Long Odds

by Harold Bindloss

  CHAPTER XXXI

  ON HIS TRIAL

  Several hours had passed since Dom Clemente left Ormsgill's quarterswhen he sat with one of his staff under a lamp in a room of thefazienda. He had laid his kepi on the table, and leaned back in hischair looking at a strip of paper with a little grim smile in hiseyes. A negro swathed in white cotton squatted against the wallwatching him uneasily, and a black soldier who had led the man instood with ordered rifle at the door. At length Dom Clemente tossedthe paper across to the officer sitting opposite him.

  "I should be glad of your opinion," he said.

  "It is discreet," said his companion, who examined the papercarefully. "The writer evidently foresaw the possibility of hismessage falling into the wrong hands. It is also indifferentPortuguese, but I think it is the writing of an educated man."

  "Exactly! The question is why should an educated man express himselfin that fashion?"

  The officer shook his head. "That," he said reflectively, "is a thingI do not understand."

  Dom Clemente smiled a little, and took up another strip of paper."This," he said, "is a message of the same kind which has also falleninto my hands. Does anything else occur to you when you put the twotogether?"

  "They are from the same man," and then a light seemed to break in uponthe officer. "He does not write like a native of the Peninsula."

  "No," said Dom Clemente. "I do not think he has ever been there.Still, he had, no doubt, reasons for attempting to write inPortuguese." Then he turned sternly to the crouching negro. "Who gaveyou this message. Where were you to take the answer?"

  "A man of a tribe I do not know," said the messenger who was evidentlyin a state of terror. "I was to meet him before the morning at a spotabout a league away."

  "Then," said Dom Clemente, "there is a little service I want from you.You will take some of my soldiers with you when you meet this man. Ifyou attempt to warn him you will probably be shot."

  He turned to his companion. "I think it would be advisable for you togo yourself. You will take a reliable sergeant and several files, andarrest the man who wrote this letter. I think you will find that he isthe leader of a big game expedition."

  The officer raised his eyebrows. "There is no big game in this part ofthe country."

  "That," said Dom Clemente, "is a point the man in question hasprobably forgotten. In any case, you will arrest him and bring himhere. It is, however, advisable that the thing should be donequietly."

  The officer signed to the black soldier who moved forward and touchedthe messenger's shoulder, and Dom Clemente smiled grimly as he oncemore busied himself with the papers in front of him when they wentout.

  In the meanwhile Ormsgill lay half-asleep upon a few empty sugar bagsin the ruinous shed. His head ached, for the fever still troubled himnow and then and the place was almost insufferably hot, but the strainhe had borne that afternoon had left him a trifle dazed and insensibleto physical discomforts, and at length he sank into fitful slumber.Several times he wakened with a start and closed a hot hand as histroubles returned to him, but he was too limp in mind to grapple withthem. It was rather late in the morning when a patter of naked feetand the shouting of orders roused him. It suggested that the troopswere being paraded, and looking out through the window he saw DomClemente and several officers descend from the planter's house. Afterthat there was a stir and bustle, and by and by he saw a man whom hedid not recognize being led towards the house by a group ofdeferential officers. This, however, did not appear to concernOrmsgill, and leaving the window when his breakfast was brought him hesat down on the sugar bags for another hour or two. Then the door ofthe shed was flung open and he saw a black sergeant who stood outsidebeckoning to him.

  "Your presence is required," he said in Portuguese.

  Ormsgill stood still a moment blinking in the brightness when he leftthe shed, for the glare of sunlight on trampled sand and white wallsset his heavy eyes aching, but when the sergeant made a sign hefollowed him to the planter's house. He was led into a big scantilyfurnished room which had green lattices drawn across two of the openwindows, but a dazzling shaft of sunlight streamed in through one thatwas not covered, and he saw a grave-faced gentleman sitting in stateat a table. He was, though Ormsgill did not know this, the man who hadtalked to Benicia on board the gunboat, and had arrived at thefazienda that morning. Two black soldiers with ordered rifles stoodmotionless behind him, and Dom Clemente sat on the opposite side ofthe table. Beside him there were also two other officers, one of whomseemed to be acting as secretary, for there was a handful of papers infront of him, and several of Ormsgill's boys squatted, half-naked,impassive figures, against the wall.

