The Dust of Conflict

  XXVII -- HARDING'S APPROBATION

  THE red sunrise found the Sin Verguenza already toiling with fierceactivity about the hacienda. This was significant, because they were notaddicted to unnecessary physical effort, but they had reasons forknowing it was advisable for the men who incurred the displeasure ofMorales to take precautions, and the cane that rolled close up to thehacienda would in case of an assault afford convenient cover to thecazadores. It went down crackling before the flashing steel, while theperspiration dripped from swarthy faces, and the men gasped as theytoiled. Appleby, who stripped himself to shirt and trousers before anhour had passed, wondered how long his arms, unused to labor, wouldstand the strain as he strove to keep pace with the men he led. Harper,almost naked, led another band, and stirred up the spirit of rivalry byrude badinage in barbarous Castilian. It was characteristic that bothfound the stress of physical effort bracing, and Maccario, attired inhat of costly Panama and spotless duck, watched them with a littletwinkle in his dark eyes. There were, he said, sufficient men to do thework without him, and no gentleman of Iberian extraction toiled with hishands unless it was imperatively necessary.

  Pickets came in and took up the machetes, gasping men, dripping withperspiration, flung themselves down in the shadow until their turn cameagain, the sun climbed higher until it was almost overhead, and thejuice exuded hot upon the toilers' hands from the crackling stems, whilethe faint breeze seemed to have passed through a furnace, and thebrightness was bewildering.

  Still, while the space where the stalks stood scarcely knee-high widenedrapidly there was no sign of Morales, and the men grew silent, and nowand then cast wondering glances at one another. They had expected thecazadores several hours ago, and their uneasiness was made apparent bythe stoppages that grew more frequent while they gazed across the cane.Morales was, as they knew, not a man who wasted time, and hisdilatoriness troubled them, for they felt certain that he would come.

  The hour of the siesta arrived, and it was hotter than ever anddazzlingly bright, but no one laid his machete down; and Appleby's handswere bleeding, while his head reeled as he staggered towards the tram-line with great bundles of cane. Morales, it seemed evident, washatching some cunning plan for their destruction, and though arms andbacks ached intolerably they toiled on. It was not until the hour of thecomida they desisted, and by then sufficient cane had been cut to leavea space round the hacienda that would be perilous for the cazadores tocross, and those of the Sin Verguenza who had magazine rifles surveyedit with grim complacency. Then bags of soil were placed here and therealong the parapet of the roof and piled behind the patio gate, and themen trooped in to eat. When Morales came they would at least be in aposition to welcome him fittingly.

  Still, he did not come, and when the shadows of the building which laylong and black across the cleared space crept into the growing cane aman walked into the patio. Pancho led him up to where Appleby andMaccario sat upon the roof gazing across the green plain towards thewavy thread of carretera.

  "There is little news, senor," he said. "Morales sits close in SantaMarta and has drawn his outposts in. One is not allowed to go into orout of the city without a pass, and the civiles watch the wine-shops."

  Maccario appeared thoughtful, but Appleby said, "You had a pass?"

  The man shrugged his shoulders. "It is not always necessary--to me, butas it happens, I have two or three. There are little persuasive tricksknown to the friends of liberty, and one can now and then induce a loyalcitizen to part with his."

  "In Cuba one does not suggest too much," said Maccario dryly. "Your goodoffices will be remembered when we have taken Santa Marta. There aredollars in that city, and they are scarce just now at San Cristoval.Morales has been here, you understand. In the meanwhile it is likelythat Don Pancho will find you a bottle of wine and a little comida."

  The man withdrew, and Maccario contemplated the cigar he lighted. "Thereis a good deal I do not understand," he said. "Morales does nothingwithout a motive, and it is quite certain he is not afraid. There is,however, a little defect in his character which has its importance tous."

  "One would fancy that there were several," said Appleby.

  Maccario smiled, and showed himself, like most men of his nationality,willing to moralize. "Strength comes with unity of purpose," he said. "Iam, as an example, anxious only to do what I can to promote Cubanindependence, and a very little on behalf of a certain patriot Maccario.The latter, you understand, is permissible, and almost a duty. Morales,one admits, has at heart the upholding of Spanish domination, and it isat least as certain that any opportunity of profiting one Morales isseized by him. It would not, however, become me to censure him, but thedefect is this--Morales always remembers the man who has injured him."

  "One would fancy it was a shortcoming which is not unknown among the SinVerguenza!"

  Maccario made a little gesture. "In reason, it is scarcely a defect, butwith Morales it is a passion which is apt to betray into indiscretions aman who should have nothing at heart but the good of his country and thegood of himself."

