The Dust of Conflict

  XI -- THE ALCALDE'S BALL

  CYRUS HARDING thoroughly understood the importance of trifles, andpossessed a quick insight, which went far to insure the success ofwhatever he took in hand. It was because of this he picked Appleby andHarper up by the roadside in place of driving away with them from the"Golden Fleece," and seized the opportunity of obtaining a pass fromColonel Morales. The driver was in his service, and Harding haddiscovered one or two facts concerning him which rendered a hint thathis silence would be advisable tolerably effective. Thus no questionswere asked them when they were twice stopped by a patrol, and skirtingSanta Marta in the darkness they reached the San Cristoval haciendawithout attracting undesirable attention.

  Next morning Harding also drove back to Santa Marta and purchasedclothing, apparently for himself, so that when his new assistants madetheir appearance there was nothing about them that was likely to exciteanybody's curiosity; while the doctor who dressed Appleby's foot wasallowed to surmise that it had been injured in the crushing mill. Hehad, it was suspected, liberationist sympathies, so that it was of nogreat importance that he was not quite convinced. Appleby, beinginstalled as general manager, showed a facility of comprehension and anadministrative ability that would probably have astonished any one whohad not Harding's talent for handling men; and when some little time hadpassed the latter left him in charge without misgivings while he made abusiness visit to New York. As he purposed to return promptly he alsoleft his daughter with the wife of the Spanish banker at Santa Marta,and it was about that time the Alcalde of the latter place gave a ballto celebrate certain successes of the Spanish arms. The Sin Verguenzahad disappeared, and there was at least every outward sign oftranquillity in that district.

  That was how it came about that Appleby and Miss Harding, who had seen agood deal of each other in the meanwhile sat out in the moonlight on averanda of the Alcalde's house overlooking the patio. It was filled withflowers, and in place of the Sin Verguenza's revelry the tinkle ofguitars, swish of costly dresses, light patter of feet, and decorouslaughter came out from the open windows that blazed with light. NettieHarding was also now attired as became her station, and the soft shimmerof pearls emphasized the whiteness of her neck. Still, she rememberedthe last time she had entered that patio, and a faint tinge of colorcame into her cheek as her eyes rested for a moment on the veranda abovethem. As it happened, Appleby, without intending it, met her eyes amoment later, and each realized what the other's thoughts were. The manturned his head suddenly, but he felt he could not gaze across the patioindefinitely, and when he looked round again he saw the girl had laidher fan upon her knee and was regarding him curiously.

  "There is a difference, is there not?" she said.

  Appleby sat still, feeling distinctly uncomfortable, and wondering whatwas expected of him, though he was not altogether astonished, because heknew Nettie Harding's spirit.

  "Yes," he said. "The place is a good deal prettier now. These folks havequite an artistic taste, you know."

  The girl laughed softly. "Oh yes. Still, do you never come out of yourshell? We, as you may have noticed, are rather fond of doing so, and atleast occasionally say what we think."

  Appleby hoped he appeared unconcerned, for, though he knew Miss Hardingcould be daring, he could not quite decide whether she had quiteunderstood the position on that eventful night, and hoped she had not.

  "The difference you mention is at least to my advantage," he said. "Youmay remember that I was a ragged outcast then."

  "And now, I think, you are on the way to prosperity. You have made agood friend--Mr. Appleby."

  Appleby started. He had felt it incumbent on him to give Harding anoutline of his story, and had, at the latter's recommendation, appliedfor a cedilla personale, or certificate of nationality, which it wasdesirable for aliens to possess just then in his own name; but it hadnot occurred to him that Harding might be communicative. Still, acurious friendship or camaraderie, of a kind that would have beenscarcely possible in England, had sprung up between him and the girl,and he saw that she expected something of him.

  "I hope I have made two," he said. "Indeed, I fancy I owe theimprovement in my affairs to the second one."

  "Wouldn't it be more flattering to consider how much was due to your ownabilities?"

  Appleby laughed. "I was never considered clever, but I am not quite afool. There is, one surmises, no scarcity of talented young Americans,and I fancy a good many of them would be glad to serve Cyrus Harding.Still, I don't know anybody I would sooner take a kindness from."

