The Motor Scout: A Story of Adventure in South America

  CHAPTER X

  CINCINNATUS O'HAGAN

  "I have an apology to make to you, senor," said Mollendo, as they sat atdinner in his own little four-square apartment. "I perceive that I wasunder a misapprehension when I ordered the arrest of your son. I cannever sufficiently lament my indiscretion, and beg that you will acceptthe expression of my profound regret."

  "I quite understand, senor," said Mr. O'Hagan, reflecting that theindiscretion had cost him L250. "You party men find it difficult tounderstand that an action may be dictated by other than partyconsiderations. My son helped Senor Fagasta because he's a man, notbecause he's gobernador."

  "His action does honour to his humanity as well as his courage," saidthe courtly host. "In these circumstances I feel that it isinconsistent with the honour of a caballero to take advantage of amistake, and I beg therefore that you will accept restitution of the sumof money which I demanded of you, but to which I had no just claim."

  "Your suggestion is only what I should have expected from a caballero ofyour reputation, senor," said Mr. O'Hagan, politely adopting Mollendo'sformality of speech. Mollendo bowed. "But in the circumstances Icannot do better than leave the money in your hands. And let me saythat I thoroughly approve of the use to which you will put it."

  "My dear!" ejaculated Mrs. O'Hagan in English.

  "I am going the whole hog now," replied her husband quietly.

  She pressed her lips together, and listened nervously as theconversation was resumed.

  "I have made up my mind definitely to take sides with you," continuedMr. O'Hagan. "Hitherto I have held aloof, as you know; but I have alwayssympathised with your aims. You stand for political honesty and goodgovernment. That is a motive that appeals to me as a citizen.Personally, I have a strong inducement to support you; the Prefect hasstripped me of my estate. If you succeed, I shall retrieve my fortunes;and in assisting you I shall not only consult my own interests, but dosomething, I believe, for the good of the country in which I have livedfor so many years."

  "A thousand thanks, senor," said Mollendo, his eyes beaming as heclasped Mr. O'Hagan's hand. "I rejoice in your generosity, and hail theapproaching triumph of our cause. I remember how, in the brave days ofold, the Roman Cincinnatus was called from his farm to assume command ofthe national forces; and how, within the space of sixteen days, he putthe enemy to utter rout and confusion. You, senor, shall be ourCincinnatus. Caballeros," he cried, rising and addressing the motleythrong in the courtyard, "the Senor Ingles is one of us. He espousesthe cause of liberty; he will strike with us against the tyrant. I callupon you to acclaim our honoured guest with hearty vivas, and to drainyour copitas to the caballero who will lead us to success."

  Thundering cheers broke from the men, and they were only too eager tofill their cups and drink the health of the Senor Ingles and confusionto the dictator. Romana smiled as he sat with Andrea and Juan at alittle distance from his master. What he had hoped had come to pass; thesenor was now a Mollendist. Tim also smiled, for a different reason.

  "How do you like Cincinnatus O'Hagan?" he whispered slily in hismother's ear.

  But Mrs. O'Hagan's sense of humour was at the present moment clouded byanxiety and misgiving.

  "'Tis perfectly horrid," she said.

  Mollendo had, in fact, jumped eagerly at the chance of securing Mr.O'Hagan as an active associate. He was himself well advanced in years;and though very popular with his followers, on whom he exercised amagnetic influence by his personal courage and his oratorical gifts, hehad no military qualities or experience, and was conscious of his owndefects as a leader. Mr. O'Hagan, on the other hand, as he well knew,had won a great repute as a soldier in the stormy days of the Chilianwar. His advice in matters of strategy and tactics would be invaluable.He would bring to the cause just those factors of success in whichhitherto it had been lacking, and for the first time Mollendo saw thegleam of coming triumph. Mrs. O'Hagan suffered many pangs as theconversation proceeded. The two men were settling the basis of theiralliance. Mollendo was to retain the nominal command; the practicalcontrol of the movements of his little force was to be in the hands ofMr. O'Hagan. The good lady saw that her husband was back in the days ofhis youth. He always threw himself heart and soul into whatsoever hetook up, and he discussed matters now with all the fire and eagerenthusiasm of a boy. His wife was troubled; and when she noticed withwhat rapt attention Tim followed the talk, she made up her mind to dropa word of caution later.

  In the midst of the conversation a man came hurriedly into thecourtyard, and walking straight up to his leader saluted and said:

  "Senor, I have news."

  "What is it, Cristobal?"

  "We were watching on the hills, senor, when we saw two parties drawingnear, the larger on the eastern track, the smaller on the western. Wehastened down to the fork, intending to give battle to them both; butsuddenly we saw the smaller party halt; from it a man came forward, butpresently hastened back again, and all his company retreated anddisappeared. At the fork we met the others, and gave them so warm areception that they withdrew towards the town. We followed them, butthey did not halt, so we returned to the fork, and there our people arestill posted."

  "That is well, my son. The smaller party consisted of the Senor Inglesand his family whom you see here. They are now supporters of our cause.Carry that news to our men; it will encourage them. The senor was agreat captain in the army of Peru years ago.... Will the senora excuseus for a few moments?" he asked, when the man had gone.

