It is Narcisso.
"Can you place your hands in the aperture?" said he.
"No; they are tied behind my back."
"Can you bring them opposite, then?"
"No; I am standing on my toes, and my wrists are still far below the
sill."
"Are your comrades all similarly bound?"
"All."
"Let one get on each side of you, and raise you up on their shoulders."
Wondering at the astuteness of the young Spaniard, I ordered Chane and
Raoul to lift me as he directed.
When my wrists came opposite the window I cautioned them to hold on.
Presently a soft hand touched mine, passing all over them. Then I felt
the blade of a knife pressed against the thong, and in an instant it
leaped from my wrists. I ordered the men to set me down, and I listened
as before.
"Here is the knife. You can release your own ankles and those of your
comrades. This paper will direct you further. You will find the lamp
inside."
A knife, with a folded and strangely shining note, was passed through by
the speaker.
"And now, Capitan--one favour," continued the voice, in a trembling
tone.
"Ask it! ask it!"
"I would kiss your hand before we part."
"Dear, noble boy!" cried I, thrusting my hand into the aperture.
"Boy! ah, true--you think me a boy. I am no boy, Capitan, but _a
woman--one who loves you with all her blighted, broken heart_!"
"Oh, heavens! It is, then--dearest Guadalupe!"
"Ha! I thought as much. Now I will not. But no; what good would it be
to me? No--no--no! I shall keep my word."
This appeared to be uttered in soliloquy, and the tumult of my thoughts
prevented me from noticing the strangeness of these expressions. I
thought of them afterwards.
"Your hand! your hand!" I ejaculated.
"You would kiss my hand? Do so!" The little hand was thrust through,
and I could see it in the dim light, flashing with brilliants. I caught
it in mine, covering it with kisses. It seemed to yield to the fervid
pressure of my lips.
"Oh!" I exclaimed, in the transport of my feelings, "let us not part;
let us fly together! I was wronging you, loveliest, dearest
Guadalupe--!"
A slight exclamation, as if from some painful emotion, and the hand was
plucked away, leaving one of the diamonds in my fingers. The next
moment the voice whispered, with a strange sadness of tone, as I
thought:
"Adieu, Capitan! adieu! _In this world of life we never know who best
loves us_!"
I was puzzled, bewildered. I called out, but there was no answer. I
listened until the patience of my comrades was well-nigh exhausted, but
still there was no voice from without; and with a strange feeling of
uneasiness and wonderment I commenced cutting the thongs from my ankles.
Having set Raoul at liberty, I handed him the knife, and proceeded to
open the note. Inside I found a cocuyo; and, using it as I had been
already instructed, I read:
"_The walls are adobe. You have a knife. The side with the loop-hole
fronts outward. There is a field of magueys, and beyond this you will
find the forest. You may then trust to yourselves. I can help you no
farther_. Carissimo caballero, adios!"
I had no time to reflect upon the peculiarities of the note, though the
boldness of the style struck me as corresponding with the other. I
flung down the firefly, crushing the paper into my bosom; and, seizing
the knife, was about to attack the adobe wall, when voices reached me
from without. I sprang forward, and placed my ear to listen. It was an
altercation--a woman--a man! "By heaven! it is Lincoln's voice!"
"Yer cussed whelp! ye'd see the cap'n hung, would yer?--a man that's
good vally for the full of a pararer of green-gutted greasers; but I
ain't a-gwine to let _you_ look at his hangin'. If yer don't show me
which of these hyur pigeon-holes is his'n, an' help me to get him outer
it, I'll skin yer like a mink!"
"I tell you, Mister Lincoln," replied a voice which I recognised as the
one whose owner had just left me, "I have this minute given the captain
the means of escape, through that loophole."
"Whar!"
"This one," answered the female voice.
"Wal, that's easy to circumstantiate. Kum along hyur! I ain't a-gwine
to let yer go till it's all fixed. De ye hear?"
I heard the heavy foot of the hunter as he approached, and presently his
voice calling through the loophole in a guarded whisper:
"Cap'n!"
"Hush, Bob! it's all right," I replied, speaking in a low tone, for the
sentries were moving suspiciously around the door.
"Good!" ejaculated he. "Yer kin go now," he added to the other, whose
attention I endeavoured to attract, but dared not call to loud enough,
lest the guards should hear me. "Dash my buttons! I don't want yer to
go--yer a good 'un arter all. Why can't yer kum along? The cap'n 'll
make it all straight agin about the desartion."
"Mr Lincoln, I cannot go with you. Please suffer me to depart!"
"Wal! yer own likes! but if I can do yer a good turn, you can depend on
Bob Linkin--mind that."
"Thank you! thank you!"
And before I could interfere to prevent it, she was gone. I could hear
the voice, sad and sweet in the distance, calling back, "_Adios_!"
I had no time for reflection, else the mystery that surrounded me would
have occupied my thoughts for hours. It was time to act. Again I heard
Lincoln's voice at the loophole.
"What is it?" I inquired.
"How are yer ter get out, Cap'n?"
"We are cutting a hole through the wall."
"If yer can give me the spot, I'll meet yer half-ways."
I measured the distance from the loophole, and handed the string to
Lincoln. We heard no more from the hunter until the moonlight glanced
through the wall upon the blade of his knife. Then he uttered a short
ejaculation, such as may be heard from the "mountain men" at peculiar
crises; and after that we could hear him exclaiming:
"Look out, Rowl! Hang it, man! ye're a-cuttin' my claws!"
In a few minutes the hole was large enough to pass our bodies; and one
by one we crawled out, and were once more at liberty.