After having followed Don Estevan, at the invitation of the latter,
inside the hovel, Cuchillo closed behind him the wattle of bamboos that
served as a door. He did this with great care--as if he feared that the
least noise should be heard without--and then he stood waiting for the
Spaniard to initiate the conversation.
The latter had seated himself on the side of his camp-bedstead, and
Cuchillo also sat down, using for his seat the skull of a bullock,--
which chanced to be in the house. It is the ordinary stool of this part
of the country, where the luxury of chairs is still unknown--at least in
the houses of the poor.
"I suppose," said Arechiza, breaking silence, "that you have a thousand
reasons why I should know you by no other than your present name. I,
with motives very different from yours, no doubt, desire to be here
nothing more than _Don Estevan Arechiza_. Now! Senor Cuchillo,"
continued the speaker with a certain affectation of mockery; "let us
have this grand secret that is to make your fortune and mine!"
"A word first, Senor Don Estevan de Arechiza," replied Cuchillo, in the
same tone; "one word, and then you shall have it."
"I listen to you; but observe, sir, say nothing of the past--no more
perfidy. We are here in a country where there are _trees_, and you know
how I punish traitors."
At this allusion to some past event--no doubt some mysterious souvenir--
the face of the outlaw became livid.
"Yes," replied he, "I remember that it is not your fault that I was not
hung to a tree. It may be more prudent not to recall old wrongs--
especially as you are no longer in a conquered country, but in one of
forests--forests both sombre and dumb."
There was in this response of the outlaw such an evident air of menace,
that, joined with his character and sinister antecedents, it required a
firm heart on the part of Don Estevan not to regret having recalled the
souvenir. With a cold smile he replied:
"Ha! another time I shall entrust the execution of a traitor in the
hands of no human being. I shall perform that office myself," continued
he, fixing upon Cuchillo a glance which caused the latter to lower his
head. "As to your threats, reserve them for people of your own kind;
and never forget, that between my breast and your dagger there is an
insurmountable barrier."
"Who knows?" muttered Cuchillo, dissembling the anger which was
devouring him. Then in a different tone, he continued: "But I am no
traitor, Senor Don Estevan; and the proposal I am now about to make to
you is frank and loyal."
"We shall see, then."
"Know, then, Senor Arechiza, that for several years past I have followed
the profession of a _gambusino_, and have rambled over most of this
country in the exercise of my calling. I have seen a deposit of gold
such as mortal eye perhaps never looked upon!"
"You have seen it, and not possessed yourself of it?"
"Do not mock me, Don Estevan; I am in earnest. I have seen a _placer_
so rich that the man who gets it might for a whole year play the game of
hell with luck all the while against him, and not be impoverished! So
rich as to satisfy the most insatiable avarice; so rich, in fact, as to
buy a kingdom!"
At these words, which responded to some hopes and desires already
conceived, Don Estevan could not hinder himself from the manifestation
of a certain emotion.
"So rich," continued the outlaw, in an exalted tone, "that I would not
hesitate for one instant to give my soul to the devil in exchange for
it."
"The devil is not such a fool as to value so highly a soul which he
knows he will get _gratis_. But how did _you_ discover this _placer_?"
"Thus, senor. There was a _gambusino_ called Marcos Arellanos, who was
celebrated throughout the whole province. It was he who discovered this
_bonanza_ in company with another of the same calling as himself; but
just as they were about to gather some of the gold, they were attacked
by the Apache Indians. The associate of Marcos Arellanos was killed,
and he himself had to run a thousand risks before he succeeded in making
his escape.
"It was after he came home again that by chance I met him at Tubac.
There he proposed to me to join him, and go back to the _placer_. I
accepted his offer, and we started. We arrived safely at the _Golden
Valley_, for by that name he called the place. Powers of Heaven!"
exclaimed Cuchillo, "it only needed to see those blocks of gold shining
in the sun to bring before one's eyes a thousand dazzling visions!
"Alas! we were only permitted to feast our eyes. The savages were upon
us. We were compelled to fly in our turn, and I alone escaped. Poor
Marcos! he fell under the horrible war clubs; and I--I have sorely
grieved for him! Now, senor, this is the secret of the Golden Valley
which I desire to sell to you."
"To sell to me:--and who is to answer for your fidelity?"
"My own interest. I sell you the secret, but I do not intend to
alienate my rights to the _placer_. I have vainly endeavoured to get up
an expedition such as yours, for without a strong force it would be of
no use going there. It would be certain death to a party of only two or
three. With your band, however, it will be easy, and success would be
certain. I only ask the tenth part of all the gold that may be
gathered, which I would deserve as guide of the expedition; and going as
guide I will be at the same time a hostage for my good faith."