  "You will have to deserve it, and that implies a question. The SinVerguenza may come back again?"

  "You want the question answered?" said Appleby.

  "Yes," said Nettie. "There are disadvantages in a divided allegiance."

  "Well," said Appleby slowly, "I hope the decision I think you arealluding to will never be forced on me, for I have had sufficient of theSin Verguenza. While I take Cyrus Harding's money I accept theobligation that goes with it; but when I was starving, and did not knowwhere I would be safe from the cazadores, the Sin Verguenza fed me, andI think I owe them something."

  Nettie Harding smiled and shook her head reproachfully, but there was alittle gleam in her eyes. "They fed you!" she said. "Now, there are menin my country who would have expressed themselves much moreartistically. Still, you would have felt ashamed, wouldn't you, if youhad given yourself away? Do you know there is one reason why you made asecond friend? You are like Julian, and when you meet him you will havea third who will, though he may not tell you so eloquently, rememberwhat you have done for him."

  Appleby sat silent, as he usually did when in doubt. He was not a vainman or apt to lose his head, while the one woman he might have fallen inlove with was far away in England; but he knew who Julian was, andwondered whether Miss Harding had meant to supply him with a usefulhint. In the meanwhile the swish of dresses, patter of feet, and tinkleof guitars grew louder, and drowned the soft splashing of the fountainamong the flowers.

  "That sounds very pretty," he said. "Have you noticed that there issomething curious but alluring in Spanish music? They got it from theEast, I think."

  Nettie laughed. "The shell fits you very close. Still, you told me youhad made a second friend, and that implies a good deal, I think. That iswhy I am going to ask you a question. What brought you out from the oldcountry? I want to know more than my father does."

  She looked him steadily in the eyes, and though Appleby was never quitesure why he did so he told her. Once or twice she asked an appositequestion, and there was something in her close attention and unexpressedsympathy that wiled from him more than he had ever meant to communicateto any one, for Nettie Harding knew her influence and could direct itwell. She sat thoughtfully silent for at least a minute when he hadfinished, and then once more looked at him.

  "I don't know if you expect appreciation--but I think you were veryfoolish," she said.

  "No," said Appleby slowly. "Not in this case. You see, he was very fondof her."

  Again the little gleam showed in the girl's eyes, but she shook herhead. "I have paid you too many indirect compliments, though younaturally did not notice them, to waste any more on you, and I am goingto talk straight," she said. "The Deus ex machina is quite too big apart for you. To put it differently--why did you meddle with affairsaltogether beyond your comprehension?"

  "I think I told you she was very fond of him."

  "You didn't," said Nettie. "Still, we are getting considerably nearerthe truth now. Do you know you hit off that girl's character with aninsight I never suspected you had in you? You made me understand her.And you had seen her for just fourteen days."

  "One can come to a conclusion about a man or woman in even a shortertime."

  "Of course! In a good deal less. In one fateful moment--some folksbelieve!"

  Appleby saw the little mocking smile fade from the girl's lips andsomething he could not quite fathom in her eyes, though it in a fashionsuggested comprehension and s
ympathy. If he was right, Miss Harding'spenetration appeared astonishing. He would not, however, betray himself,and his voice was even when he said, "You have not shown me yet where Iwas mistaken."

  "In trying to bring folks together who were best apart; and when youthought she was fond of him you were wrong."

  "No," said Appleby doggedly.

  Nettie laughed in a curious fashion. "She does not know your friend asyou do, for you gave him away by the excuses you made for him. The girlyou have pictured to me could never be fond of that kind of man. She isin love with the man she thinks he is. You can appreciate thedifference, but she will find him out sooner or later."

  Appleby started. "No," he said. "I think he will tell her, and she willforgive him; though he did nothing very wrong."

  "That man will never tell her--or speak a word to clear you. Still, Ithink you can do without friends of that kind. You have good ones inthis country."

  Appleby was glad that he was relieved of the necessity of answering,because the banker's wife waddled out, clad in black from heel to crown--for she wore a lace mantilla there--with powdered face, into the veranda;and since the camaraderie that existed between him and the girl was notlikely to be understood or appreciated by a lady of Castilian extractionhe went away. He also wanted to think, and descending to a nook of thepatio where there was a seat lighted a cigar.

