THE SUCCOUR.
The emotion caused by the strange apparition we described in the last
chapter was gradually dissipated; minds regained their equilibrium,
and ere long the travellers, reassured by each other's presence,
laughed and jested at the terror they had felt. Two of them, however,
more obstinate, or more affected than the rest, wished to detect
the meaning of this extraordinary adventure, and, as if by common
accord, though they did not communicate to each other the result of
their reflections, they fetched their horses, mounted, and rushed into
the forest from two opposite points. These two men were Don Aurelio
Gutiérrez and the Canadian adventurer, known as the Sumach.
Their absence was long, and their comrades impatiently awaited their
return for several hours. At length they reappeared, each coming in
a direction opposed to that in which he had set out. For a radius of
four leagues round the clearing, they had explored the forest, clump
by clump, bush by bush, but in vain; their researches had obtained no
result; they had discovered no trace, and found no sign which might
lead them to the truth. At one moment the adventurer fancied that he
heard the distant gallop of a horse; but the sound was so remote, so
indistinct, that it was impossible for him to form any opinion or
acquire a certainty. As for Don Aurelio, the forest had been as silent
to him as a tomb.
Both, therefore, rejoined their companions with hanging heads and
minds occupied with this apparition, which seemed to them the stranger
because their staunch hearts and straightforward minds could not accept
it as a divine intervention, and yet it could not be an hallucination.
At the moment when they re-entered the clearing the night was nearly
spent, the stars were growing pale, and expiring one after another.
Wide tinted bands were beginning to appear athwart the horizon, the
flowers and plants exhaled a sharper and more penetrating perfume, and
the birds nestled beneath the leaves were already preluding with timid
notes the melodious concert with which they each morning salute the
break of day. The sun would make its appearance ere long.
The horses were saddled, and the travellers had only been awaiting the
return of the two explorers to resume their journey. At the moment when
Don Aurelio was about to give the signal to start, the Sumach walked up
to him and laid his hand on the bridle of his horse.
"One moment," he said; "before we start I should wish to make a few
remarks to you."
The Mexican regarded the adventurer closely, and read on his thoughtful
face so serious an expression that he bowed to him deferentially.
"I am listening to you," he said.
The Sumach, as the surname he bore sufficiently proved, was a man
endowed with that ferocious and blunt courage to which every contest
is a holiday, and which overthrows any obstacles that rise before it,
however great they may be. Deeds done by this man were related which
displayed a boldness and temerity bordering on the prodigious. Fear
was as unknown to him as was weakness. But he was a Canadian; that is
to say, he belonged to that hardy Norman race, so superstitious and
credulous, which trembles at night at the dashing of an owl's wing
against a pane of glass, and for which apparitions and phantoms are
almost articles of belief. In a word, this man, who would have been
unmoved by the sight of twenty rifles pointed at his bosom, had an
inward tremor at the thought of the past night's apparition. And yet,
so peculiar is the human mind, the suspicious being who had so startled
him had scarce disappeared ere he rushed in pursuit. The truth was that
his indomitable courage had revolted at the thought of the involuntary
panic, his heart palpitated with shame, and he tried to discover the
truth or falsehood there might be in the occurrence.
The sterile hunt he had made in the forest had put the final touch on
his mental confusion, conviction was forced upon him, and now he felt
certain that a supernatural intervention had given them a warning which
they would do very wrong in neglecting. This was the reason which made
him oppose the immediate departure of the travellers and address Don
Aurelio.
"Listen, caballero," he said to him, in a firm voice, "I am only an
ignorant adventurer to whom books have hitherto been unknown things.
There are few things in the world I fear, but I am a Christian and a
Catholic; as such I cannot believe that God would disturb the order
of nature without some powerful reason. What is your opinion in the
matter?"
"I entirely share your opinion, my good fellow," Don Aurelio replied,
who, a good Catholic himself, and sincerely attached to his religion,
did not dream of disputing its dogmas and creeds.
"In that case," the adventurer continued, "trusting only to my own poor
judgment, the being who appeared to us a few hours ago does not belong
to this world. Yourself fired two pistol shots almost point-blank
without hitting, and though we started immediately in pursuit we found
no signs or trace. Is that so?"
"I must allow, señor, that all this is not only perfectly true but
strictly exact."
"Very good," the Sumach continued, evidently pleased with this answer.
"Now, neither of us can affirm with certainty whether this being comes
from heaven or the other place; but that is of but slight importance
to me. What I consider as far more serious is the advice offered to us.
Whether it be true or false we are unable to discover at this moment,
but it is our duty not to neglect it. If a serious danger menaces
your friends we are not numerous enough at this moment to offer them
effectual help."
"That is just; but what is to be done?" the Mexican remarked, struck by
the adventurer's logical reasoning.
