Ellis Edward Sylvester
Up the Forked River: or, Adventures in South America

CHAPTER XXII

There was not a doubt in the mind of Miss Starland when she read the few pencilled lines handed to her by the deserter. She was too familiar with the handwriting to be mistaken. She passed the paper to her companion.

“You must not hesitate,” said the latter, the moment she caught its meaning; “go at once.”

“Will you come with me?”

“No; I am not asked to do so. I can be of no help, and I have nothing to fear from my uncle, General Yozarro.”

Little preparation was needed. Attired in the light, gauzy material of the tropics, it only remained for her to adjust her hat and to catch up the reticule containing a few indispensable articles. Still she lingered, impressed by the importance of the step she was about to take.

Martella stood like a statue, but the tension had become almost intolerable.

“Shall I retire till the Señorita is ready?” he respectfully asked.

“There is no necessity; I have simply to go with you.”

“May I then be permitted to say that not a moment must be thrown away? General Yozarro is expected, and if we linger it will be too late.”

Just then the alert ears of the man heard an unusual stir below.

“I fear he has come; we must not stay.”

He lowered his voice to a whisper and could not repress signs of agitation. In the trying instant he decided upon his course of action. He would go down stairs, and in the excitement, try to slip outside. Then he would make a dash for life, with the chances still a hundred to one against success.

The friends embraced affectionately, and the Señorita gently pushed the other through the door which she opened.

“God and the saints be with you! Linger not another second.”

Martella stepped outside, replaced his hat and with his deliberate walk, led the way down the stairs, which were dimly lighted by the lamp below. Sternly repressing all signs of haste, he slipped his right hand under his jacket and rested it on the handle of his knife.

“They shall have a fight for it!” he muttered; “if the General is within reach, my knife shall find his heart.”

But the flurry that had startled him was not caused by the arrival of General Yozarro. It was due to the natural curiosity over the departure of one of the young women, which had become known, when the saddled pony was brought to the front of the Castle where Captain Navarro was waiting, with one of his soldiers holding the bridle. Whatever the officer may have thought, it was evident there was no change in his intentions.

Miss Starland walked lightly forward, fastening her reticule to her girdle, so as to leave her hands free, bowed to the Captain, who snapped off his hat, replaced it, and, slightly stooping, took the tiny foot for a moment in his hand, and assisted her to the saddle and reached the reins to her. She said “Adios!” to him and the others gathered round, whereat there was a general uncovering. Martella saluted and with his former dignified tread, walked toward the edge of the plateau, in the direction of the trail leading to the river from which he had come. The most wrenching effort of his life was to restrain himself from breaking into a lope and calling upon his charge to do the same with her horse. He succeeded by a supreme effort.

It was a hundred yards to the point where the bit of level land dipped, and half the distance was passed, when Captain Navarro called:

“Stop, Martella! Wait!”

The man instantly halted, thrusting his hand under his jacket and closing his iron fingers about the handle of his weapon. Matters had gone too far for any drawing back. It was now to keep on or fight to the death, for he had no doubt that the officer had changed his mind and meant to hold both until the arrival of General Yozarro.

“I will pause to hear what he speaks,” he said in a low voice to the wondering young woman; “your horse knows the trail; keep on; you have not far to go to meet your brother and his friend.”

She had checked the pony, but twitched the rein and he walked steadily toward the darkness, leaving the grim Atlamalcan to have it out with Captain Navarro. The latter was approaching fast and came up panting slightly from the exertion.

“Martella, you will not forget to remind General Yozarro that I was quick to obey his command, as soon as you gave it to me?”

“Have no fear, Captain.”

In the immeasurable relief and the dread of awaking distrust, the deserter punished himself. Instead of immediately following his charge, he remained facing the officer. It seemed wise to indulge in some pointless converse.

The Captain looked inquiringly at him, not understanding the cause of his hesitation.

“Is there anything more you would say to me, Captain? Though I have lingered longer than I expected, I can afford a few more minutes.”

“No, no, except to repeat that you shall be remembered by me. I am sorry that I detained you; it is best you should make haste.”

“Then, if you are sure, I will follow the Señorita, but I can wait a brief while longer, Captain.”

