IN POSSESSION
Felipe Durand was enjoying an after-dinner cigar with Dr. Pereira when
they heard the first commotion in the town consequent upon Pardo's
arrival from the hacienda. Regarding it as nothing more than a street
brawl they went to a window overlooking the plaza, and watched the crowd
gathering, and the gendarmes come from the direction of the barracks to
keep order. After a few minutes they returned to their chairs.
Presently a servant entered, and reported what was being said in the
town. A wild and exaggerated rumour had spread that the Mollendists had
swooped in vast numbers on Mr. O'Hagan's hacienda; the Prefect's troops
had been sent to drive them out.
"Young Tim did not tell me that anything of that sort was in
contemplation," said Durand.
"It is a mad proceeding," said the doctor. "By all accounts the
Mollendists are a very small party, and badly provided. I am surprised
at O'Hagan."
"Perhaps it is a move of Tim's," suggested Durand. "He's mad enough for
anything at times."
"That boy has as many lives as a cat. It's a marvel that he hasn't
broken his neck long before this."
"He was just the same at school. If he fell from a tree he never seemed
to hurt himself. I remember once at rugger--a sort of football, you
know--he had a terrible collision with a forward twice his size, and we
thought he was killed for a certainty. But he got up after a minute and
rubbed his shins and chaffed the other fellow about his fat. 'Soft as a
cushion,' he said, 'lucky for me.'"
They sat smoking and talking until a renewed uproar drew them again to
the window. There they watched what ensued upon Tim's capture of the
barracks. They came to the conclusion, surprising as it was, that the
Mollendists had attacked in force. The rumours brought from below stairs
magnified every detail. The numbers of the assailants were greatly
multiplied; Dr. Pereira was inclined to believe that Mr. O'Hagan, of
whose exploits in the Chilian war he knew, had himself organised a
dashing descent on the town. It was only later, when Tim led the charge
into the plaza, that the two onlookers had an inkling of the truth.
"It's Tim after all, the young demon!" exclaimed Durand.
"But he must be backed up," said the doctor. "He would never attempt
such a foolhardy exploit unless he could rely on support from his
father."
"You don't know Tim so well as I do, senor," said Durand.
"You must stay the night, Felipe. We can't tell what may be happening
on the road, and you mustn't risk being shot. The affair is evidently
much more serious than I thought. In the morning we shall learn the
truth of it."
A little while after the plaza had been cleared and the excited populace
had melted away, two of the principal men in the town, both strong
opponents of the Prefect, came to see Dr. Pereira. They pointed out
that the town was now without responsible authorities. No gobernador
had yet been appointed in place of Senor Fagasta, still under arrest;
Captain Pierola, in command of the garrison, was reported killed; and
next day the place would be in anarchy. They therefore begged the
doctor to proclaim himself provisional gobernador, and to authorise the
enrolment of special constables to keep order until matters developed.
"I don't think I can do that," said the doctor. "The town is now
practically in the possession of the Mollendists. Any such action on my
part would be resented by them, unless indeed I issued a proclamation in
the name of Senor Mollendo. Do you suggest that I should do that?"
His visitors, one of whom was the principal lawyer in the town,
hesitated. They recognised that to take such a step would be a burning
of their boats. The Prefect was still to be reckoned with.
"My idea was to remain neutral between the two parties, senor doctor,"
said the lawyer, "and set up a provisional administration in the
interests of the general order."
"That cannot be done without the consent of the gentleman now in
military occupation," replied Dr. Pereira.
"But he is not in effective occupation, senor," the lawyer persisted.
"He has withdrawn his men to the barracks."
"The Prefect's men are not in occupation, at any rate," said the doctor,
dryly. "They have abandoned the town. The utmost that we can do is to
send a deputation to the Mollendist leader, and ask him to authorise
measures for the protection of the life and property of the civil
population. I am willing to form one of such a deputation, and I
suggest that you accompany me, senores."
"Let me come too, senor," said Durand eagerly.
"You had better remain here, Felipe," replied the doctor. "This is a
matter for grave and reverend signors."