  Ormsgill stood still, looking at the men at the table with heavy eyes.His thin duck garments were more than a trifle ragged and stained withtravel, and his face was haggard. He was, it seemed, to be tried, buthe felt no great concern. The result was almost a matter ofindifference to him since it only remained for him to go back to LasPalmas if he was set at liberty. There was a momentary silence when hewas led in, and then Dom Clemente handed one or two more papers to thesecretary.

  "There are, as you are aware, several somewhat serious complaintsagainst you," he said in Portuguese. "It is now desirable that theyshould be investigated. I will have them read to you."

  Ormsgill listened gravely while the officer read aloud. He was, itappeared, charged with abducting a native woman from the traderHerrero, and taking away by force labor recruits who had engagedthemselves to the latter's associate Domingo. There were also chargesof supplying the natives with arms and inciting them to mutiny.

  "You have heard?" said the man at the head of the table. "If you donot admit the correctness of all this we will hear what you have tosay. You will, however, be required to substantiate it."

  Ormsgill roused himself for an effort. After all, liberty was worthsomething, and it was a duty to attempt to secure it, and for the nextquarter of an hour he concisely related all that he had done since hecame back to the country after the death of Lamartine. None of thosewho heard him made any comment, but he could see the little smile ofincredulity which now and then flickered into the eyes of the youngerofficers. The man who sat in state at the head of the table, however,listened gravely, and Dom Clemente's face was expressionless.

  "That is all," said Ormsgill at last. "It is very possible that what Ihave told you may appear improbable, and I can not substantiate it.Most of those concerned are dead. Still, you have some of my boyshere, and you can question them."

  There was a little silence until the man at the head of the tableleaned back in his chair.

  "It is a very astonishing story," he said. "There are one or twopoints I should like made clearer, but in the meanwhile we will hearthe boys."

  An interpreter was brought in, and with his assistance two of the boystold what they knew. Then he went out again, and Dom Clemente turnedto his companion.

  "I must admit that I have information which partly bears out what hasbeen said about the native woman Anita," he said. "If this assuranceis not sufficient she could be examined later. I have,"--and he lookedhard at Ormsgill--"at least no cause to be prejudiced in theprisoner's favor. In the meanwhile one might ask if he can think ofnobody else who would support what he has said?"

  "No," said Ormsgill dryly, "as I mentioned, most of those concernedare dead."

  He saw Dom Clemente glance at the man opposite him who smiled.

  "There is one point on which we have not touched," said the latter,who turned to Ormsgill. "How did you get the first eight boys you sayyou set free out of the country?"

  "That," said Ormsgill, "is a thing I can not tell you. It was, atleast, not with the connivance of anybody in the city."

  Dom Clemente made a little sign to his secretary, who went out, andthere was silence for a while. The room was very hot, and Ormsgillfelt himself aching in every limb. He had been standing for half anhour now, and his leg was becoming painful. Then there were footstepsoutside, and he gasped with
astonishment as a black soldier ledDesmond in. The latter, however, turned to the officers.

  "You have had me brought here against my will, gentlemen, and it isvery possible that you will have grounds for regretting it," he saidin English. "It would be a favor if you will tell me what you want?"

  The gentleman at the head of the table leaned forward in his chair. "Alittle information--in the meanwhile," he said quietly. "You recognizethe prisoner yonder?"

  Dom Clemente translated, and Desmond carefully looked Ormsgill over.

  "Well," he said, "I have certainly met him before--in Las Palmas--andother places. He doesn't seem to have thriven since then."

  "We would like to know what you were doing at the spot where thesoldiers arrested you?"

  "That," said Desmond sturdily, "is my own business; and a thing I havenot the least intention of telling you."

  Two of the officers frowned, but the man at the table waved his hand.

  "Well," he said, "we will try another question. It is desirable thatwe should know how a certain eight boys whom the prisoner brought downto the coast were smuggled out of the country."

  Desmond looked at Ormsgill, who nodded. "I think you may as welltell him," he said. "There is reason for believing that our friendyonder who speaks excellent English"--and he indicated DomClemente--"is acquainted with it already. I don't think they canhold--you--responsible."