It was the latter who now showed nervousness, though the strain upon him was not a tenth of what the other suffered.

“Off with you! Do you not see that you may lose the Señorita?”

The pony with its rider was passing from view below the margin of the plateau, and the man now made the haste that looked natural. Although the trail was easily followed, his place was in advance. While gliding past the stirrup, he said:

“We have been fortunate, Señorita, but much danger still threatens.”

CHAPTER XXIII

Something prompted Martella to turn his head and look back. Not Captain Navarro alone, but two of the soldiers had come to the head of the path and stood out in clear relief in the strong moonlight, looking after the vanishing couple. Martella grimly thought:

“The Captain is not easy in his mind, but it is now too late for him to stop me.”

A little way down the trail, under the shadow of the deep foliage, stood the two men who were awaiting the coming of the messenger and young woman. The time, brief as it was, had been trying to the last degree to Major Jack Starland, who came forward into the moonlight and approached the halted pony, which pricked his ears and showed some timidity. But the rider readily controlled him.

“Halloa, Jack!”

“My dear Warrenia!”

He reached up and pressed the small gloved hand and the grasp was warmly returned.

“General Yozarro seems to have forgotten to be a gentleman,” she said.

“He never was one; if I ever meet the scoundrel I shall slap his face, if his whole army is looking on.”

“Then I hope you will never meet.”

The party was stationary, though still near enough to the Castle to justify uneasiness.

“Where are we going, Jack?”

“To the river; we have a boat there, in which we shall sail to Zalapata, there to stay till the yacht returns, and then good bye to this infernal country forever.”

“And none will be gladder than I; but what of General Yozarro? Martella told me he is expected every minute at the Castle.”

“No one knows better than our good friend, but what of it?”

“Which route will he be likely to take, – by land or the river?”

The question did not seem to have occurred to Major Starland, who turned to Martella for an answer.

“I think he will come by the gunboat and land where we did.”

“Then there is a good chance of meeting him and his party?”

“Nothing is more likely; we must not forget to prepare for them, for they may be close at hand.”

“What do you suggest?”

“I will walk far enough in advance to give warning. When I see or hear aught of them, I will whistle like this.”

He illustrated and added:

“When that falls upon your ears, you will make haste to turn off into the wood.”

“But there are many places where we cannot turn off, without taking a plunge down a precipice.”

“Then run back till you find one.”

Martella now strode down the path, which was so deeply shadowed that he quickly slipped from view.

“With your permission, Major, I will follow next, keeping a short way in advance of the Señorita and the horse. You may take the front or rear, as you think best.”

“I will keep at the bridle. I cannot see that danger threatens from the Castle, and surely we are well guarded in front.”

There was no call for delay and the procession moved in the order named, the guide being so well to the fore that only at intervals was a glimpse caught of the shadowy form, where the moonlight flooded the winding trail, which gradually descended until it reached the Rio Rubio to the northward. The three composing the main party did not speak, for all their senses were centred in those of sight and hearing. It had been in the mind of Miss Starland to propose that her pony should be dismissed. The task of walking was nothing to her, and the animal was really an incumbrance, but she saw as yet no objection against utilizing him: the necessity of parting with him might come at any time.

Past the murmuring waterfall, along the rocky face of the towering precipice, with fleeting glimpses of the myriad monkeys eternally flitting through the tropical forest, with the discords of nocturnal animals, and the squawking and cries of disturbed birds of a hundred different species, amid the soft moonlight and deep shadows, our friends threaded their way, listening and peering into the gloom, their hopes high, and yet with misgiving in every heart.

Half the distance was traversed, when the pony stepped around a projecting bend of the trail, which sloped abruptly along the face of the mountain wall. Major Starland paused and with a gentle pressure of the bridle rein checked the animal.

“Some distance must be passed before the path broadens,” he said; “I hope we shall not hear Martella’s signal when half-way thither.”

Captain Guzman had also paused as if with the same thought. He was twenty paces in advance, but did not speak.

“Shall we wait for a few minutes?” asked Miss Starland.

“It will avail nothing; the passage must be made.”

“But Martella will be farther away and that will help.”

“He may go so far that we shall not hear his signal.”

