A COUNTERMINE.
As Trangoil-Lanec had predicted, Louis recovered from the effects of
his wounds with surprising rapidity. Whether it was owing to his ardent
desire to commence his researches, or to the goodness of his condition,
we will not say; but on the eve of the day fixed for the departure
he was quite on the alert, and told Don Tadeo he was ready to start
whenever he pleased.
He was the more anxious to depart in that Valentine, his dog Cæsar,
and Trangoil-Lanec had been absent three days, and no tidings had
been received. Curumilla had not come back. All these circumstances
augmented in an enormous degree the impatience of the count; whilst, on
his part, Don Tadeo was not much more easy. The poor father shuddered
at the idea of the suffering to which his child was exposed.
And yet there was mingled an undefinable joy at thinking of the
tortures he should inflict, in his turn, upon Doña Maria, when
revealing to her that the person she had taken so much delight in
martyrizing was her own daughter. Don Tadeo, a man of elevated mind,
endeavoured to shake off this unworthy thought, but it persisted in
recurring with tenacity.
Don Gregorio, in whose hands Don Tadeo had placed his power and
authority, urged on by Louis, hastened the preparations for the
departure on the morrow. At about eight o'clock in the evening. Don
Gregorio, after giving certain instructions in one of the private
apartments of the cabildo to General Cornejo and the senator Sandias,
who were to conduct Don Pancho to Santiago, had dismissed them, and
was conversing with Don Tadeo, when the door was thrown open, and a
man entered. On seeing him, they uttered a general cry of joy and
astonishment. It was Curumilla!
"At last!" Louis and Don Tadeo exclaimed.
"I am here!" the Ulmen replied, sorrowfully.
As the poor Indian seemed quite exhausted with fatigue and want of
food, they made him sit down. In spite of all his Indian stoicism,
Curumilla literally seized the food as soon as it appeared, and
devoured it greedily.
As soon as the keenness of his appetite was a little abated, Curumilla
related the full details of all that had happened since his departure
from the camp, the manner in which he had delivered the young lady,
and how, an hour after, she had been recaptured by her enemies. When
he quitted Doña Rosario the brave Indian had only kept at a sufficient
distance from her to avoid being himself taken by her ravishers.
Don Tadeo and the count warmly thanked him.
"I have done nothing yet," he said, "since all must be begun again; and
now," he added, "it will be more difficult, for they will be on their
guard."
"Tomorrow," Don Tadeo replied, warmly, "we will set out all together on
the track."
"Yes," the chief said, "I am aware you are to depart tomorrow."
The three men looked at each other with astonishment; they could not
understand how the news of their movements should be known.
"There are no secrets for Aucas, when they wish to know them," the
chief said with a smile.
"It is impossible!" Don Gregorio exclaimed angrily.
"Let my brother listen," the chief replied quietly. "Tomorrow, at
sunrise, a detachment of a thousand white soldiers will leave Valdivia
to conduct the prisoner Bustamente to Santiago. Is it not so?"
"Yes," Don Gregorio replied, "I must admit that what you say is
correct."
"Well," said the Ulmen smiling, "I cannot deny that the man who gave me
these details had no suspicion that I overheard him."
"Explain yourself, chief, I implore you!" Don Tadeo cried; "we are upon
burning coals."
"I have told you that I followed Antinahuel's party; I must add that
occasionally I got before them. The day before yesterday, at sunrise,
the Black Stag, who was left with Antinahuel's warriors during his
absence, was on the prairie of the treaties, and as soon as he saw his
chief, galloped to meet him. As I had no doubt that these two men,
during their conference, would allow some words to escape that might
afterwards be of service to me, I drew as close to them as possible,
and that is the way they placed me in possession of their projects."
"Of their projects?" Don Gregorio asked, "are they mad enough, then, to
think of attacking us?"
"The pale woman has made Antinahuel swear to deliver her friend, who is
a prisoner."
"Well! and what then?"
"Antinahuel will deliver him."
"Ay, ay!" said Don Gregorio, "but that project is more easily formed
than executed, chief."
"The soldiers are obliged to traverse the Canyon del Rio Seco."
"No doubt they are."
"It is there that Antinahuel will attack the palefaces with his
mosotones."
"Sangre de Cristo!" Don Gregorio exclaimed, "What is to be done?"
"The escort will be defeated," Don Tadeo observed.
Curumilla remained silent.
"Perhaps not!" said the count: "I know the chief; he is not the man to
cause his friends embarrassment without having the means of showing
them how to avoid the peril he reveals to them."
"Unfortunately," Don Tadeo replied, "there exists no other passage but
that cursed defile; it must absolutely be cleared, and five hundred
resolute men might not there only hold a whole army in check, but cut
it to pieces."
"That may be all very true," the young man replied persistently; "but
I repeat what I have said--the chief is a skilful warrior, his mind is
fertile in resources."
Curumilla smiled and nodded.
"I was sure of it!" Louis cried. "Now then, chief, speak out! Do you
not know a means of enabling us to avoid this dangerous passage?"
"I will not certify that," the Ulmen replied; "but if my brothers the
palefaces will consent to allow me to act, I will undertake to foil the
plans of Antinahuel and his companions."
"Speak! speak, chief!" the count exclaimed, vehemently; "explain to us
the plan you have formed; these caballeros rely entirely upon you."
"Yes," Don Tadeo replied, "we are listening to you anxiously, chief."
"But," Curumilla resumed, "my brothers must act with caution. I require
to be left absolute master."
"You have my word, Ulmen," said Don Gregorio; "we will only act as you
command us."
"Good!" said the chief; "let my brothers listen."
And without more delay he detailed to them the plan he had formed, and
which, as might be expected, obtained the general assent. Don Tadeo and
the count entered enthusiastically into it, promising themselves the
happiest results. By the time the last measures were agreed to and all
was arranged the night was far advanced, and the four speakers stood in
need of some repose. Curumilla in particular, having slept but little
for several days, was literally sinking with fatigue. Louis alone
appeared to require no repair for his strength. But prudence demanded
that a few hours should be given to sleep, and, in spite of the counts
remonstrances, they separated.
The young man, forced to submit to the reasons of the experienced men
who surrounded him, retired with a very bad grace, promising himself
_in petto_ not to let his friends forget the hour fixed upon for their
departure.
Louis felt it was impossible to follow their example, and impatience
and love--those two tyrants of youth--heated his brain, he ascended
to the roof of the palace, and with his eyes fixed upon the lofty
mountains, whose dark shadows were thrown across the horizon, he gave
all his thoughts to the fair Rosario.
Louis, abandoning himself to delightful thoughts, thus dreamed through
the night, and did not think of descending till the stars successively
disappeared in the depths of the heavens, and a pale whiteness began to
tinge the horizon. In that climate this announced the speedy approach
of day.