CHAPTER XIX
A TARTAR _AND_ A TARTAR
"But all's brave that youth mounts and folly guides." --_As You Like It._
As Maximilian crossed the pasture, he suddenly had to jump aside withconsiderable sprightliness. A brace of horsemen came swerving throughthe gateway from the highroad and tore down upon him as though the Dayof Judgment galloped behind. They were abreast, ten feet apart, but theoddest thing was a lariat that dangled between them, from saddle-horn tosaddle-horn.
The thunder of hoofs brought Dragoons and Cossacks and Dignitaries, andemptied the granary. Even insane horsemen could see that the Empire wasencamped over that cow lot. And as nearer they rushed, the two maniacsseemed to recognize the fact. One was straightway more anxious toarrive; a directly opposite effect was apparent in the other. And therewas the rope between them, from saddle-horn to saddle-horn. Theiropinions on destination, unexpectedly diverging, promised something. Andsince one wanted to stop and the other to hasten, the something was notlong in happening.
One of the horsemen--he wore a sombrero--leaned back frantically. Theother--who wore a battered soldier cap--passed ahead like the wind. Thelariat twanged, but held. Sombrero's horse got its feet planted. Thehorse of Soldier Cap slowed to a standstill, and panted. Sombrero flungout his pistol, Soldier Cap his. They aimed at each other, the triggerssnapped, no report. They looked amazed, embarrassed; and tried again.Same result. "Por Dios!" "Sacre nom!" They hurled the pistols, each atthe other's head. Both ducked. Sombrero wheeled, drove home the spurs,and headed for retreat. Soldier Cap and horse braced themselves againstthe shock. The spectators, running nearer, now perceived that the lariatwas tied round each man's waist as well as wrapped over his pommel.Soldier Cap weathered the jolt, next plunged suddenly closer, and in theinstant of the slack, unwound the rope from his saddle and leaped to theground. In two leaps more he had Sombrero about the neck. They felltogether, rolling and fighting, while Sombrero's horse reared and plowedthe soil with them. Dragoons and Cossacks heaped themselves on allthree. It was quite an energetic mystery altogether.
Under the soldier cap, under dust and blood and scratches, Jacquelinecaught glimpses of a happy face.
"Oh la-la, it's--it's Michel!"
"Rodrigo Galan!" roared the Tiger, in his turn recognizing Sombrero."Here, up with him! Six of you, quick there, in line, shoot him!"
It was near the sweetest moment of the old warrior's life.
"One moment, colonel!" someone spoke quietly. "Is it a Huastecan custom,by the way, to shoot a cavalier the instant he--ah--dismounts?"
"But this scoundrel is Rodrigo Galan, Your Majesty. And that blackhorse, sacre tonnerre, that is Maurel's horse. Captain Maurel, sire,whom he murdered!"
Don Rodrigo straightened pompously. "Your Most Opportune Majesty--" hebegan.
"Also, Colonel Dupin," Maximilian continued, "he waylaid the Belgianambassador, sent by Leopold, brother to Our August Spouse."
"The more reason to shoot him, pardi!"
"Without doubt, monsieur. But his execution must have eclat. Europe mustknow that Mexican outlaws do not go unpunished.--Colonel Lopez, you willtake charge of Our prisoner. Guard him well, and bring him with you tothe City. He shall be tried there, with every ceremony."
Colonel Dupin, that policeman of the backwoods forced upon Mexico byNapoleon, could only grind his teeth, which he did.
"Now then," said His Majesty, "let Us see this brigand-catcher whoexcels the redoubtable Contra Guerrillas.--As I live, the young man is aChasseur d'Afrique! Step nearer, sir, and tell Us who you are."
"Michel Ney, at Your Majesty's service."
"The Prince of Moskowa!" exclaimed the Emperor. In his court, he wasgrateful for even a Napoleonic prince.
"Sergeant, Your Majesty." It looked as though Ney were hinting to bemade something else.
"I see," said Maximilian. "And so Our Empire of romance is to hold abaton for another of the family of Ney. But to start more modestly, howwould a lieutenancy suit, do you think?"