  If Miss Harding was right, and he had seen already that she was a youngwoman of singular penetration, he had made his sacrifice--which had,however, not cost him very much--in vain; but what disconcerted him wasthe fact that she had forced the truth he had strenuously striven toclose his eyes to upon him. Still, even that, he told himself, did notcount for very much just then. Even if she did not love Tony, VioletWayne was patrician to her finger tips and he an outcast adventurer.That was a very convincing reason why he should think no more of her,and yet even then her face rose up before his fancy and would not bedriven away. It was almost a relief when he heard a step behind him, andturning sharply saw a little olive-faced officer in tight green uniformsmiling at him.

  "You do not find the women of this country sympathetic--though you danceour dances well?" he said.

  Appleby was on his guard, and regretted he had figured in the many-stepped dances he had been taught at Algeciras at all, for he hadhitherto deemed it wise to evince no close acquaintance with Castiliancustoms; and Espada Morales had very keen eyes.

  "That is a little astonishing, unless it is the national courtesy whichprompts you to tell me so," he said.

  Morales shrugged his shoulders. "The nice articulation of our 'jota' and'zeta,' which are embarrassing to strangers, is even more astonishing.One does not overcome that difficulty in the two months you have spentin this country. Still, what is that to me? It is not my business toinquire where my friends acquired Castilian."

  Appleby wondered whether this was meant as a hint that the prosecutionof such an inquiry might not be desirable to him. He had seen theColonel Morales twice in battle, and while he had little fear ofrecognition in his present guise had been told a good deal which by nomeans pleased him about the man. Morales had, it was believed, the scentof a sleuth-hound and the jaguar's voracity.

  "It is at least an honor to be counted among a distinguished soldier'sfriends," he said.

  Morales made a little gesture of deprecation. "Soldiering is an ill-paidtrade, and you others are to be envied," he said. "This is why I appealto you as the Senor Harding's superintendent and a well-wisher of Spain.Mine is a poor country, and our troops are short of clothing andnecessaries. The loyalists of this district have responded to the appealwe made them generously, and it seemed only fitting to give you anopportunity."

  Appleby knew that the troops were wretchedly supplied with commissariatand drugs, and the affair was within the discretion Harding allowed him.Still, he decided to make an experiment.

  "If a hundred dollars would be of any service they will be paid to thetreasurer of the fund," he said.

  Morales fixed his dark eyes upon him for a moment, and gratitude was notexactly what he read in them. Appleby, however, met them steadily, andthe officer smiled.

  "Two hundred would be more useful, but we come begging and not making ademand," he said. "The treasurer is, however, at Havana, and it would bea convenience if you gave the silver to me."

  "Well," said Appleby, "I will give you one hundred dollars."

  Morales expressed his thanks, but he did not go away. Indeed, Applebyfelt that he was watching him covertly as he took out a cigar.

  "There is another affair in which you could be of service to me," hesaid. "We have all our little shortcomings, and I have been unfortunateat the Casino. What would you? One has to ingratiate himself with theseCubans, and I have lost a good deal of money. Holding command as I do, Icannot ask one of them for a loan."

  "Would that be a great disadvantage?" said Appleby.

  Morales smiled again, not altogether pleasantly. "They might lend underfear of reprisal, which would be distasteful to me. Men's tongues, myfriend, are very censorious in this country; but one could confide inyour discretion, and I should be grateful if you could show me how tonegotiate a small loan until the Administration remembers that our payis due."

  Appleby sat silent a space, for he appreciated the delicacy of theofficer's hint. Morales had, however, made his horseleech naturetolerably plain already, and Appleby decided to stand firm.

  "I will mention it to Mr. Harding when he comes back," he said.

  "To wait would be especially inconvenient to me."

  "Still, that is the most I can do," said Appleby.

  Morales shrugged his shoulders, discoursed about the dancing, and thenmoved away; but Appleby realized that his firmness would probably costhim something. He knew that Morales would for several reasons be charyof any attempt to hamper the prosperity of the San Cristoval hacienda,but he felt that its manager might be made to feel his resentmentindividually. Still, he was in Harding's service, and that fact carriedan obligation with it.