Nevertheless, they remained motionless for a few minutes until Captain Guzman was seen to move forward again. The delay was fortunate, for a hundred yards down the trail, the three were suddenly thrilled by the vibrant whistle, whose echo came back from the opposite cliffs. Captain Guzman whirled and came running back.

“Hurry! Not a moment is to be lost!”

The trail was narrow, but an expert animal could turn.

“Don’t take the risk!” commanded the Major excitedly; “give me your hand and dismount.”

“I can do it; let me alone.”

Without hesitation, she jerked the head of the pony around, so as to face the appalling slope, and, speaking firmly to him, continued pulling strongly on the bit.

“It is madness! You will both be carried over.”

But she gave no heed. The intelligent animal pressed his haunches against the rocky wall, and began carefully turning. His four hoofs were set close together, the front ones on the very edge of the abyss, over which his head projected, and down which the dirt began crumbling. The support of one hoof yielded and he sank partly sideways. The Major uttered an angry exclamation and tried to snatch his sister from the saddle. She resisted and not for a second did she lose her superb nerve. The horse saved both by partly rearing, and with his fore legs in air swung round as if on a pivot and set his feet down again on firm earth, with his nose pointed toward the Castle. She twitched the rein and spoke sharply. He broke into a gallop up the path, with the indignant officer running at his heels, and Guzman close behind him.

“’Twas the maddest folly I ever saw, but heavens! what nerve!”

Brief as was the distance, when they reached the summit of the trail, Martella dashed up after them.

“I saw him!” he said excitedly; “he came on the gunboat and has several officers with him; they will pass within a few minutes.”

Miss Starland now took the hand of her brother and dropped lightly to the ground.

“It was quite interesting, Jack: I hope you weren’t scared.”

“My heart was in my mouth; I gave you up; if you had gone over, it would have been your own fault.”

“But I didn’t go over.”

Martella seized the bridle, pulling so hard that the pony’s head was drawn horizontal. A rod or two and they reached the broadening path and turned abruptly off among the trees and undergrowth. Where the vegetation was so profuse and dense, a little way was sufficient to hide them from any one passing over the path.

As always, Martella assumed the lead, the horse still reluctantly following with the others around and behind him. Suddenly the beast refused to go farther.

“What’s the trouble?” asked the Major.

“Something has frightened him,” suggested Captain Guzman.

The guide was savagely stamping. Then he stopped and tugged again at the rein. The horse dragged back but allowed himself to be drawn a little farther. All came to a pause, grouping themselves together, where one was hardly visible to the others.

“What was it?” asked the Major, in a whisper, of Martella.

“He smelled a serpent in front of us, and I stamped him to death.”

“Was it venomous?” the American was prompted to ask.

“I think it was a coral snake, but he was not large.”

“If he had bitten you?”

“Pardon me, Major, he did not.”

“There may be others near us.”

“Perhaps; their bite is sure death; we must be ready to crush them under our feet – hist! here come General Yozarro and the officers.”

CHAPTER XXIV

There were six of them, all coming out as clearly in the powerful moonlight as if the sun were in the heavens. The stout form of General Yozarro was at the front, walking at a moderate pace up the slope.

The moment he entered the field of vision, Major Starland heard Martella gasp, as if catching his breath. Then the American felt a hand upon his rifle, as if the other were trying to draw it from his grasp.

“My chance can never be better,” whispered the deserter.

“I will not allow murder to be done; a brave man would not ask it.”

The native loosened his straining grip upon the weapon, and all silently peered from the gloom at the procession filing past. None of the spectators spoke, but each caught the sounds of fitful conversation among the Atlamalcans. No one could have been more generous than the Dictator in the way of imprecations, which was no cause for surprise to Miss Starland.

Until the purchase of the tugboat, General Yozarro had usually passed between his capital and the Castle of Rest on horseback. Now, however, he preferred the water route, although it compelled him to walk a difficult mile.

At the moment when the rear of the procession was opposite our friends, who were breathlessly watching from their hiding place, the pony suddenly threw up his head and emitted a resounding whinny that could have been heard a mile away.

“That means a fight!” exclaimed the Major, tightening his grasp on his rifle; “be ready, Captain and Martella!”

