CHAPTER XLII.
THE QUIPU.
After a frugal repast, the travellers were preparing to take a littlerepose, when Caesar barked furiously. Everyone flew to his arms. Atlength the noise of steps was heard, the bushes were thrust apart,and an Indian appeared. It was Antinahuel. At the sight of this man,Rosario could not repress a cry of terror. Her mother threw herselfbefore her.
Antinahuel did not appear to perceive the presence of the young lady orof the Linda; he advanced slowly, without moving a muscle of his face.When within a few paces of Trangoil-Lanec, he stopped and saluted him.
"I come to sit at the fireside of my brother," he said.
"My brother is welcome," the chief replied.
"No, I only wish to smoke with my brother, for the sake ofcommunicating to him some important news."
"It shall be as my brother desires," Trangoil-Lanec replied.
The three Indians sat down with the ceremony usual upon such occasions.They lit their pipes, and smoked silently. At length, after aconsiderable time, Antinahuel began--
"Here," said he, "is the quipu, which the herald who came fromPaki-Pulli handed at about the seventh hour to me, Antinahuel, the sonof the Black Jackal."
He drew from under his poncho a light piece of wood, about ten incheslong, very thick split, and holding a human finger.
"My brother sees," Antinahuel continued, "that upon the black wool thereare four knots, to indicate that the herald left Paki-Pulli four daysafter the moon; upon the white there are ten knots, which signify thatten days after that period, that is to say, in three days, the fourconfederated Uthal-mapus will take up arms, as has been agreed in agrand auca-coyog convoked by the Toquis; upon the red I have made aknot, which means that the warriors placed under my orders will jointhe expedition, and that the chiefs may depend upon my concurrence.Will my brothers follow my example?"
"My brother has forgotten to tell me one thing," Trangoil-Lanec replied.
"Let my brother explain himself," said Antinahuel.
"Against whom is this expedition?"
"Against the palefaces," he said, with a tone of mortal hatred.
"Very well," said Trangoil-Lanec, "my brother is a powerful chief, hewill give me the quipu."
Antinahuel handed it to him. The Araucano warrior received the quipu,examined it, seized the red fringe and the blue fringe, he joined them,made a knot over them, and passed the piece of wood to Curumilla, whofollowed his example.
"My brothers, then," he said, "refuse their aid?"
"The chiefs of the four nations can do without us. The war is ended,and this quipu is false. Why, when we came here, instead of presentingus this false quipu, did not Antinahuel tell us frankly that he came insearch of his white prisoners, who have escaped? We would have repliedto him that these prisoners are henceforward under our protection."
"Is that your resolution," said Antinahuel.
"Yes; and my brother may be assured that we are not men to be easilydeceived."
The Toqui rose with rage in his heart.
"You are dogs and old women!" he said; "tomorrow I will come to retakemy prisoners."
The two Indians smiled contemptuously, and bowed gravely as a partingsalute to their enemy. The Toqui disdained to reply to this ironicalcourtesy; he turned his back, and re-entered the wood with the sameslow, solemn step with which he had arrived, appearing to set hisadversaries at defiance. He had scarcely quitted the little camp, whenTrangoil-Lanec set off in his track.
Trangoil-Lanec was not long absent; he returned in less than an hour.His companions saw him return with the greatest joy.
"Let my brothers open their ears," he said.
"We are listening, depend upon it," Valentine remarked.
"Antinahuel is encamped within a short distance; he knows now that weare not strong enough to contend with him. What will my brothers do?Our position is a serious one."
"Why did we not kill him?" Linda cried.
"No," he replied; "the Indian law prevented me; he presented himself asa friend at my fireside; a guest is sacred."
"What is done cannot be undone," said Valentine; "so it is of no usetalking about it. We are in a scrape."
"We will die sooner than allow the wretch to take his prisoners again,"said the count.
"That of course; but before we have recourse to that extreme measure,we might find another."
"But, perhaps, we ought not to abandon ourselves to despondendency,"Valentine rejoined, energetically; "we are four men of courage; weought not to despair."
Since Don Tadeo had recovered his daughter, he was no longer the sameman; he seemed only to live for her and through her. At that moment,seated at the foot of a tree, he held Rosario on his knees, and wasrocking her like an infant. But, at Valentine's question, he raised hishead quickly.
"I will not have my daughter fall again into the hands of Antinahuel,"he said, loudly; "happen what may, I will save her."
"We are all willing to do that, only the Indian chiefs are notacquainted with the country; you, who are a Chilian, perhaps can giveus some useful information."
Don Tadeo reflected for an instant; he cast an inquiring glance roundupon the mountains, and then said:
"Those means I can furnish you with; we cannot be more than ten leaguesfrom one of my haciendas."
"Are you certain of that?"
"Yes, thank Heaven!"
"To be sure we are not!" the Linda cried, joyfully.
"And you believe that if we could reach that hacienda----"
"We shall be safe," Don Tadeo interrupted; "for I have there fivehundred devoted peons."
"Oh!" said the Linda, "do not lose an instant. Don Tadeo; write a wordto your major-domo; tell him what a desperate situation you are in, andorder him to hasten to your assistance."
"It is Heaven that inspires you, senora!" Don Tadeo cried.
"Oh!" the Linda replied, "it is because I would save my daughter!"
Dona Rosario fixed upon her eyes moist with tears, and said, in a voicetremulous with tenderness:
"Thank you, my mother!"
Her daughter had pardoned her! The poor woman fell upon her knees onthe ground and clasped her hands.
In the meantime, Don Tadeo had written a few words in haste.
"We have no time to read the note now; someone must go at once," saidthe count; "I undertake to convey it, only point me out the road."
"I know it," said Curumilla phlegmatically.
"Very well, in that case you shall accompany me."
"Ooch! I know a road by which we can be there in less than two hours."
"Let us begone, then."
"Watch over her!" said Louis.
"Bring back assistance quickly," Valentine replied.
"I will, or die in the attempt," replied the other.
And, clapping spurs to their horses, the two men were soon lost in acloud of dust. Valentine looked after his foster brother as long as hewas to be seen, then turning toward Trangoil-Lanec, said;
"And we must start directly?"
"Everything is ready," the chief replied.
"Now," Valentine said to Don Tadeo, "our fate is in the hands of God:we have done everything it was humanly possible to do to escape captureor death; upon His will now depends our safety."
"Valentine! Valentine!" Don Tadeo cried, warmly, "you are as devout asyou are intelligent. God will not abandon us."
"I trust He will hear you!" the young man said, in a melancholy tone.
"Courage, my daughter!" said the Linda, with an expression of infinitetenderness.
"Oh! I fear nothing now," Rosario replied, with a cheerful smile; "haveI not my father near me, and--my mother, too," she added, kindly.
The Linda raised her eyes, humid with gratitude, towards Heaven.
Within ten minutes they were all mounted, and quitting the wood, theyfollowed at a sharp trot the road which the count and Curumilla hadtaken at full speed.