CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
THE SWING BRIDGE.
I stood for some time chafing, irresolute.
There seemed no help for it, but complying with the brigand's request.The log cabin could not be successfully stormed without a fearfulsacrifice of the lives of my men--which I was unwilling to make.
Not but that _they_ were willing--one and all of them. Stung by theinsulting tone of the robber-chief, they were ready to rush forward,defiant of death, and die in the act of obtaining vengeance.
The vile threat still ringing in their ears alone restrained them--as itdid myself. No one doubted that the monster meant what he had said; andwe knew that, if driven to desperation, he would carry out his atrociousdesign.
There was no alternative but to make terms with him--the best we couldobtain.
Stepping back behind the trees, and summoning around me half a dozen ofmy most experienced men, we proceeded to discuss the points ofcapitulation.
No words were wasted. Tortured by the thought of that loved form stilltrembling in the loathsome embrace of the brigand, I lost no time intaking the opinions of my comrades.
As my voice ruled the council, they coincided with my own; which was:that the robbers should be permitted to leave the place without furthermolestation--their captives to remain with us.
To let these scoundrels escape, after having them so completely in ourpower, was a source of the bitterest chagrin to every one of our partyIt was like abandoning the object of our expedition. But, from the hightone taken by Carrasco, I could tell that less liberal terms would berejected; and I was far from being confident of his compliance withthese. I had a thought--shared by my comrades--that there was stillsomething behind, and that another trick was intended to be played uponus. In the speeches addressed to us, there was an ambiguity we couldill understand. Despite his professed fearlessness, the robber-chiefcould not but be sensible of the danger he was in; and the _sang froid_displayed by him was scarcely reconcilable with the situation.
Perhaps at this moment he was in the act of perpetrating some piece ofstrategy--some villainous _ruse_?
We could not think what it might be, nor even that any was possible; andtherefore no one gave speech to the vague suspicion, though all felt it.It was only as a presentiment--and for this reason remained unspoken.
It had the effect, however, of urging us to hasten our deliberations,and bring them to a more speedy conclusion.
The terms settled, I stepped once more to the front--with the intentionof making them known to the enemy.
There was no one in sight; but I supposed that the bandit was still uponthe housetop--crouching below the level of the parapet.
I shouted to attract his attention.
There was no response, save the echoes of my own voice, thatreverberated in duplicate along the twin cliffs of the chasm.
I shouted a second time, louder than before.
Still only echoes--mingling with the cries of a _caracara_ eagle, thatsoared scared-like into the air.
Again I put forth my voice--calling the robber by his name, andsummoning him to listen to our proposal.
But there was no answer--not even a responding exclamation!
Outside the hut there was heard the hoarse roaring of the torrent, thatrose continuously from below--above, the _caracara_ still repeating itsshrill screech; but inside there was only silence--ominous, deathlike,appalling!
I could bear the suspense no longer.
Directing one half of the men to keep their places--and cover ourapproach with their rifles--with the other half I started towards thedwelling.
With a rapid rush we reached it--coming to a stop in front of thedoorway.
There was no need for such haste. We were permitted to make approachunmolested. No shout heard--not a shot fired--not a missile hurled fromabove!
We stayed not to give expression to our surprise. The door wasinstantly assailed; and, before the strokes of the Collin's axe, soongave way--going inside with a crash.
We entered in a confused crowd--unopposed, not caring for opposition.We did not expect it. Despite its improbability, we were more than halfprepared to find the fortress forsaken.
And so did we find it. The bandits had gone off; and, O God, they hadagain carried _their captives along with them_!
There was no mystery about their disappearance. The mode by which theyhad made escape--as well as the way taken--was before our eyes theinstant we entered the hut.
There was another doorway at the back--with a door upon it, standingslightly ajar.
Hastening across the floor, and drawing it wide open, I looked out.
At a glance everything was accounted for.
A swing bridge (_puente-hamaca_), constructed of _llianas_, with stickslaid across, extended over the chasm. One end was attached to the doorpost; the other to a tree standing out from the opposite cliff.
