"_Santas tardes_! my master; will you afford hospitality to two
strangers for a day and a night?"
The musician rose and bowed courteously.
"Pray dismount, noble cavaliers," he answered, "this dwelling is at your
service as long as you please to remain."
Such is the simple ceremonial of hospitality still in vogue in these
distant countries.
The cavaliers dismounted from their horses, in the midst of an idle
group who had collected around them, and who observed the two strangers
with considerable curiosity--for in the Presidio of Tubac an arrival is
a rare event.
The host silently assisted his guests to unsaddle their horses, but the
more inquisitive of the crowd did not exercise so much discretion, and
without scruple addressed a multitude of questions to the travellers.
"Good people," said one of the cavaliers, "let us first attend to our
horses, and afterwards, when we have taken a mouthful of food, we shall
have a chat. My comrade and myself have come here for that very
purpose."
Thus saying, the bearded cavalier unfastened his gigantic spurs, threw
them across his horse's saddle, which he deposited, together with its
woollen covering carefully folded, in the piazza attached to the house.
The two strangers did not dwell long over their repast. They soon
rejoined their host upon the threshold, and sat down beside him.
Their questioners had not yet departed from the house.
"I am the more inclined," resumed the bearded traveller, "to inform you
all of the object of our visit to the Presidio, since we are sent by our
master to ask you a few questions. Will that be agreeable to you?"
"Perfectly," replied several voices, "and first, may we know who your
master is?"
"He is Don Augustin Pena; you are not without some knowledge of his
name?"
"The proprietor of the great Hacienda del Venado--a man worth three
millions! Who does not know him?" replied one of the bystanders.
"He is the same. This cavalier, whom you see, is a vaquero, entrusted
with the care of the beasts of the hacienda; for myself, I am a
major-domo attached to the service of the proprietor. Would you have
the kindness, my dear friend, to give me a light for my cigar?"
continued the bearded major-domo.
He paused to light his cigar of maize husk, and then resumed:
"Six months ago an expedition set out from here in search of gold dust.
This expedition was headed by one named--let me see--_carrai_! I have
heard him called by so many names that I cannot remember any!"
"Don Estevan Arechiza!" replied one of the interlocutors, "a Spaniard,
and one such as we do not often see in this country; one who seemed, by
his noble deportment and majestic countenance, to have commanded all his
life."
"Don Estevan Arechiza: the very same," said the major-domo, "a man who
as far exceeds all others in generosity as a gamester who has just won a
fortune. But let me return to the expedition; about how many men
composed it, do you guess?"
"More than eighty started out with it."
"More than a hundred," suggested another.
"You are mistaken--the number was not a hundred in all," interrupted a
third.
"That matters little to Don Augustin, my master. It is far more
important to know how many returned."
Upon this point also there were two different opinions.
"Not a single one," remarked a voice.
"Yes; there was one, and but one," continued another.
The major-domo rubbed his hands with an air of satisfaction.
"Good!" said he, "then at least one is saved, provided this gentleman,
who declares that all the gold-seekers are not dead, be rightly
informed, as I hope he is."
"Do you not think," said the last who had spoken, "that the man of the
red handkerchief may not be one of those whose departure we witnessed
six months ago? I would swear to it by the cross and Gospel."
"No! not so!" cried another, "that man never set foot in the Presidio
before the other day."
"In any case," interrupted a third, "the man of the red handkerchief has
doubtless something of interest in store for Don Augustin Pena, since he
has so often inquired about him. With these gentlemen, he will probably
be more communicative than with us."
"That will be just what we desire," resumed the major-domo.
"You must know, then, and I may without indiscretion inform you,"
continued he, "that Don Augustin Pena, whom God preserve, was the
intimate friend of Senor Arechiza, and that he has had no news of him
for six months past, which would be natural enough if he has been
massacred by the Indians with all the rest. But my master is anxious
for his return, that he may marry his daughter, Dona Rosarita, a
beautiful and charming person, to the Senator Don Vicente Tragaduros.
Months have elapsed, and since the hacienda is not on the main road from
Arispe to Tubac, and that we cannot gain information from any one upon
the subject of this deplorable expedition, Don Augustin determined upon
sending us here to inquire about it. When he shall have established the
fact that Don Estevan's return is impossible--and as young girls do not
readily meet with Senators in the heart of the desert--nor do the latter
often find there girls whose marriage portion is worth two hundred
thousand piastres--"
"Carramba! that is a high figure."