"Your pardon, sire, but I report to His Excellency, Marshal Bazaine."
Maximilian's white brow clouded. The French occupation was ever a thornin his side. He could never quite be Emperor in fact. He could not evenpromote a likely young man. He had to "recommend" to one Bazaine, whohad carried a knapsack.
"Quite so," he answered coldly. "I shall inform Our dear Marshal howwell you deserve."
"The fact is, Your Majesty," said Ney in some confusion, "I didnot--exactly--capture him. It was, uh, sort of mutual."
Everybody stared curiously. There was the rope, the unloaded pistols. Itwas a queer puzzle. How did it happen? Ney began with an apology. WouldMademoiselle d'Aumerle forgive him? But he had worried though! He shouldnot have left her, day before yesterday!
"Because of a greater attraction?" the young woman suggested.
Ney demurred so earnestly that Jacqueline laughed outright. "Don't makeit worse, Michel," said she. "I know how you regretted the death of theterrible Rodrigo. Then you learned that he was alive. Oh no, I couldn'thave held you.--But go on. Did he prove interesting?"
The Frenchman told his story. It appeared that, on desertingmademoiselle two days before, he went at the best speed of his horse upthe ravine she had so graciously indicated. He hoped to overtake thefugitive bandit, and after an hour, at a turn in the arroyo, did meethim, face to face. Both were equally astounded. Rodrigo was retracinghis steps, having been blocked by a dried waterfall. Either man drew andcovered the other. The Mexican did not fire. Seeing Ney, he supposed theContras at no great distance, and a shot would bring them on his heels.But after a time the thing commenced to grow ridiculous, and Neylaughed.
"Monsieur Rodrigue," he said, "I hope you will come along quietly."
Fra Diavolo mistook the Gallic humor for an assurance of armed backingnear at hand. "Where to?" he asked.
"The devil take me if _I_ know! Where would you suggest?"
It dawned then on the puzzled brigand that the other knew nothing of thecountry, and accordingly they struck up an armistice; which, for therest, the alert revolver of each made imperative. Their protocol's chiefclause required the prisoner to conduct his captor to some neutralpoint. Rodrigo suggested Anastasio Murguia's ranch, and Ney agreed. Butas to what might happen on arriving, they left in blank. Michel had aduel in mind, if honest seconds were to be had. The craftier Rodrigohoped to find some of his own men lurking about the hacienda.
A cessation of hostile moves was further stipulated, though treachery ofcourse warranted the instant drawing of weapons. Should the prisoner tryto betray the captor to guerrillas, this was to constitute treachery.Ney for his part insisted on his rights as captor. That is, he couldcall for help if he got the chance. Rodrigo assented willingly. He knewthe neighborhood. He would avoid the Cossacks, and the Frenchman mightshout to his heart's ease. To do him justice, the outlaw had no desireto kill Ney, even if Ney gave him leave. A duke and prince in one wastoo valuable. A pretty ransom loomed brightly. Ney suspected as much,but not being ingenuous enough to obviate the risks, took a huge delightin them.
Conforming to the terms of the truce, each man, simultaneously, put hisgun in his holster. Then, good company enough one for the other, thoughwith eyes ever on the watch, they proceeded along tortuous bridle pathsuntil twilight, meeting no one. They camped in the same forest whichthat same moment held Murguia, Driscoll, and the two girls. Theytethered their horses together and made a bed of leaves for themselves.Each laid his pistol a comfortable distance away, so that if eithertried to arm himself while the other slept, there would be much snappingof twigs under his feet. Again simultaneously, they sat down and talked,and smoked cigarettes in lieu of supper. Ney progressed in his Spanishthat evening. Fra Diavolo wished to impress on the companionableFrenchman that he, Rodrigo Galan, was a more terrible person thanColonel Dupin. He seemed envious, even of the compliment implied in theTiger's nickname.
During a pause the brigand said, "Now don
't jump, caballero, because I'monly getting out my flask."
"The beautiful idea!" returned Ney. "I'll do the same."
