For most men death ends all things, but for those whose souls are
illumined by the unquenchable flame of faith, death is but the beginning
of life.
The news of the tragedy, following swift upon that of Juan Ramon's
death, spread like wildfire, fairly taking the people's breath away, and
throwing the community into a tumult of excitement. Not since the days
when the victorious American armies had entered Mexico and laid waste
the land, had there been such a commotion in the old town.
The community was shaken to its center. What would happen next? Old
women paused in the midst of their chatter and, crossing themselves,
said an extra _ave_ as a protection against the Evil One; for no one
knew who would be taken next.
Don Felipe Ramirez, the handsomest and wealthiest and most influential
man in Chihuahua, dead--at the hand of a woman--an Indian!
Most people admitted that he had merited death. That his end was a just
punishment for his misdeeds, but then, had it not been for the woman who
had wrecked his life, how different his end might have been!
Juan Ramon would be missed for a day at the gaming tables, but the
beautiful American Señorita--why should she have paid the price of
blood? It was too much. The popular outburst was tremendous, quite
beyond Padre Antonio's influence or control. The evil and tragedy which
the witch seemed to draw with her in her train far outweighed the good
she had accomplished since her advent in the town. And if the grand
Señor, Captain Forest, of an alien race, still chose to remain in the
place, why, let him look to his personal safety if he still set store
upon his life.
Such was popular sentiment, and out of the countless maledictions that
were heaped upon the dark woman and the man she had bewitched, there
grew that sullen and ominous silence of presentiment like that preceding
a storm, and which boded but one end to them both--death.
José and Dick were the first to apprise the Captain of the true state of
affairs, although he had not remained insensible to the threatening
looks and dark, sullen faces that greeted him on every hand.
"The place has become too hot to hold you, old man," said Dick. "You and
Chiquita had better go somewhere for a little _pasear_. You'll find the
air in the mountains more salubrious than here; in fact--_vamos_, as the
Spaniards say. Go to Padre Antonio's house at once," he continued. "It's
a sort of a sanctuary, you know; you'll be safe there to-day. If you
value your life, don't set foot outside the place, and I'd even be chary
about picking flowers in the garden," he added in his droll way.
"To-night, José and I will have your horses ready and waiting for you in
the cañon at the foot of the trail which leads to the top of the _mesa_
overlooking the valley. You must get away under cover of the dusk
before the moon rises. Old Manuela will give you the signal when to
depart."
"Dick, you are the most ingenious mortal in the world," answered the
Captain. "You are as good as a mother to me. How did you ever think of
it?"
"Oh! don't thank me," returned Dick. "I didn't think of it; I never have
any ideas. It's José's plan entirely."
"The deuce! It does sound like you, _camarada_!" he ejaculated, turning
to José who had smoked his _cigarillo_ in silence while listening to
Dick's words. "The scheme sounds well," he continued after some moments'
reflection. "And yet it seems to me you have overlooked something--the
most important thing of all."
"What?" asked Dick.
"How are you going to get the horses there without attracting attention?
It's just possible that the entire populace might escort you there and
then hang all four of us when Chiquita and I arrive."
"Ah! I never thought of that," replied Dick, flicking the ash from his
cigar and exchanging glances with José. "I always said you had the
imagination of a poet, Jack. But it takes an Indian to think of such
things; the horses are concealed already in the cañon, a quarter of a
mile from the trail."
"_Si, Capitan._ I took them there last night," said José.
"Last night?"
"Yes. You see, it was this way. I saw the fight last night--"
"You did?"
"_Si, Capitan._ It was a glorious fight, the greatest fight I ever saw.
I followed Don Felipe last night and surely would have killed him had I
not seen the Señorita draw her weapon. I knew that it was her right to
kill him."
"You observe José's exquisite sense of discrimination," interrupted
Dick. "It's the etiquette of the land," he added with a twinkle in his
eye, his face betraying not so much as the suggestion of a smile.
Captain Forest could have laughed at Dick's irresistible humor were it
not for the terrible tragedy which rested heavily upon him.
"Well," continued José, "while you and the Señorita stood beside the
beautiful _Americana_, I bethought me that it was about time we were
leaving this place. You did not know that the two women, Manuela and
Juana, and the Padre's gardener, Sebastiano, also witnessed the
shooting. I told Sebastiano to get the Señorita's horse out of the
stable at once and wait outside in the shadow of the wall on the far
side of the garden until I returned. I then hurried back here and got
away unobserved with our horses, picking up the Señorita's and
Sebastiano on the way to the cañon where I left them in the latter's
charge. They will hardly be missed to-day, I think," he added; "the
excitement is too great. Go now quietly to Padre Antonio's and wait
there until Manuela gives you the word to depart." José paused. Then
casting a quick glance about him, he took a fresh puff at his
_cigarillo_ and said: "Until then, _á Dios_, Señor _Capitan_!" and
assuming an indifferent air, as though nothing unusual had occurred, he
sauntered quietly away.
"That man's a genius!" said Dick, looking after him until he disappeared
around the corner of the house.
"It was a lucky day for you when you picked him up. If you get away at
all to-night, you'll owe your lives to him. Nothing but his wits could
have saved you. You had better be going now," he added. "Go directly to
the Padre's and attract as little attention as possible on the way.
"_Este noche, amigo mio_--to-night, my friend," he concluded in Spanish,
and turning, lounged carelessly through the doorway into the house.