THE PREFECT MOVES
Tim's adventure caused Mr. O'Hagan to change his mind about dismissing
Romana. To do so might be a new cause of offence to the sensitive
patriots.
"You have already proved a very dear son," he said, with a humorous
twinkle that disguised his real feeling.
"Durand says that his pater gives old Mollendo a regular subscription to
keep him quiet," said Tim.
"Blackmail! He will soon get tired of that."
"I don't suppose what he has paid comes to L250."
"Ah! but he hasn't given his boy a motor-cycle! Young Durand came over
to-day to play cricket, and seemed vastly tickled when I told him where
you were."
"I could have boxed his ears," said Mrs. O'Hagan indignantly. "It was
no laughing matter to me."
"Will I challenge him, Mother?" said Tim quizzingly. "I am going to
ride over to-morrow to tell him all about it, and if you like----"
"Don't tease your mother," Mr. O'Hagan interposed. "She insisted on my
sending the money at once, or I declare I would have been inclined to
let you have a week of it."
The kidnapping of the young Ingles created much indignation and
resentment among the people of San Rosario. The majority of them,
having little to lose, were staunch supporters of the Prefect, and when
next day they saw a dozen gendarmes ride into the town, they supposed
them to be only the advanced guard of a force sent from the capital to
begin the long-expected operations against the brigands. Some, however,
viewed the soldiers with alarm. To the substantial citizens, a visit of
the Prefect's gendarmes usually spelt trouble. Every man whose secret
sympathies were with the Mollendists trembled in his shoes; even those
who were conscious of innocence shivered if their worldly substance was
large enough to be worth the attention of the Prefect and his harpies.
Many, among them the gobernador, were greatly relieved when the
gendarmes, instead of dismounting, halted only to refresh themselves in
the saddle at one of the albergos, then rode through the town and along
the track leading to Mr. O'Hagan's house.
Arriving there, the leader sprang from his horse, and strode with
clanking spurs to the door, which stood open. The others formed up in
line along the front of the house. To the servant who came in answer to
the officer's summons, he explained that he wished to see the senor
haciendado. Mr. O'Hagan left the office, where he had been alone, and
invited his visitor into the patio.
"I regret, senor," said the officer, declining to be seated, "that I
have come on a very disagreeable errand." He took a paper from his
pocket. "You see here a warrant, signed by his excellency the Prefect,
and sealed with the provincial seal, authorising the arrest of yourself
and your son."
"On what charge, senor?" asked Mr. O'Hagan quietly.
"On the charge of furthering and abetting the treasonable designs of one
Carlos Mollendo, who is stirring up sedition. It is useless to resist,
senor; I have a sufficient body of troopers outside. I demand that you
surrender yourself and your son to justice."
"I will come with you," said Mr. O'Hagan, "under protest. You will
please to note that I am a British citizen. My son is not at home."
"Where is he?"
"That I must leave you to find out."
The officer at once called in a man to search the house, himself keeping
guard over Mr. O'Hagan in the patio. The gendarme found Mrs. O'Hagan
coming from the servants' quarters. He bowed respectfully, and asked
her to go to the drawing-room and remain there.
"I am going to the patio, to my husband," replied the lady stoutly.
"Stand out of my way, please."
The man tugged his moustache, stood aside, and then went on to complete
his search. The half-minute's delay had allowed Romana, whom his
mistress had just quitted, to slip out of the house and into a
shrubbery, whence he made his way swiftly in the direction of Senor
Durand's estate.
He met Tim returning, half-way between Durand's house and the
cross-roads.
"Stop, senorito," he called; "I have a message from the gracious lady."
"What is it?" asked Tim, jumping off his machine.
"The senora bids you come with me," said Romana. "Gendarmes have ridden
to arrest the senor and you, and the mistress sent me to take you to a
place of safety."
"I won't go. I will join Father," said Tim at once, preparing to ride
off. Romana detained him.
