The White Chief: A Legend of Northern Mexico

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

  The hearts of both were so agitated that for some moments neither gaveutterance to their thoughts. Catalina was the first to speak.

  "Your sister?" she inquired.

  "She is better. I have had the rancho restored. They have returned toit, and the old scenes seem to have worked a miracle upon her. Hersenses came at once, and relapse only at long intervals. I have hopesit will be all well again."

  "I am glad to hear this. Poor child! she must have suffered sadly inthe hands of these rude savages."

  "Rude savages! Ay, Catalina, you have styled them appropriately, thoughyou little know of whom you are speaking."

  "Of whom?" echoed the lady, in surprise. Up to this moment even she hadno other than the popular and universal belief that Carlos' sister hadbeen a captive in the hands of the Indians!

  "It was partly for this that I have sought an interview to-night. Icould not exist without explaining to you my late conduct, which musthave appeared to you a mystery. It shall be so no longer. Hear me,Catalina!"

  Carlos revealed the horrid plot, detailing every circumstance, to theutter astonishment of his fair companion.

  "Oh! fiends! fiends!" she exclaimed; "who could have imagined suchatrocity? Who would suppose that on the earth were wretches like these?But that _you_, dear Carlos, have told me, I could not have believed insuch villainy! I knew that both were bad; I have heard many a tale ofthe vileness of these two men; but this is wickedness beyond the powerof fancy! _Santisima Madre_! what men! what monsters! It isincredible!"

  "You know now with what justice I am called a murderer?"

  "Oh, dear Carlos! think not of that. I never gave it a thought. I knewyou had some cause just and good. Fear not! The world shall yet knowall--"

  "The world!" interrupted Carlos, with a sneer. "For me there is noworld. I have no home. Even among those with whom I have been broughtup, I have been but a stranger--a heretic outcast. Now I am worse--ahunted outlaw with a price upon my head, and a good large one too. Intruth, I never thought I was worth so much before!" Here a laughescaped from the speaker; but his merriment was of short duration. Hecontinued--

  "No world have I but you, Catalina,--and you no longer except in myheart. I must leave you and go far away. Death--worse than death--awaits me here. I must go hence. I must return to the people from whommy parents are sprung--to our long forgotten kindred. Perhaps there Imay find a new home and new friends, but happiness I cannot withoutyou--No, never!"

  Catalina was silent, with tearful eyes bent upon the ground. Shetrembled at the thought that was passing in her mind. She feared togive it expression. But it was no time for the affectation of falsemodesty, for idle bashfulness; and neither were her characteristics.Upon a single word depended the happiness of her life--of her lover's.Away with womanly coyness! let the thought be spoken!

  She turned toward her lover, took his hand in hers, leant forward tillher lips were close to his, and, looking in his face, said in a soft,but firm voice--

  "Carlos! is it your wish that _I_ go with you?"

  In a moment his arms were around her, and their lips had met.

  "O Heavens!" he exclaimed; "is this possible? do I hear aright? DearestCatalina! It was this I would have proposed, but I dared not do it. Ifeared to make the proposal, so wild does it seem. What! forsake allfor me? Oh, _querida! querida_! Tell me that this is what your wordsmean! Say you will go with me!"

  "_I will_!" was the short but firm reply.

  "O God! I am too happy--a week of terrible suffering, and I am againhappy. But a week ago, Catalina, and I was happy. I had met with astrange adventure, one that promised fortune. I was full of hope--hopeof winning you; not you, _querida_, but your father. Of winning him bygold. See!" Here the speaker held forth his hand filled with shiningore. "It is gold. Of this I have discovered a mine, and I had hopedwith it to have rivalled your father in his wealth, and then to have wonhis consent. Alas! alas! that is now hopeless, but your words havegiven me new happiness. Think not of the fortune you leave behind. Iknow you do not, dear Catalina. I shall give you one equal to it--perhaps far greater. I know where this precious trash is to beprocured, but I shall tell you all when we have time. To-night--"

  He was interrupted by Catalina. Her quick ear had caught a sound thatappeared odd to her. It was but a slight rustling among the leaves nearthe back of the arbour, and might have been caused by the wind, hadthere been any. But not a breath was stirring. Something else hadcaused it. What could it be?