  "You want to talk secrets, I suppose," said Mrs. O'Hagan; "but unless myhusband objects, I should prefer to know all your arrangements. Tim,"she added in English, "I am not to be kept in the dark. I do not likeyour turning yourself into a brigand, but I see your mind is made up.Only don't do anything without telling me."

  "Senor, my wife and I have no secrets," said Mr. O'Hagan. "You mayspeak quite freely."

  "What I had to say concerns the senora herself," said Mollendo. "Thisis no place for a lady; nor should she be subjected to the fatigues anddangers that we shall have to encounter. My wife lives peacefully in aremote corner of the country some fifty miles from here in the hills,and if the senora will deign to accept her hospitality----"

  "Not at all, senor; I remain with my husband and son," said Mrs. O'Haganfirmly.

  "Perhaps the senor will command otherwise," suggested Mollendo, who wasnot accustomed to domestic opposition.

  From that moment Mrs. O'Hagan was his determined enemy. Mr. O'Haganhurriedly explained that he would discuss the matter with his wife inprivate. He found an opportunity of doing so later in the day, when acorner of the ruins had been prepared for their accommodation. Hepointed out that she would be unable to make the long and rapid marcheswhich irregular warfare entailed. Her presence, and the necessity ofprotecting her, would be a source of weakness, possibly of disaster.Mrs. O'Hagan recognised this, and after a time reluctantly agreed toaccept Senora Mollendo's hospitality.

  "But I must take Tim with me," she said.

  Mr. O'Hagan stroked his chin.

  "The boy won't like that," he remarked.

  "It will be for his good," she replied. "Surely you admit that fightingwith these desperadoes is not fit work for a boy of his age."

  "As to that, there are many here no older. Age doesn't count in thesematters. He is perfectly healthy; he may be very useful to me, and theexperience will be invaluable to him."

  "Am I to lose both of you?" cried the lady, much troubled. "If it werefor our own country I might endure it, like many another poor woman; butto think of you throwing away your lives for this miserable country--oh!it is too much."

  Mr. O'Hagan was inclined to yield the point; but while he was stillhesitating, his wife, dashing the tears from her eyes, suddenlyforestalled him.

  "I am an idiot," she said. "Of course the boy would eat his heart outaway from you. I mustn't look on the black side. But do take care of
him, won't you, Tim?"

  And so it was settled that young Tim should remain with his father.

  Next day Senor Mollendo provided an escort of half a dozen men, withwhom Mrs. O'Hagan set off for the long ride into the hills. Mr. O'Haganand Tim on horseback, each having a carbine, accompanied the party,having decided to go half the way. They left the camp at its northernside, and followed the track downward for several miles until it crossedthe river by a narrow stone bridge. Then their course led to thenorth-west, the path rising steadily as it approached the spurs of theAndes. Progress was very slow; the day was already far advanced whenthey reached a little hut on the hill-side, about halfway to theirdestination, where Senor Mollendo was accustomed to break his journeywhen going to and fro between the camp and his home. Here they passedthe night. In the morning Mrs. O'Hagan took leave of her husband andson, who watched her party until it disappeared along the winding track,then silently sprang to their saddles and rode in the oppositedirection.

  They had come within a few miles of the stone bridge over the river whenthey caught sight simultaneously of a number of horsemen strung outalong the path far ahead, and riding towards them. Mr. O'Hagan felt thelack of one of the prime necessities of a soldier--a field-glass.

  "We must hide up until we see who they are," he said to Tim. "Theydon't know how to order a march, at any rate."

  The hill-side provided many convenient nooks for hiding and taking alook-out. But only a few minutes had passed when Tim, from behind hisrock, called:

  "It's old Mollendo, Father."

  "Take care you don't call him that in the hearing of his men. It wouldbe a deadly insult. Better call him 'excellency.' I wonder what hashappened."

  They returned to the track, and trotted downhill to meet the horsemen.There was about them an air of depression which did not escape Mr.O'Hagan. The explanation confirmed his foreboding.

  "Good-day, senor," said Mollendo, with a graceful salutation as theymet. "I grieve to say that you behold me a fugitive."

  "What, excellency! Has the usurper taken the field at last?"

  "It seems so, senor general." (Tim grinned as these complimentarytitles passed.) "We were surprised at dawn by large numbers of theenemy who had advanced along the route by which you came to my camp. Mysentries were, I fear, overcome by somnolence. The attack was so suddenthat I had no time to form my ranks; but in the half light some of uswere able to make our escape--some on horseback, others on foot. We arescattered to the four winds; all our stores are lost; it is a sadinauguration of our new alliance."

  "Courage, excellency!" said Mr. O'Hagan. "We must consider how toretrieve this mishap. Are you pursued?"

  "Not for the last five miles, senor."

  "Then we will halt here, and wait for our men to rejoin us. No doubtsome of them will come dropping in by and by. Let us ride forward,excellency, and choose a position."

  Meanwhile Tim, seeing Romana among the score of men who accompaniedMollendo, rode up to him with an eager question.

  "Where is my cycle?"

  "There was not time to bring it, senorito; but I managed to hide itunder a heap of brushwood collected for the fires."

  "They'll find it!" said Tim, his face falling.

  "Perhaps we shall recapture the camp first. It was all I could do."

  Tim thanked him, but felt that the chance of recovering his cycle wassmall indeed.