"I beg you to do as the senora wishes," he said. "What is the use of
your going to prison, too? There is more chance for every one if you
are free. You will do better to remain in hiding until we see what is
intended towards the senor. I have friends in San Rosario and the
capital; we Mollendists have our spies, like the Prefect. The senor will
no doubt be taken to San Juan. Nothing will be done immediately. The
Prefect is always very careful to cloak his misdeeds under the forms of
law."
"I'll go back to Senor Durand's, then."
"That is unwise, senorito. The gendarmes may come there to look for
you, and then Senor Durand himself will be in danger. I know a better
place, and if you will come with me----"
"Very well, then; but I don't like it. What is to become of Mother?"
"The senora will be quite safe: the Prefect is always very polite to the
ladies," said Romana.
Romana mounted behind Tim, and they rode back to the cross-roads, then
turned to the right into a track that was fairly level for some
distance, then ascended gradually. Nearly nine miles from the
cross-roads it wound round a steep cliff. On one side a sheer wall of
rock rose to a great height; on the other a wooded precipice fell away
to an equal depth. A small waterfall plunged from the heights above,
forming a stream across the path, and flowing as a second waterfall over
the edge of the precipice. At this point the hill-side was covered with
scrub, amid which one large tree formed a conspicuous object.
Stepping-stones were laid across the stream, and a few large slabs were
let into the steep bank above the path on the farther side.
Here they dismounted and made their way along the bed of the stream
towards the waterfall. Then they turned to the right, and proceeded
over more large flat slabs leading into the scrub, Romana remarking that
their footsteps would leave no traces on the stones. On reaching the
large tree before mentioned, they found themselves at the mouth of a
cavern concealed by the foliage and the scrub. A projection of the
cliff on the right hid the entrance of the cavern from observation by
any one on the upper portion of the path.
It had been a task of no little difficulty to haul the cycle up the
stream, and both were very hot and tired when they reached the cave.
Drawing aside the screen of foliage, Romana whispered the word Libertad.
There was no answer. He led Tim inside.
"That is our password," he said with a smile. "If I had failed to give
it I might have been shot. But there is no one here now. Only three
men know of this place. Here you will be quite safe. You are now a
Mollendist," he added, chuckling.
"Have you set a trap for me, Romana?" said Tim indignantly.
"No, no; all that I mean is that now the senor your father is a prisoner
he must be a Mollendist. All the Prefect's enemies are."
While speaking he had lit a lamp, by whose light Tim saw an earthen
roof, walls, and floor; two or three stools; a three-legged table; a
large cupboard in which were kept, as Romana told him, food that would
not spoil, and a few mugs; a large can for holding water, and two long
boxes containing rugs which might serve on occasion as beds.
"Is there no other entrance?" Tim asked.
"Come and see."
Romana led him for some distance into the cave, which bent away to the
left. The air was very damp and mouldy, and Tim felt that he would not
care to make too long a stay in so fusty a place. Presently he heard a
gurgle and splash of water, and the light of the lamp which Romana
carried fell on an oblong slab of stone standing upright before them,
about three feet in height. Romana took hold of the upper part of it,
and lowered the stone to the ground. Then Tim saw the waterfall within
two or three feet of them. They were slightly above the bottom of it;
about twelve feet of the cliff face separated them from the spot where
the waterfall became a stream. Romana explained that the other entrance
of the cavern was some forty yards away.
"Now, senorito, you will remain here until I discover what is to be
done. You are not afraid?"
"What is there to be afraid of? Only the damp, so far as I can see. It
may give me lumbago!"
"That is better than duck-shot," said Romana, smiling. "I shall not
have time to explain to my comrades, but if any one comes, he will give
the password, and you will answer Salvatore. You may trust any follower
of Senor Mollendo. The path is open to you; none uses it except our own
people; but do not stray far in case you are seen by an enemy. I will
return as soon as may be."
"Can't your people make a raid and rescue my father?" asked Tim. "They
ought to do something for the money they have got out of him."
"I fear we are not strong enough at the present time," answered Romana.
"But be assured that Senor Mollendo will do anything that is possible.
He holds the senor in high respect."
Tim grunted. He did not think much of a respect that bled a man to the
extent of L250.