Mr. Fortescue Part 24

Fortunately for us, moreover, we were not in their line of march, and there lay between us and them a line of hot springs and smoking sulphur mounds which they were not likely to pa.s.s.

The procession had been going on about half an hour when, happening to cast my eye skyward, I saw that the moon had disappeared; overhead hung a heavy ma.s.s of cloud, the middle of it reddened by the reflection from the fire to the color of blood, while the outer edges were as black as ink. It was almost as grand a spectacle as the burning forest itself.

"We are going to have rain," said Carmen.

"I hope it will rain in bucketfuls," was my answer, for I had drunk nothing since we left San Felipe, and the run, together with the high temperature and the heat of the fire, had given me an intolerable thirst.

I spoke with difficulty, my swollen tongue clove to the roof of my mouth, and I would gladly have given ten years of my life for one gla.s.s of cold water.

Carmen, whose sufferings were as great as my own, echoed my hope. And it was not long in being gratified, for even as we gazed upward a flash of lightning split the clouds asunder; peal of thunder followed on peal, the rain came down not in drops nor bucketfuls but in sheets, and with weight and force sufficient to beat a child or a weakling to the earth, It was a veritable G.o.dsend; we caught the beautiful cool water in our hands and drank our fill.

In less than an hour not a trace of the fire could be seen--nor anything else. The darkness had become so dense that we feared to move lest we might perchance step into one of the boiling springs, fall into the jaws of a jaguar, or set foot on a poisonous snake. So we stayed where we were, whiles lying on the flooded ground, whiles standing up or walking a few paces in the rain, which continued to fall until the rising of the sun, when it ceased as suddenly as it had begun.

The moor had been turned into a smoking swamp, with a blackened forest on one side and a wall of living green on the other. The wild animals had vanished.

"Let us go!" said Carmen.

When we reached the trees we took off our clothes a second time, hung them on a branch, and sat in the sun till they dried.

"I suppose it is no use thinking about breakfast till we get to a house or the camp, wherever that may be?" I observed, as we resumed our journey.

"Well, I don't know. What do you say about a cup of milk to begin with?"

"There is nothing I should like better--to begin with--but where is the cow?"

"There!" pointing to a fine tree with oblong leaves.

"That!"

"Yes, that is the _palo de vaca_ (cow-tree), and as you shall presently see, it will give us a very good breakfast, though we may get nothing else. But we shall want cups. Ah, there is a calabash-tree! Lend me your knife a minute. _Gracias!_"

And with that Carmen went to the tree, from which he cut a large pear-shaped fruit. This, by slicing off the top and scooping out the pulp he converted into a large bowl. The next thing was to make a gash in the _palo de vaca_, whereupon there flowed from the wound a thick milky fluid which we caught in the bowl and drank. The taste was agreeable and the result satisfactory, for, though a beefsteak would have been more acceptable, the drink stayed our hunger for the time and helped us on our way.

The trail was easily found. For a considerable distance it ran between a double row of magnificent mimosa-trees which met overhead at a height of fully one hundred and fifty feet, making a glorious canopy of green leaves and rustling branches. The rain had cooled the air and laid the dust, and but for the danger we were in (greater than we suspected) and the necessity we were under of being continually on the alert, we should have had a most enjoyable walk. Late in the afternoon we pa.s.sed a hut and a maize-field, the first sign of cultivation we had seen since leaving the _azuferales_, and ascertained our bearings from an old peon who was swinging in a gra.s.s hammock and smoking a cigar. San Felipe was about two leagues away, and he strongly advised us not to follow a certain trail, which he described, lest haply we might fall in with Mejia's caballeros, some of whom he had himself seen within the hour a little lower down the valley.

This was good news, and we went on in high spirits.

"Didn't I tell you so?" said Carmen, complacently. "I knew Mejia would not be far off. He is like one of your English bull-dogs. He never knows when he is beaten."

After a while the country became more open, with here and there patches of cultivation; huts were more frequent and we met several groups of peons who, however, eyed us so suspiciously that we thought it inexpedient to ask them any questions.

About an hour before sunset we perceived in the near distance a solitary horseman; but as his face was turned the other way he did not see us.