His eyes twinkled. He suspected that his visitors were as yet unaware
of the identity of the "Mollendist leader," and relished the anticipated
scene of Tim receiving the deputation. In a few minutes the three
gentlemen set forth, the doctor bearing a note which Durand had hastily
scribbled.
Meantime Tim, while his men were at supper, had been taking mental stock
of the position. It did not occur to him that he was master of the
town. No boy of his years and limited experience could suppose that by
a single charge at the head of twenty men he had swept away all
effective opposition. He did not know that the enemy had scattered in
all directions over the surrounding country; and while he felt that they
would probably not attack again during the night, he expected that they
would rally and at any rate keep him closely invested pending the
arrival of the Prefect. Consequently, after arranging for the efficient
guarding of the barracks during the remaining hours of darkness, he
threw himself on Captain Pierola's bed to snatch a rest in preparation
for the anticipated work of the day.
He was called up about midnight by one of the sentries, who reported
that three men were approaching from the plaza under a flag of truce.
He hurried to the gate, and was surprised to hear Dr. Pereira's voice in
answer to the question he asked through the wicket.
"We come as a deputation on behalf of the citizens," said the doctor.
Tim threw open the wicket, and the three gentlemen entered. The lawyer
and his friend stared when they recognised in the "Mollendist leader"
the boy whom they regarded as a harum-scarum young giddy-pate. Tim's
surprise equalled theirs when the doctor, who thoroughly enjoyed the
situation, explained the object of their visit.
"We have come to you, as the gentleman in military possession of the
town," said the doctor, "to request that you will take measures for the
maintenance of civil order. The official garrison has withdrawn; the
gobernador is unable to act; and we fear that disturbances may arise
among the populace. We offer no opinion and take no sides in the
dissensions which presumably have led to the present circumstances; we
approach you merely in the interests of the general good."
The doctor's words were grave and formal, but Tim caught the humorous
twinkle of his eyes. He knew that Dr. Pereira was no friend to the
Prefect. Maintaining equal gravity, he tried to adjust his thoughts to
the new situation. If the doctor had been alone, he would have spoken
to him freely, and asked his advice. The presence of the other two
Peruvians, whom he knew only slightly, imposed a reserve. Quick-witted
as he was, for a moment he found himself at a loss. But when he realised
the full import of Dr. Pereira's words, he pulled himself together, and
said:
"I am honoured by your visit, senores. I will at once send men to patrol
the plaza." A sudden idea struck him. "Perhaps it would be in order if
I issued a proclamation."
"That is the usual formality, senor," said the lawyer, with professional
approval.
"Then will you be good enough to draw it up for me, senor? You will
employ the correct forms. Announce that I hold the town in the name of
Senor Mollendo, and that it is under martial law until the civil
government is re-established. You will find paper and ink in the
guardroom upstairs."
The lawyer and his friend having departed to draw up the document, Tim
was left alone with his old friend.
"Bravo, Tim!" said the doctor. "You have carried it off well."
"But is it true?" asked Tim eagerly. "Are we in possession of the town?"
"Without a doubt. You have only to act boldly. Toujours l'audace! The
garrison have bolted; without good leadership they won't rally, and
Captain Pierola is dead, I hear."
"He is only wounded," said Tim.
"He is not here, at any rate. The Mollendists have a strong party in
the town, and if you put a bold face on it the Prefect's adherents will
not dare to rise. Of course your father is near?"
"I hope so, senor. I have sent a messenger for him."
"You don't mean to say that you have done this on your own account,
unsupported?"
"We _have_ been rather lucky," said Tim with a smile.
The doctor uttered an ejaculation of amazement.
"You must tell me all about it presently," he said, as the lawyer
reappeared with the proclamation. Tim, with an ingenuous blush,
scrawled his signature at the foot: "Timothy O'Hagan, Lieutenant;" and
with grave salutations the three gentlemen withdrew. At the moment of
parting, Dr. Pereira put into Tim's hand the note written by Durand.
Opening it, he read:
"Good old Tim! I wish I had been in the scrum. I am going to ask my
pater if I may join you."