Long after the lovers had entered the arbour the mestiza had remained in
her squatting attitude, listening to the conversation, of which not a
word escaped her. It was not, however, her interest in that which bound
her to the spot, but her fear of being discovered should she attempt to
leave it. She had reason while it was still moonlight, for the open
ground she must pass over was distinctly visible from the arbour. It
was only after the moon went down that she saw the prospect of retiring
unseen; and, choosing a moment when the lovers had their faces turned
from her, she crawled a few yards back, rose to her feet, and ran nimbly
off in the darkness.
Strange to say, the rustling heard by the senorita was not made by the
girl at the moment of her leaving the arbour. It was caused by a twig
which she had bent behind a branch, the better to conceal herself, and
this releasing itself had sprung back to its place. That was why no
object was visible to the lovers, although coming hastily out of the
arbour. The spy at that instant was beyond the reach of sight as well
as hearing. She had got through the avenue before the twig moved.
She did not stop for a moment. She did not return to her apartment, but
crossing the patio hastily entered the zaguan. This she traversed with
stealthy steps, as if afraid to awake the portero.
On reaching the gate she drew from her pocket a key. It was not the key
of the main lock, but of the lesser one, belonging to the postern door
which opened through the great gate.
This key she had secured at an earlier hour of the evening, for the very
use she was now about to make of it.
She placed it in the lock, and then shot the bolt, using all the care
she could to prevent it from making a noise. She raised the latch with
like caution; and then, opening the door, stepped gently to the outside.
She next closed the door after her, slowly and silently; and this done,
she ran with all her speed along the road towards some woods that were
outside the town, and not far from the house of Don Ambrosio.
It was in these woods that Roblado held his men in ambush. He had
brought them thither at a late hour, and by a circuitous route, so that
no one should see them as they entered the timber, and thus prevent the
possibility of a frustration of his plans. Here he was waiting the
arrival of his spy.
The girl soon reached the spot, and in a few minutes detailed to the
officer the whole of what she had witnessed. What she had heard there
was no time to tell, for she communicated to Roblado how she had been
detained, and the latter saw there was not a moment to be lost. The
interview might end before he should be ready, and his prey might still
escape him.
Had Roblado felt more confidence as to time he would now have acted
differently. He would have sent some men by a lower crossing, and let
them approach the bottom of the garden directly from the meadow; he
would, moreover, have spent more time and caution about the "surround."
But he saw he might be too late, should he adopt this surer course. A
quicker one recommended itself, and he at once gave the orders to his
followers. These were divided into two parties of different sizes.
Each was to take a side of the garden, and deploy along the wall, but
the larger party was to drop only a few of its men, while the rest were
to ride hastily over the greater bridge, and gallop round to the bottom
of the garden. Roblado himself was to lead this party, whose duty would
likely be of most importance. As the leader well knew, the garden walls
could not be scaled without a ladder, and the cibolero, if found within
the garden, would attempt to escape by the bridge at the bottom. Lest
he might endeavour to get through the avenue and off by the front of the
house, the girl Vicenza was to conduct Gomez with several men on foot
through the patio, and guide them to the avenue entrance.
The plan was well enough conceived. Roblado knew the ground well. He
had often strolled through that garden, and its walls and approaches
were perfectly familiar to him. Should he be enabled to surround it
before the cibolero could got notice of their approach, he was sure of
his victim. The latter must either be killed or captured.
In five minutes after the arrival of the spy he had communicated the
whole of their duties to the men; and in five minutes more they had
ridden out of the woods, crossed the small tract that separated them
from the house, and were in the act of surrounding the garden! It was
at this moment that the dog Cibolo first uttered his growl of alarm.
"Fly--fly!" cried Catalina as she saw her lover approach. "Oh! do not
think of me! They dare not take my life. I have committed no offence.
Oh, Carlos, leave me! fly! _Madre de Dios_! they come this way!"
As she spoke a number of dark forms were seen entering from the avenue,
and coming down the garden. Their scabbards clanked among the bushes as
they rushed through them. They were soldiers on foot! Several remained
by the entrance, while the rest ran forward.
Carlos had for a moment contemplated escape in that direction. It
occurred to him, if he could get up to the house and on the azotea, he
might drop off on either side, and, favoured by the darkness, return to
the meadow at some distant point. This idea vanished the moment he saw
that the entrance was occupied. He glanced to the walls. They were too
high to be scaled. He would be attacked while attempting it. No other
chance offered but to cut his way through by the bridge, he now saw the
error he had committed in returning. She was in no danger--at least in
no peril of her life. Indeed her greater danger would arise from his
remaining near her. He should have crossed the bridge at first. He was
now separated from his horse. He might summon the latter by his call--
he knew that--but it would only bring the noble animal within reach of
his foes--perhaps to be captured. That would be as much as taking his
own life. No: he could not summon his steed from where he was, and he
did not utter the signal. What was he to do? To remain by the side of
Catalina, to be surrounded and captured, perhaps cut down like a dog?
To imperil her life as well?--No. He must make a desperate struggle to
get out of the enclosure, to reach the open country if possible, and
then--