I went not without a guide, else I might have climbed Ixticihuatl in
vain.
The stage-driver still acted in this capacity. By good fortune he had
made the ascent before--on some speculative expedition during a recess,
when the ribbons were out of his hands; and he knew of a second
"robbers' nest" still higher up than that chosen as the scene of the
nuptials.
It was a lone log hut, the residence of a reputed charcoal burner; but
the situation was too high to be convenient for charcoal burning; and,
in Sam Brown's opinion, the "carbonero" was in reality a _bandolero_.
There was just a chance we might find Carrasco at this hut; if not,
somewhere else among the mountains.
How different were the feelings with which I now prosecuted the search.
No longer indifferent about the escape of the robbers, I was determined
on tracking them up, if I should have to traverse every defile in the
Cordillera, or climb to the summit of Popocatepec!
Like a second Ordaz, I could have plunged into its fiery crater to
rescue the captive, who but a short hour before might have leaped into
it, without my stretching forth a hand to restrain her!
It was all changed now. The wound, that had been bleeding for six long
months, had become suddenly cicatrised. A load seemed lifted from my
heart.
I felt light and lithe as I sprang up the acclivity. No Alpine climber
could have equalled me in energy: for never went one with such a purpose
to stimulate his strength. It were a trite triumph to scale the summit
of the Matterhorn, compared with that of rescuing Mercedes Villa-Senor!
The path was not only difficult, but perilous. It would have been so in
the day. At night both the danger and difficulty were doubled. It was
all up hill--steep as the side of a cairn, and with footing not much
surer. The surface was corrugated with lava runs, that had been liquid
some centuries before--now congealed into scoriae that resembled the
slag cast forth from a furnace.
It was not treeless; but sparsely covered with cactus, grass-like tufts
of _zamia_, and stunted fir-trees. Here and there were patches bare and
coal-black--as if the lava had but recently cooled, after being vomited
forth from the _volcan_ above.
Two things greatly delayed us: the darkness, and the necessity of making
a noiseless advance. The slightest sound--a word spoken aloud--might
frustrate the purpose of our pursuit.
I had given strict orders for no one to speak--even in whispers. In
these alone the guide conversed, as he gave his directions. We knew
that our voices would be carried upward to the ears of the brigands,
while there was not much likelihood of our hearing theirs.
That they were above us we had little doubt; though we neither heard nor
saw them. We were assured by the nature of the ground. The path
carried us along the combing of a ridge--on either side flanked by a
stupendous precipice. It was but the continuation of the twin cliffs
that hemmed in the hacienda below. We saw no side track, that the
robbers could have taken. We were certain we had them before us.
Our search promised fair for success. The robbers could have no
suspicion that they were being followed--least of all by a score of
American riflemen. The only enemy they might deem near had been left
helpless below.
Silently we toiled on, stepping as lightly as possible over the loose
lava.
At intervals we stopped to listen. We fancied we could hear footsteps
and the murmuring of men. We were not sure about either. The torrent
tearing along the bottom of the "barranca" sent its "sough" into our
ears--filling them to the exclusion of almost every other sound.
Still the ravishers could not be far ahead of us. Not suspecting
pursuit, they would have no motive for moving in a hurry; though
Carrasco might have one--Mercedes!
The horrid thought chilled the blood within my veins, causing me to
stride on with nervous impatience.
Though the place we were making for was scarce a mile from that we had
left, nearly two hours elapsed before we came in sight of it.
We did so at length.
What we saw was a rude parallelopipedon projected in dark silhouette
against the moonlit sky. It was a cabin constructed of hewn tree
trunks; very similar to that of the "States," only with a flat terraced
roof instead of the slanting cover of "clap-boards."
It stood upon the very edge of the abyss, its back being flush with the
escarpment of the cliff! Only one aperture appeared on the side towards
us--a narrow doorway, with a door upon it; which, as we came within
sight, appeared to be shut.
Presently it was opened from the inside--letting out a stream of light
that scattered over the cleared track in front. On this we could
distinguish the figures of several men, hitherto unseen under the shadow
of the walls. The logs were in juxta-position, as if carefully
"chinked" to keep out the cold: for the dwelling was situated on the
extreme limits of the _tierra fria_.
While the door remained open we could see a number of men moving inside,
and in their midst the loosely dressed form of a woman. A white scarf
floated among the darker drapery of cloaks and _jaquetas_.
The robbers appeared to have just arrived. We knew they could not have
been there long. Those inside the hut were hurrying to and fro--some
carrying torches that appeared recently ignited.
The party without had commenced kindling a fire, that soon blazed up,
throwing its red glare athwart the grey pine-trees; a grove of which
growing near the edge of the cliff flung its sable shadow over the
dwelling.
The bivouackers were the inferior men of the band; for whom there was no
accommodation inside.