The moment the alarming cry echoed among the mountains, General Yozarro and his friends stopped and stared in the direction of the disturbance. Martella was the only one with the quickness of resource to meet the crisis. In a twinkling, he slipped the bridle of the horse over his head, unfastened the cinch and flung the saddle to the ground. Then, pointing the nose of the animal toward the trail, he gave his haunch a pinch like the nipping of a fire ant. The animal responded with a snort and leap, and then trotted to the group who stared at him in astonishment.

The Major and the Captain caught the shrewdness of the action. By driving out the horse without any belongings, he gave the impression that he was an estray, probably cropping the herbage, when disturbed by the approach of strangers. He had not been ridden long enough to show the marks of bridle or saddle, unless examined closely, which was not likely to be the case.

“They may learn the truth,” whispered Martella; “be ready!”

The animal slowed his pace and walked snuffing suspiciously to the waiting company. When one of the officers reached out to grasp his forelock, he flirted his head away. The brute preferred his freedom to serving a master.

Some natural surprise was expressed that he should be wandering alone, so far from the Castle, and the listening friends heard General Yozarro suggest that it might be worth while to look farther. They were about to do so when he changed his mind.

“Captain Navarro is not careful with his horses: I must remind him to have a better care of my property.”

With this observation, the General resumed the lead and almost immediately the party disappeared, vastly to the relief of our friends. Martella waited only until they were beyond sight, when he led the way back to the trail.

There was no further call for him to act as advance scout, though he again placed himself at the head of the little company. He could readily have captured the horse and offered to do so, but Miss Starland refused the favor, saying it was a grateful relief to walk, after having been so long in doors. Accordingly the pony was left to himself.

The situation had changed. The danger was transferred to the rear, though it was not likely to threaten for some time to come. General Yozarro would not dream of the truth until he reached the Castle. There he would quickly learn that the cunning of the deserter had drawn the American Señorita from his custody and probably taken her beyond reach. It would require less than an hour for him to go to Castillo Descanso, and only a short time to hasten back over the trail to the river.

Would he do so?

This was the question Major Starland asked himself, while tramping directly behind his sister. Such a thing would be so daring an outrage that it seemed improbable. What excuse could he offer when coming into the presence of the two American visitors for so high-handed an interference with their rights? Hitherto he had shown a fulsome obsequiousness to both, and acted the part of a high-toned gentleman. How could he throw off that courtesy which seemed a part of his nature, and still forbid their going and coming as they pleased?

Doubtless the Major would have convinced himself that what he mentally outlined was not to be feared from the Dictator, except for a most important fact that obtruded itself: the presence of Martella, the deserter, with the company of fugitives, as they must now regard themselves. That would justify him in pursuing the ingrate to the uttermost confines of his dominion, and to make his shelter by General Bambos a casus belli, especially if the message left with the engineer of the tugboat had been delivered. Acting under this pretext, Yozarro would be able to bring the man’s companions within his power, with the opportunity of carrying out the plans he had formed respecting them. His infatuation had destroyed his tact, judgment and sense, of which his furnishment had never been great.

Strange that one of the most likely contingencies of the peculiar situation did not present itself to any one until it flashed upon Major Starland, while threading the mountain trail and when near its termination. General Yozarro’s tugboat must have come ashore directly behind the catboat of his predecessors. He would recognize the smaller craft, and know that the American had gone to the Castle to join his sister, no doubt with the intention of bringing her away. He must have destroyed the usefulness of the catboat and thus estopped the flight of the fugitives by that means.

While such action on his part would appear to have been certain, yet it did not accord with his conduct when on the way to Castillo Descanso. The sight of the pony would have told him the truth, and he would have been certain to make an investigation on the spot. But that was not done, nor was there anything in the words or manner of the Atlamalcans to show that he held a suspicion of the real situation.

“Martella must have thought of all this, yet he did not show it by word or act.”

Walking briskly, they soon passed up a slight incline, descended another and arrived within a short distance of the Rio Rubio. Then, for the first time, the officer recalled that the trail bifurcated like the river itself. One fork turned to the right, which led to where the sailboat had been secured. Without pausing, Martella turned down this, and a few minutes later all stood on the river’s margin.