Wood Rangers Part 33

"You have never known them!" cried the Canadian, rising suddenly, and laying hold of a blazing f.a.got, which he held up to the face of Tiburcio.

This f.a.got, light as it was, appeared as if a hundredweight in the hand of the giant, that trembled like an aspen, under the convulsive emotions that were agitating his bosom. He held the flame closed to the countenance of the young man, and scanned his features with eager anxiety.

"But surely," said he, "you at least know in what country you were born?"

"I do not," answered Tiburcio. "But why do you ask me? What interest--"

"Fabian! Fabian!" interrupted Bois-Rose, in a soft, appealing tone, as if he was speaking to an infant--"what has become of you?"

"Fabian!" repeated the young man; "I do not know the name."

"Oh, my G.o.d!" exclaimed the Canadian, as if speaking to himself, "since this name recalls nothing to him, it is not he! Why did I indulge in such a foolish hope? And yet his features are just as Fabian's should be at his age. Pardon me," he continued, addressing himself to Tiburcio--"pardon me, young friend. I am a fool! I have lost my senses!"

And throwing the f.a.got back upon the fire, he returned to his seat, placing himself with his back to the light, so that his countenance was concealed from the eyes of his companion.

Both were for some minutes silent. Tiburcio was endeavouring to penetrate the past, and recall some vague reminiscences of infancy, that still lingered in his memory. The widow of Arellanos had told him all she knew of his early history--of the gigantic sailor who had nursed him; but it never occurred to Tiburcio that the great trapper by his side, a _coureur de bois_ of the American wilderness--could ever have been a seaman--much less that one of whom he had heard and read, and who was believed to have been his father. The strange interest which the trapper had exhibited and the questions he had asked were attributed by him to mere benevolence. He had no idea that the latter referred to any one whom he had formerly known, and who was now lost to him; for Bois-Rose had as yet told him nothing of his own history.

As Tiburcio continued to direct his thoughts upon the past, certain vague souvenirs began to shape themselves in his memory. They were only dim shadows, resembling the retrospect of a dream, and yet he was impressed with the belief that they had once been realities. He was the more confirmed in this idea, because such visions had occurred to him before--especially upon the night when he sat by the death-bed of his adopted mother--the widow of Arellanos. The revelations which she made to him before dying had revived in some mysterious way these shadowy souvenirs.

After a while the young man made known his thoughts to his companion by the camp-fire, whose interest appeared to be forcibly re-awakened, and who listened with eager attention to every word.

"I fancy I can remember," said Tiburcio--"that is, if it be not a dream I have sometimes dreamt--a terrible scene. I was in the arms of a woman who held me closely to her breast--that I was rudely s.n.a.t.c.hed from her embrace by a wicked man--that she screamed and cried, but then all at once became silent; but after that I remember no more."

These words appeared to produce an effect upon the Canadian; and his interest visibly increased as he listened.

"You can remember no more?" he inquired, in an eager tone. "Can you not remember what sort of place it was in? Was it in a house? or do you not remember whether the sea was around you? That is a thing one is not likely to forget."

"No," answered Tiburcio, "I saw the great ocean for the first time at Guaymas--that was four years ago--and yet from what has been told me I should have also seen it when I was a child."

"But, when you saw it four years ago, did it not recall anything to your memory?"

"No, nothing."

"Nothing?" repeated the Canadian, interrogatively, and in a despairing tone.

"Nothing more than this same dream, which I have mistaken no doubt for reality."

Bois-Rose again resumed his att.i.tude of melancholy, and remained silent.

After a pause Tiburcio continued:

"One figure appears to me in these visions that is different from the rest."

"What sort of figure?" inquired the Canadian, with renewed interest.

"That of a man of a hale rude countenance, but notwithstanding one of kindly expression. This man loved me, for I now have his face before me more clearly than I ever had; and I can trace that expression upon it."

"And did you love him? can you remember that?" inquired the Canadian, while his heart beat with anxiety, as he awaited the answer.

"I am sure I did, he was so kind to me. I can remember he was kind to me."

A tear stole over the bronzed cheek of the trapper as he listened to these words; and then turning his face once more so that it was hidden from the view of Tiburcio, he murmured to himself--

"Alas, poor Fabian! he too loved me--I know he did."

Then once more facing round to the fire, he hazarded a last question:

"Do you not remember one circ.u.mstance above all? Do you not remember that this man was suddenly separated from you in the midst of a terrible affray--?"

