Part 16 (2/2)
”Those men on the buffalo cart evidently knew nothing.”
”The rebels don't care for the _amigos_. Their idea is, if a native is not with them, he is against them, and must suffer with the Americans.”
To play the part of spies in such a country as this was not easy, for the Americans were easily distinguished from the natives. Had Ben and the major spoken Spanish fluently, they might have pa.s.sed for Spaniards, as each was tanned from constant exposure to the strong sun. But this could not be, and so they had to go ahead and trust to luck to see them through with their dangerous errand.
At length they felt that they must be close to the enemy's picket line, and paused to consider the situation. Before them was a gentle slope, terminating at a small but deep stream which flowed into the Rio Grande River.
”I think some of the rebels are over there,” said the major, pointing to a hill, from the top of which could be seen a faint glow. ”There is certainly a camp-fire back there.”
”There is a house just below us,” returned Ben. ”Or is it a mill?”
”A mill most likely. They wouldn't build an ordinary dwelling right at the water's edge.”
”Perhaps the rebels are using the mill as a sort of headquarters. What do you say if we investigate?”
The major agreed, and they began to pick their way along the stream.
Soon they reached a rude bridge, and were on the point of crossing, when a sharp cry rang out from the building they were approaching.
”Hullo, that's a woman's voice!” exclaimed Ben. ”Somebody is in trouble.”
”Help! thief! murderer!” came in Spanish. ”Oh, help, for the love of kind Heaven, help!”
”It's a woman, true enough!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the major. ”I wonder what the trouble is?”
”I'm going to find out,” answered Ben. The cry for aid appealed to his heart, and he bounded toward the mill-house, for such the building proved to be, without further hesitation. Nor was Major Morris far behind him.
As they came closer they saw that the structure was dark, saving for a faint light that came from one of the rooms built over the mill stream. It was in this room, evidently, that some sort of struggle was going on, for now both heard the cry for help repeated, followed by the overturning of a table. Then came the voices of two men, and the cry came to a sudden end.
”Two men are misusing some woman,” cried Ben, ”come on!” and rus.h.i.+ng around to the front of the building, he found the rickety stairs leading to the house floor, and bounded upward. The door at the top stood ajar and he pushed it in, with Major Morris at his heels. The room at hand was dark, the struggle was going on in the apartment next to it.
Ben paused long enough to see that his pistol had not sustained any injury in the tumble into the hole, and was ready for use, and then threw open the door before him.
The light in the room was not very bright, but coming out of the darkness Ben could see but little, for a few seconds. The room was thick with the smoke of cigarettes, and through the haze the young captain made out two men standing beside an overturned table, one with a knife in his hand. To his intense surprise the men were Americans and dressed in the uniforms of regulars.
”What does this mean?” he demanded. ”What are you--”
And then Ben got no further, for a swift look around the room told him that the two men were alone--that the woman he had heard crying for help was not there.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE ADVENTURE AT THE MILL-HOUSE
For the moment it must be confessed that Ben was absolutely dumfounded, and Major Morris also. They had fully expected to see a woman in the hands of the regulars before them, and they could scarcely believe the evidence of their own senses.
But if the officers were astonished, the men they confronted were likewise taken back, and stared in amazement, which quickly gave way to consternation.
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