CHAPTER 16. JUAN VALDEZ SCORES
The first thing Bucky did after leaving the two young women was to godown in person with one of the guards to the cell of David Henderson.The occupant of the cell was asleep, but he woke up when the two menentered.
"Who is it?" he demanded.
"Webb Mackenzie's man come to release you," answered Bucky.
The prisoner fell to trembling like an aspen. "God, man, do you meanit?" he begged. "You wouldn't deceive an old man who has lived fifteenyears in hell?"
"It's true, friend, every word of it. You'll live to ride the rangeagain and count your cattle on the free hillside. Come with me up to theoffice and we'll talk more of it."
"But may I? Will they let me?" trembled Henderson, fearful lest his cupof joy be dashed from him. "I'm not dreaming, am I? I'll not wake theway I often do and find that it is all a dream, will I?" He caught atthe lapel of O'Connor's coat and searched his face.
"No, your dreams are true at last, Dave Henderson. Come, old friend,take a drink of this to steady you. It's all coming out right now."
Tears streamed down the face of the man rescued from a living grave. Hedashed them away impatiently with a shaking hand. "I used to be as gameas other men, young man, and now you see what a weakling I am. Don'tjudge me too hard. Happiness is a harder thing to stand than pain orgrief. They've tried to break my spirit many a time and they couldn't,but you've done it now with a word."
"You'll be all right as soon as you are able to realize it. I don'twonder the shock unnerves you. Have you anything you want to take out ofhere with you before you leave forever?"
Pathetically the prisoner looked round on his few belongings. Some ofthem had become endeared to him by years of use and association, butthey had served their time. "No, I want to forget it all. I came in withnothing. I'll take out nothing. I want to blot it all out like a hideousnightmare."
Bucky ordered Colonel Gabilonda to bring up from his cell General Valdezand the other arrested suspects. They reached the office at the sametime as Mike O'Halloran, who greeted them with the good news that theday was won. The Megales faction had melted into mist, and all over thecity a happy people was shouting for Valdez.
"I congratulate you, general. We have just telegraphed the news over theState that Megales has resigned and fled. There can be no doubt that youwill be elected governor to-morrow and that the people's party will winthe day with an unprecedented vote. Glory be, Chihuahua is at last freefrom the heel of tyranny. Viva Valdez! Viva Chihuahua libra!"
Bucky at once introduced to General Valdez the American prisoner who hadsuffered so long and unjustly. He recited the story of the abduction ofthe child, of Henderson's pursuit, of the killing of the trooper, and ofthe circumstantial evidence that implicated the Texan and upon which hewas convicted. He then drew from his pocket a signed and attested copyof the confession of the knife thrower and handed it to the general.
Valdez looked it over, asked an incisive question or two of Bucky, heardfrom Henderson his story, and, after a few moments' discussion of thematter with O'Halloran, promised a free pardon as his first official actafter being elected to the governorship, in case he should be chosen.
The vote next day amply justified the hopes of O'Halloran and hisfriends. The whole ticket, sent out by telegraph and messengersthroughout the State, was triumphantly elected by large majorities.Only in one or two out-of-the-way places, where the news of the fallof Megales did not arrive in time to affect the voting, did the oldgovernment party make any showing worthy of consideration.
It was after Valdez's election had been made certain by the returns thatO'Halloran and Juan Valdez posted to the prison and visited fatherand daughter. They separated in the lower corridor, one to visit thedefeated governor, the other Miss Carmencita. The problem before JuanValdez was to induce that young woman to remain in Chihuahua insteadof accompanying her father in his flight. He was a good fighter, and hemeant to win, if it were a possibility. She had tacitly admitted thatshe loved him, but he knew that she felt that loyalty demanded she stayby her father in his flight.
When O'Halloran was admitted to the cell where the governor and thegeneral were staying he laughed aloud.
"Faith, gentlemen, is this the best accommodation Governor Valdez canfurnish his guests? We must petition him to improve the sanitation ofhis hotel."
"We are being told, one may suppose, that General Valdez is the newlyelected governor?"
"Right, your excellency, elected by a large majority to succeed the lateGovernor Megales."
"Late!" The former governor lifted his eyebrows. "Am I also being toldthat necessity demands the posting of the suicide bulletin, after all?"
"Not at all. Sure, I gave you me word, excellency. And that is one ofthe reasons why I am here. We have arranged to run a special down theline to-night, in order to avoid the risk of the news leaking out thatyou are still here. Can you make your arrangements to take that train,or will it hurry your packing too much?"
