We come to the closing act of our drama. To understand it fully, it is
necessary that the setting of the stage--the _mise-en-scene_--be
described with a certain degree of minuteness. The little valley-plain,
or _vallon_, in which we had _cached_ ourselves, was not over three
hundred yards in length, and of an elliptical form. But for this form,
it might have resembled some ancient crater scooped out of the mountain,
that on all sides swept upward around it. The sides of this mountain,
trending up from the level of the plain, rose not with a gentle
acclivity, but with precipitous abruptness. At no point, however, did
it assume the character of a cliff. It might have been scaled with
difficulty by a man on foot, especially should he avail himself of the
assistance of the trees--pines and trailing junipers--that grew over the
steep so thickly as to conceal the greater portion of its rocky
_facade_. Here and there only, a bare spot might be observed--a little
buttress of white laminated gypsum, mingled with sparkling selenite;
while at other places a miniature torrent, leaping over the rocks, and
dancing among the dark cedars, presented a very similar appearance.
These little torrents, plashing down to the plain, formed numerous
crystal rills that traversed the _vallon_. Like the branches of a
silver candelabrum, all united near its centre, and there formed a
pellucid stream, that, sweeping onward, discharged itself through the
ravine into Robideau's Pass. The effect of this abundance of water had
been to produce within the _vallon_ a proportionate luxuriance of
vegetation, though it had not assumed the form of a forest. A few
handsome cotton-woods, standing thinly over it, were the only trees; but
the surface exhibited a verdure of emerald brightness enamelled by many
a gay corolla--born to blush unseen within this sweet secluded glen.
Along the edge of the rivulet, large water-plants projected their broad
leaves languidly over the stream; and where the little cascades came
down from the rocks, the flowers of beautiful orchids, and other rare
epiphytes, were seen sparkling under the spray--many of them clinging to
the _coniferae_, and thus uniting almost the extreme types of the
botanical world!
Such lovely landscape was presented to our eyes in the "bolson" into
which our trapper-guide had conducted us. It appeared lovely as we
first beheld it--under the blue light of dawn; but lovelier far, when
the sun began to tinge the summits of the Mojada Mountains that
encircled it, and scatter his empurpled roses on the snowy peaks of the
Wa-to-yah--just visible through the gorge.
"_Esta un Paraiso_!" (It is a Paradise!) exclaimed the Mexican, warming
with the poetry of his race. "_En verdad un Paraiso_! Even better
peopled than the Paradise of old. _Mira! cavalleros_!" continued he.
"Behold! not one Eve, but two! each, I daresay, as beautiful as the
mother of mankind!"
As the trapper spoke, he pointed to the young girls, who, hand-in-hand,
were returning from the stream--where they had been performing their
ablutions. The spots of _allegria_ had disappeared from the cheeks of
Marian, that now gleamed in all their crimson picturesqueness. It was
for Wingrove to admire these. My own eyes were riveted upon the roseate
blonde; and, gazing upon her face, I could not help echoing the
sentiment of the enthusiastic speaker: "Beautiful as the mother of
mankind!" Wingrove and I had been to the _lavatory_ before them; and
had succeeded to a certain extent in scouring our skins clear of the
vermilion bedaubment. In the anticipation of this pleasant interview,
it was natural we should seek to rescue ourselves from a disguise, that
the eye of woman could not look upon otherwise than with _degout_. It
was natural, too, we should desire those clasped hands to come asunder--
those maiden forms to be separated from one another?
Fortune was pleased to respond to our wishes. A flower hanging from the
branch of a tree at that moment caught the eye of Lilian; and, dropping
her sister's hand, she hastened to gather it. Marian, who cared less
for flowers, did not follow her. Perhaps her inclination tempted her
the other way?
But one did follow the fair Lilian--unable to resist the opportunity for
free converse--the only one that had offered since that first sweet
interview. How my heart bounded, when I beheld the blossom of the
bignonia; for it was that which hung drooping from the branch of the
cotton-wood, round which its bright leaves were amorously entwining!
How it swelled with a triumphant joy, when I saw those tiny fingers,
extend towards the _Sower, gently_ pluck it from its stem, and place it
upon my bosom! Talk not of bliss, if it be not this! We strayed on
through the straggling trees, along the banks of the stream, by the
edges of the little rills. We wandered around the vallon, and stood by
the torrents that fell foaming from the rocks. We mingled our voices
with the waters, that in low murmurings appeared to repeat the sentiment
so endeared to us, "I think of thee!"
"And you will, Lilian--you will always thus think of me?"
