Part 32 (1/2)
CHAPTER XVII
THINGS REVEALED ON THE HEIGHTS
All the Castilians but Padre Vicente and Don Diego went with the warriors to the western heights. For reasons of his own, the padre preferred the pueblo when freed of the influence of Tahn-te, and Don Diego preferred to bear him company,--a secretary could well look after the records of warfare, if it came to warfare, though for his own part he believed not any of the heathen prophecy of the coming of warriors, and wondered much that his eminence, the padre, showed patience with their pagan mummeries. He a.s.sured the padre that it would be a wrong against Holy Church to grant the sacraments to the pagan Cacique until that doom of the outcast had been revoked;--To take the power of high G.o.d for the managing of pueblo matters was not a thing to grant absolution for! And Padre Vicente, to quiet his anxiety on that score, agreed that when the pagan Cacique came for absolution, he should be reminded of his iniquity.
And while they settled this weighty matter, the young Ruler who had prophesied, moved contrary to custom, with the leaders across the high mesa, and was followed by the Castilian hors.e.m.e.n, in their s.h.i.+ning coats of mail, and on a mule led by Gonzalvo rode Yahn, unafraid, and with proud looks.
And ever her eyes rested on Ka-yemo who held his place of chief, and chanted a war song, and was so handsome a barbarian that Don Ruy made mention of it, and told the secretary that he was worth an entire page of the ”Relaciones,” even though not a thing of war came in their trail.
The great white cliff of a thousand homes of the past, filled the Castilian mind with wonder. Generations had lived and died since the ghost city of the other days had throbbed with life, still the stucco of the walls was yet ivory white, and creamy yellow, and it looked from the pine woods like a far reaching castle of dreams.
It was nearing the sunset, and a windless heat brooded over the heights where usually the pines made whisperings, clouds of flame color hung above the dark summits of the mountain, and the reflected light turned the ghostly dwellings to a place of blood-tinged mystery.
More than one of the adventurers crossed themselves. Don Ruy said it looked, in the lurid glow, like a place of enchantment.
”But there are beautiful enchantments,” said Chico--”and this may be one of them! Think you we might find walls pictured by Merlin the magian if we but climb the steep? Magic that is beautiful should not be hedged around by a mere ocean or two!”
”This is the place of the ghost woman,” stated Yahn,--”and Shufinne, where the women are afraid, is beyond.”
Within sight was Shufinne, and there the Castilians had expected to camp. But among the older Indians there had been talk--and who can gauge the heathen mind?
”Two camps will we make,” they decided. ”Here is most water for the animals and here our white brothers can wait; at Shufinne will the Te-hua guard be awake all the night, and give warning if the enemy comes,--other guards will watch the trail of the canon. Thus we cover much ground,--no one can pa.s.s to the villages of the river;--and quickly can all camps help the one where the enemy comes.”
”Not so bad is the generals.h.i.+p in spreading their net,” said Don Ruy.
”Nor in excluding the stranger from the hiding place of their pretty maids,” added Chico with amus.e.m.e.nt. ”Ysobel--ride you close to me.
This is the place where they herd their women, and guard them,--and you are not so ill favored in many ways as some I have seen.”
Ysobel whimpered that it was not to follow war she had left Mexico and her own people, and like Don Diego she could see no good reason to search for trouble in the hills.
”Then why not stay behind safe walls with the padre?” asked Don Ruy, and Ysobel went dumb and looked at Chico--and the lad shrugged and smiled.
”Has she not married a man?” he queried, ”and does not the boy Cupid make women do things most wondrous strange in every land? Jose would fare as well without her watchful eye, but no power could make her think it,--so come she would on a lop-eared mule despite all my fine logic!”
”You--yourself--would come!” retorted Ysobel, ”so what--”
But Chico prodded the mule so that it went frisky and sent its heels in the air, and but for Don Ruy the beast might have left the woman on the ground.
”What imp possesses you to do mischief to the dame?” he demanded--”and why laugh that she follows her husband? When you have more years you may perhaps learn what devotion may mean!”
”Never do I intend to strive for more knowledge of it than I possess at this moment!” declared Chico--”see to what straits it has led that poor girl, who, but for this matter of a man, would have been good and safe working in a convent garden. Small profit this marriage business is!”
”A selfish Jack-a-napes might you be called,” remarked Don Ruy, ”and much I wonder that the woman bears patiently your quips. Give us ten more years, and we'll see you mated and well paid for them!”
”Ten years!”--and the lad whistled,--”let me wait ten of my years and I can wait the rest of them!”
”Name of the devil!” laughed Don Ruy--”if you grow impatient for a mate, we'll charge yon citadel and capture one for you!”
”Oh, my patience can keep step with your own will, Excellency,”