XXIX -- TONY PERSISTS
FOUR of the Sin Verguenza girt with bandoliers were waiting in the patiowhile Harding made hasty preparations for his journey when Appleby andTony stood on the veranda. The night was a trifle clearer than any ofthem desired, though the half-moon had dipped behind the flat roof whichwas projected sharply against the luminescent blueness of the sky. Astream of light shone out from the open window of Harding's room, andPancho's voice rose suggestively now and then as he watched himdressing. Harding, who had affairs of importance with the banker, wasgoing into Santa Marta, and since it appeared more than likely thatMorales knew he had arrived at San Cristoval, it was essential that, inorder to avoid observation, he should be attired correctly in Cubanfashion.
Appleby, however, scarcely heard the major-domo, for he was makinganother attempt to induce Tony to leave with Harding, who purposed tohead for the coast in the hope of finding a steamer there when he hadmade what arrangements he could respecting his Cuban possessions. Tonylistened with a quiet smile, and then resolutely shook his head.
"We have been through it all before, and you are only wasting breath,"he said. "I am going home with you when you have taken Santa Marta, butuntil then I stay here."
Appleby lost his patience. "It's a piece of purposeless folly. What haveyou to do with the fall of Santa Marta?"
"It is also my last chance," said Tony, with a curious little smile."You could understand that if you wished to."
"No," said Appleby doggedly. "I don't think I could. Nor do I believeyou would convince any reasonable man."
Tony smiled curiously. "One has objections to stripping himself, so tospeak, before even a friend's eyes. It really isn't decent, but--sinceyou are persistent--what I went through at Northrop was gettinginsupportable. The anxiety was crushing the life out of me, and it's outof the question that I should go back there while you are carrying theload that should have been upon my shoulders here. I'm not claiming anyvirtue I don't possess. Indeed, it's selfishness and what is most likelysuperstitious cowardice that decides me to stay, but I feel that until Ihave made all right with you there can be no peace for me."
"I do not want to live in England, and you are taking too personal aview of the thing. Since there is Violet to consider your life is notyour own to throw away, and I am not sure you know how much she wouldforgive you."
Tony's face grew a trifle grim, and the light that streamed from thewindow showed the weariness in it.
"The trouble is that Violet was never in love with--me," he said veryslowly. "I have a gift for deceiving people, even when I don't mean to,and it was not until the truth came out she saw me as I am. It isdifficult to admit it, but there the fact is. She gave her heart to theman she supposed me to be, but I loved her for herself, and because Iknow she is the one woman who could make an honorable man of me. I losemy last hope if I let her go."
He stopped a moment with a little groan, while Appleby regarded himcompassionately, and then continued in a low strained voice.
"Now you see the selfishness of it, and why I mean to stay. I must proveI'm not wholly worthless by making amends to you."
Appleby stood silent a moment. He knew Tony's unstable nature well, andthat his passion for Violet Wayne, which was almost reverential, mightyet lift him to a higher level. It was also evident that in desiring tomake amends Tony was wise, and Appleby felt a curious sympathy for theman who clung so desperately to his last hope of vindicating himself inher eyes. That Tony's motive was, as he had admitted, largely selfish,and his contrition by no means of the highest order, did not troublehim. It was his part to help and not censure him, and with a littleswift movement he laid his hand upon his shoulder.
"Well," he said quietly, "you may be right, and since nothing else willcontent you, you must stay."
Just then Harding, attired in white duck and a big Panama hat, came outinto the veranda, and glanced at them.
"If you are coming with me, Mr. Palliser, you have no time to lose," hesaid. "You may, however, find my company dangerous, especially if wecan't get into Santa Marta and reach the banker's house while it'sdark."
Tony smiled. "I'm not coming, sir."
"Well," said Harding, glancing at him curiously, "I guess you know yourown affairs best. Maccario sent that fellow word to be ready to smuggleme in, Appleby."
"He will be waiting, and you are not likely to have much difficulty withthe patrols when you are inside the town. Still, it is a big risk, sir."
Harding laughed. "I have been taking steep chances all my life, and Ihave quite a few dollars scattered up and down this country which Ican't afford to throw away. They're not exactly mine, since it seems tome that I'm holding them in trust for my daughter Nettie. Now, I guessI've kept those men of yours long enough already."