  Some time had now passed since he had left the dancers and deciding thatit would be advisable to make another appearance among them he had risento his feet, when there was a trampling under the archway that led intothe patio, and three men came into the light. Two of them carried riflesand wore the cazadores' uniform, but the third was hatless and ragged,and walked with difficulty, with a strip of hide between his ankles andhis hands lashed behind him. Appleby started a little when he saw him.The man's face was drawn and haggard, but he was one who had fought wellwith the Sin Verguenza.

  It also became evident that he saw Appleby and recognized him, for helooked straight at him with an appeal in his eyes, and then, turning hishead away, plodded apathetically into the patio between his captors.That alone would probably have decided Appleby. The man had asked forhelp, but he had also made it plain that he had no intention ofbetraying a comrade; and Appleby knew that while the Castilian has hisshortcomings, they are very seldom evident when he meets his end.

  The cazadores led the man towards one of the basement rooms, whichserved now and then as a place of detention when the Alcalde desired toquestion suspected persons, and thrust him in. Then one came outgrumbling, and stopped his companion as with a gesture he crossed thepatio.

  "There is no key, and one of us must stay here," he said. "Now, if Icould have found the little Tomasa we should have had a flask of wine.There is plenty here to-night."

  The other man glanced up at the lighted windows, and Appleby, whoslipped back out of sight into the shadow, saw that he was white withdust, and surmised that he was correspondingly thirsty.

  "There will be no chance of that when we have told the Alcalde," hesaid. "It is a misfortune. The wine would have been welcome."

  They looked at each other, and then back at the closed door. "That mancan scarcely hobble, and his hands are tied," said one. "Go back andrattle at the lock, and he will think it is the key. Then if you arequick you may find Tomasa while I tell the Alcalde."
r />   The soldier went back and did something to the lock with his bayonet,and then made a sign to his comrade, who went up the stairway. Then hedisappeared through a door which apparently led to the kitchen, andAppleby, treading softly, slipped forward through the shadows. There wasnobody in the patio now, and the streets were silent, while it only tookhim a moment or two to reach the door. In another he had slashed theman's bonds through, and a ragged object glided silently across thepatio. Appleby stood still a few seconds with beating heart until theswiftly moving shadow vanished through the arch, and then went up thestairway in haste, but as softly as he could. He, however, stoppedsuddenly when he reached the veranda, for Nettie Harding was leaningover the balustrade, and the banker's wife sitting in a cane chairbehind her. She saw the question in his eyes and nodded.

  "Yes," she said, "I saw you. The Senora Frequilla saw nothing. She ishalf asleep. Why did you do it?"

  "He would have been shot to-morrow," said Appleby.

  The girl laid her hand upon his arm, and led him into the lighted room,where, as it happened, a dance was just commencing. They took theirplaces among the rest, and nothing unusual happened for several minutes.Then there was a shout from the patio and a tramp of feet, and thedancing ceased. Asking vague questions, the guests streamed down thestairway, and when Appleby and Nettie Harding, who followed, stoppedamong the rest at a turning Morales was standing in the patio very grimin face beside the Alcalde, with two dusty and evidently veryapprehensive cazadores before him.

  "To the cuartel, and tell the Sergeant Antonio to turn out ten men atonce. I will consider your reward to-morrow," he said, and turned to theAlcalde. "It would be well, senor, if you sent word to the civiles."

  Then he smiled at the guests, who made room for him as he approached thestairway and stopped close by Appleby, who felt the girl's hand tremblea little on his arm.

  "I am sorry that you should be disturbed by this affair," he said; andAppleby wondered whether it was altogether by chance that the officer'sglance was turned in his direction.

  "Two of my men have allowed an Insurgent to escape them, for which theywill be rewarded. It is, however, evident that he had a friend who cuthis bonds, and when we find him that man will also be duly compensated."

  The little vindictive flash in the dark eyes was very significant, andone or two of the guests, Loyalists as they were, moved rather furtherout of Morales' way than was necessary as he went back up the stairway.