THE VALLEY OF THE BUFFALO.
Don Miguel Zarate, on leaving his son, remounted his horse and rode
straight to Paso, to the house of Don Luciano Pérez, the _juez de
letras_ (police magistrate).
The hacendero was one of the richest landed proprietors in the country;
and as he was thoroughly acquainted with the spirit of the depositaries
of justice in those parts, he had consequently been careful to line his
purse well. Here were two reasons, then, to interest the judge in his
favour, and this really happened.
The worthy Don Luciano shuddered on hearing the details of what had
occurred between Don Pablo and the squatters. He swore that he would,
without delay, take an exemplary vengeance for this starting felony on
the part of the heretic dogs, and that it was high time to bring them
reason. Confirming himself more and more in his resolution, he buckled
on his sword, gave orders to twenty well-armed alguaciles to mount, and
placing himself at the head of this numerous escort, he proceeded toward
Buffalo Valley.
Don Miguel had witnessed with secret annoyance all these formidable
preparations. He placed but slight confidence in the courage of the
policemen, and he would have preferred the judge leaving him master to
act as he pleased. He had even adroitly attempted to obtain from Don
Luciano a regular warrant, which he would have executed however he might
think proper; but the judge, burning with an unusual warlike ardor, and
spurred on by the large sum he had received, would listen to nothing,
but insisted on himself taking the head of the expedition.
Don Luciano Pérez was a plump little man of about sixty years of age,
round as a tub, with a jolly face, adorned with a rubicund nose and two
cunning little eyes. This man cordially detested the North Americans;
and, in the courageous deed he was committing at this moment, hatred was
as much the instigation as avarice.
The little band set out at a canter, and proceeded rapidly toward the
forest. The judge hurled fire and flames at the audacious usurpers, as
he called them; he spoke of nothing less than killing them without
mercy, if they attempted even the slightest resistance to the orders he
was about to give them. Don Miguel, who was much calmer, and foreboded
no good from this great wrath, sought in vain to pacify him by telling
him that he would in all probability have to do with men difficult to
intimidate, against whom coolness would be the best weapon.
They gradually approached. The hacendero, in order to shorten the
journey, had led the band by a cross road, which saved at least
one-third the distance; and the first trees of the forest already
appeared about two miles off. The mischief produced by the squatters was
much more considerable than Don Pablo had represented to his father;
and, at the first glance, it seemed impossible that, in so short a time,
four men, even though working vigorously, could have accomplished it.
The finest trees lay on the ground; enormous piles of planks were
arranged at regular distances, and on the San Pedro an already completed
raft only awaited a few more stems of trees to be thrust into the water.
Don Miguel could not refrain from sighing at the sight of the
devastation committed in one of his best forests; but the nearer they
approached the spot where they expected to meet the squatters, the more
lukewarm grew the warlike zeal of the judge and his acolytes, and the
hacendero soon found himself compelled to urge them on, instead of
restraining them as he had hitherto done. Suddenly the sound of an axe
re-echoed a few paces ahead of the band. The judge impelled by the
feeling of his duty, and shame of appearing frightened, advanced boldly
in the direction of the sound, followed by his escort.
"Stop!" a rough voice shouted at the moment the policemen turned the
corner of a lane.
With that instinct of self-preservation which never abandons them, the
alguaciles stopped as if their horses' feet had been suddenly welded to
the ground. Ten paces from them stood a man in the centre of the ride,
leaning on an American rifle. The judge turned to Don Miguel with such
an expression of hesitation and honest terror that the hacendero could
not refrain from laughing.
"Come, courage, Don Luciano," he said to him. "This man is alone; he
cannot venture to bar our passage."
"_Con mil diablos!_" the judge exclaimed, ashamed of this impression
which he could not master, and frowning portentously, "forward, you
fellows, and fire on that scoundrel if he make but a sign to resist
you."
The alguaciles set out again with prudential hesitation.
"Stop! I tell you again," the squatter repeated. "Did you not hear the
order I gave you!"
The judge, reassured by the presence of the hacendero, then advanced,
and said with a tone which he strove to render terrible, but which was
only ridiculous through the terror he revealed,--
"I, Don Luciano Pérez, _juez de letras_ of the town of Paso, have come,
by virtue of the powers delegated to me by the Government, to summon you
and your adherents to quit within twenty-four hours this forest you have
illegally entered, and which--"
"Ta, ta!" the stranger shouted, rudely interrupting the judge, and
stamping his foot savagely. "I care as much for all your words and laws
as I do for an old moccasin. The ground belongs to the first comers. We
are comfortable here, and mean to remain."
"Your language is very bold, young man," Don Miguel then said. "You do
not consider that you are alone, and that, failing other rights, we have
strength on our side."
The squatter burst into a laugh.
"You believe that," he said. "Learn, stranger, that I care as little for
the ten humbugs I now have before me as I do for a woodcock, and that
they will do well to leave me at peace, unless they want to learn the
weight of my arm at their expense. However, here is my father; settle it
with him."
And he began carelessly whistling "Yankee Doodle." At the same instant
three men, at the head of whom was Red Cedar, appeared on the path. At
the sight of these unexpected reinforcements for their arrogant enemy
the alguaciles made a movement in retreat. The affair was becoming
singularly complicated, and threatened to assume proportions very grave
for them.
"Halloh! What's up?" the old man asked roughly. "Anything wrong,
Sutter?"
