The Headless Horseman Part 17

What with the sprinkling of uniforms and epaulettes, supplied by the Fort--what with the bra.s.s band borrowed from the same convenient repository--what with the choice wines found in the cellars of Casa del Corvo, and which had formed part of the purchase--there could be little lacking to make Poindexter's party the most brilliant ever given upon the banks of the Leona.

And to insure this effect, his lovely daughter Louise, late belle of Louisiana--the fame of whose beauty had been before her, even in Texas-- acted as mistress of the ceremonies--moving about among the admiring guests with the smile of a queen, and the grace of a G.o.ddess.

On that occasion was she the cynosure of a hundred pairs of eyes, the happiness of a score of hearts, and perhaps the torture of as many more: for not all were blessed who beheld her beauty.

Was she herself happy?

The interrogatory may appear singular--almost absurd. Surrounded by friends--admirers--one, at least, who adored her--a dozen whose incipient love could but end in adoration--young planters, lawyers, embryo statesmen, and some with reputation already achieved--sons of Mars in armour, or with armour late laid aside--how could she be otherwise than proudly, supremely happy?

A stranger might have asked the question; one superficially acquainted with Creole character--more especially the character of the lady in question.

But mingling in that splendid throng was a man who was no stranger to either; and who, perhaps, more than any one present, watched her every movement; and endeavoured more than any other to interpret its meaning.

Ca.s.sius Calhoun was the individual thus occupied.

She went not hither, nor thither, without his following her--not close, like a shadow; but by stealth, flitting from place to place; upstairs, and downstairs; standing in corners, with an air of apparent abstraction; but all the while with eyes turned askant upon his cousin's face, like a plain-clothes policeman employed on detective duty.

Strangely enough he did not seem to pay much regard to her speeches, made in reply to the compliments showered upon her by several would-be winners of a smile--not even when these were conspicuous and respectable, as in the case of young Hanc.o.c.k of the dragoons. To all such he listened without visible emotion, as one listens to a conversation in no way affecting the affairs either of self or friends.

It was only after ascending to the azotea, on observing his cousin near the parapet, with her eye turned interrogatively towards the plain, that his detective zeal became conspicuous--so much so as to attract the notice of others. More than once was it noticed by those standing near: for more than once was repeated the act which gave cause to it.

At intervals, not very wide apart, the young mistress of Casa del Corvo might have been seen to approach the parapet, and look across the plain, with a glance that seemed to interrogate the horizon of the sky.

Why she did so no one could tell. No one presumed to conjecture, except Ca.s.sius Calhoun. He had thoughts upon the subject--thoughts that were torturing him.

When a group of moving forms appeared upon the prairie, emerging from the garish light of the setting sun--when the spectators upon the azotea p.r.o.nounced it a drove of horses in charge of some mounted men--the ex-officer of volunteers had a suspicion as to who was conducting that _cavallada_.

Another appeared to feel an equal interest in its advent, though perhaps from a different motive. Long before the horse-drove had attracted the observation of Poindexter's guests, his daughter had noted its approach--from the time that a cloud of dust soared up against the horizon, so slight and filmy as to have escaped detection by any eye not bent expressly on discovering it.

From that moment the young Creole, under cover of a conversation carried on amid a circle of fair companions, had been slyly scanning the dust-cloud as it drew nearer; forming conjectures as to what was causing it, upon knowledge already, and as she supposed, exclusively her own.

"Wild horses!" announced the major commandant of Fort Inge, after a short inspection through his pocket telescope. "Some one bringing them in," he added, a second time raising the gla.s.s to his eye. "Oh! I see now--it's Maurice the mustanger, who occasionally helps our men to a remount. He appears to be coming this way--direct to your place, Mr Poindexter."

"If it be the young fellow you have named, that's not unlikely," replied the owner of Casa del Corvo. "I bargained with him to catch me a score or two; and maybe this is the first instalment he's bringing me."

"Yes, I think it is," he added, after a look through the telescope.

"I am sure of it," said the planter's son. "I can tell the horseman yonder to be Maurice Gerald."

The planter's daughter could have done the same; though she made no display of her knowledge. She did not appear to be much interested in the matter--indeed, rather indifferent. She had become aware of being watched by that evil eye, constantly burning upon her.

The _cavallada_ came up, Maurice sitting handsomely on his horse, with the spotted mare at the end of his lazo.

"What a beautiful creature!" exclaimed several voices, as the captured mustang was led up in front of the house, quivering with excitement at a scene so new to it.

"It's worth a journey to the ground to look at such an animal!"

suggested the major's wife, a lady of enthusiastic inclinings. "I propose we all go down! What say you, Miss Poindexter?"

"Oh, certainly," answered the mistress of the mansion, amidst a chorus of other voices crying out--

"Let us go down! Let us go down!"

