CHAPTER VII
THE PREFECT MOVES
Tim's adventure caused Mr. O'Hagan to change his mind about dismissingRomana. To do so might be a new cause of offence to the sensitivepatriots.
"You have already proved a very dear son," he said, with a humoroustwinkle that disguised his real feeling.
"Durand says that his pater gives old Mollendo a regular subscription tokeep him quiet," said Tim.
"Blackmail! He will soon get tired of that."
"I don't suppose what he has paid comes to L250."
"Ah! but he hasn't given his boy a motor-cycle! Young Durand came overto-day to play cricket, and seemed vastly tickled when I told him whereyou were."
"I could have boxed his ears," said Mrs. O'Hagan indignantly. "It wasno laughing matter to me."
"Will I challenge him, Mother?" said Tim quizzingly. "I am going toride over to-morrow to tell him all about it, and if you like----"
"Don't tease your mother," Mr. O'Hagan interposed. "She insisted on mysending the money at once, or I declare I would have been inclined tolet you have a week of it."
The kidnapping of the young Ingles created much indignation andresentment among the people of San Rosario. The majority of them,having little to lose, were staunch supporters of the Prefect, and whennext day they saw a dozen gendarmes ride into the town, they supposedthem to be only the advanced guard of a force sent from the capital tobegin the long-expected operations against the brigands. Some, however,viewed the soldiers with alarm. To the substantial citizens, a visit ofthe Prefect's gendarmes usually spelt trouble. Every man whose secretsympathies were with the Mollendists trembled in his shoes; even thosewho were conscious of innocence shivered if their worldly substance waslarge enough to be worth the attention of the Prefect and his harpies.Many, among them the gobernador, were greatly relieved when thegendarmes, instead of dismounting, halted only to refresh themselves inthe saddle at one of the albergos, then rode through the town and alongthe track leading to Mr. O'Hagan's house.
Arriving there, the leader sprang from his horse, and strode withclanking spurs to the door, which stood open. The others formed up inline along the front of the house. To the servant who came in answer tothe officer's summons, he explained that he wished to see the senorhaciendado. Mr. O'Hagan left the office, where he had been alone, andinvited his visitor into the patio.
"I regret, senor," said the officer, declining to be seated, "that Ihave come on a very disagreeable errand." He took a paper from hispocket. "You see here a warrant, signed by his excellency the Prefect,and sealed with the provincial seal, authorising the arrest of yourselfand your son."
"On what charge, senor?" asked Mr. O'Hagan quietly.
"On the charge of furthering and abetting the treasonable designs of oneCarlos Mollendo, who is stirring up sedition. It is useless to resist,senor; I have a sufficient body of troopers outside. I demand that yousurrender yourself and your son to justice."
"I will come with you," said Mr. O'Hagan, "under protest. You willplease to note that I am a British citizen. My son is not at home."
"Where is he?"
"That I must leave you to find out."
The officer at once called in a man to search the house, himself keepingguard over Mr. O'Hagan in the patio. The gendarme found Mrs. O'Hagancoming from the servants' quarters. He bowed respectfully, and askedher to go to the drawing-room and remain there.
"I am going to the patio, to my husband," replied the lady stoutly."Stand out of my way, please."
The man tugged his moustache, stood aside, and then went on to completehis search. The half-minute's delay had allowed Romana, whom hismistress had just quitted, to slip out of the house and into ashrubbery, whence he made his way swiftly in the direction of SenorDurand's estate.
He met Tim returning, half-way between Durand's house and thecross-roads.
"Stop, senorito," he called; "I have a message from the gracious lady."
"What is it?" asked Tim, jumping off his machine.
"The senora bids you come with me," said Romana. "Gendarmes have riddento arrest the senor and you, and the mistress sent me to take you to aplace of safety."
"I won't go. I will join Father," said Tim at once, preparing to rideoff. Romana detained him.
