Part 6 (2/2)
At the sight of him there rose up all at once in their recollection that scene upon the Shell Road; the Texan vividly recalling how he had ducked the caitiff in the ditch, as how he looked after crawling out upon the bank--e contrast to his splendid appearance now! And Kearney well re in addition a scar on Santander's cheek--he had hiht to conceal beneath whiskers since perth and breadth
These reh to make the heart of the captive Irishman beat quick, if it did not quail; while that of the Texan had like reason to throb apprehensively
Nor could they draw any comfort from the expression on Santander's face
Instead, they but read there what they ht well believe to be their death sentence The , but it was the s to say, without spoken word but, for all that, emphatically and with determination--
”I have you in eance”
They could tell it was no accident had brought him thither no duty of prison inspection--but the fiendish purpose to flaunt his grandeur before their eyes, and gloat over the misery he kneould cause them And his presence explained what had hitherto been a puzzle to the their captive coe fellowshi+p It must have been to humiliate them; as, indeed, they could now tell by a certain speech which the gaol-governor addressed to Santander, as the cell door turned back upon its hinges
”There they are, Senor Colonel! As you see, I've had the to orders What a well-matched pair!” he added, ironically, as his eyes fell upon Cris Rock and the hunchback ”_Ay Dios_! It's a sight to draw laughter froed within these walls Ha! ha! ha!”
It drew this fro the jest, joined in the ”ha! ha!” till the old convent rang with their coarse ribaldry
CHAPTER TWELVE
”DO YOUR DARNDEST”
During all this time--only a few seconds it was--the four men within the cell preserved silence; the dwarf, as the door alone was drawn open, having said to the gaol-governor: ”_Buenas Dias Excellenza_! you're co to set us free, aren't you?”
A ht be supposed, the deformed wretch could have little hope of deliverance, save by the gallows, to which he had actually been condemned A creature of indohtened hiiven Besides, he did not believe he was going to the _garota_ Murderer though he was, he ht expect pardon, could he only find money sufficient to pay the price, and satisfy the conscience of those who had hi
His question was neither answered nor hi now directed upon the other occupants of the cell Of these only two had their faces so that they could be seen The third, as the reputed robber, kept his turned towards the wall, the opened door being behind his back; and this attitude he preserved, not being called upon to change it till Santander had closed his conversation with Cris Rock and Kearney He had opened it in a jaunty, jeering tone, saying--
”Well, my brave Filibusters! Is this where you are? _Caspita_! In a queer place and queer company, too! Not so nice, Senor Don Florencio, as that you used to keep in the Crescent City And you, my Texan Colossus! I take it you don't find the atmosphere of the Acordada quite so pleasant as the fresh breezes of prairie-land, eh?”
He paused, as if to note the effect of his irony; then continued--
”So this is the ending of the grand Mier Expedition, with the further invasion of Mexico! Well, you've found your way to its capital, anyhow, if you haven't fought it And now you're here, what do you expect, pray?”
”Not ood from sich a scoundrel as you,” responded Rock, in a tone of reckless defiance
”What! No good froht rather to call myself, after the little scene that passed between us on the shores of Pontchartrain Coers you should think yourselves fortunate in finding an old coations Ah! well; having the opportunity now, I shall try my best to wipe out the indebtedness”
”You kin do your darndest,” rejoined Rock in the same sullen tone ”We don't look for marcy at your hands nosomever It ain't in ye; an if 't war, Cris Rock 'ud scorn to claihill, whar there be cocks like to be scared at it Thar ain't neery one o' that sort hyar”
Santander was taken aback by this unlooked-for rebuff He had coe in the luxury of a little vapouring over his fallen foes, who been informed of all that had befallen them froer to crave life froranted than to a brace of dogs that had bitten hi any fear, both prisoners looked a little defiant; the Texan with the air of a caged wolf see ready to tear him if he showed but a step over the threshold of the cell
”Oh! very well,” he returned, ht of what Rock had said ”If you won't accept favours from an old, and, as you know, tried friend, Ihimself more directly to Kearney:
”You, Senor Irlandes--surely you won't be so unreasonable?”
”Carlos Santander,” said the young Irish his _ci-devant_ adversary full in the face, ”as I proved you not worth thrusting with my sword, I now pronounce you not worth words--even to call you coward,-- though that you are from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet Not even brave when your body is encased in armour Dastard! I defy you”