But each stopped with the liquor at his mouth. It was consolation forlack of food, but if one refrained and the other partook--well, therewould be a light sleeper and a heavy sleeper. With the tempting fumes intheir nostrils, they waited, each for the other, to quaff first. Andneither did. Finally Rodrigo proposed that they equalize the perils ofindulgence. Accordingly each lowered the contents of his flask by threeswallows, after which they compared the extent of the ebb tide in eitherbottle.
"But, voyons," Ney objected, "you haven't taken as much as I have!"
Rodrigo admitted the impeachment, and amiably took another draught. Butthe swallow proved too large, and Ney in his turn tried to balance thatone, only to fail likewise. This entailed another effort from Rodrigo,which resulted in still another exaggeration.
"Now you've had _more_ than I have," Michel complained, growingvague on the real point at issue.
"Bien, senor, suppose you try a little of this. It's catalan, genuine,too, smuggled at Tampico."
"Mine's cognac," said Ney. "Have some?"
They exchanged flasks, and that night in the forest their snores werediscordant and loud. Ney half awoke once, and remembered that he seemedto have heard the tramp of many horses. Toward morning, when it was notyet light, he was aroused for good by a savage tightening around hiswaist and a tremendous pull. He sat up, and heard his prisoner scufflingand swearing near him.
"You've tied me, you sneaking animal without shame!"
"It's you that's tied me, tete de voleur!"
But as Rodrigo wrested in the dark, Ney found that the brigand'sstumblings corresponded with the tightening about himself. He clutchedat his waist, and discovered a rope.
Both men groped vengefully forward with the line, and lurched into oneanother's arms. Each had thought to come on a tree, only to discoverhimself tied to the other. In the first start of suspicion, and in nogood humor from splitting headaches, one reached for his knife, theother for his sabre. But the knife was gone, the sabre was gone.Forthwith they grappled and strained and breathed by jerks and tumbledand rolled and wound themselves in the lariat, until at last they layexhausted on their backs and blinked up at the beautiful innocent mornpeeping through the trees.
"Now don't you untie yourself till I get untied," ordered Ney.
"Or you yourself," retorted the other.
"Let us both untie at the same time."
"But one might finish first," objected Rodrigo. The brigand had grownamiable again. He saw advantages in the rope. It was well to have hisprospective ransom never more than a few feet away.
They discussed the problem at length, but were not equal to it. So themodus vivendi was stretched a rope's length, and the treachery clauseexpanded to include any untying or attempted untying before theirarrival at Murguia's. Scrupulously simultaneous, they arose, found theirpistols, and mounted their horses. To guard against any sudden varyingin rapidity of travel and its consequences, each wrapped the lariat onceabout his saddle-horn. Where necessary, the brigand rode in front, sinceNey insisted that the other way would reverse their roles of prisonerand captor. Rodrigo got some tortillas from a charcoal burner, and theylunched and rested within the forest's edge till dark. But they traveledall that night in the open country, and approached Murguia's before noonof the next day. Hoping to find friends about the hacienda's stables,Rodrigo suggested that they race up the highway into the pasture. He wasthinking that then the Frenchmen might be overpowered the more easily.Ney fell into the trap. He accepted the challenge and was keen for thesport. Thus it happened that they all but ran down the Emperor of Mexicohimself, and instead of guerrillas, Rodrigo saw Cossacks and Dragoons.But the mystery of the rope, added to that of the unloaded pistols,rested unexplained.
Jacqueline was delighted. "If it were just conventional heroism," sheexclaimed, "one might talk of lieutenancies. But sire, this----"
"Never fear," replied Maximilian. "I cannot make him captain, but heshall have his reward.--Monsieur le Prince, I will leave you a halfcompany of my Austrians, if, though a Chasseur, you will deign tocommand them. In a word, I desire you to have the honor of escortingmademoiselle to the City."
"And I thank you, sire. Parbleu, the sergeant is happier with such anorder than--than the captain without it."
"Michel," cried Jacqueline, "and where in the world now did you getthat?"
"Why--out of my own head. Really, mademoiselle."
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