He shook hands with Tony, and the men below flung up their rifles to theslope when he and Appleby went down the stairway. Maccario walked downthe tram-line with them, and then stopped a moment when they reached theroad, where Harding laid his hand on Appleby's arm.
"I leave you in charge of San Cristoval and my affairs here with everyconfidence," he said.
"I shall endeavor to deserve it, sir," said Appleby. "Still, it is notquite out of the question that Morales may burn the hacienda."
Harding smiled. "The hacienda can be built again, and they can't blow upthe land. It will stop right there all the time, in spite of them."
"Still, they could seize it."
"Well," said Harding, with quiet confidence, "when we have chased everySpanish soldier out of Cuba I'll get it back again, and that is justwhat is going to happen before very long. It's quite difficult to freezea citizen of my country out of his property."
"Unless an American trust casts covetous eyes upon it," said Appleby.
Harding laughed as he shook hands with him and Maccario, and then turnedaway with a smile still upon his The four Sin Verguenza plodded behindhim down the road, and Maccario glanced at his companion.
"One would not have fancied the Senor Harding knew he was taking a heavyrisk," he said.
"Still, I think it was quite plain to him."
Maccario glanced across the cane towards Santa Marta. "I had manyfriends there, and he has one or two at most. Morales is a daring andclever man--but it is his misfortune that in this affair he has others ofthe same kind against him."
"That is an admission," said Appleby, with a little smile "If you countthe Senor Harper, two of them come from America."
Maccario laughed. "And one from England! Men of that kind are notconfined to any one country, my friend. Still, they are perhaps moreplentiful in the Peninsula--and Cuba--than elsewhere."
Appleby said nothing, and they walked slowly back to the hacienda.
Rather more than a fortnight passed uneventfully, and save for a fewaffairs between outposts and patrols there was no outbreak ofhostilities. Morales lay in Santa Marta with the country rising againsthim, and Maccario patiently waited his time, for the Sin Verguenza weregrowing stronger every day. The insurrection was still largely sporadicand indifferently organized, and since each leader acted for the mostpart independently what was happening elsewhere only concerned the SinVerguenza indirectly, while the struggle had become almost a personalquestion between them and Morales. In the meanwhile Appleby heard thatHarding had eluded the latter's vigilance and left Santa Marta.
Then late one night a man came gasping up the veranda stairway, andAppleby and Maccario descended half-dressed to meet him in the bigliving-room. The dust was white upon him, and he blinked at them out ofhalf-closed eyes, while Appleby noticed that he limped a little.Maccario pointed to a chair, and poured him out a glass of wine.
"You have come a long way?" he said.
"From Brena Abajo. I left there in the afternoon the day beforeyesterday."
"On a mule?"
The man smiled grimly as he pointed to his broken shoes.
"I came on these," he said.
Maccario turned to Appleby. "Our friend walks fast. It
is counted a fourdays' journey. Still, I think he knows that one seldom gains anything bytrifling with the Sin Verguenza."
A little gleam crept into the man's dark eyes. "One walks fast when heis eager for vengeance," he said. "I had a little wine-shop, and acomrade who I trusted, four days ago. Comes a column of Candotto'sPeninsulares, and there is an asking of questions of the Alcalde, who isnot a friend of mine. Andres, it is discovered, has smuggled rifles tothe friends of liberty in the mountains."
Maccario made a little gesture. "It went hard with your friend?"
"He died with a jibe at Candotto, who would discover where our comradeswere. The wine-shop is a heap of ashes now, but that night the friendsof liberty came out from the barrancos and crept in upon Brena Abajo."
"They drove the soldiers out?"
"No," said the man very quietly. "The Peninsulares fought well. Thereare many dead patriots in the streets of Brena Abajo, and onlyCandotto's men left to bury them."
Maccario straightened himself suddenly in his chair. "It was a strongcolumn?"
"No, senor. Four companies only. It seems Morales had sent for them."
Maccario turned to Appleby. "Now we know why Morales, who does nothingwithout a motive, was waiting. Well, they will march slowly, fearinganother attack, with a section or two thrown forward in case there werefriends of ours waiting them among the cane. The Colonel Candotto would,however, send messengers to Morales."
