THE CAVE OF THE COUGARS.
Pedrito followed his sister without saying a word, and almost as much
astonished as Don Valentine and her daughter at Mercedes' devotion. She
led him to her bedroom, a charming retreat, full of shade and fresh
air. While the bombero eagerly surveyed all the objects, Mercedes,
sighing and ready to weep, took a parting glance at her well-beloved
room; but she had the courage to repress her tears.
"Sit down, brother. I have a great service to ask of you."
"Hang it! A service, little sister? Why assume so solemn an air for
such a simple thing?"
"Because it is difficult."
"Nothing is impossible to please you. What is the matter?"
"Swear to me, first, to grant what I am about to ask of you."
"Go on, child, and do not trouble yourself about the rest," Pedrito
said, with a hearty laugh.
"No. I must have your oath."
"I have taken it; that is understood, I have all the gravity of an
Indian idol."
"You are laughing at me," she said, with tears in her eyes.
"Confound the women!" Pedrito remarked; "They can always twirl men
round their fingers. Come, silly child, do not cry any more. I swear to
obey your whims. Tell me what it is all about."
"I have promised Doña Concha, my dear brother, to give her within three
days news about Don Sylvio."
"What next?"
"I wish to perform my promise."
"The deuce."
"And for that I have counted on you."
"On me?"
"Yes."
"How can I help you?"
"Without you the affair is impracticable."
"In that case, little sister, I am greatly afraid that--"
"Remember your oath."
"Go on. I am listening."
"I have lived a long time among the Indians, whose manners and language
I am acquainted with. I intend to get into their camp unnoticed, in
order to learn where Don Sylvio is."
"Good-bye, Mercedes."
"And your oath, brother?" she said, placing herself before the door.
"I shall not keep it; and if Heaven thinks that I ought, we will argue
the point together."
She looked at her brother for a moment in silence. "You are quite
resolved?" she continued.
"Quite."
"Then, I shall go alone."
"What," Pedrito exclaimed, as he rushed towards her, "Do you wish to be
the death of me, then?"
Mercedes made no reply.
"Go away, brother. I will do without you."
"Come on! I will follow you. Oh, these women!" the bombero muttered.
"We shall succeed," she exclaimed, joyfully.
"Yes, in getting ourselves killed."
"Let us be off, brother," she said, placing under her arm a small
bundle of clothing.
Mercedes, fearing the emotion of a farewell scene, avoided Doña Concha.
Patito had got two horses in readiness, which speedily carried brother
and sister far from the estancia. At the battery the capataz was
waiting for them.
"Señorita," he said to Mercedes, "you are a noble girl, Heaven will aid
and bless you."
"Don Blas," Mercedes answered, with a smile, as she drew from her bosom
a small gold cross Doña Concha had given her, and broke the velvet neck
ribbon, "take this cross, and keep it in remembrance of me."
The two travellers had been galloping a long time ere the capataz left
off kissing the cross, while thinking that its usual resting place was
on the maiden's heart. Pedrito and his sister rode side by side without
exchanging a word, for both were plunged in deep thought.
"How far have we to go?" Mercedes asked all at once.
"Two leagues."
After a while they heard the footfall of a horse behind them; they
turned, and perceived Patito, who was making signals to them, and the
gaucho soon joined them.
"My mistress is following me," he said.
Doña Concha, dressed in male clothing, came up at the full speed of her
horse.
"Ah," she said, on joining them, "I trembled lest I should miss you."
"Are we to turn back Pedrito asked, with a fugitive gleam of hope."
"No, no; on the contrary; push on," Concha replied.
"Where are you going, señorita?"
"I am following you."
"What?" he said, fancying he misunderstood her.
"I guessed your plan, Mercedes, and mean to share its perils."
"That is fine, señorita!" Pedrito exclaimed.
"She is right," Mercedes said simply; "that will be better."
"You, Patito," Concha said, "can go back; I have no need of your
services."
"Forgive me, but with your permission I will remain; I am not wanted at
the estancia, and, though I do not know where you are going, two strong
arms are worth keeping."
"Remain, my friend."