We could bear voices, both inside and out; but the harsh hissing of the
cascade, both above and below, hindered us from making anything of what
was said.
We needed no words to give us an explanation of what we saw. It was
intelligible without this. We had tracked the bandits to their den.
They were in it--their victims along with them!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the first time since starting on the uphill pursuit, we felt puzzled
as to how we should act. My own impulses prompted me to spring forward,
and bring the affair to an instant termination.
As far as regarded victory or defeat, I had no fear about the issue.
Although Carrasco's party and ours were nearly equal in numbers, I knew
that in real strength--as in courage and equipment--we were as two to
their one.
But even reversing the order, my men would not have shied from the
contest; not if the enemy had been ten to our one.
For myself--with the motive I had, to move, and madden me,--odds never
entered my thoughts.
As it was, we simply considered ourselves in the presence of _vermin_,
that we could crush beneath the heels of our boots.
With such feeling of contempt for our antagonists, the impulse was to
set upon them at once. My men only waited for the word.
I was prevented from giving it by a reflection. In destroying the
vermin the game might be injured along with it? Mercedes and her
sister--I thought only of Mercedes--might be wounded, perhaps killed in
the conflict?
This fear was sufficient to restrain us. My comrades intuitively shared
it with me; and I had no difficulty in keeping them in check.
For some time we stayed, crouching behind the trees, where we had first
come within sight of the cabin.
Who could say what was best to be done? This was the inquiry that
passed mechanically among us.
The sergeant had conceived an idea. He was an old veteran of the Texan
wars--had served in the campaigns of Houston--and obtained a thorough
knowledge of the Mexican character.
"Best way, capten," said he, whispering close to my ear, "would be to
besiege 'em, and make 'em come to tarms."
"How?"
"Surround the place. It's half surrounded already. We've only got to
`filade' the other half, and they'll be complete caged."
There was sense in the sergeant's suggestion. I should at once have
acceded to it, but for the thought--I need not say what. Time was the
enemy I most dreaded. Just then an hour seemed eternity!
"No," I rejoined, "we must attack them at once. If we leave them
undisturbed till the morning, then our pursuit would be to no purpose.
These ladies--"
"I kin understan you, capten. I didn't mean to leave it till the
mornin'. Let's pounce upon 'em now--them that's outside yonder! Lick
that lot up first, and then summon the others to surrender. Seein'
their comrades taken, and theirselves surrounded--with ne'er a chance of
escapin'--they'll be only too glad to give up the weemen--ay, without
rufflin' a hair o' their heads. Besides," continued he, pointing to the
summit of Ixticihuatl, seen distinctly from the spot, "talkin' o'
mornin', look yonder, capten!"
I directed my glance upwards. A roseate tint appeared upon the snow.
It was the first kiss of the Aurora. Though still night where we lay,
there were signs of morn upon the summit of the mountain. In less than
twenty minutes there would be daylight around us!
The thought decided me to act according to the suggestion of the
sergeant.
My commands, imparted in a low tone to the comrades that crouched behind
me, were followed by a quick rush across the open ground, and the almost
instantaneous capture of the fellows around the fire.
It might have been done without alarming their comrades inside, but for
one of them discharging his carbine as we came up.
For him it proved an imprudent act. It was the last shot he ever fired.
It hurt no one; but he himself dropped dead the instant after, riddled
by the bullets of our revolvers.
The rest surrendered without further show of fight; and in a minute more
were our prisoners.
The shots, of course, carried the surprise inside; but instead of the
door being thrown open, we saw that it was quickly barricaded!
We discovered this on attempting to force it open, and also that it had
been contrived with an eye to such contingency!
While occupied in front of it we were saluted with a volley from above;
while the besieged brigands were seen over the parapet of the azotea.
Before we could answer the fire, their heads were "ducked;" and we were
compelled to stand with guns undischarged, or send our shots idly into
the air.
I felt that we were foiled. My comrades shared the thought. A rifleman
lay, wounded, among our feet. A second had dropped upon his knees;
while three or four others had been scathed by scattering shots.
We stood in a position completely exposed. To hack down the door would
take time. Before it could be done, we might look for a second
discharge from the housetop, with an uneven chance of returning it: for
we now saw that the parapet was _crenelled_; rudely, it is true, but
sufficient for the protection of its defenders.
We felt loth to retreat. There seemed a chance to shelter ourselves
close to the wall; and some, yielding to instinct, had done so. But
several heavy blocks of stone were hurled down from above--proving the
position untenable.
There was no help for it but retreat to the cover of the trees; and this
we did, taking our crippled comrades along with us.
We had lost but little time. The interval of indecision occupied only a
few seconds; and, before the bandits had got their carbines ready for a
fresh fusilade, we were safely sheltered against such "sharpshooters" as
they.