  "I think I understand. You mean---"

  "That Morales will endeavor to crush us even if he knows it will costhim a good deal. Cuba is not large enough for a certain three men tolive in it together."

  "Then his slowness is the more inexplicable."

  "I have a notion that there may be an explanation which would not quiteplease me. It is conceivable that our comrades from beyond the mountainsare moving, and he fears an assault upon Santa Marta."

  "In that case you could seize the town by joining hands with them."

  Maccario smiled. "If we wait a little we can drive Morales outourselves; and this district belongs to us, you understand. We havewatched over it for a long while, and it would not be convenient thatothers who have done nothing should divide what is to be gained with uswhen we have secured its liberty."

  Appleby laughed, for his companion's naive frankness frequentlydelighted him. "Then," he said, "the only thing would be a promptassault upon the town, but that is apparently out of the question."

  "Who knows!" said Maccario, with a little expressive movement of hisshoulders, and sat thoughtfully silent looking down towards Santa Martaacross the cane.

  Appleby, who asked no more questions, lay still in his chair vacantlywatching the strip of road that was growing dimmer now. He had toiledwith fierce activity under the burning sun since early morning, and apleasant lassitude was creeping over him, while the faint coolness anddeepening shadow was curiously refreshing after the scorching heat andglare. The sun had dipped behind a hill shoulder far away, the peaksgrew sharp in outline against a gleam of saffron, and the long waves ofcane were fading to a soft and dusky green. Still though night comesswiftly in that region, the road still showed faintly white where itwound in sinuous curves across the darkening plain, and held his gaze.What he was watching for he did not know, but he was sensible of a vagueexpectancy. At last, when the road had faded, and the soft darknessclosed down, Maccario raised his head suddenly, for a drumming soundrose from the cane.

  "Somebody is coming this way, riding hard," he said.

  The sound grew a trifle plainer, sank, and rose again, and the two menstrained their ears to listen. The darkness was growing denser, butAppleby glanced at his companion.

  "The sound commenced suddenly just beyond the spot where our outerpicket is," he said.

  Maccario nodded. "Morales will certainly watch the road. It is a friendwho has ridden by one of the paths through the cane with news for us,"he said.

  In another few minutes the beat of hoofs was unmistakable, and when itrang loudly down the unseen road the two descended to the big living-room where Pancho had lighted the lamps. Maccario laughed as he satdown, and lighted a cigarette.

  "When one assumes the tranquillity it not infrequently comes to him, andif the news is bad we shall hear it soon enough," he said.

  Appleby said nothing, for there were times when he found his comrade'ssage reflections a tr
ifle exasperating, and he was glad when there was atrampling of hoofs in the patio, and he heard Harper greeting somebody.Then he sprang to his feet as a man came in.

  "Harding!" he said.

  Maccario laughed softly. "Now I think you have a little explanation tomake, Don Bernardino, and it is conceivable that the Senor Harding maynot be grateful to you," he said.

  Harding evidently understood him, for he stood still just inside thedoorway, dressed in white duck, looking at Appleby with a little grimsmile in his eyes. The dust was grimed upon his face, which was almosthaggard, and his pose suggested weariness.

  "Since I find my hacienda in the possession of the Sin Verguenza I fancyDon Maccario is right, but I can wait a little for the explanation," hesaid dryly in Castilian. "I have ridden a long way, and as it is twenty-four hours since I had anything worth mentioning to eat, I wonderwhether it would be permissable to ask for a little comida?"

  Maccario, whose eyes twinkled, summoned Pancho, and sent him for foodand wine. Harding ate with an avidity which told its own story, and thenturned to Appleby.

  "It was not until I reached Havana that I heard about the 'Maine,' andthen as I had a good deal of business to put through in this country itseemed advisable to get myself up as a Cuban," he said. "I had evidencethat the Administration were watching me, and I would never have gothere at all if it hadn't been for the help of a few friends among theLiberationists. Now, I fancy you and Don Maccario have something to tellme."

  Appleby sat still a moment looking at him gravely, while Harper, whocame in, leaned upon a chair. Then he said slowly: "As you may wish forDon Maccario's corroboration I think I had better tell the story, whichis a little involved, in Castilian. You will find patience necessary."

  He commenced with his interview with Morales on the night of theAlcaldes' ball, and while Harding watched him with expressionless eyesrecounted briefly the two attempts upon the papers made by the spies.Then as he came to Morales' proposition the American's face grew grim.

  "That is a clever man," he said. "Go on!"

  Appleby proceeded quietly, and while his low voice broke monotonouslythrough the silence of the room Harding's face lost its grimness, andbecame intent and eager, while a sparkle crept into his eyes.

