CHAPTER FIVE.
Carlos, seated in his saddle, was silent for a while. He seemed puzzledfor a reply. The manner of the two officers, as well as Roblado'sspeech, stung him. To have proceeded to the performance of this verycommon feat after all others had given over, merely on the banter ofRoblado and the Comandante, would have been vexatious enough; and yet torefuse it would lay him open to jeers and insinuations; and, perhaps,this was their design.
He had reason to suspect some sinister motive. He knew something ofboth the men--of their public character--he could not otherwise, as theywere lords paramount of the place. But of their private character, too,he had some knowledge, and that was far from being to their credit.With regard to Roblado, the cibolero had particular reasons fordisliking _him_--very particular reasons; and but that the former wasstill ignorant of a certain fact, he had quite as good a reason forreciprocating the dislike. Up to this moment Roblado knew nothing ofthe cibolero, who for the most part of his time was absent from thevalley. Perhaps the officer had never encountered him before, or at allevents had never changed words with him. Carlos knew _him_ better; andlong ere this encounter, for reasons already hinted at, had regarded himwith dislike.
This feeling was not lessened by the conduct of the officer on thepresent occasion. On the contrary, the haughty jeering tones fellbitterly upon the ear of the cibolero. He replied, at length, "CaptainRoblado, I have said it is not worth my while to perform what a_muchachito_ of ten years old would hardly deem a feat. I would notwrench my horse's mouth for such a pitiful exhibition as running him upon the edge of that harmless gutter; but if--"
"Well, if what?" eagerly inquired Roblado, taking advantage of thepause, and half suspecting Carlos' design.
"If _you_ feel disposed to risk a doubloon--I am but a poor hunter, andcannot place more--I shall attempt what a muchachito of ten years_would_ consider a feat perhaps."
"And what may that be, Senor Cibolero?" asked the officer, sneeringly.
"I will check my horse at full gallop _on the brow of yonder cliff_!"
"Within two lengths from the brow?"
"Within two lengths--less--the same distance that is traced here on thebanks of the zequia!"
The surprise created by this announcement held the bystanders for somemoments in silence. It was a proposal of such wild and reckless daringthat it was difficult to believe that the maker of it was in earnest.Even the two officers were for a moment staggered by it, and inclined tofancy the cibolero was not serious but mocking them.
The cliff to which Carlos had pointed was part of the bluff that hemmedin the valley. It was a sort of promontory, however, that jutted outfrom the general line, so as to be a conspicuous object from the plainbelow. Its brow was of equal height with the rest of the precipice, ofwhich it was a part--a sort of buttress--and the grassy turf thatappeared along its edge was but the continuation of the upper plateau.Its front to the valley was vertical, without terrace or ledge, althoughhorizontal seams traversing its face showed a stratification of lime andsandstone alternating with each other. From the sward upon the valleyto the brow above the height was one thousand feet sheer. To gaze up toit was a trial to delicate nerves--to look down put the stoutest to theproof.
Such was the cliff upon whose edge the cibolero proposed to rein up hissteed. No wonder the proposal was received with a surprise that causeda momentary silence in the crowd. When that passed, voices were heardexclaiming,--"Impossible!"
"He is mad!"
"Pah! he's joking!"
"_Esta burlando los militarios_!" (He's mocking the military gents);and such-like expressions.
Carlos sat playing with his bridle-rein, and waiting for a reply.
He had not long to wait. Vizcarra and Roblado muttered some hasty wordsbetween themselves; and then, with an eagerness of manner, Roblado criedout--
"I accept the wager!"
"And I another onza!" added the Comandante.
"Senores," said Carlos, with an air of apparent regret, "I am sorry Icannot take both. This doubloon is all I have in the world; and it'snot likely I could borrow another just now."
As he said this Carlos regarded the crowd with a smile, but many ofthese were in no humour for smiling. They were really awed by theterrible fate which they believed awaited the reckless cibolero. Avoice, however, answered him:--
"Twenty onzas, Carlos, for any other purpose. But I cannot encouragethis mad project."
It was the young ranchero, his former backer, who spoke.
"Thank you, Don Juan," replied the cibolero. "I know you would lendthem. Thank you all the same. Do not fear! I'll win the onza. Ha!ha! ha! I haven't been twenty years in the saddle to be bantered by a_Gachupino_."
"Sir!" thundered Vizcarra and Roblado in a breath, at the same timegrasping the hilts of their swords, and frowning in a fierce threateningmanner.
"Oh! gentlemen, don't be offended," said Carlos, half sneeringly. "Itonly slipped from my tongue. I meant no insult, I assure you."
"Then keep your tongue behind your teeth, my good fellow," threatenedVizcarra. "Another slip of the kind may cost you a fall."