  After a moment or two both stepped out, and examined the bushes whencethe sound was supposed to have proceeded; but nothing was to be seen.They looked around and up towards the garden--there was no appearance ofanything that could have caused the noise! It was now much darker thanwhen they had entered the arbour. The moon had gone down, and thesilvery light had turned to grey; but it was still clear enough to havedistinguished any large object at several yards distance. Catalinacould not be mistaken. She had heard a rustling sound to a certainty.Could it have been the dog? Carlos stepped forward on the bridge. Itwas not--the animal still lay where he had been placed: it could nothave been he! What then? Some lizard? perhaps a dangerous serpent?

  At all events they would not again enter the arbour but remainedstanding outside. Still Catalina was not without apprehensions, for shenow remembered the loss of the note, and, later still, the shutting ofthe door, both of which she hastily communicated to her companion.

  Hitherto Carlos had paid but little attention to what he believed to besome natural occurrence--the fluttering of a bird which had beendisturbed by them, or the gliding of a snake or lizard. But theinformation now given made a different impression upon him. Used toIndian wiles, he was a ready reasoner, and he perceived at once thatthere might be something sinister in the sound which had been heard. Heresolved, therefore, to examine the ground more carefully.

  Once more he proceeded to the back of the arbour, and, dropping to hisknees, scanned the grass and bushes. In a moment he raised his headwith an exclamation of surprise.

  "As I live, Catalina, you were right! Some one has been here, beyond adoubt! Some one has lain on this very spot! Where can they have goneto? By Heaven, it was a woman! Here is the trail of her dress!"

  "Vicenza!" exclaimed the lady. "It can be no other--my maid, Vicenza!_Dios de mi alma_! she has heard every word!"

  "No doubt it was Vicenza. She has watched and followed you from thehouse. What could have tempted her to such an act?"

  "_Ay de mi_! Heaven only knows: her conduct has been very strange oflate. It is quite annoying! Dear Carlos!" she continued, changing hertone of regret to one of anxiety, "you must stay no longer. Who knowswhat she may do? Perhaps summon my father! Perhaps still worse--Santisima Virgen! may it not be!"

  Here Catalina hastily communicated the fact of Vicenza's intimacy withthe soldier Jose, as well as other circumstances relating to the girl,and urged upon her lover the necessity of instant departure.

  "I shall go then," said he. "Not that I much fear them; it is too darkfor their carbines, and their sabres will never reach me, while my bravesteed stands yonder ready to obey my call. But it is better for me togo. There may be something in it. I cannot explain curiosity thatattempts so much as this girl. I shall go at once then."

  And so Carlos had resolved. But much remained to be said: fresh vows oflove to be pronounced; an hour to be fixed for a future meeting--perhapsthe last before taking the final step--their flight across the greatplains.

  More than once had Carlos placed his foot upon the bridge, and more thanonce had he returned to have another sweet word--another parting kiss.

  The final "adios" had at length been exchanged; the lovers had partedfrom each other; Catalina had turned towards the house; and Carlos wasadvancing to the bridge with the intention of crossing, when a growlfrom Cibolo caused him to halt and listen.

  Again the dog growled, this
time more fiercely, following with a seriesof earnest barks, that told his master some danger was nigh.

  The first thought of the latter was to rush across the bridge, and maketowards his steed. Had he done so, he would have had time enough toescape; but the desire to warn her, so that she might hasten to thehouse, impelled him to turn back through the grove. She had alreadyreached the open parterre, and was crossing it, when the barking of thedog caused her to stop, and the moment after Carlos came up. But he hadnot addressed a word to her before the trampling of horses soundedoutside the adobe walls of the garden--horsemen galloped down on bothsides, while the confused striking of hoofs showed that some werehalting outside, while others deployed around the enclosure. Therattling of the timbers of the large bridge was heard almost at the sameinstant; then the dog breaking into a fierce attack; and then, throughthe stems of the trees, the dark forms of horsemen became visible uponthe opposite bank of the stream. The garden was surrounded!