DON LUIS IS WILLING
So saying, Rollo went out and locked the door behind him, leaving La
Giralda with a loaded pistol seated beside it to prevent any egress, in
case Fernandez had some way of opening the bolts from the inside known
only to himself.
When Rollo returned from arranging these matters he found El Sarria's
place vacant. But the young man following the direction of La Giralda's
nod went out, and in a chamber about which hung a peculiar atmosphere of
drugs, he found the outlaw on his knees by a woman's bedside.
Rollo stole forward on tiptoe, and in the pale glimmer of dawn he saw
for the first time the features of Dolores, the wife of Ramon the
outlaw.
He could discern eye-lashes that lay very broad and dark upon colourless
cheeks, a white-wrapped form under snowy coverlets, straight as the dead
arrayed for burial, but nevertheless evidently alive, and sleeping
peacefully with gently heaving breast.
The giant's head was sunk on the coverlet and his lips touched the damp
fingers of the hand which lay without the sheet.
With true reverence Rollo touched Ramon on the shoulder and pointed to
the window. The pale unearthly green of the sky spaces between the dark
purple bars of cloud was fast changing to orange tinged with a smoky
scarlet. The sun would not long delay, and there was a little matter out
in the garden which must be arranged.
As Rollo anticipated, Tomas the scapegrace did not look handsome as he
lay on the upturned soil. The blood had hardened upon the bruise on his
crown where his own spade in El Sarria's hands had beaten him down, much
as a gardener might level a rank stinging nettle.
"Carry him within," he ordered; "we will attend to his case better
indoors!"
Already with spade and mattock Rollo was filling up the grave, stamping
down the soil with his foot as he proceeded. Then after having laid away
the tools in the little temple, he followed El Sarria upstairs. Tomas
was lying very limp and still on the table from which the trinkets had
been gathered into the box, and El Sarria, who gave himself no concern
about his handiwork, was bending over the box of jewellery, rapidly
throwing out all articles which he did not recognise as belonging to his
wife or himself.
Rollo reminded him of his gun which he had left in the dry river-bed,
and El Sarria set off to fetch it lest it should be recognised.
Then Rollo, who was now thoroughly enjoying himself "in the belly of an
adventure" as he expressed it, called out, "Lay down that pistol,
mother, we shall not need it for a while, and do you give me a hand with
this rascal's sore head. What think you of it?"
"The stroke was dealt with a strong arm," said La Giralda, critically.
"I saw it done--also heard it. It sounded like the driving in of a
gate-post. But yet, most unfortunately, I do not think the man will
die--unless--unless"--she fingered the keen little knife she carried
lovingly--"unless indeed matters are a little assisted."
"Stop, mother; we cannot afford to have any _Barranco de los Martires_
business this time! We are not in Granada within the gipsy barrio,
remember, nor yet within hearing of the bells of Sevilla. Do as I bid
you, and help me to bathe and bind up the scoundrel's pate."
The old woman did so with an air of protest, finally, however,
consenting to make a plaster of certain herbs which she found in the
household cabinet of simples, and having boiled them, applied the result
like a turban to Don Tomas's unconscious crown.
All the while she murmured bitterly at intervals, "It is a pity! A pity!
I do not believe he will die--unless, in spite of the Englishman, La
Giralda has the nursing of him!"
Presently Ramon returned with his gun, which he would have set himself
down to clean with the utmost nonchalance, if Rollo had not summoned him
away to more important business.
"It is the accursed night-dew!" he said in explanation; "much depends on
never putting off the drying and oiling of one's weapons."
"Now," said Rollo, "if you are ready, I in my turn should like to have
my little interview with Don Luis!"
"You?" cried the outlaw, astonished.
Rollo nodded.
"Why not?" he said cheerfully; "we shall need his assistance very often
to-day! Open the door, La Giralda."
The door clicked open, and there sat Luis Fernandez blinking upon a
smuggled keg of French spirits, and in the corner the Tia's little
black eyes twinkled like restless stars from her uneasy pillow.
Ramon carried in the limp body of Tomas, at sight of which Luis
Fernandez flung up his hands with a shrill cry.
"You have killed him, then--as you will kill me!" he moaned, and ran
towards the door of the strong room.
"Not so," said Rollo, stopping him with composure; "your brother is, as
I think, as comfortable as the circumstances will permit, and more
likely to recover than he deserves. Be good enough to tell La Giralda
where to find a lamp or candle-box, so that in taking care of him you
may not be hindered by darkness."
As he spoke Rollo had been arranging a couch of boxes and pillows, on
which without the slightest regard to his enemy's comfort El Sarria
flung his burden down.
But Rollo did his best for the unconscious man, and then when La Giralda
had returned with a lamp, he turned sharply upon Don Luis.
"Sir," he said, "you know the causes of quarrel between yourself and Don
Ramon Garcia, for whom I am acting. You know also what chances you have,
if I do not use the influence I possess to counsel other and milder
methods. Are you then willing to be guided entirely by me or do you
prefer to be dealt with by my principal upon his own account, and
without regard to my advice?"
Luis Fernandez clasped Rollo's hand.
"By the Virgin and all the saints," he cried, "I will do to the line and
letter all that you desire of me in every particular. I know well that I
have no other hope."
"Good," said Rollo; "then you will to-day show yourself about the Casa
as usual. You will give any necessary orders to your foreman when he
comes at the accustomed hour. This you will do in your own chamber and
in my presence, urging a slight _calentura_ as a reason for not
venturing out. You will speak to La Giralda as to your servant, and in
fine--you will comport yourself as if nothing had occurred, and as if no
such man as Ramon Garcia were within a thousand leagues of the
mill-house of Sarria! Do you agree?"
"I agree to anything, to everything!" said Fernandez, eagerly.
"But remember," continued Rollo, "in order to compass this I am
stretching a good many points. I saw your eye brighten just now when I
spoke of giving orders. Now, remember, if there is the slightest attempt
at foul play, we may indeed lose our game, and with it our lives, but
first of all and quite suddenly, one man shall die, and that man
is--Luis Fernandez."
He added this asseveration--
"And this, I, Rollo Blair, of Blair Castle in the Shire of Fife, swear
by Almighty God and the honour of a Scottish gentleman."