Beadle's Dime Library, No. 149 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

24. rime tig a probable trap. Though it was impossible for him to guess from what quarter the danger would come, he felt it, as it were, epproaching him inch by inch, and besetting him on sides, and he ex- pected a terrible explosion at ony moment. This secret intuition, this providential foreboding, which told him to be on his guard, placed himina state of excitement im ble to describe, and threw him into an intolerable situation, from which he resolved to escape at all hazards, preferring to run the danger and confront it, to remaining longer with bayonets pointed at unseen foes. Hence he doubled his vigilance, himself inspecting the vicinity of the camp, and watching the loadin of the mules, which, fastened to each other, would, in the event of an attack, be placed in the center of the most devoted and resolute men of the escort. Long before sunrise, the captain, whose sleep had been an uninterrupted series of continued starts, quitted the hard bed of skins and horsecloths on which he had vainly sought a few hours of rest, which his nervous condition rendered impossible, and began walking sharply up and down the narrow space that composed the interior of the camp, in- voluntarily envying the careless and caJm slumbers of the troopers, who were lying here and there on the ground, wra up in their zarapes. In the mean while day gradually broke. The owl, whose matin hoot announces the appearance of the sun, had already given its melancholy note, The captain kicked the arriero chief, who was lying by the fire, and aroused him. The worthy man ribbed his eyes several times, and when the last clouds of sleep were dissipated, and order was beginning to be re-established in his ideas, he exclaimed, while stifling a last sigh— * Carrai, captain, what fly has stung you that you awake me at so early an hour? Why, the sky has scarce turned white yet; let me sleep an hour longer. I was enjoying a most delicious dream, and se try to catch it up again, for sleep is a glorious ng.’’ The captain could not refrain from smiling at this singular outburst; still, he did not consider himself justified in listening to the arriero’s complaints, for circumstances were too serious to lose time in futile promises. Up, he Cuerpo de Cristo!"’ he shouted; “‘re- mem that we have not yet reached the Rio Seco, and that if we wish tocross this dangerous passage Lefore sunset we must make haste."’ ** That is true,’ the arriero said, who was on his legs in a moment, as fresh and lively as if he had been awake for an hour; ‘forgive me, captain, for I have quite as much interest as yourself in making no un t encounter; according to the law m fortune answers for the load Iam conveying, and if an accidont happened, Iand my family would be re- duced to beggary. ** That is true, I did not think of that clause in our contract.” y ; “That does not surprise me, for it cannot at all interest you; but I cannot get it out of my head, and I declare to you, cap that sinee I under- took this unlucky journey, I have often repented ha accepted the conditions imposed on me; sOmet telis me that we shall not arrive safe and om the other side of these confounded mountains.” ** Nonsense, that is folly. No Bautista, you are in a capital condition, and well escorted; what cause can + a have for fear?"’ “None, I know, and yet I am convinced that I am not mistakea, and this journey will be fatal to me.” The same preseratiments agitated the officer; still, he must not allow the arriero to perceive any of his internal disquistude; on the woatera’ f he must com- fort him, and restore the courage w ich seemed on the t of abandoning him. “You are mad, on my soul,” he exclaimed; “to the deuce with the absurd notion you have got in your wool-gathering noddle.”’ The arriero shook his head gravely. “You are at liberty, Don Juan Melendez,” he an- swered, *‘ to laugh at these ideas; you are an edu- cated man, and naturally believe in tig? 7 But I, caballero, am a poor ignorant Indian, and set faith in what my fathers eved before me; look you, captain, we Indians, whether civilized or savage, have hard heads, and your new ideas cannot get through our thiek skulls.” “Come, explain tpt the captain continued desirous to break off the conversation withou thwarting the arriero's prejudices; “‘what reason leads you to su that your journey will be un- lucky? you are not the man to be frightened at your own shadow; I bave been acquainted with you for a long while, and know that you possess incontesta- ble \ p-tinet & é “I thank you, captain, forthe good opinion you are to have of me: yes, I am courageous, and believe I have several times proved it, but it was when facing dangers which my intellect understood, and not before perils contrary to the natural laws that govern us.’ The captain twisted his mustache impatiently at the arriero’s fatiguing eigenen but, as he re- minded him, he knew the wo 4 man, and was aware by oxperionce that attempting to cut shert what he had to say was a loss of time, and he must be allowed to do as he liked. There are certain men with whom, like the spur with restiff horses, any attempt to urge them on is a sure means of making them go back. The Border Ri es. ee ee ——— ee wife, for a long time probably, arating from m if good-by, I proceeded toward the without saying a last the house to give her a parting the threshold, I mechanically raised my eyes, and saw | —_— = ‘‘At what place did you leave the general?’ he asked, as he pabtientoolly turned in his fingers the ,when, on reaching | open dispatch, at which he had not yet looked. ‘* At Pozo-Redondo, a little in advance of the Noria. two owls sitting on the azotea, who fixed their eyes on | de Guadalupe, captain.” me with infernal steadiness. At this unexpected ap- parition I shuddered involuntarily and turned my eyes away. At this very moment, a dying man, carried by two soldiers on a litter, came down the _ street, escorted by a monk who was reciting the | Penitential Psalms, and preparing him to die like an | ] | pertes freedom and frankness. It was evident that e honest and worthy Christian; but the wounded man made no other answer than laughing ironically at the monk. All at once this man half rose on the litter, his eyes grew brilliant, he turned to me, gave me a glance full of sarcasm, and fell back, mutter- ing these two words, evidently addressed to me; ‘* Hasta luego (we shall meet soon).’ ”’ ‘**Hum!” the captain said. “The species of rendezvous this individual gave me had nothing be flattering about it, I fancy!” the arriero continued. ‘‘I was deeply affected by the words, and I rushed toward him with the inten- tion of reproaching him, as I thought was proper— but he was, dead.”’ ‘Who was the man—did you learn ?”’ “Yes, he was a Salteador, who had been mortally wounded in a row with the citizens, and was being carried to the steps of the cathedral to die there.”’ ” Is that all?”’ the captain asked. ‘ eS be) “Well, my friend, I did well in insisting upon syd ag the motives of your present uneasiness.”’ as A ! ’ ‘* Yes, for you have interpreted the omen with which you were favored in a very different way from what you should have done.”’ ““ How so?”’ “Let me explain. This foreboding signifies, on the contrary, that with prudence and indefatigable vigilance you will foil all treachery, and lay beneath your feet any bandits who dare to attack you.”’ “Oh!” the arriero exclaimed joyfully; “‘are you sure of what you assert ?*’ “As I am of salvation in the other world,”’ the —- replied, crossing himself ferventhy. The arriero had a profound faith in the captain's words, for he held him in t esteem, owing to his evident superiority; he did not dream, consequent- ly, of doubting the assurance the latter gave him of the mistake he had made in the interpretation of the omen which had caused him such alarm; he instant- ly regained bis good spirits, and snapped his fingers mockingly. “ Carrai, if that is the case, I run no risk; hence it is useless for me to give Nuestra Senora de la Sole- dad the wax taper I promised her." “Perfectly useless,"’ the captain assured him. Now, f ry Bee vod at ease again, the arri- ero hastened rform his ordinary duties. In this way, the captain, by pretending to admit the ideas of this ignerant Indian, had led quietly to abandon them. By this time all were astir in the camp, the arri- eros were rubbing down and loading the mul while the troopers were saddling their horses an making all ag cone oa for a start. The captain watched all the movements with fever- ish on ; se gee Bayo on, scolding others, and assuring ; meself t his orders were punctually out, When all the preparations were completed, the officer orde that the morning meal should be eaten all standing, and with the bridle passed over the arm, in order to lose no time, and then gave the al for departure. e soldiers mounted, but at the moment when the column started to leave the camp finally, a loud noise was beard in the chaparral, the branches were violently pulled back, and a horseman dressed in a dragoon uniform a red ashort distance from the party, toward which he advanced at a gallop. On coming in front of the captain, he stopped short, and raised hig hand respectfully to the peak of his forage cap. “ Dios guards a V./"" he said, “have I the honor of peg with Captain Don Juan Melendez?” “Tam he,’ the captain answered in great sur- prise; ““what de you want?” “Nothing personally,’’ the trooper said, “ but I have to place a dispatch in your excellency's hands.”’ “A dispatch—from whom?”’ “From his most Excellent General Don Jose-Maria Rubio, and the contents of the dispatch must be im- portant, for the general ordered me to make the ut- most diligence, and I have ridden forty-seven leagues im nineteen hours, in order to arrive more — a . “*Good!"’ the captain answered; “ give it here.’ The dragoon drew from his bosom a letter wie a seal, and respectfully offered it to the officer. The latter took in and opened it, but, before read- ing it, he gave the motionless and impassive soldier before him a suspicious glanee, which he endured, however, with imperturbable assurance. The man seemed to be about thirty years of age, tall and well built; he wore his uniform with a cer- tain amount of ease; his intelligent features had an expression of craft and cunning, rendered more marked still by his incessantly moving black eyes, which only rested with considerable hesitation on the captain. Sum total, this individual resembled all Mexican soldiers, and there was nothing about him that could ‘““Who are you—what is your name?” ‘‘l am the assistante of his most excellent general; my name is Gregorio Lopez.”’ ‘Do you know the contents of this dispatch?"’ “‘No; but I suppose it is important.” The soldier replied to the captain’s questions with was telling the truth, After a final hesitation, Don Juan made up his mind toread; but he soon peeen frowning, and an angry expression spread over his features. his is what the dispatch contained: ** Pozo-REPONDO. “General Don Jose Maria Rubio, Supreme Military Commandant of the State of Texas, bas the honor to inform Captain Don Juan Melendez de Gongora, that fresh troubles have broken out in the State; several parties of bandits and border ruffians, under the orders of different chiefs, are going about the country pillaging and burning haciendas, stopping convoys, and interrupting the communications. In the presence of such grave facts, which compromise the public welfare and the safety of the inhabitants, the government, as their duty imperiously orders, have thought fit, in the interest of all, to take gen- eral measures to repress these disorders, before they break out on a larger scale. In consequence Texas is declared under martial law—(here followe the measures adopted by the general to suppress the rebellion, and then the dispatch went on as follows): General Don Jose-Maria Rubio having been in- formed by spies, on whose devotion he can trust, that one of the principal insurgent chiefs, to whom his comrades have given the name of the Jaguar, is reparing to carry off the conducta de plata con- fided to the escort of Captain Don Juan Melendez de Gongora, and that, for this purpose, the said cabe- cilla purpeses to form an ambuscade on the Rio Seco, a spot favorable for a surprise; Genera? Rubio orders Captain Melendez to let himself be guided by the bearer of the present dispatch, @ sure and devoted man, who will | the conducta to the Laguna del Venado, where this con- ducta will form a junction with a detachment of cavalry sent for e purpose, whose numerical strength will protect it from any ag on. Cap- tain Melendez will take the command of the troops, and join the general at head-quarters with tho least possible delay. ** Dios y libertad. “ The supreme a General commanding in the of Ter as, “Dow Josp-Mari Rusio.”” After reading this dispatch carefully, the captaiz his h and examined the soldier for an in- stant with the dee and most earnest attention. The latter, leaning on the bilt of hia sword, was carelessly playin with his knot, and apparently ying no attention to what was going on around m. “The order is tive,’’ the eaptain repeated i several times, “and I must obey it, although every~- thing tells me that this man is a traitor.” Then he added aloud— **Are you well acquainted with this part of the country ?”’ “I was born here, cap " the dragoon replied ; **there is not a hidden track I did not traverse in my youth." “ You know that you are to serve as ed guide?” “His excellency the general did me the honor of telling me so, captain.”’ * And you feel certain of guiding us safe and sound to the spot where we are std “ At least [ will do all thatis necessary."’ “Good. Are you tired?” “My horse is more so thanl. If you would grant me another, I would be at your orders immediately, for I see that you are desirous of setting out.” “lam. Choose a horse.” The soldier did not let the order be repeated. Several remounts followed the he and selected one of them, to which he transfe the saddle. In a few minutes he was mounted again. ‘*T am at your excellency's orders,"’ he said. “March,’*the captain shouted, and added men tally, “1 will not let this scoundrel out of sight. d the march.”’ . ’ CHAPTER XXVIL “+ THE GUIDE. Mitrrary law is inflexible—it has ite rules, from which it never departs, and discipline allows of neither hesitation nor tergiversation; the orientax axiom, 60 much in favor at despotic courts, ‘to hear is to obey,” is in nea ny true from a military point of view. Still, however hard this may appear at the first blush, it must be so, for if the right of discussion were granted inferiors with reference to the orders their superiors gave them. all discipline would be destroyed; the soldiers henceforth only: obeying their caprices, would grow ungovernable, and the army, instead of rendering the country the services which it has a right to expect from it, would speedily become a sco a These reflections, and many others, crossed the captain's mind, while he thoughtfully followed the ide whom his general's dispatch had so singulorly LL == EE _ a The young man, therefore, mastered his impa- | attract attention or excite suspicion. orced on him; but the order was clear and peremp- patience, and coldly said: | _ Still it was only with extreme repugnance that the tory, he was obliged to obey, and he did obey — ou “IT presume, then, you saw some evil omen at the moment of your departure?” gh he felt convinced the man to whom | ure?”’ —— saw himself compelled to enter into relations : wi he was compelled to trust was unworthy the com- - h him; the reason for this it would certainly — El TTS eee . ee aan “Indeed | did, captain; and certainly, after what | have been very difficult, if not impossible, for bim to | fidence placed in him,if he were not an utter , a I saw, I would not ave started, had I been a man. say; but there are in nature certain laws which can. | traitor. é sig 5 Pam mtg not be gainsayed, and which cause us at the mere| As for the trooper, he galloped carelessly at the : at was the omen, then?” sight of a person, and before he has even spoken, to | head of the caravan, smoking, laughing, singing, and “Do not laugh at me, captain; several passages of Scripture itself prove that, God is Often ‘pleased to | nt men th ecleh, then to which, unhappily,” a ; nee seeming to suspect the doubts entertained about m, feel a sympathy or org wren for him, and be at- | It is true that the captain carefully kept secret tracted. or rep im. Whence comes this species of secret presentiment which is never wrong it should not suspect their chief's anxiet onaies might be demoralized by the fear of an impending treachery. he captain, before starting, had given the most severe orders that the arms should be in Hicem ecomichbooksrecom roval from a man like the one he was talk ‘my mules were saddled, the recua was waiting for | me inthe corral, guarded by the bor ae and I was . on the point of starting. Still, asI did not like sep- e added with “they are not wise enough to | in its appreciation’ That we cannot explain; we | the ill opinion he had formed of the guide, and og- give credence.” merely confine ourselves to mentioning a fact, tensibly placed the utmost confidence in him; for | ‘That is true.” the captain muttered in the style | whose influence we have often undergone and | prudence demanded that in the critical situation in of an interjection.” effic recognized, during the course of our check- which the conducta was p , those who eom- * Well,”’ the arriero continued, flattered By ans a | ered life. n th; We are bound to assert that the captain did not feel at all attracted toward the man to whom we | refer, but, on the contrary, was disposed to place no confidence in him,