"I beg you to do as the senora wishes," he said. "What is the use ofyour going to prison, too? There is more chance for every one if youare free. You will do better to remain in hiding until we see what isintended towards the senor. I have friends in San Rosario and thecapital; we Mollendists have our spies, like the Prefect. The senor willno doubt be taken to San Juan. Nothing will be done immediately. ThePrefect is always very careful to cloak his misdeeds under the forms oflaw."
"I'll go back to Senor Durand's, then."
"That is unwise, senorito. The gendarmes may come there to look foryou, and then Senor Durand himself will be in danger. I know a betterplace, and if you will come with me----"
"Very well, then; but I don't like it. What is to become of Mother?"
"The senora will be quite safe: the Prefect is always very polite to theladies," said Romana.
Romana mounted behind Tim, and they rode back to the cross-roads, thenturned to the right into a track that was fairly level for somedistance, then ascended gradually. Nearly nine miles from thecross-roads it wound round a steep cliff. On one side a sheer wall ofrock rose to a great height; on the other a wooded precipice fell awayto an equal depth. A small waterfall plunged from the heights above,forming a stream across the path, and flowing as a second waterfall overthe edge of the precipice. At this point the hill-side was covered withscrub, amid which one large tree formed a conspicuous object.Stepping-stones were laid across the stream, and a few large slabs werelet into the steep bank above the path on the farther side.
Here they dismounted and made their way along the bed of the streamtowards the waterfall. Then they turned to the right, and proceededover more large flat slabs leading into the scrub, Romana remarking thattheir footsteps would leave no traces on the stones. On reaching thelarge tree before mentioned, they found themselves at the mouth of acavern concealed by the foliage and the scrub. A projection of thecliff on the right hid the entrance of the cavern from observation byany one on the upper portion of the path.
It had been a task of no little difficulty to haul the cycle up thestream, and both were very hot and tired when they reached the cave.Drawing aside the screen of foliage, Romana whispered the word Libertad.There was no answer. He led Tim inside.
"That is our password," he said with a smile. "If I had failed to giveit I might have been shot. But there is no one here now. Only threemen know of this place. Here you will be quite safe. You are now aMollendist," he added, chuckling.
"Have you set a trap for me, Romana?" said Tim indignantly.
"No, no; all that I mean is that now the senor your father is a prisonerhe must be a Mollendist. All the Prefect's enemies are."
While speaking he had lit a lamp, by whose light Tim saw an earthenroof, walls, and floor; two or three stools; a three-legged table; alarge cupboard in which were kept, as Romana told him, food that wouldnot spoil, and a few mugs; a large can for holding water, and two longboxes containing rugs which might serve on occasion as beds.
"Is there no other entrance?" Tim asked.
"Come and see."
Romana led him for some distance into the cave, which bent away to theleft. The air was very damp and mouldy, and Tim felt that he would notcare to make too long a stay in so fusty a place. Presently he heard agurgle and splash of water, and the light of the lamp which Romanacarried fell on an oblong slab of stone standing upright before them,about three feet in height. Romana took hold of the upper part of it,and lowered the stone to the ground. Then Tim saw the waterfall withintwo or three feet of them. They were slightly above the bottom of it;about twelve feet of the cliff face separated them from the spot wherethe water
fall became a stream. Romana explained that the other entranceof the cavern was some forty yards away.
"Now, senorito, you will remain here until I discover what is to bedone. You are not afraid?"
"What is there to be afraid of? Only the damp, so far as I can see. Itmay give me lumbago!"
"That is better than duck-shot," said Romana, smiling. "I shall nothave time to explain to my comrades, but if any one comes, he will givethe password, and you will answer Salvatore. You may trust any followerof Senor Mollendo. The path is open to you; none uses it except our ownpeople; but do not stray far in case you are seen by an enemy. I willreturn as soon as may be."
"Can't your people make a raid and rescue my father?" asked Tim. "Theyought to do something for the money they have got out of him."
"I fear we are not strong enough at the present time," answered Romana."But be assured that Senor Mollendo will do anything that is possible.He holds the senor in high respect."
Tim grunted. He did not think much of a respect that bled a man to theextent of L250.