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"Is that the advice of all of you?" asked Cuchillo. "Of course," answered simultaneously Oroche and Baraja. Diaz remained silent keeping himself out of this mysterious compromise. "Well, then, gentlemen," said Cuchillo, addressing himself to his two more facile comrades, "you are fully of the opinion that the man should be got rid of?
As the outlaw said this, he pointed with his whip, first to himself, and then to his two comrades, Oroche and Baraja. "They have both espoused our quarrel," he added. "From what motive?" inquired the Spaniard.
As already stated, the report had vaguely spread that he knew the secret of the immense riches, and cupidity supplied to Oroche and Baraja the place of enthusiasm. "Carramba!" cried Baraja, "a man possessing such a secret should be invulnerable." "Immortal!" said Oroche, "or only die after " A blow from a hatchet on his head cut short his words.
Oroche, Baraja, and Pedro Diaz pressed one against the other, sometimes retiring to avoid the long lances of their enemies sometimes advancing and striking in their turn encouraging each other, and never pausing but to glance at their chief.
But the light proved disadvantageous to Baraja and Oroche, for it enabled Don Estevan to perceive that they were far from steady in their seats. "Why, these fellows are drunk!" cried he, turning upon the guide a look of furious reproach. "Are these the assistants you count upon?" "True, your honour," replied Cuchillo, "they are not exactly sober; but I hope soon to cure them.
You will dismount and lead your horses forward by the bridle, until you can see the fire; and when you hear the report of my gun, be ready, for I shall then fall back upon you." "All right," responded Oroche, "we are both ready the Senor Baraja and myself to sacrifice all private interests to the common good." Cuchillo now parted with the two, leading his horse ahead of them.
The assassin would have taken with him his two associates Baraja and Oroche; and as three bullets instead of one would thus have been aimed at the intended victim, the chances are that some of them would have reached his life.
"Agreed, Don Estevan; and in to-morrow's hunt of these wild horses, it will be strange if Tiburcio Arellanos don't knock his brains out against either a rock or the trunk of a tree, or at least get himself into some corner, where he won't be able to find his way out again. The only regret I have is, that I shall have to share these twenty onzas with my friends, Baraja and Oroche."
"Am I straight in my stirrups?" whispered Oroche addressing himself to Baraja. "Straight as a bamboo!" replied the other. "Do I appear firm?" inquired he in turn. "Firm as a rock," was the response. Thanks to the efforts they were making to keep themselves upright, Don Estevan, as he glanced over the ranks of his followers, did not observe anything amiss.
The followers, Cuchillo, Baraja, Oroche, and Pedro Diaz were already in their saddles the last mounted on a magnificent and fiery steed, which told that the generous haciendado had kept his promise. The motive for this hasty departure from the hacienda was unknown only to Benito and the other domestics.
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