"Is that what I am to understand; you estimate the price of your secret
and services a tenth part of the whole?"
"That and two hundred dollars paid down to enable me to equip myself for
the expedition."
"You are more reasonable than I expected, Cuchillo. Very well, then let
it be so; the two hundred dollars you shall have, and I promise you the
tenth part."
"Agreed."
"Agreed, and you have my word upon it. Now, answer me some questions
which I wish to put. Is this Golden Valley in that part of the country
where I intended to have taken my expedition?"
"It is beyond the Presidio of Tubac; and since your men are to meet
there you will not need to make any change in the dispositions you have
already taken."
"Good. And you have seen this Golden Valley you say with your own
eyes?"
"I have seen it without the power of touching it. I have seen it
grinding my teeth as I looked upon it, like the damned in hell who get a
glimpse of Paradise."
As Cuchillo spoke, his countenance betrayed beyond doubt the anguish he
felt, at his cupidity having been balked.
Arechiza knew too well how to read the human physiognomy to doubt the
truth of Cuchillo's report. Two hundred dollars were to him a mere
bagatelle; and taking an ebony case from his bed, small but heavy, he
drew from it a rouleau of gold pieces and handed them to the gambusino,
who immediately put them in his pocket.
There was a little more in the rouleau than had been bargained for. The
Spaniard took no notice of this, but forming a cross with his thumb and
index finger of his right hand _a la mode Espagnole_, he held it before
Cuchillo, directing him to make an oath upon it.
"I swear by the cross," said the latter, "to speak the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth. At the end of ten days' journey
beyond Tubac, going in a north-western direction, we shall arrive at the
foot of a range of mountains. They are easy to recognise--for a thick
vapour hangs over them both night and day. A little river traverses
this range of hills. It is necessary to ascend it to a point where
another stream runs into it. There in the angle where the two meet, is
a steep hill, the summit of which is crowned by the tomb of an Indian
chief. I was not near enough to distinguish the strange ornaments that
surround this tomb; but at the foot of the hill there is a small lake by
the side of a narrow valley in which the water from rain torrents has
thrown to the surface immense treasures of gold, this is the _Golden
Valley_."
"The way will be easily found?" inquired Don Estevan.
"But difficult to travel," replied Cuchillo. "The arid deserts will be
no obstacle compared with the danger from the hostility of Indians.
This tomb of one of their most celebrated chiefs they hold in
superstitious veneration. It is the constant object of their
pilgrimages, and it was during one of these visits that we were
surprised. Arellanos and myself."
"And this Arellanos--do you think, he has not revealed this secret to
any one besides yourself?"
"You must know," replied Cuchillo, "that it is a custom of the
gambusinos, before starting upon any expedition, to swear before the
Holy Evangelists not to reveal the _bonanzas_ they may find without the
consent of their associates. This oath Arellanos took, and his death of
course prevented him from betraying it."
"You have said that after his return from his first expedition, you met
him in Tubac. Was there no woman whom he may perchance have had in his
confidence?"
"His wife only--he may have told it to her. But yesterday a vaquero
gave me the news that she has lately died. For all that, she may have
revealed the secret to her son."
"Arellanos had a son then?"
"An adopted son--a young man whose father or mother no one knows
anything about."
Don Estevan could not repress an involuntary movement.
"This young fellow is, no doubt, the son of some poor devil of this
province?" said the Spaniard, in a careless way.
"No," replied Cuchillo, "he was born in Europe, and very likely in
Spain."
Arechiza appeared to fall into a reverie, his head bending towards his
breast. Some souvenirs were disturbing his spirit.
"This much at least is known," continued Cuchillo. "The commander of an
English brig-of-war brought him to Guaymas. He stated that the child,
who spoke both French and Spanish, had been captured in an affair
between the brig and a French privateer. A sailor who was either killed
in the fight or taken prisoner, was beyond doubt his father. The
captain of the English brig, not knowing what to do with him, gave him
to Arellanos--who chanced to be in Guaymas at the time--and Arellanos
brought him up and has made a man of him--my faith! that he has. Young
as the fellow is, there is not such a _rastreador_ nor horse-tamer in
the province."
The Spaniard, while apparently not listening to Cuchillo, did not lose a
word of what he was saying; but whether he had heard enough, or that the
subject was a painful one, he suddenly interrupted the gambusino:
"And don't you think, if this wonderful tracker and horse-breaker has
been told the secret of his adopted father he might not be a dangerous
rival to us?"