"Patience," the latter said, with a smile full of meaning. "Did not
my comrade, Moonshine, tell you last night that if you broke your
engagement with me I should not fail of avengers."
"It is true," Don Aurelio exclaimed, eagerly.
"Well," the Canadian said, "what I did not care to tell you then I
will confess now. I have some twenty comrades a few leagues from here,
Canadians like myself, all resolute men and devoted to me. I was going
to rejoin them last night when we met. I will place them at your
orders, if you like, for this expedition, on the understanding that
when the danger has passed--should there be any--if the conditions we
offer do not please you, we shall be at liberty to withdraw in safety."
"Certainly," Viscachu exclaimed, yielding involuntarily to the joy
he probably experienced; but, recognizing at once the fault he had
committed, he humbly withdrew behind his master, muttering--
"Pardon me, Señor Caballero."
"I pledge you my word as a gentleman," Don Aurelio answered; "then you
have at your disposal twenty bold comrades?"
"Yes, or nearly so," the adventurer said; "and I offer them to you."
"Unfortunately we are in a hurry, and you will not have time to warn
them."
"Well, I did not think of that," the Canadian said, thoughtfully.
"Where are they at this moment?"
"I told you; about two leagues from here."
"But in what direction?" Don Aurelio pressed him.
"Hang it! As you belong to the country, you will know better than I;
they are encamped at a place called the Giant's Peak, on the road
running to the Hacienda del Barrio."
"What!" the Mexican exclaimed, in delight, "Why that is the very
hacienda we are going to!"
"Can it be possible?" the adventurer asked, in amazement.
"Nothing is truer; my friends are going to assemble there."
"If that be the case, it is useless to lose any further valuable time;
let us be off at once."
"Of course; I am most anxious to do so."
"By the way," said the Sumach, "I will go on ahead, so as to warn my
comrades, in that way you will not be obliged to make a circuit to
reach our camp, and when you arrive opposite the Giant's Peak, you will
find us on the road ready to follow you. Does that suit you?"
"¡Canarios! I should think so; you are a precious man, you think of
everything, so be off at once."
The Canadian dug his spurs into his horse's flanks and started at
full speed. The travellers followed him at once; their pace, though
rapid, was however much more moderate than that of the adventurer, who
appeared to devour space. Moonshine remained with the Mexicans, and
galloped by the side of Don Aurelio.
"Why did you not tell me about your cuadrilla?" the latter asked him.
"Pardon me, señor," the Canadian said, "but your memory fails you at
this moment; I was about to speak of it when my friend, the Sumach,
forced me to be silent."
"That is true; I remember."
"Now," he continued, "I will take the liberty of remarking, that in
speaking of my comrade's party you used the words _your_ cuadrilla."
"Well," Don Aurelio observed, "have I unwittingly offended you by that
qualification?"
"Not at all, señor; still I will inform you that I do not at all belong
to this cuadrilla, as you call it; I am simply a buffalo hunter and
beaver trapper. I do not say that when the opportunity offers to draw
a bead on a redskin I refuse to do so; far from it--it is, in fact, an
amusement in which I frequently indulge; but soldiering is not at all
in my line."
"I thought you an intimate friend of your countryman," the Mexican
remarked.
"You were not mistaken," the hunter answered, "we are indeed very old
friends, though our avocations are diametrically opposed."
"And on the present occasion, would you refuse the support of your arm
in defending the good cause?"
"I do not know what you call the good cause," the Canadian replied,
simply, "and, as a foreigner, I care very little to learn what it is.
Thanks to heaven your disputes do not concern me the least in the
world; but I should consider myself a coward if I abandoned a man with
whom I have eaten and drunk, and by whose side I have slept, when a
serious danger seems to threaten him. Hence you can safely reckon on
me."
"Thanks, caballero," the Mexican said, warmly; "you are a man whose
heart is in the right place."
"I believe it is; but I do not see why you should take the trouble to
thank me for so natural a thing as this."
Don Aurelio regarded him for a moment with repressed admiration.
"Let me shake your hand," he said to him.
"With pleasure," the hunter simply replied.
During the preceding conversation the sun had risen on the horizon,
and beneath the influence of its hot and enlivening beams, which made
the pebbles in the road glisten like diamonds, the scenery had lost
that stern appearance which the darkness had imparted to it. A warm
vapour rose from the ground and formed a species of; transparent fog,
that refreshed the atmosphere which was already rendered sultry by the
sun; the leaves damp with dew seemed greener, the birds twittered in
rivalry, and at times an elk or antelope, startled by the thundering
echo of the horses' hoofs, leaped from beneath a bush, and dashed madly
away with head thrown back and dilated eye; or the alligators raised
their heavy heads from the mud in which they were imbedded, and after
gazing at the travellers for a moment, plunged into the lake.