The man laughed in a curiously grim fashion. "Then they would neverreach him. The paths are watched, and the friends of liberty are boldnow there is to be war with America."
"I think our friend is right," said Maccario, who stood up with a littlesmile. "The service he has done us will be remembered in due time.Senor, the major-domo whom you will find below will give you food andshow you where you can sleep."
The man went out, and Appleby glanced at his comrade with a little flushin his face.
"I think our time has come," he said.
Maccario's dark eyes sparkled. "We march in an hour. Candotto's men willmarch circumspectly, and lie behind the walls of an aldea at night. Whenthey reach Santa Marta it will be to-morrow evening, and they will notfind Morales then."
"No," said Appleby. "I think we can get in, but it will be a risk. Itwould have been certain in another week or two. We were growing strongerevery day."
Maccario smiled dryly. "There are times when one cannot wait too long,my friend."
He went out upon the veranda, a man called out sharply in the shadowsbelow, there was a hum of voices, and dim figures swarmed into thepatio. Then there was a tramp of feet and a jingling of steel, lightsflashed in the windows, and Appleby, slipping clear of the bustle,entered Tony's room. He lighted the little lamp, and then sat down onthe bed. Tony lay close beside him sleeping quietly, and Appleby felt acurious little thrill as he looked down on him. The man had wronged himgrievously, but the bond which had grown strong in happier days boundthem together still.
The room was very hot, and the quiet face that was almost boyish yet wasbeaded with perspiration, but Appleby saw there was a stamp upon itwhich it had not borne in England. Tony, it seemed, had changed, andAppleby felt that he might still do his work with credit, and be thestronger because of his fall. Then as he struggled with a faint sense ofenvy and bitterness Tony opened his eyes and smiled.
"You there, Bernard? I was back at Northrop with you and Violet a momentago," he said drowsily.
"Still, you are in Cuba now," said Appleby.
Tony appeared to be endeavoring to collect his thoughts. "It isdifficult to realize it, and I can't quite persuade myself I'm awakeyet," he said. "The sun was shining on the lawn, and I could see the redgeraniums and the little blue lobelia round the border as clearly as Iever saw anything in my life. You were talking to Violet, and thetrouble between us seemed to have gone. Why couldn't you let me sleepon?"
"I felt tempted to," said Appleby gravely. "Still, you see, we aremarching to assault Santa Marta almost immediately."
Tony sprang out of bed, and was half dressed when he turned to Applebyagain with a sparkle in his eyes.
"I'm taller than most of these Cubans. You'll have to put me at the headof your company," he said.
"No," said Appleby dryly. "We are leaving a handful of men behind us tohold the hacienda, and I mean you to stay with them."
Tony laughed a clear, ringing laugh. "Did you think for a moment that Iwould? Now, you will gain nothing by insisting, and you don't command.If I can't get your permission I'll get Maccario's."
"There is very grim work on hand, and the rest are more fitted for itthan you."
Tony turned with a trace of stiffness which became him. "There was atime when you apparently took pleasure in pointing out my slackness,Bernard," he said. "Still, while I'm willing to admit it, I think it'smoral,--and not physical."
"Of course!"
Tony's face relaxed, and he laughed. "That's devilishly complimentary--but I'm coming. I've never been in a fight, and the sensation will be apleasant novelty, but there's something else. You see, it may happenthat one of us gets hurt."
"It is, I believe, quite likely."
"Well," said Tony very quietly, "that is just why I'm coming. I don'twish to be uncivil--but while Maccario's willing I think it's evidentthat you can't stop me."
Appleby looked at him a moment with a curious softness in his eyes, andthen made a little gesture of resignation, while Maccario, who openedthe door quietly, smiled as he glanced at them.
"The Senor Palliser will march with us?" he said.
"Of course!" said Tony lightly, but Appleby, who felt a little shiverrun through him, said nothing at all.
Twenty minutes later the Sin Verguenza went stumbling down the tram-linefile by file, and when they swung out into the carretera Tony Pallisermarched with the leading four at the head of one company. The night wasstill and dark and the tramp of feet alone rang through the silence ofthe dusky cane, for the Sin Verguenza knew there was grim work beforethem, and marched with portentous quietness. Their time had come, butthey realized with an unpleasant distinctness that if they failed veryfew of them would escape the vengeance of Morales.