"Thank you, Senor Comandante," replied Carlos, still laughing. "PerhapsI'll take your advice."
The only rejoinder uttered by the Comandante was a fierce "Carrajo!"which Carlos did not notice; for at this moment his sister, having heardof his intention, sprang down from the carreta and came running forward,evidently in great distress.
"Oh, brother Carlos!" she cried, reaching out her arms, and grasping himby the knees, "Is it true? Surely it is not true?"
"What, _hermanita_?" (little sister), he asked with a smile.
"That you--"
She could utter no more, but turned her eyes, and pointed to the cliff.
"Certainly, Rosita, and why not? For shame, girl! Don't be alarmed--there's nought to fear, I assure you--I've done the like before."
"Dear, dear Carlos, I know you are a brave horseman--none braver--butoh! think of the danger--_Dios de mi alma_! think of--"
"Pshaw, sister! don't shame me before the people--come to mother!--hearwhat she will say. I warrant she won't regard it." And, so saying, thecibolero rode up to the carreta, followed by his sister.
Poor Rosita! Eyes gleamed upon you at that moment that saw you for thefirst time--eyes in whose dark orbs lay an expression that boded you nogood. Your fair form, the angelic beauty of your face--perhaps yourvery grief--awakened interest in a heart whose love never meant elsethan ruin to its object. It was the heart of Colonel Vizcarra.
"_Mira_! Roblado!" muttered he to his subordinate and fellow-villain."See yonder! _Santisima Virgen_! Saint Guadalupe! Look, man! Venus,as I'm a Christian and a soldier! In the name of all the saints, whatsky has she fallen from?"
"For _Dios_! I never saw her before," replied the captain; "she must bethe sister of this fellow: yes--hear them! they address each other asbrother and sister! She _is_ pretty!"
"_Ay de mi_!" sighed the Comandante. "What a godsend! I was growingdull--very dull of this monotonous frontier life. With this newexcitement, perhaps, I may kill another month. Will she last me thatlong, think you?"
"Scarcely--if she come and go as easily as the rest. What! alreadytired of Inez?"
"Poh! poh! loved me too much; and that I can't bear. I would rather toolittle if anything."
"Perhaps this blonde may please you better in that respect. But, see!they are off!"
As Roblado spoke, Carlos and his sister had moved forward to the carretawhich held their aged mother, and were soon in conversation with her.
The Comandante and his captain, as well as a large number of thespectators, followed, and crowded around to listen.
"She wants to persuade me against it, mother," Carlos was heard to say.He had already communicated his design. "Without _your_ consent, I willnot. But hear me, dear mother; I have half pledged myself, and I wishto make good my pledge. It is a _point of honour_, mother."
&
nbsp; The last phrase was spoken loudly and emphatically in the ear of the oldwoman, who appeared to be a little deaf.
"Who wants to dissuade you?" she asked, raising her head, and glancingupon the circle of faces. "Who?"
"Rosita, mother."
"Let Rosita to her loom, and weave rebosos--that's what she's fit for.You, my son, can do great things--deeds, ay, deeds; else have you not inyour veins the blood of your father. _He_ did deeds--_he_--ha! ha! ha!"
The strange laugh caused the spectators to start, accompanied, as itwas, with the wild look of her who uttered it.
"Go!" cried she, tossing back her long flax-coloured locks, and wavingher arms in the air--"go, Carlos the cibolero, and show the tawnycowards--slaves that they are--what a free American can do. To thecliff! to the cliff!"
As she uttered the awful command, she sank back into the carreta, andrelapsed into her former silence.
Carlos interrogated her no further. The expressions she had let sliphad rendered him somewhat eager to close the conversation; for henoticed that they were not lost on several of the bystanders. Theofficers, as well as the priests and alcalde, exchanged significantglances while she was uttering them.
Placing his sister once more in the carreta, and giving her a partingembrace, Carlos leaped to the back of his steed, and rode forth upon theplain. When at some distance he reined in, and bent his eyes for amoment upon the tiers of benches where sat the senoras and senoritas ofthe town. A commotion could be observed among them. They had heard ofthe intended feat, and many would have dissuaded the cibolero from theperilous attempt.
There was one whose heart was full to bursting--full as that of Carlos'own sister; and yet she dared not show it to those around. She wasconstrained to sit in silent agony, and suffer.
Carlos knew this. He drew a white handkerchief from his bosom, andwaved it in the air, as though bidding some one an adieu. Whether hewas answered could not be told; but the next moment he wheeled hishorse, and galloped off towards the cliffs.
There were conjectures among the senoras and senoritas, among thepoblanas too, as to who was the recipient of that parting salute. Manyguesses were made, many names mentioned, and scandal ran the rounds.One only of all knew in her heart for whom the compliment was meant--inher heart overflowing with love and fear.