by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.
A GRUMBLING GUARD.
Part of the dialogue between Santander and the hunchback was overheardby Jose--enough of it to give him the trembles. Among its revelationswas nought relating to himself, or his connivance at the escape of theprisoners. For all, he could see that he was now in as much danger asthey who were in hiding. The Colonel of Hussars had gone on to thecity, perhaps to complete some duty already engaging him, but as likelyto obtain a stronger force. And as his words told, he would returnagain; and no doubt make direct for the old monastery, the dwarf guidinghim.
The first thought of the faithful _cochero_ was not about himself, norhis horses. These might stay in the meadow all night, as they were nowlikely to do. The lives of men were at stake--his own among thenumber--and his sole purpose now was to get home, report what he hadheard to his young mistress and the Condesa; then hasten up the mountainto warn the imperilled ones. As good luck would have it, he knew theplace they were in. Son of a _carbonero_, when a boy he had helped hisfather in the charcoal-burning business; was familiar with the mountainforests, and their paths, and had more than once been at the abandonedmonastery. He could easily find the way to it. But the difficulty wasto get back to his master's house--even stir from the spot on which hestood. Soon as receiving their orders the two Hussars had dismounted,and tied up their horses, one on each side of the rocky embayment; theythemselves, with their curious charge, occupying the space between. Itwas not possible to pass without being seen by them, and as surelyseized.
So long as he kept his place he might feel comparatively safe. The covewas of a three-cornered shape, with luckily a deep dark cleft at itsinner angle, into which he had already squeezed himself. While the moonremained low, and the cliff made shadow, there was little likelihood oftheir seeing him, unless they came close up. Still, the situation wasaught but pleasant, and ere long became irksome in the extreme; theconversation to which he was compelled to listen making it so.
The two _Husares_ did not seem, to be in the best of temper; thecorporal more especially showing signs of dissatisfaction. Gropingabout for a stone to seat himself on, he grumbled out--
"_Maddita_! What a bore, having to stay here till they get back.Heaven knows when that will be. Like enough not before morning. Ithought we were going to pass the night in San Augustin, and had hopesof a chat with that _muchachita_ at the house where the colonel visits."
"Pepita, you mean--lady's maid to the Dona Luisa Valverde?"
"Of course I mean her, the pretty dear; and have reason to think she isa bit sweet upon me."
Josh's heart was on fire--his blood boiling. It was with difficulty herestrained himself from springing out upon the soldier and clutching himby the throat. He succeeded, however, in keeping his place, if not histemper; for it would have been sheer madness to show himself there andthen. What came after quite tranquillised him.
"Well, _cabo_" returned he of the rank and file, seemingly without fearof speaking plain to the non-commissioned officer, "I should be sorry todash your hopes; but as a friend I can't help saying I don't think youhave much chance in that quarter. She's a step higher, that samePepita; holds her head far above any of us common soldiers--"
"Common soldiers! I'm a corporal; you forget that, _hombre_. But whydo you think my chances are so poor?"
"Because I've heard say there's a man about the establishment to whomshe's already given what heart she may have had to give--that they'reengaged. The fellow's groom or _cochero_, or something of the sort."
Jose breathed easier now, noways provoked at having been spoken of as a"fellow."
"Bah!" contemptuously exclaimed the corporal. "What care I for thathorse-cleaner and carriage-washer for a rival! I've cut out scores ofsuch before now, and will do the same with him. Lie down there, youdevil's imp!" he added, turning savagely upon the dwarf, and venting hisspleen by giving the creature a kick. "Down, or I'll break every bonein your body."
"Mercy, master!" expostulated the hunchback. "Don't be so cruel to afellow-creature."
"Fellow-creature! That's good, ha, ha, ha!" And the brute broke outinto a hoarse laugh, till the rocks echoed his fiendish cachinnation.
"Well, your worship," rejoined he thus inhumanly mocked, with an air ofassumed meekness; "whatever I am, it pains me to think I should be thecause of keeping you here. But why should you stay, may I ask? Youdon't suppose I'm going to run away? If I were with you as a prisoner--but I am not. I sought an interview with your Colonel of my own freewill. Surely you saw that!"
"True enough, he did," interposed the soldier.
"And what if he did?" growled the corporal.
"Only, Senor, to show that I have no intention to part company with you,nor wish neither. _Por Dios_! don't let me hinder you from having thatchat with the _muchachita_. It's but a step back to the _pueblo_, andlike as not she'll be on the lookout for you, spite of what your comradesays. Maybe he has an eye to the pretty dear himself, and that's why hewishes to discourage you."
As this rigmarole was delivered in the most comical manner, it put thesoldiers in a better humour, both breaking out into laughter.
Of course the corporal had no thought of availing himself of thepermission so accorded. Their orders were strict to stay in that spot,and stay they must. The question was, how were they to spend the time.A smoke to begin with; and they drew out their cigarritos, with flint,steel, and tinder.
Soon as the red coal appeared beneath their noses, said the _cabo_ tohis comrade--
"By the way, Perico, have you your cards with you?"
"Did you ever know me to be without them?"
"How lucky! I quite forgot mine."
"That's because your mind was bent upon Pepita. I saw you giving yourmoustache an extra twist this evening."
"Oh! bother Pepita. Let's have an _albur_ of monte."
"How about light?"
"The moon's clear enough, if it wasn't we could manage with our cigars.Many's the game I've played that way."
"All right! But the stakes? I haven't a _cuartilla_--nay, not so muchas a _claco_."
"_Carramba_! Nor I either. I spent the last on a drink just before wegot into the saddle. It's bad; but we can bet upon the credit system,and use cartridges for counters."
"Ah, stay!"
At which he turned his eyes upon the dwarf with a look of peculiarsignificance, cupidity the prevailing expression.
The latter saw it with a heaviness of heart, and a shuddering throughouthis frame. All the time apprehensive about the plunder with which hispockets were crammed, he instinctively anticipated what was coming.