Led by the majoress, the ladies filed down the stone stairway--the gentlemen after; and in a score of seconds the horse-hunter, still seated in his saddle, became, with his captive, the centre of the distinguished circle.

Henry Poindexter had hurried down before the rest, and already, in the frankest manner, bidden the stranger welcome.

Between the latter and Louise only a slight salutation could be exchanged. Familiarity with a horse-dealer--even supposing him to have had the honour of an introduction--would scarce have been tolerated by the "society."

Of the ladies, the major's wife alone addressed him in a familiar way; but that was in a tone that told of superior position, coupled with condescension. He was more gratified by a glance--quick and silent-- when his eye changed intelligence with that of the young Creole.

Hers was not the only one that rested approvingly upon him. In truth, the mustanger looked splendid, despite his travel-stained habiliments.

His journey of over twenty miles had done little to fatigue him. The prairie breeze had freshened the colour upon his cheeks; and his full round throat, naked to the breast-bone, and slightly bronzed with the sun, contributed to the manliness of his mien. Even the dust clinging to his curled hair could not altogether conceal its natural gloss, nor the luxuriance of its growth; while a figure tersely knit told of strength and endurance beyond the ordinary endowment of man. There were stolen glances, endeavouring to catch his, sent by more than one of the fair circle. The pretty niece of the commissary smiled admiringly upon him. Some said the commissary's wife; but this could be only a slander, to be traced, perhaps, to the doctor's better half--the Lady Teazle of the cantonment.

"Surely," said Poindexter, after making an examination of the captured mustang, "this must be the animal of which old Zeb Stump has been telling me?"

"It ur thet eyedenticul same," answered the individual so described, making his way towards Maurice with the design of a.s.sisting him.

"Ye-es, Mister Peintdexter; the eyedenticul critter--a maar, es ye kin all see for yurselves--"

"Yes, yes," hurriedly interposed the planter, not desiring any further elucidation.

"The young fellur hed grupped her afore I got thur; so I wur jess in the nick o' time 'bout it. She mout a been tuck elswhar, an then Miss Lewaze thur mout a missed hevin' her."

"It is true indeed, Mr Stump! It was very thoughtful of you. I know not how I shall ever be able to reciprocate your kindness?"

"Reciperkate! Wal, I spose thet air means to do suthin in return. Ye kin do thet, miss, 'ithout much difeequilty. I han't dud nothin' for you, ceptin' make a bit o' a journey acrost the purayra. To see yur bewtyful self mounted on thet maar, wi' yur ploomed het upon yur head, an yur long-tailed pettykote streakin' it ahint you, 'ud pay old Zeb Stump to go clur to the Rockies, and back agin."

"Oh, Mr Stump! you are an incorrigible flatterer! Look around you! you will see many here more deserving of your compliments than I."

"Wal, wal!" rejoined Zeb, casting a look of careless scrutiny towards the ladies, "I ain't a goin' to deny thet thur air gobs o' putty critters hyur--dog-goned putty critters; but es they used to say in ole Loozyanney, thur air but one Lewaze Peintdexter."

A burst of laughter--in which only a few feminine voices bore part--was the reply to Zeb's gallant speech.

"I shall owe you two hundred dollars for this," said the planter, addressing himself to Maurice, and pointing to the spotted mare. "I think that was the sum stipulated for by Mr Stump."

"I was not a party to the stipulation," replied the mustanger, with a significant but well-intentioned smile. "I cannot take your money.

_She_ is not for sale."

"Oh, indeed!" said the planter, drawing back with an air of proud disappointment; while his brother planters, as well as the officers of the Fort, looked astonished at the refusal of such a munificent price.

Two hundred dollars for an untamed mustang, when the usual rate of price was from ten to twenty! The mustanger must be mad?

He gave them no time to descant upon his sanity.

"Mr Poindexter," he continued, speaking in the same good-humoured strain, "you have given me such a generous price for my other captives-- and before they were taken too--that I can afford to make a present-- what we over in Ireland call a 'luckpenny.' It is our custom there also, when a horse-trade takes place at the house, to give the _douceur_, not to the purchaser himself, but to one of the fair members of his family. May I have your permission to introduce this Hibernian fashion into the settlements of Texas?"

"Certainly, by all means!" responded several voices, two or three of them unmistakably with an Irish accentuation.

"Oh, certainly, Mr Gerald!" replied the planter, his conservatism giving way to the popular will--"as you please about that."

"Thanks, gentlemen--thanks!" said the mustanger, with a patronising look towards men who believed themselves to be his masters. "This mustang is my luckpenny; and if Miss Poindexter will condescend to accept of it, I shall feel more than repaid for the three days' chase which the creature has cost me. Had she been the most cruel of coquettes, she could scarce have been more difficult to subdue."