Part 6 (1/2)

It was some consolation to theh they would have liked it better could they have had this all to the bestowed in it along with them

It was an apartht feet by ten-- the cloister of soh life of it there, or, if not there, in the refectory outside, in the days when the Acordada was a pleasant place of residence for himself and his cowled companions For his monastery, as ”Bolton Abbey in the olden ti no anchorites

Beside the Texan prisoners, its other occupants noere men of Mexican birth One of them, under more favourable circumstances, would have presented a fine appearance Even in his prison garb, soentle nomy, which proclaimed him no common man

Captivity rade, the lion

And just as a lion in its cage seemed this man in a cell of the Acordada His face was of the rotund type, bold in its expression, yet with soentle humanity, seen when searched for, in the profound depths of a dark penetrating eye His complexion was a clear olive, such as is coeny of the Conquistadors; his beard and moustache coal-black, as also the thickout and down over his ears, half concealed theht Nor liked him much the less when told he had been a robber! Cris supposed that in Mexico a robber may sometimes be an honest h so is less a crime, or at all events, istrate himself is a freebooter; and such, at this istrate of Mexico, Don Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

Beyond the fact, or it ht be only suspicion, that Ruperto Rivas was a robber, little see the inmates of the Acordada He had been there only a short while, and took no part in their vulgar, co within his cell His naht up in the minds of so to him as one of the road fraternity; no common one either, but the chief of a band of ”salteadores”

Altogether different was the fourth personage entitled to a share in the cell appropriated to Kearney and Cris Rock; unlike the reputed robber as the Satyr to Hyperion In short, a contrast of the cos claireater dissi very types of the extreme Ruperto Rivas, despite the shabby habiliaol authorities had arrayed hirandeur, while El Zorillo--the little fox, as his prison companions called him--was an epitomised impersonation of wickedness andin point of fact an _enano_ or dwarf-hunchback

Previous to the arrival of those ere henceforth to share their cell, this ill-assorted pair had been kept chained together, as aol-governor, as if struck by a comical idea, directed them to be separated, and the dwarf linked to the Texan Colossus--thus presenting a yet more ludicrous contrast of couples--while the ex-captain of the filibusters and the reputed robber were consigned to the same chain

Of the new occupants of the cloister, Cris Rock was the h to feel sympathy for humanity in any shape, and he would have pitied his deformed fellow-prisoner, but for a deforliness; for the Texan soon learnt that the hideous creature, whose couch as well as chain he was forced to share, had co the rest murder! It was, in fact, for this last that he was now in the Acordada--a cowardlyThat he still lived was due to the proofs not being legally satisfactory, though no one doubted of his having perpetrated the crime At first contact with this wretch the Texan had recoiled in horror, without knowing aught of his past There was that in his face which spoke a history of dark deeds But when this became known to the new denizens of the cell, the proxi to theeance itself could not have devised a roaned under it, now and then grinding his teeth and sta his feet, as if he could have trodden theinto a still more shapeless mass under the heels of his heavy boots

For the first two days of their imprisonment in the Acordada neither of the Texans could understand why they were being thus punished--as it were to satisfy some personal spite None of the other Mier prisoners, of whoaol, were subradation True, these were also chained two and two; but to one another, and not to Mexican criminals Why, then, had they alone been uess, though they gave way to every kind of conjecture It was true enough that Cris Rock had been one of the ringleaders in the rising at El Salado, while the young Irishman had also taken a prominent part in that affair

Still, there were others now in the Acordada who had done the saether different The attack upon the Guards, therefore, could scarce be the cause of what they were called upon to suffer now; for besides the hu chained to criminals, they were otherwise severely dealt with The food set before them was of the coarsest, with a scarcity of it; and aoler, whose duty it was to look after therotesque coovernor had shown, on his first having thens of a special hostility, so did their daily attendant But for what reason neither Florence Kearney nor his faithful coth--on the third day after their entrance within the prison All was explained by the door of their cell being drawn open, exposing to view the face and figure of alike a cry escaped, as they saw standing without, by the side of the gaol-governor--Carlos Santander

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A COLONEL IN FULL FEATHER

Yes; outside the door of their cell was Carlos Santander And in full war panoply, wearing asword by his side, and on his head a cocked hat, surmounted by a _panache_ of white ostrich feathers!

To explain his presence there, and in such guise, it is necessary to return upon time and state some particulars of this man's life not yet before the reader As already said, he was a native of New Orleans, but of Mexican parentage, and regarding hi more than a mere citizen, indeed; as, previous to his encounter with Florence Kearney, he had been for a ti some sort of appointment under that Government, or fro in New Orleans no one exactly knew, though a his intimates there was an impression that he still served his Mexican ent--a sort of _procurador_, or spy Nor did this suspicion do hi work for hinified with the name of diplomacy

Proof of its vile character is afforded by the action he took a hi enrolled in the corps, and offering as a candidate for the captaincy, were all done under instructions, and with a design which, for wickedness and cold-blooded atrocity, orthy of Satan hi the leader of this ill-fated band, for theh it would not have been better; since it was his intention to betray them to the enemy at the first opportunity that should offer Thwarted in this intent, knowing he could no longer show his face ah it were but as a private in the ranks; fearing, furthermore, the shame that awaited him in New Orleans soon as the affair of the steel shi+rt should get bruited about, he had hastily decamped from that place, and, as , once more made his way to Mexico

Luckily for him, the shi+rt, or rather under-shi+rt, business leaked not out; at least not to reach the ears of any one in the Mexican capital

Nor, indeed, was it ever much known in New Orleans His second, Duperon, for his own sake not desiring toof it; and their doctor, a close little Frenchman, controlled by Duperon, remained equally reticent; while all those on the other side--Kearney, Crittenden, Rock and the surgeon--had taken departure for Texas on the very day of the duel; fro ”other fish to fry”

But there were still the two hackney-drivers, who, no doubt, had they stayed in the Crescent City in pursuit of their daily avocation, would have given notoriety to an occurrence curious as it was scandalous

It chanced, however, that both the jarveys were Irishmen; and suddenly s the spectacle of the duel, or the gallant behaviour of their young country to athe rief on the Rio Grande

So, for the time, Carlos Santander had escaped the brand of infamy due to his dastardly act

His reappearance on the scene in such grand garb needs little explanation A fairly brave and skilled soldier, a vainer man than General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna never wore sword, and one of his foibles was to see hi escort The officers of his staff were very peacocks in their gaudy adorn of the to Mexico, was appointed one of his aides-de-ca just the sort--a showy fellow--soon rose to rank; so that the defeated candidate for a captaincy of Texan Volunteers, was now a colonel in the Mexican Army, on the personal staff of its Commander-in-Chief

Had Florence Kearney and Cris Rock but known they were tohim, as he was now, at the door of their prison-cell--their hearts would have been fainter as they toiled along the weary way, and perchance in that lottery of life and death they ht have little cared whether they drew black or white