Part 63 (1/2)

Meanwhile Don Cornelio had made all haste to descend from the tree; and hurrying forward called his followers by name.

”Ah! Senor Capitan,” cried Costal, seeing him advance, ”I am glad you are still on your feet. Seeing your horse along with ours I had fears that some misfortune had happened to you. Quick!” continued he, addressing himself to Clara, and leaping out of the saddle, ”we must back to the lake at once, else Matlacuezc--. Senor Don Cornelio, you will be good enough to wait for us here. We have important matters on hand, and need to be alone.”

At this moment, however, a new incident arose to interrupt the designs of Costal. Five hors.e.m.e.n, and a _litera_ carried by mules, appeared suddenly in the open ground by the edge of the wood. It was Don Mariano with his domestics.

Having heard Don Cornelio p.r.o.nounce the well-known names of two of his old servitors, the haciendado had advanced in the direction whence the voice proceeded, full of hope in this unexpected succour which heaven seemed to have sent to him. He had seen the party of brigands as they rode past with the torches; and his people had easily recognised their old fellow-servants, Arroyo and Bocardo. It was a relief to know that two more faithful than they--Costal and Clara--were in the same neighbourhood. He advanced, therefore, calling them by name, while he also p.r.o.nounced the name of Lantejas--asking if it were the Don Cornelio Lantejas who had once been his guest at the hacienda of Las Palmas.

”Yes; certainly I am the same,” replied the Captain, agreeably surprised at thus finding himself among friends in a place which, up to that moment, had appeared to him so melancholy and desolate.

Before any conversation could take place between Don Cornelio and his former host, an incident of a still more thrilling character was to be enacted on the scene. From behind the belt of the cedrela forest--into which Arroyo and his followers had ridden but a few minutes before--six hors.e.m.e.n were seen debouching at full gallop, as if riding for their lives; while close upon their heels came six others, who appeared straining after them in eager pursuit!

For a moment the six in front seemed to waver in their course--as if undecided as to what direction they should take. Only for a moment, however, and then heading their horses along the sh.o.r.e of the lake, they pressed on in wildest flight. Galloping at such a rapid pace they appeared not to see either the party of Don Mariano or Don Cornelio and his two followers--who on their part had scarce time to draw back into the bushes, ere the hors.e.m.e.n went sweeping past the spot like a cloud of dust.

Despite the rapidity of their course, however, the keen eye of Costal enabled him to distinguish among the hors.e.m.e.n two of his old fellow-servants of Las Palmas--Arroyo and Bocardo.

”We are on dangerous ground here, comrade,” said he in a whisper to Clara. ”It is Arroyo and Bocardo, pursued, no doubt, by the royalists.

Whichever wins it is no good for us.”

He had scarce finished his speech, when the six hors.e.m.e.n in pursuit pa.s.sed the group, going at a pace not less rapid and furious than the others. One of the pursuers, of commanding figure, was several lengths ahead of the other five. Bent down almost to the level of his horse's neck, he appeared to be straining every muscle in the pursuit; and although his horse seemed rather to fly than gallop, the rider still kept urging him with the spur.

Clutching convulsively his broad-brimmed sombrero--which the rapid course had lifted from his head--he crushed it down over his brows in such a manner that his face was almost hidden by it. His horse at the same instant, whether frightened by the _litera_ of Gertrudis, or by some other object, s.h.i.+ed suddenly to one side--as he did so giving utterance to a strange snorting sound, which was responded to by a feeble cry from behind the curtains of the _litera_.

The cry was not heard by the horseman, who, absorbed with the pursuit of his enemy, pa.s.sed on without turning his head.

Gertrudis was not the only one who trembled with emotion on recognising the snort of the steed. It brought vividly to the remembrance of Captain Lantejas the chase he had sustained on the plain of Huaj.a.pam-- just before the powerful arm of Colonel Tres-Villas had lifted him out of his stirrups.

Neither could Don Mariano fail to recognise the peculiarity of a steed that he had so long kept in his stables; and as for the rider, the figure appeared to answer for that of Don Rafael. Could it indeed be he whom they believed to be at the siege of Huaj.a.pam? Don Mariano could scarce doubt that it was Colonel Tres-Villas who had ridden past.

”By all the devils in h.e.l.l!” cried Costal, swearing like a pagan, as he was; ”what has set the world mad on this particular night? What sends everybody this way, to interrupt the wors.h.i.+ppers of the great Tlaloc?”

”True, it is d.a.m.nably vexatious,” rejoined Clara, who was equally chagrined at this sudden and unexpected intrusion, upon what he regarded as the only chance they might ever have of an interview with the gold-finding G.o.ddess.

Putting off their invocations to a more favourable opportunity, both Indian and negro now hastened away to dress and arm themselves, in order that they might be in readiness for any untoward event; while Don Cornelio stayed beside the haciendado and his party.

As yet uncertain how to act, Don Mariano thought it better to remain where he was, and await the result of an action which he could not regard otherwise than with anxiety. It is needless to say that the occupant of the _litera_ listened with still more vivid emotion, mingled with deep apprehension, to the sounds that rung back along the sh.o.r.es of the lake.

The chase was soon too distant to be witnessed by the eye, but upon the still night air could be heard confused cries of terror and vengeance-- which indicated to all that the pursuers were closing rapidly upon the pursued.

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT.

VENGEANCE FORBORNE.

By a lucky accident Don Rafael, after leaving the hacienda of San Carlos, had ascertained that the bandit chieftains were no longer within its walls. He had also learnt the object that had carried them out--the same which was influencing himself, only from a far different motive. A renegade guerillero had made known to him the intentions of Arroyo in regard to Dona Marianita; and it is needless to say that the n.o.ble spirit of Don Rafael was, on hearing this report, only the more stimulated to overtake and destroy the bandit chieftain.

Guided by numerous signs--which the bandits, unsuspicious of being pursued, had left along their track--Don Rafael and his party found no difficulty in following them, almost at full speed. In less than an hour after leaving the hacienda, they had arrived within sight of Arroyo and his followers--still continuing the search for Dona Marianita, along the borders of the lake. The impetuosity of Don Rafael's vengeance had hindered him from using caution in his approach--else he might at once have come hand to hand with the detested enemy. As it was, he had advanced towards them into the open ground; and going at full gallop, under the clear moonlight, his party had been discovered by the bandits long before they could get within shot range. Arroyo, from whose thoughts the terrible Colonel was never for a moment absent, at once recognised him at the head of the approaching troop, and, giving the alarm to Bocardo--who equally dreaded an encounter with Don Rafael--the two brigands put spurs to their horses and rode off in dastardly flight.

Of course they were followed by their four comrades, who, recalling the fate of Panchita Jolas, had no desire to risk the reception of a similar treatment.

The sight of that hated enemy--for whom Don Rafael had so long fruitlessly searched--stirred within him all the angry energies of his nature, and, involuntarily uttering a wild cry, he charged forward in pursuit.