"But your father, Don Valentine, señorita?" Pedrito attempted to say.
"He approves of it," she answered drily.
They started again: two hours later they reached the foot of a hill,
halfway up which was a natural grotto, known in the country by the name
of the Cave of the Cougars.
"My brothers are there," Pedrito said.
The little party ascended the gentle slope of the hill, and entered
the cave on horseback, without leaving any trace of their passage.
There were several entrances to this cave; it was divided into several
compartments that had no visible communication, and formed a species of
labyrinth that meandered under the hill. The bomberos, who knew all its
turnings, often employed it as a refuge.
Pepe and Lopez were seated before a heather fire, silently smoking
their pipes, and watching a leg of guanaco that was roasting. They
saluted the newcomers, and remained dumb as the Indians, whose manner
they had to some extent assumed in their nomadic life on the Pampa.
Pedrito conducted the two ladies to a separate compartment.
"While here," he said to them in a low whisper, "say but little, for
you can never tell what neighbours you may have. If you want us, you
know where we are; I now leave you."
His sister caught his arm and put her lips to his ear, and he went away
without making any answer.
The two girls, when alone, threw themselves into each other's arms.
When this outburst was over, they disguised themselves as Indian women.
At the moment when their Spanish dresses were about to fall, they heard
footsteps close to them, and turned like startled fawns.
"I was afraid," Doña Concha said, "lest it was Don Pedro; let us
listen."
"Caray, Don Torribio, you are welcome," a man's voice said, hardly
three yards from the girls; "I have been waiting for you for more than
two hours."
"Always that man!" Concha murmured.
"My good fellow," Don Torribio replied, "it was impossible for me to
come sooner."
"Well, here you are, that is the main point," the first speaker
remarked.
At this moment Pedrito entered; Mercedes made him a sign to listen, and
he came to her side.
"Are you satisfied with your position at Carmen?" Torribio continued.
"Not very greatly, I confess."
"I am going to liberate you, my dear Pincheira; I shall order the
attack on Población del Sur tomorrow, and then you will act, I suppose."
"That is settled. By the by, I just now came across a poor devil of an
Argentine officer, entrusted with a despatch for the governor of El
Carmen; it announces help, I suppose."
"_¡Caramba!_ They must make haste. What did you do with the despatch?"
"Here it is."
"Did you kill the Argentine messenger?"
"Well, I fancy so."
"That is right."
"When is the assault to take place?"
"In two days. How is my prisoner, by the way?"
"Oh, he is furious."
"He will grow calm. This is what I intend to do, soon as the town--"
But while these words were being spoken, the two men had retired, and
the sound of their voices died out in the windings of the cave. When
the maidens turned round again Pedrito had disappeared.
"Well," Mercedes said, "what do you think of that singular accident?"
"It is a miracle of Heaven."
"Shall we still disguise ourselves?"
"More so than ever."
"For what purpose?" Pedrito said, who had returned, "I now know where
Don Sylvio is, and I undertake to restore him to you."
"But our vengeance?" Doña Concha interrupted.
"Let us save him first. Return to the estancia, señorita, and leave me
to act."
"No, Don Pedro, I shall not leave you."
"Wait for me here, then, both of you."
Several hours passed, and Pedrito did not return. Alarmed by this
inexplicable delay, the two girls joined the other two bomberos in
the front cave. Night had set in when Pedrito returned; he bought an
enormous bale on the neck of his horse, which was panting with fatigue.
"Put on these gauchos' dresses," he said to the two ladies; "we are
going to get inside Carmen. The journey will be a rough one, but make
haste, for every moment lost is an hour of danger for us."
They ran off to dress themselves, and were ready in a moment.
"Take your Indian robes," Pedrito said, "for they may be useful to you.
Good! Now follow me, and be cautious!"
The three bomberos, the two girls, and Patito left the cave, and
glided through the darkness like shadows, marching in Indian file, at
one moment stooping down to the ground, crawling on their knees, and
trying as far as possible to hide their passage. It was a singular and
dangerous journey, in the depths of night, and across a desert whose
thickets in time of war are peopled with invisible enemies. Pedrito
had placed himself at the head of the party. Doña Concha, excited by
the courage which love imparts, stained the prickles with her blood,
but not a single complaint passed her lips. After three hours of
extraordinary effort, the little party that followed Pedrito's track
suddenly stopped on his stopping.
