CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN.
THE PURSUIT.
Only for a very short interval did the shores of the lake Ostutapreserve their tranquil silence. In a few moments after the white robehad disappeared from the eyes of Don Cornelio, he saw Costal and Clararise to the surface of the water, and make their way rapidly through thereeds in the direction of the bank. Presently both appeared on dry landat less than a hundred yards distance from where he was perched.
The tragedy of real life which he was now witnessing, had so suddenlymingled its scenes with the fancies that had just passed through hismind, that for an instant his thoughts were thrown into confusion, andhe could scarcely distinguish the true from the fantastic. Though hesaw that his faithful followers were still alive and well, the words hehad heard, and the shot that succeeded them, told him that they were indanger. That could be no fancy; and its reality was further confirmedon his perceiving two men, sabre in hand, rush forth out of the bushesand make after Costal and Clara, with threatening cries and gestures.
The latter ran towards their horses. The sight of his two followers inflight, completely restored Don Cornelio's senses; and almostmechanically he caught hold of his carbine, which he had by his side.
Resting the barrel over a fork of the branches, he sighted one of thepursuers, and fired. At the report a bandit fell forward on his face,who, after sprawling a while upon the ground, lay motionless. The otherhalted and bent over his comrade to see if he was dead.
The delay caused by this unexpected interruption of the pursuit enabledthe Indian and negro to reach their horses, and both, naked as theywere, their skins glistening with the water of the lake, at once leapedinto their saddles, wheeled their horses round, and galloped backtowards the pursuers.
It was now Costal's turn to pursue.
The bandit who still kept his feet had stopped only a moment over hisfallen companion: but that moment proved fatal to him. Before he couldreach his own horse--which, in order to effect his ambuscade, he hadleft behind him in the woods--the avenging Zapoteque was upon him, who,galloping over, trampled him under his horse's hoofs, and then ridingback, ran his long rapier through the prostrate body without dismountingfrom his saddle.
Meanwhile Don Cornelio had made all haste to descend from the tree; andhurrying forward called his followers by name.
"Ah! Senor Capitan," cried Costal, seeing him advance, "I am glad youare still on your feet. Seeing your horse along with ours I had fearsthat some misfortune had happened to you. Quick!" continued he,addressing himself to Clara, and leaping out of the saddle, "we mustback to the lake at once, else Matlacuezc--. Senor Don Cornelio, youwill be good enough to wait for us here. We have important matters onhand, and need to be alone."
At this moment, however, a new incident arose to interrupt the designsof Costal. Five horsemen, and a _litera_ carried by mules, appearedsuddenly in the open ground by the edge of the wood. It was Don Marianowith his domestics.
Having heard Don Cornelio pronounce the well-known names of two of hisold servitors, the haciendado had advanced in the direction whence thevoice proceeded, full of hope in this unexpected succour which heavenseemed to have sent to him. He had seen the party of brigands as theyrode past with the torches; and his people had easily recognised theirold fellow-servants, Arroyo and Bocardo. It was a relief to know thattwo more faithful than they--Costal and Clara--were in the sameneighbourhood. He advanced, therefore, calling them by name, while healso pronounced the name of Lantejas--asking if it were the Don CornelioLantejas who had once been his guest at the hacienda of Las Palmas.
"Yes; certainly I am the same," replied the Captain, agreeably surprisedat thus finding himself among friends in a place which, up to thatmoment, had appeared to him so melancholy and desolate.
Before any conversation could take place between Don Cornelio and hisformer host, an incident of a still more thrilling character was to beenacted on the scene. From behind the belt of the cedrela forest--intowhich Arroyo and his followers had ridden but a few minutes before--sixhorsemen were seen debouching at full gallop, as if riding for theirlives; while close upon their heels came six others, who appearedstraining after them in eager pursuit!
For a moment the six in front seemed to waver in their course--as ifundecided as to what direction they should take. Only for a moment,however, and then heading their horses along the shore of the lake, theypressed on in wildest flight. Galloping at such a rapid pace theyappeared not to see either the party of Don Mariano or Don Cornelio andhis two followers--who on their part had scarce time to draw back intothe bushes, ere the horsemen went sweeping past the spot like a cloud ofdust.
Despite the rapidity of their course, however, the keen eye of Costalenabled him to distinguish among the horsemen two of his oldfellow-servants of Las Palmas--Arroyo and Bocardo.
"We are on dangerous ground here, comrade," said he in a whisper toClara. "It is Arroyo and Bocardo, pursued, no doubt, by the royalists.Whichever wins it is no good for us."
He had scarce finished his speech, when the six horsemen in pursuitpassed the group, going at a pace not less rapid and furious than theothers. One of the pursuers, of commanding figure, was several lengthsahead of the other five. Bent down almost to the level of his horse'sneck, he appeared to be straining every muscle in the pursuit; andalthough his horse seemed rather to fly than gallop, the rider stillkept urging him with the spur.
Clutching convulsively his broad-brimmed sombrero--which the rapidcourse had lifted from his head--he crushed it down over his brows insuch a manner that his face was almost hidden by it. His horse at thesame instant, whether frightened by the _litera_ of Gertrudis, or bysome other object, shied suddenly to one side--as he did so givingutterance to a strange snorting sound, which was responded to by afeeble cry from behind the curtains of the _litera_.
The cry was not heard by the horseman, who, absorbed with the pursuit ofhis enemy, passed on without turning his head.
Gertrudis was not the only one who trembled with emotion on recognisingthe snort of the steed. It brought vividly to the remembrance ofCaptain Lantejas the chase he had sustained on the plain of Huajapam--just before the powerful arm of Colonel Tres-Villas had lifted him outof his stirrups.
Neither could Don Mariano fail to recognise the peculiarity of a steedthat he had so long kept in his stables; and as for the rider, thefigure appeared to answer for that of Don Rafael. Could it indeed be hewhom they believed to be at the siege of Huajapam? Don Mariano couldscarce doubt that it was Colonel Tres-Villas who had ridden past.
"By all the devils in hell!" cried Costal, swearing like a pagan, as hewas; "what has set the world mad on this particular night? What sendseverybody this way, to interrupt the worshippers of the great Tlaloc?"
"True, it is damnably vexatious," rejoined Clara, who was equallychagrined at this sudden and unexpected intrusion, upon what he regardedas the only chance they might ever have of an interview with thegold-finding goddess.
Putting off their invocations to a more favourable opportunity, bothIndian and negro now hastened away to dress and arm themselves, in orderthat they might be in readiness for any untoward event; while DonCornelio stayed beside the haciendado and his party.
As yet uncertain how to act, Don Mariano thought it better to remainwhere he was, and await the result of an action which he could notregard otherwise than with anxiety. It is needless to say that theoccupant of the _litera_ listened with still more vivid emotion, mingledwith deep apprehension, to the sounds that rung back along the shores ofthe lake.
The chase was soon too distant to be witnessed by the eye, but upon thestill night air could be heard confused cries of terror and vengeance--which indicated to all that the pursuers were closing rapidly upon thepursued.