At the Point of the Sword Part 19

Meanwhile we will guard the prisoner."

The governor nearly choked with anger, and threatened violently that as soon as the colonel returned he would have us all shot. However, as it was evident that the soldiers would obey my orders, he raised no further objection to our taking Santiago away.

"By St. Philip," exclaimed the major, "the room was hot! Are you a magician, Crawford?"

"Upon my word I begin to think so. At any rate, I possess a magical key."

"Which has saved our lives," observed Jose grimly.

"And I suspect," laughed Santiago, "that once upon a time it unlocked the door of a prison cell! But won't those natives suffer for this?"

"I don't think so. They are too strong, and their chief has more power in Peru than the viceroy and San Martin combined."

"You know him, then?"

"Yes, and so does Jose. He has done me good service, for which I am grateful, though I could never like the man. But here we are at the house. The good folk will wonder at our bringing an uninvited guest."

Fortunately a room had been set apart for us, so we could talk at our ease. I was burning to tell Jose about my father, but first of all we had to come to an understanding with Santiago. This time he made no demur at giving his parole. "In fact," said he gaily, "you have forced my hand, and I have no choice."

"So much the better," remarked Jose; "we may as well be comfortable together till the colonel arrives."

"And after that we may be hanged comfortably together!" laughed the major. "How do you like the prospect?"

"I can trust Miller. He is an honourable man, and will do what is right. It is Crawford who will suffer for inciting the troops to mutiny."

"Jose," said I presently, "I haven't told you that Major Mariano is an old friend of mine."

"And at one time his jailer," interrupted Santiago. "That ought to make him feel grateful."

"Oh," exclaimed Jose, "you are the captain Jack has often talked about!

Well, I'm glad we have been able to do a little for you."

"This morning while we were waiting for your precious doctor," I continued, "he told me a very startling piece of news."

"Yes?" said Jose.

"About my father."

Jose sprang to his feet, demanding fiercely, "What do you know of Senor Crawford, major? Don Eduardo came to his end by foul means: he was not slain by the government, but by some one who hoped to profit by his death."

"According to the major's information, he was not slain at all," I said, and proceeded to relate the story.

Jose listened attentively to every word, and then asked Santiago innumerable questions. Like myself, he displayed great excitement, but I judged from his expression that he entertained little hope of my father being still alive.

"The truth is," said he, "Don Eduardo had made numerous powerful enemies both in public and private life; and as we all know, any stick is good enough to beat a dog with. Besides, he owned vast estates, and--"

"Go on!" laughed Santiago as Jose hesitated; "the king's party put him to death in order to seize them!"

"No, no," said Jose hotly; "I don't tar all Spaniards with the same brush. Still, they aren't all saints either, and I say some of them killed him under cloak of the government. And some day," he added, "I will prove it. As to his being alive, I think there is small chance of it.--And Jack, my boy, I would not mention the matter to your mother."

"But," said I, clinging to my shred of hope, "he was not killed in the mountains, and we have heard nothing since."

Jose let me talk, and listened kindly to my arguments, but I noticed that none of them made any impression. At the best, he said, my father had been thrown into prison seriously hurt, and it was not likely that he had survived the confinement.

"Have you ever seen the casemates at Callao, major?" he asked.

"Yes," said Santiago, "and very unhealthy places they are. But there are more prisons than those in Peru."

It would be wearisome to repeat our conversation, for, after all, we were arguing in the dark, having only the major's imperfect story to go by. Besides, as Jose said, many events had happened during the last two years, and my father was by no means the only noted man in Peru to disappear. So our talk travelled in a circle, leaving off at the starting-point, and for sole effect it extinguished the gleam of hope which the major's story had kindled.

In the evening, at Jose's suggestion, I went into the streets to pick up any information concerning the governor's doings. Everything seemed quiet; the sentries were at their posts as usual, while the soldiers off duty wandered about the town.

They greeted me respectfully, raising their hands in salute and standing at attention, as if I had been an officer of high degree.

Recognizing a sergeant who had been in the governor's room, I stopped to ask a few questions. Greatly to my relief, I learned that, with the exception of a few Spanish officers, the troops in the town were all Indians from the mountains.

As the man seemed smart and intelligent, I told him how matters stood, and that we depended entirely upon him and his comrades until the coming of the English colonel.

"You can trust us, master," he replied, and indeed his talk made it quite clear that the friend of Raymon Sorillo and the holder of the Silver Key might rely on the Indians in Moquegua even against Miller himself.

Jose, I think, felt rather relieved on hearing my news; while Santiago laughed heartily, prophesying that, if the Spaniards were defeated, I should in a few years be king, or at least president, of Peru.

"I had no idea," said he, "that you were so important a person. No wonder Barejo wished to keep you shut up!"

That night we took it in turns to watch; but the governor attempted nothing against us, and the next day we walked openly in the street without molestation.

Colonel Miller had vanished into s.p.a.ce, and for nearly a week we heard nothing of him; then one morning an Indian scout rode wearily into the town with the news that the Englishman was close at hand. Immediately the people rushed out in hundreds to line the street, and to cheer the returning warriors.

Jose stayed indoors with the major, but sent me out to get an early word with our leader. Bright, alert, and cheery as ever, he rode at the head of his troops, smiling and bowing to the inhabitants as they greeted him with rousing cheers. Then came the soldiers--the cavalry on dead-tired horses, the infantry on jaded mules--with a number of prisoners in the midst.

The animals were tired enough; but the men! I can hardly describe their condition. Their faces were haggard, their eyes heavy and bloodshot; some were nearly asleep, others had scarcely strength to sit upright. Very little gra.s.s had grown under their feet. As soon as they were dismissed, the citizens pounced on them, taking them into the houses, where food and drink were provided in abundance.

The governor had come out to meet the colonel, whom I expected to see return with him; but at the last moment he turned aside, and with a laughing exclamation went straight to his own quarters, whither I followed him.

"Hullo, Crawford!" cried he. "So you didn't get La Hera?"

"No, sir; but we captured a major, and I wish to speak to you about him."

"Won't it wait?" he asked, with a comical expression.

"I am afraid not, sir. The truth is, we've had a quarrel with the governor, and--"

"You want to get in your version first! A very good plan. Well, fire away, but don't make it long; I've a lot of things on hand."

By this time we had entered his room, and going straight to the heart of the affair, I told my story in the fewest possible words. The colonel listened with rather a grave face, and when I had finished he said, "It's an awkward mess, especially just now. It's absolutely necessary to keep friends with the governor, and I don't like this tampering with the troops. But, of course, I won't have the prisoner put in irons or treated differently from the rest. Bring him here now, and I'll settle the matter at once."

"Yes, sir," said I, thankful to get off so lightly.

The colonel had already begun some fresh work when I returned with Jose and the major, but he rose from his seat and saluted the Spaniard courteously.