The Headless Horseman Part 92

What do _you_ make o' it, Sam Manly?"

"Well, that--some of the boys here think there's been a struggle between him and--"

"Atween him an who?" sharply interrogates Zeb.

"Why, the man that's missing."

"Yes, that's he who we mean," speaks one of the "boys" referred to. "We all know that Harry Poindexter wouldn't a stood to be shot down like a calf. They've had a tussle, and a fall among the rocks. That's what's given him the swellin' in the knee. Besides, there's the mark of a blow upon his head--looks like it had been the b.u.t.t of a pistol. As for the scratches, we can't tell what's made them. Thorns may be; or wolves if you like. That foolish fellow of his has a story about a tiger; but it won't do for us."

"What fellur air ye talkin' o'? Ye mean Irish Pheelum? Where air _he_?"

"Stole away to save his carca.s.s. We'll find him, as soon as we've settled this business; and I guess a little hanging will draw the truth out of him."

"If ye mean abeout the tiger, ye'll draw no other truth out o' him than hat ye've got a'ready. I see'd thet varmint myself, an war jest in time to save the young fellur from its claws. But thet aint the peint.

Ye've had holt o' the Irish, I 'spose. Did he tell ye o' nothin' else he seed hyur?"

"He had a yarn about Indians. Who believes it?"

"Wal; he tolt me the same story, and that looks like some truth in't.

Besides, he declurs they wur playin' curds, an hyur's the things themselves. I found 'em lying scattered about the floor o' the shanty.

Spanish curds they air."

Zeb draws the pack out of his pocket, and hands it over to the Regulator Chief.

The cards, on examination, prove to be of Mexican manufacture--such as are used in the universal game of _monte_--the queen upon horseback "cavallo"--the spade represented by a sword "espada"--and the club "baston" symbolised by the huge paviour-like implement, seen in picture-books in the grasp of hairy Orson.

"Who ever heard of Comanches playing cards?" demands he, who has scouted the evidence about the Indians. "d.a.m.ned ridiculous!"

"Ridiklus ye say!" interposes an old trapper who had been twelve months a prisoner among the Comanches. "Ridiklus it may be; but it's true f'r all that. Many's the game this c.o.o.n's seed them play, on a dressed burner hide for their table. That same Mexikin _montay_ too. I reckon they've larned it from thar Mexikin captives; of the which they've got as good as three thousand in thar different tribes. Yes, sirree!"

concludes the trapper. "The Keymanchees _do_ play cards--sure as shootin'."

Zeb Stump is rejoiced at this bit of evidence, which is more than he could have given himself. It strengthens the case for the accused. The fact, of there having been Indians in the neighbourhood, tends to alter the aspect of the affair in the minds of the Regulators--hitherto under the belief that the Comanches were marauding only on the other side of the settlement.

"Sartin sure," continues Zeb, pressing the point in favour of an adjournment of the trial, "thur's been Injuns hyur, or some thin' durned like--Geesus Geehosofat! Whar's _she_ comin' from?"

The clattering of hoofs, borne down from the bluff, salutes the ear of everybody at the same instant of time.

No one needs to inquire, what has caused Stump to give utterance to that abrupt interrogatory. Along the top of the cliff, and close to its edge, a horse is seen, going at a gallop. There is a woman--a lady-- upon his back, with hat and hair streaming loosely behind her--the string hindering the hat from being carried altogether away!

So wild is the gallop--so perilous from its proximity to the precipice-- you might suppose the horse to have run away with his rider.

But no. You may tell that he has not, by the actions of the equestrian herself. She seems not satisfied with the pace; but with whip, spur, and voice keeps urging him to increase it!

This is plain to the spectators below; though they are puzzled and confused by her riding so close to the cliff.

They stand in silent astonishment. Not that they are ignorant of who it is. It would be strange if they were. That woman equestrian-- man-seated in the saddle--once seen was never more to be forgotten.

She is recognised at the first glance. One and all know the reckless galloper to be the guide--from whom, scarce half-an-hour ago, they had parted upon the prairie.

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX.

CHASED BY COMANCHES.