At its farther extremity were two men, engaged as if hammering upon ananvil. But instead of hammers their tools were _machetes_; and I sawthey were hacking at the suspenders of the bridge.
They succeeded in completing their task--in spite of the shots fired toprevent them.
It was the last act of their lives. Both went headlong into the abyssbelow; but along with their bodies, went the bridge they had been soeager in destroying!
Mingling with their last cries came a peal of laughter from the oppositeside of the chasm. It would have sounded fiendish enough without this.It was from the throat of Torreano Carrasco!
I saw him standing upon the cliff--near the point of a projecting rock.He was not using it as a screen. He was sheltered as before. Mercedeswas still in front of him. His arm was around her waist. He washolding her in a hug!
Near at hand was her sister Dolores--shielding a second of the ruffiansin a similar manner!
"_Hola_!" cried the robber-chief, intentionally restraining hislaughter, and speaking in a tone of loud exultation. "_Hola! mioamigo_! Very clever of you to have made your way into my mountainmansion? And so quick you've been about opening the door? For allthat, you see you are too late. Never mind. You can make your morningcall upon some other occasion; when perhaps you may find me at home.Meanwhile I have some business with this lady--the Dona MercedesVilla-Senor--that will carry us a little further up the mountain.Should you want to see her again, you may come after--_if you can_!"
Another peal of coarse laughter--in which his comrades, hidden behindthe rocks, were heard to join--interrupted his taunting speech.
"_Hasta luego_!" he again cried out. "Good morning, noble captain! Ileave you to your matins; while I go to enjoy a little stroll in companywith the sweet Mercedes. _Va con Dios--o' si gusta V. al Demonio_!"(Go with God, or to the Devil, if you like it better!)
At the close of this profane speech, he commenced making approach to therock, taking Mercedes along with him.
Rifle in hand I watched his movements, with an earnestness I cannotdescribe. The feverish anxiety, with which the stalker regards theshifting of the stag, can give but a faint idea of that stirring withinme.
I had hopes that the coward might become separated from the fair form hewas using as a shield. Six inches would have satisfied me: for his lastbrutal innuendo proclaimed a terrible emergency; and with six inches ofhis carcase clear I should have risked the shot.
But, no! He did not allow me even this trifling chance. He seemed todivine my intent; and inch by inch, keeping her body straight betweenus--O God, to see her in that swarth embrace!--he sidled behind thestone!
The other followed his example, taking Dolores; and before another wordcould be spoken, both robbers and captives had passed out of sight!
The instant after, half a score of hats started suddenly out of thebushes, that skirted the edge of the cliff; and we were saluted by avolley from a like number of _escopetas_.
A rifleman, standing in the door by my side, threw up his arms with ashriek, and fell forward upon the stoup.
As I ca
ught hold, to hinder him from going over the cliff, something hotcame spurting against my cheek.
It was the life-blood of my comrade, who had been killed by the bulletof an escopeta.
I saw that I was dealing with a dead body; and desisted from thestruggle to sustain it.
It glided from my grasp, and fell with a heavy plash upon the swiftwater below!
My men were by this time more than half mad. It needed not the death oftheir comrade to excite them to frantic action. The sight of thecaptive ladies; the disappointment caused by our being unable to rescuethem--after supposing ourselves sure of it--and perhaps, as much asanything else, the trick that had been played upon them--rendered oneand all thirsty for vengeance.
I need not say that I shared this thirst--so much that I no longer caredfor consequences, and had lost even the perception of danger.
I stood upon the projecting doorstep; not looking after the body whichhad gone below, but across the chasm, in hopes of getting sight of abrigand. Any one now: since I knew there was not much chance of againseeing their chief.
I heeded not the stray shots that came hurtling around my head; and, inall likelihood, one would have consigned me to a fate, similar to whathad befallen my comrade, had I been left to a much longer indulgence inmy reckless mood.
But I was not. A strong arm seizing me from behind--it was that of mysergeant--drew me back within the cabin; whose thick wooden walls wereproof against the bullets of either carbine, or _escopeta_.