Over the Border Part 47

"_The States?_" she repeated.

In a brief way, omitting mention of Benson's death-she had enough to bear-he described the scattering of Valles's army, concluding, "They're wild against Americans." He nodded at the fire. "The men that did this are on the way to Arboles; must be almost there."

"My poor people!" she broke out, in sudden distress. "Gordon! Come here!" When, with Sliver and Jake, he emerged from the shadows she cried it again: "Our poor, poor people! They are on their way-the raiders! To Arboles! We must go-at once!"

"Too late!" Bull spoke heavily. "Even an aeroplane couldn't get us there in time." After, even more briefly, he had sketched for the others recent events, he went on: "I came back to bring you and Mary and the child out. For them it's too late, but you must go at once-you an' your husband an' Sliver an' Jake."

"And you?" Lee questioned.

"I'm going on." The statement in its simplicity carried more significance than the wildest vow of revenge.

"Alone?" Lee again demanded. "And you think we'd go slinking home to the States and leave you to face that band yourself?"

"It's my quarrel, my work." His answer, steady and heavy, issued on the darkness. "You are young and have your husband. Your future is all ahead. Mine is most behind. You folks head at once for the border. With Sliver an' Jake to guard you-"

But here he ran against a second obstacle. Sliver's voice rose in the darkness. "An' there's nothing I'd like better 'n to look after Lady-girl. But I ain't so much of a fool that I don't know the store she sets by you, Bull, that's been father an' mother to her, now, for nigh on a year. So it don't go that-a-way. It's me for Arboles while you-all hit with them for the States."

"Good enough!" Jake's acid tones trembled through the gloom. "With a small amendment. You're that young an' foolish, Sliver, it 'u'd be a shame to cut you off-worse 'n the green gra.s.s that goes to the oven. So it stan's like this-you-all go back; I go on."

"No, you don't." Gordon's quiet voice interrupted. "At any other time I'd feel diffident about putting in my oar. But these are our people. I could never look my wife"-he felt her hand steal up into his-"I could never look her in the face again if I stood for this. She ought to get out at once, and if you fellows will see her to the border-"

"They won't-till we all go," Lee broke in. "It's easy to see that you've all made up your minds to stay-and you'll need me to hold the horses.

We'd better be getting on."

"But, Missy-" Bull began.

But already she had mounted. The clatter of her horse's hoofs returned unmistakable answer.

x.x.xVIII: FIRE

Hitherto Bull had always ridden on Lee's right, but when the trail permitted two to ride abreast he now, with instinctive delicacy, yielded his old place to Gordon. In this order they rode along the flank of the mountain, their hoofs beating a dark tattoo to the lower rhythm of creaking leather, flapping holsters; rode on past the San Carlos trail, the Bowl forks, had almost reached the head of the ravine above Antonio's _fonda_ when Lee, who was riding ahead, reined in with an exclamation.

Out of the gloom that wrapped the plains below had burst a sudden glow which gave birth, as they gazed, to a flower of flame that quivered and swung under the breath of the night wind. It was too far away for them to see the buildings; but, clearly as though they were looking down upon it from the first rise, their minds filled in the picture; supplied the flames roaring through the Arboles _patio_, bursting from doors and windows, scaling the guard-house, running a scarlet race along the rows of adobes.

"My poor people!" Lee sat her horse and gazed.

The shock of realization is often less than antic.i.p.ation; its finality strips away exaggeration. Down there everything Lee valued was going up in flames-her wardrobe, jewelry, girlish treasures; household effects and _hacienda_ stores; that which she valued most of all, the trove of old Spanish ma.n.u.scripts and letters, doubly dear because so intimately connected with her father's memory. Surely a great loss! but if it flashed up in her mind, regret was instantly wiped out by consuming indignation-not at her personal loss; not that her loved home was being destroyed under her eyes; but at that which it stood for; the malice, ignorance, wantonness, irresponsibility which has lighted a thousand such fires, would light a thousand more, laying waste all Mexico with its cruelties and l.u.s.ts. When Sliver's voice broke in the darkness behind her his attempt at rude comfort came almost as a shock.

"Never mind, Lady-girl. They kain't burn them yard-thick walls."

"An' we left word for the _ancianos_ to drive the stock into the mountains," Jake added. "Must ha' b'en cl'ar away long before they got there."

"It isn't that." She spoke so low that only Gordon caught her whisper.

"My poor girls! I would give all, place and stock, to make sure they escaped." As that bitter indignation resurged within her she added: "There's only one thing left. We must-"

Bull's heavy voice completed it for her,-"catch 'em before daylight."

While the horses slid and slipped down the steep trail his voice rose above the sc.r.a.pe of hoofs, laying out his plan. After their long march the raiders would undoubtedly camp at Arboles! The fire proved one thing-they had broken open the store and drunk up the stock of _aguardiente_! At dawn they would be found stretched in swinish sleep.