"True, friend," continued the major-domo, "then the projected marriage
will take place to the mutual satisfaction of all parties. Such is the
object of our journey to Tubac. If, therefore, you can conduct me to
him whom you describe as the sole survivor of this expedition, we shall
perhaps learn from him what we wish to discover."
The conversation had reached this stage, when, at some distance from the
house where it was taking place, a man was seen passing, with his head
bent downwards.
"See!" said one of the party, pointing to the man in question; "there
goes your sole survivor."
"In truth, it is a person whose conduct is sufficiently mysterious,"
added the host. "For some days past he has done nothing but come and
go, from one place to another, without informing any one of the object
of his journeyings."
"If it please you, we shall question him?" proposed one.
"Hola! friend!" cried another of the party; "come this way; here is a
gentleman who is anxious to see and speak with you."
The mysterious unknown approached at the summons.
"Senor cavalier," said the major-domo, courteously addressing him, "it
is not to gratify an idle curiosity that I now address you; but the
master whom I serve feels a natural anxiety at the disappearance of a
friend, whose death he would greatly deplore. What do you know of Don
Estevan de Arechiza?"
"Many things. But, pray what is the name of the master of whom you
speak?"
"Don Augustin Pena--proprietor of the Hacienda del Venado."
A ray of joy lit up the countenance of the unknown.
"I am able," he said, "to furnish Don Augustin with all the information
he may desire. How many days' journey is it from hence to the
hacienda?"
"Three days' journey, with a good horse."
"I possess a capital one; and if you can wait for me until to-morrow
evening, I shall accompany you, and communicate with Don Augustin in
person."
"Be it so," answered the major-domo.
"Very well," added the man of the red handkerchief; "to-morrow at this
same hour we will start, so that we may travel by night, and so escape
the heat."
Saying this, he took his departure, when the major-domo remarked:
"It must be agreed, gentlemen, that nothing can exceed the complaisance
of this cavalier of the red handkerchief."
The arrangement did not satisfy the bystanders, who were thoroughly
disappointed; but their interest was renewed, on seeing the man of the
red handkerchief pass by on horseback, and depart at full speed towards
the north.
The unknown kept his promise: and on the day following he returned at
the hour of the evening _angelus_.
Don Augustin's two envoys took leave of their host, assuring him of a
kind welcome, if ever his affairs led him in the direction of the
Hacienda del Venado. Even the poorest in this primitive country, would
blush to receive any other reward for hospitality than sincere thanks,
and a promise that they in their turn should receive it.
The three horsemen set off at full speed; the horse of the unknown
equalled in strength and mettle those of Don Augustin's envoys. The
journey was rapidly accomplished; and at dawn of the third day, they
could trace in the distance the clock-tower of the Hacienda del Venado,
and an hour afterwards they dismounted in the court-yard. Although it
was at that early hour when the sun sheds its most enlivening rays,
everything which surrounded this habitation bore the stamp of
melancholy. One might have supposed that the gloomy nature of the
inmates was reflected upon its exterior.
Dona Rosarita was dying of grief; and this filled the haciendado with
the deepest anxiety. Don Augustin's daughter could not help the belief
that Fabian yet lived. But why, then, had not Tiburcio, as she always
called him, returned to the hacienda? Either he was dead, or he no
longer loved her? It was this uncertainty that gave rise to Dona
Rosarita's deep dejection.
Another source of anxiety to the haciendado, was the absence of all news
from the Duke de Armada; and to this anxiety was added impatience. The
projected marriage between Rosarita and the Senator had been devised by
Don Estevan. Tragaduros had urged its fulfilment. Don Augustin had
laid the proposal before his daughter, but she replied only by tears;
and her father still hesitated.
However, at the expiration of six months, it was determined to put an
end to the uncertainty by sending to the Presidio for information
concerning the expedition commanded by Don Estevan. It was the last
respite that poor Rosarita had ventured to demand.
The Senator had absented himself for some days from the hacienda, when
the major-domo returned, and Don Augustin was informed of the arrival of
a stranger who could remove his uncertainty. He ordered the stranger to
be introduced into the chamber already known to the reader; and Dona
Rosarita, who had been sent for, speedily joined her father.
In a few moments the stranger presented himself. A wide felt hat, to
which on entering he raised his hand without removing it, shaded his
face, upon which a keen anxiety was visible. From beneath the broad
brim of his hat a red handkerchief fell so low upon his forehead as
almost to conceal his eyebrows, and from beneath its shadow he gazed
with a singular interest upon the pale countenance of the young girl.