The emotion under which Bois-Rose was suffering hindered him from finis.h.i.+ng his interrogatory. His head fell between his knees, and he awaited in trembling the response which Tiburcio might make.

The latter was silent for some seconds, as if endeavouring to arrange the confused thoughts that had suddenly sprung up in his mind.

"Hear me!" said he at length, "you who appear to be a beacon guiding my memories of the past--hear what I can remember at this moment. There was one day of terror and confusion; I saw much blood around me. The ground appeared to tremble--there was thunder or the noise of cannon. I was in great fear within a dark chamber where I had been shut up--a man came to me; it was the big man who loved me--"

Tiburcio paused for an instant, as if to grapple freshly with the vague reminiscences that were endeavouring to escape from him, while the Canadian appeared like one suffering the agony of suspense.

"Yes," resumed Tiburcio, "this man came to me--he lifted me up in his arms and carried me into the light--there he caused me to kneel down-- oh! I now remember what he said--'_kneel_!' said he, '_kneel, my child!

and pray for your mother_!' That is all I can remember."

The Canadian, who was still seated, appeared to tremble convulsively, as he listened to these last words; but when Tiburcio had finished speaking, he rose suddenly to his feet; and rus.h.i.+ng forward threw his arms wildly around the young man, while at the same time he cried out in a broken voice:

"_Your mother whom I found dead beside you_. Oh! my G.o.d! Once more in need of a father, hast thou sent him to me. Oh! Fabian! Fabian! Come to my heart! It was I who caused you to kneel--I am that man! who in the bay of Elanchovi--"

At this moment the report of a carbine echoed in the woods; and a bullet whistling through the air, pa.s.sed close to the head of Tiburcio, striking a tree that stood behind him.

This unexpected intruder at once put an end to the dialogue; suddenly changing the tableaux of figures around the fire. Pepe, who had heard the shot, sprang instantaneously to his feet, and all three stood grasping their weapons, ready to receive the enemy who had committed the dastardly attempt.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

SOUVENIRS OF ELANCHOVI.

While these incidents were pa.s.sing by the trappers camp-fire, Don Estevan was actively pursuing the execution of his plans.

From what little he had heard and seen of Diaz he had conceived a high opinion of this person. He had observed in him a man of very different character from the crowd of adventurers who usually make up expeditions of the kind he was about to lead. Don Augustin had p.r.o.nounced upon his courage; and the chief himself had noticed the reserve with which Diaz treated his new a.s.sociates Cuchillo and Baraja. Moreover, some words with Diaz himself had confirmed Don Estevan's favourable impression, and convinced him that the Indian fighter was a man of brave and loyal heart. He regarded Diaz, therefore, as a valuable member of the expedition, and resolved to attach him as much as possible to his service--not merely with a view to his a.s.sistance in the search and conquest of the Valley of Gold, but for that higher aim which he had proposed to himself--the establishment of a kingdom.

While proceeding to the rendezvous designated by Cuchillo, Don Estevan took the opportunity of sounding Diaz on this important question. His bravery and address as a soldier were already known; but these two qualities were not sufficient for the purposes of the Spaniard.

Something more would be required of the man of whom it was his design to make both his lieutenant and confidant.

The reply of Diaz to his very first question, convinced Don Estevan that Diaz was the very man he stood in need of; but the time had not yet arrived for the leader to open himself fully. He contented himself by simply observing, that in the event of the expedition being crowned with success, it might lead to an important affair--the separation of Sonora from the Federal Republic.

At this moment the conversation between the chief and Pedro Diaz was interrupted by the report of a carbine. It was the shot fired by Cuchillo, which had caused the sudden alarm at the camp-fire of the trappers, but which as already known had failed in its aim.

If the outlaw had not yielded to his own cupidity, it is possible that Tiburcio would have fallen at that moment. The a.s.sa.s.sin would have taken with him his two a.s.sociates Baraja and Oroche; and as three bullets instead of one would thus have been aimed at the intended victim, the chances are that some of them would have reached his life.

But Cuchillo did not desire to have a partner in the deed who could claim a share in the promised reward, he was determined to have the twenty onzas to himself; and this it was that induced him to leave Baraja and Oroche behind him. His design was well conceived, and might have been executed to his satisfaction. No doubt his aim had been true enough; but it chanced to be taken at an inopportune moment--just as Tiburcio sprang forward under the impulse of the revelation which Bois-Rose had made to him.