It was Isidora who had thus strangely and suddenly shown herself. What was bringing her back? And why was she riding at such a perilous pace?

To explain it, we must return to that dark reverie, from which she was startled by her encounter with the "Tejanos."

While galloping away from the Alamo, she had not thought of looking back, to ascertain whether she was followed. Absorbed in schemes of vengeance, she had gone on--without even giving a glance behind.

It was but slight comfort to her to reflect: that Louise Poindexter had appeared equally determined upon parting from the jacale. With a woman's intuitive quickness, she suspected the cause; though she knew, too well, it was groundless.

Still, there was some pleasure in the thought: that her rival, ignorant of her happy fortune, was suffering like herself.

There was a hope, too, that the incident might produce estrangement in the heart of this proud Creole lady towards the man so condescendingly beloved; though it was faint, vague, scarce believed in by her who conceived it.

Taking her own heart as a standard, she was not one to lay much stress on the condescension of love: her own history was proof of its levelling power. Still was there the thought that her presence at the jacale had given pain, and might result in disaster to the happiness of her hated rival.

Isidora had begun to dwell upon this with a sort of subdued pleasure; that continued unchecked, till the time of her rencontre with the Texans.

On turning back with these, her spirits underwent a change. The road to be taken by Louise, should have been the same as that, by which she had herself come. But no lady was upon it.

The Creole must have changed her mind, and stayed by the jacale--was, perhaps, at that very moment performing the _metier_ Isidora had so fondly traced out for herself?

The belief that she was about to bring shame upon the woman who had brought ruin upon her, was the thought that now consoled her.

The questions put by Poindexter, and his companions, sufficiently disclosed the situation. Still clearer was it made by the final interrogations of Calhoun; and, after her interrogators had pa.s.sed away, she remained by the side of the thicket--half in doubt whether to ride on to the Leona, or go back and be the spectator of a scene, that, by her own contrivance, could scarce fail to be exciting.

She is upon the edge of the chapparal, just inside the shadow of the timber. She is astride her grey steed, that stands with spread nostril and dilated eye, gazing after the _cavallada_ that has late parted from the spot--a single horseman in the rear of the rest. Her horse might wonder why he is being thus ridden about; but he is used to sudden changes in the will of his capricious rider.

She is looking in the same direction--towards the _alhuehuete_;--whose dark summit towers above the bluffs of the Alamo.

She sees the searchers descend; and, after them, the man who has so minutely questioned her. As his head sinks below the level of the plain, she fancies herself alone upon it.

In this fancy she is mistaken.

She remains irresolute for a time--ten--fifteen--twenty minutes.

Her thoughts are not to be envied. There is not much sweetness in the revenge, she believes herself instrumental in having accomplished. If she has caused humiliation to the woman she hates, along with it she may have brought ruin upon the man whom she loves? Despite all that has pa.s.sed, she cannot help loving him!

"_Santissima Virgen_!" she mutters with a fervent earnestness. "What have I done? If these _men_--_Los Reguladores_--the dreaded judges I've heard of--if they should find him guilty, where may it end? In his death! Mother of G.o.d! I do not desire that. Not by their hands--no!

no! How wild their looks and gestures--stern--determined! And when I pointed out the way, how quickly they rode off, without further thought of me! Oh, they have made up their minds. Don Mauricio is to die! And he a stranger among them--so have I heard. Not of their country, or kindred; only of the same race. Alone, friendless, with many enemies.

_Santissima_! what am I thinking of? Is not he, who has just left me, that cousin of whom I've heard speak! _Ay de mi_! Now do I understand the cause of his questioning. His heart, like mine own--like mine own!"

She sits with her gaze bent over the open plain. The grey steed still frets under restraint, though the _cavallada_ has long since pa.s.sed out of sight. He but responds to the spirit of his rider; which he knows to be vacillating--chafing under some irresolution.

'Tis the horse that first discovers a danger, or something that scents of it. He proclaims it by a low tremulous neigh, as if to attract her attention; while his head, tossed back towards the chapparal, shows that the enemy is to be looked for in that direction.