CHAPTER XX.
THE ANGELITO.
The hall into which the strangers were ushered by the host offered amost strange and striking aspect.
It was magnificently furnished, and gorgeously illuminated by numerouscrystal chandeliers, crowded with rose wax tapers, and hung from theceiling. The walls had been covered with rare and thick old tapestryof exquisite work. The richness of the sculptured furniture in oak,mahogany, black walnut, and ebony, surpassed in solidity anything seenabroad. The very catches, bolts, hinges, and locks, were in cut silver.The whole floor was covered with very fine palm matting, or _petate_.
Two carpet covered platforms were erected, one at each end of thishall, wherein some three hundred persons were looking at the principalstage, and the sole one tenanted since, at a command from don Benito,the musicians had vacated the other, intended only for them.
This second dais was arranged as an alcove, curtained in. Religiousemblems, in gold and jewels, decorated the depths. The poor littlechild, victim of the Apache's missiles, powdered and rouged, waspropped up in a draped chair, clad in white satin and lace, and coveredwith flowers, many more fading blooms strewing the floor.
The mother of this grandchild of don Benito was seated near her littleone.
She was a very young wife, of scarcely more years than dona Perla;of equally rare beauty, but of corpselike pallor from her vigils andsorrow, which, was rendered the more palpable by her cheeks beingthickly reddened with paint. Her fixed eyes, circled with black, gazedinto vacancy with wild feverishness. She tried to wear a calmly joyfulsmile; but often a painful spasm convulsed her features, set her lipsquivering, her limbs shivering, and shook muffled sobs from her bosom.
About her were seated ladies, mostly young and fair, who wereattempting not to console the poor mother, but to cheer her up, astheir belief dictated.
The other guests were grouped around, chatting, smoking, and takingrefreshment from sideboards.
Don Benito saw, and perhaps in a measure comprehended, the reproving,or, at least, pained look in the eyes of both the European and theAmerican shocked at such a scene when they were so full of perturbationfor the impending conflict.
"Conduct the reverend Father Serafino hither," he said to a servant.
A handsome and haughty youth, whom Mr. Gladsden recognised at onceby his resemblance to his father, came up to the newcomer, andaffectionately threw himself into his arms. It was don Jorge, thebereaved father, though quite a boy in Mr. Gladsden's opinion.
"Caballero," said he; "nothing but your coming, the dearest, oldestfriend of my father, could have given me this moment's distractionin my grief over my firstborn. Yours was the kindness that unitedmy father and mother. However can we repay the obligation we, theirchildren, lie beneath?"
"By showing me as much affection as I shall do to you, Jorge, my boy.Upon my word, if I required any reward, I have it now amply, by shakingthe hand of so promising a namesake."
The young mother made an effort, smiled dolefully, and let her burninghand rest in Mr. Gladsden's, while he kissed her equally heatedforehead, and then threw a few of the already wilting spring floweretsupon the lap of the little corpse.
During this, Father Serafino had come into the hall. Instantly onseeing him all chatter ceased, and on every side the ladies andgentlemen respectfully saluted him.
Meanwhile, Gladsden turned sorrowfully to a lady in black and rosesatin, covered with jewelry, in whom he well knew again, spite of aloss of slenderness, the graceful Dolores who had been his passenger onthe _Little Joker_.
Her emotion was too full for words as she clasped his proffered hand inboth hers, shining with rings, among which emeralds and pearls gleamed,due to that hoard he had inherited and shared with this noble family.
They had no leisure for a conversation, as the priest, at thesuggestion of the host, had slowly mounted the musicians' platform, andnow said in a sympathetic but firm voice:--
"Young mother, retire now into your private apartments and there giveway way to your woes. Go, and in praying forget not, together with yourblessed babe, all those who are within the precincts of this house,inasmuch as an unexampled danger menaces them. And you, my sisters," hecontinued, addressing the other ladies, "accompany your kinswoman andfriend, console her and join in her prayers. Your place is no longerhere."
The young mother rose with a sudden sob, and in an instant her facewas flooded with tears. Her mother stepped in between her and thedead child whereupon, as though that interposition and eclipsing ofher lost treasure had broken a binding link, don Jorge's wife swoonedaway in the arms of her friends. They all clustered round, and she andher mother were borne away in their midst, amid softened wailing andmuttered sympathy.
The rest of the guests not in the secret were overwhelmed by stupor;and, indeed, had anyone but the priest thus put an end to the importantceremony, they would have loudly protested and even hushed him up.
"My brethren," resumed he, in a clear, full voice, "hearken to mywords and gather up all your courage. Throughout this entire province,the Yaqui Indians have broken their bondage. They threaten Uresand Hermosillo; already they have overswarmed I know not how manyfarms--those houses are smouldering, their people are stiffening afterindescribable tortures! I come hither to warn our friend that MonteTesoro is the object of the rebels' march. Tonight, the attack willcome, peradventure in one short hour! Brethren, verily I bid ye notforget that the enemies who threaten ye are ferocious pagans fromwhom you can expect no mercy! Resist them you must, forasmuch as inresisting them you preserve the people and the habitations deeper inthe land, as well as all the women and youth providentially here.Thankful am I that the heavenly Hand hath guided me hither to warnyou of the wrath let loose, to cheer you in your tribulations! Hence,silenced be merriment! Cessation to all frivolous feasting! On ourknees, brethren, and let us all beseech the good and merciful Power,without whom man is as naught, to make ye invincible."
It was a still more singular sight, more grand and impressive, when thegay guests knelt in that glittering hall, redolent with flowers, smokeof funeral meats, and incense, whilst the only upright thing was thebaby corpse in its chair of state, seeming to smile with a blushingface, like an infant prince receiving homage.
