CHAPTER IV.
THE DOUBLE TRAITOR.
There was no need of discussion or debate, so evidently correct was theplan of the Partisan; nor, had his views been much more questionablethan they were, is it at all probable that any opposition would havebeen made, so completely had he gained the confidence of the wholeparty, by his promptitude, his gallantry, and his extraordinarycoolness in danger. The heads of all the horses, therefore, were turnedwestward, and away they rode at as rapid a rate as the nature of theground permitted. In the present order of the march, the most dangerbeing anticipated from the rear, the oldest and most intelligent ofthe dragoons was detached to a hundred yards in front, followed bythe three others; two leading the pack mules, and the third havingcharge of the prisoner, about whose neck one end of the lasso was stillsecured, while the other was made fast to the pummel of the soldier'ssaddle.
After these, Gordon and his fair bride rode together, conversing attimes in a low voice, but yet oftener keeping silence.
In the rear of all rode the Partisan, alone, at nearly a hundred yardsdistance from the little group which preceded him.
As they galloped onward, however, through the belt of timber whichbordered the Western as well as the Eastern marge of the Bravo delNorte, time slipped away and brought no sounds of pursuit from the rear.
Just as they were approaching so nearly to the margin of the openground, that the dragoon, who acted as vidette, was looking round fororders, Pierre uttered a shrill, long-drawn whistle, which was thepreconcerted signal for a halt; and, after the rest of the party hadpulled up their horses, galloped forward himself till he reached theextreme verge of the covert, where, without speaking a single word, hedismounted, fastening his charger to a tree, and advanced stealthilyinto the open prairie.
After being absent about twenty minutes, during which the remainderof his party had lost sight of him altogether, he returned with athoughtful expression on his strongly-marked features, and walkedthrough the little group of dragoons and pack mules, until he reachedGordon and his fair bride, who sat on their panting horses, eagerlyawaiting his approach.
"Have you heard anything," he asked, quietly, "from the forest in ourrear?"
"Not a sound," replied the young officer.
"There are three smokes, one hereaway, some six miles to the southward.Now there are three plans, of which we must choose one, and then acton it for life or death. We must work twenty miles due north, up thisforest land, and so get above their posts--which were the safest planof all, if it would not carry us so far out of our route, and bring usfar too soon into the settled country, quite out of the line of ourcommunications--or we must strike due southward for that extinguishedfire, and so strive to make our way down to our posts at Mier andCamargo, which would do well enough did not the whole of that countryswarm with guerilleros--or, again, we must drive right onward, andtake the chance of falling on the party at the little fire unawares,and finding them as few that we can master them. If we succeed indoing so, we have the best chance of reaching Monterey in safety. For,once through these frontier parties, we shall, it is likely, find thecountry clear until we reach our outposts."
"The risk of the three, then, is nearly equal," said Gordon, musingdeeply.
"The immediate risk of the last is greatest; the ultimate risk theleast; but, in truth, it is chance, anyhow."
Gordon desired him to help the lady to mount, replaced his slenderbaggage on the back of the good horse Emperor, and then, withoutsetting a foot in the stirrup, laid his hand lightly on the pummel, andvaulted into the saddle.
After this, miles and miles vanished beneath the feet of their horses,as they pressed onward steadily and swiftly; Pierre, once again inthe van, leading them on, rifle unslung and ready, at Emperor's fastslashing trot.
Now they were within a mile or less of the digy brow, steeper and moreabrupt than any which they had yet passed, from the other side of whichthe smoke rose in grey volumes, having been fed with recent fuel. Here,then, Pierre halted, and caused the pack-mules to be securely tetheredto stakes driven into the moist earth of the prairie bottom, togetherwith the horse of the Mexican.
The prisoner--after being once more interrogated, and persisting inhis tale that there were but six men; that there was a large streamat the base of the descent; and that the fire was on this side of thestream--was dismounted, gagged, bound hand and foot, and laid on hisback upon the grass.
This done, Gordon arranged his handful of men, himself leading on theright, while Pierre rode forward some six horse-lengths in advance,and Julia, who had refused positively to remain behind the pack-mules,followed a length or two behind.
Now they were within twenty paces of the extreme brow of the ridge,which alone separated them from their enemy--three paces more wouldhave brought their heads into relief against the sky above the summitof the hill, and discovered them to the sentinel, if there were one,on duty. At this moment, Pierre pulled his horse short up, dismountedsilently, and with a gesture to the well-trained and gallant animal,which, it was evident, he understood--for he stood stock still on theinstant, with ears erect, expanded nostril, straining eye, quiveringin every limb with fiery eagerness--cast himself down, rifle in hand,among the shorter herbage which clothed the steep ascent.
There were, as the prisoner had stated, six men only; two of whomwere awake, the one a sentinel stalking to and fro with the escopetain his hand, the other, a non-commissioned officer, who sat smokinghis cigarillo by the fire, over which a camp kettle, filled with somesavory mess, was simmering.
The death-shot, which sped its bullet crashing through the brain of thehapless sentinel, aroused them all, and brought them to their feet,amazed and terrified, and unprepared for action.
Meantime, the dragoons crossed the bridge and poured down all abreast,receiving as they came, a straggling volley from the escopetas of thelancers, who seeing that flight was hopeless, stood to their arms likemen, and making a desperate defense.
Then came a desperate race, for life or death, across the firm dryprairie, which echoed under the thundering horse-tramps firm, solid,and elastic.
The Mexican had, perhaps, gained a start of some fifty yards before hisfoe was across the brook, and his small but high-bred horse, being thefresher of the two, held his own for a little way, and even widenedthe gap at first, between himself and his pursuer. Ere long, however,the tremendous stride and power of the Anglo-American thorough-bredhorse began to tell; and, at every stroke, the Partisan closed on him.Nor was the other slow to perceive the disadvantage. He stood up inhis stirrups, looked quietly behind him, and seeing that none of thedragoons had passed the brook, but had dismounted and were now groupedabout the fire, deliberately pulled his horse up, and, unslinging hisescopeta, took a deliberate aim at Pierre Delacroix.
He fired. The ball whizzed through the air, so close to the head of thePartisan, that it severed one of his long, dark locks; but it passedonward harmless. Then, seeing the failure of his missile, the Mexicancouched his long lance and rode at the frontiers-man with a savage yell.
Silently Pierre charged right upon him; but, when he was within ahorse's length of the spear's point, he wheeled suddenly to the left,and as the Mexican was borne past him, delivered a straight lounge,_en carte_, which emptied his saddle in an instant, and left him but aminute's life to wrestle out on the greensward.
The Partisan had no time to give mercy, and he rode away to join Gordonand the lady; but, ere he did so, he met the prisoner in charge of thetwo soldiers who had brought up the mules, and the fellow, looking athim half askance, asked him in Spanish, with a sullen and almost savageintonation, whether he had not told him truly.
Pierre replied only by two words--"Very truly." But he noted the accentand half-sneering smile; and the first words he spoke as he joined thelieutenant, were:
"Confound that scoundrel! I have half a mind to reward him with oneounce of lead instead of two of gold."
"That were scarce worthy of you, Partisan," said Gordon, "and
scarceworth the time. What harm can one poor devil like that do to six stout,well-armed fellows, such as we?"
"I do not know," answered Pierre, "I do not know; but right sure I am,that he is a double traitor."