And then-

His surmise was reasonable, founded on probabilities, but subject to the change of circ.u.mstance. As they rode on down a red glow in the black bowels of the ravine grew into a fire that dyed a deeper chrome the yellow walls of the _fonda_. It also restored a little color into the bronze faces of a score of refugees from Arboles, women and children, herded together like sheep around its blaze.

When Lee rode into the firelight they gave tongue in a chorus of joy, apprehension, every shade of feeling from fear to relief. From their babble she gathered, first, that they had been warned by a _peon_ who had run in from Lovell's _rancho_; second, that the _ancianos_ had driven the horses into the mountain pasture and scattered the cattle among the ravines. Finally, from out of their midst a lad was thrust forward to tell his tale.

He had been sent to hunt stragglers from the herds. Feeling tired, with that _peon_ indolence which is not to be disturbed by mere rumors of raiders, he had curled up in a bunch of chaparral and gone to sleep.

Awakened by voices, he had seen the raiders coming. Men of gigantic stature and evil visage his excited fancy painted them, and among them he recognized a _peon_ who had run away to the wars after being whipped for some grossness by the senor Benson. So close did they pa.s.s, he heard them quarreling among themselves. They appeared to be tired and downcast over their poor luck in obtaining horses; and he, the boy, heard the renegade's expressions of rea.s.surance.

"Si, senores. A few miles more and you will rest with the women at Los Arboles. There we shall find the finest horses, bred by blooded stallions, fit for a general to ride. Or if they have run them away for safe-keeping, 'twill not serve, for I, Pedro Gonzales, know the secret pasture in the great Bowl."

Flaming up under fresh fuel while the lad talked, the firelight showed the Three deep in reflection. The same thought was in their minds: a vivid mental picture of the raiders from Las Bocas ascending the precarious zigzags of the Bowl staircase. If these others could be caught in the same way? Jake's remark expressed their joint conclusion.

"It 'u'd be a _cinch_!"

"Horses all tired out now, too," Sliver added. "If anythin' went wrong, we'd have no getaway. Not that I'd care, but we kain't take no chances with Lady-girl."

Bull's word decided. He made his dispositions, sent the youth to sleep out on the plains and bring early warning of the raiders' movements; posted other sentries at intervals. Finally, he saw first to the horses, that they were watered and fed and groomed; then to the serving of a meal.

He ate, but even his steady, methodical munching bespoke purpose, the conserving of strength for his ends. As he sat, after the meal, gazing into the fire, even Lee failed to discern much difference from his usual self. But after the others, refugees and all, lay wrapped in their serapes, dim, m.u.f.fled figures under the red light of half a dozen fires, he still sat, a somber figure in black outline against the glow.

After Lee had cried herself to sleep he sat on. At midnight her awakening eyes showed him still there. When she awoke again he was gone-on the round of sentries. He returned before she fell asleep again and sat on, staring into the fire, an ominous figure fraught with danger.

x.x.xIX: "VENGEANCE IS MINE"

From the "hog's back" where Sliver had accidentally discovered Felicia and the _fonda_, Lee, Gordon, and the Three watched a yellow dust cloud rolling slowly across the plains. The occasional silver flash that stabbed it through as the sun struck a saber or bayonet told that it enveloped the raiders. Three hours ago Sliver had come galloping in from a reconnaissance with the news of their advance. Instantly the refugees had fled like frightened quail into the secret places of the hills.

After burying various bottles that contained the liquid abominations wherewith he burned out the stomachs of his customers, Antonio had followed. So for two hours the ravine had been untenanted.

Even after the watchers sighted the dust, an hour pa.s.sed before it disappeared in the mouth of the ravine; for, as their few horses were loaded down with loot, the raiders moved slowly. Another half-hour dragged by before they appeared, filing like ragged ants up the path along the silver stream. Sighting the _fonda_, they stopped, hastily took cover behind some bushes, and held a hurried consultation. When the file split and began to work its way through the chaparral on each side of the ravine Jake interpreted the manuver.

"n.o.body home, amigos. Fooled this time."

A hoa.r.s.e yell presently confirmed his diagnosis. Its note changed almost immediately to rage and disappointment, and presently a thin coil of smoke issued from the doorway, followed by a bright flash of flame as the fire licked up the dry thatch of the _ramada_. Like infuriated ants the raiders ran next to fire the stables. They were within easy rifle-shot and Sliver was drawing an experimental bead when Jake knocked up his rifle.

"One shot," he replied, to Sliver's grumble, "an' they'll go like a flock of quail into the chaparral."

Happening to glance at Bull just then, he nudged Sliver to look.

On his knees, peering through a bush, the man looked for all the world like some great animal, bear or black tiger, crouching for its prey.

Under dark brows, his coal eyes burned. Like some huge dog held in leash, slow shivers coursed through his frame. Always the two had recognized in him depths of feeling beyond them. The slow shake of the head that pa.s.sed between them expressed consciousness of a hurt beyond their plumbing. They looked quickly away as Bull turned toward them.

"Time to be moving. They'll be coming presently."