Megales laughed. "I have nothing to take with me except my daughter. Therest of my possessions may be forwarded later."
"Oh, your daughter! Well, that's pat, too. What about the lad, Valdez?"
"Are you his representative, senor?"
"Oh, he can talk for himself." O'Halloran grinned. "He's doing it rightnow, by the same token. Shall we interrupt a tete-a-tete and go pay ourcompliments to Miss Carmencita? You will want to find out whether shegoes with you or stays here."
"Assuredly. Anything to escape this cave."
Miss Carmencita was at that moment reiterating her everlastingdetermination to go wherever her father went. "If you think, sir,that your faithlessness to him is a recommendation of your promisedfaithfulness to me, I can only wish you more light on the feelings of adaughter," she was informing Valdez, when her father slipped through thepanel door and stood before her.
"Brava, senorita!" he applauded, with subtle irony, clapping his hands."Brava, brava!"
That young woman swam blushingly toward him and let her face disappearin an embrace.
"You see, one can't have everything, Senor Valdez," continued Megaleslightly. "For me, I cannot have both Chihuahua and my life; you, itseems, cannot have both your successful revolution and my daughter."
"Your excellency, she loves me. Of that I am assured. It rests withyou to say whether her life will be spoiled or not. You know what I canoffer her in addition to a heart full of devotion. It is enough. Shallshe be sacrificed to her loyalty to you?" the young man demanded, withall the ardor of his warm-blooded race.
"It is no sacrifice to love and obey my father," came a low murmur fromthe former governor's shoulder.
"Since the world began it has been the law of life that the young shouldleave their parents for a home of their own," Juan protested.
"So the Scripture says," agreed Megales sardonically. "It furthercounsels to love one's enemies, but, I think, omits mention of theenemies of one's father."
"Sir, I am not your enemy. Political exigencies have thrown us intodifferent camps, but we are not so small as to let such incidentals comebetween us as a vital objection in such a matter."
"You argue like a lawyer," smiled the governor. "You forget that I amneither judge nor jury. Tyrant I may have been to a fickle peoplethat needed a firm hand to rule them, but tyrant I am not to my onlydaughter."
"Then you consent, your excellency?" cried Valdez joyously.
"I neither consent nor refuse. You must go to a more final authoritythan mine for an answer, young man."
"But you are willing she should follow where her heart leads?"
"But certainly."
"Then she is mine," cried Valdez.
"I am not," replied the girl indignantly over her shoulder.
Megales turned her till her unconsenting eyes met his. "Do you want tomarry this young man, Carmencita?"
"I never told him anything of the sort," she flamed.
"I didn't quite ask what you had told him. The question is whether you
love him."
"But no; I love you," she blushed.
"I hope so," smiled her father. "But do you love him? An honest answer,if you please."
"Could I love a rebel?"
"No Yankee answers, muchacha. Do you love Juan Valdez?"
It was Valdez that broke triumphantly the moment's silence thatfollowed. "She does. She does. I claim the consent of silence."
But victory spoke too prematurely in his voice. Cried the proud Spanishgirl passionately: "I hate him!"
Megales understood the quality of her hate, and beckoned to his futureson-in-law. "I have some arrangements to make for our journey to-night.Would it distress you, senor, if I were to leave you for a while?"
He slipped out and left them alone.
"Well?" asked O'Halloran, who had remained in the corridor.
"I think, Senor Dictator, I shall have to make the trip with onlyGeneral Carlo for a companion," answered the Spaniard.
The Irishman swung his hat. "Hip, hip, hurrah! You're a gentleman Icould find it in me heart to both love and hate, governor."
"And you're a gentleman," returned the governor, with a bow, "I couldfind it in my heart to hang high as Haman without love or hate."
Michael linked his arm in that of his excellency.
"Sure, you're a broth of a lad, Senor Megales," he said irreverently,in good, broad Irish brogue. "Here, me bye, where are you hurrying?"he added, catching at the sleeve of Frances Mackenzie, who was slippingquietly past.
"Please, Mr. O'Halloran, I've been up to the office after water. I'mtaking it to Senorita Carmencita."
"She doesn't want water just now. You go back to the office, son,and stay there thirty minutes. Then you take her that water," orderedO'Halloran.
"But she wanted it as soon as I could get it, sir."
"Forget it, kid, just as she has. Water! Why, she's drinking nectar ofthe gods. Just you do as I tell ye."
Frances was puzzled, but she obeyed, even though she could notunderstand his meaning. She understood better when she slid back thepanel at the expiration of the allotted time and caught a glimpse ofCarmencita Megales in the arms of Juan Valdez.