"Yes, Edward!--for ever and ever!"
Was the kiss unhallowed that could seal such promise? No--it was
sacred--
Down to Earth's profound, And up to Heaven!
Thus benighted with the sweet hallucination of love, how could we dream
that on earth there existed an alloy? How suspect that into that
smiling garden the dread serpent could ever intrude himself? Alas! he
was at that moment approaching it--he was already near!
The place we had chosen for our temporary bivouac--and where we had
passed the night--was at the upper extremity of the little valley, and
close in to the cliff. We had selected this spot, from the ground being
a little more elevated than the general surface, and in consequence
drier. Several cotton-wood trees shaded it; and it was further
sheltered by a number of large boulders of rock, that, having fallen
from the cliff above, lay near its base. Behind these boulders, the men
of our party had slept--not from any idea of the greater security
afforded by them, but simply from a delicate motive--being thus
separated from the _chamber_ occupied by our fair _protegees_.
It had never occurred to us that our place of concealment could be
discovered in the night; and, even long after the day had arisen, so
confident did we continue in our fancied security, that we had taken no
precautions--neither to reconnoitre the cliffs in search of away of
retreat, nor to adopt any means of defence in the event of our being
assailed. As far as Wingrove and I were concerned, I have explained
this negligence, for it was negligence of the most imprudent character.
The Mexican, feeling quite certain that he had succeeded in blinding our
trail, was perhaps less cautious than he might otherwise have been; and
Sure-shot equally trusted to his new comrade, for whose still the
ex-ranger had conceived an exalted opinion.
I could see withal that Archilete was not without some apprehension. He
had buckled on his artificial leg--the real one having become fatigued
by pressing too long on the stirrup; and, as he hobbled over the ground,
I noticed that from time to time he cast inquiring glances down the
valley. Observing these signs of impatience more than once, I began to
grow uneasy.
Prudence required that even that sweet scene should be interrupted--only
temporality, I hoped--until some plan should be adopted, that would
render us more secure against the contingency of our being discovered.
With my fair companion, I had turned away from the sweet whisperings of
the cascade, and was facing to the upper end of the vallon--when, all at
once, I observed a strange manoeuvre on the part of "Peg-leg." The
trapper had thrown himself flat upon the grass; and with his ear placed
close to the ground, appeared to listen. The movement was too
significant not to attract the attention of everybody. My companion was
the only one who did not comprehend it; but she observed that it had
powerfully affected all the others; and an ejaculation of alarm escaped
her, as she saw them hastening up to the place occupied by the prostrate
trapper. Before we could arrive on the spot, the man had sprung back
into an erect attitude; and, as he stamped his timber leg with violence
upon the ground, was heard to exclaim: "_Carrambo, camarados_! The curs
are upon our trail! _Oiga los_?--_el perro_--_el perro_!" (You hear
them?--the dog--the dog!) The words were scarcely out of his mouth when
their interpretation was given in the sound that came pealing up the
valley. Borne upon the sighing breeze, it was heard above the rushing
noise of the waters--easily heard, and as easily understood. It was the
bay of a dog, who ran "growling" along a trail! Its deep tone was even
identified. The huntress recognised it in the first note that fell upon
her ear--as was evidenced by her quick exclamation: "Wolf! my dog Wolf!"
The speech had scarcely escaped her, before the dog himself made his
appearance, convincing us all of his identity. The animal, seeing us,
ran no longer by the scent; but with raised snout came galloping across
the valley, and bounded forward to receive the caresses of his mistress.
We rushed to our weapons; and, having grasped them, ran behind the
boulders of rock. It would have been idle to have taken to our horses.
If our pursuers were following the dog, and guided by him, they would
already be near enough to intercept our retreat from the vallon?
Perhaps they were at that moment in the gorge? We had but one hope; and
that was, that the dog might be _alone_. Missing Marian at the camp, he
might have struck upon her trail, and been running upon it throughout
the night! This seemed scarcely probable: for Holt could have detained
him; and in all likelihood would have done so? Still less probable did
it appear, as we watched the movements of the dog himself. Instead of
staying by Marian, and continuing to receive her caresses, we noticed
that at short intervals he ran off again, making demonstration in the
direction he had come--as if in expectation of some one who was
following at his heels! The slight hope we had conceived was quickly
and rudely crushed, by the confirmation of this fact. The voices of
men, echoing hoarsely through the gorge, confirmed it! Beyond doubt,
they were our pursuers, guided by the dog--who little comprehended the
danger he was thus conducting towards the object of his instinctive
affections!