited tribes! Who will carry on my work if I die -in twenty years, two years, tomorrow, perhaps? What will become of the -dream of my life?" - -"Heaven means you to live long, Don Torribio," Dona Concha answered. - -"A diadem on my brow! Stay, senorita, I am discouraged, weary of life; -it seems to me that the crown will press my temples like a band of -iron, and crush them, and that I shall be buried in my triumph!" - -"Dismiss these vain presentiments," the girl remarked, giving a side -glance full of meaning. - -"As you know, madam, the Tarpeian Rock is close to the Capitol." - -"Come, come! Don Torribio," Don Valentine said, gaily; "Let us take our -places." - -A splendid breakfast had been laid. The first moments passed in -silence. The guests seemed embarrassed, but by degrees, thanks to Dona -Concha's efforts, the conversation became more animated, Nocobotha, it -could be easily seen, was making a violent effort to drive back the -flood of thoughts that ran to his lips. Toward the end of the repast he -turned to the young lady. - -"Senorita," he said to her, "this evening all will be over. I shall -be Emperor of the Patagonians, and enemy of the Spaniards, who will -doubtless return with arms in their hands to overthrow our empire. What -they most dread in an Indian insurrection is the reprisals, that is to -say, the massacre of the white men. My marriage with an Argentine is a -pledge of peace for your countrymen, and a security for their commerce. -Dona Concha, give me your hand." - -"What hurry is there at this moment, Don Torribio?" she asked. "Are you -not sure of me?" - -"Ever the same vague and obscure answer," the chief said with a frown. -"Child, you are playing with a lion, and I see to the bottom of your -heart. Imprudent girl, you are rushing on your own destruction; but -no, you are in my power; and after saving your life ten times, I offer -you half a throne. Tomorrow, madam, you will and must marry me. Your -father's and Don Sylvio's heads will answer for your obedience." - -And seizing a crystal bottle full of limpid water, he filled his glass -to the brim, and emptied it at a draught, while Dona Concha gazed at -him fixedly; this look contained a cruel and concealed joy. - -"In an hour," he added as he placed the glass on the table again, "you -will be present at the ceremony by my side; I insist on it." - -"I will be there," she replied. - -"Farewell, madam." - -The young lady rose quickly, seized the bottle, and walked up to the -window. - -"What are you going to do there?" Don Valentine asked. - -"I am watering my flowers, father." - -While pouring out the water, Concha, whose eye sparkled with a gloomy -fire, muttered to herself-- - -"Don Torribio, you told me one day that there's many a slip betwixt the -cup and the lip; well, listen to me in my turn; between your forehead -and a crown there is death!" - -She then placed two flower pots near the balustrade on the terrace of -the house. This was doubtless a signal, for in a few minutes Mercedes -entered the saloon hurriedly, saying-- - -"He is here." - -"Let him come in," Don Valentine and his daughter said simultaneously. - -Pedrito made his appearance. The estanciero recommended the utmost -vigilance to Mercedes, closed the door, and then seated himself by the -bombero's side. - -"Well?" he asked him. - -The Plaza Mayor on this day offered an unexpected sight. In the centre -rose a tall scaffold covered with red velvet tapestry, on which a -chair of carved nopal wood was placed. The back was surmounted by -a massive gold sun flashing with diamonds; a vulture of the Andes, -the sacred bird of the Incas, also of gold, held in its bent beak an -imperial crown, while in its claws it had a sceptre terminating in a -trident, and a hand of justice holding a dazzling sun. This vulture, -with outstretched wings, seemed hovering over the chair, to which there -was an ascent of four steps. On the right of this chair was another, -somewhat lower, but more simple. - -At midday, the moment when the day star at its zenith darts forth -all its beams, five cannon shots, fired at regular intervals, boomed -forth majestically. At the same moment the different Patagonian tribes -debouched through each of the entrances of the square, led by their -Ulmen, and dressed in their robes of state. Only fifteen thousand -warriors were assembled, for, according to the Indian custom, so soon -as Carmen was taken, the booty was sent under safe escort to the -mountains, and the Patagonian troops disbanded and returned to their -tolderias, ready to come back, however, on the first signal. - -The tribes drew up on three sides, leaving the fourth vacant, which -was soon occupied by five hundred gauchos. The latter were mounted and -well armed, while the Indians were on foot, and had only their machetes -in their girdle. The windows were lined with spectators, behind whom -Indian women, irregularly grouped, thrust out their heads over their -shoulders. - -The centre of the square was free. In front of the scaffolding, and -at the foot of a clumsy altar shaped like a table, with a deep gutter -running down it and a sun above it, stood the great matchi of the -Patagonians and twenty priests, all with their arms crossed, and their -eyes fixed on the ground. - -When all had taken their places, five more gunshots were fired, and a -brilliant cavalcade came up. Nocobotha, who marched at their head, with -Dona Concha on his right and Don Valentine on his left, held his totem -in his hand. After them came the principal Ulmens and caraskens of the -united nations, with their brilliant ornaments of gold and precious -stones. - -Nocobotha got off his horse, held out his hand to Dona Concha to help -her to dismount, mounted the scaffold, led her to the second chair, -and himself stopped before the first one, though without sitting down. -His ordinary