The White Chief: A Legend of Northern Mexico

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

  It was no fancy of Catalina's that she heard the shutting of a door asshe returned up the avenue. A door in reality had been closed at thatmoment,--the door that led to the sleeping apartments of themaidservants. Had her steps been quicker, she might have seen some onerush across the patio and enter this door. But she arrived too late forthis. The door was closed, and all was silent again. It might havebeen fancy, thought she.

  It was no fancy. From the hour when the family had retired to rest, thedoor of Catalina's chamber had been watched. An eye had been bent allthe time upon that ray of light escaping through the curtained glass,--the eye of the girl Vicenza.

  During the early part of the evening the maid had asked leave to go outfor a while. It had been granted. She had been gone for nearly anhour. Conducted by the soldier Jose, she had had an interview withRoblado. At that interview all had been arranged between them.

  She was to watch her mistress from the house, and follow her to theplace of assignation. When that should be determined she was to returnwith all haste to Roblado--who appointed a place of meeting her--andthen guide him and his troop to the lovers. This, thought Roblado,would be the surest plan to proceed upon. He had taken his measuresaccordingly.

  The door of the maid's sleeping-room was just opposite that ofCatalina's chamber. Through the key-hole the girl had seen the light goout, and the Senorita gliding around the patio. She had watched herinto the avenue, and then gently opening her own door and stolen afterher.

  At the moment the Senorita had succeeded in unlocking the great gate ofthe garden, the mestiza was peeping around the wall at the entrance ofthe avenue; but on hearing the other return,--for it was by the sound ofher footsteps she was warned,--the wily spy had darted back into herroom, and closed the door behind her.

  It was some time before she dared venture out again, as the key-hole nolonger did her any service. She kept her eye to it, however, and,seeing that her mistress did not return to her chamber, she concludedthat the latter had continued on into the garden. Again gently openingher door, she stole forth, and, on tiptoe approaching the avenue, peepedinto it. It was no longer dark. The gate was open, and the moonshining in lit up the whole passage. It was evident, therefore, thatthe Senorita had gone through, and was now in the garden.

  Was she in the garden? The mestiza remembered the bridge, and knew thather mistress carried the key of the wicket, and often used it both byday and night. She might by this have crossed the bridge, and got farbeyond into the open country. She--the spy--might not find thedirection she had taken, and thus spoil the whole plan.

  With these thoughts passing through her mind, the girl hurried throughthe avenue, and, crouching down, hastened along the walk as fast as shewas able.

  Seeing no one among the fruit-trees and flowerbeds, she began todespair; but the thick grove at the bottom of the garden gave herpromise--that was a likely place of meeting--capital for such a purpose,as the mestiza, experienced in such matters, well knew.

  To approach the grove, however, presented a difficulty. There was aspace of open ground--a green parterre--between it and the flowerbeds.Any one, already in the grove, could perceive the approach of another inthat direction, and especially under a bright moonlight. This themestiza saw, and it compelled her to pause and reflect how she was toget nearer.

  But one chance seemed to offer. The high adobe wall threw a shadow ofsome feet along one side of the open ground. In this shadow it might bepossible to reach the timber unobserved. The girl resolved to attemptit.

  Guided by the instinctive cunning of her race, she dropped down flatupon her breast; and, dragging herself over the grass, she reached theselvedge of the grove, just in the rear of the arbour. There shepaused, raised her head, and glanced through the leafy screen thatencircled the arbour. She saw what she desired.

  Catalina was at this moment upon the bridge, and above the position ofthe mestiza--so that the latter could perceive her form outlined againstthe blue of the sky. She saw her hold aloft the white kerchief. Sheguessed that it was a signal--she saw the flash in answer to it, andthen observed her mistress undo the lock and fling the wicket open.

  The cunning spy was now sure that the place of meeting was to be thegrove itself, and might have returned with that information; but Robladohad distinctly ordered her not to leave until she saw the meetingitself, and was certain of the spot. She therefore remained where shewas, and awaited the further proceedings of the lovers.

  Carlos, on perceiving the signal, had answered it by flashing somepowder already prepared. He lost no time in obeying the well-knownsummons. A single moment by the side of his horse--a whisper which thelatter well understood--and he parted from the copse, Cibolo followingat his heels.

  On reaching the end of the bridge he bent down, and, addressing somewords in a low voice to the dog, proceeded to cross over. The animaldid not follow him, but lay down on the opposite bank of the stream.

  The next moment the lovers were together.

  From the spot where she lay the mestiza witnessed their greeting. Themoon shone upon their faces--the fair skin and curly locks of Carloswere distinctly visible under the light. The girl knew the cibolero--itwas he.

  She had seen all that was necessary for Roblado to know. The grove wasthe place of meeting. It only remained for her to get back to theofficer, and give the information.

  She was about to crawl away, and had already half risen, when to herdismay, the lovers appeared coming through the grove, and towards thevery arbour behind which she lay!

  Their faces were turned towards the spot where she was crouching. Ifshe rose to her feet, or attempted to go off, she could not fail to beseen by one or other of them.

  She had no alternative but to remain where she was--at least until somebetter opportunity offered of getting away--and with this intention sheagain squatted down close under the shadow of the arbour.

  A moment after the lovers entered, and seated themselves upon thebenches with which the little bower was provided.