With unappeased impatience the Dictator awaited the return of the
pursuing party, or some news of it. The last he in time received at
first hand from the lips of its leader, who, after nightfall, had
hastened back to the city and reported himself at the Palace.
"You have taken them?" interrogated Santa Anna, as the Hussar officer,
no longer in a glitter of gold lace, but dim with sweat and dust, was
ushered into his presence.
He put the question doubtingly; indeed, from the expression of
Santander's face, almost sure of receiving a negative answer. Negative
it was--
"Not yet, Sire; I regret to say they are still at large."
The rejoinder was preceded by a string of exclamatory phrases, ill
becoming the Chief of the State. But Santa Anna, being a soldier,
claimed a soldier's privilege of swearing, and among his familiars was
accustomed to it as any common trooper. After venting a strong
ebullition of oaths, he calmed down a little, saying--
"Give me a full account of what you've seen and done."
This was rendered in detail, from the time of the pursuit being entered
upon till it had ended abortively, by the coming on of night.
Chancing to be in the Maza, the Colonel said, when word reached him of
what had occurred in the Calle de Plateros, he made all haste to pursue
with a squadron of Hussars. Why he took so many, was that he might be
able to send a force along every road, in case it should be necessary.
He found the _escapados_ had gone out by El Nino Perdido, the sergeant
on guard there allowing them to go past.
"See that he be put under arrest!"
"He's under arrest now, your Excellency. I had that done as I was
returning."
"Proceed with your relation!"
Which Santander did, telling how he had followed the fugitive party
along the San Angel Road, and there met a troop of Lancers from
Chapultepec. Some field-labourers had seen a carriage turn off towards
Coyoacan; and taking that route he soon after came up with it. It was
stopped on the roadside: empty, horses gone, the harness strewed over
the ground hacked and cut; the _cochero_ strapped to one of the wheels,
and gagged with the handle of his whip!
When the man was released he could tell nothing more than that the four
had mounted his horses, a pair upon each, and galloped off across the
country, on a sort of bridle path, as if making for the San Antonio
Road.
Turning in that direction, Santander soon discovered that they had
entered into a tract of _chapparal_; and while this was being searched
for them, the unharnessed horses were observed rushing to and fro in
frenzied gallop, riderless of course. When caught, it was seen why they
were now excited, one of them having its ear slit, the blood still
dropping from the wound.
The _chapparal_ was quartered in every direction; but he soon came to
the conclusion it was no use searching for them there.
"_Carramba_!" interrupted his listener; "of course not I know the place
well. And if you, Senor Colonel, were as well acquainted with that
_chapparal_, and what lies alongside it, as one of those you were after,
you'd have dropped the search sooner. You needn't tell me more; I can
guess the finish; they got off into the Pedregal."
"So it would seem, your Excellency."
"Seem! So it is, _por cierto_. And looking for them there would be so
much lost time. Around your native city, New Orleans, there are swamps
where the runaway slave manages to hide himself. He'd have a better
chance of concealment here, among rocks, in that same quarter you've
just come from. It's a very labyrinth. But what did you afterwards?
You may as well complete your narrative."
"There is not much more to tell, Sire; for little more could we do. The
darkness came on, as we discovered they had taken to the rocks."
"You did discover that?"
"Yes, your Excellency. We found the place where they had gone up over a
sort of cliff. There were scratches made by their feet, with a branch
broken off one of the cactus plants; some of the sewer mud, too, was on
the rock. But there was no path, and I saw it would be useless carrying
the pursuit any further till we should have the light of morning. I've
taken every precaution, however, to prevent their getting out of the
Pedregal."
"What precautions?"
"By completely enfilading it, Sire. I sent the Lancers round by San
Geromino and Contreras; the Hussars to go in the opposite direction by
San Augustin. They have orders to drop a picket at every path that
leads from it, till they meet on the other side."
"Well, Senor Colonel, your strategy is good. I don't see that you could
have done better under the circumstances. But it's doubtful whether we
shall be able to trap our foxes in the Pedregal. One of them knows its
paths too well to let night or darkness hinder his travelling along
them. He'll be through it before your pickets can get to their
stations. Yes; and off to a hiding-place he has elsewhere--a safer
one--somewhere in the Sierras. Confound those Sierras with their
caverns and forests. They're full of my enemies, rebels, and robbers.
But I'll have them rooted out, hanged, shot, till I clear the country of
disaffection. _Carajo_! I shall be master of Mexico, not only in name,
but deeds. Emperor in reality!"
Excited by the thought of unrestrained rule and dreams of vengeance--
sweet to the despot as blood to the tiger--he sprang out of his chair,
and paced to and fro, gesticulating in a violent manner.
"Yes, Senor Colonel!" he continued in tone satisfied as triumphant.
"Other matters have hindered me from looking after these skulking
proscripts. But our victory over the Tejanos has given me the power
now, and I intend using it. These men must be recaptured at all cost--
if it take my whole army to do it. To you, Don Carlos Santander, I
entrust the task--its whole management. You have my authority to
requisition troops, and spend whatever money may be needed to ensure
success. And," he added, stepping close to his subordinate, and
speaking in a confidential way, "if you can bring me back Ruperto Rivas,
_or his head so that I can recognise it_, I shall thank you not as
_Colonel_, but as _General_ Santander."
The expression upon his face as he said this was truly Satanic. Equally
so that on his to whom the horrid hint was given. Alike cruel in their
instincts, with aims closely corresponding, it would be strange if the
fugitive prisoners were not retaken.