Mr. Fortescue Part 28

This done, there was nothing for it but to wait with what patience I might, and kill time as I best could. I walked about, fished in the river, and talked with Fray Ignacio. I would have gone out shooting, for there was plenty of game in the neighborhood, only that I had to reserve my ammunition for more serious work.

For the present, at least, my idea of exploring the Andes appeared to be quite out of the question. I should require both mules and guides, and I had no money either to buy the one or to pay the other.

And so the days went monotonously on until it seemed as if I should have to remain in this valley surnamed Happy for the term of my natural life, and I grew so weary withal that I should have regarded a big earthquake as a positive G.o.d-send. I was in this mood, and ready for any enterprise, however desperate, when one morning a young woman who had been driving cattle to an upland pasture, came running to Fray Ignacio to say that she had seen a troop of hors.e.m.e.n coming down from the mountains.

"The _misterios_!" said the priest, turning pale. "Are you still resolved, senor?"

"Certainly," I answered, trying to look grave, though really greatly delighted. "Be good enough to send for the girls who are most in danger.

Gahra and I will take possession of the house, and do all that is needful."

It was further arranged that Fray Ignacio should remain outside with his tame Indians, and tell the _misterios_ that all the good-looking _mestiza_, maidens were in his house, guarded by braves from over the seas, who would strike dead with lightning anybody who attempted to lay hands on them.

By the time our preparations were completed, and the frightened and weeping girls shut up in an inner room, the wild Indians were at the upper end of the big, straggling village, and presently entered a wide, open s.p.a.ce between the ramshackle old church and Ignacio's house. The party consisted of fifteen or sixteen warriors mounted on small horses. All rode bare-back, were naked to the waist, and armed with bows and arrows and the longest spears I had yet seen.

The tame Indians looked stolidly on. Nothing short of an earthquake would have disturbed their self-possession. Rather to my surprise, for he had not so far shown a super-abundance of courage, Fray Ignacio seemed equal to the occasion. He was tall, portly, and white-haired, and as he stood at the church door, clad in his priestly robes, he looked venerable and dignified.

One of the _misterios_, whom from his remarkable head-dress--a helmet made of a condor's skull--I took to be a cacique, after greeting the priest, entered into conversation with him, the purport of which I had no difficulty in guessing, for the Indian, laughing loudly, turned to his companions and said something that appeared greatly to amuse them. Neither he nor they believed Fray Ignacio's story of the great pale-face chief and his death-dealing powers.

The cacique, followed by a few of his men, then rode leisurely toward the house. He was a fine-looking fellow, with cigar-colored skin and features unmistakably more Spanish than Indian.

My original idea was to shoot the first two of them, and so strike terror into the rest. But the cacique bore himself so bravely that I felt reluctant to kill him in cold blood; and, thinking that killing his horse might do as well, I waited until they were well within range, and, taking careful aim, shot it through the head. As the horse went down, the cacique sprang nimbly to his feet; he seemed neither surprised nor dismayed, took a long look at the house, then waved his men back, and followed them leisurely to the other side of the square.

"What think you, Gahra? Will they go away and leave us in peace, or shall we have to shoot some of them?" I said as I reloaded my musket.

"I think we shall, senor. That tall man whose horse you shot did not seem much frightened."

"Anything but that, and--what are they about now?"

The wild Indians, directed by their chief, were driving the tame Indians together, pretty much as sheep-dogs drive sheep, and soon had them penned into a compact ma.s.s in an angle formed by the church and another building.

Although the crowd numbered two or three hundred, of whom a third were men, no resistance was offered. A few of exceptionally energetic character made a languid attempt to bolt, but were speedily brought back by the _misterios_, whose long spears they treated with profound respect.

So soon as this operation was completed the cacique beckoned peremptorily to the _padre_, and the two, talking earnestly the while, came toward the house. It seemed as if the Indian chief wanted a parley; but, not being quite sure of this, I thought it advisable, when he was about fifty yards off, to show him the muzzle of my piece. The hint was understood. He laid his weapons on the ground, and, when he and the padre were within speaking distance, the _padre_, who appeared very much disturbed, said the cacique desired to have speech of me. Not to be outdone in magnanimity I opened the door and stepped outside.

The cacique doffed his skull-helmet and made a low bow. I returned the greeting, said I was delighted to make his acquaintance, and asked what I could do to oblige him.

"Give up the maidens," he answered, in broken Spanish.

"I cannot; they are in my charge. I have sworn to protect them, and, as you discovered just now, I have the means of making good my word."

"It is true. You have lightning; I have none, and I shall not sacrifice my braves in a vain attempt to take the maidens by force. Nevertheless, you will give them up."

"You are mistaken. I shall not give them up."

"The great pale-face chief is a friend of these poor tame people; he wishes them well?"

"It is true, and for that reason I shall not let you carry off the seven maidens."

"Seven?"

"Yes, seven."

"How many men and women and maidens are there yonder, trembling before the spears of my braves like corn shaken by the wind--fifty times seven?"

"Probably."

"Then my brother--for I also am a great chief--my brother from over the seas holds the liberty of seven to be of more account than the lives of fifty times seven."

"My brother speaks in riddles," I said, acknowledging the cacique's compliment and adopting his style.

"It is a riddle that a child might read. Unless the maidens are given up--not to harm, but to be taken to our country up there--unless they are given up the spears of my braves will drink the blood of their kinsfolk, and my horses shall trample their bodies in the dust."

The cacique spoke so gravely and his air was so resolute that I felt sure he would do as he said, and I did not see how I could prevent him. His men were beyond the range of our pieces, and to go outside were to lose our lives to no purpose. We might get a couple of shots at them, but, before we could reload, they would either shoot us down with their bows or spit us with their spears.

Fray Ignacio, seeing the dilemma, drew me aside.

"You will have to do it," he said. "I am very sorry. The girls will either be sacrificed or brought up as heathens; but better so than that these devils should be let loose on my poor people, for, albeit some might escape, many would be slaughtered. Why did you shoot the horse and let the savage and his companion go scathless?"

"You may well ask the question, father. I see what a grievous mistake I made. When it came to the point, I did not like to kill brave men in cold blood. I was too merciful."

"As you say, a grievous mistake. Never repeat it, senor. It is always a mistake to show mercy to _Indios brutos_. But what will you do?"

"I suppose give up the girls; it is the smaller evil of the two. And yet--I promised that no evil should befall them--no, I must make another effort."

And with that I turned once more to the cacique.

"Do you know," I said, laying my hand on the pistol in my belt--"do you know that your life is in my hands?"

He did not flinch; but a look pa.s.sed over his face which showed that my implied threat had produced an effect.

"It is true; but if a hair of my head be touched, all these people will perish."

"Let them perish! What are the lives of a few tame Indians to me, compared with my oath? Did I not tell you that I had sworn to protect the maidens--that no harm should befall them? And unless you call your men off and promise to go quietly away--" Here I drew my pistol.

It was now the cacique's turn to hesitate. After a moment's thought he answered:

"Let the lightning kill me, then. It were better for me to die than to return to my people empty-handed; and my death will not be unavenged. But if the pale-face chief will go with us instead of the maidens, he will make Gondocori his friend, and these tame Indians shall not die."

"Go with you! But whither?"

Gondocori pointed toward the Cordillera.

"To our home up yonder, in the heart of the Andes."

"And what will you do with me when you get me there?"

"Your fate will be decided by Mamcuna, our queen. If you find favor in her sight, well."

"And if not--?"