When the Mexican gentlemen rose, their eyes were sparkling withcourage, enthusiasm, and resolution.
"iAlerta! iAlerta!" arose without, as the principal note and the onlyintelligible one in the clamour, more and more loud.
And "iAlerta!" shouted an old majordomo, bursting into the hall withhis white hair streaming. "Oh, master! The Indians approach! Therevolted peons are pursuing a track of blood and fire! The pueblos, asfar as the eye can reach, are ablaze. The hosts will be at our stockadein an hour! Already the patio is crowded with a throng of fugitives!"
It was overabundant confirmation of the priest's announcement.
"There is my place, amongst these unfortunates," observed he. "You doyour duty in your own way, whilst I console the fugitives, heal thewounded, and pray for those who fall."
"Gentlemen," cried don Benito, "I assume command of my faithfultenantry, and I swear that the revolted redskins shall find my body thenext barrier behind my hacienda walls."
"Courage and hope!" said Father Serafino.
Mr. Gladsden rose to go with the American in his sortie, since he hadnot sufficient acquaintance with Spanish to carry on conversation withthe besieged, strangers all to him as well.
"Since we are still to travel in a team," said Oliver, gladdened bythis arrangement, "put yourself inside a uniform like me. They've mademe a brigadier general, at the least," he added, facetiously admiringhimself in a well gold-laced coat.
Whilst the Englishman was apparelling himself in much such anothersuit, he continued:--
"Thar hev been six score men picked out for my band. The don says thesehev had a brush with the smoke skins, and with wild cats, and can berelied on. I don't vally them a dollar per ton myself, Hows'ever, weshan't be shot by them in the back,
as they are only trusted with longsticking poles, being rigged out as _lancers_--about all the _heroes_we shall find them, I opine."
"The lance is the Mexican national weapon," remarked Mr. Gladsden.
"I trust more to a dozen cowpunchers among 'em--the _vaqueros_ do knowhow to swing the lasso, and that's a fact. Are you ready?"
"Your lieutenant is ready, Captain."
"Call me 'colonel.' They are all captains in my squad, I b'lieve. Youhave come out a full-grown shiner. I feel like the big dog with a newbrass collar--how's your feel, too?"
In plain words, the pair looked a handsome and portentous couple intheir metamorphosis into Mexican officers. On going out they found donBenito in the vestibule. He, too, had donned an old, but carefullypreserved, brilliant costume of his father's as President-General, andwas as the sun to a star in his superior effulgence beside them. Ablack servant was holding a golden salver, with a decanter and glassesrimmed with gold, at his elbow, grinning with awe and admiration at hismaster being so superbly caparisoned.
"A parting cup," said the hacendero, "and away! We have no time forcoquetting."
"A loving cup," said Gladsden, tasting the cup, whilst Oliver refusedhis.
"I have head enough as it is," he remarked, in excuse. "You are dreffulgood, I will say that; but I am not overly grasping for liquor whenthar is a monstracious kickin' out in prospect. After the slaying ofthe wild cattle, don, then I am 'on' for my share o' the b'ar steaksand honey."
On going out into the courtyard they at once perceived the greatchange. All the bonfires were beaten out, song and dance had beenhushed, and the gates were closed and barricaded. In the gloom couldonly be distinguished the shadowy sentinels watching immovably in theloops and gaps in the wall, and at peepholes in the palisades. As MonteTesoro was an eminence, these vigiladores could see fairly over thewhole plain. Oliver pointed out that, to both east and west, there wasa ruddy, tawny tinge.
"Villages burning. The enemy is coming on."
They crossed one immense corral, and then a still larger enclosure,wherein the hundred and twenty sham lancers were awaiting, each manstanding by his horse, the bridle in the left hand, ready to vault intothe saddle like real troopers. Two peons held a couple of very fineanimals, completely harnessed and decked out, of which they presentedthe reins to Oliver and the Englishman.
Don Benito paused. With him were several of the elders of his guests;all wore grave expressions. Everyone was armed.
"Out!" said he.
He stepped over to the stockade, scrutinising it attentively for aspace, then, stooping a trifle, he bore his weight on one particularpile, whereupon, all of a sudden, a piece of the palisade openedwidely, like the secret door that it was, quite noiselessly, and lefta broad gangway. Oliver waved his hand, signifying "come on!" and heldup three fingers, meaning "three at a time!"--sign language beinguniversal on the border where so many tongues are intermixed. Thehorsemen passed him in review, three abreast, each leading his mount.
As, strangely enough, the hoofs drew no sound whatever from contactwith the soil, Mr. Gladsden stooped and examined the feet of his ownsteed, upon which act all the enigma was solved. Like the old warsman he was, Oliver had hinted that he wanted his troop with muffledhoofs, and the delicate trick over which King Lear was ecstatic, hadbeen performed by swathing them in strips of blanket around cotton woolpads.
The Englishman was the very last to march forth, still shaking thehands of don Benito and his young namesake.
"Go with God!" said the sire, fervently; "You hold our fate in yourbrave hands. You alone can save us."
"Keep up your spirits," was the rejoinder. "That friend of mine is nocommon man, and, in any case, we are going to do our best. If I neverreturn, mind, as that scrap of writing I dashed off, records, I leavemy sons especially to you as a second father, and to you, Jorge, as anelder brother."
As he mounted, and moved on to join his comrades, the secret door swungto, and all dissolution of continuity in the barrier disappeared.
There was a ditch to leap, and its sloping front to slide down. Therethe squadron formed. Oliver had taken to his side the oldest _tigrero_,or "vermin" eradicator of the farm, as his pilot.
"Follow!" said the American, curtly, between this hunter and Gladsden,"By threes, follow!"