"These people," the young man answered, shrugging his shoulders
contemptuously, "are talking about driving us from the forest by virtue
of some order."
"Halloh!" Red Cedar said, his eyes flashing as he cast a savage glance
at the Mexicans. "The only law I recognise in the desert," he continued
with a gesture of terrible energy as he struck his rifle barrel, "is
this. Withdraw, strangers, if you do not wish blood to be shed between
us. I am a peaceful man, wishing to do no one hurt; but I warn you that
I will not allow myself to be kicked out without striking a blow."
"You will not be turned out," the judge remarked timidly; "on the
contrary, you have seized on what belongs to other people."
"I won't listen to your arguments, which I do not understand," the
squatter roughly exclaimed. "God gave the ground to man that he might
labour on it. Every proprietor that does not fulfil this condition
tacitly renounces his rights, and the earth then becomes the property of
the man who tills it with the sweat of his brow; so go to the devil! Be
off at full speed, if you do not wish harm to happen to you!"
"We will not suffer ourselves to be intimidated by your threats," the
judge said, impelled by his anger, and forgetting for a moment his
alarm; "we will do our duty, whatever may happen."
"Try it," Red Cedar said with a grin.
And he made a sign to his sons. The latter arranged themselves in a
single line, and occupied the entire width of the path.
"In the name of the law," the judge said with energy, as he pointed out
the old man, "alguaciles, seize that person."
But, as so frequently happens under similar circumstances, this order
was more easy to give than to execute. Red Cedar and his sons did not
appear at all disposed to let themselves be collared. We must, however,
do the alguaciles the justice of stating that they did not hesitate for
a moment. They plainly refused to carry out the order they had received.
"For the last time, will you be off?" the squatter shouted. "Let them
have it."
His three sons raised their rifles. At this movement, which removed all
doubts that might still remain on their minds, and which proved to them
that the squatters would not hesitate to proceed to extremities, the
alguaciles were seized with an invincible terror. They turned bridle and
galloped off at full speed, followed by the yells of the Americans.
One man alone remained motionless before the squatters--Don Miguel
Zarate. Red Cedar had not recognised him, either owing to the distance
that separated them, or because the hacendero had purposely pulled over
his eyes his broad-brimmed hat. Don Miguel dismounted, placed the
pistols from his holsters through his belt, fastened his horse to a
tree, and coolly throwing his rifle across his shoulders, boldly
advanced toward the squatters. The latter, surprised by the courage of
this man, who alone attempted what his comrades had given up all hopes
of achieving, let him come up to them without offering the slightest
opposition. When Don Miguel was a couple of paces from the old squatter;
he stopped, put the butt of his rifle on the ground, and removing his
hat, said,--
"Do you recognise me, Red Cedar?"
"Don Miguel Zarate!" the bandit shouted in surprise.
"As the judge deserts me," the hacendero continued, "and fled like a
coward before your threats, I am obliged to take justice for myself,
and, by heavens! I will do so! Red Cedar, I, as owner of this forest, in
which you have settled without permission, order you to depart at once."
The young men exchanged a few muttered threats.
"Silence!" Red Cedar commanded. "Let the caballero speak."
"I have finished, and await your answer."
The squatter appeared to reflect deeply for a few minutes.
"The answer you demand is difficult to give," he at length said: "my
position toward you is not a free one."
"Why so?"
"Because I owe you my life."
"I dispense you from all gratitude."
"That is possible. You are at liberty to do so; but I cannot forget the
service you rendered me."
"It is of little consequence."
"Much more than you fancy, caballero. I may be, through my character,
habits, and the mode of life I lead, beyond the law of civilised beings;
but I am not the less a man, and if of the worst sort, perhaps, I no
more forget a kindness than I do an insult."
"Prove it, then, by going away as quickly as you can, and then we shall
be quits."
The squatter shook his head.
"Listen to me, Don Miguel," he said. "You have in this country the
reputation of being the providence of the unfortunate. I know from
myself the extent of your kindness and courage. It is said that you
possess an immense fortune, of which you do not yourself know the
extent."
"Well, what then?" the hacendero impatiently interrupted him.
"The damage I can commit here, even if I cut down all the trees in the
forest, would be but a trifle to you; then whence comes the fury you
display to drive me out?"
"Your question is just, and I will answer it. I demand your departure
from my estates, because, only a few days back, my son was grievously
wounded by your lads, who led him into a cowardly snare; and if he
escaped death, it was only through a miracle. That is the reason why we
cannot live side by side, for blood severs us."
Red Cedar frowned.
"Is this true?" he said, addressing his sons.
The young men only hung their heads in reply.
"I am waiting," Don Miguel went on.
"Come, the question cannot be settled thus, so we will proceed to my
jacal."
"For what purpose? I ask you for a yes or no."
"I cannot answer you yet. We must have a conversation together, after
which you shall decide to my future conduct. Follow me, then, without
fear."
"I fear nothing, as I believe I have proved to you. Go on, as you demand
it: I will follow you."
Red Cedar made his sons a sign to remains here they were, and proceeded
with long strides toward his jacal, which was but a short distance off.
Don Miguel walked carelessly after him. They entered the cabin. It was
deserted. The two females were doubtless also occupied in the forest.
Red Cedar closed the door after him, sat down on a bench, made his guest
a sign to do the same, and began speaking in a low and measured voice,
as if afraid what he had to say might be heard outside.