  "So you staked all I had in Cuba on the chance of war and committed meto backing the Sin Verguenza!" he said.

  "Yes," said Appleby. "It was a heavy responsibility, but I could thinkof no other means of overcoming the difficulty. That I should agree toMorales' terms was out of the question."

  "Of course!" said Harding simply. "That is, to a man like you."

  Appleby flushed a little. "I had no opportunity of warning you, while itseemed to me that it would go very hard with you if you were seized byMorales. That appeared almost inevitable unless you had friends behindyou. The only ones that could be of service in this instance are the SinVerguenza."

  "And so you took your chances of Morales shooting you?"

  "I think," said Appleby quietly, "there was, under the circumstances,very little else that one could do."

  Harding looked at him steadily, and then, nodding gravely, turned toMaccario.

  "The Senor Appleby has thrown me on the patriots' hands," he said. "Ihave already done them several small services, as you perhaps know. Theywill remember that?"

  Maccario's eyes twinkled. "I believe they will. The Senor Harding'sgenerosity is well known," he said. "In this country friends who areliberal with their money are scarce, and one is willing to do a littlenow and then to retain their good will. That, I think, iscomprehensible. One has usually a motive."

  "Yet, when two men who had not a dollar between them were in peril, amerchant of tobacco ventured into the cuartel at Santa Marta!" saidAppleby quietly.

  Maccario lifted one shoulder expressively. "One is not always discreet,my friend. There is, however, an important question. The Senor Hardingwho knows his own countrymen believes there will be war?"

  "I believe it is inevitable," said Harding dryly.

  A trace of darker color crept into the Cuban's olive face, while Harper,who slowly straightened himself, tapped him on the back with a big hand.

  "Then you'll get your liberty! You're not going to find a Spaniard inCuba when we're through," he said.

  There was a brief silence, but the intentness in the men's eyes and thehardening of their lips were significant. Then Harding, reaching acrossthe table, grasped Appleby's hand. "I am in your debt, and it's notgoing to hurt me to remember it," he said. "There are not many men whocould have taken up my hand, and played it out for me as you have done,but I'm not astonished. I had my notions about you when I left you incharge at San Cristoval. Well, that leads up to something. My affairs inthis country are 'most getting too big for me, and I'm open to take apartner and deal with him liberally. It's not money I want, but daringconception, and the nerve to hold on and worry through a risky plan. Iguess you know the man who would suit me, Mr. Appleby."

  A little gleam crept into Appleby's eyes, but it faded again as heglanced at Maccario.

  "It is a tempting offer, but I belong to the Sin Verguenza yet," hesaid. "Can you leave it open, Mr. Harding?"

  "For how long?"

  "Until Santa Marta has fallen, and the Sin Verguenza are undisputedmasters of this region."

  He spoke in Castilian, feeling that Maccario's dark eyes were upon him,and Harding smiled.

  "Well," he said a trifle dryly, "I guess you couldn't help it, and Ican't afford to let any of the other men who will follow my lead whenwe're through with the war get hold of you. When you have taken SantaMarta come straight along to me, and if we can't fix up something thatwill suit both parties it will astonish me. Now, I'm feeling sleepy, andI've a good deal of figuring to go through with you to-morrow."

  Appleby rose and went with him to the room Pancho had made ready, whilewhen they reached it Harding sat down wearily.

  "I have another thing to tell you, Appleby," he said. "My daughterNettie seems to think a good deal of you."

  "Miss Harding was kind enough to permit me to call upon her once ortwice at the banker's house," said Appleby quietly.

  Harding's eyes twinkled. "If you had gone there every day it wouldn'thave worried me. Your head is tolerably level, and Nettie has rathermore sense than most young women, but that is not the point, anyway.When she was leaving England she wrote to me, and told me I might letyou know there were people over there, and one, I believe in particular,who had heard the truth about you."

  Appleby stood still a moment, with a flush on his forehead and a curiousglow in his eyes.

  "Miss Harding told you nothing more, sir?" he said.

  "No," said Harding reflectively. "It wasn't very explicit but she seemedto fancy it would be sufficient. Now, I don't think you need worry aboutthe thing, Appleby. Nettie has a good deal of discretion, and if shedecided to take up your hand it's no more than you did with mine."

  Appleby made no answer, but went out, and leaned upon the verandabalustrade looking up into the soft blueness of the night, while oncemore an alluring vision seemed to materialize before his eyes. He had acurious faith in Nettie Harding's capabilities, and remembered thepromise she had made him that what he longed for should be his.