  Then Desmond spoke boldly, answering their questions until almosteverything was explained. Dom Clemente's eyes twinkled, and hiscompanion leaned back in his chair with a curious little smile.

  "What I have heard is so extraordinary as to be almostincomprehensible," he said. "It seems that you and your friend musthave spent a very large amount of money to set these fourteen boys atliberty."

  He waved his hand towards the squatting negroes. "Senores," he saidturning to the officers, "I would ask you to look at them, and tell meif the thing appears reasonable."

  The manner in which the officers smiled was very expressive. It was,they were assured, for these thick-lipped, woolly-haired bushmencrouching half-naked against the wall, without a spark of intelligencein their heavy animal-like faces, that the two English gentlemen hadspent money broadcast, faced fatigue and peril, and hazarded the angerof the Government. The thing certainly appeared incomprehensible tothem. Desmond guessed their thoughts, and a red flush crept into hissea-bronzed face and a little portentous glint into his eyes.

  "I admit that it sounds nonsensical," he said. "Still, Senores, I havethe honor of offering you my word."

  Then somewhat to the astonishment of all except Dom Clemente, whosmiled, the man at the head of the table made Desmond a littlepunctilious inclination.

  "Senor," he said, "I think your word would go a long way. In themeanwhile we will hear what the priest has to tell us."

  Ormsgill started a little when Father Tiebout was brought in a minuteor two later. He sat down and nodded when Dom Clemente had spoken tohim.

  "Most of what I know is at your service," he said. He commenced withthe death of the trader Lamartine, and told his tale quietly but witha certain dramatic force. When he came to the point where he and Nareshad written to Ormsgill after Domingo's raid he stopped a moment, andthe pause was impressive.

  "You will understand, Senores, that we had faith when we wrote to thisman," he said.

  "You believed he would come back and undertake the task at his peril?"

  "The thing," said Father Tiebout quietly, "was, to us at least,absolutely certain."

  There was blank astonishment in two of the officers' faces, but theman at the head of the table made a sign of concurrence, and once morea little gleam crept into Dom Clemente's eyes. Then the priest wenton, and when at last he stopped there was a full minute's silence.After that the man at the head of the table spoke to Ormsgill, and hisvoice had a curious note in it.

  "How was it you did not ask us to send for this priest and hear him inyour defense?" he said.

  Ormsgill smiled dryly. "It is not as a rule advisable for amissionary to meddle with affairs of State."

  "Ah," said the other man, "it would, I think, make our work easier ifnone of them did. Well, you have given us a reason, and it is one Icould consider satisfactory--in your case."

  Then he turned to Desmond. "Senor, I had the honor of asking you aquestion a little while ago. Perhaps, it may not appear desirable towithhold the information I desired any longer."

  Desmond laughed, and looked at him steadily.

  "Well," he said, "since you have no doubt guessed my purpose, I willtell you. I came up here to take my friend out of your hands, and ifit hadn't been for the thick-headed boy who let the soldiers creep inon us while we were asleep I think I would in all probability havemanaged it."

  "Ah," said the other man spreading out his hands, "I almost believe itis possible."

  Then he turned to his companions. "One naturally expects somethingquite out of the usual course from men like these."

  After that he sat silent for at least a minute, until he leanedforward and spoke awhile in a low voice with Dom Clemente who once ortwice made a sign of concurrence.

  Then he turned to Ormsgill.

  "I shall probably have something to say to you again," he said. "Thisis an affair that demands careful consideration, and in the meantimethere are other matters which can not be delayed."

  Dom Clemente spoke sharply, and a black sergeant at the door whobeckoned Ormsgill and Desmond to follow him went with them to theirquarters in the ruinous shed.

  "There are, I think, very few men in this country who would havespoken to that man or Dom Clemente as you have done," he said. Then hegrinned in a very suggestive fashion. "It is probably fortunate thathe seemed to believe you, though if he had been any other man I wouldhave called him very foolish."

  Ormsgill said nothing, but sat down among the empty sugar bags, and heand Desmond looked at one another when the patter of the sergeant'sfeet grew indistinct. Both were glad they were alone, but for a minuteor two neither of them broke the silence.