Roblado's arrival brought relief to Vizcarra, as he lay chafing and
fretting.
Their conversation was, of course, upon the late occurrence, and Roblado
gave his account of the pursuit.
"And do you really think," inquired the Comandante, "that the fellow had
a party of savages with him?"
"No!" answered Roblado. "I did think so at first--that is, the men
thought so, and I was deceived by their reports. I am now convinced
they were not Indian bravos, but some of those Tagno friends of his: for
it appears the padre was right--he had a suspicious connexion. That of
itself might have been sufficient cause for us to have arrested him long
ago; but now we need no cause. He is ours, when we can catch him."
"How do you propose to act?"
"Why, I have no doubt he will lead us a long chase. We must do the best
we can to follow his trail. I came back to provision the men so that we
can keep on for a sufficient time. The rascals have gone out of the
valley by the upper pass, and perhaps have taken to the mountains. So
thinks Gomez. We shall have to follow, and endeavour to overtake them.
We must send express to the other settlements, so that the cibolero may
be captured if he make his appearance in any of them. I don't think he
will attempt that."
"Why?"
"Why! because it appears the old witch is still alive! and, moreover, he
will hang around here so long as he has any hopes of recovering the
sister."
"Ha! you are right; he will do so. He will never leave me till she--"
"So much the better; we shall have all the finer opportunity of laying
hands on him, which, believe me, my dear colonel, will be no easy
matter. The fellow will be watchful as a wolf, and on that superb horse
of his can escape from our whole troop. We'll have to capture him by
some stratagem."
"Can you think of none?"
"I have been thinking of one."
"What?"
"Why, it is simply this--in the first place, for the reasons I have
given, the fellow will hang around the settlement. He may visit now and
then the old _hechicera_, but not often. The other would be a better
decoy."
"You mean her?" Vizcarra indicated the direction of the room in which
Rosita was confined.
"I do. He is said to be foolishly fond of this sister. Now, were she
in a place where he could visit her, I'll warrant he would come there;
and then we could trap him at our pleasure."
"In a place!--where?" eagerly demanded Vizcarra.
"Why, back to her own neighbourhood. They'll find some residence. If
you will consent to let her go for a while, you can easily recover
her--_the more easily when we have settled with him_!"
"Consent, Roblado!--it is the very thing I desire above all things. My
mind will not be easy while she is here. We are both in danger if such
a report should get in circulation. If it should reach certain ears, we
are ruined--are we not?"
"Why, _now_ there is some truth in what you say, Garcia's death must be
reported, and the cause will be inquired into. We must have _our_ story
as plausible as it can be made. There must be no colour of a
suspicion--no rumour! It will be well to get her off our hands for the
present."
"But how--that it is that troubles me--how, without increasing the
chances of suspicion? If we send her home, how is it to be explained?
That would not be the act of _Indians_? You said you had some plan?"
"I _think_ I have. But first tell me, colonel, what did you mean by
saying she was _mad_?"
"That she was so; is so still,--so says Jose,--within the hour,
muttering strange incongruities--knows not what is said to her. I tell
you, Roblado, it terrified _me_."
"You are sure she knows not what is said to her?"
"Sure of it."
"So much the better. She will then not remember where she is or _has
been_. Now I _know_ that I have a plan--nothing easier than to get her
off. She shall go back and tell--if she can tell anything--that she has
been in the hands of the Indians! That will satisfy you?"
"But how can it be arranged?"
"My dear Comandante, no difficulty in it. Listen! To-night, or before
day in the morning, Gomez and Jose, in Indian costume as before, can
carry her off to some spot which I shall indicate. In the mountains be
it. No matter how far off or how near. She may be tied, and found in
their company in the morning in such a way as to appear _their captive_.
So much the better if she has recovered her senses enough to think so.
Well; I with the troopers, in hunt after the cibolero, will come upon
these Indians by accident. A few shots may be fired at sufficient
distance to do them no hurt. They will make off, leaving their captive,
whom we will rescue and bring back to the town, where she can be
delivered out of our hands! Ha! ha! ha! What think you, Comandante, of
my scheme?"
"Excellent!" replied Vizcarra, his mind seemingly relieved at the
prospect of its execution.
"Why, it would blind the very devil! We shall not only be free from
suspicion, but we'll get credit by it. What! a successful affair with
the savages!--rescue of a female captive!--restore her to her friends!--
she, too, the sister of the very man who has endeavoured to assassinate
you! I tell you, Comandante, the cibolero himself, if that will be any
comfort to you, will be humbugged by it! She will swear--_if her word
be worth anything_--that she has been in the hands of _los barbaros_ all
the while! She will give the lie even to her own brother!"
"The plan is excellent. It must be done to-night!"
"To-night, of course. As soon as the men have gone to bed, Gomez can
start with her. I must give over the idea of following the trail to-day
and, in truth, I regard that as idle. Our only chance for taking him
will be to set our trap, with her for its bait; and that we can arrange
hereafter. Give yourself no farther uneasiness about it. By late
breakfast to-morrow I shall make my report to you,--Desperate affair
with Jicarillas, or Yutas--several warriors killed--female captive
rescued--valiant conduct of troops--recommend Corporal--for promotion,
etcetera. Ha! ha! ha!"
The Comandante joined in this laugh, which, perhaps, he would not have
done, but that Roblado had already assured him that his wound was not of
the slightest danger, and would heal in a couple of weeks.
Roblado had given him assurance of this by calling the doctor a fool,
and heaping upon him other opprobrious epithets. The delivery,
therefore, from the fear of apprehended death, as well as from the other
thought that was torturing him, had restored Vizcarra to a composure he
had not enjoyed for the twenty-four hours preceding; and he now began to
imbibe, to its full extent, another passion--that of vengeance against
the cibolero.
That night, after tattoo had sounded, and the soldiers had retired to
their respective quarters, a small mounted party was seen to issue from
the gateway of the Presidio, and take a road that led in the direction
of the mountains. The party consisted of three individuals. One,
closely wrapped, and mounted upon a mule, appeared to be a female. The
other two, oddly attired, and fantastically adorned with paint and
feathers, might have been taken for a brace of Indian warriors. But
they were not Indians. They were Spanish soldiers in Indian disguise.
They were Sergeant Gomez and the soldier Jose in charge of the
cibolero's sister.