pale features were inflamed, his eyes seemed swollen by -watching, and he incessantly wiped away the perspiration that stood on -his forehead. Something unusual was going on within him. Dona Concha's -pallor was extreme, but her face was tranquil. - -The Ulmens surrounded the scaffold, and at a third cannonade, the -priests stepped on one side and displayed a securely bound man lying on -the ground in their midst. The matchi turned to the crowd. - -"All you who listen to me, the Sun, our ancestor, has smiled on our -arms, and Gualichu himself fought for us. The empire of the Incas -is established, the Indians are free, and the supreme chief of the -Patagonian nation, Nocobotha, is about to place on his head the diadem -of Athahualpa. In the name of the new emperor and ourselves we are -about to offer to the Sun from whom he is descended, the most grateful -of all sacrifices. Priests, bring up the victim." - -The priests laid the unhappy wretch in the trough of the altar. He was -a colonist made prisoner at the taking of Poblacion del Sur; indeed -the pulquero in whose shop the gauchos were accustomed to drink their -chicha. - -In the meanwhile Nocobotha trembled as if smitten with ague. He had -a buzzing in his ears; his temples beat violently, and his eyes were -suffused with blood. He supported himself on one of the arms of his -chair. - -"What is the matter?" Dona Concha asked him. - -"I do not know," he answered; "the heat, the excitement, perhaps--I am -stifling; I hope it will be nothing." - -The unfortunate pulquero had been stripped of all his clothes, with -the exception of his trousers, and he uttered heart-rending cries. The -matchi approached him, brandishing his knife. - -"Oh, it is frightful!" Dona Concha exclaimed, burying her face in her -hands. - -"Silence!" Nocobotha murmured; "It must be." - -The matchi, insensible to the yells of the victim, selected the spot -where he was to strike, looked at the day star with an inspired air, -raised his knife, and laid open the pulquero's chest. Then, while the -victim writhed in agony, and the priests collected the blood which -poured in a stream, the matchi plucked out his heart, and held it up -to the sun, like the host in Catholic churches. - -At this moment all the Ulmens mounted the scaffold, and seating -Nocobotha on the throne, raised him on their shoulders, shouting -enthusiastically-- - -"Long live the new Emperor! Long live the Son of the Sun!" - -The priests sprinkled the crowd with the blood of the victim, and the -Indians filled the air with deafening shouts. - -At length Nocobotha exclaimed, "I have restored the Empire of the -Incas, and freed my race!" - -"Not yet!" Dona Concha said to him, triumphantly. "Look!" - -The gauchos, who had hitherto been impassive spectators of the -ceremony, suddenly dashed at a gallop upon the defenceless Indians, -while through all the streets poured Argentine troops, who had arrived -from Buenos Aires, and all the windows were lined with white men, who -fired at the mob. In the centre of the square could be recognized -Don Sylvio d'Arenal, Blas Salazar Pedrito and his two brothers, who -pitilessly massacred the Indians with shouts of "Exterminate the -Pagans!" - -"Oh!" Nocobotha exclaimed, brandishing his totem with a trembling hand, -"What treachery!" He tried to fly to the help of his people, but he -tottered and fell on his knees; his eyes were covered by an ensanguined -mist; a devouring fire burnt his entrails. "What is the matter?" he -asked himself in despair. - -"You are dying, Don Torribio," Dona Concha whispered in his ear, as she -seized his arm forcibly. - -"Woman, you lie," he said, striving to rise. "I will help my brothers." - -"Your brothers are being slaughtered; did you not mean to kill my -father, my affianced husband, and myself? Die, villain! Die by a -woman's hand! I love Don Sylvio--do you hear me?--And I am avenged." - -"Woe, woe!" Nocobotha shrieked, dragging himself on his knees to the -edge of the platform, "I am the murderer of a people I wished to save." - -The Indians fell like ripe corn before the sickle of the reapers. It -was no longer a combat, but a butchery. Several chiefs flying before -Pedrito the capataz and Don Sylvio rushed to the platform as a last -refuge. - -"Oh!" Nocobotha howled, as he took a tiger bound and seized Don Sylvio -by the throat, "I too will revenge myself." - -There was a moment of terrible anxiety. - -"No," the chief added, letting loose his enemy and falling back; "it -would be cowardly, for this man has done me no injury." - -Dona Concha, on hearing these words, could not restrain tears of -admiration, tardy tears; tears of repentance, or of love, perhaps! - -Pedrito fired his rifle into the chest of the chief, who was lying -stretched out at his feet. At the same instant Pincheira fell, his -head cleft asunder by Don Sylvio. Don Valentine struck by a straggling -bullet, sank into his disconsolate daughter's arms. - -"My God," Nocobotha murmured, "you will judge me!" He locked up -to heaven, moved his lips again as if in prayer, and suddenly his -countenance became radiant; he fell back and expired. - -"Perhaps this man's cause was just," Dona Concha said, overwhelmed with -remorse. - -It is not the first time that a woman has, through the decree of -Heaven, arrested a conqueror. - - -THE END. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Last of the Incas, by Gustave Aimard - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAST OF THE INCAS *** - -***** This file should be named 44514.txt or 44514.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/5/1/44514/ - -Produced by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe at -http://www.freeliterature.org (Images generously made -available by the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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