"Look!" he said to them, in a whisper, "we are in the heart of the
Aucas' camp."
All around them in the moonbeams they saw the Indian sentinels leaning
on their lances and watching over the safety of their brothers. A
shudder ran over the maidens; fortunately, the guards, not fearing a
sortie from Carmen, were sleeping at their posts, but the slightest
badly calculated movement or stumble might wake them. Hence, Pedrito
recommended them to redouble their prudence, if they wished to save
their lives.
About two hundred yards in front of them rose the first houses of
Carmen, gloomy, silent, and apparently at least deserted or plunged in
silence. The six adventurers had cleared one half the distance, when
suddenly, at the moment when Pedrito stretched out his arm to shelter
himself behind a sandhill, several men crawling on the opposite side,
found themselves face to face with him.
There was a moment of terrible anxiety.
"Who goes there?" a low and threatening voice asked.
"Pedrito the bombero."
"Who is with you?"
"My brothers."
"Pass."
Ten minutes after this encounter they reached the barriers, which were
at once opened on Pedrito mentioning his name, and they were at length
safe in Carmen. It was high time; in spite of their resolution and
courage, the two girls, worn out with fatigue, could no longer support
themselves. So soon as the danger had passed, their nervous excitement
gave way, and they fell utterly exhausted. Pedrito raised his sister in
his arms; Pepe took charge of Doña Concha, and they proceeded to Don
Valentine's house, where fresh difficulties awaited them. Tío Peralta
refused to open the gate, but on at length recognizing his mistress, he
led the travellers into a room and lit the candles.
"What are we to do now?" Doña Concha asked, as she fell back into a
chair.
"Nothing just at present," Pedrito answered. "Rest yourself, señorita,
and regain your strength."
"Shall we remain for long in this state of inaction, which kills us?"
"Only till tomorrow. We must not run blindly into danger, but prepare
everything for the success of our plans, and watch for the propitious
moment. Tomorrow at the latest, those men, whose conversation we
overheard, will attempt an attack on Población del Sur. As for us, we
shall be more at liberty to enter the Indian camp. Keep your presence
in Carmen a secret from everybody, and give no sign of life till I
return. Good-bye till tomorrow morning."
"Are you not going to rest, Don Pedro?"
"I have no time."
Pedrito left the room. Doña Concha recommended the utmost silence to
Tío Peralta, and dismissed her companions, who went off to sleep in
hastily prepared apartments.
Mercedes would not separate from her friend, and they reposed on the
same couch. In spite of their wish to remain awake, nature was the
stronger, and they soon fell into a deep sleep. The sun was already
high on the horizon when they opened their eyes again. They dressed
themselves and breakfasted with their companions, impatiently awaiting
the bombero's return.
Several hours passed, lacerating Doña Concha's heart, and making her
love bleed; the recollection of her betrothed husband, covered with the
shadow of death, painfully troubled her thoughts.
At length the town bells rang out a full peal to call the population
under arms, and acted as a gloomy accompaniment to the dull booming of
the cannon and the flashes of the musketry fire. Without doubt the
Indians were attacking Población del Sur; but where was Pedrito? Doña
Concha asked herself, as she walked, like a lioness in a cage, up and
down the room, devoured by anxiety and despair.
"Listen!" she said to Mercedes, as she turned her head toward the door.
"It is he!" Mercedes replied.
"At last!" Conchita exclaimed.
"Here I am, señorita," Pedrito said; "are you ready?"
"Ever since the morning," she answered reproachfully.
"It would have been too soon," he said quietly; "now if you like."
"At once."
"Señorita, be dumb; whatever you may hear and see, leave me to speak
and act alone. Stay! Here is a mask for each of you, with which you
will conceal your faces. When I give the word come in."
All three left the house unnoticed, for the townspeople were guarding
the barricades or engaged in the furious contest going on in Población
del Sur.