The Mexicans galloped on thus without the slightest incident for about
two hours, conversing together about indifferent topics, and apparently
as tranquil as if they were not going to meet a probable danger. They
had left for some time the banks of the lake which they had hitherto
been following, and, turning to the right, entered a narrow track,
the bed of a dried-up torrent, encased between two hills over which
mighty oaks formed a dense dome of verdure which the sunbeams could not
penetrate.
"The Giant's Peak is only a league and a half to our left," Don Aurelio
said to the Canadian.
"In that case," the latter quietly replied, "we shall soon come up with
our friends; they must be waiting for us at the end of that canyon."
In fact, when the travellers passed through the species of defile in
which they were, they saw, about fifty yards ahead of them, a party of
horsemen drawn up in good order, at whose head Don Aurelio recognized,
with a delight he did not attempt to conceal, the worthy adventurer.
The two bands were soon commingled.
"Thanks," the Mexican said with a smile to the Canadian; "you are a man
of your word."
"Did you doubt it?" the other remarked.
"Certainly not."
And they continued their journey at a gallop. They had at the most but
two leagues to go ere they reached the hacienda. Moonshine spurred his
horse, which soon carried him twenty yards ahead of the party.
"Where are you going?" Don Aurelio shouted to him.
"To scout," the hunter answered; "let me alone. We must not fall into a
wasps' nest."
"Go on, my friend," said the Mexican.
The hunter went off; but a quarter of an hour had scarce elapsed ere
his comrades saw him returning at full gallop, and making them signs to
halt, which they obeyed.
"Oh, oh!" Moonshine exclaimed, so soon as he had rejoined them, "the
warning was good: whether angel or demon, the person who gave it was
well informed."
"Explain, explain," his hearers shouted.
"Silence," the hunter replied. "Listen!"
All did so; and then the distant detonation of firearms could be
distinctly heard.
"What is happening?" Don Aurelio asked, a prey to the liveliest anxiety.
"A very simple thing," the hunter answered; "two or three hundred
Indians, or at least men dressed in their garb, are furiously attacking
the hacienda, the inhabitants of which are offering the most vigorous
resistance."
"¡Caray! Comrades, we must hasten to their assistance," Don Aurelio
exclaimed.
"That is also my opinion; but take my advice; let us not act rashly,
but take our precautions, for these Indians appear to me suspicious;
they manage their pieces too well, and take too good an aim to be real
redskins, and Indians would never venture to attack in open daylight a
fortress like the one before us."
"Then your opinion is--"
"That they are disguised Spaniards, viva Dios, and nought else."
"We cannot hesitate," said the Sumach. "Every minute is worth an age.
Let us approach softly, so as not to reveal our presence prematurely,
and when we are near enough to the demons, let us charge them
vigorously."
"Yes, we have nothing else to do. Forward!" Don Aurelio shouted.
"Forward!" the adventurers repeated.
The nearer they drew, the more distinct the sound became. With
the shots were mingled ferocious yells and howls uttered by the
assailants, and to which the defenders of the hacienda responded with
equally ferocious cries. They soon came in sight of the fortress, and
perceived the combatants. The engagement was of a serious nature. The
Indians, or men looking like them, fought with incredible energy and
contempt of death, trying, in spite of the fire of the besieged, to
escalade the walls of the hacienda, the top of which several of them
were on the point of reaching. In spite of the courage they evinced,
the defenders were unfortunately too few to carry on the contest much
longer with any prospect of victory.
All at once a formidable cry was raised, and the Indians, furiously
attacked in the rear, were obliged to wheel round. It was the charge
of the adventurers. At the same moment further succour arrived for the
besieged, for a second band of strangers rushed forward like a manada
of forest tigers, and taking the Indians on the flank, made a desperate
attack. The latter bravely supported this double assault, which they
resisted with the utmost bravery; but the defenders of the hacienda
finding they were at liberty through this providential help, which
they were far from anticipating, made a sortie, and proceeded to help
their defenders. There it became no longer a fight, but a butchery. The
Indians, after disputing the ground for some moments, recognized the
madness of a longer contest. They turned their backs, and sought safety
in flight.
The second band, which charged the Indians simultaneously with the
Canadians, had also disappeared. Still the Sumach, with a surprise
mingled with horror, fancied that he recognized at the head of this
band the fantastic being who had appeared in the forest; hence, in his
simple credulity, he was not far from supposing that these combatants
who vanished so suddenly were demons. When the few wounded white men
were picked up, the adventurers, and those who had given them such
effectual assistance, entered the hacienda. The plain, so noisy a few
moments previously, became silent and solitary once again; and the
birds of prey, left masters of the obstinately disputed battlefield,
began circling heavily above the corpses, with hoarse and sinister
croaks of joy.