"He looks like one of our fellows," observed Carmen, after scanning him closely. "All the same, he may not be. Let us slip behind this acacia-bush and watch his movements."

The man himself seemed to be watching. After a short halt, he rode away and returned, but whether halting or moving he was always on the lookout, and as might appear, keenly expectant.

At length he came our way.

"I do believe--_Por Dios_ it is--Guido Pasto, my own man!" and Carmen, greatly excited, rushed from his hiding-place shouting, "Guido!" at the top of his voice.

I followed him, equally excited but less boisterous.

Guido, recognizing his master's voice, galloped forward and greeted us warmly, for though he acted as Carmen's servant he was a free _llanero_, and expected to be treated as a gentleman and a friend.

"_Gracias a Dios!_" he said; "I was beginning to fear that we had pa.s.sed you. Gahra and I have been looking for you all day!"

"That was very good of you; and Senor Fortescue and I owe you a thousand thanks. But where are General Mejia and the army?"

"Near the old place. In a better position, though. But you must not go there--neither of you."

"We must not go there! But why?"

"Because if you do the general will hang you."

"Hang us! Hang Senor Fortescue, who has come all the way from England to help us! Hang _me_, Salvador Carmen! You have had a sunstroke and lost your wits; that's what it is, Guido Pasto, you have lost your wits--but, perhaps you are joking. Say, now, you are joking."

"No, _senor_. It would ill become me to make a foolish joke at your expense. Neither have I lost my wits, as you are pleased to suggest. It is only too true; you are in deadly peril. We may be observed, even now. Let us go behind these bushes, where we may converse in safety. It was to warn you of your danger that Gahra and I have been watching for you. Gahra will be here presently, and he will tell you that what I say is true."

"This pa.s.ses comprehension. What does it all mean? Out with it, good Guido; you have always been faithful, and I don't think you are a fool."

"Thanks for your good opinion, senor. Well, it is very painful for me to have to say it; but the general believes, and save your own personal friends, all the army believes, that you and senor Fortescue are traitors--that you betrayed them to the enemy."

"On what grounds?" asked Carmen, highly indignant.

"You went to reconnoitre; you did not come back; the next morning we were attacked by Griscelli in force, and Senor Fortescue was seen among the enemy, seen by General Mejia himself. It was, moreover, reported this morning in the camp that Griscelli had let you go."

"So he did, and hunted us with his infernal blood-hounds, and we only escaped by the skin of our teeth. We were surprised and taken prisoners.

Senor Fortescue was a prisoner on parole when the general saw him. I believe Griscelli obtained his parole and took him to the _quebrada_ for no other purpose than to compromise him with the patriots. And that I, who have killed more than a hundred Spaniards with my own hand, should be suspected of deserting to the enemy is too monstrous for belief."

"Of course, it is an absurd mistake. Appearances are certainly rather against us--at any rate, against me; but a word of explanation will put the matter right. Let us go to the camp at once and have it out."

"Not so fast, Senor Fortescue. I should like to have it out much. But there is one little difficulty in the way which you may not have taken into account. Mejia never listens to explanations, and never goes back on his word. If he said he would hang us he will. He would be very sorry afterward, I have no doubt; but that would not bring us back to life, and it would be rather ridiculous to escape Griscelli's blood-hounds, only to be hanged by our own people."

"And that is not the worst," put in Guido.

"Not the worst! Why what can be worse than being hanged?"

"I mean that even if the general did not carry out his threat you would be killed all the same. The Colombian gauchos swear that they will hack you to pieces wherever they find you. When Gahra comes he will tell you the same."

"You have heard; what do you say?" asked Carmen, turning to me.

"Well, as it seems so certain that if we return to the camp we shall either be hanged or hacked to pieces, I am decidedly of opinion that we had better not return."

"So am I. At the same time, it is quite evident that we cannot remain here, while every man's hand is against us. Is there any possibility of procuring horses, Guido?"

"Yes, sir. I think Gahra and I will be able to bring you horses and arms after nightfall."

"Good! And will Gahra and you throw in your lot with us?"